Menjelang akhir bulan, saya memeriksa pengeluaran dan pendapatan di buku kecil.

Menjelang means approaching, toward, or as it gets close to. In this sentence, Menjelang akhir bulan means toward the end of the month or as the end of the month approaches.

It is different from:

• pada akhir bulan = at the end of the month
• di akhir bulan = at/in the end of the month (also common in some contexts)

So:

• menjelang akhir bulan focuses on the time leading up to the end of the month
• pada akhir bulan focuses more on a point or period at the end

In Indonesian, a noun often comes first and the word describing it comes after.

So:

• akhir bulan = the end of the month
• literally, end month

This is normal Indonesian word order. Compare:

• buku kecil = small book
• rumah besar = big house

So bulan akhir would sound unnatural in this meaning.

The phrase Menjelang akhir bulan is a time expression placed at the beginning of the sentence. The comma helps separate that introductory phrase from the main clause:

• Menjelang akhir bulan, = Toward the end of the month,
• saya memeriksa... = I check/examine...

In Indonesian, commas are commonly used this way, just as in English.

Periksa is the base form, and memeriksa is the active verb form with the prefix meN-.

• periksa = check, inspect, examine
• memeriksa = to check / to inspect

In a normal formal sentence, Indonesian often uses the meN- verb form for active verbs:

• Saya memeriksa... = I check...

You may hear periksa in commands or casual speech:

• Periksa lagi. = Check again.

But in a standard statement like this, memeriksa is the expected form.

The prefix meN- forms an active verb, often similar to English to do X.

Here:

• periksa → memeriksa

It marks the verb as something the subject actively does.

A few similar examples:

• baca → membaca = read
• tulis → menulis = write
• lihat → melihat = see

The exact shape of meN- changes depending on the first sound of the root word. That is why it becomes mem- in memeriksa.

These are both common financial nouns.

• pengeluaran = expenses, spending, expenditures
• pendapatan = income, earnings, revenue depending on context

So the sentence is talking about checking both:

• money going out = pengeluaran
• money coming in = pendapatan

They are a natural pair in budgeting or personal finance.

Both are derived words.

pengeluaran

From keluar = to go out / exit

• pengeluaran = something like that which goes out
• in finance: expenses / expenditures

pendapatan

From dapat = to get / obtain

• pendapatan = what is obtained
• in finance: income / earnings

You do not need to break these apart every time, but it helps explain why they mean what they do.

Indonesian often leaves out possessive words like my, your, or the when the meaning is already clear from context.

So:

• saya memeriksa pengeluaran dan pendapatan naturally means I check my expenses and income

If needed, Indonesian can make it explicit:

• pengeluaran dan pendapatan saya = my expenses and income

But in many everyday sentences, that would be unnecessary.

Here di marks location, so di buku kecil means in the small book or in the notebook.

Indonesian di covers many situations where English might use:

• in
• at
• on

The best translation depends on context.

In this sentence, di buku kecil most naturally means:

• in a small notebook
• in my little record book

Even though English might sometimes say in my notebook, Indonesian just uses di.

Literally, it means small book:

• buku = book
• kecil = small

But depending on context, it can refer naturally to:

• a small notebook
• a pocket ledger
• a little record book

In this sentence, since the person checks expenses and income there, buku kecil probably means some kind of notebook or small account book rather than just any random small book.

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun.

So:

• buku kecil = small book
• mobil baru = new car
• rumah besar = big house

This is one of the basic word-order differences from English.

Yes. That would also be correct.

The order:

• pengeluaran dan pendapatan or
• pendapatan dan pengeluaran

does not change the basic meaning. It is just a matter of preference, emphasis, or style.

That said, in some financial contexts, people may prefer one order because it sounds more natural to them, but both are grammatical.

It can cover all of those, depending on context.

Memeriksa often means:

• to check
• to inspect
• to examine
• sometimes to review

In this sentence, check or review sounds most natural in English because the topic is finances:

• I check/review my expenses and income...

If it were about a machine, a doctor, or homework, memeriksa might be better translated as inspect or examine.

Yes, but putting it at the beginning is very natural because it sets the time frame right away.

For example:

• Menjelang akhir bulan, saya memeriksa pengeluaran dan pendapatan di buku kecil.

You could also say:

• Saya memeriksa pengeluaran dan pendapatan di buku kecil menjelang akhir bulan.

That is still understandable, but the original version sounds smoother because Indonesian often places time expressions early in the sentence.

It sounds neutral to fairly formal, and it is perfectly natural written Indonesian.

Why?

• saya is neutral/formal I
• memeriksa is a standard verb form
• pengeluaran and pendapatan are standard vocabulary

In casual speech, someone might choose simpler or looser wording, but this sentence is clear, correct, and natural, especially in writing.