Budgeting is one of the important elements of a healthy financial plan. This free budget planning spreadsheet will help get you started.
This free downloadable budget planning spreadsheet is highly customizable, but will require a minimal knowledge of Excel.
This Excel Document is compatible with Excel 97-2003 & Excel 2007: Free Household Budget Spreadsheet (97-2003 Workbook) (393)
Instructions to download the budget planning spreadsheet:
- Click on the link above
- Choose to open the document
- The Excel file should appear automatically
- The document will be [read only] – to input information, change, and customize the document you will need to click “Save As” and save the document in your own documents.
- Enjoy the budget!
In the top section of the budget you will enter your estimated budget amount. The budget will automatically tell you the percentage of your total budget that represents.
When you enter your expenditures you can either do that in the top section by using the function: =item cost + … or (recommended) at the bottom of the page enter your purchase, item, and date. Those numbers will automatically be entered into the top section of your budget.
Budget Planning Spreadsheet Features:
- Ready to use budget
- Fully customizable and reproducible
- Easy to use
- Free
- Categories already entered into the sample budget.
How To Make An Effective Home Budget with Budget Planning
Search out a way to save time budgeting. A simple budget is the key to having an effective budget. Most people should be able to keep a budget in a few hours a month. It will, however, take more time the first month to get the budget set and running. This is how to make a budget.
Create the budget together. As a husband and wife, you should sit down together when it is time to make the budget. This is true regardless of who makes or spends the money. The budget will be a reflection of your goals in life. It is so important to be in agreement about how you want your money spent.
Compare your budget with an effective budget. You will need to confirm that your recommended budget percentages are appropriate. By comparing your budget to some standard budget percentages you will be able to confirm that your numbers are (1) realistic, and (2) appropriate amounts that still allow you to develop a healthy financial plan.
Lay out a daily, weekly, or monthly budgeting schedule and plan that works for you. As a part of this schedule you will need to answer the following questions:
What will I do with receipts when I get them?
How often will I enter receipts into the budget?
What day will I prepare the budget for the next month?
What day will I review the budget from the previous month?
Find a good budgeting software. Some people prefer budgeting with pen and paper. These days that number is dwindling. More and more people are searching for a good budgeting software. To start with, it is wise to consider a free budget spreadsheet. On some occasions, however, you might want to consider a paid budgeting software.
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Couldn’t open this spreadsheet, it is in read-only mode.
I couldn’t open it in Excel — it’s just a bunch of gobbledygook letters.
Kathy´s last blog ..Minimum Wage
Thanks for letting me know.
I’ve adding a 97-2003 compatible version. It is working fine for me in Firefox, but not Internet Explorer. I’m working to resolve the issue.
Thank you for the other version! Looks great!
Kathy´s last blog ..Minimum Wage