Income section

List all income sources: wages (net, after tax and NI), benefits (Universal Credit, Child Benefit, etc.), rental income, side income, maintenance received. Use the actual amounts that arrive in your bank account.

Fixed costs

Rent or mortgage, council tax, energy (electricity and gas), water, broadband, phone, TV licence, insurance (home, contents, car, life, health), loan repayments, hire purchase. These are amounts that are the same (or close) each month.

Variable essentials

Food and groceries, transport (fuel, public transport, car maintenance), childcare, clothing and shoes, household supplies. These vary month to month — use a realistic average.

Subscriptions and discretionary

List all subscriptions (streaming, software, gym, deliveries, magazines). Then personal spending (eating out, takeaways, coffee, leisure, hobbies, gifts, holidays).

Savings and debt repayment

Emergency fund contributions, savings goals, extra debt repayments above minimums. List these last but treat them as non-optional once you have the surplus identified.