About this Calculator
Since cash inflows and outflows vary in amounts
and intervals it can often get quite confusing in trying to
figure how much we can afford to spend or save during any
given month. Just because you have left over cash this month
doesn't mean it's actually available for spending.
This calculator was designed to convert all
inflows and outflows into their monthly equivalents making
it easier to see how much you can really afford to spend during
any given month. And because your household is just as much
a business as any traditional business, I've set up the various
sections in the same way most businesses would set up their
cash flow worksheet.
General Instructions
Starting at the top and working your way down,
complete and calculate the cash flows for each of the six
sections. Be sure to click on each section's "Compute..."
button before going on to the next section. Once you've computed
the entire worksheet, including the Cash Flow Summary, you
can then go back and edit your entries. Just be sure to recompute
each section after editing. Once you're comfortable with your
Cash Flow Forecast you can then click on the "Create Report"
button at the bottom of the worksheet. This will create a
condensed report in a new window that you print out and refer
to when creating your spending plan (you may have to press
CTRL-P in order to print the report).
NOTE: If your
browser shuts down while using this calculator it's likely
due to your browser running out of memory. Please consult
your system users guide for instructions on increasing the
amount of memory alloted to your browser application.
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Column/Field Explanations.
Example Accounts: A listing of
the types of cash flow items recommended for the current section.
Inflow Description: The description
you want to appear on the Cash Flow Report.
# of Pmts Per Year: Enter the
number of times per year you typically pay or receive the
given cash flow. If you typically pay your electric bill once
per month, you would enter "12" as the # of Pmts Per Year.
On the other hand, if you tipically pay your auto insurance
once every six months, you would enter "2" as the # of Pmts
Per Year.
Amt of Each Pmt: Enter the average
amount of the cash flow as it corresponds to the # of Pmts
Per Year. In other words, if you make two payments of $200
for auto insurance each year, you would enter "2" in the #
of Pmts Per Year field and "200" in the Amt of Each Payment
field.
Monthly Amount: This is a computed
field that calculates the monthly amount needed to be set
aside for the given cash flow account. Upon clicking on the
"Compute..." button the underlying equation divides the #
of Pmts Per Year entry by 12, and then divides the Amt of
Each Pmt by that result. For example, if you make two payments
of $600 each year, the Monthly Amount field will give a result
of "100" as the amount you'll need to set aside each month
in order to have the $600 available when the payment comes
due.
Balance Forward: This is a computed
field that will show you how much of your cash inflow total
is still available for allocation. If this number is negative,
it means you've allocated more outflows than the total of
your inflows.
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