How to Create a Simple Budget in Google Sheets (Step-by-Step for Beginners)

Managing your money doesn’t have to be complicated. With Google Sheets, you can easily create a simple budget that helps you track income, expenses, and savings — all for free.

Step 1: Open Google Sheets

Go to Google Sheets and sign in with your Gmail account. Click on Blank to start a new spreadsheet.

Step 2: Add Income and Expense Columns

Label the first few columns as Date, Category, Description, and Amount. This helps you record every expense and source of income clearly.

Step 3: Create Monthly Summary

Below your data, create a small summary box that calculates Total Income, Total Expenses, and Balance using simple formulas like =SUM(D2:D20).

Step 4: Use Colors for Easy Tracking

Highlight your income rows in green and expenses in red. This makes your budget visually clear and motivating to follow.

Step 5: Save and Update Weekly

Make a habit of updating your Google Sheet every week. It only takes 5–10 minutes and helps you stay on top of your financial goals.

Bonus Tip: Use Templates

Google Sheets also has free budgeting templates. Go to File → New → From Template Gallery and select Monthly Budget to get started even faster.

Final Thoughts

Creating a simple budget in Google Sheets helps you understand where your money goes and how to save more. It’s one of the easiest steps toward better financial control.