Too often, we spend money without thinking about how much we are truly spending. Last night, I thought about the future and how I want to be prepared. Having two growing children is becoming expensive. Now, I am wondering just how expensive it is on paper.
It's time to do my homework on my family's finances. How will I achieve this? Well, my mom gave me some advice when I moved out. She told me to print all my bank statements from the past 90 days and separate everything into its own expense tab. This will reveal how much it costs to afford myself.
Did I do it? Yes. Did I change my spending habits? No. The process was long and tedious, so I didn't finish it. I completed one month and didn't look back—until now. She gave me this information in 2019. It is now 2024, and I have to do three times the work.
Today, I will create a template for expenses. I will start with just the current expenses. Then, I will create one for the future, which will include savings and future expenses.
