How do I compare two months of my bank statement?

Put the periods side by side

Two statements become easier to compare when the dates and accounts are clear. Write each opening date, closing date, account and currency at the top of a sheet. Count the days in each period. A statement covering four weeks and one covering five weeks describe different lengths of time. Keep each currency separate so the totals retain their meaning.

Worked example with made-up figures

Repeating

Fictional sample rent: A$270.97 / week
Telco One: A$11.06 / week
Fictional sample groceries: A$9.65 / week
Streamly: A$3.16 / week

Together A$294.84 a week.

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Copy matching types of payment

Draw columns for description, first month, second month and difference. Copy outgoing payments into groups you can check, such as food, travel and repeating services. Keep the original statement description beside each group name. Leave an unclear payment on its own line. Count transfers between your own accounts separately from purchases, using the matching incoming entry where available.

Separate totals from timing

Add each column, then subtract the first total from the second. Write whether the difference is an increase or a decrease. A payment near a statement boundary may appear in one period and outside the other. Mark the payment date beside the amount. Show refunds separately before calculating a total after refunds; this preserves a trail back to the original rows.

Example: made-up figures

Imagine two full calendar months in one currency. Food payments total 300 in the first and 360 in the second, an increase of 60. Travel totals 100 and 80, a decrease of 20. A repeating service costs 20 in each month. These selected payments total 420 and 460. The increase is 40: 60 more on food minus 20 less on travel, with the service unchanged.

Check what explains the difference

For each changed group, count the payments as well as adding their amounts. Three food purchases of 100 and four of 90 produce the example totals, showing more purchases with a lower average amount. The statement shows payments, which may cover purchases from other dates. A bill or receipt can identify the period behind a payment. Keep that period beside the statement date.

Leave a traceable comparison

Tick every included statement row once. Write page numbers beside the largest differences and repeat the addition from the copied figures. If the periods have different day counts, show each total divided by its own day count as a separate daily average. Label it an average for that period. Keep the original totals visible, so the average never replaces the amounts actually recorded.