Family Budget Made Easy

If you're family is anything like ours, we talk a good game about doing a monthly budget, but don't actually get around to doing it. We know the general numbers, but I'm not sure we want to take too close a look at the finer points of what's coming in and what's going out every month.

This downloadable Excel spreadsheet from Of Zen and Computing puts an end to excuses for anyone trying to get a handle on the family budget. It doesn't get any simpler than this template, which lists and computes three columns:

• Income: All sources of monthly income.

• Fixed expenses: Costs that do not change month to month. Think mortgage, car insurance, Internet access, etc.

• Variable expenses: Monthly bills that change every month, including food and entertainment.

Simple but practical. The spreadsheet tallies the columns quickly and lets you know how much is left over—your disposable income.

I found this quick download via Lifehacker, where I've been finding lots of great tips lately for helping family life run more smoothly.  

If you give the budget template a try, let me know what you think.