Learning the friendly way

In this article, we delve into the distinction between revenue and profit, essential for businesses aiming to thrive financially. In a nutshell, revenue represents the total income generated from core operations, while profit is what remains after deducting all expenses. Join us as we explore the nuances between these two crucial concepts and their significance in business success.

What is revenue?

Revenue represents the total income earned by a business through its core operations, such as sales of goods or services. It can also be referred to as the top line of an income statement. It's essential for covering expenses, investing in growth, and generating profits.

Revenue comes from various sources like product sales, service fees, subscriptions, licensing, and advertising. Understanding and managing revenue streams are crucial for sustaining operations, attracting investors, and ensuring long-term viability in competitive markets. Thus, revenue serves as a vital performance indicator for businesses of all sizes and industries.

What is profit?

Profit refers to the financial gain a business achieves after deducting all expenses from its total revenue. On an income statement, profit is typically known as net income, however, the term "bottom line" is more commonly used.  Profits appear on an organisation's income statement in a variety of ways and are used for various purposes and are a key metric indicating a company's financial health and efficiency.

There are two main types of profit:

Gross profit

Gross profit equals revenue minus the cost of goods sold, which consists of the direct material and labour expenses related to creating a company's products.

Operating profit

Operating profit equals gross profit minus other business expenses that are associated with running the company, such as rent, utilities, and payroll.

Essentially, profit is calculated by subtracting total expenses from total revenue. It's vital for business sustainability, expansion, and rewarding stakeholders and accurately measuring and maximising profit margins is essential for achieving long-term success and competitiveness in the market.

Revenue vs profit

When people refer to a company's profit, they are usually referring to the net income, which is what's left after expenses. It is possible for a company to make money but still have a net loss.

In an example below illustrating the importance of understanding revenue and profit, say a company producing light bulbs makes $10 million in the income generated. This sounds great, however, if the company's core business operations and debt add up to $12 million, the company is making a loss. Let's take a look at this example in greater detail below:

Business revenue or Total Net Sales: $10 million

Gross Profit: $4 million (total revenue of $10 million minus COGS of $6 million)

Operating Profit: $2 million (gross profit minus other business expenses such as rent, utilities, and payroll)

Profit or Net income: –$2 million (illustrating that the company is making a loss)

Profit will always be lower than revenue as this amount is determined after deducting all the operating and other costs. 

A look at expenses

Operating expenses, including salaries, rent, marketing, direct costs, and utilities, which are necessary for day-to-day operations, and non-operating expenses, like interest payments or one-time costs, can impact profitability differently. By adequately controlling all expenses, businesses can maximise profit margins, reinvest in growth initiatives, and provide returns to stakeholders.

Overspending on unnecessary costs or failing to budget properly can significantly reduce profit margins, hampering long-term success. Therefore, monitoring and optimising expenses are integral parts of financial management strategies aimed at ensuring profitability and competitiveness in the market. With an effective strategy in place to measure and manage expenses, the price of goods and total sales will hopefully increase. 

The importance of financial metrics

Financial metrics encompass a range of indicators used to assess a company's performance, including revenue growth rate, profit margin, and return on investment (ROI). These metrics provide insights into the effectiveness of business operations, helping organisations gauge their financial health and make informed decisions.

For instance, the revenue growth rate indicates the pace at which a company's sales are increasing over time, while the profit margin measures the proportion of revenue that translates into profit. Additionally, ROI assesses the efficiency of investments by comparing the gains or losses relative to the initial investment, aiding businesses in evaluating their investment strategies and maximising returns.

How to measure business performance

Measuring how well a business is doing means looking at both its revenue and profit. Revenue is all the money a business makes from selling things, while profit is what's left after taking away all the costs. By finding ways to make more money and spend less, a business can increase its financial health. Keeping an eye on important numbers like sales growth and profit margins helps a business see where it's doing well and where it can improve. This helps the business stay strong and competitive in the long run.

In conclusion

Companies base their success on two very important metrics: revenue and profit. While revenue is referred to as the top line, a company's profit is what really matters and is referred to as the bottom line.

