This solution was born out of my personal quest to regain control over my finances. Frustrated by the lack of a simple and convenient tool for day-to-day and week-to-week expense tracking, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wholeheartedly agree with those who emphasize the significance and impact of daily expenses over the more predictable ones like bills. I found myself squarely in that camp, occasionally overspending during impromptu trips to the store or unplanned online purchases. I knew I needed a solution, a way to effortlessly monitor and plan my daily expenses while also keeping an eye on my balance until the next paycheck arrived.
My journey began with a humble spreadsheet. Over several months, I refined and fine-tuned my approach until I arrived at a solution that possessed several key advantages. It doesn’t necessitate access to your financial accounts, complex setups, or frequent updates. Remarkably, it’s as straightforward to use as a simple spreadsheet.
In today’s fast-paced world, most people rely on digital calendars to manage their busy lives. Personally, I favor Google Calendar due to its ubiquity and user-friendliness. My wife and I actively share a calendar to ensure we stay up-to-date with our commitments and plans.
You might wonder why I’m bringing up calendars in the context of managing expenses.
Well, it’s because calendars serve as the perfect foundation for tracking budget changes on a day-to-day basis. They contain records of our daily events, and many of these events involve expenses. That’s why we decided to start recording these costs and benefits directly in event titles or notes.
This add-on provides a seamless way to visualize and anticipate low or negative balances when you’re planning your day or week. It’s a free tool, and I encourage you to give it a try.
More information at: http://paycheckplanner.armatlab.com/knowledgebase.php
Source at: https://github.com/ykazarov/com.armatsoftware.paycheck.planner