Is this monthly budget template really free?

Yes, completely. The budget you download is the whole product — every formula visible, every cell editable, nothing held back for a paid tier. Print it, share it with your household, or adapt it for work.

How do I add more expense rows?

Right-click a row number inside the expense table and choose Insert. Inserting above the totals row keeps =SUM ranges and the drop-downs intact.

Can I use this template for a biweekly budget?

Yes — treat each sheet copy as one pay period instead of one month. Duplicate the Budget tab once per paycheck (right-click → Move or Copy → Create a copy) and label each copy with its pay date.

Why is the Difference column Planned minus Actual?

So that on expense rows a positive number always means money saved. If you spent $498 of a $520 grocery budget, the Difference shows $22 left, and overspending shows negative and turns red.

Can I use this budget in Google Sheets instead of Excel?

Sheets handles it fine. Import the .xlsx via File → Import → Upload, and the planned-vs-actual math, the category drop-downs, and the red overspend highlighting behave the same way they do in Excel.

Free Monthly Budget Template (Excel)

Last updated June 2026

Plan the month's money on one sheet: the Budget tab lists income and expenses side by side with planned and actual amounts, while a Categories tab feeds the drop-downs. Type what you expected and what you really spent; the Difference column and the summary block recalculate on every edit. One free .xlsx download, built for household and personal budgets.

monthly-budget.xlsx · free · no signup

Download free template

Works in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, and Google Sheets (File → Import).

SHA-256: 4a9abeb33e7e20085e0e76c44cd48762998217a202997ed7148f0b9fcf1a9642

E3=C3-D3

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Item	Category	Planned	Actual	Difference
2	Rent	Housing	$1,400	$1,400	$0
3	Groceries	Food	$520	$498	$22
4	Electric bill	Utilities	$95	$112	-$17
5	Car insurance	Insurance	$140	$140	$0
6	Streaming	Entertainment	$30	$30	$0

Expense rows from the Budget sheet. Difference is Planned minus Actual — negative numbers turn red automatically.

What's inside

Sheets

BudgetIncome section, expense table, and a Planned vs. Actual summary that shows what's left over each month.
CategoriesThe 13-category list (Housing, Food, Transport, Savings, and more) that powers the drop-downs. Edit it and every drop-down updates.

Columns

ItemWhat the money was for — one row per bill or purchase group.
CategoryA drop-down fed by the Categories sheet, so totals by category stay consistent.
PlannedWhat you expected to spend or earn this month.
ActualWhat really happened. Update it as the month goes on.
DifferencePlanned minus Actual. On expense rows, positive means you came in under budget.

Formulas that do the work

=C14-D14

Every Difference cell subtracts Actual from Planned. The first expense row is row 14, and the formula is already copied down the column.

=SUM(D14:D38)

The totals row adds every expense in the column — 25 expense rows are pre-wired, and you can insert more above the totals row without breaking it.

=D10-D39

The summary block subtracts total actual expenses from total actual income: the number that tells you whether the month ended in the green.

How to use it

Enter your income
In the Income section at the top of the Budget sheet, replace the sample rows with your paychecks and any side income. Put expected amounts in Planned.
List your monthly expenses
In the expense table, type one row per bill or spending group, then pick a category from the drop-down in column B. Add your Planned amount for each.
Fill in Actual as the month runs
Once or twice a week, update the Actual column from your bank statement. The Difference column and the summary block recalculate instantly.
Watch the red cells
A conditional-formatting rule turns any expense row with a negative Difference red — that line is over budget. The summary block at the top of the Budget sheet shows whether the whole month is still on track.
Adjust categories to fit your life
Open the Categories sheet and rename, add, or delete categories. The drop-downs on the Budget sheet update automatically.

Compatibility

Microsoft Excel. Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2016 and later (Windows and Mac).
LibreOffice Calc. Opens directly — formulas, validation lists, and formatting carry over.
Google Sheets. Upload via File → Import → Upload, or drag the file into Drive and open with Sheets.

Category drop-downs and the red over-budget highlighting survive Google Sheets import — verify the drop-downs by clicking any Category cell after importing.

Frequently asked questions

Is this monthly budget template really free?: Yes, completely. The budget you download is the whole product — every formula visible, every cell editable, nothing held back for a paid tier. Print it, share it with your household, or adapt it for work.
How do I add more expense rows?: Right-click a row number inside the expense table and choose Insert. Inserting above the totals row keeps =SUM ranges and the drop-downs intact.
Can I use this template for a biweekly budget?: Yes — treat each sheet copy as one pay period instead of one month. Duplicate the Budget tab once per paycheck (right-click → Move or Copy → Create a copy) and label each copy with its pay date.
Why is the Difference column Planned minus Actual?: So that on expense rows a positive number always means money saved. If you spent $498 of a $520 grocery budget, the Difference shows $22 left, and overspending shows negative and turns red.
Can I use this budget in Google Sheets instead of Excel?: Sheets handles it fine. Import the .xlsx via File → Import → Upload, and the planned-vs-actual math, the category drop-downs, and the red overspend highlighting behave the same way they do in Excel.

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