Knowing where your money goes is the first step to saving more of it. This free expense tracker keeps it simple: log each expense in one list, set a budget per category, and pick any month to see how much you spent, how much is left, and where you went over.
Download the free expense tracker (.xlsx)
What is inside
| Sheet | What it does |
|---|---|
| Summary | 12 categories with a monthly budget, amount spent, amount remaining and % used for the month you choose |
| Expenses | One list for the whole year: date, category (drop-down), description, how you paid, amount |
| How to use | Short instructions |
The % used column turns amber at 80% of a budget and red when you go over, so problems stand out before the month ends.
How to use it
- Set your categories and budgets on the Summary sheet (yellow cells). Rename categories to fit your life or business.
- Log every expense on the Expenses sheet. Pick the category from the drop-down so it matches the summary exactly.
- Choose the month by typing its first day in Summary cell B2, for example 1/10/2026.
- Review once a week: look for amber and red categories and adjust your spending.
Because everything goes in one list, you never need a new file each month: just change the month in B2 to look back.
How the formulas work
The Spent column adds up expenses for each category within the chosen month:
=SUMIFS(Expenses!E:E, Expenses!B:B, A6, Expenses!A:A, ">="&$B$2, Expenses!A:A, "<="&EOMONTH($B$2,0))
Remaining is budget minus spent, and % used is spent divided by budget. A line under the table shows any spending in categories that are not on the list, so nothing is missed. Learn the technique in SUMIFS and COUNTIFS explained.
Expense tracker or budget template?
Use this expense tracker if you want to log every purchase through the year and review any month. Use our monthly budget template if you prefer to plan and compare income and expenses for one month at a time. Many people use both.
Tips to keep it going
- Log expenses daily or every few days; it takes a minute. Waiting until the end of the month means forgotten purchases.
- Keep categories few: 8–12 categories are easier to manage than 30.
- Use your phone: save the file in OneDrive or Google Drive and add expenses from the mobile app.
- Look at the year: build a pivot table from the Expenses sheet to see spending by category and month.
FAQ
Can I use it for a small business?
Yes. Rename the categories (for example Rent, Salaries, Marketing, Supplies, Software) and set monthly budgets.
Which currency does it use?
Amounts are plain numbers, so it works with any currency.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets; formulas, drop-downs and colours carry over.