QUESTION: My spending has felt a little out of control lately. How can I give my budget a realistic reset without overwhelming myself?
ANSWER:
There’s something powerful about the feeling of a fresh start — a clean calendar, a clean slate, and hopefully, a cleaner financial picture. While a full financial overhaul might feel overwhelming, it’s also often not necessary. You don’t need to spend hours staring at spreadsheets and receipts. A simple, honest 30-minute reset is often all it takes to get your budget back on track.
Think of this time as the financial equivalent of a dental check-up. Have you ever been to the dentist and been told you have a cavity? No one likes getting bad news, and being told to cut back on sugar intake, floss more, and improve your overall dental health can be a hard pill to swallow… But it’s important to take an honest and objective look at what you could do better — making small changes can have lifelong positive results.
The same things can be said of your financial health. Although the routine exercise of checking up on your personal finances may conjure up some difficult emotions — perhaps you already suspect that you’re spending too much money on take-out or even groceries (those runs to the store for a single item can get wildly out of hand) — but you don’t want to face these issues head-on. Thankfully, it can be relatively painless to identify your small financial “cavities” that need work, and get back on a budget that can help get you to a healthier place, ASAP.
Here’s your quick, 30-minute plan to reset your spending.
1. Track Your Expenses (Even Just One Month)
A reset always starts with clarity. Gather as much information on your current and past spending habits as you possibly can. This is easier than you may think — take a look through your recent bank and credit card statements, or even pull out your checkbook, if you’re a check-writer. Focus on three things: What’s coming in, what’s going out, and where it’s going.
For example, put all your spending transactions into a spreadsheet and categorize them. You might have categories like “dining out,” “entertainment,” or even “impulse buys.” Go with whatever makes sense to you. (And if a DIY spreadsheet isn’t your thing, there are countless budgeting apps that come highly recommended.)
At first, it may feel a little tedious, but the more information you document and categorize, the better you’ll understand the overall picture of where your money is going. That allows you to take back your power and instead funnel your money where you want it to go — in places that line up with your values.
2. Hunt Down Forgotten Subscriptions
This is the quickest win in any reset. These days, apps and other streaming services make it really easy to sign up for what’s initially a “free trial,” but then quickly becomes a recurring (and often expensive) monthly charge. We’ve all fallen prey to the “first 30 days free” trick, so don’t feel bad.
Make it a goal to look at your monthly subscriptions every few months and make sure these services are still valuable to you. Pro Tip: If you’re worried you might forget to check, set up a calendar reminder for the day before your next free trial is due to expire.
3. Get Your Credit Card Debt Under Control
High-interest debt is one thing you do NOT want to carry with you. Those interest charges add up fast, especially with some credit cards charging more than 25% interest — think of what you could do with that extra money every year if it was going straight into your pocket instead of to your credit card company.
There are two popular ways to tackle credit card debt head-on:
- The snowball method: pay off the smallest balance first. This way you rack up a “win” quicker and can celebrate sooner! This may motivate you to keep going.
- The avalanche method: focus on paying down the highest interest rate. With this option, you stand to save the most money over time, but depending on the size of your balance, it may take you longer to see light at the end of the tunnel.
No strategy is “wrong” — what matters is choosing one and sticking with it.
4. Get Out Of Your Spending Ruts
Even if you’ve been budgeting for years, this is the perfect time to shake off habits that no longer serve you. Without realizing it, you may have fallen into some “spending ruts,” continuing to buy things that no longer really give you joy.
Maybe it’s a rideshare when public transport is easily accessible — or you could even walk when the weather is good. Maybe it’s succumbing to the email sale pitches that land in your inbox (once every six months or so, go through those lists and unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe). Try taking a break from these everyday or weekly expenses… If you really miss them, you can always bring them back. If not? Consider it an effortless way to cut back.
5. Revisit Your Savings Plan
If you’ve been saving regularly, amazing — keep the momentum going! In fact, think about setting aside an additional percentage, particularly if you’ve recently gotten a raise. Because the sooner you put more money away, the more time it has to grow.
Likewise, if you’ve been meaning to automate transfers into savings, retirement accounts, or your emergency fund, this is the perfect time to set that up. Even small amounts can really add up over time. What matters most is that you’re committing to doing more. And if your employer offers the option of increasing your savings by a percentage point or two each year? Say yes!
6. Check In on Your Future Goals
Finally, no reset would be complete without making sure your current lifestyle is aligned with your future goals. Are you hoping to buy a house in the next couple of years? Do you have an early retirement on your radar? Is there a new baby on the horizon? Make sure that you’re prioritizing “future you” in the present moment.
In other words: What steps can the current version of you take in order to make sure that the future version of you is set up for success?
Final Word
Yes, a fresh start is a great time for a financial check-up, but ideally it should be something that you do regularly. The beauty of a 30-minute reset is that you can repeat it anytime — at the start of a new season, when life shifts, or whenever your spending habits start to drift.
You got this — now and for a lifetime!
