You also can use payroll stubs and listings of deposits in your checkbook. Remember to list all sources of income, including money from fellowships or scholarships, interest and dividends, and gifts. Next list your tax expense from last year. This information is available on your tax return and on your paycheck stubs and wage statements. You probably have other deductions from your pay that fit into other categories.
Some expenses occur each month.
Some examples of fixed expenses are rent or mortgage payments, car payments, alimony, and child support payments. Some examples of variable monthly expenses are food and gasoline. The same expense category can be both fixed and variable. For example, in the category of utilities, a family might pay a set or fixed charge for local telephone service and a variable amount for long distance calls. The same expense might be variable for one family, fixed for another.