Google Sheets is a free online spreadsheet tool that you can use to create, edit, and share spreadsheets with others. One of the common uses of Google Sheets is to create a simple budget, which can help you track your income and expenses, and plan your savings and goals.

In this article, we will show you how to use Google Sheets to create a simple budget using some basic features and functions. You can also download a sample budget template from here and customize it according to your needs.

Here are the steps to create a simple budget using Google Sheets:

• Step 1: Create a new spreadsheet. To create a new spreadsheet, go to Google Sheets and click on the “Blank” option. You can also use an existing spreadsheet or open a template from the “Template Gallery”.
• Step 2: Name your spreadsheet. To name your spreadsheet, click on the “Untitled spreadsheet” at the top left corner and type in a name, such as “My Budget”. You can also add a description or change the color of the tab if you want.
• Step 3: Add your income and expenses categories. To add your income and expenses categories, type in the names of the categories in the first column, starting from row 2. For example, you can use the following categories:
  • Income: Salary, Bonus, Interest, etc.
  • Expenses: Rent, Utilities, Groceries, Transportation, Entertainment, etc.

You can add or delete categories as you wish, but make sure to leave a blank row between the income and expenses categories.

• Step 4: Add your monthly amounts. To add your monthly amounts, type in the amounts of your income and expenses in the second column, starting from row 2. For example, you can use the following amounts:
  • Income: 5000, 1000, 50, etc.
  • Expenses: 1500, 200, 300, 100, 200, etc.

You can use formulas to calculate the amounts if you want, such as =SUM(B2:B4) to calculate the total income, or =B2*0.1 to calculate 10% of your salary as savings.

• Step 5: Add your totals and balance. To add your totals and balance, type in the following formulas in the second column, below your income and expenses categories:
  • Total Income: =SUM(B2:B5) (or change the range according to your categories)
  • Total Expenses: =SUM(B8:B13) (or change the range according to your categories)
  • Balance: =B6-B7 (or change the cells according to your totals)

You can also format the cells to display the numbers as currency, and use conditional formatting to highlight the balance cell with different colors depending on whether it is positive or negative.

• Step 6: Add your charts and graphs. To add your charts and graphs, select the cells that contain your data, and click on the “Insert” menu, then choose “Chart”. You can choose from different types of charts, such as pie, bar, line, etc. You can also customize your charts by changing the title, legend, axis, colors, etc. For example, you can use a pie chart to show the percentage of your income and expenses, and a bar chart to show the comparison of your income and expenses by month.

You have just created a simple budget using Google Sheets. You can now use your budget to monitor your financial situation, and adjust your spending and saving habits accordingly. You can also share your budget with others, or export it as a PDF or Excel file. Remember to update your budget regularly, and have fun and be smart!