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Why Knowledge Is Power in Divorce page 1
Meet Humanity’s Little Cousins
Money Manipulations page 2
It’s Not You, It’s Overstimulation
Slow Cooker Chili page 3
Where Your Money Goes When You’re Not Paying Attention page 4
STOP LETTING SMALL PURCHASES WIN YOUR BUDGET ISN’T BROKEN, IT’S LEAKING
All of us have been there. After a long day, you realize there’s nothing planned for dinner. A quick stop at the grocery store turns into a larger purchase because you can’t quite remember what’s already at home. Later that evening, you’re relaxing on the couch when an online deal catches your attention. It seems inexpensive enough, so you click “buy now” without giving it much thought. That’s what makes everyday spending so tough to manage. The decision shows up when you are least interested in being disciplined. You aren’t thinking about your monthly budget; you’re thinking about getting through the next hour with a little less hassle. The good news is that getting this type of spending under control is manageable with a little planning. NOTICE THE MOMENTS THAT COST YOU Wrangling your excess spending doesn’t require a detailed spreadsheet listing every purchase. Often, it just requires paying attention. Start by noticing when
you spend money without much thought. For a lot of us, it’s all tied to timing.
create a clear stopping point. Once the money set aside for that category is gone, you’re done until the following week. Getting your spending under control doesn’t mean removing every treat from your life. That usually makes it more challenging to stick to your plan. A better approach is to give yourself some room for fun spending while making the unplanned purchases a little harder to justify.
Maybe takeout becomes the go-to dinner option after long workdays or grocery trips get much more expensive when you shop without a list. Maybe online shopping is the problem. Once you identify the pattern, you can do a few things to make it harder to repeat. TURN AWARENESS INTO BETTER CHOICES The best fixes are usually simple. If shopping without a list keeps costing you, try keeping a running list on your phone. If online purchases are the issue, delete the app or let items sit in the cart for a few days before checking out. A little distance can make something feel less urgent. It also helps to change how you look at the price. A $100 purchase may feel different when you think about how many hours you had to work to pay for it. For flexible spending, cash or a weekly limit can
4 • BrucePA.com
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