In these times of economic recession, one needs to keep a keen eye on their finances. And a financial planning worksheet is one of the best ways to go about keeping an eye on your expenses. It is like bookkeeping of your own cash flow. Financial Planning The worksheet is one of the best ways to keep a check on your expenses. How many times have you found that at the end of the month, you have so little money left, and you find that you are clueless with respect to when and where you have spent all the money? It is one of the most convenient and simple ways of financial management and personal financial planning. The worksheet contains two main sections. The income section and the expenses section. Under each section, you are supposed to create different heads for incomes and expenses. In front of each of the particulars section, you are supposed to have a column for amount. Now, the point of keeping the financial planner is to ensure that all your expenses are planned and you stick to the plan. In the worksheet, you estimate the costs which you would incur under each head and then make an effort to ensure that the cost target is met as planned in the budget. You should also predetermine the difference between the incomes and the expenses, your 'profit' as your monthly savings and keep that money aside for future unforeseen expenses. Now, it is possible that you may not be able to stick to the plan in the first month of budgeting. Basically because you may not have estimated how much you spend under what head. So give yourself a couple of months to get used to it. From the third month on, when you know how much you spend under each head, try to make a financial plan and stick to it. If you are genuinely unable to stick to the plan, then you ought to revise it again. The idea is that you need to know where you are spending the money you earn, and what expenses make up the avoidable component of your financial plan. And then try and reduce those in order to increase your savings. Worksheet Sample

Income
Particulars	Amt ($)
Wages/Salary
Commission
Interest Earned
Miscellaneous Incomes
Income Total
Expenses
Particulars	Amt ($)
Mortgage Payments/Rent
Other EMI payments
Food and Drink
Electricity
Water and Sewer
Petrol/Gas
Credit Card Bills
Cable TV
Hobbies
Gym/Spa Membership
Household Products
Miscellaneous Expenses
Total Expenses
Savings (Total Income - Total Expenses)

While this table only gives a rough guide about what to include in your own financial planner, you can always add and deduct the particulars in that column.