12/27/2025
Instead of guessing where your money goes, do this first:
Track every expense for one full month. Not “I could check it if I wanted to,” but actually write it down. Use an app—or if apps feel overwhelming or usafe, message me and I’ll share a simple Excel spreadsheet.
Things to look for:
1. apps and subscriptions you don’t use (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.)
2. designer purchases that add up quietly
3. bottled water (switch to reusable glass bottles and keep them around)
4. daily coffee or matcha runs at about $7 a day, which adds up to roughly $2,000 a year
5. eating out when eating at home would be healthier and cheaper
6. premium gas when your car doesn’t require it
7. gym memberships you don’t use (cancel them and move outside or on your living room carpet)
In February, use your historical January data to build a budget that reflects how you actually live, not how you wish you did. Keep on tracking expenses.
And one rule that changes everything:
Save first. Spend second.
Small, unglamorous decisions made consistently create freedom.
Discipline IS freedom.
