This all started on our first wedding anniversary where we decided that every year we'd set goals for the following year. One of our goals for last year was to start tracking our money spent and start managing to a budget.
So for the last year I've been tracking all of the money that come in, goes out, and is saved in a giant excel spreadsheet with formulas. Every. Single. Dollar. Yes, it was tough, but so worth it!
Now today marks one year of finance tracking and budget management! To celebrate I ran some "analytics" of our year of spending to share with the Mr.

I always think it's interesting and helpful to understand how people spend their money, so I wanted to share some "fun facts" from my personal financial analysis with you all:
- We spent 45% of our take home income* on our mortgage, HOA dues, insurance, property tax, utilities such as lights, internet, etc. (Yup, home ownership in California is expensive!)
- We spent 12% of our take home income on food and drinks (including eating out and groceries/wine)
- We spent 10% of take home income on traveling (much of that was the Europe Trip)
- We only saved 5% of our take home income this year (one of this year's goals is to improve that next year!)
- The biggest single purchases of the year were plane tickets to Europe, the kitchen backsplash, the new Stearns and Foster mattress, the Mr's snowboard, USC Football Season Tickets, the iPad, and the new kitchen lighting.
- In a year we made 13 trips to Costco, averaging $217.52 per trip.
- In a year we made 35 trips to Fresh & Easy, averaging $20.63 per trip.
- The restaurant that I most frequented this year was Speciality's. I went 20 times this year! That's because it's right by my client's office in Northern California.
- Other restaurants that we frequent are Subway, Starbucks, Pinkberry, and Buonos (a little pizza place near our home).
- The clothing stores I shop at the most at are DSW (all of my work shoes!) and Nordstrom.
The best part about tracking spending for a whole year is that now I have great data to plan this year's budget. I'll drink to that. Cheers!
Another item is crossed off the Baby Bucket List!
*Take home income = money after taxes, 401Ks, medical insurance, and tithing