It is crucial for investors to take both revenue and profit into account when making investment decisions, and to review the company's income statement in order to get a full view of the company's financial health.

In conclusion, revenue is the income a company makes without factoring in expenses such as debts, taxes, and other business costs. Profit, on the other hand, factors in all company expenses and operating costs.

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The Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a utility token designed to transform the digital advertising space. Developed for the Brave web browser ecosystem, BAT aims to create a fairer and more transparent advertising model for both users and advertisers. By incentivising user attention and rewarding them with BAT for engaging with ads, the Brave browser ecosystem is tackling the inefficiencies and privacy concerns in digital advertising. 

What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?

Basic Attention Token (BAT) is an Ethereum-based utility token integrated into the privacy-focused Brave browser page. Launched in 2016, Brave aims to revolutionise the digital advertising industry by promoting fairness and transparency between advertisers, publishers, and users.

Users receive cryptocurrency rewards in the form of BAT for viewing ads, which allows publishers to deliver more impactful advertisements. This empowers advertisers to make better use of their budgets and better target their target audience. Users then have the flexibility to hold, exchange, or use BAT to support their favourite content creators.

BAT acts as a settlement currency for publishers within the Brave browser ecosystem, facilitating transactions between advertisers, publishers, and users based on their web activity. This token streamlines business between the three parties.

Since its inception, Brave has gained popularity among crypto users and established partnerships with reputable blockchain companies, cementing its position as a leader in the blockchain-based digital advertising space. Through BAT, which launched in 2018, Brave aims to transform the digital advertising economy.

Who created Basic Attention Token?

Basic Attention Token (BAT) was founded by Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy, two highly regarded individuals in the internet browsing software sector. Eich is the co-founder and former CTO of Mozilla Firefox and the inventor of Javascript while Bondy is an influential software engineer with an impressive resume. 

A year after launching the Brave web browser, the pair launched an initial coin offering for the Basic Attention Token (BAT), raising $35 million in just 30 seconds. Selling 1 billion BAT tokens, this is one of the fastest sell-out ICOs of all time. Half of the tokens sold during the ICO were reserved by Brave Software, the parent company of the platform and token; of which 300 million of the reserved tokens were kept for future sale and promotion while 200 million were allocated to the Brave team. 

According to the website, the BAT token project has a team of 13 members behind it under the guidance of 4 advisors.

How does BAT work?

The Basic Attention Token (BAT) operates on the Brave browser, a privacy-focused platform developed by the team behind the token. Brave is a free browser that prioritises user control, loading pages significantly faster than its competitors. Unlike other browsers, Brave only serves advertisements if users opt-in to view them.

Within the Brave browser, users can participate in the Brave Rewards program, which enables them to earn BAT for their attention. They can choose to view privacy-respecting ads or support their favourite content creators by sending them BAT through the Brave Rewards Creators program. By default, Brave blocks trackers and ads, ensuring a more secure and private browsing experience. When users opt-in to view ads, they are only presented with ads from trusted partners, and they are rewarded in BAT for engaging with them.

Publishers are rewarded with BAT based on user attention to their content, encouraging the delivery of higher-quality ads. This rewards system benefits both publishers, who can generate more revenue, and advertisers, who achieve a better return on investment for their advertising budget.

Additionally, users can exchange BAT for various services on the platform and gain access to select premium content. The ultimate goal is to provide users with more control over their online experience while empowering publishers and advertisers with a more transparent and effective advertising platform.

To track the movement of BAT and facilitate transactions, Brave utilises the Brave Micropayments Ledger. This ledger allows advertisers, publishers, and readers to enter into smart contracts and transfer payments securely. Brave is also exploring the use of zero-knowledge proofs in its blockchain to provide anonymity in online media transactions.

Privacy and security are paramount in the Brave browser. Advertisers on Brave are verified, reducing the risk of fraudulent ads and ensuring a safer browsing experience. Users' private data and tracking information are stored only on their devices, preserving their anonymity.

