⚡ Expense logging with Telegram and Google Sheets
⚡ 769 views · ⚡ Personal Productivity
Description
Weekly Summaries and Budget Alerts
Who’s it for
This workflow is perfect for individuals who want a simple expense tracker without needing a full app. If you already use Telegram daily, this makes it effortless to log purchases, track spending, and stay accountable to your budget.
How it works / What it does
- Send an expense in Telegram using the format /spent 5 lunch.
- n8n parses the message and appends the entry to Google Sheets.
- Every Sunday at 11:00, the workflow sends a weekly expense summary to Telegram.
- If you exceed your weekly budget (default €100), you’ll instantly get a budget warning alert.
- Optionally, the sheet can be cleared weekly to start fresh.
How to set up
- Create a Telegram bot with BotFather, copy the token, and get your Chat ID via getUpdates.
- Make a copy of the provided Google Sheets template and connect your Google credentials in n8n.
- Replace <YOUR_CHAT_ID> and <YOUR_SHEET_ID> placeholders in the workflow.
- Adjust the budget threshold in the “Check Weekly Budget” node if needed.
- Activate the workflow and test with a sample expense. Requirements
What to do
- A Telegram bot (free, via BotFather).
- Google Sheets with n8n OAuth2 credentials.
- An n8n instance (self-hosted or cloud). How to customize the workflow
- Change the budget threshold in the Code node.
- Update the summary schedule in the Schedule Trigger node.
- Expand the Google Sheet with more categories or details.
- Personalize the Telegram messages to fit your style.
🔗 Nodes Used
Google Sheets, Telegram, Telegram Trigger, Schedule Trigger
📥 Import
Download workflow.json and import into n8n:
Workflow menu → Import from File