Appreciation post: I finally tracked my cash spending for a month and it was a shock

I never knew where my cash went, just that my wallet was always empty. So for the whole month of April, I made myself write down every single cash purchase in a little notebook. Coffee, parking, snacks, everything. I added it up yesterday and it was $287. I was sure it was maybe $150. Seeing that number made me stop and think. I realized my $4 coffee habit three times a week was over $50 a month just by itself. Now I make coffee at home most days and put that cash in a jar instead. It feels way better than watching it disappear. Has anyone else done a cash audit and been surprised by a specific category?

2 comments

2 Comments

wood.andrew9d ago

Holy cow, $287! That's a car payment. I did the same thing last year and my "just grabbing lunch" category was the killer. Like $12 here, $15 there. It added up to over $200 without me even noticing.

ryan_kim639d ago

Right there with you, @wood.andrew. My bank statement looks like a graveyard of small decisions I barely remember making. A coffee, a snack, it's death by a thousand cuts. I had to stop buying those convenience store bottles of water, that was my own personal budget leak.