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Have you ever walked into a supermarket and ended up buying items that weren't on your grocery list?
We've all done it, of course.
It can be incredibly difficult to resist the temptation to buy, especially when it seems like just a few additional items. But it all adds up over time, and more so when you're not paying attention. If you're not keeping track of your spending, it's easy to go through your savings far more than you realize.
Islam encourages us to earn enough money to meet our needs and those of our dependents, without the need to borrow from anyone or ask for financial help. In order to treat our money as the valuable provision and trust from Allah that it is, it's important that we remain disciplined in our spending for good long-term financial health. Knowing how much you spend on a regular basis is the first step in managing your finances. Not only does it give you an accurate picture of where your money goes, but it can also reveal your spending patterns to help you be more financially accountable.
Want to challenge yourself further? Saving whatever is left after expenses will not compel you to re-examine your lifestyle and cut expenses. Instead, think about ‘reverse budgeting’ by setting yourself a tangible savings goal via a target amount or percentage. Putting a specific amount aside each month will help you build discipline and add up to a sizeable savings fund.
So here are three easy ways to get started tracking your expenses:
It may seem like a lot of work to take stock of your bank account statements, but it’s a commitment that's worth your time because of what you’ll uncover. Logging on to keep tabs on your monthly transactions can help identify and itemize your expenses better. Checking your payment history and taking inventory of your credit cards could also help realize that you might be paying for services or subscriptions that you could do without or use on a pay as you go basis instead. As you track, you can continue to make more adjustments.
It’s natural to worry when you see your credit card statements adding up and avoid facing up to the issue. Instead of neglecting your bank balance, try downloading an expense tracking app. They're designed for real time money management, where you can allocate a set amount of spendable income each month and record your spending on the go. But the apps only work if you’re willing to log your purchases and stick to your budget. A good rule is to not leave a store's car park without plugging in your spending. Not a fan of apps? Plenty of people create Excel spreadsheets to track their expenses. You can also find free budget templates online.
Sorting your expenses by fixed expenses and variable expenses can help you better plan your budget. While fixed expenses like rent, insurance and mortgage payments are likely to remain the same month to month, you can further group your variable expenses by needs and wants in order to prioritize your spending and make room for more savings. Some credit card statements automatically tag your purchases by category, while several apps also categorize your spending for you. The expenses get subtracted from your income with each entry, in order to keep you from overspending.
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