Financial wellness 101 has been kicking my ass for the last three years straight and I’m finally ready to admit it out loud while sitting here in my tiny Faridabad-adjacent-feeling apartment in spirit (even though I’m channeling full chaotic American energy right now).

Like, seriously—I used to think “taking control of your money” was something influencers with perfect white kitchens and $14 matcha did. Meanwhile I’m over here in 2025–2026 watching DoorDash charge me $9.99 for delivery fees on a $6 coffee because I couldn’t walk 0.4 miles at 2:17 a.m. That’s not financial control, that’s financial self-sabotage with extra whipped cream.

Why I Sucked at Money Management (Very Embarrassing Edition)

Three winters ago I genuinely believed my credit card was “just a temporary bridge” until payday. Spoiler: the bridge collapsed and I owed $4,872.19 at 29.99% APR. I still remember the exact moment—the notification buzzed while I was eating cold pizza on my couch that smelled like regret and Febreze. My stomach dropped harder than my account balance.

I tried the “ignore it and it’ll go away” strategy. Newsflash: debt has excellent object permanence.

So yeah… financial wellness 101 started for me when the friendly robot voice at my bank said “We’re sorry, but you cannot withdraw funds at this time due to insufficient funds.” I laughed. Then I cried in my car in the Wendy’s parking lot. Real glamorous.

Cracked piggy bank on mortgage papers at dusk sunrise
Cracked piggy bank on mortgage papers at dusk sunrise

What Actually Started to Move the Needle (Spoiler: It Wasn’t a Fancy App at First)

I wish I could tell you I read “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and instantly became a real estate mogul. Nah. I started by literally writing every expense on the back of a receipt for 30 days because my budgeting apps felt too judgy.

Here’s the messy list of things I tracked in January 2025 that made me want to disappear:

  • $42 on “miscellaneous snacks” (aka emotional support Takis)
  • $119 on “one-time clothing purchase” (I still haven’t worn the jacket)
  • $8.47 on Spotify even though I have 412 downloaded songs

Seeing it all written in my awful handwriting forced me to face the music. No filter. No pretty pie chart. Just ugly truth.

After that disaster month I finally opened YNAB (You Need A Budget) — not sponsored, I just genuinely think their philosophy of giving every dollar a job before you spend it is brutally honest in the best way.

I also forced myself to read The Financial Diet blog and cried happy tears when I realized other people were also eating cereal for dinner so they could pay rent.

Messy Excel spreadsheet with red costs and sticky note
Messy Excel spreadsheet with red costs and sticky note

My Current (Still Imperfect) Money Rules in 2026

These are the ones that stuck—even when I hate them:

  1. The 24-hour revenge spending rule → if I want something that’s not food/shelter/medicine, I wait 24 hours. 70% of the time the urge dies.
  2. $1,000 emergency fund first → not the sexy “six months of expenses” goal. Just $1,000. Once I hit it I felt like I could breathe for the first time since college.
  3. No more “small” subscriptions autopilot → I literally canceled 7 things last month that added up to $68. Ridiculous.
  4. One “fun money” category every month → $50–100 that I can blow guilt-free. Turns out I’m way less likely to impulse buy when I already have permission to be dumb once in a while.

The Part Where It Still Goes Wrong Sometimes

Last week I Venmo’d $75 for “group dinner” and then panic-bought $62 worth of vintage band tees on Depop at 1:03 a.m. because I felt poor and wanted to feel cool.

So yeah… financial wellness 101 is not a straight line. It’s more like a drunk toddler trying to walk a tightrope.

But I’m still walking. And the toddler is getting slightly less drunk.

If you’re sitting there reading this thinking “same” or “worse” or “somewhere in between,” just start. Write down one number—your current checking account balance. That’s it. That’s financial wellness step 1 today.

Loan Estimates scattered on bed with angry red notes
Loan Estimates scattered on bed with angry red notes

You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to stop pretending everything is fine when the receipts are screaming otherwise.

Anyway… I’m gonna go transfer $20 to savings right now before I convince myself that new coffee creamer flavor is a necessity.

What’s one tiny money move you’re willing to make this week? Drop it below (or just think it quietly to yourself if that feels safer). I’ll be proud of you either way.

Talk soon, me (still figuring it out, still broke-ish, still trying)

Thanks for reading my financial hot mess. If any of this resonated, maybe check out these two resources that helped drag me out of the pit: → https://www.ynab.com/ → https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ (government site with actually useful free tools)

Love you, mean it, now go look at your bank app. 💖

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