Short answer
- Download the template: monthly-budget-template.xlsx (opens in Excel and Google Sheets).
- Enter planned and actual amounts in the yellow cells; difference, status and savings rate are calculated.
- Plan at the start of the month, fill in actuals during the month, read the differences at month end.
- Copy the sheet for each new month and comparisons build up by themselves.
What a template needs
A good monthly budget template does not have to be complicated, but it must show four things: what you planned, what happened, the difference and how much you saved this month. Our template has these columns:
| Column | What goes in |
|---|---|
| Item | Name of the income or cost item (rent, groceries, salary) |
| Planned | The amount you set aside for it at the start of the month |
| Actual | The amount actually spent or earned during the month |
| Difference | Actual minus planned (automatic) |
| Status | "On budget" or "Over" (automatic) |
At the bottom there are two summary rows: Income - Costs - Savings (zero means every lira has a job) and Savings rate (savings as a share of income).
Categories (example)
The template comes with sample amounts; replace them with your own. The example is for a single-person, renting household with ₺45,000 net income:
| Section | Items | Sample total |
|---|---|---|
| Income | Salary, side income, other | ₺45,000 |
| Fixed costs | Rent, building fees, electricity, water, gas, internet and phone, card installments, loan installment, insurance, subscriptions | ₺22,850 |
| Variable costs | Groceries, transport, eating out, clothing, health, entertainment, personal care, gifts, seasonal costs share | ₺17,650 |
| Savings | Emergency fund, goal savings | ₺4,500 |
| Remaining | Savings rate 10% | ₺0 |
Planning savings like a cost is deliberate: savings come out at the start of the month, not from whatever is left at the end. We explain how to set the ratios in the 50/30/20 budget rule.
How to use it
- Download the template and set the month. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and type the month in the "Month" cell.
- Fill in the planned column at the start of the month. Take fixed costs from your bills and variable costs from your 3-month average.
- Write savings first. Fill in the savings rows and move that amount to a separate account on payday.
- Update actuals weekly. Add bank and card transactions to the matching rows.
- Read the "Status" column at month end. Note the reason for every "Over".
- Copy the sheet for the new month. Adjust planned amounts based on last month.
Card spending and installments
A grocery purchase by card goes in the groceries row; paying off the card from your bank goes in no row at all, otherwise the same spending is counted twice. For installment purchases, add only this month's installment to the "Credit card installments" row. With several cards, working out that total every month takes time; our installment tracking guide has a practical method.
If you would rather not fill in a spreadsheet every month, butce.app makes the same planned-versus-actual comparison automatically on its budget screen.
Try FreeWhy templates are dropped after two weeks
Most people who download a budget template give up before finishing the first month. The reasons and fixes are clear:
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Entries pile up and filling in takes hours | Set a fixed 10-minute slot once a week |
| Too many categories, hesitation on every entry | Keep items under 20 and put the rest in "Other" |
| Planned amounts are unrealistic and everything is "Over" | Build the first plan from your real 3-month average |
| Working out installments by hand is hard | Use a tool that spreads installments over months automatically |
If you want to keep more detail than the template, our income and expense table guide explains transaction-level records.
Frequently asked questions
Which sections should a monthly budget template have?
Four sections are enough: income, fixed costs, variable costs and savings. Each item needs a planned amount, an actual amount and a difference column. At the bottom, show what is left after subtracting costs and savings from income, and the savings rate.
Does the template open in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. Formulas and formatting are kept.
What does the difference between planned and actual mean?
For costs, an actual amount above plan means you went over budget on that item. For income, an actual amount below plan means you earned less than expected. The template writes this status for every row automatically.
Do I have to build the template again every month?
No. Copy the sheet, name it after the new month, clear the actual column and update planned amounts based on last month's results. This also lets you compare months.
Sources
butce.app Editör Ekibi
This guide was written by the team behind butce.app, a budgeting app for tracking income, expenses, card installments and loans. Figures were checked against the official sources listed above; the article was last reviewed on .
This content is general information, not investment, tax or legal advice. Rates change, so check the official source before you decide.
