Monthly Budget Planner (Excel)

This budget planner uses the planned-vs-actual method — the simplest budgeting system that actually sticks. Set your plan at the start of the month, log actuals as you go, and the Difference column shows exactly where the month went sideways.

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What’s Inside

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• Income section with planned, actual and difference columns
• 12 pre-built expense categories (edit them freely)
• Automatic totals and a Money Left Over summary
• Your savings rate calculated automatically
• Blue cells for your inputs, formulas everywhere else — nothing to break

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How to Use It

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Enter your income and planned spending in the blue cells at the start of the month. Update the Actual column weekly — five minutes is enough. A positive number in the expense Difference column means you came in under plan. Aim for a savings rate of 15–20% of income; pair this sheet with the Savings Goal Calculator to see what your surplus can become.