Do you often have trouble keeping track of how much money you spend and how much you have left? If so, don’t look further! Here are some tips that will definitely help you organize your spending so that you can spend happily and save money!

1. Divide your money into parts.

Think about how much money you want to spend (don’t give yourself too much!) within a time frame you can decide yourself (per month, per week, etc.). After you decide that amount, put the money in your wallet. The remaining value is how much you decide to save. Put that money somewhere else; you can hide it from yourself or put it in a separate wallet if you have enough discipline not to use it.

2. Keep track of how much money you spend/earn.

Draw a chart in a notebook. Put the start date at the top, and when you fill up the chart put the end date (eg., Oct. 5 to 17). You should also include your starting value. Draw a series of columns down the length of the notebook. Include the dates, your starting value, how much money you lost/gained, the reason for losing/gaining that money, and your new value. Be sure to record this information in the chart each time you spend or earn money. At the end of your desired time frame, put your final total at the bottom of the page. Make sure it is within the value you decided in the previous step.

3. Use an app.

If writing a chart doesn’t help as much, download an app to aid you in keeping track of your spending. Since apps can send you notifications, having an app on your phone can keep you more motivated and remind you in case you forget. However, most apps for saving money are associated with bank accounts, so do some research before you decide which one to download.

4. Set restrictions for yourself.

If you still find yourself spending too much money, start cutting down things that you spend money on. For example, you could tell yourself, “I’m only going to spend $5 on candy/snacks from school this week,” and so on. Another form of setting restrictions could be giving yourself a smaller time period so it’s easier to control.

Follow these tips to help control the amount of money you spend. Happy saving!