Tracking expenses

In my recent post about buying a bus pass, I mentioned that I have begun keeping track of when I ride so that when the pass expires next October, I can calculate whether or not I have saved money with it. In addition to this, I am also tracking my main expenses.

By "main", I'm referring to food, household items, books, etc.; essentially, everything that isn't bus-related. My reason for tracking them is so I can work out what my average spending was per week when the academic year finishes. Since I am on a budget, I figured it a wise idea to watch and record what I spend rather than go spending sprees (not that I was planning to spend lavishly for no reason). The added benefit is that if I'm careful with spending, I'll have more for myself at a later date.