Monthly Budget Template
Month: ______________________ · Total take-home: ______________________
| Category | Item | Budgeted | Actual | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | ||||
| Paycheck | Primary job (take-home) | $ | $ | $ |
| Paycheck | Side income | $ | $ | $ |
| Other | Gifts, refunds, reimbursements | $ | $ | $ |
| Fixed Expenses | ||||
| Housing | Rent / mortgage | $ | $ | $ |
| Utilities | Electric | $ | $ | $ |
| Utilities | Gas | $ | $ | $ |
| Utilities | Water / sewer | $ | $ | $ |
| Telecom | Phone | $ | $ | $ |
| Telecom | Internet | $ | $ | $ |
| Insurance | Renters / homeowners | $ | $ | $ |
| Insurance | Health | $ | $ | $ |
| Insurance | Auto | $ | $ | $ |
| Insurance | Life | $ | $ | $ |
| Debt | Student loan payment | $ | $ | $ |
| Debt | Minimum credit-card payments | $ | $ | $ |
| Childcare | Daycare / aftercare | $ | $ | $ |
| Subscriptions | Streaming / apps | $ | $ | $ |
| Other | Gym / memberships | $ | $ | $ |
| Variable Expenses | ||||
| Groceries | Food at home | $ | $ | $ |
| Dining | Restaurants / takeout | $ | $ | $ |
| Transport | Gas / transit | $ | $ | $ |
| Transport | Car maintenance | $ | $ | $ |
| Health | Pharmacy / co-pays | $ | $ | $ |
| Personal | Clothing / household | $ | $ | $ |
| Personal | Hair / beauty | $ | $ | $ |
| Kids | School / activities | $ | $ | $ |
| Gifts | Birthdays / holidays | $ | $ | $ |
| Entertainment | Hobbies / outings | $ | $ | $ |
| Travel | Trips / flights | $ | $ | $ |
| Misc | Other / impulse buffer ($50–100) | $ | $ | $ |
| Savings & Debt | ||||
| Savings | Emergency fund | $ | $ | $ |
| Savings | Sinking fund (annual) | $ | $ | $ |
| Savings | Sinking fund (travel) | $ | $ | $ |
| Investing | 401(k) / IRA | $ | $ | $ |
| Debt | Extra debt payoff payment | $ | $ | $ |
| Goals | House down payment / other | $ | $ | $ |
| TOTAL | $ | $ | $ | |
Fill “Budgeted” at the start of the month. Fill “Actual” on the last day of the month. “Diff” is Actual minus Budgeted — a positive number means you overspent that category; a negative number means you have room to redirect that money to savings or debt.
Debt Payoff Tracker
Start by listing every debt you carry. Add a row for each: credit card, store card, personal loan, student loan, car loan, medical debt. Keep this list visible until each balance reads zero.
| Creditor | Balance | Interest rate | Min. payment | Extra payment | Target payoff date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| $ | % | $ | $ | __ / __ / ____ | |
| TOTALS | $ | — | $ | $ | — |
“Min. payment” is the smallest payment that keeps the account in good standing. “Extra payment” is whatever you add on top, every month, directed at this debt. Target payoff date is your estimate — re-evaluate quarterly as balances move.