There are many ways to budget and save, fromtop budgeting apps like Cleoto a good, old-fashioned spreadsheet.
But if you pick a spreadsheet, where do you even start?
Staring at a blank budget spreadsheet can be daunting.
The good news is you dont have to go it alone.
A spreadsheet template can help you get started by laying out an easy road map to follow.
Someone else has done the tricky work of setting up the spreadsheet.
You just have to put in your personal numbers.
Whether you use Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets or Apple Numbers, theres a free spreadsheet for you.
Figure out how you walk through these basic budgeting steps to know what you want from one.
Identify Your Goals
Is your primary goal to pay off debt?
Then you might like azero-based budget.
Do you have a stable income and are just trying to organize your finances?
You might like the50/20/30method.
Or maybe youd like to be able to see your entire year in one sheet.
Calculate Your Monthly Income
How much money do you have coming in each month or week?
Dont forget supplemental sources of income like child support or alimony.
Organize and Prioritize
Different people prefer different things when it comes to the organization of a budget.
Is it essential for you to see your entire year at a glance?
Or do you want to see only a week-by-week view?
Prioritize expense categories as you prefer.
Here are our picks based on budgeting personality types one might fall into.
Youre also able to compare your spending month over month to track progress toward reaching financial goals.
The template will help you plan monthly expenses, but our favorite feature is tracking actual spending.
Need an even more in-depth look at your spending habits?
Check out our next pick for a weekly budgeting template.
This budget also keeps a running total at the bottom to tell you when youre at zero.
Categories go down to line 57, but you always have the option of not using every line.
The budget is available as a Microsoft Excel template and a Google Sheets template.
Its also clean, easy to read and available in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
And Bridal Musings doesnt just plop categories in column 1.
Just check that youre including everything in your DIY budget.
There are hundreds of categories for your budget.
(We have a list of 101).
But in its simplest form, your actual budget will contain five categories.
you might even break those down further into transactional categories like car insurance premiums and car payments.
A free-spirited spender might like more broad categories and stop at five.
Or maybe you want to account for every transaction in subcategories within subcategories.
Choose what fits your spending style.
Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and Apple Numbers all include excellent built-in spreadsheet templates.
If the provided templates arent enough, you’ve got the option to find more options online.
Here are some of our favorite sources to find additional budgeting templates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Spreadsheet Templates Are Used for Budgeting?
If youre getting started with a personal budget template, there are lots of options available.
Some of our favorite templates includeyearlyandmonthly templatesfrom Vertex42 and aweekly optionfrom Spreadsheet123.
Other options include the50/20/30 budget templatefrom Sapience Financial and thezero-based budget templatefrom Smartsheet.
Does Microsoft Excel Have a Budget Template?
Yes, Microsoft Excel does include several budget templates.
Which templates you get will depend on the version of Office that you use.
Additional budget templates for Microsoft Excel can bedownloaded from Microsofts website.
How Do I Create a Budget Template?
Creating your own budget spreadsheet template will give you the most control over your finances.
Check out our detailed guide about how tocreate a budget templatein Microsoft Excel.
The process is easier than you might think.
Is There a Budget Template in Word?
Microsoft Word does contain templates for managing your budget.
you might find such templates by creating a new document from the File tab.
