Template
Personal cash flow forecast template
A personal cash flow forecast is a short list of dated inflows and outflows with a balance carried through them. The template below is deliberately small, because a forecast you update weekly beats a detailed one you abandon.
- 90 days is the sweet spot
Long enough to catch a quarterly bill, short enough that estimates stay credible.
- Start from the true balance
Spendable cash only — exclude money already earmarked for tax.
- Fixed rows first
Rent, utilities, insurance, loans, subscriptions, savings and tax set-asides.
- One number matters
The lowest projected balance in the window.
The rows
| Group | Rows |
|---|---|
| Opening | Spendable cash across everyday accounts |
| Income | Salary or each expected client payment, on realistic dates |
| Housing | Rent or mortgage, service charges, utilities |
| Fixed | Insurance, loan payments, phone, internet, subscriptions |
| Set-asides | Tax percentage, savings transfer, sinking funds |
| Variable | Groceries, transport, eating out — weekly estimates from your averages |
| One-offs | Annual renewals, travel, repairs, gifts |
Building and reviewing it
- Enter the opening balance and every fixed row on its real date for the next 90 days.
- Add income on the dates you realistically expect it, not the dates you invoice.
- Add variable spending as weekly estimates based on your last three months.
- Add every one-off you already know about.
- Read the lowest projected balance and act on it if it is under your buffer.
- Each week, replace last week's estimates with actuals and extend the window by a week.
What to check each week
- Lowest projected balance in the next 90 days, and the date it falls on.
- Any expected payment whose date has slipped and needs moving.
- Whether last week's variable estimate matched reality; adjust if it misses twice in a row.
- New commitments made this week that are not yet on the forecast.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a personal cash flow forecast?
An opening balance, dated income, fixed outgoings, set-asides, weekly variable estimates and known one-offs, with a balance carried forward through every row.
How far ahead should a personal forecast run?
Ninety days rolling, extended to twelve months if you want to capture annual insurance and tax.
How do I estimate variable spending?
Use a conservative average of your last three months per category and treat it as a range, not a precise figure.
How often should I update it?
Weekly. Ten minutes to enter actuals and roll the window forward is what keeps it accurate.
The template, already built
Recurring rows maintain themselves. Free forever, no bank linking.