Free tool

# Side project budget template and planner

Plan what the project will cost before you buy anything. Enter each cost, say whether it is billed monthly or yearly, and see the monthly equivalent and the yearly cash due.

By Matt Warcholinski, co-founder of Brainhub · Updated 23 October 2026

**Not financial or tax advice.** This is a planning aid. It uses the numbers you type and nothing leaves your browser.

## Planned budget or actual costs?

- A **budget** is what you expect to pay. Use this page before you commit.
- A **ledger** is what you actually paid. Use the [project ledger sheet](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-ledger-sheet) or the [cost split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/cost-split-calculator) to settle up.

Do not settle up from the plan. Settle up from real payments, because prices change and bills arrive late.

## The planner

Enter your costs. Leave unused rows empty. Each currency is totalled separately and never added to another.

Person A's share (%)

Item 1

Amount 1

Currency 1

Billed 1

Item 2

Amount 2

Currency 2

Billed 2

Item 3

Amount 3

Currency 3

Billed 3

Item 4

Amount 4

Currency 4

Billed 4

Item 5

Amount 5

Currency 5

Billed 5

Item 6

Amount 6

Currency 6

Billed 6

| Item | Amount | Currency | Billed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |

## Two numbers that matter

- **Monthly equivalent:** a yearly cost divided by 12, added to your monthly costs. It is a planning number for comparing costs on the same scale.
- **Yearly cash due:** what you will actually pay over twelve months. A yearly bill arrives in one piece, so your cash in that month is higher than the monthly equivalent suggests.

## A worked example (illustrative)

The inputs below are made up for the demonstration. They are not real vendor prices.

| Item | Billed | Amount (EUR) | Monthly equivalent |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Domain | per year | 24 | 2 |
| Hosting | per month | 20 | 20 |
| Dev tool | per month | 30 | 30 |
| **Total** |  |  | **52 per month, 624 per year** |

- If the annual domain is paid in the first month, that month's cash due is 74 (24 + 20 + 30). Later ordinary months are 50.
- At a 60/40 split the planned monthly shares are 31.20 and 20.80.
- These shares are a plan. If one person pays a bill, the settlement still comes from the real payments.

## Before you commit to a cost

1. **Write the renewal date** next to each yearly cost so it does not surprise you.
2. **Note how to cancel.** Check the provider's current terms before you rely on a refund.
3. **Agree a spending line** that needs both of you. The [team charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/team-charter-template) has a place for it.
4. **Log the decision** in a [decision log](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/decision-log-template).

Do it with AI

## Turn a tool list into a budget

Paste your tool list into Claude or ChatGPT. Do not include card numbers or passwords.

```
I run a side project with a partner. Below are the tools we plan to use with the price and billing period I know. Do not guess prices; if one is missing, ask me.
Output one line per tool: item, amount, currency, billed per month or per year.
Then give: the monthly equivalent per currency, the yearly cash due per currency, and the first-month cash if any yearly bill is paid up front.
Keep currencies separate. Do not convert between them.
Tools:
[PASTE HERE]
```

## Frequently asked questions

How much should a side project budget be?

It depends on your goal and what you can afford to lose. Set a cap before you start, split it between you, and review it at each milestone.

How do I compare a yearly and a monthly cost?

Divide the yearly cost by 12 to get a monthly equivalent. Keep in mind that the yearly bill is paid in one go.

Does the planner store my data?

No. It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent or saved.

What about different currencies?

The planner totals each currency separately. If you want a single total, convert at a rate you both agree on and note the date.

## Related tools

- [Project ledger sheet](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-ledger-sheet): log what you actually paid.
- [Cost split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/cost-split-calculator): who owes whom.
- [Project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template): set the money cap and the stop rule.

**Log each real bill once and see who owes whom, always up to date.**

[Start free in the app](https://whoownswhat.xyz/app)

About the author

I'm **Matt Warcholinski**. I co-founded Brainhub, a software agency. I bootstrapped it from 3 to 100+ people and $8M a year, with no outside funding. Then I sold it.

Due diligence showed me how much unclear ownership of code, domains and accounts can cost a deal.

Before that I was an R&D engineer at BMW, MTU Aero Engines and GE Energy. I've been a founder for 15+ years. I host the [Better Tech Leadership podcast](https://brainhub.eu/better-tech-leadership): 100+ conversations with tech leaders running $10M+ companies.

I wrote these guides because I wish I'd had them when I split access, equity and assets with partners. Find me on [X](https://x.com/mwarcholinski).

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Source: https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template
Agent index: https://whoownswhat.xyz/llms.txt