Spending diaries.

r.mac_2

sophiesmum wrote: »

This one is online and is free:D

http://www.spendingdiary.com/

Just sign in and off you go.

OOOH this looks good, thanks. I am going to give it a go and see how I get on

pollyanna24

I have done this since March 2006 and I must admit I am a little bit obsessive. I like to know exactly where my money goes each month.

Things have changed since then as to how exactly it's done, but now all dd and bills are listed separately as they belong to the joint account.

I write down everything I spend out of my £400 pocket money, and I mean everything. Even down to picking up a penny on the street. :rotfl:

I drive bf mad with it all, but hey he's not complaining when he asks what's in the savings account. He does think I'm crazy when I can tell him how many pints of milk we bought in September 2006 though!

Skint_Catt

I use an excel spreadsheet. Started mine on 1.1.08 - very interesting reading even though I thought I'd been 'careful' so far!

liz545

Another vote for spendingdiary.com - I've been using this for a couple of weeks now, and while you do have to be quite disciplined about it, it is really helpful. Unsurprisingly, december/january has meant that I've spent a fair bit on eating out/in the pub, but having it all noted down in a little pie chart makes it so easy to see what and how much you can cut back! The only slight problem I have with it is that you can't edit amounts once they're entered, you can only delete them. Like if I pay a bill, and then my flatmate gives me her share of it, I have to go back, delete and re-enter it. But it's a pretty small gripe, and it's a great tool!

jinny

sophiesmum wrote: »

This one is online and is free:D

http://www.spendingdiary.com/

Just sign in and off you go.

Thanks this is great, I've put it on my desktop so so excuses to not record spends:T

belfastgirl23

It probably depends how much time you have in front of the computer. I use a little notebook and note down every 'personal' spend. We have a joint account for all household bills which are regular amounts (DD) and for grocery spending which I track seperately.

For personal spending I categorise them as 'Food and Entertainment' (this is eating out, cinema, going for a coffee or a drink, lunch out etc) 'Clothes and Cosmetics' 'Newspapers' 'Gifts' 'Petrol' and 'miscellaneous'. I have a budget for each category though as long as it all totals up at the end of the month I'm happy enough. This month ideally I'll spend no more than £200 but most months it's more like £400 budget with the lions share being 'Food and Entertainment'.

It is amazing how your spending adds up!

irishwexford

I have used the spending diary now for a few months and managed to cut my food shopping bill by at least £40. per month. I do make sure I enter on this each day but find this no problem. Not used it for personal spending yet but will start this in February.

mary43

OH takes care of the food shopping but this year I'm keeping a record on how much is costs..........we have home delivery so get a long receipt brought with the shopping (OH always leaves his somewhere)........so I can make note of what we've bought.He's normally very good so can't see many problems there.
I frequent the charity shops a lot and its easy to spend 50p on something among other things and forget youve spent it, especially if its something like a candle that I pop on the dish with the others. All the 50ps add up.
I;'m trying to have a 'recycled' pressie year and get as much as I can from the charity shops so I've got a separate book for what I spend on pressies, also on any card making stuff I pick up.
I've had that many notebooks bought me for biirthdays and christmases..........might as well make use of them.

champys

I have done this for years and years now, and use my own system in a spreadsheet: the system has evolved over time, it is important that you can change and customise it to suit your specific needs.
I have a new spreadsheet each year with separate tabs for each month, and a graph to show income and expenditure over time. One of the most important things is defining the correct categories for your particular situation. For example, if too much ends up in 'Miscellaneous', you may have to come up with more categories. For example, I have had to add one for 'house & garden' since we have moved and started to renovate this old place.
The other important thing is to really record every spend. The best way to do this is always to ask for a receipt, no matter how trivial the purchase. If for any reason you don't get one, you will have to write it down yourself. Also remembering on-line purchases, gifts to charities and into collection boxes, etc.
Once you get into the habit of doing this, the information is so useful that you would be lost without it!

taplady

have just signed up for the spending diary - it looks really good! thanks sophiesmum:T