My Spreadsheet

I know I mentioned in yesterday's post that I use a spreadsheet to keep track of pretty much everything. I use it to keep track of my income for the month, what categories of spending I have, how much I plan to spend in the those categories, how much I do spend in those categories, the difference between the two, how much debt I have remaining, what my savings goals are, how many deposits I've made into my savings account, and every single one of my transactions.

Here's a link to the spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ah_vY6PG0d_vdHdzekh0SmpyUDdDNF9RMkJEUHdmMWc

I utilized Google Docs for a few reasons:

• These remind in the Cloud
• I have Google Drive for my desktop, so I can access these documents from both my home computer and any other computer
• Google is awesome
• This is much more user friendly than some other applications... At least, for me
• I like the colors
• I can prioritize documents and whatnot

So, yeah. I always use Google Docs. I usually always use a Google product. I just love for some Google. 

But, back to the spreadsheet...

So, after you've been linked to it, you'll see 5 different colors. Color coding my expenses helps me easily find where each amount belongs. And it's pretty. 

The first column (yellow) is fairly easy. Just enter each paycheck - or other amount of income - you receive. And then find the sum. 

The second column (red) just lists each bill or other expense you have. And because everyone's bill situation is different (I know I don't have half of these expenses... When I'm living "in the real world", this will be the template for my spreadsheet), feel free to add or remove expenses as necessary. Every cent should belong in one of these categories, unless you've put it towards savings. We'll talk about that later. 

The third column (red) lists what you believe you will spend on each expense. For fixed expenses, this should be right on track. But some of the other expenses will vary, and it's nice to see if you've overestimated or underestimated your expenses. It's also an important step in understanding your finances in general. Make sure you add them up!

The fourth column (red) is where you will put what you actually spent on your listed expenses. Make sure you add them up.

The fifth column will be where you figure out the difference between your proposed expenses and your actual expenses. This is where you'll have that first little idea. The one that says, "I spend $50 over my Fun Budget... BUT WHEN?"

I used to ask myself that all the time. 

The sixth column (darker blue) is where you'll keep an eye on how much debt you have left at the end of the month. If one of your financial goals is to pay off debt, then you'll find this to be a good tool. Challenge yourself to bring one of your debts done to $0 and use this to help you keep track of that success. 

The seventh column (green) is where you'll keep track of what you're saving for and how much it is and the total amount of money you've saved. 

The eighth column is where you'll document each of your deposits into your savings account and then add the amount up at the end of the month. 

The last column (lighter blue) is the one where you keep track of each time you spend money. Even the Polar Pops or the $1 taco. It must be logged. You should create a column for every day of the month. And if you happen to have a day with no money being spent (except bills), find a SMALL award for yourself. Maybe a piece of chocolate? When you make the transaction, make sure you log where the transaction was made, so you can better keep track of where you might be unintentionally draining your wallet. 

Welp... I hope this helps someone!!!