Expense Tracker – Get Thrifty!

Expense Tracker Money Saving Get Thrifty Parenting Hacks Finances ThrifDeeDubai

I wouldn’t be ThrifDee if I didn’t school some knowledge on you about money & finances now would I?

Ok, well that sounds way more technical than it actually is! My mission is to thrive in this lavish city, ANY city! Without breaking the bank!

Post Contains Affiliate Links full disclosure can be found on my Disclaimer page.



 

Oh, Dubai? You Must Be Rich!

Everyone has the perception of Dubai as this rich place where wages are high, nobody pays taxes, drives flash cars & dines out at the finest eateries. Well, truth is, for some, yes, if their job package is a good one, they can live like that! But for many people in Doobs, the wage can be good, but it’s all the other “hidden” fees that amount up! For instance, a good job package pays for the 3 biggest wallet drainers in Dubai….  school fees, accommodation & transport!

If you have those already accounted for, you can live free & breezy & use your money to splurge or save!

The Struggle Is Real!

I’ve met many people who are struggling while living here, because the cost of living is just too damn high! I mean, 25AED for Cheddar Cheese??? That’s almost five quid!!! 😳 – you see my point?

School fees are extortionately high, even for a low rated crappy school that “says” it’s British Curriculum” to try & entice you, still charges a pretty penny! You still are then asked to pay for books! …. What are we paying for exactly?? In England school is free & so are the damn books!! – don’t get me started on his subject, I may need a whole other post to air my grievances!! 😂

Nitty Gritty.

Getting your spending in check is the first thing that will help you, I mean we all need a little treat now & then. There’s no need to live a sheltered life because you’re trying to cut corners & save a few pennies/dirham! A few simple steps is all it takes to get you in check, saving & using your hard earned (or the hubby’s) cash on other things like, that Pandora Charm, pamper session or a day out with the kids.

Believe it or not, it’s absolutely impossible to keep track of everything in your head. A quick food shop run here, a new pair of jeans there, and no sooner than you’ve made the choice to crack down on your spending, you’ve already overspent because you didn’t…you guessed it…keep track.

If you are serious about changing your financial habits, you need to commit to tracking absolutely everything from now on.

The next few steps will show you exactly how to do this.

CHOOSE YOUR SPENDING CATEGORIES

First, let’s begin with a super easy task – spending categories. Grab a scrap bit of paper and write down every type of expense you can think of. Try to group each purchase based on similarities, and be as specific or as general as you’d like.

  • Home {mortgage/rent, furniture, appliances, maintenance & improvement}
  • Car {insurance, petrol, repairs, and any payments}
  • Food {weekly shop and eating out}
  • Giving {charity, tips or general donations}
  • Medical {insurance, and prescriptions}
  • Utilities {petrol, electric, water, satellite tv, internet, and phone}
  • Personal Care {toiletries, hair, makeup, clothes, etc}
  • Gifts {Christmas, Eid, Birthdays}
  • Other {pets, kids, entertainment, hobbies, gym membership and other household items}

Now, let’s start tracking our expenses.

CHOOSE YOUR METHOD OF TRACKING

There are a ton of ways to do this. I have used good ol’ pen and paper, and now there are even apps to help you get financially organised.

No matter which system you decide on, the essentials will stay exactly the same. 

The easiest way to start is to just print out my paper Expense Tracker to hang on your fridge, and enter in every single receipt soon after you arrive back home after shopping or running a few errands.

Place a little check mark on the receipt to signify that you’ve already entered it, and put it away somewhere safe.

The Expense Tracker shown below can be downloaded & printed FREE for your use!

Just click on the image below to subscribe to my mailing list & receive your instant download!

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1. Start with the receipts you currently have – anything that is wadded up in your purse, stashed in a catch-all basket, anywhere – and write them in the tracker according to the category they fall under, along with their payment type {cash, credit, or debit}. This month’s expenses won’t necessarily be a complete picture, but that’s OK. Clean slate, remember?

2. If a receipt falls under 2 or more categories, i.e. you stopped by the chemist/pharmacy for prescriptions and toiletries, keep them listed in the same row, but divide them appropriately.

As you develop the routine of tracking all your expenses, you may discover some pretty surprising spending habits. For example, you might not have realised you were blindly spending hundreds at the supermarket, or how much those Costa Coffee stops are really costing you each week.


 

This Expense Tracker will now hold you accountable and give you more knowledge about your financial situation than you’ve ever had before! Eye opener eh? Comment below how helpful this tracker will be for you in 2019 & if you have your own ideas on saving, let me know & maybe we can incorporate some of your ideas into my next Frugal Living post! Don’t forget to share! 

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9 Comments

  1. 30/03/2019 / 7:15 am

    Excellent post for expense trackers. I want to thank you for this informative read. I really appreciate sharing this great post. Keep up your work.

  2. 23/04/2018 / 7:27 pm

    These are such awesome ideas!! Love it!! 🙂

  3. 26/12/2017 / 5:30 am

    Really helpful to know how to manage expenses. This was informative.

  4. 23/12/2017 / 1:34 am

    Thank you for this. I was looking for a way to start tracking our expenses

    • 23/12/2017 / 5:14 pm

      Thanks for your feedback! Glad to hear that! Let me know how it works out for you! 🙂

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