Family Budgeting... Do It!

After almost a year of using my new and improved excel template for budgeting, I can confidently say I love it and have worked out all the kinks!

It now takes me a maximum of ten minutes to download my transactions from Mint.com and copy it over to my budget, categorize everything... and wam, bam, thank you ma'am.....  I can tell you exactly how much we're over or under and then pinpoint where we went over.

Because I love it and so excited about how much it has helped me analyze where we can save or spend more, I decided to make the Excel Template available for everyone to use!

Warning: it is a little more advanced of a workbook than most budgets, it may take some time to learn and understand.. but I guarantee you ... the time put forth to understand it and become comfortable with it is an investment that will benefit your family!

If you do end up using it, please leave a comment to let me know how it went.  Much appreciated!

Intense Budget Template

Disclaimer: To be real, we really don't look at it compared to our budget... we really just look at the bottom line and see if we've come out under or over for the month and then overall for the year.  But it is always nice to have an idea of where you'd like to be when the year begins and see how far you've fallen away from that at the end of the year. Ha!

Excel Geek

I have had an infatuation with Excel since I first learned how to use it in 2002.  Over time, as my skills became refined, and I became more comfortable with the shortcuts and potential that excel offered me, I fell in love.  Even when Excel changed (new versions and then re-learning shortcuts on the mac versus the PC), and our relationship became a challenge to maintain, I endured.  Persevered.  Held on.  For better or for worse.

And for the record, I am still constantly amazed by what Excel can do for me.

Budget.  Organize.  Sort.  Group.  Wrap Text  Copy and Paste.  Transpose.

So I thought I'd share some of the wonders of Excel and offer a basic budget template for a family.  I included tithing at the top which is how we Momos prioritize and budget.  The spreadsheet is pretty self explanatory, but I also included commentary to help guide users along.  Like any template, you can modify it and use it as you please.  Have fun like I do!

download budget template here