@embwbamFirst off, awareness is key! You are getting that by doing any sort of tracking as long as it is complete and accurate. I followed the “Your Money or Your Life” plan and made my own google spreadsheet. It included a column that forced me to consider how fulfilling each expenditure was every single time.
And this is the next key. Do not get mired in tools and spreadsheets. When it comes to the hard work of actually reducing expenses (which is your goal, although probably a means to another end), you need to have a handle on your personal values. It’s the only way to frame those lifestyle changes as being necessary to align your spending with your values instead of just being sacrifices.
Most people underestimate the importance of money mindset and getting at their core values. It’s everything. If your goal is FI, then you need to understand why that goal more aligns to your values than all these other things that can be bought with money.
I reached FI 3 years ago, and now I am a financial coach. If you PM me your email address, I would be happy to share the spending spreadsheet I created that got me to FI. It’s not fancy, just effective. It jazzes me up to see people taking control of their financial situations, and I love offering whatever I can to help.