How to make a monthly budget in 5 minutes
- Write down take-home pay — what actually lands in your account after tax and deductions, plus any side income.
- Fill in fixed costs first: rent, utilities, phone, insurance — and a savings amount, treated like a bill you pay yourself.
- Plan the variable categories with what's left. Not sure? Look at last month's bank statement, or start with the 50/30/20 rule.
- Log spending as you go in the Spent column. Watch for categories turning amber (80% used) or red (over).
- At month end, press ›. Your plan carries over, and you can see what changed from last month.
General information only — not financial, tax or investment advice. For decisions about debt, investing or taxes, talk to a qualified professional.
Why this tracker is different
- No sign-up and nothing uploaded. Most online budget apps want an account and bank access. This page needs neither — your numbers never leave your device.
- Built on a real spreadsheet. The 12 categories and the Over / Watch / OK rule are the same as our Monthly Budget spreadsheet template, so the CSV lines up with it.
- CSV export is free. Your data is yours: download it, open it in any spreadsheet, delete it here whenever you like.
Prefer pen and paper? Print the free monthly budget worksheet. Learning spreadsheets for a job? Try the free spreadsheet practice test. Questions about storage? See privacy & help.
Questions
Is this budget tracker really free with no sign-up?
Yes. There is no account, no email and no paid tier. Open the page and start typing. Exporting your budget to CSV is free too.
Where is my data stored?
Only in your own browser, in an area called localStorage on this device. Nothing you type is sent to our server or anyone else — the page works even if you go offline after it loads. The flip side: your budget does not sync between devices, and clearing your browser's site data deletes it. Export a CSV to keep a copy or move it to another device (Import CSV).
What is the difference between fixed and variable costs?
Fixed costs are roughly the same every month and are hard to change quickly: rent or mortgage, utilities, phone and internet, insurance, and the amount you move to savings. Variable costs change month to month and are where most people find room: groceries, dining out, transport, shopping, entertainment.
What do Over, Watch and OK mean?
They compare what you spent with what you planned for each category. Over: you spent more than planned. Watch: you have used 80% or more of the plan. OK: under 80%. It is the same rule as our Monthly Budget spreadsheet template.
Can I type several expenses into one box?
Yes — type them with plus signs, like 45+12.50+8, and the box adds them up. Commas and currency symbols are ignored, so 1,250 and $1,250 both work.
How does the month-over-month comparison work?
Each month is saved separately. When the previous month has numbers, the tracker shows how much more or less you spent overall and per category (▲ more, ▼ less). A new month starts with last month's categories and planned amounts, with the Spent column empty.
Does it work in pounds or rupees?
Yes. Pick $, £, ₹, € or no symbol at the top. Amounts are formatted the local way, for example ₹1,23,456 for Indian rupees. The currency is only a display setting — it does not convert anything.