# Grocery Receipt Tracker

A database application to track your grocery receipts (PDF/email format) and monitor price evolution over time.

## Overview

This project helps you:
- Import and store your grocery receipts from email attachments or PDF files
- Extract item details and prices from receipt images/PDFs
- Track price changes for the same items across different stores and over time
- Analyze spending patterns and identify price trends
- Compare costs to find the best deals and optimize your shopping habits

## Features

- Import receipts from email attachments or PDF files
- Extract item details and prices using OCR technology
- Store receipt details (date, store, items, prices, total)
- Track price evolution for the same items over time
- Compare prices for the same items across different stores
- Visualize price changes with charts and graphs
- Generate reports on spending patterns and savings opportunities

## Storage Options

When storing your grocery receipt data, you have several options:

### CSV Files
**Advantages:**
- Simple, human-readable format
- Easy to share and import into other tools (Excel, Google Sheets)
- No database software required
- Good for small datasets

**Disadvantages:**
- No data validation or constraints
- Difficult to query across multiple files
- Performance degrades with large datasets
- No built-in concurrency support
- Not ideal for tracking relationships between data (e.g., items to receipts)

### SQLite Database
**Advantages:**
- Lightweight, serverless database engine
- Single file storage (easy to backup and transfer)
- Supports SQL queries for complex analysis
- ACID compliant for data integrity
- No separate database server required
- Excellent for desktop/local applications

**Disadvantages:**
- Limited concurrent write access
- Not suitable for multi-user web applications
- Database size can grow with large datasets

### PostgreSQL/MySQL Database
**Advantages:**
- Robust, enterprise-grade database systems
- Excellent for multi-user applications
- Advanced querying capabilities
- Strong concurrency support
- Scalable for large datasets

**Disadvantages:**
- Requires separate database server setup
- More complex configuration
- Overkill for personal/local use cases

### Recommendation for This Project
For tracking personal grocery receipts with price comparison features, **SQLite** is the recommended option. It provides the benefits of a proper database (structured queries, data integrity, relationships) while remaining simple to set up and maintain as a single file.

## Getting Started

1. Clone this repository
2. Install dependencies: `pip install -r requirements.txt`
3. Set up the SQLite database: `python manage.py migrate`
4. Start the application: `python manage.py runserver`
5. Import your first receipt by uploading a PDF or forwarding an email receipt

The application will create a `db.sqlite3` file in the project directory to store your receipt data.

## Usage

- Upload your grocery receipts (PDF or email attachments)
- The system will extract item details and prices using OCR
- View your receipt history and price tracking dashboard
- Use the comparison tools to analyze price changes over time
- Export reports for analysis or sharing

## Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please read our contributing guidelines before submitting pull requests.

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.