Tracking as financial self-regulation is essential in money management. Extant research has emphasized the importance of budgeting and planning, while the impact of tracking and monitoring is less understood. The current research investigates the role of tracking as self-monitoring behavior in financial self-regulation using user data from a financial app. Results from three studies suggest that tracking is a crucial means to achieve spending control. Study 1 shows that tracking persistence is significantly associated with a reduction in discretionary spending. Study 2A shows that tracking persistence significantly increases the likelihood of budget attainment for users who budget. Study 2B further reveals that people modify their monthly budgets in response to feedback from their spending data. Together, these findings contribute to the literature on mental accounting and self-regulation and provide implications for public policy and financial education.

Accepted Oral Presentation