diff --git a/examples/templates/README.md b/examples/templates/README.md
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+Here we will gather some clean starter file sets for various needs,
+useful for starting a new hledger setup or for extending an existing
+one.
diff --git a/examples/templates/basic/accounts.journal b/examples/templates/basic/accounts.journal
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+++ b/examples/templates/basic/accounts.journal
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+
+; Top-level accounts, their types and display order.
+; Lower-case for easy typing, capitalise if you prefer.
+
+account assets       ; type:A
+account liabilities  ; type:L
+account equity       ; type:E
+account revenues     ; type:R
+account expenses     ; type:X
+
+; Second-level accounts. These and below are typically kept alphabetically ordered.
+
+account assets:checking
+account assets:receivable
+
+account liabilities:credit card
+account liabilities:payable
+
+account revenues:gifts
+account revenues:salary
+
+account expenses:food
+account expenses:gifts
+account expenses:home
+account expenses:misc
+account expenses:online services
+account expenses:personal care
+account expenses:phone
+account expenses:recreation
+account expenses:transport
+account expenses:travel
+account expenses:utilities
diff --git a/examples/templates/basic/commodities.journal b/examples/templates/basic/commodities.journal
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+++ b/examples/templates/basic/commodities.journal
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+commodity $1000.00
diff --git a/examples/templates/basic/main.journal b/examples/templates/basic/main.journal
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+include accounts.journal
+include commodities.journal
+include payees.journal
+
+2021-01-01 opening balances
+    assets:checking                               $0
+    liabilities:credit card                       $0
+    equity
+
+; If you prefer to hide equity, use this form instead (and comment out equity in accounts.journal):
+; 2021-01-01 opening balances
+;     (assets:checking)                             $0
+;     (liabilities:credit card)                     $0
diff --git a/examples/templates/basic/payees.journal b/examples/templates/basic/payees.journal
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+++ b/examples/templates/basic/payees.journal
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+payee opening balances
+payee closing balances