1. What Will My Lifestyle Cost?

2. Monthly Lifestyle Budget
Go to and find your career choice
Locate the median income for your career choice
Divide by 12 to get the monthly Gross Income

3. Housing Apartment $800.00 Small House $1,000.00 Medium House $1,300.00
Large House
Extra Large House
$800.00
$1,000.00
$1,300.00
$2,500.00
$4,000.00

4. Homeowner’s Insurance
Small House $100.00
Medium House $200.00
Large House $300.00
Extra Large House $400.00

5. Utilities (Electricity, Water, Sewer, Trash, Telephone, Heat & A/C)
Apartment/Small House
Medium House
Large House
Extra Large House
$200.00
$300.00
$450.00
$700.00

6. Transportation Fixer-up Car Economy Car Full-Size Car Nice Truck/SUV
Sports Car
$100.00
$150.00
$250.00
$500.00
$1,000.00

7. Gas for Automobile Small/Medium Car $200.00 Full-Size/Truck/SUV
Extra Travel
(long commute or trips out of town each weekend)
$200.00
$300.00
$80.00

8. Automobile Insurance Fixer-up Car Economy Car Full-Size Car
Nice Truck/SUV
Sports Car
$30.00
$75.00
$100.00
$200.00
$250.00

9. Car Maintenance
Basic Upkeep $50.00

10. Clothing Bargain Shopping $80.00 Dress Casual $150.00
Dress Professional
$80.00
$150.00
$350.00

11. Entertainment Stay In – $100.00 Go Out Around Town – $200.00
(Rent a few movies & Go out to dinner at
a moderate restaurant only once a month.)
Go Out Around Town –
(go to the movies & Go out to dinner at a
moderate restaurant 2-3 times a month.)
Go Out and Travel Some –
(Travel some, one really nice trip a year,
and eat out on a regular basis.)
Travel a Lot –
(Travel a bunch, all vacations are out of
state or country, and always eat out.)
$100.00
$200.00
$300.00
$450.00

12. Children $200.00 How many children x ???????
How many children do you plan to have?
How many children x
???????
$200.00

13. Groceries “Cheap” Food – Normal Food – “Refined” Food – $200.00
(Ramen Noodles, Bologna & Cheese,
PB&J, very little fresh produce.)
Normal Food –
(Fresh fruits and vegetables, Chicken,
Ground Beef, Pork Chops, Ice Cream.)
“Refined” Food –
(Steak, Lobster, Pork Loin, Cakes,
Pastries, Organic fruits and vegetables.)
$200.00
$400.00
$600.00

14. Fast Food Only in Emergencies – $150.00 Only as a Treat – $200.00
(Ran out of food at home,
forgot to set out dinner to thaw.)
Only as a Treat –
(Once or twice a month.)
A Weekly Thing –
(Once or twice a week.)
Sit Down Restaurants –
(Three or more times a week.)
$150.00
$200.00
$400.00
$650.00

15. Internet Basic – $15.00 4 mbps High-speed – $50.00 10 mbps
Gaming Quality –
20 mbps
$15.00
$50.00
$150.00

16. Cable Only Internet – Basic Cable – Premium Package – $20.00 $50.00
(Netflix & Hulu)
Basic Cable –
(no specialty or
movie channels.)
Premium Package –
(300+ channels including
sports and movie channels
like Starz, HBO & Cinemax.)
$20.00
$50.00
$160.00

17. Cell-Phone
No-Contract Plan – Only Talk & Text –
(No Data, all phones are at least a year old – iPhone 5 /Galaxy 4 or older, spotty coverage.)
No-Contract Plan – Unlimited –
(2GB of data at 4G speeds, after that unlimited at 3G speeds, all phones are at least a year old – iPhone 5 /Samsung or older, spotty coverage.)
Contract Plan – Basic –
(2GB of data, newest phones available, great coverage.)
Contract Plan – Premium –
(10GB of data, newest phones available, great coverage.)
$10.00/person
$45.00/person
$55.00/person
$90.00/person

18. Personal Hygiene Low Maintenance – Medium Maintenance –
(Haircut, basic toiletries.)
Medium Maintenance –
(Haircut, basic toiletries & hair styling
products, cheap makeup.)
High Maintenance –
(Haircut, color, extensions, hair products,
Top-of-the-line makeup, manicures, pedicure.)
Gym Membership –
$30.00
$100.00
$300.00

19. Health Insurance $200.00 Add ______________ For yourself, your spouse,
And for each child
you have

20. Life Insurance Take my Chances  0.00
Term Insurance Per family member
Whole Life Adult 50.00
Whole Life Child 30.00

21. Emergency Money
Save a little –
Save a lot –
$100.00
$500.00

22. Retirement If I have to – 2% of Gross Income
Up to Employer Contribution –
Well-Funded –
2% of Gross Income
7% of Gross Income
12% of Gross Income

23. Giving & Charity $20.00 $80.00 $200.00 Give a little – Give some –
Be Generous –

24. Taxes
We can’t forget about these! –
30% of Gross Income

25. Totals
The spreadsheet is set up to automatically calculate your totals
and give you a budget (ending) balance. Make sure your balance is
NOT negative! If so, adjust!
When finished, submit your spreadsheet on BB.