Track Spending For A Week
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t make me….. pleeeeeeease.
It’s going to be ok. Almost everyone agrees tracking spending is tedious. You do not need to track every expense for the rest of your life, however tracking every expense for a week can be eye-opening. If you have ever gotten to the end of the month and wondered “Where did all my money go?” , then tracking your spending for a week (or a month if you are ambitious) will answer that perpetual question.
You can track your spending on a notepad, OR you can try an online tool. There are free options, you can try out a free month of You Need a Budget (YNAB). You need to subscribe so if you don’t like YNAB, remember to cancel before your free month ends.
If you are feeling ambitious, create the first draft of your Conscious Spending Plan (aka budget). Have fun and be creative. Your plan should use money to make your life both secure and rewarding.