How to use the expense tracker
- Press Add expense and enter the date, a category, a short description and the amount. Use a negative amount for a refund.
- Choose Show All entries or One month. For a single month, pick any date in it under Month to show.
- Read the totals: the amount for the view, the table By category and the table By month.
- Press Print or Download PDF for a report of what is shown, Download CSV for a spreadsheet or Copy totals for a short summary.
- Tick Remember my entries in this browser so the log is still here next time. Download a CSV now and then as a backup.
How the totals work
Every amount is stored in whole cents and added exactly, so a column of many small amounts always matches a calculator. Category totals add the amounts in each of the six categories (Travel, Lodging, Meals, Ground transport, Supplies and Other) for the entries in view. Month totals group every entry by the year and month of its date, and list the months in order.
For example, entries of 12.00 on September 30, 30.10 on October 1, a refund of minus 5.05 on October 15, 0.15 on October 31 and 99.99 on November 1 give totals of 12.00 for September, 25.20 for October and 99.99 for November. Dates at the start and end of a month land in the right month. The tool uses the date you enter, not the day the entry was added.
The report prints entries in date order, with ties in the order you entered them, followed by a total and a category summary. Up to 500 entries fit, and a long report continues onto extra pages with the column headings repeated.
Keeping a useful log
A spending log helps most when it is quick to keep up. Enter expenses the same day, use the categories consistently, and keep descriptions short enough to recognize a month later. A refund as a negative amount keeps the category total honest, because it reduces the spending in the category that it belongs to.
This tracker records what you spent. It does not set budgets, connect to a bank, import statements or read receipts. When you want a plan for the month, the budget planner is the better place to start, and you can compare it with these totals afterward.
Where the data lives
Entries are kept in the page while it is open. If you tick Remember, they are also saved in your browser storage on this device. They do not sync to your phone or another computer, and clearing site data, using a private window or changing browser removes them, so export a CSV regularly. Nothing is ever uploaded, and the PDF and CSV are created locally.
Assumptions and limits
- Amounts are US dollars with up to two decimals, added exactly in cents. Negative amounts are treated as refunds.
- Entries are grouped into months by the date you enter, using the calendar month. No time zone conversion is involved.
- A log holds up to 500 entries. Categories are fixed to six choices and cannot be renamed.
- Entries are saved only in this browser when Remember is ticked. They are not backed up and do not sync between devices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see one month of spending?
Set Show to One month and pick any date in that month. The totals, the category table and the printed report then cover only that month, while the month table still lists every month.
Can I record a refund?
Yes. Enter a negative amount such as -5.05. It reduces the total for its category and month, so the spending shown is net of the refund.
Where is my expense data stored?
Only in your own browser, and only if you tick Remember. It is never uploaded, and it will not appear on another device. Download a CSV if you need a backup you can keep.
Can I add my own categories?
Not in this version. There are six fixed categories, Travel, Lodging, Meals, Ground transport, Supplies and Other. Use the description to add detail within a category.
How many expenses can it hold?
Up to 500 entries. Reports of that size continue across several pages, and the CSV export has one row per entry in date order.