Make a Budget Spreadsheet

Excel is really the only budget spreadsheet tool you need. Make a chart that lists all of your monthly auto-withdraws along the dates they are withdrawn by the bank. Below that, list all of the payments that you make online, again along with the due dates. Then list the payments you make by check, along with the due dates. This can be extended out with a column for each month so you can see the entire year. Leave enough space for changes and print it out. I keep it with my bill-paying checkbook. Then when I get paid, I write in all the things due that week that are automatically withdrawn and pay the others. I mark them off on the list. I never pay a late fee.

This system works well for planning out the whole year also. You can really see what you have, what you owe, what will be paid off, etc. Planning is key, as always. You can do a budget forecast, increasing what you plan to pay on a credit card, for instance, as you pay off another thing.

Take the time to make a budget spreadsheet, and your budgeting chores will be simpler every month.

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