You know the saying “put your money where your mouth is”?
This is exactly it.
Like going on vacations? Save your money for them by cutting out other unnecessary expenses.
Hate paying student loans or debt? Save as much as possible and clear it ASAP.
Enjoy eating? Spend more of your budget on nicer food, but cut your budget elsewhere.
Hate paying bank fees? Stop being lazy and walk the extra 3 blocks to your bank’s ATM.
It’s pretty easy to figure out where people prioritize activities, by looking at where they spend their money, so the next time you do a review of your expenses for an entire year, keep in mind that the top 5 categories of where you spend your money on, are what you prioritize in life.
Take for instance, my 2012 budget roundup, my top 10 expenses for the year were (in order):
- Rent: $11,385.23
- Wardrobe: $9552.13 — Err.. I’ve already instituted measures to cut down!
- Travel: $7083.48
- Groceries: $3697.15
- Work: $2423.75
- Household: $2189.37 — This included household equipment like pots and pans
- Toiletries/Makeup: $1890.67 — OUCH! I’m also on a ban for these items
- Miscellaneous: $1552.75 — NO IDEA what this was, hence why I have more categories
- Transportation: $1446.93
- Medical: $1137.45 — Includes health insurance and seeing the dentist
As you can see, I’m vain (wardrobe & toiletries/makeup), always traveling somewhere (due to the nature of my job), and constantly stuffing my face with homemade food.
O_o
Anyway, this is a good exercise to go through to understand where your money priorities lie.
DO YOU DO SOMETHING SIMILAR?
Ati Aziz
This is a handy exercise. I quickly tally my top 5 expenses this year so far:
1. Rent
2. Groceries & Eating Out
3. Family
4. Pets
5. Travel
Towards the end of the year I know books should wedge itself somewhere there… 🙂 But I’m happy to see these are all essential items/things that are important to me.
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
Mine always ends up being with Clothing…
Tammy R
Oh, Mochimac! I just told CJ, “We’re doing this on the weekend!” although I’m frightened and excited about how low travel is on the list because that is our final frontier – get out and see the world before we’re dead.
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
I suggest you do it ASAP! Traveling is one of the best things I’ve ever done. You don’t even need a ton of money to stay in hostels or go to places like Vietnam.
Ree Klein
Ah, love the post, Mochimac! I track all my spending down to the penny. I do, however, also have a misc category for those pennies that I forgot to jot down where they went. That happens less and less because I’m pretty good at pulling out my pad and writing it down as it gets spent.
I don’t feel embarrassed any more when I do that because I don’t give a rip if people think I’m silly for doing it. I’m pretty sure that I have more saved than they do so who cares?!?!?!
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
I have my iPod Touch handy for all notes on spending although when I am on vacation it becomes a big blur from a bucket of cash.
cj
Excellent, M! This is more than possible if people would realize it is no one else’s damn business how they spend their money. I am all for do as you please and spend how you like. The world would be a happier and better place with more pleasant people if we could have this attitude. Let us stop crying with the saints and laugh more with the sinners;)
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
Happiness is certainly a state of mind. You can choose to be happy or sad, your choice!
Daisy @ Add Vodka
I’m a bit of a homebody and love just hanging out at home (all of my hobbies are home-based) so I spend a bit more on my house than some might.
saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
I don’t mind being a home a lot because I rarely enjoy goin out at night. I sleep pretty early but I do like to go walk around downtown or get out for a walk daily.