If you’ve been trying to put together a budget but don’t feel as if you’ve been very successful, one option might be to use some of the free budgeting worksheets that you can find online.
These budget worksheets can actually help you find money to save — money that you might otherwise just be frittering away.
That’s easy to do if you don’t really have a handle on your finances.
Here are several budgeting worksheets to get you started…
All About Budgeting Worksheets
- Basic Budgeting Worksheet
- 7 Free Printable Budgeting Worksheets
- Free Excel Home Budget Worksheet
- Build-A-Budget Worksheet
- Google Docs Budget Templates
- 10 Free Household Budget Spreadsheets
- Printable Budget Worksheets
- Online Interactive Budget Worksheet
- Free Financial Worksheets
- Interactive Online Family Budget Worksheet
How To Start A Budget
Now, it’s time to get serious!
To create a budget using one or more of the above budgeting worksheets, these are the steps:
#1 – Gather all of your monthly statements. This will help you come up with an accounting of your average monthly spending which is a key point when setting up your budget.
#2 – Write down all of your income. Record all sources including full-time salary, divorce-related earnings (such as alimony), etc. so a true amount of how much money is coming in can be determined.
#3 – Write down all of your monthly expenses. This is everything you spend money on in a month including entertainment, car insurance, etc. It all counts.
#4 – Separate your expenses into 2 categories: fixed and variable. This is important as fixed expenses pretty much do not ever change and variable can be different from month-to-month like holiday spending, travel plans, etc.
#5 – Total your monthly expenses and your monthly income. Hopefully, your income outweighs your expenses, if not you’ll want to look at eliminating some expenses.
#6 – Adjust your expenses. Adjust how much you are paying for certain things and look into discounts for services, less expensive hobbies, etc.
#7 – Review your monthly budget. After you’ve adjusted your expenses, see if this has made a positive difference or if you’ll need to re-evaluate your expenses again.
Beyond The Budget Worksheet: Best Apps For Budgeting
According to Nerdwallet there are some really cool apps available now for those who are ready to go beyond the budget worksheet. Here are some of the best apps, what they’ll help you do, and who can use them.
Best overall saving and budgeting apps:
Mint: The market leader in budgeting management syncs with your account to track your spending. It is free and compatible with iOS, Amazon, Android, and Windows Phones.
Acorns: Automatically rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the difference. It’s a free service but investment management fees do apply. It’s compatible with iOS and Android phones.
Best budgeting app for hands-on users:
You Need A Budget: This budgeting app helps you learn to live on last month’s income. There is a nominal fee to use this service ($50 a year or $5 a month (34-day free trial)), it’s browser-based, and runs on iOS and Android platforms.
Best simplified budgeting app:
PocketGuard: Gives you a snapshot of how much you can spend at any given moment. It’s a free app and runs on iOS and Android platforms.
Best app for paying and tracking bills:
Prism: This app offers an easy way to organize and pay your bills. It’s free and is supported on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8, and the Kindle.
Best tool to evaluate investment accounts:
Personal Capital: Helps you to optimize your investment strategy and make smart choices when investing. It’s free, browser-based, and is supported on iOS, Amazon, and Android devices.
Best service to do the work for you:
Levanto: This app takes care of it all, from paying your bills, helping you with budgeting, and assists with debt reduction strategies. The service fee varies (average $200/month).
