Budgeting Doesn't Mean Missing Out

August 10, 2026

One thing I've been struggling with lately is the pressure of this competition. It's easy to start thinking that every dollar has to be perfect and that if I spend money on anything fun, I'm somehow failing. But the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized this needs to be realistic.

If I'm only making financial decisions that I can stick to while I'm in Project Money, then what happens when it's over?

It reminds me a lot of dieting. If you restrict yourself too much, one little slip up can make you feel like you've completely blown it. Then you get frustrated, give up and end up right back where you started. I don't want my finances to work like that. I want to build habits that I can live with for years, not just until the competition ends.

This month I took a trip back to California. I planned it around a work trip, which saved me a ton of money because work covered my flight. That meant I only had to buy a plane ticket for my son.

I also stayed with my sister, which I'm so thankful for. Instead of paying for a hotel, my biggest daily expenses were just a rental car and food.

One thing I'm proud of is that I went grocery shopping as soon as I got there. It saved money, but honestly it also made things easier. When you're hungry and already have food at the house, it's a lot easier to skip another restaurant.

Then my incredibly generous sister made something special happen. She treated us to a trip to Disneyland.

When I got home, I did what I've been trying to do after every trip. I looked through all my spending. I won't lie; it hurt a little seeing how many fountain sodas I apparently needed at Disneyland. I definitely could have skipped a few of those.

But you know what? I also had the best day. I laughed with my son. I spent time with my family. We made memories I'll never forget. That's what I want to remember, not how much I spent on a soda.

Plus, one of my favorite moments from the trip was something I didn't buy. I picked up a pair of Mickey-shaped sunglasses because they were adorable. A few months ago, I probably would've convinced myself I needed them. They were cute, I was at Disneyland, and that would've been enough justification.

Instead, I stopped and asked myself, “Am I actually going to wear these again?” The answer was no. So, I laughed, put them back on the rack, and kept walking.

It wasn't that I couldn't buy them. I just knew they'd end up sitting in a drawer the second I got home. Weirdly enough, putting them back felt better than buying them would've. That's a huge change for me.

Then when I got home, I crossed something else off my list. I paid off a credit card!

It wasn't a huge balance, but it was one I've been making minimum payments on for what feels like forever. Every month I'd make a payment, and it felt like the balance never really moved. Seeing it finally hit zero felt so good.

When I look back at this trip, I don't think about the money I spent. I think about my son getting excited at Disneyland. I think about spending time with my family. I think about making choices instead of impulse purchases.

Did I spend money? Absolutely. Disneyland isn't free. But I also skipped a lot of the little purchases I normally would've made without thinking. I grocery shopped instead of eating every meal out. I found ways to save money before the trip even started by planning it around work. That's progress!

I think that's the biggest lesson I'm learning through Project Money. This isn't about never spending money. It's about learning how to spend intentionally without feeling guilty.

Because life isn't going to stop while I'm trying to get my finances together. There will still be vacations, birthdays, holidays and random Tuesday coffee runs. If I can learn how to enjoy those things while making better decisions, then maybe I'm finally building habits that will stick long after this competition is over.