Are You Spending to Impress or to Progress?
Most of us don’t just buy things because we need them—we buy them because of what they represent. Whether it’s a designer handbag, the latest iPhone, or dining out at trendy places, we often subconsciously purchase what others expect of us.
We buy to stay relevant. We buy to feel like we belong. And sometimes, we buy because we’re afraid of looking like we can’t afford it.
But here’s the truth: if you’re in debt, you’re not truly affording these luxuries—you’re borrowing your future to pay for your past.
Let’s talk about breaking free from this cycle and learning how to give yourself what you want—without the financial burden.
The Reality of Lifestyle Cuts: Why It’s So Hard to Downsize
If you've been used to a certain lifestyle, cutting out your favorite things feels impossible. You love your daily Starbucks run, your weekend brunches, your brand-name shopping hauls—and suddenly, cutting back feels like deprivation.
But let’s be real:
👉 If you overspent in the past, and if that money was borrowed money, then you're not just paying for luxuries—you’re paying much more in interest and financial stress.
And this is where discipline comes in—the ability to prioritize your future self over fleeting desires. As someone once said, ‘Discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want now.
The faster you pay off your debt, the quicker you get your freedom back. But it’s not about cutting everything out overnight—it’s about tricking your mind into getting what it wants in a different way.
My Own Wake-Up Call: The Boxing Day Shopping Spree
One year, I was standing in line for the NEXT Boxing Day sale, which used to open on December 26th. The deals were incredible—50-70% off everything. So, in my mind, I wasn’t spending—I was saving.
💳 I swiped my credit card and spent £850 in one go, thinking, "Well, at least I have everything I need for the year ahead."
But guess what?
A month later, I had forgotten all about it. And, as you’re probably guessing, I kept spending.
I was buying more not because I needed it, but because I wanted something fresh—a new outfit, a new home accessory, a little something to make me feel good.
This is how debt quietly creeps up on us. It’s not one big mistake—it’s a series of small choices that snowball into financial stress.
The Hidden Cost of That One Shopping Spree
Had I not paid off that £850 credit card bill immediately, and instead made only minimum payments, here’s what would have happened:
- Interest Rate: UK average credit card APR is around 24.65%.
- Monthly Interest Charged: Roughly 2.05% per month.
- Minimum Monthly Payment: About £17.43 per month (1% of the balance + interest).
- Total Interest Paid Over Six Months: Around £50 extra, making the true cost of that shopping spree closer to £900.
And this was just one shopping trip.
Each of us has multiple expenses happening at the same time—subscriptions, impulse buys, takeaways, and "just because" spending. If I was doing this with just one bill, imagine what’s happening across every category of spending in your life.
Getting Real About Your Financial Situation
The biggest shift you can make is accepting your reality.
The faster you adjust your spending to a minimal, manageable level the sooner you’ll free yourself from debt and get closer to your dream life.
Here are some simple real-life ways to get more financially minimalistic while still enjoying life:
1. Stop Hoarding & Sell What You Don’t Use
- Sell Clothes You Don’t Wear. Apps like Vinted, eBay, Whatnot, or Depop can turn clutter into cash.
- Got an old phone? Sell it. That’s instant money to put toward debt or savings.
2. Eat Well but Cut Grocery Costs by 50%
- Swap name-brand for supermarket own brands—they’re 3x cheaper, and less ingridients.
- Batch cook meals at home instead of relying on takeaways.
3. Trick Your Brain Into Feeling "Luxury" for Less
- Love luxury candles? Make your own for half the cost.
- Love high-end skincare? Drugstore dupes exist for a fraction of the price. Or my new favourite is Temu skincare products for a frustion of a fruction as the products sold directly from manufacturing facilities.
- Love coffee shops? Invest in a quality home coffee machine—it pays for itself in weeks.
4. Adjust Your "Minimum Lifestyle Threshold"
Most of us have an invisible spending baseline—a comfort zone we refuse to dip below. Maybe it’s a minimum bank balance we feel we must maintain, or a certain lifestyle standard we believe we can't go beneath.
But ask yourself: What’s really driving this?
- Is it the fear of what others might think if you start making different spending choices?
- Is it because you associate success with a specific lifestyle, and anything less feels like failure?
💡 Reality check: No one actually cares what brand of coffee you drink, what car you drive, or whether your outfit is from a designer store or last season’s sale rack. They’re too busy worrying about their own lives.
The moment you stop letting external expectations dictate your financial decisions, you regain control over your money and your future.
Final Thoughts: Small Adjustments, Big Results
💰 Cutting unnecessary expenses = More money saved and invested.
💡 Spending intentionally = More financial satisfaction and peace of mind.
⏳ Paying off debt fast = More financial flexibility and opportunities.
At the end of the day, minimalism isn’t about owning less—it’s about making room for more:
✔ More financial freedom.
✔ More control over your money.
✔ More time to focus on what truly matters.
And to help you get started, I’ve created a few tools to make this journey easier:
🔹 Free Budgeting Worksheet below – Plan your finances without the overwhelm.
🔹 One-Tab Finance Tracker (in Excel or Google Sheets) – Stay motivated by tracking every step toward financial freedom.
🔹 Advanced Financial Planning Tool (in Excel) – A complete automated system to help you stay on top of your financial goals. This tool includes: Monthly Dashboard, Yearly Dashboard, Debt Tracker, Savings Tracker, Net Worth Calculator, and more.
📌 Choose the one that fits your journey and start today!
