How to Create a Simple Budget in Excel 2003

Using Excel 2003 to keep track of your home finances is an easy and simple alternative to the pencil and paper method used in many households. You can keep track of your expenditures, your credit card balances and even make a budget. Here is how to create a simple budget in Excel 2003.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer
• Excel 2003

1. Gather your budget information. Have your monthly statements and expenditure amounts ready.
2. Double-click on the “Excel” icon on your computer. If you can't find it on the desktop, open the program using the “Start” menu on your toolbar.
3. Decide whether you want to make your budget from scratch or use a template. Using a template is the easiest method. If you're going to use a template, skip to Step 5.
4. Make your budget from scratch by setting up your worksheet any way you like. Start by naming the rows and columns and then add figures for various incomes and expenditures.
5. Click “New” on the task bar on the top of the page to display a box with various different templates for projects in Excel. Select the simple budget template option. Follow the instructions and fill in the cells with your expenses and income.
6. Save your budget by pressing the “Ctrl” and “S” keys at the same time. You can also print it out by pressing “Ctrl” and “P.”
7. Update and change your budget as needed. Your Excel 2003 budget is fully customizable and can be changed based on your needs. You can even make graphs and charts from your data for visual assistance.

Tips & Warnings

• Find templates for budgets online at the Microsoft Web site. There are various kinds so you can find just what you need.
• Insert a formula that will automatically update when you change the income or expenses from month to month.
• If you save often, you will have a copy of the file you can go back to if you make a mistake that you can't be undone.

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