There are many people around the world that are finding it tough financially. With the present state of the economy the stress of finances is enormous. Many people are looking for free financial tips so that they can get back on track financially. You may be interested in this article if you are looking for financial advice.There's no such thing as a free lunch, and that especially applies to supposedly free financial advice. Here's how to spot them so you don't get stung.


Tuesday 14 July 2015

How To Succeed In Financial Planning With Excel Budgeting Spreadsheet

By Jana Serrano


Many people have challenges monitoring their income and expenditure. You will be amazed to note that some people can hardly tell how their hard-earned money gets utilized. This calls for one to adopt an effective plan to help them monitor their finances. One can try using free excel budgeting spreadsheet where they can record their expenditure against their net income. Of importance is to keep in mind various tips when using such a budget tool if one is to enjoy great success.

One may have a good budget template. However, without clear financial goals, it is hard to achieve anything. You ought to have discipline and focus as well to achieve financial goals. Once you have set your goals, you can use the excel budgeting tool to help you work towards your plans. Prepare a record showing short and long-term financial goals. It is crucial to list them in order of priority. However, most excel budget worksheets will allow you to edit and make necessary changes.

Plan for your net income only. This is the amount of money remaining after subtracting statutory deductions or so. It gives you a realistic figure of the money available for spending. You cannot afford to plan for your salary before deducting items such as P. A. Y. E, insurance, and social security, among others. You may end up spending above your available income.

Check if your worksheet has columns for variable and fixed expenses. This is important categorization when planning. You already know various expenditures such as mortgage payments and loans as fixed. These do not change for a specific period. However, other payments you make may change depending on different circumstances. For instance, fuel, entertainment and food prices vary. Fill each in the relevant column and indicate how much you spend on the item per month.

Other groups you may consider include savings, wants and needs. This helps when choosing which items are mandatory to spend on. Money set apart for savings could go to your emergency fund or holiday plans. Needs are those items necessary for your survival. Luxuries or entertainment falls in the category of wants; one can choose not to spend on these and still live comfortably. Categorizing your expenditures makes it easy to point out how your money is spent. You can analyse easily and make changes where necessary.

Always go for worksheets that are easily customizable to fit different users. Several excel budget templates exist online today. Such you can change a few things or add fields to match your requirements. If you want to gain control of expenditure, concentrate on the variable expenses and find areas you can save a few coins.

It helps to record your expenses daily. Even if not in your worksheet, have somewhere to note such and transfer into your spreadsheet later. These are the records that will show your main spending areas. Use the information to plan ahead of each month and avoid unpleasant surprises.

There are various worksheets available online today. One will find not only free excel budget worksheets but also Google document spreadsheets. Of importance is to use templates which are easy to customize to desired fields.




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