What I Spent in a Week: Budgeting & Paying Off Debt as a Woman (February 7-13, 2025)
Balancing saving, investing, and spending is something I constantly struggle with. I want to build wealth, but I also have debt that needs to be paid off, and at the same time, I need to cover my everyday expenses. Some weeks, I feel like I’m making great progress, and other weeks, I hit setbacks that make me feel like I’m starting over.
This week was one of those challenging ones. My mortgage payment bounced, I had to dip into my emergency fund, and I racked up more credit card interest than I would’ve liked. Inflation continues to make groceries, gas, and basic expenses feel more expensive than ever, and every dollar feels stretched thin.
I’m making sacrifices—cooking more at home, limiting outings, cutting back on impulse purchases—but it doesn’t always feel like enough. Financial independence isn’t linear, and as much as I want to hit my debt-free goals quickly, I know that some weeks will feel like a step back before I move forward again.
Despite setbacks, I focused on groceries, healthcare, and debt repayment this week. Here’s a breakdown of where my money went and how I plan to tackle my debt while building financial stability.
Daily Breakdown of Spending & My Thoughts
Friday, February 7, 2025 – Payday & Big Bills
Payday always feels like a fresh start, but it also means major bills. My biggest expense was my mortgage payment, which I later realized bounced due to insufficient funds—an absolutely gut-wrenching discovery. I had planned to put extra toward my mortgage, but with high-interest credit card debt looming over me, I redirected money toward payments instead. I also made my usual grocery runs and treated myself to a coffee shop visit with my boyfriend, which felt like a small but much-needed luxury.
Mortgage Payment (Attempted) – $2,300
Credit Card Payments – $409.00
Trader Joe’s Groceries – $40.36
Aldi Groceries – $49.62
Local Bookstore Purchase – $79.16 (Supporting a local business, even though I should’ve skipped this.)
CVS (Makeup & Essentials) – $49.87 (Impulse buy—I definitely could’ve done without.)
Seven Stars Bakery (Coffee & Treats) – $27.35 (Trying to balance frugality with enjoying life.)
Adobe Subscription – $21.39
Amazon Purchase (Funnels for Fermentation Project) – $16.36
Canva Subscription – $14.99
OpenAI Subscription – $21.40
💰 Total Spent: $3,057.74
Saturday, February 8, 2025 – Socializing & Small Purchases
I don’t get out much, so when my boyfriend suggested a gathering with his friends, I agreed. I picked up groceries to make a dip for the party, but it turned out terrible. I also stocked up on some sparkling seltzers (trying to cut down on alcohol).
Groceries for Party (Dip & Snacks) – $35.41
Cable Bill (Overdue Payment) – $91.05 (I forgot I owed this and paid it late—oops.)
💰 Total Spent: $126.46
Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Snow Day & Parking Convenience
It snowed heavily, and instead of struggling to dig out my car, I paid to park in a garage overnight. Honestly, worth every penny.
Garage Parking Fee to Avoid Shoveling – $24.00
💰 Total Spent: $24.00
Monday, February 10, 2025 – Meal Prep & Business Expenses
Back to reality. I went grocery shopping, scheduled my usual chiropractor visit (trying to fix my jaw issues), and made a small investment in my blog with domain purchases.
Stop & Shop Groceries – $15.65
Chiropractor Visit – $32.30
Domain Purchases (For Business & Blog) – $28.00
💰 Total Spent: $75.95
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 – More Groceries & Financial Planning
I did a midweek grocery run and bought a book on money management. My boyfriend and I are talking more seriously about homeownership, and I want to be financially prepared before we take that step.
Aldi Groceries – $18.48
Trader Joe’s Groceries – $35.02
Amazon Cleaner – $13.89
Money for Couples Book (Financial Planning) – $21.39
Credit Card Interest Fees – $38.84 (This one hurt.)
💰 Total Spent: $113.73
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – Financial Struggles & Recovery
This was rough. I found out my mortgage bounced, and I panicked. I immediately withdrew money from my account to fix it, but it felt like a setback in my financial journey. I also had a chiropractor visit and filled up my gas tank.
Gas Refill – $27.41
Chiropractic Appointment – $32.30
Bank Withdrawal to Cover Negative Balance – $500.00
💰 Total Spent: $559.71
Thursday, February 13, 2025 – Medical Bills & Stress Spending
I had an overdue medical bill to pay, plus a doctor’s visit. To be honest, I stress ate and bought cookies and seltzer—because sometimes, you just need a moment.
Overdue Medical Bill – $50.00
Doctor’s Visit Payment – $35.00
Pack of Cookies & Liter of Seltzer (Stress Spending) – $6.99
💰 Total Spent: $91.99
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
✅ Emergency funds matter – My $2,300 mortgage payment bounced, which was terrifying. This is my wake-up call to prioritize savings. ✅ High-interest debt is a burden – I paid $38.84 in interest fees alone. I need to double down on repaying my highest-interest credit card. ✅ Small treats add up – $33.34 on coffee, snacks, and impulse spending could’ve been directed toward debt instead. ✅ Financial independence isn’t linear – This week was messy, but progress is progress.
Next Steps:
📌 Rebuild My Emergency Fund – Women statistically have lower emergency savings than men (CNBC), making financial setbacks harder to recover from. I need to change that. 📌 Prioritize Debt Repayment – Highest-interest card first. No more ignoring those interest fees. 📌 Be More Mindful with Spending – Reviewing where my money goes before I swipe my card. 📌 Evaluate Subscriptions & Cut Costs – Time to cancel the ones I barely use.
Tracking my spending helps me stay accountable. Some weeks are wins, others are lessons. Let’s see how next week goes!
📌 What’s your biggest financial struggle right now? Let’s chat in the comments!
