Monthly Budget Template
A free, copy-paste monthly budget template — with recurring costs called out as their own line.
Paste straight into Google Sheets, Excel, or Numbers. No signup, nothing stored.
| Category | Type | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Recurring | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Utilities | Recurring | $220 | $235 |
| Subscriptions | Recurring | $95 | $118 |
| Loan payment | Recurring | $400 | $400 |
| Groceries | Variable | $600 | $642 |
| Dining out | Variable | $200 | $310 |
| Savings | Goal | $500 | $500 |
| — | — | — | — |
Why recurring gets its own type
Most budgets blur everything together. This one tags each category as Recurring, Variable, or Goal — because the recurring, committed part is the floor you can't flex in a given month, and seeing it clearly is what makes the rest of the budget honest.
Planned vs actual
Fill in planned amounts at the start of the month and actuals as you go. The gap almost always shows up in the variable rows — the recurring ones are fixed, which is exactly why knowing that number first matters.
Copy it to Sheets or download the CSV. Recurrings keeps the recurring side of this current for you, so the budget always starts from the truth.
Common questions
What makes this budget template different?
It separates recurring, committed costs from variable spending — because the recurring base is the part you can't flex in a given month, and seeing it clearly is what makes the rest of the budget honest.
How do I use planned vs actual?
Fill in planned amounts at the start of the month, then actuals as you go. The gap shows where you're drifting — usually in the variable categories, since the recurring ones are fixed.
Does it work in any spreadsheet?
Yes — copy into Google Sheets or download the CSV for Excel or Numbers. No formulas required to start.
Related free tools
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Monthly Savings Calculator
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The recurring line, kept honest
Recurrings builds your recurring total from real statements — the committed base your budget is built on.
recurrings.ai is in private beta. No card required.