Plug Money Leaks or Get a Side Hustle?
Baking is a skill that I'm still learning at 40. I can't bake for crap. My cookies come out burnt - like, truly "Pinterest Fail"-level burnt. But I love the way my house smells when I bake and I love surprising people with homemade sweets. Genuine homemade treats made from scratch - not pre-made dough in a tube that I "made in my home so it's homemade". It wasn't until I started reading online baking forums that I realized how much of a difference room temperature butter makes compared to I'll-just-microwave-this-last-minute butter. Little details really do change the outcome.
Like baking, money management is a skill. Ironically, even though money is such a big part of daily life, most of us never learned about smart money management in school or even from our parents. Learning any new skill can be tough and uncomfortable, and money is no exception. Maybe that’s why it’s not taught much. Being honest with myself about my finances, without judgment, is really hard!
If I ever feel like there’s more month than money at the end of the month, I remind myself I’m not alone. It’s easy to think the answer is picking up a second job or working extra hours. But I challenge that idea. Effective money management is more about how I use what I have than how much I make. Read that again. Reflecting on my spending habits is a powerful way to take charge of my finances, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. That’s how I find my own money leaks.
A money leak is money I don’t realize I’m spending that slowly drains my finances over time. For example, I take advantage of auto-payments—they’re great for keeping the A/C on without late fees. But auto-pay can also make it easy to forget what I’m actually paying for. Do I really watch all those streaming services? Am I still paying for a gym I haven’t visited in ages? And those free trials that quietly turned into paid plans? I’ve definitely been there.
Fixing my money leaks lets me redirect those funds toward what matters most. Through self-reflection, I often discover I don’t actually need a second job or more overtime—just a bit more intention with where my money is going.
