Track your spending in 10 minutes a week

A four-step Sunday routine that keeps the month honest, with or without an app.

Most people don’t overspend because they’re careless. They overspend because they only look at their money when something goes wrong. A short weekly check fixes that: ten minutes, one coffee, four steps.

1. Catch up on the week

Log anything you haven’t recorded yet: card payments, cash, the receipt still in your coat pocket. In Depenzo, scan the paper receipts and let the app fill in the amount and merchant.

2. Check what’s left

Look at one number: what’s left to spend this month. Then look at the two categories that move the most for you, usually dining and groceries.

3. Make one decision

If a category is close to its limit, decide now: move money from another category, or slow down for the rest of the week. One decision is enough.

“A budget is a plan you check, not a rule you break.”

4. Look one week ahead

Check the calendar for anything unusual: a birthday, a trip, a bill that renews. Set it aside now so it doesn’t surprise you on Thursday.

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