To address fraud and privacy concerns, Brave and BAT have implemented robust security measures. The browser eliminates third-party traffic sourcing and utilises Basic Attention Metrics (BAM) to reduce fraud. The open-source code is auditable, and attention and engagement are verified using Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) protocols. Ads and payouts are rate-limited, and token awards from the user growth pool are distributed gradually to discourage bot operations.

What is the BAT token?

In traditional advertising, advertisers pay rates based on the number of viewers their ads receive. With no guarantee that these viewers are paying attention, BAT seeks to address this issue by incentivising users to pay attention to ads.

When users view ad content on the Brave browser, they are rewarded with BAT tokens as a form of revenue sharing while the publishers and advertisers are rewarded for the most active advertising campaigns. These Brave rewards incentivize users to engage with the ads and provide advertisers with the assurance that their ads are being seen by an attentive audience. Advertisers are willing to pay a premium for this undivided attention.

BAT can be exchanged for cash or held in a digital wallet. Additionally, it can be traded on various cryptocurrency exchanges, allowing users to buy or sell BAT tokens. It's important to note that BAT has a limited supply, initially capped at one billion BAT tokens but later revised to 1.5 billion.

The Basic Attention Token price is influenced by the price of Ethereum since it is an ERC-20 token built on the Ethereum blockchain. As the price of Ethereum fluctuates, the Basic Attention Token price will adjust proportionally.

At the time of writing, the Basic Attention Token had a circulating supply of 1.49 billion BAT tokens, 99% of the maximum total supply.

How can I buy Basic Attention Token?

Whether you're interested in exploring the Basic Attention Token ecosystem or expanding your investment portfolio, you have the convenient option to purchase or sell Basic Attention Token tokens directly through the Tap app.

Tap is a fully licensed and regulated fintech platform that provides a secure avenue not only for purchasing BAT tokens but also for trading, storing, and utilising them. The integrated technology also ensures that traders have access to the top Basic Attention Token price at all times.

To get started, simply download the app, create an account, and complete a quick identity verification process, a legal requirement that typically takes less than 5 minutes. Once your account is set up, you can deposit either cryptocurrency or fiat funds and immediately tap into the coin's circulating supply by trading BAT tokens. The platform supports various leading cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, enabling individuals from anywhere in the world to empower their financial journey.

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A consistent member of the top 10 biggest cryptocurrencies by market cap, Cardano has earned itself an impressive position in the market. The innovative project was developed by a team of brilliant minds, including the co-founder of Ethereum, Charles Hoskinson, and aims to be the next generation of Ethereum. Let's explore what Cardano is and why has become a popular cryptocurrency. 

What is Cardano?

Cardano is the blockchain platform that has taken the industry by storm since its launch. Alongside its cryptocurrency, ADA, Cardano provides developers with a platform on which to build decentralized applications (dapps) and smart contracts. Through a more scalable and sustainable model, Cardano seeks to improve on Ethereum's offering and propel the blockchain and crypto industry into a more eco-friendly future. 

Cardano uses a Proof-of-Stake consensus to facilitate the network and is considered to be a third-generation blockchain platform (Bitcoin being the first, Ethereum the second). Unlike other blockchain platforms, Cardano does not have a whitepaper and instead relies on rigorous academic and peer-reviewed research. The platform has numerous ties with universities around the world, contributing to the funding of the development of blockchain research. 

Who created Cardano?

Cardano was first conceptualized in 2015 and later launched in September 2017 by Ethereum co-founder, Charles Hoskinson. His goal was to build a highly scalable and energy-efficient smart contract platform. After leaving the Ethereum team, Hoskinson grouped together a team of expert engineers and academics and set out to build a layered blockchain platform from scratch. 

Today, the platform is developed by a group of organisations that each focus on different elements of the business. The first is the Cardano Foundation which is responsible for standardizing, protecting and promoting the protocol technology. Input-Output Hong Kong (IOHK) focuses on building technological solutions centred around financial inclusion, while its sister company Emurgo is a global initiative designed to "support developers, startups and enterprises in developing blockchain solutions".

