Free Zero-Based Budget Excel Template
What's in the zero-based budget template
Two sheets: Categories (up to 20 rows - category, allocated amount, rollover from last month, with total available calculating automatically) and Budget Summary (monthly income, total allocated pulled from Categories, left to budget, and the Zero-check flag).
Competing free versions like Vertex42's worksheet require you to read the bottom-line subtraction yourself every month - this one flags the result automatically.
Left to budget and the automatic Zero-check
Left to budget is Monthly income minus Total allocated. Zero-check reads Balanced the moment that number hits exactly $0.00, Under-allocated if you still have money to assign, or Over-allocated if you've assigned more than you earn.
A true zero-based budget assigns every dollar somewhere - Zero-check is the live signal that tells you when you've actually gotten there, instead of eyeballing a subtraction at the bottom of a static worksheet.
Manual rollover, one category at a time
Rollover from last month is a manual entry per category - carry forward what you didn't spend (like groceries) or reset it to zero for categories that don't roll over. Total available for that category is allocated plus rollover, calculated automatically.
How to use it
- On the Categories sheet, list every budget category with its allocated amount and any rollover from last month.
- On the Budget Summary sheet, enter your monthly income - total allocated pulls automatically from the Categories sheet.
- Left to budget and the Zero-check calculate automatically: Balanced at exactly zero, Under-allocated or Over-allocated otherwise.
Download the free Free Zero-Based Budget Excel Template
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Frequently asked questions
Does rollover carry forward automatically month to month?
No. Rollover from last month is a manual entry per category - you type in what's left over, then Total available (allocated plus rollover) calculates automatically.
What does the Zero-check flag actually check?
It reads Balanced when Left to budget is exactly $0.00, Under-allocated when income is greater than what you've allocated, and Over-allocated when allocations exceed income.
Does this include a 12-month annual summary sheet?
No. This is a single-month Categories and Budget Summary workbook - duplicate the Categories sheet for additional months if you want a month-over-month history.
Does it include a debt-snowball or savings-snowball calculator?
No. This template focuses on allocating income to zero across categories - pair it with a dedicated debt payoff template for snowball or avalanche ordering.
Can I use it in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive, open it, then File > Save as Google Sheets. The Zero-check formula keeps working.
What's the usage license?
Personal use or use within one business. It's not meant to be resold or redistributed as a template product.