Basic living expenses list

Table of Contents

Types of expenses Expenses to include in your budget Tips for managing your budget Putting your budget to work 

A budget is a financial record of your income and expenses over a set period of time.

People often calculate and analyze their budgets yearly, quarterly, or monthly.

Monthly expenses list excel

Monthly expenses of a family

Monthly expenses list sample

Budget list example

Monthly expenses template

Some might even track their expenses daily if they’re adamant about getting a handle on where their money is going. 

Your success depends on what you include in your budget. It’s important to account for every type of income and expense.

The next chapter in this budgeting guide helps with that process by covering 10 types of expenses you should monitor. 

Types of expenses 

Each expense category affects your budget differently. Knowing what to include in your budget in terms of expenses is critical as you work toward your financial goals—whether that’s saving money, paying off debt, or something more fun.  

Let’s start by breaking down the two primary categories of expenses: fixed and variable. 

Fixed expenses 

Fixed expenses are the expenses y

what to put in a personal budget

what should you include in a monthly budget