Tuesday, July 7, 2015

How To Succeed In Financial Planning With Excel Budgeting Spreadsheet

How To Succeed In Financial Planning With Excel Budgeting Spreadsheet

By Jana Serrano


There are people with challenges keeping track of their income and expenditure. It is not uncommon for such a person to wonder where their paychecks are going month in month out. If this is your situation, you need a sure plan to keep your finances on check. A good way is by using free excel budgeting spreadsheet to help you understand how your money is utilized. However, when using this tool, there are important tasks you must carry out to enjoy great success.

One may have a good budget template. However, without clear financial goals, it is hard to achieve anything. You ought to have discipline and focus as well to achieve financial goals. Once you have set your goals, you can use the excel budgeting tool to help you work towards your plans. Prepare a record showing short and long-term financial goals. It is crucial to list them in order of priority. However, most excel budget worksheets will allow you to edit and make necessary changes.

Plan for your net income only. Once you deduct statutory deductions, it gives you a clear idea of how much money you have left for spending. You cannot budget for what you do not have. This is one way of preparing to get into burdensome debts. Only plan for what remains after mandatory deductions.

Divide your expenditure into fixed and variable groups. There are items such as mortgages, insurance and others that you have to pay every month for a long time. These are fixed expenses. Other items such as gas, food and entertainment are likely to change depending on various factors. Always list these on a different column. Indicate the amount you pay for each item in a month.

You could also consider having categories for savings, needs, and wants. This is because there are times you have to decide about mandatory expenditures and wants to keep up with your financial goals. If any variable or fixed item is necessary for your wellbeing, it falls under needs. If you want to set up an emergency fund or save for a holiday, this goes to savings. List clearly in your worksheet to make sure you are certain where your money is going.

You can find worksheets that are easily customizable. Make adjustments to fit your budget needs. An excel budget template is ideal when you want to fill your own fields. Focus on saving on variable costs if you want to cut on your expenses.

It helps to record your expenses daily. Even if not in your worksheet, have somewhere to note such and transfer into your spreadsheet later. These are the records that will show your main spending areas. Use the information to plan ahead of each month and avoid unpleasant surprises.

There are various worksheets available online today. One will find not only free excel budget worksheets but also Google document spreadsheets. Of importance is to use templates which are easy to customize to desired fields.




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