Annual Expense Review Guide

A new year is the perfect time to look back at your spending. An annual expense review helps you understand where money went and set smarter goals for the year ahead.

Why Do an Annual Review?

• Spot patterns you didn't notice month-to-month
• Find subscriptions you forgot about
• Celebrate savings wins
• Identify areas for improvement
• Set realistic budgets based on actual data

Step-by-Step Review Process

1. Export Your Full Year

In Pocket Clear: Settings → Export → Select Jan 1 to Dec 31 → CSV format. You'll receive the file via email.

2. Open in a Spreadsheet

Import to Excel or Google Sheets for analysis.

3. Calculate Category Totals

Create a pivot table or use SUMIF to get totals per category:

• 🍕 Food & Dining: $4,800
• 🏠 Housing: $24,000
• 🚗 Transport: $3,600
• 🎬 Entertainment: $1,200
• etc.

4. Compare to Previous Year

If you have last year's data, compare:

• Did any category increase significantly?
• Where did you cut back?
• What caused the changes?

5. Calculate Key Metrics

• Total Income: Sum of all Money In
• Total Expenses: Sum of all Money Out
• Savings Rate: (Income - Expenses) / Income × 100
• Biggest Category: Usually Housing or Food

6. Identify Surprises

Look for:

• Subscriptions you don't use
• One-time expenses you forgot about
• Categories that crept up without notice
• Areas where you spent less than expected

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What purchase brought me the most joy?
• What expense do I regret?
• Where could I have saved without sacrificing happiness?
• What financial goal did I achieve?
• What goal did I miss, and why?

Setting Next Year's Goals

Based on your review, set realistic goals:

• Specific: "Reduce dining out by $100/month" not "spend less on food"
• Based on data: You know you spent $400/month, so $300 is achievable
• Trackable: Use Pocket Clear's budgets to monitor progress

Make It a Tradition

Schedule your annual review:

• Put it in your calendar for early January
• Block 1-2 hours
• Make it pleasant—nice coffee, comfortable spot
• Consider doing it with your partner (Partner Mode helps!)