Household Housing Budget Worksheet

Choose a month and gather recent statements, utility bills, insurance information, and records of costs that arrive less often. Use take-home income actually available for that period. Keep uncertain income separate so the worksheet does not rely on money that may not arrive.

The purpose is to organize questions, not produce an affordability verdict. You can complete the worksheet privately and use it when reviewing options with an appropriately qualified professional.

Start with your housing payment. If taxes or insurance are already included in that payment, identify them so you do not count them twice. Add utilities, required fees, routine upkeep, and other costs you actually pay. Keep household expenses such as food, transportation, childcare, and debt payments alongside the housing total; they also affect what remains available.

An annual or seasonal bill is easy to miss in a single-month budget. Record the expected amount and its due date. Dividing an annual amount by 12 can provide a monthly planning figure, but it does not change when the bill must be paid. If the due date is close, compare the amount needed with the funds already set aside.

Maintenance is uncertain. Use known upcoming work and your own records, mark estimates clearly, and update the plan when you have better information. A worksheet cannot establish the condition of a property or the cost of a repair.

Put income dates and payment due dates on the same calendar. A month can appear balanced overall while a particular week is difficult. Record the next due date, whether a bill is automatic, and what still needs confirmation.

If you think a payment may be missed, contact the organization responsible for that bill directly and ask what options and requirements apply. For assistance programs, verify eligibility, availability, and application steps with the administering organization. This worksheet does not apply for assistance or promise that a program will be available.

If you are considering a smaller home, living closer to work or family, or another housing arrangement, prepare a second ongoing-cost column. Include changes in travel and services as well as the housing payment. Then list one-time transition costs separately: moving, storage, deposits or other upfront payments, possible overlap, and selling costs only if a sale is part of your plan.

Keep confirmed amounts separate from estimates. A lower housing payment does not automatically create a lower total household cost. Use the moving checklist to organize dates and dependencies if a move becomes one of your options.

1. Which figures came from records, and which need confirmation?
2. Which costs can you review without compromising safety or required obligations?
3. Does the calendar show a timing gap even if the monthly totals balance?
4. What would a change cost upfront, and when would those costs fall due?
5. What question requires individualized professional advice before you act?

For related material, explore our Homeowner Tips and downsizing and moving guide. The CFPB Your Money, Your Goals toolkit is an independent official resource with additional income, spending, and bill-calendar tools.