Whether you’re looking to start saving money, or whether you’re trying to regain control of your spending, tracking your outgoings is key to becoming more financially stable. Without knowing how much you’re spending, it’s hard to know where you can cut back.
Tracking your outgoings is much easier now thanks to advancements in technology. Here, we’ll look at some of the best ways to track your outgoings and take back control of your finances.
Take advantage of budgeting apps
One of the easiest ways to track your finances is to use budgeting apps. There are lots of different budgeting apps you can download to your smartphone or tablet, helping you to track both your incomings and outgoings. Some are even free to use, though they won’t include the same level of features as paid budget planners.
The Money Hub App is a great paid budgeting app, allowing you to add your credit cards, bank accounts, borrowing and savings into one place. You can analyse your spending through the app, as well as set savings goals and receive payment reminders. These types of apps are fantastic at tracking and organising your budget no matter where you are.
Create a budget planner
If you’d prefer to track your outgoings without the use of an app, a budget planner could be the answer. You can easily create your own budget planner, allowing you to see exactly where your money is going each month.
You can create a budget planner via software like Excel, or you can find free templates online. If you’d prefer to do it the old-school way, you can also create a physical budget planner where you can write everything down. It doesn’t really matter which format you use, just as long as you’re 100% honest about how much you’re spending (no matter how scary it is!).
Don’t just include your bills
When it comes time to write down your outgoings, don’t just focus on your bills. You need to include absolutely everything you’re spending. This means the little daily purchases you make, as well as accounting for any savings you may make through salary finance.
If you don’t include everything, you’re not going to be able to get an accurate picture of how much you’re spending. Once you know what your outgoings are each month, you can then figure out ways to cut them down.
Overall, tracking your outgoings is an important step to gaining financial control. It enables you to see where any cut backs can be made, and any changes you might need to make in terms of your monthly bills. The above are some of the best ways you can track your outgoings and take back control of your finances.
This is a guest post