$pent Millennial

I’m sharing my spending from the past week for accountability, transparency, and community.

One of the reasons I do this is because it’s easy to feel like everyone else is out there spending money without a second thought. Social media especially can make it seem like everyone has endless resources, leaving us wondering, How is everyone affording all of this? But we rarely get to see the real, behind-the-scenes of people’s finances.

So, I want to share what I spend within my budget each week. It also gives me a chance to pause, reflect, and be intentional about where my money is going.

For transparency: I live with my boyfriend, and we split costs. My spending tracker only includes my expenses, so things like groceries and bills reflect about half of a two-income household with no kids. I mention this because comparison can be a thief of joy, and I want to be upfront about how my situation may differ from others.

Regardless of varying situations, I do want to share that actively tracking my spending each week and reviewing it within the context of my budget is extremely helpful in staying on track with my financial goals.

This past week, my intentional tracking allowed me to enjoy an iced cold coffee guilt-fee during an early morning work session at a cafe. This is one way tracking and budgeting has actually allowed me to feel freer in my spending.

I will be relying on this as I cut back my budget this upcoming month in order to build a buffer to provide a sense of security in times of uncertainty.