Free Baseline Budget Starter (Excel Workbook)

If you’re dreaming about 1–3 month trips, slow travel, or more time on the road in retirement, this is the first step I recommend: get honest about your baseline. Your baseline is the cost of your normal life—the bills and commitments that don’t stop just because you’re traveling. When you know that number, you can plan travel without pretending your real life disappears while you’re gone.

What you’ll be able to do

With this free workbook, you’ll be able to:

List the bills that don’t pause (housing, insurance, debt, subscriptions)
Capture the “quiet costs” people forget until they bite (pets, medical, annuals, car costs)
Total one clear monthly baseline number (no fancy math required)
Use that baseline as your reality check before you add travel expenses
Feel calmer about your next decisions—because you’re working with real numbers

What’s inside the workbook

Inside the Free Baseline Budget Starter you’ll find:

Start Here — a quick, plain-English setup so you know exactly what to do first
Sample Baseline Budget — an example so you can see how it works
Current Life Baseline (Template) — your fill-in sheet for your real monthly baseline

(Tip: if you can fill in basic monthly bills, you can use this.)

Who this is for (and who it’s not)

This is for you if:

You’re planning retirement travel (especially 1–3 month trips)
You’re a solo traveler who wants a plan that feels safe and sustainable
You’re tired of “budget tips” that ignore real life bills
You want clarity before you book anything

This isn’t for you if:

You want an investment calculator or a deep retirement projection tool
You’re looking for a detailed travel itinerary planner (this comes after baseline)

How to use it (3 steps)

Start in 3 steps:

Download the workbook and open it in Excel (or upload to Google Sheets)
Begin on Start Here
Fill in the categories on Current Life Baseline (Template) and total your baseline month

That’s it. Baseline first. Then you can add travel as an overlay.

✅ Get the Free Baseline Workbook

Instant download. No math lecture. Just clarity.

FAQ

Is this really free?
Yes. No catch. This is the baseline starter I wish everyone had before planning extended travel.

Do I need Excel?
Excel is easiest, but you can also upload it to Google Sheets. Formatting may vary slightly.

Can I use this on my phone?
You can, but it’s much easier on a laptop/desktop.

Will this tell me whether I should sell or rent my home?
Not by itself—but it gives you the baseline number you need to compare your options without guessing.

Do you store my data?
No. This is a downloadable workbook. What you enter stays on your device/account.

This workbook is for educational purposes and personal planning. It isn’t financial, tax, or legal advice.