Isa sa mga steps in budgeting is keeping track of your spending, ‘di ba? Keeping track of your expenses helps you to see if you have exceeded your budget or not. Sa pamamagitan nito malalaman kung saan napupunta ang iyong pera and put it where you want it to go. Tracking your expenses also means knowing what eats most of your money, are they important or not? You will also realize saan mo nilalagay ang iyong money, is it in online shopping, food delivery, or coffee. Magandang malaman ang mga ito so that you will know how to manage your finances well. Kaya narito ang ilang mga useful tips on how to keep track of your expenses.
First thing’s first. Have a planner or ledger, pwede din ang simple notebook, fancy planner, or any writing material you like. It is wise to write your income and expenses para sa gayon ay alam mo where your money is going. Isulat even the smallest money going out of your pocket. Itago ang mga resibo from supermarkets or shops you went to, sa paraang ito it will be easy for you to recall what you bought. You can also try to write the things that you need to buy bago pumunta sa isang store to avoid impulsive buying. Kung hindi mo hilig ang pagsusulat, there are many applications that you can install on your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or PC na pwede magfunction as a budget planner. Explore the app stores on your phone for your preferred e-planner so that you can enjoy using it. At dahil ang mga mobile phones are handy, you can easily jot down on your planner the things that you put your money into.
Then, record your spendings on a day-to-day basis. For a detailed record it is advisable na gawin ito ng madalas so that at the end of the day or week, you will not think about where you put your money into. For better tracking of your expenses, pwede kang gumamit ng e-wallet so that you can have better access to where you put your money. Mas madali din nang i-summarize ang iyong expenses with an e-wallet app. So that if something went wrong, pwede mong i-adjust ang budget mo. Or if something went right, you can add your excess money to your savings.
Next, stick to your budget. Do not overspend. Bilhin mo ang iyong kailangan and think twice or even thrice kung may gusto kang bilhin. May extrang pera ka ba to buy it? Is it within your budget? By doing so, you can avoid overspending. If you love coffee, online shopping, or eating out, maybe you can put a certain percent of it into your budget without compromising other needs. If it is something that is not within your budget, pag-ipunan ito. As the saying goes, live within your means.
Finally, if you have extra money mula sa unang budget, decide what to do with it. And because you have to stick to your budget and have extra, it will be so fulfilling. But wait, do not spend that quickly. Pagdesisyonan kung anong gagawin sa extra. Maaari mo itong idagdag sa iyong savings, emergency fund, or buy a thing that you like most and you will surely need in the long run.
Remember that we work hard every day for money. We do not prioritize money, pero kailangan natin ito, so spend your money wisely. Always think that every peso you spend is the fruit of your time, effort, and hard work.
