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PSA: A talk at the library in Boise changed how I track my money
I went to a free talk at the Boise Public Library last month about personal finance basics. The speaker, a local advisor, said 'If you don't write it down, you don't own it,' and showed his simple notebook system. I tried it for two weeks, just writing every coffee and gas fill-up. Seeing it all on paper made me cut my eating out by about $80. Has anyone else tried ditching apps for pen and paper to get a better grip on spending?
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grays131mo ago
I was a total app person for years, swore by them. That "write it down" idea from the library talk got me to try a cheap notebook. My impulse buys dropped almost in half last month, which is wild.
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tessa_murray1d ago
Oh see I'm the complete opposite... digital all the way and my spending actually went down when I switched back to it. @olivia_moore the thing about apps is they're already in my pocket when I'm standing at the checkout staring at some dumb scented candle. Paper works great if you remember to look at it but I lose my notebook like twice a week. Plus apps can auto track spending patterns and send alerts when you're about to blow your budget on takeout again. To each their own I guess but digital gives me way more accountability than a wrinkled list in my glovebox.
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stone.lisa1mo ago
I switched to a paper list too, @grays13, and my grocery bill went down about 30 bucks a week. Something about writing it out makes you really think.
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