Moving Budget Spreadsheet

Who this is for

Every cost of the move, estimated then recorded. Lines are grouped into before the move, moving day and after, each with its own subtotal, and the summary shows the whole move estimated against actual and by how much it ran over or under.

Households planning a move who want to know the full cost before committing, and anyone who has moved before and was surprised by what the total came to.

What this helps you track

• What each part of the move was expected to cost before it started
• What was actually paid, when and by whom
• The lines that ran over, and by how much
• A subtotal for before the move, moving day and after
• The whole move estimated against actual, as an amount and a percentage

How to use it

1. Write the move date, where you are moving from and to, and who is moving.
2. Go through each stage and put an estimate against every line, using your own quotes and prices; add lines for anything specific to your move.
3. As bills are paid, fill in the actual amount, the date and who paid, so shared costs can be settled later.
4. The variance per line, the stage subtotals and the summary are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, subtract across and add down.
5. Look at the summary once the move is over to see where the estimate was furthest out, and keep the sheet for the next move.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What goes in each stage?

Before the move covers things like surveys, packing materials, storage and cleaning. Moving day is the removals firm or van, fuel, parking and food. After covers the new home: locks, repairs, first shop and anything bought to fit.

How is the variance worked out?

Actual minus estimate for each line, so a positive figure means that line cost more than you expected and a negative figure means it came in under. The totals row adds the column for each stage.

Where do the estimates come from?

From your own quotes, price checks and past bills. The sheet supplies no prices or typical costs; the removals quote comparison sheet helps pin down the largest single line before you commit to it.

Does it handle costs split between people?

The paid by column records who paid each line. Once everything is in, add up each person's lines to see who is owed what; the workbook can be sorted or filtered by that column.