App to track spending

[sidsgranny]

How do people track their spending each month so they don't run out of money? Is there an app where you can enter all your standing orders & direct debits and then log each time you spend something? Have always used an excel spreadsheet but am thinking there must be a more up to date way!

Have seen some but they want you to link it to your bank account which I'm not too keen on.

Anyone?

My bank app texts me everytime money goes in or out but then I still wouldnt know the balance without logging in so I guess you mean something where you can track the balance easily

I use YNAB - you can link it to your bank account, but I don't.

https://www.ynab.com/

Forgot to say, there are threads about YNAB on the Money board so if you search, you should be able to find them. I love it, I have been using it for years and now have money at the end of each month instead of being in debt!

Any online app based bank account worth its salt (Starling, Hyperjar, Monzo etc) will let you have “pots/spaces” to pre allocate money for coffees/parking/gifts/what have you - to prevent such a sitch from arising at all.

Either use it as your main account and have pots designated for all non-bills.

Or - and this is what we do - use some other standard bank for salary and bills which you don’t ever see, and pay yourself an allowance for spending money into Starling etc where things are potted up.

My way is old fashioned I guess, but works! I minus my bills from my pay on payday. I then start a note in my notes app called spends. Put whatever amount I have in there, then document and minus everything I spend. Helps me look back at where I can cut down if needed too 😀

I use the Emma app. It's brilliant and had completely changed how I spend. You can give the free version a go to see if you like it first 😀.

We also use YNAB and wouldn’t be without it. It costs but is worth every penny imo. We save for it each year. You can also get a free trial. It can take a bit of getting used to but doesn’t take long and is so easy once you’ve used it a bit.

We also don’t link it to the bank as it means we have to manually add each transaction but I prefer it that way because it makes you more aware of what you’re spending.