Together these companies assist in the growth and development of Cardano. While regulatory news and Bitcoin may be behind many altcoin price swings, Cardano has done well to establish its value in the crypto market and build a community that supports its goals.

How does Cardano work?

Through a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) mechanism known as Ouroboros, Cardano provides peer-to-peer transactions, dapp development and the creation of smart contracts. The layered architecture makes this possible, with one layer, known as the Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL) responsible for validating transactions and maintaining the ledger of balances while the Cardano Computing Layer (CCL) is responsible for the execution of all dapp computations via smart contracts. 

The separation of these two layers allows the platform to offer lower fees, less network congestion and faster transactions. When thoroughly tested in 2017, Cardano was able to process 257 transactions per second (TPS), a large jump from Bitcoin's 4.6 TPS and Ethereum's 15 - 20 TPS. 

Through its network of validators (known as a miner on a Proof-of-Work mining network) who each hold a stake in the network, Cardano is able to deploy smart contracts, facilitate the peer-to-peer exchange of value and provide the building blocks for dapp and token creation. 

What is ADA?

Let's first cover where the name came from. ADA is a nod to the person regarded as the "world's first computer programmer", the 19th-century mathematician, Ada Lovelace. Cardano on the other hand was named after the 16th-century Italian polymath Gerolamo Cardano. Each phase in the project's development is named after famed historical characters pertaining to maths, physics and literature.

While ADA can be used as digital cash to conduct payments, the cryptocurrency has a wider range of uses. The native token to the platform's operations, ADA, can be used to facilitate transactions, as a store of value, to participate in staking functionality, and to pay transaction fees on the network. 

ADA will also be used as a governance token in the future, allowing its holders the ability to vote on upgrades and changes on the platform. This is in line with Cardano's intentions to make the network entirely decentralized and community-driven, incorporating an automated treasury system that would oversee and execute all funding required. 

Cardano's Roadmap

Another interesting element to the Cardano network is that all five development phases are consistently worked on at the same time, as opposed to moving on to the next once one is complete. 

Of the five phases, each focuses on specific functionalities:

Byron - foundation (completed)

Shelley - decentralization (completed)

Goguen - smart contracts

Basho - scaling

Voltaire - governance

Where To Buy Cardano (ADA)

If you're looking to add ADA to your cryptocurrency portfolio, you can conveniently and securely buy the token through your Tap app. If you haven't done so already, simply download the app, complete the quick identity verification step and load your account with funds (crypto or fiat) with which you can buy ADA. The cryptocurrency will then be deposited into your unique ADA wallet, available for your perusal.

As you become acquainted with the cryptocurrency industry there will be several new phrases added to your vocabulary. One of them is Hodl. While not a term used in the traditional finance industry, we'll cover the reason why hodl has become a treasured part of the cryptosphere. In this article, we explore the history of the infamous term, what it means, and why every crypto trader should be learning about the concept. 

What does hodl mean?

Hodl refers to holding a particular digital currency for a long period of time in order to make money from the price gains. In recent times, many in the crypto community have built the acronym into Hold On for Dear Life, however, this is not part of the origin story. 

Hodl has become synonymous with not selling a cryptocurrency during a bear market or period of heightened volatility. The term has become widely adopted by the crypto community and can be seen used in content across all platforms and calibres. 

Where does hodl come from?

Hodl was first conceptualised in a BitcoinTalk forum in 2013 when a user by the name of GameKyuubi misspelt the word “hold”. The inebriated user posted the following message: 

“I type d that tyitle twice because I knew it was wrong the first time. Still wrong. w/e," GameKyuubi wrote about the now-famous misspelling of "holding." "WHY AM I HODLING? I'LL TELL YOU WHY," he continued. "It's because I'm a bad trader and I KNOW I'M A BAD TRADER. Yeah you good traders can spot the highs and the lows pit pat piffy wing wong wang just like that and make a millino bucks sure no problem bro.”

