Finance Template: Basic Budgeting

For basic budgeting with categories

Check out the template at https://app.fina.money/t/gUTAVekEtyKMtj

Fina: Build Your Personalized Financial Tracking System

Take control of your financial future with a simple, powerful tool created by a trusted expert. The Basic Budgeting Template is a comprehensive spreadsheet-based finance tracker designed to help you manage your income, expenses, and net worth with ease and clarity. Whether you're a budgeting beginner or a seasoned financial planner, this template will guide you toward smarter money decisions. Built by Fina Expert, this template brings her practical and accessible approach to financial wellness into your everyday life. With thoughtfully designed category breakdowns, intuitive visuals, and robust tracking tools, it offers a holistic view of your financial picture — all in one place.

For basic budgeting with categories

Features:

Category based budgeting
Income and Expense budgeting

Why Use the Basic Budgeting Template?

Managing money doesn’t need to be overwhelming. The hardest part is often getting started — and staying consistent. That’s where this template shines. It gives you the structure and clarity to start tracking your finances immediately without needing to build complex formulas or guess which categories to use. You don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard. You don’t even need to know what “net worth” means before you start. All you need is the willingness to be intentional with your money. The Basic Budgeting template will handle the rest. Here’s what makes this finance tracker stand out:

✔ Expert-Curated Categories

One of the biggest obstacles in personal finance is figuring out where your money actually goes. This template uses a curated set of categories created by Fina Expert to ensure that your income and expenses are organized in a way that makes sense. It balances granularity and simplicity — enough detail to be insightful, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. Common categories include:

Housing
Transportation
Groceries
Dining Out
Entertainment
Health & Insurance
Savings & Investments
Debt Payments
Miscellaneous Expenses

You can also add or remove categories as needed. Everything is customizable, so you can make this template your own. Have a unique expense category like “dog grooming” or “kids’ extracurriculars”? You can easily add them in.

For basic budgeting with categories

Features:

Category based budgeting
Income and Expense budgeting

✔ Monthly Income & Expense Tracking

At its core, this template helps you track what comes in and what goes out. Each month, you can enter your income sources — such as salary, side hustle earnings, dividends, or rental income — and categorize every dollar you spend. The monthly layout keeps you focused on short-term habits while building long-term awareness. Want to see how your spending habits change over time? There’s a built-in year-to-date view that compares each month’s data so you can spot trends, identify problem areas, and celebrate progress.

✔ Visual Dashboards

Numbers are powerful — but charts make them actionable. This template includes a visual dashboard that automatically updates as you input your data. See your spending by category as a pie chart. Watch your income-versus-expense gap as a bar graph. And follow your net worth as it rises (or falls) month by month. With these visuals, you don’t just see your money — you understand it.

For basic budgeting with categories

Features:

Category based budgeting
Income and Expense budgeting

✔ Net Worth Calculator

Tracking net worth is one of the most overlooked habits in personal finance, yet it’s one of the most important indicators of financial health. This template helps you calculate and monitor your net worth each month by accounting for

your assets (bank accounts, retirement savings, investments, home equity)
your liabilities (loans, credit card balances, mortgages).

Over time, you'll see how the small changes you make — like paying off debt or increasing savings — begin to compound into real financial progress.

✔ Designed for Real Life

Fina Expert created this template based on years of helping individuals and families get a handle on their money. It’s designed for real people with real lives — not finance majors or spreadsheet nerds (though they’ll love it too). The layout is clean, the navigation is simple, and the instructions are clear. You won’t need a manual to get started. Plus, it works seamlessly with most spreadsheet platforms, including Google Sheets and Excel. So you can use it wherever you're most comfortable.

✔ Supports Budgeting, Not Restriction

Unlike some budgeting tools that feel punitive — always asking you to “cut back” or “spend less” — this template is about awareness and intention. By showing you where your money goes, it gives you the power to decide what’s worth spending on, what you can cut, and where you want to grow. It supports every type of financial goal, from saving for a vacation to building a retirement nest egg.

For basic budgeting with categories

Features:

Category based budgeting
Income and Expense budgeting

Who Is This For?

This template is perfect for:

Individuals looking to start budgeting for the first time
Couples who want to align their financial goals and spending
Families who want a shared view of household finances
Freelancers and small business owners tracking personal and professional income
Anyone who wants to grow their net worth intentionally
People looking for a minimalist, spreadsheet-based alternative to finance apps

Whether you’re trying to get out of debt, save for a big goal, or just get a better sense of your financial reality, this template meets you where you are.

Benefits at a Glance

✅ Easy to use with no advanced Excel skills required
✅ Built by a trusted finance expert, Cori Arnold
✅ Complete monthly tracking of income, expenses, and savings
✅ Automatic category summaries and pie charts
✅ Clear view of your net worth and financial trajectory
✅ Fully customizable for your life and goals

How to Get Started

Download the template (available in Google Sheets and Excel formats).
Customize your income and expense categories if needed.
Input your data from the current month — even if you only start mid-month.
Watch the dashboard update and start gaining insights immediately.
Keep going month after month. The more consistent you are, the more value you’ll get.

This isn’t just another finance tracker. It’s a system for building confidence with your money.

Final Thoughts

Money isn’t just about math — it’s about mindset. And the first step to changing your financial life is to become more aware of where you stand. The Basic Budgeting Template makes that process easy, approachable, and even enjoyable. Whether you’re recovering from financial stress, planning for a milestone, or simply trying to feel more organized, this template helps you get there with clarity and purpose. Created by a finance expert. Powered by simplicity. Backed by your commitment.