Financial Check-in: Spend, Save & Sustain
The second half of the year begins next week, and for many of us this is where we change gears on our pace and the direction of life we need to take. The same can be said for our finances. Over the last few weeks, I’ve experienced some pivotal changes in my work, it’s required me to start planning ahead financially for the next 3-6 months of this year. Note to self: A mid-year financial check-in should be part of your routine - I highly recommend it! In these moments where we check-in and identify whether we’ve been building better habits or become more aware of financial management, there’s no better time to implement structure to how you handle your finances. A lot of what I’m going to say is going to sound like a no brainer, but if at times you’ve been avoidant like me with a busy mind, this is a gentle way to revisit the topic of money with yourself (and maybe your partner).
what are my day-to-day outgoings?
And breathe… don’t be dramatic like me. Once you take a look at your spending habits month on month, acknowledge where the money has been going and any patterns. The patterns you notice could be unplanned costs, emotional spending (hands up impulse buyers) or changes in bills. Once you’ve made note of how you want to change your spending habits, this is an invitation to reflect on if your spending habits are a true reflection of what you want to spend your money on currently. Do you have unused subscriptions, can you reduce your Deliveroo or Uber spend?Sometimes the smallest changes can have a really positive impact on what you can save over the coming months. Acknowledging what you spend shouldn’t come with shame, but we should take the time to notice where we could make more conscious decisions.
As someone who’s self-employed, I have become meticulous about how I assess my spending, to the point where if I want to buy something that’s not on my budget, I have to compare it to the value of my bills, this may sound unusual but it’s a great way for me to avoid spending reactively. The process of reviewing your finances can be daunting at times, and sadly for some it can bring you personal shame. A couple of months ago, I scheduled a weekly check-in with myself on Sunday evenings to go through weekly spend and budget for the week ahead. I’m thankful to say it’s been going well so far and it’s something I’d like to maintain alongside a monthly review of outgoings to see where adjustments can be made.
Creating Stability for the long-term
Since becoming a homeowner and embracing my 30’s, I crave stability in all areas of my life especially with my finances. Don’t get me wrong, my relationship with saving money is not perfect but the self-awareness that has emerged from the balance of stability has been valuable for me. I don’t seek perfection with saving, but I do look at the importance of financial freedom and making better choices to preserve funds. That may look like embracing making few purchases, yet making them more meaningful.
I’ve accepted recently that it doesn’t matter how much you put aside, but if you can be consistent with creating long-term savings. It’s always great to start somewhere for peace of mind and also for unexpected life moments. In this season, consider what you’re saving for. Are you saving for an emergency fund? Your first home? A relaxing holiday or just building reserve funds. Depending on where you’re at, knowing your saving goal can be more motivating.
For some people, building your savings can feel out of reach currently, but any small steps you make count towards your goals. Whether you use apps for round-up savings or reducing your expenditure as we mentioned above. There’s so many resources so that we approach savings without a huge financial commitment. There’s Moneybox, which has become such a helpful app for investing spare change into stocks and shares. I also signed up at the start of the year for Monzo’s saving challenge, which has been such a great way to save 1p increments daily. When you build better saving habits that work for you, the momentum and money will continue to build.
Building Better Financial Habits
Life can be unpredictable, where your priorities change and also your circumstances, whether that’s your income increasing, welcoming a new family member or anything unexpected. Building sustainable financial habits, makes the implementation of money management more practical and less intimidating in some instances. Some examples of how you can adjust your habits can include checking your direct debits quarterly, reducing how often you take Ubers and plan your time better. I used to be known as the queen of Ubers in my old workplace because I was always rushing to be in places so I know for sure that overtime I’ve saved so much money especially when I think that I only book an Uber when I am going to the airport or if I’m coming home late from the city.
As you start to review how you can build better habits, remember that what might work for you now may look different in a couple of months. Be sure to give yourself room to adapt, reassess and adjust as often as you need. Ask yourself is this a habit that I can maintain and does this support my broader financial goals? Creating sustainable financial habits is not about being super disciplined but understanding above all how you can thrive. Small sustainable practices can make the world of a difference, whether you move funds to a different account for social spending or unsubscribe from unused memberships or platforms - what matters is the impact it leaves you with to make room for better financial decisions or money to save. Consider purchasing a financial planner (Papier have some great options) or a budget template. For some of us it could also look like a regular check-in with your partner or a friend to keep you accountable.
There’s no universal way to how we manage our money, what matters are the changes we’re willing to make and our intentions for each action we take. As we move into the second half of 2025, make this your moment to check-in about your financial wellbeing with gentleness and not pressure. Whether you’re building on what you have, making adjustments or just maintaining - take it one step at a time, that’s more than enough. We don’t have to have it all figured out, but if we can make peace with where we are then we can be thankful that we chose to show up for ourselves in this way. May the rest of this year be fruitful and may we sustain ourselves financially with grace and honesty.
With love,
x
Pause & Reflect
Which financial habits no longer serve me in this season?