In 2013, the price of Bitcoin went through a volatile period, soaring from $130 in April to $950 in December. The user encouraged fellow Bitcoin investors not to sell and rather “hodl”. 

Within an hour of the post, the new term had become a widespread meme and continues to be used a decade later. 

Hodl as a trading strategy

In cryptocurrency investing, price volatility is a constant concern. However, the concept of "hodling" offers a strategic approach to weathering these fluctuations. Hodling refers to holding onto your investments for an extended period, regardless of short-term price movements. Despite market ups and downs, hodling can provide stability and potentially lead to long-term gains. This strategy allows investors to navigate price volatility with patience and confidence in future growth.

The concept has been widely adopted by a large portion of the Bitcoin and greater cryptocurrency community as a strategy to earn gains. For Bitcoin maximalists, it’s a way of life. Many maximalists have taken on the hodl strategy to avoid any profit-eroding moves, including reactions to FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), more on this later.

When is the best time to hodl?

Much in the same way as the Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now,” the best time to hodl is now. As an investment strategy, buying and holding an asset in any market is always believed to be lucrative as its value grows over time. 

Hodling is an ideological belief in the long-term prospects of blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and the communities that have formed around them. Some stock market traders have even adopted this mindset, although the term "hodl" remains predominantly used when referring to crypto.

Other important crypto terms to know

As you continue to build your crypto vocabulary, here are several other terms you are likely to come across. These include:

BTFD (buy the f***ing dip)

A slang term commonly used on Twitter, BTFD encourages traders to buy when the prices are low (when coins are in a dip) with the intention to make profits when the prices return to normal levels. 

FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt)

As mentioned above, FUD refers to misinformation spread by individuals and organisations that typically encourages traders to sell. 

FOMO (fear of missing out)

Content creators or the mainstream media might use FOMO as a way to entice people to buy a coin. They play on the emotion that traders might miss out on big profits or the next big thing. 

Lambo

Short for Lamborghini, lambo refers to asset prices becoming so high that the user can sell them and buy the luxury vehicle. “When Lambo?” is a common phrase which asks when the price is going to reach such levels. 

To The Moon

Used to describe prices reaching extraordinary levels, as if they’re going so high they’re going to the moon. 

Whale

A crypto whale is an individual or organisation that holds a large amount of a particular cryptocurrency. This is generally considered to be around 10% of that cryptocurrency's total supply.

Closing thoughts

Hodling refers to a buy-and-hold strategy created from a typo in a BitcoinTalk forum in 2013. The concept remains relevant a decade later with many traders and maximalists opting to use this approach. The goal of hodling is to experience the benefits of substantial price gains and mitigate volatile markets. 

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Harnessing a wealth of security strategies, fintechs and banks employ several safeguarding measures to protect your hard-earned money. But, as one might expect, fraudsters continually strive to discover ways to exploit these protections.

In this article, let's delve into the tactics used by criminals to attempt to manipulate you into authorising card transactions inside the Tap app. These aren't transactions that originate from your usual activity, instead, they are crafty attempts at transactions initiated by nefarious individuals looking to exploit your finances.

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Stolen card schemes
The initial phase of this deception involves a criminal acquiring credit or debit card details. Such information could either be procured during genuine organisation data breaches or through responding to deceitful texts or emails, which is widely known as phishing or smishing. These messages often pose as credible businesses. In certain cases, they could even resort to physically stealing your card.

There are some preventive measures you can take to safeguard your personal and financial data: 

1. Cultivate a healthy scepticism when it comes to text messages or emails containing links, especially those urging for payment details or requesting account login.

2. Instead of immediately clicking on links in messages that appear to be from “reputable companies”, consider an alternative method. Use Google to search for them independently (without using the provided link in their message) to ensure their credibility. Conducting your own research can effectively protect you against possible scams.

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Safe account fraud schemes
Scammers get creative to try to trick you out of your money. A common trick is to make you worry about your bank account's safety. They might call you, making it look like it's from a real bank or fintech pretty convincingly — a trick usually known as 'spoofing.'

