The Starter Budget Tracker
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17Gu1poQv8fDyeGAJoZlgPoUrQsSWDliRpLjlJgerfmk/edit?usp=sharingProduct Spec: The Starter Budget TrackerPrice: $9 | Platform: Gumroad | Format: Google Sheets TemplateWhat It DoesA clean, beginner-friendly monthly budget tracker that shows exactly where money is going, flags problem areas automatically, and tracks savings rate over time. Designed so a non-spreadsheet person can use it in 5 minutes.Tab StructureTab 1: Dashboard (the landing page)The user sees this first. Shows at a glance: Monthly income vs. total spending (green/red indicator) Savings rate % (target: 20%+) Top 3 spending categories this month Month-over-month trend (simple sparkline if possible) "Action flags": auto-generated warnings if any category is over budget Key formulas: Savings Rate: =(Income - Total Expenses) / Income Over-budget flag: =IF(Actual > Budget, "⚠️ Over budget", "✅ On track") Tab 2: Monthly IncomeRows: Primary salary (after tax / take-home) Side income / freelance Rental income Other Total Income (auto-sum) Tab 3: Monthly ExpensesCategories with Budget column (user sets) and Actual column (user inputs daily/weekly):Fixed Expenses Rent / Mortgage Car payment Insurance (health, auto, renters) Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, etc.) Loan payments Phone bill Variable Expenses Groceries Dining out / restaurants Gas / transportation Entertainment Shopping / clothing Personal care Fitness / gym Miscellaneous Savings & Investing Emergency fund contribution 401(k) / retirement (beyond employer auto-deduction) Roth IRA Brokerage / investments Other savings goals Key formulas: Each category: Actual vs Budget comparison Section totals: SUM of each group Grand total expenses Remaining budget: =Income - Total Expenses Tab 4: Annual Tracker12 columns (Jan–Dec) × all expense categories. Auto-populates from monthly tabs if linked, or manual entry. Shows annual totals and monthly averages. Chart: bar chart of monthly spending by category over the year.Tab 5: Savings GoalsTable with columns: Goal name (e.g., "Vacation fund", "Down payment") Target amount Current amount saved Monthly contribution Months to goal: =(Target - Current) / Monthly Progress bar (via conditional formatting on a percentage cell) Tab 6: InstructionsStep-by-step guide for new users: Enter your monthly take-home pay in the Income tab Set budget targets for each expense category (use last month's bank statement) Update actuals weekly (takes 5–10 minutes) Check the Dashboard every Friday At month-end, note what went over and adjust next month's budget FAQ: "What if I have irregular income?" — Use a 3-month average; there's a helper formula in the Income tab "Can I add categories?" — Yes, just insert a row anywhere in the Fixed or Variable section Design Spec Color palette: Navy (#1B2A4A) headers, White (#FFFFFF) body, Light gray (#F5F5F5) alternating rows Positive values / on-track: Green (#27AE60) Over-budget / negative: Red (#E74C3C) Font: Arial or Calibri (universally available) Freeze row 1 (headers) on all tabs Protect formula cells (allow input cells only) Pre-filled with sample data: "The Johnson Family — March 2025" Gumroad ListingName: The Starter Budget Tracker (Google Sheets Template)Tagline: Finally know where your money goes — in 5 minutes a week.Price: $9Description: Most budgets fail because they're complicated. This one isn't.The Starter Budget Tracker is a clean, done-for-you Google Sheets template that shows you exactly where your money is going, flags when you're overspending, and tracks your savings rate over time.No formulas to build. No setup headaches. Just make a copy, enter your numbers, and you'll have more clarity about your money than most people ever do.What's included: Google Sheets template (instant access — make a copy and it's yours) Pre-filled sample data so you can see it working immediately 6 tabs: Dashboard, Income, Expenses, Annual Tracker, Savings Goals, Instructions Automatic over-budget alerts Savings rate calculator Savings goals tracker with "months to goal" countdown Guarantee: If this doesn't help you understand your budget better, email me and I'll refund you. No questions.
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