Sinking Funds Tracker: Save for Irregular Expenses, Annual Bills & Holidays (Excel + Google Sheets)

The Sinking Funds Tracker is a spreadsheet template for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets that helps you save a little each month for the expenses you know are coming: car repairs, insurance premiums, holidays, travel, property tax and annual subscriptions. It works out what to set aside for each fund, shows which bills land in the next 12 months and tells you whether your monthly budget covers them.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Sinking-Funds-Tracker_BLANK.xlsx: ready for your numbers

• Sinking-Funds-Tracker_EXAMPLE.xlsx: a sample household with 11 funds so you can see how it works

• Download guide (PDF) with step-by-step Excel and Google Sheets setup

7 TABS

Start Here (built-in quick-start notes) · Setup · Funds · Transactions · Monthly View · Calendar · Dashboard

Room for 20 funds, 500 deposits and withdrawals and 16 categories. Dropdown menus, locked formula cells (no password) and frozen headers.

KEY FEATURES

• Needed per month: what's still needed divided by the months left until each due date

• On track or Behind: each fund compares what you plan to save with what it actually needs

• Deposits and withdrawals by fund, so balances match the money in your bank account

• Monthly view: deposits, withdrawals, net and end-of-month balance against your planned budget

• Rolling 12-month calendar: which targets are due each month, with monthly totals

• Budget check: total needed per month vs the amount you can set aside

• Dashboard: total saved, total targets, % funded, needed per month, budget, funds behind and 4 charts

HOW IT WORKS

1. Buy and download instantly: your download page opens right after checkout, and the link is also emailed to you.

2. On a computer, open the BLANK file in Microsoft Excel, or upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets (the PDF guide shows both).

3. Start on the Start Here tab and type your numbers into the blue cells. The grey formula cells, summaries and dashboard charts update automatically.

4. Open the EXAMPLE file any time to see how a filled-in version looks.

COMPATIBILITY

✔ Microsoft Excel (Windows and Mac desktop, Microsoft 365)

✔ Google Sheets (free): upload the .xlsx to Google Drive, then Open with Google Sheets.

✘ Not designed for Apple Numbers or phone screens. A computer is recommended.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does it work in Excel and Google Sheets?

A: Yes. It works in Microsoft Excel (Windows or Mac desktop, or Microsoft 365) and in Google Sheets, which is free with a Google account. It isn't designed for Apple Numbers.

Q: Should I use Google Sheets or Excel?

A: Either works: the formulas, dropdowns and charts work in both. Choose Excel if you want to keep the file on your computer. Choose Google Sheets if you want a free, browser-based option you can open anywhere. For Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with > Google Sheets, then File > Save as Google Sheets.

Q: Can I use it on my phone or tablet?

A: It's designed for a computer screen, not a phone. Phones often can't open .xlsx downloads, so download and set it up on a computer. Once it's saved as a Google Sheet, you can open it in the Google Sheets mobile app to check your numbers, but a computer is best for setup and data entry.

Q: How do I download it?

A: Right after checkout your download page opens, and the download link is also emailed to you. Download all the files on a computer, then follow the PDF guide to open the BLANK file in Excel or Google Sheets.

Q: Can I customize it?

A: Yes. Enter your year, monthly sinking-fund budget and up to 16 categories on the Setup tab, then add your funds. The rest of the workbook updates. Formula cells are locked without a password so they can't be overwritten by accident. To change formulas or the layout, unprotect the tab: Review > Unprotect Sheet in Excel, or Data > Protect sheets and ranges in Google Sheets.

Q: Can I get a refund?

A: Yes, within 14 days of purchase, in two cases: a file has a problem I can't fix, or you bought the same product twice by mistake. Email todorgan@gmail.com with your order details.

GOOD TO KNOW

• This is a digital product. Nothing will be shipped.

• Works with one savings account or several: the tracker keeps the split for you.

• A budgeting tool, not financial advice.

• For personal use. Please don't share or resell the files.

• Questions or a problem with a file? Email todorgan@gmail.com.

AI disclosure: this template was designed with the help of AI tools. The formulas, layout and example data were reviewed and tested before release.