During such a call, they might ask you to approve a card transfer, suggesting it will move your money to a 'secure place' as protection. To sound convincing, they might even tell you that any payment you can see on your app isn't real and is instead a 'test' of your account's safety.

However, it's crucial to remember that legitimate financial institutions will never prompt you to relocate your finances or process payments to ensure your account's security. Instead, they already have stringent security measures in place to protect your money.

If you receive such a call, take a moment and think. You're better off hanging up and checking things out. Tap support and security team will never call you over the phone. It's always smarter to take a moment to be safe than regret being in a hurry later.

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Impersonating refund scams
An additional technique employed to deceive individuals into authorising a card payment through their app involves fraudulent calls wherein the caller pretends to represent an online store. Picture this: You receive a call with the caller claiming an unauthorised purchase has been made using your card. 

Naturally, your immediate reaction is denial, because you didn't make that purchase.

But here comes the twist. The tricksters would insist that in order to rectify the error and process your refund, you need to confirm the payment in your app. It sounds counterintuitive, right? That's because it is!

In both instances, the authenticity of these scams lies in the detailed knowledge that the fraudster already possesses your card – they have all the information required to initiate a payment (refer to the previous section named 'Stolen card schemes'). 

The illusion of their credibility sparks a false sense of security, leading you to authorise the payment. Unfortunately, when you authorise the payment within the application, you're effectively granting permission for the funds to be debited from your account.


How criminals try to bypass security measures
Criminals continually seek ways to evade security measures, particularly those designed to protect online financial transactions. One such protective measure is 3DSecure, deployed to fortify the safety of your online card transactions. 

3DSecure functions by prompting the cardholder to authenticate certain transactions using their Tap application. This verification process ensures that the individual carrying out the payment is indeed the card's legitimate owner and not an unauthorised party.

Intriguingly, scammers have constructed a strategy to bypass this safeguard. Their preferred method is a telephonic approach, attempting to manipulate unsuspecting individuals into authorising transactions on their behalf.

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What steps can I take to safeguard myself?

When finance meets technology, the world is your oyster - until you encounter a scam. Spotting a scam is your first line of defence. If a random individual approaches you, pressuring you to approve a card payment through your app, hug your inner sceptic. This rings alarm bells for a scam. Should you find yourself in such a pickle, don’t hesitate - hang up, firmly dismiss it, and message the Tap support team to report the incident.

Fortifying your financial fortress is an easier task than before, thanks to the accessibility of financial apps. The Tap app puts the power of financial security in your hands - literally! Located under the 'Cards' tab, you'll find a freeze card toggle. A quick press of this nifty control will lock your card, thus preventing unauthorised transactions.

Just like you wouldn't let a stranger inside your home, it's wise not to accept card payments that you never asked for. This could leave you susceptible to scams, meaning your hard-earned money risks vanishing into thin air.

Despite your best efforts, if you find yourself entangled in a fraudulent scenario - don’t despair. Our customer service team is there for you. Contact them through the Tap app live chat or via email immediately. 

Finally, pay a visit to the security section of our blog, where you will find tips to be armed with extra tips for dodging scams as you proceed on your personal finance journey. Remember, stay savvy, stay safe, and keep nurturing your financial know-how.

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In line with our how-to-budget pieces, today we're looking at how to monitor your spending. There's no good in building an impressive budget without keeping track of whether you're sticking to it or not. Yes, it might sound tedious, but it is always worth it, especially during the festive season when things tend to get a little out of control.

Paving the road from good intentions to excellent outcomes, tracking your spending is imperative.

Why tracking expenses is important (use your bank account to save money)

Before we get started, let's first cover the bases of why this step is so vital. First and foremost, it's essential to hold yourself accountable to your proposed budget. There's no good assigning each dollar you earn to a specific function only to disregard the budget entirely and spend impulsively.

