Comments on: Expense Tracking: A Tool To Change Your Financial Destiny

By: Tina

Tina — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:07:32 +0000

I would really love to know the categories you used. Thanks!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:45:06 +0000

Carrie, read your article in the Wenatchee paper, caught my attention. I really need help – looking forward to tips to help me get back on track.

By: Cammy

Cammy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:31:06 +0000

Carrie, my husband and I have been attending Dave Ramsey FPU and are working hard to get spending under control. We have put together a budget on Excel. We now need to track more details and it sounds like your Expense Tracking method is exactly what we need to do next. I was going to purchase Quick Books when is was on sale at Costco but it was not in our budget. Is there a link or download to get your categories and formulas to get us started with an Expense Tracking Excel spreadsheet?

Sounds like myself and others are desperate to learn more. This is my first time on your site (mentioned last night in the Dave Ramsey group discussion). I am thrilled to learn more to make this process easier so I can still spend time with my 21 month old and 5 1/2!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:14:24 +0000

Another encouragement about Dave Ramsey : He offers seminars all over the Metro area called “Financial Peace”. Many times they are held a various churches. We went to Dave’s website and there is a place to enter your zip code and then places in your area that offer the seminar will show up. This seminar was VERY beneficial! Can’t say enough about what we learned in those classes and how it helped us. He will help put you and your husband “on the same page” and give you a step by step plan of how to take control of your finances and get out of debt. He is also has a “call in” show on Fox where people call in live and ask questions. As a result of what we learned, we have been using all cash for over 3 years and WOW! What a difference that makes! No more over spending and I usually even have money left over. Carrie’s website has just added even more benefit and now with all her tips, we’re saving more on so many things. You can do it! Just take the first steps and move forward!

By: Tonya

Tonya — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:32:06 +0000

Carrie are you going to continue this? You were going to explain your cash flow portion and your expense categories….can you please, please finish????

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:25:08 +0000

Sorry… my next question as I am trying to do this. I don’t have excel it does not come with Vista and the one I have is too old of a version to use on here. I would have to purchase the entire one. So i am using starOffice Calc. I am not sure if this is the same. I can view adn use exel documents when I get them sent to me or I get the template online. Do you have a blank template that you might have from yours that you would be willing to sell or share? Just a thought. Since i has worked so well for you, i really have to try this. I need something that will work and work for my family, I think this will

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:09:29 +0000

Carrie, I too was wondering if you could let us know the categories that you use for your tables. I really want to get on board with this and I find it helps when I try to follow and learn from what others have done and then tweek it for me if needed. We are starting in Feb, and would really love to get this whole sheet organized and ready to go for being used on Feb 1st!
Thanks again for all that you do for all of us that come to your website.. it has saved me a whole lot of money. Last week alone at Pick N Save I spent $60 and got over $550 in groceries. Now need to find different ways to use the food!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:28:24 +0000

Hi Carrie,

I was wondering if you would mind sharing the categories that you use. I have a tendency to use too many and then things get too complicated.

Thanks for all you do!

By: Champlin Mom

Champlin Mom — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:57:13 +0000

Carrie,
Is there a way for you to send me your spreadshhet/pivot table.
I have been looking and cannot find one that looks like it works as well as yours seems to?
I like all the features of the one you use.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:00:21 +0000

My husband and I came up with a weekly/monthly/yearly Excel spreadsheet to track our spending and also to forecast how much “carryover” (extra money still left in our account) we will have at the end of each week. We also set this up to show us our end of week balance at least 3 months into the future. Not only has this tool helped us to adjust our spending habits based on extra income, or emergency purchases, but it has showed us especially in the last 8 months since my husband was laid off just how much God provides. Many times we have looked at our budget “forecaster” and determined that within 3 weeks we will be completely out of money-and EVERY SINGLE TIME we have come to that third week and we have somehow had enough-the money has just been THERE! It has taught me so much about faith and has helped me to depend more on God, and worry less. Obviously, I wish that my husband had a job within his profession, but this year has been a year that has grown my faith and trust in the Lord-and that lesson is a priceless one.

By: Sherry Chick

Sherry Chick — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:42:02 +0000

I found your site through facebook and just wanted to share a tid-bit with everyone. googledocs is free to use. They have spread sheets, documents, and just about anything you can come up with. I am not great at creating spread sheets and my computer didn’t come with a good program anyway. I went to googledocs and found templates to use. The really nice thing is I can share them with my husband as well so he can also add our expenses.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:05:28 +0000

A friend of mine started a “non” method of budgeting….to “try-out” limiting expenses for their family. They decided to take out $300 cash each week on a particular day. $50 went to her husband and the rest was hers-since she is the buyer for the family. The money is to be used for everything other than mortgage and the regular bills. They started thinking about money so differently (she loves to shopand started saying no to things for a change), that I had to try it out.

Just the discipline of using cash was shocking to start with. I realized that when I would scan my card my brain did no work. With cash I was rethinking the real necessity of my items being purchased. There were times that I forgot to use cash, and scanned the card, then when getting into my car after my purchase thinking “you have got to be kidding me, I fogot to use cash.” I was so stuck into this card method of spending. I would then take the cash that I forgot to use and deposit it back into the bank to cover what I put on the debit card, trying to be honest with my money.

The amount of cash you take out can be anything, just try to stick with it for a month to reprogram your brain! We saved a couple hundred the first month. I went back to my old ways for the holiday’s-but am starting back on cash as of today! I really want to make a budget work, I am normally type A, but I do not want to do this stuff! I will make myself. Looking forward to learning more from the spread sheet catagories to keep it simple. Love this site Carrie!

By: Casey

Casey — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:31:12 +0000

Looking for the 10-12 categories you use in your Excel Spreadsheet. I have 12 I have come up with and would like to see your list. I am just starting this to try and track stuff, so not sure what I am missing… yet.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:08:42 +0000

@Terri: I would not consider myself a financial adviser or marriage counselor by ANY means, but if I were in your situation, here’s what I’d do.
1) Tell your husband about your debt. He’ll probably be upset about it, but I think that he’d be most upset about the fact that you kept it from him. (At least mine would.) Still, it’s absolutely essential that you communicate with him about this, no matter how hard it might be. He can help you! If you do nothing else, do this. Don’t wait.
2) Get a copy of the book “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey (borrow it from the library) and read it. ALL of it. He lays out a plan of action so simply for everyone who’s trying to get out of debt and learn how to manage their finances.
3) Stop using your credit cards and debit cards and use ONLY cash to pay for whatever you’re purchasing. This will help you see how much you really are spending and help you limit your spending if you resolve to stop spending when the cash is gone.
My prayers are with you!

By: Terri

Terri — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:58:17 +0000

Ok, i am going to be totally honest. i do home daycare and my income varies and i get paid at different times, depending on the families. i am married but husband pays house hold bills. i have lived beyond my means and now have my self in credit card debt. some from over spending some from helping my kids out when i should not have. Hubby knows part of what i owe but not all of it. The cash card has gotten me in trouble and i have stopped using it for the most part. I feel like i am drowning and no way to get out. I don’t know where to turn. Tried LSS but they really didn’t help me any, was a young person and didn’t seem to understand my situation. HELP