Managing personal finances is a critical life skill, and many people struggle to keep track of their daily expenses. Building an Expense Tracker in Python is a great way to automate this process and help users stay on top of their finances. In this post, we’ll walk through the creation of a simple yet effective expense tracker using Python. We’ll cover how it works, its features, and provide the complete source code so that you can build your own tracker from scratch.
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Not only will this project help you hone your Python programming skills, but it will also give you a practical tool to track your spending. Let’s dive in!
Why Build an Expense Tracker in Python?
Python is a versatile language that is easy to pick up for beginners. It offers a simple syntax and has powerful libraries for file handling, data manipulation, and even creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs). By building an expense tracker, you can:
Practice core Python concepts like loops, functions, and file handling.
Learn how to store data using CSV files or databases.
Create a functional tool that can help you (and others) monitor expenses.
Our Python-based expense tracker will include the following basic features:
Add Expenses: Users can input their daily expenses, including categories, descriptions, and amounts.
View Expenses: View a list of all recorded expenses.
Search by Date: Retrieve expenses based on specific dates.
Delete Expenses: Users can delete expenses if needed.
Generate a Total: Display the total amount spent over a specified period.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Set Up Your Python Environment
Before we start coding, ensure that you have Python installed on your system. You can download it from python.org. Once Python is set up, open a terminal or command prompt.
You can create a new project folder and work inside it:
mkdir expense_tracker
cd expense_tracker
Next, establish a virtual environment and turn it on (not required, but advised):
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
import csv
from datetime import datetime
# File to store expenses
FILE_NAME = 'expenses.csv'
# Function to add an expense
def add_expense():
date = input("Enter date (YYYY-MM-DD): ")
category = input("Enter category (e.g., Food, Rent, Entertainment): ")
description = input("Enter a description: ")
amount = float(input("Enter the amount: "))
with open(FILE_NAME, mode='a', newline='') as file:
writer = csv.writer(file)
writer.writerow([date, category, description, amount])
print(f"Expense of ${amount} for {description} added successfully.")
# Function to view all expenses
def view_expenses():
try:
with open(FILE_NAME, mode='r') as file:
reader = csv.reader(file)
print("\nDate | Category | Description | Amount")
print("-----------------------------------------")
for row in reader:
print(f"{row[0]} | {row[1]} | {row[2]} | ${row[3]}")
except FileNotFoundError:
print("No expenses recorded yet.")
# Function to search expenses by date
def search_expenses():
search_date = input("Enter the date to search for (YYYY-MM-DD): ")
try:
with open(FILE_NAME, mode='r') as file:
reader = csv.reader(file)
print("\nDate | Category | Description | Amount")
print("-----------------------------------------")
for row in reader:
if row[0] == search_date:
print(f"{row[0]} | {row[1]} | {row[2]} | ${row[3]}")
except FileNotFoundError:
print("No expenses recorded yet.")
# Function to display the total expenses
def total_expenses():
total = 0
try:
with open(FILE_NAME, mode='r') as file:
reader = csv.reader(file)
for row in reader:
total += float(row[3])
print(f"\nTotal expenses: ${total}")
except FileNotFoundError:
print("No expenses recorded yet.")
# Main menu function
def menu():
while True:
print("\nExpense Tracker")
print("1. Add Expense")
print("2. View Expenses")
print("3. Search Expenses by Date")
print("4. Show Total Expenses")
print("5. Exit")
choice = input("Choose an option: ")
if choice == '1':
add_expense()
elif choice == '2':
view_expenses()
elif choice == '3':
search_expenses()
elif choice == '4':
total_expenses()
elif choice == '5':
print("Exiting the Expense Tracker.")
break
else:
print("Invalid choice, please try again.")
if __name__ == '__main__':
menu()
Expense Tracker in Python
Expense Tracker in Python Expense Tracker in Python Expense Tracker in Python Expense Tracker in Python
Step 3: How the Expense Tracker Works
CSV File Handling: We are using the CSV module to store expenses in a simple CSV file (expenses.csv). Each expense includes the date, category, description, and amount. Every time a new expense is added, it is appended to the CSV file.
Adding Expenses: The add_expense() function takes user input for the date, category, description, and amount. It then stores this data in the CSV file.
Viewing Expenses: The view_expenses() function reads from the CSV file and prints each row, displaying the date, category, description, and amount of each recorded expense.
Search by Date: The search_expenses() function allows users to input a specific date to filter and display expenses from that day.
Total Expenses: The total_expenses() function calculates the sum of all expenses stored in the CSV file.
Main Menu: The menu() function acts as the main interface, allowing the user to choose between different operations (adding, viewing, searching, and totaling expenses).
