At this point, we hope you we’re able to look thoroughly back to your whole 2018 experience - not just personally or career-wise but more importantly, financially. You may or may have not spent a lot and your bank and wallet are crying after your excessive holiday spend so this time, it’s definitely important that you face your payables and savings head on.

Money shouldn’t be a matter difficult to manage for as long as you know how to keep track of your daily financial movement and end goal. This year, challenge yourself to stop buying things you don’t really need or want. In light of Marie Kondo’s KonMari method, do that for your hard-earned money too. Here are 4 ways:

1. Have a goal.

Just like the messy people in the show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, you should have an end goal. It could be a certain amount of savings, a certain thing you really really really want to have, or maybe even some travel funds - whatever it is, you have to have a goal so you would have motivation to be mindful of your expenses.

2. Before buying anything, check with yourself if it’s a WANT or a NEED.

Now that you have a goal, you need to start applying some adjustments to your usual spending. In shopping for something, do you really NEED that or do you just WANT it? Can you live comfortably everyday without that thing? Do you actually need that for your everyday life? How often would you be using that? Prioritize your REALLY NEEDS than your REALLY WANTS. Really wants can wait. Remember to always save up for a rainy day.

3. Is that thing a REALLY WANT? Hold the product and ask yourself if it sparks joy for you.

Marie Kondo the hell out of your pondo and whatever that thing you really want is. How much is it really worth? Is it worth the price or can you find something similar for a lower price? You may not actually need that thing to survive everyday so think about how many lunches that thing’s price can buy you. Think about how many transportation fares that thing’s price can afford. In the end, think if it sparks joy for you.

4. Take note.

Before and after everything, take note of your expenses. I personally find Evernote to be very useful for this as well as a Google Sheet in my personal drive. If you want to keep it cute and always be excited to log on your moolah movement, you can use a cute notebook or use a dedicated budget book. Check out this Girls Just Wanna Have Funds Budget Book from Cool Girls Club!

Make sure you jot down your constant monthly expenses if you have any, get its total, and check it back to back with your spendable money so you’d know how much you can just spend and how much you can possibly or want to save.