I know. This is not going to be OK to admit. But this semester and summer is the first time that I have actually done a detailed spreadsheet of where my money is going every month. And let me tell you, the first month, I was appalled. How in the world did I spend so much money at CVS? Why did I need to buy clothes on 4 separate occasions? Is there any hope for me learning how to not spend an insane amount of money in Starbucks?

Tracking where my money is going has not only helped me to see what I am spending money on, but why I am spending money on it. Are you spending money because you are stressed? Are you spending money when something exciting happens and you want to treat yourself? Are you just spending money because it is a Tuesday and you feel like it?

God says where your treasure is your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). I knew Starbucks had my heart, but seeing it manifested in my bank account is scary. I realized I was leaving out my tithe. I realized I was spending a lot of money on things that just left me feeling incomplete. I also realized that if I stop spending so much money on “things” I can spend more money on experiences. This does not mean that I will not be spending any more money at Starbucks and it certainly doesn’t mean that I am done spending money on material things, but it does mean that I will be taking a closer look at the things I buy and how much actual gratification they will give me.