How to Use a Monthly Budget Template in Google Sheets
A monthly budget gives you a plan. Recording transactions shows how your actual spending compares with it. Here’s how to use those two views together in Sheetlark’s Monthly Budget template.
Start with your own copy
Once you have your own Google Sheets copy, open Start Here and look through Example before entering personal information. Desktop Google Sheets is the supported format.
Enter your category budgets
Use the yellow input cells for your entries and leave formula cells in place. Set the planned amounts for your spending categories. In the example, planned spending totals $1,500.
Record actual transactions
Add transactions in Transactions and assign the appropriate categories. Keep income separate from expenses so the summary can show each clearly.
The example records $1,000 in rent and $120 in groceries. Adding a $20 refund brings net spending to $1,100.
Keep refunds and transfers distinct
A refund reduces net spending. A transfer between your own accounts moves money without creating another expense. Use the workbook’s transaction types and follow the entries shown in Example.
In this example, a $500 transfer is excluded from spending. Treating it as an expense would make the spending summary misleading.
Compare the plan with the result
Review Overview and Dashboard to see the category comparison. With $1,500 planned spending and $1,100 net spending, the budget remaining is $400.
The example’s $2,000 income is a separate figure. Budget remaining compares planned spending with net spending; it does not show your account balance.
Keep your records manageable
The workbook supports up to 500 transactions and 13 preset spending categories. Keep an archived copy of your records when the transaction log is full. The workbook summarizes what you enter and does not connect to your bank.
Explore the Monthly Budget preview, or see what the template includes.