Good way to track your income and expenses

[Gigi9585]

Hi! I'm new to this forum but I wanted to share with you guys something that I have been using religiously for the past 4 months in order to track where my money is coming from and going (it's free)

 

www.expenseview.com

 

it's really easy to use and you can put it on your igoogle homepage so it's always right there. I know many people have their own ways of tracking expenses but this has been the most useful to me. I add categories that are specific to me, like "birth control" ans "student loan" and budget out a certain amount for it each month. If you go over the amount turns red. You'd be surprised at, with careful tracking, how much you spend on certain things. There are some months where I have spent over $1000 on eating out! Seeing that really made me try and cut back and start cooking more at home.

 

Also, I have a part time cocktail waitressing job in addition to my full time job (2 nights a week). In the "Income" section I, have a place for my "real" job paycheck, a place for waitressing tips, and a place for my second job paycheck. After tracking my income, I found that I make over $1000/month at my second job! I honestly thought I was barely making gas money, but $1000 is almost enough for all my bills combined! Then I have my "real"paychecks all to myself! My boyfriend used to tease me about the second job and how he doesn't see why I have it because I can't be making that much money for 10 hours/week but after I told him that, he shut his mouth!

 

I would definitely try it out if your seriously interested in where exactly your money is going and coming from. No I don't work for them either! I just really like it. It's free so I have no idea how they even make money.

[Daddy]

Aw man, this is GREAT!!!! Thank you. I have already set my account up, as well as income and expenses. This is a GREAT addition to Mint, Yodlee, and Excel. This will make my life much easier. I don't know how many times I've made a budget and lost the paper it was written on.

 

Thanks again.

[singleguymoney]

That's pretty cool. I currently use a self created Excel spreadsheet to track my income and expenses but if you aren't really comfortable with Excel, this looks like a great program.

[Operation_Home_Ownership]

Thanks, I loaded it with my info...I liked the perspective it gave me on my $$$. Kool.

[powers64]

thanks gigi. I love that it is so simple! unlike quicken/money that have so many bells & whistles that they get overwhelming.

[Baddies4Breakfast]

Whoa! $1000/month cocktail waitressing for 40 hours/month (10 hours/week * 4 weeks) = $25/hour. Where can a guy get a job similar to this? Bartending? I'm not sure if male waiters make even close to $25/hour (more like half that I'm guessing), and delivery drivers don't make close to that either. What is the male equivalent to the female cocktail waitress?

 

Sorry if this is off-topic. Just brainstorming.

 

Maybe I could be a pool boy or something, but I have no idea what they do. Pools maintain themselves.

[JohnP]

I set it up, I like it! Thanks for the find!

 

I'm more concerned with Expenses than Income so this should help!

[hurricanesfans27]

nice site

[caramello]

i LIKE this a lot!! Bank of America has the same sort of service, its called My Portfolio, its free! It automatically categorizes your expenses, and you can also have it add your other accounts online. It allows you to budget and shows you when you go over for each month. ALSO, I can enter my username for my online savings accounts and it updates my balances each day.

 

What I REALLY need is a service that sends an electric shock to my body everytime I reach for my debit card or my pocket