Monthly Cash Flow Plan Cash flows in and out each month. Make sure you tell it where to go! Yes, this budget form has a lot of lines and blanks. But that’s okay. We do that so we can list practically every expense imaginable on this form to prevent you from forgetting something. Don’t expect to put something on every line. Just use the ones that are relevant to your specific situation. Step 1 Enter your monthly take-home pay in the box at the top right (a). This is the amount you have for the month to budget. So far so good, huh? A Monthly take-Home Pay Step 2 Within each main category, such as Food, there are subcategories, like Groceries. Start at the top and work your way down, filling out the Budgeted column (b) first. Add up each subcategory and put that number in the Total box (c). Also, pay attention to Dave’s recommended percentages (d). This will help you keep from budgeting too much for a category. Food B Housing C D Reality Check food Transportation Charity Personal Groceries Medical Recreation Savings Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Spent Budgeted Restaurants Step 3 Finally, enter your take-home pay in the top box at the end of the page (e), then add up all categories and place that total in the Category Totals box (F). Then subtract your Category Totals amount from your Take-Home Pay. You should have a zero balance (g). Doesn’t that feel great? tAKE-HoME PAY E F – CAtEGoRY totALS G = ZERo BALANCE Step 4 When the month ends, put what you actually spent in the Spent column (h). That will help you make any necessary adjustments to the next month’s budget. Food H Housing Reality Check food Transportation Charity Personal Groceries Medical Recreation Savings Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Restaurants Spent Budgeted d ng Monthly Cash Flow Plan Cash flows in and out each month. Make sure you tell it where to go! Monthly take-Home Pay Add up budgeted column & enter here Food Transportation Charity ion Insurance Debt Spent Envelope Budgeted Food Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Spent opes Budgeted pe lo Enve Debt Housing Medical Recreation e ranc tithes Savings Clothing Insu Utilities onal Pers Envelope Housing lo Enve Debt sp Tran Charity & offerings Reality Check e ranc Food Insu onal Pers Cl s ng Savi Reality Check n eatio Recr Char *10–15% Recreation Savings pe lo Enve Restaurants ies sp Tran Food pe lo Enve ies Utilit ng othi ity tion orta ical Med Groceries Medical pe ity Char tion orta Utilit ing hing Hous Clot s totAL ng Savi *5–15% n eatio Recr ical Med ing Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities totAL Hous Envelope Food saVing Medical Spent Envelope Transportation Budgeted Housing Charity Personal Insurance Debt Clothing Utilities Envelope clothing Medical Recreation Savings Spent Envelope Budgeted lope Enve Debt Emergency Fund Check ty charitY Personal These icons represent good options for cash envel e ranc pe Adults pe Children pe Cleaning/Laundry Insu Reality Check onal Pers pe ity lo Enve Char tion orta Debt sp Tran Retirement Fund Food College Fund Food e ranc Insu onal Pers s ng Savi pe ity tion orta ical Med lo Enve n eatio Recr Char lo Enve ies Utilit hing Clot Debt sp Tran nce ra Insu g usin Ho onal Pers Clot s ng Savi ity tion orta ical Med n eatio Recr Char lo Enve ies sp Tran Food *10–15% lo Enve ies Utilit hing Utilit g ng in Hous hi Clot s ng Savi totAL *2–7% n eatio Recr ical Med ing Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Utilities Envelope hoUsing Housing Reality Check Medical Recreation Savings Clothing totAL Hous Spent Budgeted Food First Mortgage/Rent Transportation Housing transportation Charity Personal Insurance Gas & oil Medical pe Recreation lo Enve Savings Clothing Debt Envelope Utilities Envelope Spent Budgeted Debt e ranc Second Mortgage Insu onal Pers ity Char tion orta Reality Check Real Estate taxes pe lo Enve Repairs & tires ies sp Tran Utilit Food License & taxes hing Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr ical Med Repairs/Maint. Car Replacement g usin Ho Association Dues other _________________ *25–35% Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Utilities Savings totAL *10–15% Food Spent Budgeted Electricity Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Medical/health Housing Reality Check Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities Envelope Doctor Bills Water Dentist trash optometrist Phone/Mobile Vitamins Internet other _________________ Cable other _________________ totAL Spent Budgeted Medications Gas *5–10% totAL Envelope *5–10% totAL *Dave’s Recommended Percentages Food Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance insUrance Debt Envelope Spent Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope recreation Budgeted Housing Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities Spent Envelope Budgeted pe lo Enve Debt Housing Medical Recreation Savings Clothing e ranc Life Insurance Utilities Insu onal Pers Envelope ity Char tion orta Reality Check pe lo Enve Health Insurance ality Check Entertainment ies sp Tran Utilit Food hing Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr Vacation ical Med Homeowner/Renter g in Hous *5–10% Auto Insurance debts Disability Insurance Identity theft Food Charity personal Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Car Payment 2 *10–25% Transportation Budgeted Car Payment 1 Long-term Care Food Spent totAL totAL Housing Medical Recreation Savings Credit Card 1 _______ Clothing Utilities Envelope Credit Card 2 _______ Spent Budgeted Reality Check pe lo Enve Credit Card 3 _______ Debt e ranc Insu onal Pers Housing Medical Recreation Savings lo Enve Debt e ranc Insu onal Pers Reality Check ity tion porta ical Med Char s pe lo Enve Debt In onal Pers Char toiletries Credit Card 5 _______ Cosmetics/Hair Care Student Loan 1 Education/tuition Student Loan 2 Books/Supplies Student Loan 3 Child Support Student Loan 4 Alimony other _________________ Subscriptions other _________________ organization Dues other _________________ Gifts (inc. Christmas) other _________________ Replace Furniture other _________________ Envelope pe lo Enve ies Utilit hing Clot s ng Savi ity tion porta ical Med hing ng Savi nce sura Credit Card 4 _______ Utilities pe lo Enve ies Utilit Clot n eatio Recr Child Care/Sitter Clothing pe ity Char tion porta n eatio Recr pe lo Enve ies Utilit ng hi Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr ical Med pe lo Enve Debt nce sura In onal Pers pe lo Enve ity Char tion porta Debt e ranc Insu onal Pers Char s ng Savi ity tion porta ical Med pe lo Enve n eatio Recr Debt nce sura In onal Pers ity Char tion porta pe lo Enve ies Utilit ng hi Clot pe hing Clot s ng Savi pe n eatio Recr Pocket Money (His) Your goal is O% lo Enve ies Utilit lo Enve Pocket Money (Hers) Utilit hing Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr Baby Supplies ical Med totAL Once you have completed filling out each category, subtract all category totals from your take-home pay. ies ical Med *5–10% Pet Supplies Use the “income sources” form if necessary Music/technology Miscellaneous Add up totals from each category other _________________ other _________________ *5–10% totAL Remember — The goal of a zero- based budget is to get this number to zero tAKE-HoME PAY – CAtEGoRY totALS = ZERo BALANCE
