Goal: Build a deep understanding of your spending patterns, uncover hidden leaks, and create a foundation for intentional money management.

Core Method: Categorize spending into Needs, Wants, and Leaks while tracking your average daily spending.

Phase 1 — Awareness & Data Gathering (Weeks 1–3)

Objective: Collect spending data and establish a clear baseline.

Week 1 — Expense Tracking Kickoff

• Track all spending without judgment — every dollar counts.

• Tools: spreadsheet, budgeting app (YNAB, Mint, or Notion), or pen & paper.

• At the end of the week:

  • Record your total weekly spending.

  • Note how you felt before/after purchases.

Worksheet Prompt:

• “What surprised me about my spending this week?”

• “Did I spend differently knowing I was tracking?”

Week 2 — Start Categorizing: Needs vs. Wants vs. Leaks

• Review last week’s expenses and place each item into:

  • Needs → housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, transportation.

  • Wants → dining out, shopping, entertainment, subscriptions.

  • Leaks → impulsive buys, unused subscriptions, regretful spending.

• Calculate:

  • Total Needs Spend

  • Total Wants Spend

  • Total Leaks Spend

Reflection Prompts:

• Which category surprised you most?

• Are your “wants” aligned with your values?

• How much of your “leaks” could’ve gone to savings instead?

Week 3 — Calculate Your Average Daily Spend

• Formula:

• Average Daily Spend = Total Weekly Spend ÷ 7

• Compare across categories:

  • Daily needs cost vs. wants cost vs. leaks cost.

• Begin a Money Dashboard:

  • Weekly totals

  • Daily averages

  • Notes on emotional triggers

Phase 2 — Deep Dive into Spending Patterns (Weeks 4–6)

Objective: Spot trends, triggers, and hidden leaks.

Week 4 — Visualize Your Money

• Create a pie chart showing the % of income spent on:

  • Needs

  • Wants

  • Leaks

• Highlight any imbalances (e.g., leaks > wants).

• Reflect on whether your spending matches your priorities.

Week 5 — Emotion Mapping

• Log why you spent money:

  • Necessity → “I had to pay the bill.”

  • Joy → “I wanted to celebrate.”

  • Stress → “Retail therapy.”

  • Boredom → “I wasn’t even thinking.”

• Track patterns: which emotions trigger the most leaks?

Week 6 — Subscription & Habit Audit

• List all recurring expenses: streaming, apps, memberships.

• Categorize each:

  • Active & Valuable ✅

  • Forgotten/Unused ❌

• Potentially cancel unused ones — but don’t yet. Just build awareness.

Phase 3 — Money Alignment Experiments (Weeks 7–9)

Objective: Test small, optional shifts — still no major restrictions.

Week 7 — Value-Based Spending

• Write your top 3 life priorities (e.g., health, travel, security).

• Compare last month’s spending vs. your priorities.

• Journal on mismatches: “Where am I funding things that don’t matter to me?”

Week 8 — Leak Spotlight Week

• Focus only on one leak area (e.g., impulse shopping, late-night food delivery).

• Log every urge to spend and rate it:

  • 1 = Easy to resist

  • 5 = Overwhelming

• Gain awareness of emotional triggers without forcing behavior change yet.

Week 9 — Needs Optimization

• Review your biggest essential expenses (housing, groceries, utilities).

• Research potential savings:

  • Can you renegotiate bills?

  • Swap brands?

  • Use cash-back or discounts?

• Don’t act yet — just collect insights.

Phase 4 — Integration & Insights (Weeks 10–12)

Objective: Build a personalized Money Map.

Week 10 — Build Your Money Map

• Combine 9 weeks of data into a single Money Mapping Dashboard:

  • % of income to Needs, Wants, Leaks

  • Top triggers for leaks

  • Spending aligned vs. misaligned with priorities

Week 11 — Compare Past vs. Present

• Compare Week 1 vs. Week 10:

  • Has awareness shifted your habits naturally?

  • Are leaks shrinking organically?

• Celebrate small wins, even if unintentional.

Week 12 — Reflection & Future Plan

• Summarize your insights:

  • Top 3 spending triggers

  • Most common leaks

  • Categories you want to prioritize

• Create a personal Money Philosophy to guide future choices.

What You’ll Get

• Weekly Worksheets → for expense tracking, emotional mapping, and dashboards.

• Visual Templates → pie charts, spending maps, and habit trackers.

• Reflection Prompts → to deepen awareness without judgment.