$pent Millennial

We have all seen the memes about how it costs $200 to leave the house these days. That is how I felt recording my spending tracking this week. 

$30 to gas, $20 to work, another $10 here and $20 there found me wracking it up to $100+ – and in a week where I felt like I hadn’t been spending all that much! 

Honestly, that is one reason I find it important to do my weekly tracking on Saturday mornings. It grounds me in what I have spent already and touch base with my budget and spending categories to see where I am at before I head out or make plans for the weekend. I find it helps me be mindful and intentional in my spending. 

Through intentional spending and diligent tracking, I have been able to meet financial goals and have gotten to a place where I have been able to add a “Guilt-Free” spending category into my budget. This category allows me to loosen up the purse strings to spend on fun and convenience without worrying about it. 

Here are 4 things I spent money on guilt-free this past week- and the values they connect me to. 

1. $0.36 Bananas for Lunch 

I have never been someone who bought lunch out at work. I never had the money for the food pick-up run, and frankly, I knew I wouldn’t fully appreciate it while hunched over my desk on a “working lunch”, so I have never spent money on work lunches. However, my new office is across the street from a grocery store. So, now I am able to stop in and pick up some fresh items to go with whatever I pack for the day – usually tuna salad with crackers or a wrap packed at home. 

This guilt-free spending each week speaks to my value of fresh food and a focus on being intentional with my health and wellness. 

I enjoy being able to stop in and pick up something fresh to go with my packed lunch. This guilt-free spending helps me prioritize my health and wellness by giving me something to look forward to and an excuse to get out of the office, even for a few minutes, at lunch- giving me a much-appreciated brain break and reset. 

2. Coffee Chat with a Friend 

The second guilt-free item I spent money on this week was a coffee chat meet-up with a friend and old co-worker from my past job. We got drinks and caught up before work. I enjoyed my first iced chai latte of the season while we talked about life, work, and the debate. 

This guilt-free spending from this week speaks to my value for connection. Since I have started making most of my coffee at home, my favorite way to spend money on coffee or drinks out is to do so when connecting with others. 

3. Doggo Safety Sticker 

This week I ordered a door sticker for my apartment that tells neighbors and the fire department that my dog is in the apartment in case of emergency and we are not home. 

This was a $10 sticker bought through the Humane Society (so, money well-spent all around). The value it speaks to for me is security and safety. 

Over the past few years, I experienced increased anxiety due to a variety of life situations. The stress resulted in anxiety in various areas, but one of these areas was worrying about what would happen in an emergency- especially if my doggo was home alone. This door sticker helps me to have less worry about that and is one small thing I can do to take a small bit of control over unknown and unexpected situations if they occur. 

4. Fun Trail Mix Treat

Yesterday I needed to get cash back for laundry. This was an excuse to buy something at Target to get cash back. I used the opportunity to get some tasty cookie dough and s’mores trail mix for my partner and me to enjoy. 

The value this speaks to is fun! It is fun to come home and present the treat to my partner and we have fun enjoying it as a special treat we don’t eat every day. We have always been good at finding small, inexpensive ways to have fun and bring fun into our life. It has been nice to add a bit more money and room into our fun budget category.

Tracking my spending every week has shown me that not every dollar has to go toward necessities. By paying attention to my spending and being intentional with my budget, I’ve been able to carve out room for guilt-free purchases—giving me more freedom with my money, not less. These little indulgences, like a fresh lunch, coffee with a friend, peace of mind for my dog, or a fun snack with my partner, remind me that I can enjoy life while staying true to my financial goals. It’s through mindful spending and budgeting that I’ve found a balance between being responsible and allowing myself to fully enjoy the moments that matter most.