How to create a Bullet Journal Expense Tracker that will actually work.

Would you like to gain more control over your finances? You don’t need to be an accountant to use a bullet journal expense tracker. In this blog, you will learn more about why it is important to track your expenses and how to create this type of tracker.

INDEX

1. Why should I track my expenses?
2. What is an expense tracker?
3. How to keep track of money with a Bullet Journal.
4. My Bullet Journal expense tracker.

Why should i track my expenses?

If you are anything like me, you might find that you easily lose track of where you are spending money. I often find myself using my card without really thinking about what I am buying! I have found over time that taking control of my finances has helped with my anxiety levels, has helped me save more money, and now be in a better financial position.

Tracking your expenses will allow you to gain more control over how you’re spending and what your spending. You will be able to identify and eliminate any wasteful spending habits. It doesn’t need to be complicated or even an excel spreadsheet, you just need to do it often and keep on top of it.

what is an expense tracker?

An expense tracker allows you to write down anything you have purchased or spent. You can record the date of purchase, what it was that you bought, the place of purchase, the type of purchase, and the cost. Every expense tracker is a little different but this is how my one works.

methods for keeping track of expenses.

Although in this blog I am going to show you how to create an expense tracker in your Bullet Journal their are other-ways you can keep track of your finances.

Pen And Paper

Using a pen and paper can often be the quickest way of keeping track of your finances. You can either carry a notebook around with you and fill it in as you go or you can keep receipts and fill everything in later in the day or once a week. I will show you down below how to use your Bullet Journal to track your expenses.

App or spreadsheet

An app or a spreadsheet could be the perfect way to track your expenses. You could use Excel or Numbers if you would like to use a spreadsheet. New apps now give you the ability to scan in receipts or connect your accounts so that when you spend something you check straight away.

paper vs technology

Just like everything, there are pros and cons to both paper and technology. Paper allows you to easily write down and reflect on what you are spending. Technology allows you to enter everything really quickly without any hassle. The issue with technology like apps is that it keeps track of everything for me but I would often forget to reflect. With paper whenever I write something down, I am spending time looking at some patterns and seeing where I can cut back.

Keep going

If you overspend and forget to track a months worth of purchases that is ok. The trick is to pick up where you left off and carry on. Keeping up this habit will allow you to save money, invest money and get more from the money you have.

How to keep track of your money in your bullet journal.

Your bullet journal is the best place to keep records of your finances, you refer to it every day. Let’s look at some different ways you can keep track of your finances in your bullet journal.

EXPENSES

bUDGET

The first spread I would start with is the expenses spread. It means you can start by simply recording what you spend and how you spend it. Once you have this information, you can start to focus on where your money is going and some of your spending habits. You might have some spending habits that are wasteful, you can work on these before creating a budget.

BILLS

After you have reviewed your spending habits and have them in order, it is time to create a budget. You will start with your basic income and take away money needed to live, leaving you (hopefully) with money to save. A budget allows you to allocate money to different areas of your life like rent, bills and entertainment. You can see where money is going and track how much you are saving.

Speaking of bills, it can be easier to have a separate bills tracker for things like rent. This means that your expense tracker isn’t weighed down with things you have to pay for every mont. I love this simple yearly bills tracker.

my bullet journal expense tracker.

For the month of April, I have created an expense tracker for the first time in my bullet journal. In the past, I have used notebooks or apps, neither have worked for me. I use my bullet journal every day now, it is the perfect place for me to track my finances. The theme in my travel bullet journal this month is Japan. Watch my video below to see how you can re-create my spread at home.

As you can see from the video I have kept my expense tracker simple. This is to make sure I use it and so that it is easy to follow. Over the next few months I will create a budget and track my bills. For the moment thought I want to be able to see where my money is going.

start tracking your expenses.

Whether you start tracking your expenses using your Bullet Journal or another way, I would suggest you do it! It is super eye-opening and it has made me feel more in control of my finances. I hope you found this blog helpful. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more tips and tricks.