If you wonder why there’s never enough money to get you through the month, there’s a simple way to find out: track your spending!

Knowing exactly what you’re spending money on is the best way to find your mindless money habits (and we all have them).

You’ll probably be surprised when you see your spending laid out in front of you, but at least you’ll have a crystal-clear picture of where your money really went and not just where you thought it went.

For example, you might think you spend £400 a month on travel when you’re really spending £600.

If you only budget for that £400 estimate, you’re destined to have a budget failure.

You’ll also capture things you didn’t even realise you were spending (or overspending) money on, like an old subscription you never thought to cancel.

To track your money, capture every pound you spend for one month. Include everything, from your mortgage payment to the coffee you grabbed on your way into town. Here, savings counts as an expense, so remember to include any money you put into a savings or retirement account (unless it was taken out of your pay — don’t include that).

Record each expense regardless of whether you pay by cash, check, debit or credit card, automatic payment, or online transfer.

Now you can see where your money is really going and where you’re unintentionally overspending. With that information laid out in front of you, you can decide whether you want to redirect some of that cash in your budget.

And that’s the beauty of tracking … it gives you the power to choose what you want to do with your money instead of reacting after it’s already gone.