Paycheck Budget Spreadsheet (Dark Mode)

A dark-mode budget spreadsheet that follows your paychecks, not the calendar month.

This is the dark version of our Paycheck Budget Spreadsheet: the same 7 tabs, the same formulas and the same features, on a charcoal background with soft teal, coral, lavender and mustard accents.

Pick how often you get paid and list your bills with their due days. Each bill lands on the paycheck that has to cover it, so you can see the heavy paychecks coming. On payday, open This Paycheck: the bills due before your next payday, what is left after your plan, and what is safe to spend until then.

You type in two places: a short Setup once, then one Transactions log each time money comes in or goes out. Every other tab fills itself. No locked cells.

WHAT YOU GET · 3 FILES

• Paycheck-Budget-Spreadsheet-Dark.xlsx: your blank budget, one year of paychecks from the first payday you choose
• Paycheck-Budget-Spreadsheet-Dark-EXAMPLE.xlsx: the same file filled with made-up sample data (paid every 2 weeks, January to October 2026), so you can click around before you start
• Paycheck-Budget-Dark-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf (4 pages): which file to open, the 3 steps, how bills land on your paychecks, 7 simple rules, questions and answers, and your Google Sheets "Make a copy" link

DARK MODE

• Every tab is dark: backgrounds, tables and both charts.
• Type in the boxes with a thin border. Grey cells fill themselves.
• The dark colors are built into the file. There is nothing to switch on.
• Made for the screen. If you print a tab, the dark background uses a lot of ink.
• Prefer light pages? See the light version below.

PAY SCHEDULES

• Every week (52 paychecks)
• Every 2 weeks, also called biweekly (26 paychecks)
• Twice a month, also called semi-monthly, for example the 1st and the 15th (24 paychecks)
• Every month (12 paychecks)

Your year starts on your first payday, any date.

7 TABS

• Start Here: three steps and short tips, with a link to each tab
• Setup: pay schedule, first payday and currency symbol, then up to 6 income sources, 15 monthly bills with due days, 24 spending categories with a plan per paycheck, 6 savings goals, 6 debts and 6 accounts
• Transactions: the one log you fill in. Date, payee, category, amount, account, a "to account" for transfers, a ✔ column for rows that have reached your bank, and a note. 1,500 rows ready.
• This Paycheck: keep "Current paycheck" or pick another one, then see pay received, bills before payday, left after plan and safe to spend now (also per day until payday), a "where this paycheck goes" chart, bills marked Paid ✔ / Due / Overdue, spending by category against your plan, money in, savings goals and debts
• Paychecks: every paycheck of your year in one table, with bills due, a "bills load" bar, left after plan, money out and what was left, plus a pay vs bills chart. Today's paycheck is marked.
• Accounts: the balance of each account plus a quick check against your bank
• Lists: the automatic lists and paydays behind the drop-downs (no need to touch)

WHY IT'S SIMPLE

• Bills land on the right paycheck by themselves. Type each due day once; the file puts the bill on the last payday on or before that date.
• See the heavy paychecks coming. The Paychecks tab shows which paychecks carry the rent and the big bills, before they arrive.
• Bills tick themselves off. Use the bill's name as the payee when you pay it (up to 14 days early is fine), and This Paycheck shows Paid ✔.
• A payee column. You see who you paid, not only the category.
• A built-in bank check. Type what your bank app shows and the Accounts tab shows the difference.
• Nothing is locked. No passwords, no macros. Click any grey cell to see its formula.
• No video needed. The Start Here tab and the 4-page guide cover everything.
• One log feeds every tab, so you never type the same number twice.

HOW IT WORKS

1. After checkout, click the download button on your order confirmation page. The same download link is also in your order confirmation email.
2. Open the quick-start guide. Use its Google Sheets link to make your own copy, or open the blank .xlsx in Excel.
3. Setup, about 5 minutes: pick your pay schedule and first payday, then list your income, bills, spending plan, goals, debts and accounts.
4. Log each money move in Transactions, your pay included. Amounts are always positive: the category decides if it is money in or money out.
5. On payday, open This Paycheck. Once a week, type your bank balance in Accounts to see that everything matches.

COMPATIBILITY

• Google Sheets: use the "Make a copy" link in the guide (a free Google account is needed)
• Excel 2016 or newer on Windows (tested in Excel 2021)
• On a Mac? Use the Google Sheets copy
• Set it up on a computer. On a phone or tablet, open your copy in the free Google Sheets app to add entries and check it on the go. Phone web browsers show a read-only view.
• Not for Apple Numbers.
• Any currency: pick or type your currency symbol. It's a label only; nothing is converted.
• Bills are monthly: one due day each month.

GOOD TO KNOW

• This is a digital download. No physical item will be shipped.
• For personal use only. You may gift one copy to one person. Please don't share, resell or redistribute the files or the Google Sheets link beyond that.
• English only.
• Colors may look slightly different on different screens.
• This is a budgeting tool, not financial advice. "Safe to spend" is a planning number based on what you type.
• Designed with the help of AI tools, then checked by hand.
• Questions? Email us at lysansan24@gmail.com and we'll help.

MORE FROM OUR SHOP

Prefer light pages? The same spreadsheet in a light, cream design is our Paycheck Budget Spreadsheet. Budgeting by calendar month? See our Simple Budget Spreadsheet in Dark Mode. Paying off debt? See our Debt Payoff Planner in Dark Mode. Like dark mode? We also make ADHD-friendly digital planners in dark mode, undated or 2027, plus printable planner pages.