My Income/Expenses Spreadsheet Rules My Life

Download my spreadsheet and let it rule yours too

Money management. It conjures images of Suze Orman yelling at you and at least one tedious discussion with either a parent or a supervisor. We hate it, we don’t want to do it. And yet, as freelancers, we absolutely have to get a hold on it if we want to avoid the dole. Joke’s on us! There is no dole for freelancers, at least not since the government decided to nuke every single social welfare benefit it bestowed upon us peasants during the pandemic. (There might still be but, come one, we know there is no way we can rely on it or get it in a timely manner.)

I can be resistant to taking anyone’s advice because I am contrarian, too well-read and have the bullshit detector of a person who spent half her life in Latin America. An invaluable education! But when I set out to freelance, I did take to heart the many times experienced freelancers told me to track all the income coming in and all the expenses coming out. They listed taxes as the number one reason but honestly? I use it more than anything so I can give myself a monthly salary.

I’ll explain how I use my spreadsheet to do so below and also link to it so you can download it. I’m sharing it with a couple of notes:

1. What works for me might not work for you! Some people dissociate as soon as Excel is thrown in the mix. Other scoff at my circa-1999-Windows computer skills because they have already programmed some AI widget to do this all for them. Do what feels best. I’m just trying to help.

2. I don’t have children because I don’t like enforcing any rule. Copy and paste and share if you must, but if you do, please for the love of God, at least ask your friends to give me a follow or something.

Without further ado: