Here’s the skeleton of my 2025 budget tracking template. I use this every weekend to manage where my money went for the week. Here’s the basics for you and I’ll explain how I use it and some basic principles to keep track of everything!
2025 Budge Tracking Template Files
2025 Budget Cash Accrual Tracking Numbers Template for Mac
2025 Budget Cash Accrual Tracking Excel Template for Windows
How to Use My Budget Tracker
All final costs are reflected in the month view is the first principle of the budget tracker. I use positive numbers for income and negative numbers for expenses from checking or credit cards. This page is the one connected to all the other expense tabs like checking and credit card tabs. For example, if money is moved between accounts until it finally heads out to the power company then those transfers aren’t reflected until the money is spent.
The second principle is in all the expense tabs like the credit card tab is just the receipt and the day I used the credit card. This is simple cash accrual because I’m just add or subtract when the money is spent or made and no other accounting styles like GAAP principles. I also have a “other” section that I put things like ATM or using checks which happen infrequently.
The utilities section or other tabs are tracking non-traditional expenses or are just extra information. These amounts are connected to “source” data. For example, rent may come out of checking so it will be reflected in the month view and the utilities section will then be connected to the checking amount. I always try to keep the tabs that are for tracking connected to the month view or source tab.
Finally, I have added other tracking tabs like my investments, vehicle costs like gas, oil changes, and fuel economy. I usually spend about an hour each Saturday morning to scan in receipts, track vehicle numbers, and add numbers to the credit card tabs or connected the investment tabs to their source data. I think an hour a day isn’t a big cost. I usually keep up with the scans and basics through the week regardless.
How to Scan Receipts
I have an iPhone so there’s a good iCloud option that most people should be able to access. I’ve never used Android but there are lots of “cam scanner” type apps you can find there.
The iPhone has a file app and I have connected it to my iCloud. You can go into the file app then go to the iCloud folder and I have created folders for each of my credit cards to track receipts. In the folder view, there’s a meatball menu with a circle around it and inside that menu is a “scan document” option! I scan all the receipts and because it’s connected to my iCloud I can get on my laptop and then download the scans to a backup hard drive at the end of each month. It’s super easy! I delete the iCloud files after they’ve been downloaded to the hard drive and start with a fresh folder ready for the next month.
Final Thoughts on a Budget
I also exported from Numbers an excel sheet. It doesn’t always transfer correctly so you may have to figure that out for you Window users. I’m a Mac user so that’s what I do everything on but good luck!
I think the biggest thing about this budget is keeping up with it. Nothing works if you don’t maintain it. You’ll need to figure out the time that you add or connect items to get the info properly accounted for. It’s a matter keeping up with it like everything in life! Good luck and let me know how it goes!
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