Monthly Cash Flow Plan

Cash flows in and out each month. Make sure you tell it where to go!

Yes, this budget form has a lot of lines and blanks.

But that’s okay. We do that so we can list practically every expense imaginable on this form to
prevent you from forgetting something. Don’t expect to put something on every line. Just use the
ones that are relevant to your specific situation.

Step 1
Enter your monthly take-home pay in the box at A
the top right (a). This is the amount you have for
Monthly take-Home Pay
the month to budget. So far so good, huh?

Step 2
Within each main category, such as Food,
there are subcategories, like Groceries. Start
at the top and work your way down, filling out Food
food
Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Spent Budgeted
the Budgeted column (b) first. Add up each B
Groceries
subcategory and put that number in the
Housing Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities Envelope

Restaurants
Total box (c). C
Reality Check

D
Also, pay attention to Dave’s recommended
percentages (d). This will help you keep from
budgeting too much for a category.

Step 3
Finally, enter your take-home pay in the top
E tAKE-HoME PAY
box at the end of the page (e), then add up all
categories and place that total in the Category F – CAtEGoRY totALS
Totals box (F). Then subtract your Category
Totals amount from your Take-Home Pay. You
G = ZERo BALANCE
should have a zero balance (g). Doesn’t that
feel great?

Step 4
food Spent Budgeted
When the month ends, put what you actually Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope

H
spent in the Spent column (h). That will help you Housing Groceries
Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities Envelope

make any necessary adjustments to the next Reality Check

Restaurants
month’s budget.
 Monthly Cash Flow Plan Cash flows in and out each month. Make sure you tell it where to go!

Monthly take-Home Pay

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Medications
Gas Doctor Bills
Water Dentist
trash optometrist
Phone/Mobile Vitamins
Internet other _________________
Cable other _________________

*5–10% totAL *5–10% totAL

*Dave’s Recommended Percentages
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Car Payment 1
Long-term Care
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Credit Card 2 _______

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Once you have completed filling out each category,

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subtract all category totals from your take-home pay.

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Pet Supplies
Music/technology Use the “income sources”
form if necessary tAKE-HoME PAY
Miscellaneous
Add up totals
other _________________ from each category – CAtEGoRY totALS
other _________________ Remember —
The goal of a zero- based =
budget is to get this ZERo BALANCE
*5–10% totAL number to zero