While on break, I was browsing for applications for the Android phone and discovered a specific application for Mint.com. This is a web-based financial management tool that works by integrating all of your online accounts (Paypal, online banking, and credit cards) to give you a better picture of your budgeting.
I generally am fairly responsible when it comes to my spending, although it tends to correlate that when I'm monitoring my spending, I come out ahead. If I don't monitor my spending, I don't. Since my typical method involves manually punching in data into an Excel spreadsheet, I have to manually type stuff in, which is time consuming and tedious, and prone to human error. Monitoring my spending means constantly staying on top of it, punching in data as soon as I can get to a computer, and if I put it off, copying and pasting from a credit card statement.
I kinda put it off in November and December, which wasn't the smartest thing since those months had specifically larger expenditures (bought a new phone, had various Christmas and birthday celebrations to spend money for), and once I integrated all my accounts, I was in for a minor shock, but at least the amount that I saved in October more than offset what was spent in November/December with at least some left over.
It's not exactly real-time, as it's only updated as far as the credit card companies receive their transactions (AMEX can take days to update), and I would have to manually enter in cash transactions, but it is by far more convenient than having to manually punch in data. And if you happen to be extremely lazy when it comes to monitoring stuff, this is probably a good thing.
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