How to start tracking expenses (without quitting in week 2)
A simple approach to build an expense tracking habit that actually sticks: small categories, a 60-second routine, and weekly reviews.
Why most people quit (and how to avoid it)
Most people don’t quit because tracking is useless—they quit because they try to track too much, too perfectly, too soon.
The goal for week 1 is not accuracy. The goal is consistency. If you can keep the habit alive, accuracy improves naturally.
Step 1: Start with 5 categories
If you create 20 categories, your brain will resist. Start with the few that explain most of your spending.
- Food
- Transport
- Bills
- Shopping
- Cash/Other
Step 2: The 60‑second daily routine
Pick one time each day (e.g., after dinner). Add today’s expenses in one quick pass.
- Open the app
- Add 1–5 entries (rough amounts are fine)
- Close the app — done
Step 3: Weekly review (10 minutes)
Once a week, look for patterns instead of judging purchases. Patterns are what help you improve.
- Which category is biggest?
- Which day was most expensive?
- One small change for next week
Want to try these tips in the app?
ExpenseTracker helps you log expenses quickly, review month-by-month totals, and keep EMIs visible automatically.