When I first started to become financially independent, I didn’t feel free at all.
If anything, I felt overwhelmed.
I wanted money, and to me the best way to have money was simple to me: keep it when I got it. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t seem to keep track of it without getting stressed. I hated the feeling of not knowing where my money was going, it made me anxious, like I was slowly losing control of something I worked hard for.
My First Attempt at Tracking
My first solution was to write everything down.
Every purchase, every dollar spent, I’d type it out in my Notes app with the amount next to it.
At first, it kind of worked. Then I started adding more:
- My subscriptions
- My income
- Money I was owed or owed to others
And then came my credit card… and the tracking got even more complicated.
What started as a small daily habit turned into a tangled, unfinished mess. Notes sat un-updated. Numbers didn’t match. And instead of helping, my “system” just added another layer of stress to my already anxious brain.
Why It Wasn’t Working
The problem wasn’t that I didn’t want to budget, I just didn’t have a system that worked for me.
Manual tracking was a chore.
If I missed a few days, catching up felt impossible.
And with my OCD, I needed something that was not only accurate but also clean, consistent, and easy to understand at a glance.
I needed more than just notes.
I needed organization.
The Shift That Changed Everything
That’s when I decided to build my own Monthly Budgeting Template.
It’s automated, visual, and so much easier to use. Now, I can instantly see:
- How much I’ve spent in any custom category
- My total income for the month
- My recurring expenses
- A graph comparing my budget to what I actually spent
For the first time since becoming financially independent, I feel at peace with my money. My financial anxiety has all but disappeared.
Why I Share It
I designed this template so it can be copied, altered, and personalized by anyone who needs it.
Because I know what it’s like to feel anxious about money. I know what it’s like to want to be organized but not know where to start. And I know the relief of finally having a tool that makes it easy.
You don’t need to have every number memorized.
You don’t need to stress over keeping up with messy notes.
You just need a system that works for you.
This is mine. And it can be yours, too: → Monthly Budgeting Template.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this process, it’s that financial peace doesn’t come from having the “perfect” budget or never making a mistake, it comes from being able to see where you can improve.
When you can clearly see where your money is going, you take back control. The weight of uncertainty lifts, and money becomes a tool instead of a source of anxiety.
Sometimes, the right structure is all you need to finally breathe easier, and start building the future you’ve been picturing.