Spending

Budding/1 min read

Understanding where money goes is the first step to making intentional financial decisions. This page collects spending analyses and insights.

Why Track Spending?

  • Awareness: Hard to change what you don't measure
  • Patterns: Recurring expenses add up faster than one-time purchases
  • Trade-offs: Every dollar spent is a choice about priorities
  • Forecasting: Historical data helps predict future needs

Spending Philosophy

  1. Spend on experiences over things (usually)
  2. Buy quality for frequently-used items
  3. Question subscriptions regularly
  4. Automate savings before spending

Analysis Docs

Categories Worth Watching

Often underestimated:

  • Subscriptions (streaming, SaaS, memberships)
  • Food delivery and eating out
  • Small recurring charges

Often overestimated:

  • One-time purchases
  • Entertainment

Connected notes