Bills Spreadsheet Template: A Monthly Bill Tracker Layout
Short answer
A bills spreadsheet needs one row per bill and these columns: bill, payee, amount, due date, how you pay, how often it repeats, which paycheck covers it, and paid. Sort it by due date, add a monthly total, and add a column that divides yearly bills by 12 so you can save for them each month.
A bills spreadsheet is a free, flexible bill tracker: one row per bill, sorted by due date, with a total at the bottom. It takes about thirty minutes to set up and a few minutes a month to keep current. Here is a layout that works, plus the tricks for autopay, irregular bills and lining bills up with your paychecks.
The layout
Use one row per bill and these columns:
| Column | What goes in it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bill | What it is | Electric |
| Payee | Who you pay | Your utility |
| Amount | Typical monthly amount | $110 |
| Due date | Day of the month | 18 |
| Pay method | Autopay, online, mail | Autopay |
| Frequency | Monthly, quarterly, yearly | Monthly |
| Paycheck | Which paycheck covers it | 1st |
| Monthly set-aside | For non-monthly bills | (blank) |
| Paid | A checkbox each month | Yes |
Put a SUM formula at the bottom of the Amount column for your monthly total, and another at the bottom of the set-aside column.
Filling it in
- Start with your bank and card statements. Go back two or three months and add a row for every recurring payment.
- Add bills that come by mail or email and are paid by hand.
- Add yearly and quarterly bills. Insurance premiums, car registration, memberships.
- Sort by due date so the sheet reads in the order your money goes out.
The CFPB’s Your Money, Your Goals toolkit includes a spending tracker and a bill calendar, which make good companions if you prefer paper.
The paycheck column
This is the column most templates miss. If you are paid twice a month or every two weeks, decide which paycheck covers each bill, and write it in.
- Bills due between your first and second paycheck come out of the first.
- Bills due after the second paycheck come out of the second.
Add up the bills for each paycheck. If one paycheck carries far more than the other, ask some companies to move your due date. Our guide to lining up bills with biweekly pay shows how.
Autopay bills that vary
Many utility bills change month to month. Enter a typical amount and update it when the bill arrives.
For automatic debits that vary, the CFPB says the company should let you know at least 10 days before a scheduled payment if the amount changes. Use that notice as your cue to update the row.
The CFPB also warns that if there is not enough in your account when an automatic payment is due, both the bank and the company might charge a fee. A spreadsheet that shows your total by paycheck helps you see that coming.
Yearly and irregular bills
Give each one a row with its real due date and amount. Then fill in the set-aside column: the yearly amount divided by 12.
| Bill | Amount | Frequency | Monthly set-aside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car insurance | $1,080 | Yearly | $90 |
| Car registration | $120 | Yearly | $10 |
| Streaming plan | $15 | Monthly | (blank) |
Move the total of the set-aside column into savings each month, and the yearly bills are covered when they come. Our guide to annual and irregular bills explains this sinking-fund method in more detail.
A monthly routine
- Start of the month: clear last month’s Paid column and check the total.
- Each payday: move the money for that paycheck’s bills, plus the set-aside total.
- As bills go out: check them off.
- When a price changes: update the row the same day.
When the spreadsheet is not enough
A spreadsheet cannot tap you on the shoulder. If you forget to open it, a due date can pass unnoticed. That is why many people build their list in a spreadsheet and then move it into a bill tracker app. Billo keeps the same list, every bill with its amount and due date, and reminds you 3 days before each bill is due and again on the day, so the spreadsheet you built becomes a list that watches the calendar for you.
Summary
- One row per bill, sorted by due date, with a monthly total.
- A paycheck column to balance bills across paychecks.
- A set-aside column for yearly bills.
- Update amounts when autopay notices arrive.
- Check off each bill as it goes out.
Questions
What columns should a bill tracker spreadsheet have?
Bill, payee, amount, due date, payment method, frequency, which paycheck covers it, and a paid checkbox. Add a monthly set-aside column for yearly and quarterly bills.
How do I track bills that change every month?
Enter a typical amount and update it when the bill arrives. For autopay bills that vary, the CFPB says the company must notify you at least 10 days before a payment that differs from the amount or range you authorized.
How do I fit yearly bills into a monthly spreadsheet?
Give each yearly bill its own row with its real due date, then add a column that divides the yearly amount by 12. Save that amount each month so the bill is covered when it comes.
Is a spreadsheet or an app better?
A spreadsheet is free and flexible but only helps when you open it. An app can remind you before each bill is due. Many people build the list in a spreadsheet, then move it into an app.
Sources
- CFPB: What is autopay?
- CFPB: Your Money, Your Goals toolkit (Bill calendar, Spending tracker)
- CFPB: You have protections when it comes to automatic debit payments from your account
In the UK? Read Bill Organiser Spreadsheet: How to Organise Household Bills
Related guides
- How to Organize Bills at Home: A Simple Bill Organizer SystemA simple system to organize bills at home: one list of every bill, a bill calendar, a place for paper and digital statements, and how long to keep records.
- How to Keep Track of Bills: A Simple System That WorksA simple way to keep track of monthly bills: list every bill and due date, build a bill calendar, line it up with your paychecks, and set reminders.
- Annual and Irregular Bills: The Sinking Fund MethodHow to plan for yearly bills like car registration, insurance premiums and memberships: list them, divide by 12, and save monthly in a sinking fund.