Expense Tracker CLI

A simple command-line interface (CLI) application to manage your expenses. The Expense Tracker allows you to add, update, delete, and view your expenses. You can also view a summary of expenses and filter them by month.

Features

• Add Expense: Add an expense with a description and amount.
• Update Expense: Modify the description or amount of an existing expense.
• Delete Expense: Remove an expense by its ID.
• View All Expenses: List all recorded expenses.
• View Expense Summary: Display the total amount spent.
• Filter Expenses by Month: Display the total expenses for a specific month.
• Expense Categories (Optional): Add categories to expenses and filter by category.
• Budget Management (Optional): Set a monthly budget and receive a warning when it is exceeded.
• Export to CSV (Optional): Export the list of expenses to a CSV file.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x installed on your system.
• Basic knowledge of using the terminal or command prompt.

Project URL

https://roadmap.sh/projects/expense-tracker

Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/expense-tracker-cli.git
   cd expense-tracker-cli

2. Run the Script:

   python expense_tracker.py

Usage

Run the application using the terminal or command prompt with the following commands:

• Add an Expense:

  python expense_tracker.py add --description "Lunch" --amount 20

  Output: Expense added successfully (ID: 1)

• List All Expenses:

  python expense_tracker.py list

  Output:

  ID  Date       Description  Amount
  1   2024-08-06 Lunch        $20
  2   2024-08-06 Dinner       $10
  

• Delete an Expense:

  python expense_tracker.py delete --id 1

  Output: Expense deleted successfully

• View Expense Summary:

  python expense_tracker.py summary

  Output: Total expenses: $20

• View Expense Summary for a Specific Month:

  python expense_tracker.py summary --month 8

  Output: Total expenses for August: $20

Optional Features

1. Add Expense Categories: Use the --category flag while adding expenses to assign a category.

2. Set a Monthly Budget: You can set a budget and receive a warning when the budget is exceeded.

3. Export Expenses to CSV: Use the export command to save expenses to a CSV file.

Error Handling

• Handles invalid inputs (e.g., negative amounts).
• Manages non-existent expense IDs.
• Displays helpful error messages for incorrect commands or arguments.

Future Enhancements

• Add a graphical user interface (GUI) for a more user-friendly experience.
• Implement user authentication to store expenses for different users.
• Integrate with online services to sync expenses across multiple devices.

Contributing

Feel free to contribute to the project by submitting pull requests or opening issues.

License

This project is open-source and available under the MIT License.

Acknowledgments

Inspired by various personal finance management tools and CLI applications.