Using Microsoft Excel to Create a Family Budget
This tutorial shows how to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to plan for a family's expenses within a set budget. At the bottom of the article, there is a sample dataset that you can download and use to follow along with the tutorial.
This spreadsheet offers an example of a simply family budget through August. Each column (vertical) represents an entire month. Each row (horizontal) represents an expense in the budget. Notice that some expenses repeat because they are the same for each month, but the vacation expense is entered in only one month. Also, some expenses vary, such as the Heat-A/C. The bottom line is the total for each month.
In this example, what do you notice about the first column and first row? Look at cell D4. What does this number represent?
Excel is an amazing application. Families make budgets to help gauge their income and plan their expenses. Sometimes simply organizing our finances can help motivate us to make better choices.
Excel as a Tool for Planning
This video shows how you can quickly setup a family budget. Using this software application you can really help organize and plan your finances.
Sample Excel File Download
Feel free to start your own family budget with this free Excel file for download: Excel Family Budget (.XLS, automatic download).
Source: Saylor Academy, https://youtu.be/CxAPmp4G8YM
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.