tracking your spends

Nonnadiluca

I have a spreadsheet (I love spreadsheets!) but I also use Spending Tracker, a free app on my phone. It's really easy to use and, because I always have my phone with me, I can update it immediately which means I don't forget to do it when I get home. You can put several accounts on it - I have our joint account and my personal account. I also use it to keep track of my shopping, I put my budget in as Income and every time I spend I enter it as an expense . I think it's fab and definitely worth a try. Good luck.

krlyr

Might be worth looking at what features your bank/credit card has. Lots of my spends go on my credit card now, it gets paid off every month but as well as the extra card protection, Barclaycard its own spend analysis etc. online - it groups them into groceries, petrol, clothing, etc. so no need to worry about tracking it myself.

Peggybabcot

I have a free app called account tracker and you can create virtual accounts so I have one for each of the following: current account, savings account, credit card, personal loan and I've just created one for the grocery challenge. I know in an instance what the balances are on all of my accounts and as you can be as specific or vague as you wish with catagories I then mark them accordingly so for example grocery, utilities, car etc etc I can then see a chart for each day, week, month or year to see what I've spent and where, all at the touch of a button on my phone. Wouldn't be without it! It also allows you to repeat regular entries so even though we haven't reached July yet I know the full extent of my outgoings and in comings already so can budget accordingly, especially useful if you're paid weekly like my hubby (and myself irregularly due to being self employed) but have monthly outgoings as some months there are five pay days and only four in others.

MandM90

I use YouBeedABudget (YNAB). If you ask me what is in each account on any given day, I know. If you ask me what is in my account, minus anything I've spent on card but that hasn't processed and isn't showing on my statement yet, I know. I can see the difference in net worth month to month, I can see what I spend on everything...it's amazing. Best of all I can now spend guilt free for the first time, thanks to actually having a plan for my money.

I'd really, really recommend it; if you google YNAB the website will probably explain better than I can!

DWhite

I've just started using YNAB, which is a budget but also allows me to add any transactions as I'm going along.
I tried for years to stop myself just buying stuff, and that includes spending diaries etc... None of it worked for me, because my income was mostly mine to spend, I lived at work so didn't have rent or bills etc
Now I'm saving for a house deposit I have something to save quite hard for, so as soon as I'm paid I transfer any spare income straight to my savings. Then I'm left with what I've already budgeted to spend and I know the limits.
You may not have anything you have to put your disposable income into but maybe you could think of something? Even if it's a special holiday? That might spur you on to not spending on things you don't *have* to have.
Good luck
Edited to say: as for categories and the detail I go into with my budget, it's broken down into groceries, mobile, subscriptions (Netflix for example) medical, petrol etc... No need to say you've bought a pint of milk IMHO I know that groceries is just that, I don't feel the need to drill down into the nitty gritty details. Unless it's a matter of trying to work out exactly where you can save every penny.

Frugal_gem

Another one for YNAB - I have only just signed up for it so in my free trial. I can never seem to make my spreadsheets and my bank account match up! I know it's me but it's really frustrating!

I love it so far, so time will tell.

I would second a good old notebook though to start tracking absolutely everything.

a_silver_lining

Free app called spending tracker. I have made categories I use often, shopping, eating out, home diy, garden etc etc. You can turn the phone sideways and see a graph of different category spends and then swipe back to see how it compares to other months. I think I spend less due to being aware of categories rising.

AnnetteG

I'm also using YNAB. Just a week in it's already changed the way I think about money - I finally see that my money is finite and I have to choose carefully how I spend it. I like always knowing what I have available to spend on different things, not simply what's in my various accounts - it's less stressful. At last I feel in control of my money.

I get a receipt for everything, even cash purchases, and then enter them into YNAB when I get to my computer (the mobile app is good too, but I don't have a smartphone). I've created repeating transactions for my direct debits, so I only have to enter the things I buy, not the bills.

newlythrifty

I have just started taking a tiny notebook around with me and noting everything I spend. I also have an A4 cash book (paperback type) and I've stuck a plastic sleeve in it. I have a notebook because it's easy to "lose" money when I shop somewhere that doesn't give receipts, I am putting the receipts in the sleeve. All my income and outgoings are being recorded in the book, and I will be going through my receipts to weed out wasteful spending. I think I will feel more on control with paper copies (not sure why) and I can carry the little book with me.

BrassicWoman

YNAB here too, but I'll also have a look at B as I think it may be cheaper