If you're not tracking your expenses you'll land up in square one where you started a month ago. Monitoring your spending habits will show you exactly where your money is really going, and help you to make more informed decisions. The best part is that after a month or two you will get the hang of it and the process will become a lot less tiresome and feel like more of a habit.

Keeping an inventory of your expenses (and income)

First, you'll need to create your budget. Once this is established and the time frame you've set it out for has started, it's time to get tracking. You can do this through a budgeting app, a spreadsheet, or a piece of paper if that makes you most comfortable.

Step 1: track your income

In your income section, confirm all income in the columns provided. If you make money in an unexpected avenue, be sure to add this in too. This step is particularly important for those that earn irregular income through freelancing or side hustles.

Ideally, you would have listed your income avenues as a low estimate, so revel in adding the higher amounts into the columns provided. You can then enjoy reallocating those funds to various items in your expenses column. Don't think you need to be a robot with your finances, you're allowed to enjoy them too.

Step 2: track your expenses

For this step you need to track every single time money leaves your account. For the entire month. From emergency fund allocations to debt payments to monthly expenses, and any payments on a separate spending account. Each time you spend money, record it in the relevant expense categories.

When you buy groceries, add this to your grocery expenses; when you eat out, add this to your entertainment expense. Make sure that your budget is updated to reflect the new total so that you and your checking account are always in the know.

For example, if your grocery budget is $100 and you spend $23, add the $23 as an expense item under the title and ensure that your new grocery total reflects as $77.

There are plenty of expense tracker apps out there if this helps you stay on track. If you are using a budgeting app be sure to check in and review how each category is doing so that you can make informed decisions on what you spend your money on.

Step 3: make it a habit

You might like to do this daily or biweekly at first until you get the hang of it. Make yourself a nice cup of tea and make it a pleasant habit, instead of something you resent and put off. Understanding your cash flow is imperative to understanding your spending patterns and to better manage money. This is where the magic happens (and how financial goals are achieved).

Different methods of tracking your expenses

Below we outline the four most common methods used to track expenses, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Whether you prefer paper receipts or accounting software, settle for the expense-tracking method that works for you.

1. Handwritten

There's nothing wrong with the old-school pen and paper option, if this feels right to you then go for it! Make sure you store it in a safe space.

Advantage: studies suggest that writing things down increases your retention of the information and boosts your ability to make more informed decisions. While typing is probably the preferred method, writing is actually more efficient when it comes to learning.

Disadvantage: this option is more time-consuming and will require you to physically remember all your purchases and retain your slips. Alternatively, you could sit with a printout of your bank accounts and manually write out each expense.

2. The cash process

This step requires you to withdraw the cash outlined in each budgeted category and store it in an envelope. Every time you make a transaction, you use the cash from the relevant envelope and replace it with the receipt. For debit orders, you can use your imagination. While the envelope method might be considered an old-school option for money management, if it works for you then go with it.

Advantage: using this method of tracking monthly expenses you can physically see how well your budget is going and how much you have left to spend.

Disadvantage: in these modern times paying with cash isn't always very practical.

3. Spreadsheet

Probably the more common option when it comes to tracking your expenses, using a spreadsheet can be practical and it does the maths for you.

Advantage: with tons of templates, the ability to quickly customize or revise your budget and the automated calculator, spreadsheets are a great option.

Disadvantage: you'll need to physically sit down with your laptop when tracking all your transactions. This will become more challenging the longer you leave it so ideally you;ll need to make this a daily occurrence. Remember, without monitoring your expenses your budget is simply a plan.

4. Budgeting apps

There are several budgeting apps available (for free) that can link to your bank account and automatically track all your expenses.

Advantage: It's all done for you, in real-time. Some apps might require you to assign the transaction to a category while others might automatically categorize it for you, either way, it requires minimal effort and can be regularly updated.

Disadvantage: You still need to monitor your spending, even if you're not physically putting it in. If you've reached your grocery budget, you need to be aware as the app is not going to cut your spending for you.

In conclusion

Whichever method you opt for, tracking your expenses is imperative to sticking to your budget and getting you one step closer to your financial goals.

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