A monthly budget does not have to be complicated. If you want to know where your money goes, a simple spreadsheet with income, expenses, and a clear monthly summary is often enough to get started.
This free Monthly Budget Tracker for Google Sheets helps you organize transactions, compare planned spending with actual expenses, and see how much money remains after expenses. It includes sample entries, editable categories, and a colorful dashboard.
Jump to Free Template ↓Use the Transactions tab to record money in and money out. Enter your category budgets in Monthly Budget, then check Dashboard to review income, expenses, remaining cash flow, and spending by category. Open the free template at the bottom of this guide.
What Is Included in This Free Monthly Budget Template?
See selected-month income, expenses, money left, and budget comparisons.
Plan spending across 12 expense categories and compare with actual transactions.
Enter income and expenses with dates, categories, and descriptions; room for up to 300 entries.
Read the built-in instructions and customize the category lists.
The template uses Egglover Desk's soft yellow, coral, blue, green, and lavender color palette. Entry areas are visually separated from calculated results to make the spreadsheet easier to read.
How to Use the Monthly Budget Tracker
Use the button near the bottom of this article. You can preview the read-only version first. To work with your own data, choose File → Make a copy in Google Sheets.
The Start Here tab describes the workbook layout and explains which values to edit. Spend a minute here before replacing the sample transactions.
Use the default income and expense categories or adjust them to match your spending habits. Keep category names consistent so the budget summaries match your transactions.
On Monthly Budget, enter the amount you plan to spend in each category. The sheet compares this plan with recorded expenses.
Record each income or expense with the correct date, type, category, and amount. Replace the example entries with your own when ready.
Select the month you want to review. The dashboard summarizes transactions for that month, so you can check spending against your budget at a glance.
A Simple Monthly Budget Example
Here is an illustrative snapshot based on the starter workbook's example transactions. It is demonstration data, not a recommended personal budget.
$4,500.00
$1,750.61
$2,749.39
You can also set a spending plan for each category. For example, if your total planned expense budget is $3,050, the dashboard helps show how actual recorded spending compares with that target.
Tips for Keeping Your Budget Easy to Maintain
- Start with a small number of clear categories instead of tracking every detail.
- Enter expenses consistently so the dashboard stays useful.
- Review your transactions once a week to catch missing entries.
- Use positive amounts and choose the correct income or expense type.
- Remember that "money left" is income minus recorded expenses, not your checking-account balance.
The Dashboard can filter transactions by month. The beginner edition does not keep a separate historical budget plan for each month in the same budget table. If you need to preserve each month's planned amounts, save a monthly copy or use a more advanced annual budget workbook.
Get Your Free Monthly Budget Tracker
Want to try the spreadsheet? Open it below, look through the sample dashboard, and make your own editable copy when you are ready.
Monthly Budget Tracker — Starter Edition
A beginner-friendly monthly spending plan with a pastel dashboard, transactions, category budgets, and automatic calculations.
Open Free Google Sheets Template ↗View the template first. To edit it, select File → Make a copy in Google Sheets. You will need a Google account to save your personal copy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Google Sheets template is available to view and copy for personal use.
Do I need Microsoft Excel?
No. You can open the template in Google Sheets in your browser. The downloadable Excel edition is also compatible with Excel.
Can I change the expense categories?
Yes. You can edit category choices in Settings and adjust the budget plan.
Will the dashboard update automatically?
It is designed to recalculate when transaction data and the selected month change. Check that formulas are preserved after copying or importing.
Does this track every month's budget plan separately?
No. The starter workbook filters transactions by month but does not independently archive budget targets for every month.
Can I remove the example entries?
Yes. Replace the sample entries with your own, leaving formulas and calculated cells intact.
You do not need an advanced budgeting system to begin. Start with a few categories, record your spending, and use the dashboard to see the bigger picture. The free Monthly Budget Tracker gives you a place to start.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Example amounts are illustrative. This template is a planning aid, not financial advice.
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