Daft question about expenses spreadsheet

[Sotiredsomuch]

This is a silly question and I’m overthinking it but I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot then realise it was the wrong way to do it.

I’m keeping track of all of our spending on a spreadsheet ... do I do a new tab for each CALENDAR month or PAY month? I can’t decide which would be more useful or maybe it doesn’t really matter?

Pay month would be most useful.
If you include your salary, you can work out how much you have left to last until the next payday.

It depends, I would go calender month and I would have everything listed in columns and pivot table it out by month onto a separate tab so that you can group the dates by month and year and see what is left at the end of each calender month.

Pivot tables on a home spreadsheet is hard-core!

If the tool is there use it!

Columns:
date/item/£

Then pivot:
Date in column, item on left and £ in bottom right, change to 'sum" and group the dates to months and years.

Bang on. I audit external funding partners finances so I pivot finances all day every day...

I think I’m a way off pivot tables if I’m honest but I’ll keep the idea in mind for when I get a bit more competent

I’m definitely analysing by column. Really hoping this helps me realise how much money I’m allowing to just disappear.

I love a good pivot! And a nice bit of conditional formatting.