Ask HN: How do you record your personal finances?

something like expensify?

My approach is similar. I keep plain text notes on my phone where each line is something like "16 haircut" or "12o" (eating out). I have a Node script that I currently run manually, but the problem is that I only run it every couple of months... Using a bot keep track of things is a great idea!

Currently I group everything by month, but using a bot would also allow that to be more granular.

One thing I try to focus on is simplicity of the categories. Instead of spending £5 on toiletries and £3 on fruit I just have on "everyday items" category that I use for everything that I buy at the supermarket. So after every purchase I make I only spend about 5s writing it down, rather than trying to do any splitting calculations in my head.

Here are the result: http://www.mattzeunert.com/money.html

Default notes app:

  22/06
  -0.2 morning
  -3 Jack
  +2 John tires
  -1.5 ?

Then I parse it (perl) to standard accounting software, guessing analytics from these comments. No specialized app worked conveniently enough for me than just typing the event on new line.

Here's a practical approach that have been working well for our family.

Forget about recording your transactions, it is way too tedious.

The solution: Use 'jars' for budgeting. Our jars are bank accounts.

First we have a main bank account where money comes in. Set all recurring bills (eg. rent, utilities, phone) to direct debit from this account. Let's call this income account. Leave the debit card at home, don't use it.

Then set an estimate of how much you be spend every week on groceries, transportation, etc. See this as your pocket money.

Then set up another bank account, set an automatic weekly transfer from the income account to this pocket money account. The amount is what you estimated previously. Everything in this account is for you to spend. If you spend less the week before, then you can spend it this week... or not. But you should not spend more than what it is there.

Adjust the automatic transfer amount if needed.

Now, if you want to save... it is the same strategy. Set up a saving target, open a savings account and do automatic periodic transfer from the income account.

Try it... it requires very little effort, makes you more conscious on how much you spend and on what and after a while you will be surprised with how much you're saving.

I use ledger for my business and home accounts.

For the business it's OK as there are only a couple of transactions each month, nearly all my business is pushed through Avangate/2Checkout so there is just one invoice a month.

For my personal accounts it's rather unwieldy, I'm probably going to go switch to something desktop based.

I won't use a SaaS product for either, I've had my fingers burn't once on that already.