Template
Monthly Subscription Budget Template
A simple way to see your recurring spend in one place and keep it from creeping up. Use these buckets, set ranges that fit you, and fill the template with a quick scan at a pace that feels comfortable.
Published: December 24, 2025 - Updated: December 24, 2025 - By FinToolSuite Editorial
Quick answer
- Scan your transactions.
- Sort subscriptions into buckets.
- Set a comfortable range for each bucket.
- Review monthly and adjust.
Disclaimer
Educational purposes only; not financial advice. Any ranges are for planning and awareness, not rules. Examples are illustrative; results depend on your data and are not guaranteed.
Your data is processed to detect recurring patterns; see the Privacy Policy for details.
The buckets
- Essentials: work or daily life services.
- Nice to have: entertainment or convenience.
- Shared household: family or shared plans.
- Annual renewals: yearly charges converted to monthly equivalent.
- Trials and temporary: items to review soon.
- Unknown merchant review (optional): items to research before classifying.
Choose targets as ranges
Ranges reduce stress and allow flexibility. Set them based on your own budget and goals; no universal numbers here.
Total subscription spend range: GBP ___ to GBP ___
Essentials range: GBP ___ to GBP ___
Nice to have range: GBP ___ to GBP ___
Copyable spreadsheet template
Bucket,Monthly amount,Target range,Notes
Essentials,,,
Nice to have,,,
Shared household,,,
Annual renewals monthly equivalent,,,
Trials and temporary,,,
Total,,,
Paste into a spreadsheet and fill each month. Adjust buckets if needed.
How to fill this using the detector
- Run the scan in the detector.
- Use current spend and the detected subscriptions list to populate buckets.
- Estimate annual renewals as yearly divided by 12 for the monthly equivalent.
- Export results as your reference; log them month to month.
Need tracking tips? See track month over month.
Printable checklist
[ ] I ran the subscription scan for the last X months
[ ] I listed recurring subscriptions and annual renewals
[ ] I placed each into a bucket
[ ] I set ranges that fit my budget
[ ] I marked one item to review this month
[ ] I will rerun the scan next month and compareMini illustrative example
Essentials: GBP 25, Nice to have: GBP 15, Annual renewals monthly equivalent: GBP 10, Total: GBP 50. This is purely illustrative; your mix will differ.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting annual renewals.
- Setting targets too strict and giving up.
- Not updating after plan changes.
- Assuming the tool estimate is exact.
FAQ
Do I need to list every subscription manually?
Use the detector list to save time; add anything missing from your statements.
How do I handle yearly plans?
Convert the yearly amount to a monthly equivalent (divide by 12) and place it in annual renewals.
What if I share a family plan?
Keep it in the shared household bucket and note who uses it.
What if the merchant name looks weird?
Use the detector results and your statements to match patterns; keep the original text in your CSV.
Are results guaranteed?
No. Estimates depend on your data and need confirmation.
How often should I update the template?
Monthly works well; update when you add or remove a subscription.
Final call to action
Run a scan, fill the template with your buckets and ranges, and check in monthly to keep subscriptions clear and manageable.