A great annual habit to get into is doing a yearly audit of your spending. If you are keeping track of your spending throughout the year this is just a matter of inputting figures into an excel sheet.
Here are my honest highlights for 2021:
Hair and Beauty $2,663.74
I decided to colour my hair for the first time this year. Its also important to note that I spent most of the year getting my nails done at the salon rather than doing them myself at home (no regrets). My hair journey has required a lot more care and attention which is probably the reason for this amount. In addition, this amount includes things like skincare and makeup.
Meals and Entertainment $944.49
Fast Food and Coffee $700.76
These two categories both fall under food (aside from groceries) and I think this coming year I will just combine the two. Typically when I get fast food or coffee I am alone or it is just my husband and I (we will take turns paying). My meals and entertainment category captures my expenses when I go for a sit down dinner with friends.
Home $1,167.39
We redid our balcony this year and also got new appliances this was my portion of those expenses. I am so pleased with these expenses and I think they have really made my year, especially working from home, so much more enjoyable.
Clothing $5,237.56
YIKES, if you have been following my 2021 financial journey you know that I was supposed to be on a low-buy which as you can see was a little bit of a fail. A lot of my spending was from Aritzia sales and some Lululemon items as well. The average of what I spent a month is about $436 a month on clothes and shoes which is kind of ridiculous. As I have mentioned before, clothes are my true weakness. I have also sold some clothes on Poshmark and this amount does not include those profits but I digress.
Travel $3,300.14 (PEC, Windsor, Ottawa and France)
Took a few trips, most local and one international and this is what I spent between those trips. This is certainly not a regrettable expenditure in any way. Experiences are always worth the money in my opinion.
Luxury items $2,732.28
This year I only purchased one luxury item which is my YSL bag from France. I am slowly growing my collection. I think my next purchase will be a black belt (probably from Louis Vuitton). I am pretty pleased with my bag collection so far and I have a diverse collection that is pretty versatile for my needs. I am thinking of writing a post about luxury minimalist and how to plan a small but functional luxury collection.
Jewelry $1,457.98
I really got into jewelry this year specifically fine jewelry (solid gold) I am truly pleased with all of my purchases. I made most of my purchases during the black friday sale at Mejuri and I continue to wear all of the pieces I purchased. I don’t think I will be spending this much this year especially since I got so many staples and everyday jewelry this year I am pretty satisfied with my current collection.
This wraps up my 2021 financial highlights of the year! Although there are more categories than the ones I set out above, these are the most frivolous and where most of my discretionary funds went to. I am on a never-ending journey to doing better while also living my best life. Life is about balance and I think its so important to find that balance between saving for your future and for a rainy day while also trying to enjoy the things that you prioritize in life, whatever that may be. look forward to this new year and hope to be able to make the most of my spending, perhaps spend less on clothing and go on more trips!
