Oh man, that is the realest advice. I did that for two months and was shocked by how much I spent on dumb stuff like snacks at the gas station. It sucks to write it all down but you can't argue with the numbers. I use a free app now just to keep myself honest.
Honestly I tried tracking every little thing and it just made me crazy. I got so focused on the numbers I forgot to actually live a little. Sometimes a gas station snack is just a snack, you know?
Tracking every dollar really shows how small habits add up to big money leaks. It's wild how we all have these blind spots for tiny daily buys that feel like nothing. The gas station snack thing is a perfect example of spending on autopilot. Seeing the total for that stuff is the only way to break the cycle. It's a pain but it works for pretty much any bad habit, not just money.