Free printable kit · 17 pages
Build a Monthly Budget That Actually Works
Give every dollar a job, pay off debt faster and stop surprise bills wrecking your month
- What the average US household spends, by category, from BLS data
- 50/30/20 sample budgets at $3,000, $5,000 and $8,000 take-home pay
- Budget worksheet, bill and subscription tracker and 30-day spending log
- Debt payoff worksheet with avalanche vs snowball, worked out in dollars
- Sinking funds list, monthly money date checklist and bill-cutting scripts
- Debt relief and buy now, pay later red flags from the FTC and CFPB
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What is inside
1 Cost table1 Sample budget page5 Worksheets1 Comparison1 Timeline1 Checklist1 Page of questions to ask1 Page of red flags1 Page of ways to save1 Glossary17 named sources
- 3Cost tablesWhat the average US household spends
- 4Sample budgets50/30/20 sample budgets at three take-home pays
- 5WorksheetsMonthly budget worksheet
- 6WorksheetsBill and subscription tracker
- 7ComparisonsDebt payoff: avalanche vs snowball
- 8WorksheetsDebt payoff worksheet
- 9Worksheets30-day spending tracker
- 10WorksheetsSinking funds: save monthly for yearly costs
- 11TimelineYour first year with a budget
- 12ChecklistsMonthly money date checklist
- 13Questions to askQuestions to lower your bills
- 14Red flagsRed flags: debt relief scams and BNPL traps
- 15Ways to saveMoney-saving moves
- 16GlossaryBudget terms in plain English
Every number in the kit comes from a named source, listed with its date on the last page. General information only, not professional advice.
Read the full guides
BudgetingCalculator50/30/20 Budget Calculator: How to Split Your Take-Home PayUse our 50/30/20 budget calculator to split take-home pay. On $5,000 a month: $2,500 for needs, $1,500 for wants and $1,000 for savings and debt.
Saving & InvestingCalculatorEmergency Fund Calculator: How Much Should You Save?Use our emergency fund calculator to size your goal. 3 to 6 months of essentials is the rule; for the average US household that's about $13,000 to $26,000.