Simple Monthly Budget Spreadsheet

A budget spreadsheet for people who have given up on budget spreadsheets.

You type in two places: a short Setup once, then one Transactions log each time money comes in or goes out. The Dashboard, your bills, savings goals, debts and account balances all fill themselves. One log. Ten minutes. No locked cells.

ADHD-friendly by design: one place to type, three short steps, and no number you have to update twice.

WHAT YOU GET · 3 FILES

• Simple-Budget-Spreadsheet.xlsx: your blank budget, 12 months from any month you choose
• Simple-Budget-Spreadsheet-EXAMPLE.xlsx: the same file filled with made-up sample data (January to October 2026), so you can click around before you start
• Simple-Budget-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf (4 pages): which file to open, the 3 steps, 7 simple rules, questions and answers, and your Google Sheets "Make a copy" link

7 TABS

• Start Here: three steps and short tips, with a link to each tab
• Setup: first month, year and currency symbol, then up to 6 income sources, 24 spending categories, 6 savings goals, 6 debts, 6 accounts and 15 monthly bills
• 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.
• Dashboard: pick a month and see money in, money out, saved + debt paid and safe to spend, a "where the money went" chart, budget vs spent for each category, bills marked Paid ✔ / Due / Overdue, savings goals, debts and account balances
• Year: 12 months side by side with totals, monthly averages, money left over and a column chart
• Accounts: the balance of each account plus a quick check against your bank
• Lists: the automatic lists behind the drop-downs (no need to touch)

WHY IT'S SIMPLE

• A payee column. You see who you paid, not only the category.
• Bills tick themselves off. Give each bill a name in Setup, use that name as the payee when you pay it, and the Dashboard shows Paid ✔. No separate recurring tab to match up.
• A built-in bank check. Type what your bank app shows and the Accounts tab shows the difference. The ✔ column tells you which rows haven't reached your bank yet.
• 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 first month, then list your income, spending categories, goals, debts, accounts and bills.
4. Log each money move in Transactions. Amounts are always positive: the category decides if it's money in or money out.
5. Once a week: pick the month on the Dashboard, then 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.

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.
• This is a budgeting tool, not financial advice.
• Designed with the help of AI tools, then checked by hand.
• Questions? Email us at lysansan24@gmail.com and we'll help.

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