Made-up figures · Practice without pressure
One expense.
One change.
Try a small change using made-up figures. You do not need to share your own finances.
Keep your current work first.
Save a copy of any budget or statement worksheet you want to keep. Opening a practice file replaces the open worksheet. Leave device saving off for this practice.
You can read this page without downloading anything. If you arrived from a worksheet, switch back to its original tab to keep working. This page does not copy or change your entries.
The made-up facts
The November plan lists $350 for groceries. Two grocery payments in the fictional statement are $200 and $170.
$200 + $170 = $370 in groceries.
$370 − $350 = $20 more than planned.
The statement also lists a $100 transfer to another account owned by the same household. It affects this account’s balance. It is not another grocery purchase.
Start with these two practice files.
Download each file, then open it in its matching tool through the file preview. Keep downloaded files where you can find them. These contain fictional figures only.
Try it in the tools
- Open the statement tool. Use Open worksheet file to review and open the fictional statement file. Check the month, grocery entries and transfer.
- Use Download text summary if you want a reading copy. Use Save a worksheet copy to keep a file you can reopen and edit. These are different copies.
- Choose Open budget (new tab). Use Open a budget file to review and open the original fictional budget. Figures do not move between the tools automatically.
- Use Save a budget copy to keep that original plan. In its existing Groceries item, replace $350 with $370. This practice change tests the tool; it does not tell a real household what to plan.
- Check the totals below. The plan should still contain four items. Do not add a second grocery item or copy the whole statement total into the plan.
- Save the revised plan as a separate copy. Keep the original and revised files. The statement should remain unchanged.
Open statement tool (new tab)Open budget tool (new tab)
These links open separately. Switch back to any original worksheet tab to continue that work.
What changes in this practice plan?
| Plan figure | Before → After |
|---|---|
| Income | $2,000 → $2,000 |
| Groceries | $350 → $370 |
| Listed plan amounts | $1,450 → $1,470 |
| Left to plan | $550 → $530 |
These are partial practice figures. Other household needs may be missing. “Left to plan” is not a bank balance or a spending allowance. The statement’s $1,030 ending balance is a different figure; do not copy it into income.
Compare your result
These are reference copies. Save a copy of any work you want to keep before opening the revised budget in the tool.
The text summary is for reading. Use the fictional statement file above to reopen and edit the statement worksheet.
One useful question
What changed, and which fact would you check before planning next month?
A real change is your decision after checking the records. A difference in the figures does not define your worth.