This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
The truth comes out once you start tracking
You’d be amazed how much that $5–$10 daily latte costs you monthly.
Subscriptions
You’d be amazed at how much your subscriptions are costing you, and there are so many subscriptions these days. Sometimes I go through mine and wonder how I got signed up for this and why I need it.
Beauty & Self-Care Treatments
A friend of a friend was struggling financially and asked for money. My friend gave it to them, but the next thing you know, they were getting their nails done.
Eyelashes, nails, massages, and other beauty treatments quickly add up. It can easily cost a person over a hundred dollars to get their nails done with a basic style.
Self-care treatments are great, but you should do your own treatments if you’re unable to meet your other financial obligations without going into debt.
Also, never go into debt for a self-care or beauty treatment; it’s not worth it. If you have to choose between rent, your car payment, groceries, and a self-care treatment, please don’t choose the self-care treatment.
Dining Out
Eating out is the most common form of throwing away money, and it’s really easy to increase your dining out expenses if you get your meals delivered.
The service fees, delivery fees, and tips can easily add an extra 10–20 bucks per order, which is fine if your budget can afford it, but can yours?
Recreation & Entertainment
You’d be amazed at how much your entertainment and recreational activities are also costing you on a monthly basis.
I know a couple earning well over six figures, but they were living paycheck to paycheck because of their extracurricular activities.
Car Expenses
If you didn’t pay for your car with cash, you have a car payment, car insurance, and maintenance bills.
These expenses can quickly add to hundreds of dollars and more than a thousand bucks for some.
If this works for your budget and you’re on track with retirement and your other savings goals, then by all means, go for it.
My Budgeting Strategy
I have categories for every little thing on my budget. Recently, I took a break from tracking things meticulously because I’ve spent the last decades doing so, and it felt great.
But now that I’m back budgeting, I’m seriously observing what is coming in and going out.
I desire to be as intentional as possible with how I spend, utilize, and invest my money. And the best way to do this is to follow a budget and use it to track everything to the highest degree.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.