Step-by-Step Budgeting for Moms in Their 40s + Free Budget Spreadsheet!, by Living Beautifully on Purpose on YouTube. 9 min 52 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 52 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Open the free budget spreadsheet link from the video description. Sign in to your Google account if asked.
Click File in the top menu, then Make a copy. Save the copy to your own Google Drive so you can edit it.
List your monthly income after tax in the income section. Include every source, such as salary, child support or side work.
Go through your last two bank and card statements. Write down each regular expense and its average monthly amount.
Split expenses into fixed bills like rent, insurance and phone, and variable ones like food, fuel and kids activities.
Enter each amount in the matching category row of the spreadsheet. Let the totals update on their own.
Compare total income with total expenses. If spending is higher, cut or lower one or two variable categories first.
Set a savings line for each month, even a small amount. Treat it like a bill you pay yourself.
At the start of each new month, copy the sheet or clear the actual column. Then track real spending against the plan.
Tips and common mistakes
Use your real statements, not guesses, or the budget will not match your life.
Review the sheet once a week for ten minutes instead of waiting until month end.
Keep one small fun category so the plan is easy to stick to.
Update the budget when a bill changes, such as a new insurance rate.
Questions
Do I need Excel or paid software?
No. The free template works in Google Sheets, and you can also download it as an Excel file if you prefer.
How long does the first budget take?
Plan about 30 minutes for the first setup. After that, a weekly check takes around ten minutes.
What if my income changes each month?
Budget from your lowest expected income and put extra earnings toward savings or debt.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
