• spreadsheet that lists the various expense categories in one column, the dollar amounts of your original estimates of your monthly expenses in the next, and then shows your actual expenses that you tracked in your spending log in the next column.Note: Your actual expenses in many categories will likely be quite different from your original estimates. There is no need to have spent what you predicted. In fact, much awareness can come from the areas in which your estimates where different from your actual spending.
• Next,add a "Spending Plan for Next Month" column. Based on the differences in your spending estimate and the actual amounts from tracking spending, determine what dollar amounts you would now set for each category. If you find that you need to add new categories now that you have tracked your own actual spending, please feel free to add those.
• Indicate whether each expense category is a need or a want.