What’s the best way to keep track of expenses? I’ve tried maintaining a book, but that doesn’t work because my 4-year-old son has to draw in every empty page he gets.

Spreadsheet? I use one to make sure my expenditures != my income.

This one: link

A coworker uses this system and swears by it. Apparently there is software that you can get to support this method.

I need better bookkeeping methods. I use a spreadsheet myself.

You might try putting the book where your artistically inclined child can’t get it.
Otherwise, you may want to use a computer program.

Put the book (and drawing implements) out of reach, and teach your child to obey.

mint.com for me. Check out Cha-Ching if you have a Mac, and look on the App Store for Pennies if you have an iPhone. Both are great apps.

I use Splashmoney. It’s great because I can just update all my daily activity each day to tell what’s in my accounts. I just hit a button and it syncs wirelessly with all my credit cards and bank accounts.

we use mvelopes.com and it updates daily also

buxfer.com is great, you can even text your expenses to your buxfer account. Great for lazy people like me who don’t feel like doing the books when I get home.

Mint.com

Probably the greatest thing ever when it comes to Money Management. Also, Microsoft Money is a great way to manage your money as well.

you can always put them in a lock box where no one can get to them but you.

If you’re willing to give away your financial information (not your actual access codes, but the data of what you’re buying), then you can use a web service like Mint or Wesabe. In exchange for their services, they collect your data (anonymized, but likely with each transaction associated with each other) and use it as they will, often for their personal profit.

A locally installed application such as Microsoft Money or even an Excel spreadsheet has the benefit of keeping your data secure and private, but it’s more work for you to enter items.

Honestly though, tech is often more hassle than its worth especially the spreadsheet method if you do a lot of debit/credit transactions. Based on your question wording I get the impression that the physical book works fine, other than your son drawing on it. So the best solution to your inquiry would be to stop having your child draw in your book. I think this is a great opportunity to teach him boundaries and ownership.

Excel. I made my own sheet. This way I can make the interface anyway I like it.

You should think of leaving the paper for the computer now. Either maintain an excel sheet (MS Excel) of expenses or find a good organizer online. I personally use TabUp to keep track of my income and expenses. But do keep your little one away from the keyboard.

well I have used a book since the first day I got pocket-money, more than 2 decades ago. Every year around Xmas I either buy (or get as a present) a small pocket-size diary, with 3 days per page. It is big enough to write expenses in, and small enough to carry around, even though nowadays I keep it in the car. My 4 year old has been told she is not allowed to touch it, and it’s by the driver’s seat anyway.
Over the years this has helped me a lot, since I write every expense immediately (if I have it on me) or at the first opportunity (at night just before going to bed for example). Typically I’ll go out of the supermarket, put everything in the car and then write in my little book. I know it sounds like an obsession and most people find it unthinkable to stick to such a routine, but I think of it as a good habit, like brushing your teeth or something. And it has helped over the years, since at the end of every month I add up everything and realise right there and then where all the money goes. And it’s very easy to make sense of it and find how to save money. You’d be surprised at how much we spend on things like magazines and candy, as opposed to how relatively little we spend on basic necessities such as food.