![]() ![]() ![]() If you’re like me and spend an hour or more getting your data into a uniform format or have avoided budgeting because you don’t want to take the time to mess with your data, $6.58/month is well worth what you are getting in return for Tiller’s service. You can use my link for a free 30 day trial, but after that it’s $6.58/month. They will come through in a uniform format that looks something like this: Once you sign up for Tiller you simply have to connect your accounts and your financial transactions will be dumped into a Google Spreadsheet each day. But they don’t allow you to dump your data into a spreadsheet because they either haven’t built a tool that can do that or they have a huge incentive to not allow their users to dump data into a spreadsheet. Now there are a ton of apps out there that link to your accounts. Tiller is what I have been waiting for: it automates the process of pulling in your financial data into a clean, uniform format. That all changed when I discovered Tiller. Fast forward four years and I still haven’t shared a spreadsheet. I didn’t want to share a budgeting spreadsheet until I solved this key piece of the puzzle. No two financial institutions seem to export data in the same format. I have a number of credit cards due to credit card churning, plus throw in a bank account and you can see why it would take quite a bit of time to reformat everything. The biggest issue with spreadsheet budgeting is getting all the data in the proper format. When I share spreadsheets and tools I want them to be as easy to use as possible. I’ve had the same spreadsheet for over four years now. I’m an Excel nerd so using a spreadsheet to budget was a no-brainer for me. But first let me tell you a bit about the budgeting process I’ve used in the past. Today we finally have a budget spreadsheet in Excel that is automated and easy to update. The more people I talk to about budgeting, the more I hear that people desire a spreadsheet-based budget without all the manual work that comes with it. Many people find them useful, and there’s no denying that there are a ton of good ones out there.īut I personally have used a budget spreadsheet for years and have found it useful. Spreadsheets offer control and flexibility to users, and allows them to look closer at the transactions going through their accounts. Savings: emergency fund, RRSPs, RESPs, TFSAs, seasonal expenses (e.g.There are a ton of budgeting apps out there, but many people end up using some sort of a spreadsheet for their budget. Personal: tobacco, alcohol, books, music, clothing and shoes, donations, subscriptionsĮating Out: meals, snacks, take-out, beverages (coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks)Įntertainment: recreation, sports equipment and fees, movies, concerts, hobbies, gamingĬhild: daycare, lessons and activities, allowance, school supplies and fees, babysitting, programs, tutorsĭebt Payments: credit cards, loans, leases, support payments, government debts, personal debt Health Care: medical premiums, life insurance, medication, eye care, dental, supplements, wellness costs Transportation: fuel, auto insurance, transit, parking, taxi, rentals, car sharing, tolls Living: personal care, bank fees, salon and spa services, dry cleaning, pet costs, memberships (fitness, clubs, associations) Groceries: food, baby needs, household supplies, toiletries Household: furnace, water tank, roof and gutters, decor, upgrades, storage locker, gardening, cleaning services, outdoor equipment and maintenance Utilities: phone/cell, cable/internet, gas, hydro, security Housing: mortgage, rent, strata fees, house insurance, property taxes View a sample of a completed tracker (from the previous version of our Monthly Expenses Tracker).Įxpense Categories – Know Where Your Money is Going This becomes the cash balance for the next week. If there’s a surplus, you should have money in your wallet or bank account. Total all columns and subtract actual expenses from actual income.On these pages, keep track of seasonal expenses rather than recording on your weekly pages. You also need to record weekly savings amounts on pages 14 – 15 of the Expense Tracker.You may want to track coffees, dining out, or fuel separately. You can then use the blank columns to create your own categories. List the dates down the left side and record actual money spent each day.You should also list any income you may expect to receive during each week. ![]() Record cash balances on hand or in your bank account.For example, a 7 day tracking period would be March 30th to April 5th. For each week, record dates you are tracking.The expense categories listed further below and on page 1 of the Expense Tracker will help you decide which expenses to record where.Open a copy of our Monthly Expense Tracker. ![]()
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