Budget Template

I am obsessed with using Excel to keep track of everything. The Excel document I used when I was planning my wedding was insane. It had a tab for the guestlist with addresses, if they RSVPed, and what gift they gave. Other tabs included a to-do-list, a budget, payment schedule, and a contact sheet. It looked overwhelming but I've passed it off to other brides who found it very useful.

I have always used an excel spreadsheet to keep track of my finances as well. I have one tab that resembles what you would use to balance your checkbook. I enter in what money comes in and goes out and it automatically calculates my checking account balance. The second tab keeps track of our household bills. It is broken out by month and lists how much my husband owes me at the end of each month. Let me clarify... I pay the bills every month and at the end of the month, my husband transfers over his half of the household bills to "pay me back".

I pay for EVERYTHING with my American Express Gold Card. I don't let the bill get out of hand because I pay whatever the current balance is every 2 weeks when I get paid. I use it like a debit card because I accrue points for every dollar I spend and I want to get rewards for buying things. I earn double points on groceries and gas and triple points on travel. The third tab keeps track of what my American Express bill is every month and my points balance that appears on my bill each month. The fourth tab keeps track of the balance of my 401k and savings account for the first of every month. That way, I can see if they are going up or down and by how much.

I find this document very helpful because it helps me keep track of my spending and plan ahead. If you would like a copy of this document, download the template.
*I used bogus numbers to demonstrate how it works.

I hope it works for you like it has worked for me.