plan a budget with excel
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Planning and creating a budget can be tiresome, especially if you don't know where to begin. Microsoft Excel can help you plan a budget for any occasion. Whether you're planning your monthly expenses or preparing for an upcoming wedding or vacation, you'll find tools that will save you time and money, so you can get closer to your financial goals. Excel's calculator automatically figures your monthly costs to help you track your expenses.
Things You'll Need
- Microsoft Office Excel
- Internet Connection
Instructions
Getting Started
1
Open Microsoft Excel and select "File>-New" from the toolbar.
2
Go to the "New Workbook" pane on the right and type "budget" under Templates.
3
Click on "Go" and scroll through the list to find the budget template you want to use.
Plan a Monthly Expense Budget
4
Click on the "Personal Monthly Budget Planning" template and download it. The budget template will load in Microsoft Excel.
5
Use the listed expenses as a guide to plan your monthly expense budget.
6
Calculate your average monthly income and enter it in the "Projected Monthly Income" box. Enter your exact income in the "Actual Monthly Income" box.
7
Check your receipts for accuracy and add in your household bills (rent, water, cable, phone, car insurance), transportation costs, health/life insurance, entertainment, loans and taxes in the "Projected Cost" column. Leave out any expenses that don't apply.
8
Add in your actual costs for each bill in the "Actual Cost" column. Excel will calculate the subtotals, difference and totals for you.
9
Plan to spend less for non-essentials if you're over budget. Save any monies you have in surplus.
Plan a Budget for a Wedding
10
Click on the "Wedding Budget" template and download it.
11
Plug in your estimated costs for apparel (rings, gown/veil, tuxedo, shoes, jewelry), decorations (such as bows, candles, lighting, balloons), gifts, flowers, music, photography, reception, invitations/printing and transportation. Excel will calculate the total expenses for you.
12
Check that you're within budget. If you're not, change your estimates to make sure you're within budget.
13
Print out a copy of your budget as you plan for your wedding.
14
Jot down everything you buy and keep your receipts. Add the cost of each item in Excel in the "Actual" column.
Plan a Budget for a Business Trip
15
Click on the "Business Trip Budget" template and download it.
16
Enter your projected budget by the "Target trip budget" box.
17
Add in your airfare, hotel, food, car rental, gas, entertainment and miscellaneous costs.
18
Include the number of people and days the budget is for. Excel will calculate the total cost for your trip.
19
Plan to add more funds to your business trip or eliminate activities you can't afford (if you're under budget.)
Tags: Excel will, Excel will calculate, Microsoft Excel, template download, will calculateSource: www.ehow.com
