Want to create a budget? These worksheets will walk you through making a budget with detailed, step-by-step instructions. You'll be able to list your income, break down all your expenses and rank your savings goals.
I recommend using all three worksheets together to create a comprehensive budget. This will give you a birds-eye view of your financial health.
If you'd rather start slowly, feel free to use just one worksheet to focus on a specific area within your budget. For example, you can use the Discretionary Spending worksheet to discover how much of your monthly paycheck goes towards fun and entertainment.
1. Budget Worksheet - Income and Necessities
This budget worksheet helps you list all your sources of income (your paycheck, bonuses, commissions, dividends, side income, etc.) and compare it with your most important, necessary expenses, like groceries, utilities, and your rent or mortgage.
I highly recommend using all three worksheets, but if you're only going to use one, I recommend using this one.
2. Budget Worksheet - Discretionary Spending
Here's where you get to list all your "fun" expenses, like beauty products and restaurant dining. If you do need to trim your budget, these are the easiest places to make cuts.
Beware, though: "discretionary" is in the eye of the beholder. Some of the things on this list might feel like necessities -- but that's why personal finance is, well, so personal.
