How do you track your spending?

I've been doing this for about 15 years and have a pretty simple method.

I have a small hardcover notebook which I write any food expenditures into that aren't covered by receipts (eg the market) and I stash receipts from food shopping in it and total it at month's end and then shred the receipts.

I have an A4 diary with a monthly account page in the back (I use the Oxfam ones) and have my monthly bills listed (rent, council tax, utlitlies, phone, internet etc) an entry for the food which is added at month end, and then itemise each individual expenditure as I make it.

At the end of the month, I sort individual expenditures into categories; clothing, books, toiletries etc and total each category and then add that in.

One side of the monthly sheet has an entry for income, and I deduct the expenditures from the income. I usually put the figures on a very basic Excel spreadsheet at the end of the calendar year, and use the Autosum function to total each category.

It's more effort to describe than to do, honestly..........:rotfl:

Because I know how to do it and am a bit of nerd sometimes, I convert the spreadsheet data into a simple pie-chart. I find it useful to see a very visual representation of where my money is going.

Glancing at the pie chart from 2010, I can see that 43% of my expenditures was on rent and the next largest category was council tax at 12%. Owwwww!!

I use an excel spreadsheet for the bills, council tax, water, tv licence etc.

On another excel spreadsheet I record the monthly outgoings on food. I have a column for the mostly used shops. I enter the receipt details when I've collected them together. I transfer to a front sheet where I enter the total figures for the month for each shop, ie; asda, homebargain. I've kept this for the last few years as a way of seeing how my shopping is doing, ie; going up or down.

For the day to day stuff, I have a small pad from WHSmith which you can put refills into. I enter any spends in there, such as presents, cards, clothes.

I do mine more for a mindfulness of seeing how I spend my money. Is a good way of giving me a reality check. Hopefully from everything posted here, you'll find something that works for you.

Best of luck.

I have direct debits for everything: council tax, gas/electric, water, communications and credit card.

Almost all other expenditure goes on a 1% cashback credit card. This is paid in full each month by DD.

Everything is noted on a couple of Excel spreadsheets.

I do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but I do have a system, and it works.

i have a notebook/jotter, in which I list all debits or cash withdrawals from my bank account, and what I've spent them on.
I also have a simple word document on my pc which lists my incomings and outgoings each month.
On that document, I note each month anything "extra" i've spent, and on what, if its not petrol, school meals, food and normal bills.

It helps me keep on track, and especially lets me see where I can cut back if I have something big coming up that I need to budget/save for.

I have an A4 size hardback book that I buy about once every two years or so and at the beginning of the month I list all regular bills in it on one side of the page and on the other side I have income for the month I take one from the other and what's left is what I have I shift some into a high interest account I only ever keep enough to the penny to cover D/D in my currant account

I have a sperate stashcash account for longterm saving that I add to monthly this pays for decorating/holidays Christmas etc.My high interest account I keep the rest in and use my Capitol One card as a debit card and get 1% per year on all expenditure.I pay it off every month so I am never in debt and next month I get my cash back credit for this year It goes on the January statement so I always have a nice little credit in January (handy for the sales) I get paid for spending my own money in effect.At the moment I have around £70 + cash back to come next month Which means I have spent around £7k in the past 12 months on petrol and goods/carpets entertainment and holiday spending,outing etc.I only keep £60.00 per month in cash for food and use it only for food and keep it in a seperate purse.I suppose I have around £15-20 actually in my own personal purse at any one time as I don't like to carry much cash around with me.I can pay for almost anything with my Capitol One card and just pay it off at the end of the month.This months payment is due on the 14th and is around £400 odd of which I will have £4.00 added to my cash back.I know to the penny how much I have coming in and going out every month and never ever been overdrawn as if I haven't got the cash I just save up for it.I pay for the holiday house every year for myself and my DD and family and we have a fortnight at the seaside every year She buys the food and I pay for the house.I don't mind as they wouldn't get a holiday otherwise.Any small change left in my purse at the end of the month goes into a little piggy bank for my DGS ice creams and treat during the holidays.I also save 'roadkill' in there its amazing how many folk throw pennies or even five ps away when they come out of a shopI always pick them up and chuck them into the piggy.I am a very good manager with cash and balance my books fairly well.I also have a list by the kettle, and will only buy essentials and nevr just nip to the shops for one thing there has to be a minimum of 5-7 things at least.I try to stay away from most shops if I can as I really am not keen on shopping much :)