In the Everyday Dollar Diaries series, I collect personal journals from real people who have tracked their normal spending habits over seven days, and then publish them here anonymously.
One of the first steps I took to save $1M by age 35 was becoming aware of how I spent my money.
If you ever wonder, "Where does it all go?" then I challenge you to keep your own spending diary for seven days.
You'll be surprised at what you might find.
THE RETIRED LANDLORD
A 61-year-old single female from California. She has two mortgages totaling $764,000, and makes $126,000, which includes Social Security.
Her biggest expenses are a $5,000 monthly payment towards her apartment mortgage, $2,000 towards her house mortgage, $320 a month to insure them, and tithing $300 a month.
All her life she's struggled with money but has recently implemented a life-changing budget. She finally lives within her means, and that makes her feel content and optimistic about her future.
Monday
No spending ... $0.00
Tuesday
I needed ink for my printer & it was on sale ... $27.53
Wednesday
Gasoline ... $46.56
Monthly health care insurance ... $82.36
Thursday
Cigarettes ... $6.93
Friday
No spending ... $0.00
Saturday
Cigarettes ... $6.93
Sunday
Church offering ... $1.00
Cigarettes ... $4.42
Lunch at McDonald's ... $6.78
TOTAL WEEKLY SPENDING: $182.51
This post was excerpted from "The Everyday Dollar Diaries — Part 4," originally published on Mr. Everyday Dollar.
SEE ALSO: Here's how much a tech entrepreneur who earns over $100,000 a year spends in a week
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