Personal Finance
Expense Tracker
Log what you spend, compare it to your budget, see where you went over
- Category roll-up, monthly
- Over-budget flagged in red
- Works in free Google Sheets
What it does
Inside the workbook.
Where the money went, by category, against what you meant to spend.
WHAT YOU GET
- A 5-tab workbook: START HERE · EXPENSE LOG · BUDGET BY CATEGORY · MONTHLY SUMMARY · FAQ
- 2 charts that update themselves as you type
- Realistic example figures already filled in, so you can watch it work before you replace them
- A plain-English START HERE guide built into the file, plus a 11-question FAQ
WHY THIS ONE
- Works in FREE Google Sheets. Also opens in Excel. No add-ons.
- One-time purchase. No subscription, no account, no upsell.
- Nothing connects to your bank or your accounting software. You type the numbers in yourself.
- Input cells are unlocked and formulas are protected so a stray paste cannot break the math — and there is NO password, so you can unlock and change anything.
- Every formula was opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt, and checked against values worked out independently of the file. If one disagreed, it would not be on sale.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Download and open the file. Nothing to unzip.
2. Read the START HERE tab — about two minutes.
3. Type your numbers over the examples in the blue cells.
GOOGLE SHEETS
File > Import > Upload > choose the file > Replace spreadsheet. Every formula was written to work in Google Sheets as well as Excel — no XLOOKUP, no LAMBDA, nothing that breaks on import.
INSTANT DOWNLOAD
Available immediately after purchase under Purchases and Reviews. Nothing ships.
REFUNDS AND SUPPORT
Instant digital downloads cannot be returned automatically through Etsy. Message me — if something is broken or not what you expected, I will fix it or refund you.
AI DISCLOSURE
This workbook was built with AI assistance. Every formula in it was then opened in a calculation engine and tested against independently calculated values before it was listed. The math is checked, not assumed.
This is a digital file only. No physical item will be shipped.
The proof
Every figure, worked out twice.
Before this workbook was listed it was opened in a calculation engine, rebuilt, and every headline figure was compared to a value computed independently in code from the same seed inputs. This is an excerpt of that ledger.
- BuildGenerated from a written spec, opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt.
- RecomputeEach figure worked out again in code — never read back from the sheet.
- CompareCell by cell, to a stated tolerance. One disagreement and it does not go on sale.
| Sheet | Cell | Expected | Calculated | Figure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F6 | 2,614.32 | 2,614.32 | ✓ | Total spent in August |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F7 | 12 | 12 | ✓ | Purchases logged in August |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F8 | 1,450 | 1,450 | ✓ | Largest single expense |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F9 | 3,605 | 3,605 | ✓ | Total of category budgets |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F12 | 990.68 | 990.68 | ✓ | Still left to spend |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F13 | 72.5% | 72.5% | ✓ | Share of budget used |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F14 | 2 | 2 | ✓ | ategories over budget |
| MONTHLY SUMMARY | F15 | 14.30 | 14.30 | ✓ | Total overspend |
Questions
Before you buy.
Will it work in free Google Sheets?
Yes. File > Import > Upload > choose the file > Replace spreadsheet. Every formula was written to run in Google Sheets as well as Excel, so there is no XLOOKUP, no LAMBDA and no add-on to install. Import it once and you can log expenses from your phone.
Why can't I type in some cells?
Those are formulas, locked so a stray paste cannot break the math. There is no password. Review > Unprotect Sheet opens the whole thing if you want to change something.
Does this connect to my bank?
No. Nothing connects, nothing uploads, nothing leaves your computer. You type the expenses in yourself. That is on purpose: no credentials to hand over and no subscription to keep paying.
How do I switch to a new month?
Change the year and month on MONTHLY SUMMARY. That is the whole job. Nothing gets deleted and the old rows stay in the log, so you can flip back to July whenever you want. Keep adding to the same Expense Log all year.
Can I add or rename categories?
Yes, but change them in both places or the matching breaks. Unprotect the sheet, edit the name on BUDGET BY CATEGORY, then edit the same word in the dropdown on the Expense Log category column under Data > Data Validation. The dropdown is what keeps the spelling identical.
Does it work in free Google Sheets?
Yes. Every workbook is built with an older, universal formula vocabulary so it imports into free Google Sheets without add-ons, and it opens in Excel as well. You get both in one purchase.
How was it tested?
The workbook was opened in a calculation engine, fully rebuilt, and 26 figures were compared to values worked out independently in code from the same seed inputs. One disagreement would have stopped the release. An excerpt of that ledger is on this page.
Get it
Expense Tracker — $12.99
Instant download on Etsy. Google Sheets and Excel versions in the same purchase. No subscription, ever.
Educational estimates only. These calculators and workbooks do the arithmetic on the figures you enter; they are general-purpose tools, not financial, investment, tax, legal, lending, insurance or construction advice, and no result is a quote, an offer, or a guarantee of any outcome. Results depend entirely on your inputs and assumptions. Verify anything you intend to rely on with a licensed professional — a CPA, attorney, lender, licensed contractor, or your own agent. WorkbookBarn and Marcos Gil accept no liability for decisions made using these tools. Marcos Gil is a licensed Kentucky real estate agent (License No. 296259) and is not a lender, CPA or attorney.