Expense tracking is useful when it answers a question. If the system demands more effort than the answer is worth, it will not last.
Choose the question before the categories
If the question is whether takeaway is crowding out groceries, those need separate lines. If the question is how much transport costs overall, one group may be enough. Add detail only where it could change a decision.
Use the fastest reliable capture method
Manual entry is clear and immediate. Receipt scanning can preserve product detail. A statement import can catch a month of history. These methods can coexist; the important part is reviewing duplicates and keeping one canonical transaction.
Keep a short correction habit
Set aside a few minutes each week to fix uncategorised or incorrect entries. A review queue is easier than trying to classify every purchase perfectly at the checkout.
Separate transfers from spending
Moving money between your own accounts does not usually represent new income or an expense. Treat it as a transfer so spending and cash-flow reports do not count the same money twice.
Read cumulative spending correctly
A cumulative monthly line should rise as expenses are added. A flatter section means less spending during that period; it does not mean money came back. Compare the line with the budget pace and known bills rather than judging one day in isolation.
Turn observations into one adjustment
At the next budget review, change the category that has a repeated pattern. Increase an underestimated essential cost, reduce a low-priority line or create a sinking fund for an irregular expense. Tracking without a decision is only record keeping.