How To Create A Budget In Excel Budget Spreadsheet Example

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 9:13 AM

how to create a budget in excel budget spreadsheet example

Here is an overview of a personal budget. The time period of a personal budget can vary based on an individual’s needs and preferences, ranging from a monthly budget to a yearly budget or even longer. We will use a monthly budget for the month of January 2023. There are some broad expense categories like Necessary Expenses (column C), Occasional Expenses (column D), Regular Repayments (column E), etc. Under each category there are sub-categories. Needless to say, the income and expense categories listed above are just an example.

Adjust as necessary to suit your own requirements.. Budgeting is one of the most effective ways to take control of your finances, whether for personal or business use. Without a clear plan, expenses can quickly spiral out of control, making it difficult to save and invest wisely. Microsoft Excel is an excellent tool for creating a structured and automated budget that helps you track your income, expenses, and overall financial health. In this guide, you will learn how to create a budget in Excel from scratch, ensuring you stay on top of your financial goals with ease. A budget in Excel is a spreadsheet that helps track income, expenses, and financial goals over a specific period.

It allows users to organize their finances, compare actual spending with planned amounts, and make data-driven decisions. Managing personal or business finances effectively starts with a well-structured budget. Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to organize your income and expenses, track spending, and plan for future financial goals. This step-by-step guide will show you how to create a budget in Excel from scratch. Start by Opening Microsoft Excel and creating a new workbook. This blank spreadsheet will serve as your budgeting tool.

In the first row of your spreadsheet, label the columns to organize your budget. Common categories include: This example shows you how to create a budget in Excel. Follow this step-by-step guide and take control of your finances. 1. First, enter the different types of income and expenses in column A.

Note: on the Home tab, in the Font group, you can use the different commands to change the font size and font style of text. Click on the right border of the column A header to increase the column width. 2. Enter the word Jan into cell B2. Next, select cell B2, click the lower right corner of the cell and drag it across to cell M2. Excel automatically adds the other months.

3. Enter some data to get started with budgeting. Advertiser Disclosure: We scrutinize our research, ratings and reviews using strict editorial integrity. In full transparency, this site may receive compensation from partners listed through affiliate partnerships, though this does not affect our ratings. Learn more about how we make money by visiting our advertiser disclosure. Disclosure: We scrutinize our research, ratings and reviews using strict editorial integrity.

In full transparency, this site may receive compensation from partners listed through affiliate partnerships, though this does not affect our ratings. Learn more about how we make money by visiting our advertiser disclosure. A budget is the foundation of your financial health. Want to know if you can afford a vacation? How much you can save for retirement? How you can pay off your mortgage faster?

These questions can all be answered if you have a budget. And one of the most popular ways to create your own budget is building a budget spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. This article will explain how to make a budget in Excel in 10 simple, easy-to-understand steps. And to help get you started, we’ll even include a free budget spreadsheet template in Excel. Let’s be real — the word “budget” doesn’t always spark joy. But what if setting one up in Excel felt less like a chore and more like building a roadmap to financial freedom?

You don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard. You just need a clear plan, a few simple formulas, and maybe a nice cup of coffee while you set it all up. ☕ In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to set up a beautiful, functional monthly budget in Excel — plus a free template so you can start instantly. Think about where your money goes each month. Common categories might include:

In Excel, create a simple table with these columns: Creating a budgeting plan for your household can feel overwhelming and hard, but Excel can help you get organized and on track with a variety of free and premium budgeting templates. The purpose of a household budget is to summarize what you earn against what you spend to help you plan for long and short-term goals. Using a budgeting spreadsheet can help make your financial health a priority by keeping spending in check and savings on the rise! Prefer to do things yourself? This Excel template can help you track your monthly budget by income and expenses.

Input your costs and income, and any difference is calculated automatically so you can avoid shortfalls or make plans for any projected surpluses. Compare projected costs with actual costs to hone your budgeting skills over time. Tip: Track monthly expenses Utilities, credit cards, and insurance are billed monthly, so the easiest way to keep an eye on expenses is to determine how much you spend on a monthly basis. Beyond your electric bill, do you have a movie or game subscription? What about a gym membership? Be sure to keep track of those, too.

Find customizable budget templates for Microsoft Excel to simplify budgeting that helps monitor spending, plan savings, and stay on track financially. Browse easy‑to‑use budget templates for tracking expenses, planning monthly spending as well as organizing business and personal financial goals. In your browser, explore Excel budget spreadsheet templates Double click on the budget spreadsheet template you want to use Replace the cell values and naming with the required information How to Do a Budget Spreadsheet on Excel is an essential skill for managing personal and business finances effectively.

Excel provides powerful tools to create a customized budget that tracks income, expenses, and savings in real-time. With formulas, charts, and automation, you can gain better financial control and make informed decisions about your spending and savings. Getting started is easier than you might think. Excel offers pre-made budget templates that can save you time. But I prefer building custom spreadsheets tailored to each client’s unique needs. This way, we can include specific categories and calculations that make sense for their financial situation.

The key to a useful budget spreadsheet is consistency. I always advise my clients to update their Excel budget regularly, inputting income and expenses as they occur. This habit provides real-time insights into spending patterns and helps identify areas for potential savings. I’ll guide you through the essential steps to prepare your Excel workspace for budget creation. This involves familiarizing yourself with the interface, mastering key formulas, and starting a new spreadsheet. Excel’s interface is designed for efficiency and data manipulation.

The Ribbon at the top contains tabs like Home, Insert, and Formulas. Each tab has groups of related commands. The Quick Access Toolbar lets me add frequently used commands for easy access. All the Vertex42™ budget templates can be downloaded for personal use and no charge. We hope that they will be helpful to you! The templates featured below also work with OpenOffice and Google Spreadsheets, so if you don't own a version of Microsoft Excel®, the only thing stopping you from making a budget is the time to...

If you are brand new to budgeting, you may want to start with the Income & Expense worksheet to start tracking your expenses. The Zero-Based Budget Worksheet provides a useful exercise as well. For more advanced money management, try our Money Management Template.

How To Create A Budget In Excel Budget Spreadsheet Example

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In The First Row Of Your Spreadsheet, Label The Columns

Note: On The Home Tab, In The Font Group, You