How to track spending across several bank accounts in Romania
People in Romania with accounts at several banks usually track spending in one of three ways: opening each bank’s app in turn, copying statements into a spreadsheet, or using an app that reads all accounts through open banking (PSD2). The third way gives one total and one list of transactions. AuraInsights is one such app for Romanian banks.
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Three ways to keep track
| Method | Time each month | What you do not see | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Each bank’s app | You open each app in turn, every time you want an overview | No total and no shared list; cash is missing | Usually included with the bank account |
| A spreadsheet | You copy or type transactions every few days or once a month | Only what you copied; easy to forget | No fee, but it costs time |
| An app that reads the accounts | You approve access once and renew it periodically, at most every 180 days | Accounts at a bank the app does not cover; you may pay for sync | Depends on the app |
None is right for everyone. What matters is a method you can keep up every week.
How account aggregation works
Bank account aggregation in Romania works through PSD2 open banking. You pick your bank in the app, log in on the bank’s own page and approve read-only access. A licensed account-information provider then passes balances and transactions to the app. Nothing can be paid or moved, and each bank asks you to renew consent, at most every 180 days. The list of banks and the steps are on the banks page.
An example
An example with round, invented numbers. Ana receives 6,000 lei a month at bank A, pays by card from bank B and keeps 400 lei in cash. In one month she spends 2,500 lei from bank A, 1,500 lei from bank B and 300 lei in cash.
- The banks’ apps: she sees 2,500 lei in one app and 1,500 lei in the other. Cash appears nowhere; she works out the 4,300 lei total herself.
- The spreadsheet: she types the three amounts and adds them. The total is right only if she forgets no payment.
- An app that reads the accounts: it shows both accounts and the cash in one total of 4,300 lei, with transactions sorted into categories.
Common mistakes
- Transfers between your own accounts are counted as spending.
- Cash is forgotten, although it is the hardest part to reconstruct.
- Two currencies are added without conversion: lei and euros do not add up directly.
- Checking once a quarter; a short weekly look is worth more.
What to choose
With one account and little cash, the bank’s app is enough. With accounts at several banks, a spreadsheet works as long as you keep it up; an app saves the copying. If you decide on an app, see the comparison of apps that work with Romanian banks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see all my bank accounts in one place?
Either you collect them yourself in a spreadsheet, or you use an app that reads them through open banking. In the second case you choose your bank, log in there and approve read-only access. See how to connect a bank.
Is it safe to connect my account to an app?
Access is read-only: the app sees balances and transactions and cannot make payments. You log in on your bank’s own page, and the connection runs through a licensed provider under PSD2. Details on the security page.
Can I track cash too?
Yes. In a spreadsheet you note cash yourself; in an app you put it in a cash wallet, by hand or from a scanned receipt.
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General information, not financial advice.