Budget template

Business templates

Use this editable monthly budget to plan household or small-business money in rand. It gives you spaces for income, fixed and variable costs, savings, debt payments, and a month-end check. Job seekers, families, students, stokvel members, and small-business owners can adapt the free Word file, then compare planned amounts with what they actually spent.

Download Word template Free · .docx · 38 KB · edit in Word, Google Docs or WPS

What's in the template

Monthly Budget Template

Budget details

Month	[month and year]
Budget for	[household or business name]
Prepared by	[name]
Starting balance, if used	[rand amount]

Record all amounts in rand. Add or rename rows to fit your household or business.

Income

List money expected during the month, then update the received column as money comes in.

Income source	Expected (R)	Received (R)	Difference (R)	Notes
Wages or salary	[planned amount]	[received amount]	[received less planned]	[notes]
Business sales or work	[planned amount]	[received amount]	[received less planned]	[notes]
Support or other income	[planned amount]	[received amount]	[received less planned]	[notes]
Other	[planned amount]	[received amount]	[received less planned]	[notes]
Total income	[total planned]	[total received]	[total difference]

Fixed costs

Include regular bills and payments that usually stay similar from month to month.

Cost	Planned (R)	Actual (R)	Difference (R)	Due or payment notes
Rent or home loan	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Municipal services	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Insurance	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Transport or vehicle payment	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Phone or internet	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Other regular cost	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Total fixed costs	[total planned]	[total actual]	[total difference]

Variable costs

Estimate flexible or changing costs. Add rows for costs specific to your home or business.

Cost	Planned (R)	Actual (R)	Difference (R)	Notes
Groceries or supplies	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Electricity or fuel	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Travel	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
School, study or matric costs	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Health and personal care	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Repairs or business materials	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Other	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[planned less actual]	[notes]
Total variable costs	[total planned]	[total actual]	[total difference]

Savings and debt

Item	Planned (R)	Actual (R)	Notes
Emergency savings	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Stokvel contribution	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Other savings	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Loan repayment	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Store or credit account repayment	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Other debt payment	[planned amount]	[actual amount]	[notes]
Total savings	[total planned]	[total actual]
Total debt payments	[total planned]	[total actual]

Monthly summary

Summary item	Planned (R)	Actual (R)
Total income	[planned total]	[received total]
Fixed costs	[planned total]	[actual total]
Variable costs	[planned total]	[actual total]
Savings	[planned total]	[actual total]
Debt payments	[planned total]	[actual total]
Money left	[planned balance]	[actual balance]

To work out money left, subtract costs, savings and debt payments from income. Record a negative balance when outgoings are higher than income.

Review and next month

What changed this month?	[notes]
What should change in the next budget?	[notes]
Prepared by	[name]
Reviewed with, if applicable	[name]

How to fill it in

Set up the month Enter the month, household or business name, and preparer. Add a starting balance if you use one.
List income Enter expected income in the first amount column. Update received amounts during the month and total each column.
Plan fixed costs Fill in regular bills and payments. Add costs that apply to your home or business, then total the planned and actual amounts.
Estimate variable costs Use recent spending to plan groceries, travel, electricity, study costs, or business supplies. Record actual spending as it happens.
Record savings and debt Enter planned savings and debt payments separately. Add a stokvel contribution under savings if that suits your budget.
Check the summary Bring totals into the monthly summary. Subtract costs, savings, and debt payments from income, then note changes for next month.

Tips before you send it

Keep groceries, takeaways, and household supplies on separate rows when you need to see where spending changes.
Record a debit-order bill in fixed costs only once, even if you check it against a bank statement.
Include prepaid electricity, airtime, and small cash purchases in actual spending; they can be easy to miss.
Use the same category for stokvel contributions each month so your savings total stays clear.

Questions & answers

Can I use this budget for both a household and a small business?

Yes. Change the name field and rename rows to match your needs. Keep household and business costs separate if you are tracking both.

What should I do if my income changes each month?

Enter a careful estimate in the expected column. Update the received column when the money arrives, then adjust flexible costs if needed.

What does the difference column show?

For income, it compares received money with the planned amount. For costs, it compares planned spending with actual spending.

Should I include a stokvel contribution?

Yes, if you want it included in your monthly plan. Record it under savings and use the notes column for any useful detail.

Can I use the budget when a bill is not monthly?

Yes. Add a row for the bill and note when you expect to pay it. Set aside an amount in your plan if that helps you prepare.