Measure what’s flowing in, what’s flowing out — and what’s being kept.

This is the skill that puts you in control.

When people say they want to “get on top of their money,” this is the habit that makes it happen.

• You don’t need to track every coffee — you need to track the flow. That means:
  
  

How much is coming in

• How much is going out

• How much you’re keeping (saving or overspending)

That’s it. Do this well, and you’ll always know if you’re moving forward.

💭 Why it matters

Most people wait until they feel stressed to check their finances — but by then, it’s too late.

Tracking your cashflow gives you real-time feedback.
It shows you whether your habits are helping or hurting — without judgment.

And the best part?

When you see progress, you feel progress — and that fuels more progress.

Momentum builds when your effort starts paying off, and this skill is the evidence.

🧱 What you’ll do in this step

Each month, you’ll do a quick review:

• Record your income

• Categorise your spending

• Measure how much you saved

• Spot any patterns worth acting on

It’s a zoomed-out snapshot — not a forensic audit.

🎯 What it gives you

By the end of this step, you’ll have:

• A simple view of how your money is flowing

• Clear evidence of whether you’re saving, breaking even, or overspending

• A growing sense of control and financial self-trust

• The data to make confident tweaks when needed

✅ How to track recent cashflow

Follow these steps to build the habit:

1️⃣ Record your income for the month

Add up everything that landed in your account this month:

• Wages

• Business income

• Freelance/side hustle work

• Government benefits

• Any other inflows (e.g. refunds, dividends, etc.)

Be sure to record net (after tax) amounts.

2️⃣ Categorise your spending

Break your outflows into three clear categories:

• Essentials: Rent/mortgage, bills, groceries, insurance, transport

• Lifestyle: Dining out, entertainment, shopping, hobbies

• Goal Contributions: Money you deliberately set aside for future goals

You can do this manually, with spreadsheets, or using a tool like Moolah (more on that below).

3️⃣ Measure your saving (or overspending)

Now do some quick maths:

Income – Expenses = Surplus or Shortfall

This is your saving rate — the clearest signal of whether you’re moving forward.

You might also track this as a percentage:

(Surplus ÷ Income) x 100 = % Saved

4️⃣ Look for trends over time

Don’t just focus on one month — look at 3–6 months in a row.

• Are you saving more?

• Is lifestyle spending creeping up?

• Are goal contributions increasing or stalling?

The aim is progress, not perfection.

5️⃣ Make it visual

Charts or dashboards help you see the improvement. When the trend is up, your motivation follows.

💬 Real Story: “I didn’t need to earn more — I just needed to see better.”

“One guy came to us convinced he needed a higher income to get ahead. But when we helped him track his cashflow, he realised he was already earning enough — he just wasn’t allocating it clearly.

Seeing it all in one place gave him the clarity to cut back on low-value spending and increase his savings — without sacrificing lifestyle.

His words: ‘I felt like I got a raise, but nothing changed except awareness.’”

🚀 Do it faster with Moolah

Inside Moolah, you can:

• Automatically sync income and expenses with open banking

• Categorise transactions in a few taps

• See your monthly savings rate in real-time

• Spot trends and course-correct without overwhelm

It’s the simplest way to turn this from a task into a habit.