Journal about a Significant Purchase

This week we're going to kick off our Finances for Feminists Financial Bingo Series! Each week we'll highlight one item on the board and I encourage you to play along. By the end of the series you'll have taken concrete action steps towards your financial wellness and feel more empowered and in control of your finances!

We don't often take time to reflect on our spending. But when we do, it can give us useful data and clarity on future decisions. For this week's bingo exercise, think back to a recent significant purchase. It could be anything from a trip you've saved up for months, to a spontaneous purchase. Take a few minutes to journal and reflect on the following questions:

• Did you have any expectations in terms of how this purchase would make you feel? If so, what were they?

  • If you made a splurge purchase, were you hoping to avoid negative feelings?

  • For purchases that you saved for, what were you hoping to feel? 

• Did your feelings after the purchase match your expectations? 

• Did you feel differently immediately after the purchase than you did later? If so, how did your feelings evolve?

• How does this spending align with or misalign with how you identify and your core values? 

  • For instance, saving up to spend money on a girls trip aligns with my identity as a good friend who values and prioritizes her relationships. 

When we look at our spending through a lens of curiosity we can gather data on how money plays a role in our life. With more awareness, we can also shift towards using our money as a tool to help us live the life we want.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! You can shoot me an email at hello@financesforfeminsts.com.