What should a sinking funds tracker show?

For each fund: its name, the target amount, the due date, how much to set aside per paycheck, how much is saved so far and how much is left. A total across all funds shows what you need per paycheck overall.

How do I track sinking funds in a spreadsheet?

Make one row per fund with columns for target, due date, saved so far and per-paycheck amount. Update the saved column after each payday. Formulas can calculate remaining amount and the number of paychecks left.

Do I need a separate bank account for each fund?

No. Many people keep the money in one savings account and track each fund's balance in the spreadsheet. Separate accounts or sub-accounts are optional and mainly help prevent accidental spending.

What do I do after a fund is spent?

Reset its saved amount to zero and start building toward the next due date. For recurring bills, that usually means starting again right away.

Sinking Funds Tracker: How to Set One Up and Use It

By Money editorial team · Updated October 26, 2026

A sinking funds tracker is a list of your future expenses with a target, a due date and a running balance for each. It tells you how much to set aside from each paycheck and whether you are on schedule. You can build one in a spreadsheet in about twenty minutes. This guide shows the columns, the formulas and a monthly routine.

If you are new to the idea, begin with what are sinking funds, then return here.

What the tracker needs to show

Column	Meaning
Fund	Name, such as Car insurance or Holiday gifts
Target	The amount needed by the due date
Due date	When the money is needed
Saved so far	The current balance
Remaining	Target minus saved
Paychecks left	Number of paydays until the due date
Per paycheck	Remaining ÷ paychecks left
Status	On track, behind or complete

Three of these columns are calculated, so you only update the saved balance.

The formulas

If your sheet has the target in column B, the saved amount in column D and the paychecks left in column F:

Remaining: = B − D
Per paycheck: = (B − D) ÷ F
Status: = if the saved amount is at least the target, "Complete"; otherwise compare the balance with where it should be by now

To find paychecks left, count the paydays between today and the due date. With a biweekly schedule, divide the number of days by 14 and round down.

A sample layout

Imagine a biweekly schedule and the following funds. Amounts are illustrative:

Sinking funds tracker spreadsheet with a fund list, target and saved columns

Fund	Target	Due	Saved	Paychecks left	Per paycheck
Car insurance	600	in 6 months	150	13	34.62
Vehicle registration	150	in 4 months	40	9	12.22
Holiday gifts	500	in 10 months	100	21	19.05
Vet checkup	200	in 8 months	0	17	11.76
Total per paycheck					77.65

Adding the per-paycheck column shows what to set aside overall. If that is more than your budget can carry, adjust the targets, extend the dates or drop a fund for now.

Setting up your first tracker

Pick three to five funds. Start with expenses that have caught you off guard before.
Write the target and due date for each. Use last year's bill as a base.
Enter what you already have for each fund, or zero if nothing.
Count the paychecks left until each due date.
Read the per-paycheck column, add it up and compare it with your budget.
Move money on payday. Update the saved column when you do.

How a yearly bill becomes a small weekly sinking fund contribution

A monthly routine

Trackers fail when they are not updated. A short routine helps:

Each payday: add the per-paycheck amount to each fund's balance.
Each month: look at the funds due in the next three months. Are they on track?
After a bill is paid: reduce the balance and reset the target for next year.
Each quarter: review the list. Add a fund if a surprise got through, and remove one that is no longer needed.

A printed calendar makes the due dates visible. The 2027 bill calendar has a yearly overview page for exactly that. To choose funds, see sinking funds categories and examples.

Where the money lives

The tracker records numbers. The money itself sits in an account. Options include:

A savings account with sub-accounts or labeled pockets, if your bank offers them.
A single savings account with the tracker showing each fund's share.
A separate savings account for larger funds, such as a car or a trip.

The important thing is that the account balance and the tracker total agree. Check once a month.

Mistakes to avoid

Updating only when you remember. Tie it to payday.
Letting a fund pay for something else. If you borrow from one, write down the repayment.
Not resetting after the bill. The next cycle starts immediately.
Too many funds at once. A long list is tiring. Add them gradually.

What is included in Bucket Budget Planner

Bucket Budget Planner does not need a dedicated sheet for each fund because it treats every future cost as a bucket. On the Buckets tab you enter the cost with its frequency (annual, quarterly, monthly and so on), and the sheet shows what to set aside per week, per paycheck, per month and per year. The Dashboard adds all the buckets together and compares them with your income. Monthly tabs let you record what you actually spent.

The included web app has a Sinking Funds Calculator: enter a goal, how much you have already saved and a target date, and it shows the amount to set aside per week or per paycheck. Its Annual Bills Calendar places yearly and quarterly bills by month, and its Savings Goal Tracker follows progress toward each goal. A library of 154 common buckets includes many annual and seasonal costs, and the 2027 Bill Calendar is a printable PDF.

A separate, more detailed Sinking Funds & Annual Bills Planner exists as an optional add-on and is not part of the main download.

For a routine to compare plans with actual spending, see the monthly spending tracker guide.

This guide is general information, not financial advice.