What's In Your Spreadsheet?

property.advert

Cashflow day by day with all predictable debits and credits, updated each day with new opening balances. Predicts out past 24 months.

Various in the moment tabs with data relevant to things I am researching.

Telephone list for 0844/0845/0870 number alternatives.

Investments, various mathematical models, mortgages etc.

I could see how my main cashflow could be broken down into 20/30 plus tabs if you wanted but I've been doing it for over 20 years so I'm fairly proficient by now.

coldcazzie

I have 2 spreadsheets that I use daily, one for money stuff and one for groceries.

The grocery one has 3 tabs. One that shows an overview of month by month total spending in each category, one that shows exact expenditure each month in each category, and one that contains my "rollover" purchases (purchases which I've bought because they're a bargain - on offer etc - but won't be using that month). I've only recently created this one so it may develop to incorporate what foods I have in stock etc but I'm not sure about that.

The money one has an overview tab (mortgage balance, savings balances, net assets etc) which is updated monthly, one tab for each account that we have (2 current accounts, 2 credit cards, 4 savings accounts, 1 ISA, 1 mortgage) these are updated as often as I get onto the computer, usually daily, plus one for tax/NI calculations, one for gas/electric usage (readings done monthly), and one for eBay profit calculations for when I go on a selling spree. So, 14 in total.

I've also got an archive spreadsheet into which I move tabs when the accounts get closed/go dormant, but that's more to keep things as streamlined as I can.

MisterMotivated

Wow! It's good to see I'm not the only spreadsheet fanatic. I've cut mine in half this morning, taking out all the graphical mortgage trackers and sticking them in a separate spreadsheet. Since I don't plan to overpay on my I/O mortgage this year, they are just needlessly taking up space at the moment. My plans may be changing, however, so hopefully they'll be back next year, alongside trackers for my new mortgage. I do miss my various mortgage overpayment/forecasting tabs, so those will be brought back next year as well.

I'm in two minds about my budget tab at the moment. It updates automatically based on the spending diary. On the left is planned expenditure, on the right is actual expenditure. Normally at each month end, I adjust the planned column to match the actual (thankfully I'm normally under budget). The reason for this is to show an updated year end balance forecast. However, I'm now considering leaving the planned figures as they are, so that I can see just how the actual figures compare each month (it does show my original year end total prediction alongside the revised prediction). Perhaps next year I'll run two versions side by side :rotfl:

mgdavid

So is this the playstation generation growing up and spending leisure time in front of a screen?
I have a s/sheet with around half a dozen tabs, purely to track savings and investments (ISAs & shares), an offline copy is held to provide info for the offspring when we've gone. My main money management tool is a wallet plus online banking. I don't have much spare cash - but I do get out and enjoy it :-)

MisterMotivated

mgdavid wrote: »

So is this the playstation generation growing up and spending leisure time in front of a screen?

...asked the person posting on an internet forum.

I wouldn't say so. I enjoy my leisure time too, a large proportion of it spent outside. That doesn't mean I can't take an interest in my personal finances and plan for my future.