Annual Budget Planner

Three Templates in One

  • Monthly Cash Flow Tracker — Log income and every spending category; your savings rate calculates itself
  • Annual Savings Rate View — Spot seasonal patterns, irregular income, and where your money actually went
  • Irregular Expense Buffer — Plan for car insurance, dentist visits, and holiday spending before they catch you off guard

Download once. Use for life. No subscription, no upsell.

Monthly View

Track every dollar in and out — income, fixed bills, variable spending, and savings — on a single sheet. Your savings rate and surplus/deficit calculate automatically as you fill it in. Includes pre-built categories for rent, groceries, transit, dining, and subscriptions, with space to add your own.

Annual Overview

Roll up all 12 months into a single annual picture. See your total income, spending by category, average savings rate, and net worth change for the year. Useful for spotting seasonal patterns — like the inevitable December spending spike — and setting targets for the year ahead.

FIRE Progress

Watch your FI number close in month by month. Enter your target FIRE number and expected withdrawal rate, and the tracker shows your current progress as a percentage, your projected date at your current savings rate, and how much each additional $100/month accelerates your timeline.

"I tried four different budget spreadsheets before this one. The FIRE Progress tab alone was worth it — seeing my FI date move earlier every month kept me motivated."

— diyFIRE community member

Frequently Asked Questions

What format does the planner come in?

The planner is available as a Google Sheets template (copy to your Drive in one click) and as an Excel file for those who prefer to work offline.

Do I need to know formulas to use it?

No. All calculations are pre-built. You only ever type into the highlighted input cells — everything else updates automatically.

Can I use it if my income varies month to month?

Yes. The Monthly View has a separate row for variable/freelance income, and the Irregular Expense Buffer is specifically designed for people whose cash flow isn't perfectly predictable.