Where did my paycheck go?
How many times have you asked yourself this question? With sky-rocketing prices, probably a lot.
We need money to live, but God desires us to have plenty of it to bless His Kingdom and to alleviate stress.
Unfortunately, it is easy to pick up some poor spending habits without realizing it. They create stress. They steal our peace in our minds and homes.
Grateful for a dad who taught me to budget well, I managed to avoid some of these, but not all.
We can break free, allowing improved money management. Headaches will disappear, arguments will hardly exist, we’ll get better sleep, and life will be so fun we might learn to fly without wings.
Ready to destroy?
Awareness is the first step to gaining peace and reducing stress in your life.
What are the small expenses silently nibbling our money away without our noticing until it has disappeared?
At first glance, these habits might seem normal to you, or even essential. Pay close attention.
Destructive Money Habits
- Falling for Retailer’s Tricks
- Falling into Temptations
- Ignoring What’s in the Pantry
- Not Tracking Prices
- Not Comparing Prices
- Neglecting to Review Service Providers
- Underestimating Expenses or Costs
Falling for Retailer’s Tricks
Ever walk into a store for a little and come out with gobs? Yikes!
Retailers purposefully fill end caps with tempting items YOU NEED. They sprinkle eye-catching sales that are too good to be true, making it hard to resist. Drains your pocketbook one item at a time.
Retailers offer Trendy items, banking on you wanting to fit-in or have status. But trendy items are usually expensive and lose appeal quickly.
TRY THIS!
- Create, and stick to, a shopping list
- buy what you truly value instead of what’s “in” at the moment
- Ignore above traps
Falling into Temptations
Do you know Justin Case – you know, “Just-incase”?
Most of the time, “someday” never comes. Even buying ahead for possible church events and Secret Sisters don’t manifest but drains the ‘ole pocketbook.
I fall into this temptation. Shopping isn’t easy for me with blindness so I believe we should grab it ahead, fearing we won’t find it when we need it. We never can then either or have to buy it again. Ugh!
Another temptation is having a rough day and deciding to treat yourself to extra food, clothes, or jewelry. This emotional spending therapy feels good in the moment but doesn’t when you notice you’ve spent more than planned.
Ouch! Preaching to myself here.
TRY THIS!
- Stick to what you need now, not what you think you’ll need later.
- Recognize emotional triggers when feeling down and state them aloud
Ignoring What’s in the Pantry
How many people grocery shop without looking in the pantry, freezer, or refrigerator?
Doing so without taking inventory first is money wasted.
Taking inventory saved my family when an injury caused my husband to change careers. Making meals by buying food to complete what was on hand let us eat with a smile on our face.
This also prevents tossing expired items later to the trash or the chickens. Yay!
TRY THIS!
- Keep a running list on the fridge of items you run out of
- Plan meals containing most of the items you already have
- Combine with sales flyers or coupons and stretch your dollars even more
Not Tracking Prices
If you don’t know where your money’s going, it’ll disappear without a trace.
I was shocked in college at how much went to vending machines, fees to organizations, and other miscellaneous items. How many times did I forget how much I spent on school pictures and activities for children.
It adds up.
Untracked climbing credit card balances or other surprises might give you a heart attack.
TRY THIS!
- For an overview, use a budget tool or a notebook to identify and fix bad habits
Not Comparing Prices
One-click purchases, and convenient stores are convenient for a reason. Skipping price comparisons saves time, but costs money. Grabbing the first deal means possibly missing out on discounts, promo codes, or sales elsewhere.
I’m better at this in stores than online.
TRY THIS!
- pause before selecting or hitting “buy”.
Neglecting to Review Service Providers
I can’t count the times I found hidden phone or utility charges on a bill, let alone insurance increases that slipped by.
What about internet, cable, cell phone plans, and subscriptions free for first ninety days?
What I could do with that money now!
TRY THIS!
- read and familiarize yourself with monthly bills – details matter
- review service plans and shop around
- renegotiate rates or switch to cost-effective providers.
Underestimating Expenses or Costs
How often have you forgotten to include taxes with your purchases? What about those pesky yearly fees for services?
Oops – overdrawn again!
TRY THIS!
- be realistic about the numbers when planning and budgeting
- include all fees and taxes
- using cash or debit grounds you in reality and helps you stick to your budget
The sneaky devil is a thief. He’s happy when we develop bad spending habits, so he makes it easy for us to slip into
Take back what he has stolen by paying better attention to where your money goes and implementing the ideas just learned!
Awareness is power, change is our sword!
Small shifts lead to more peace in your heart, and increased dollars.
If you want more help with money management, check out my Resilient Mentoring Services and get a free consultation here.
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© 2026, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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