MMoneyVibe Tools
7Build my map7 numbers · 60sSign inYour Money Map
THE LIBRARY · FOUNDATIONSpending shelf

Spending

See where the money really goes, cut what does not matter, and stop subscriptions leaking.

Three books, read in order: the foundations, then the strategies, then a deep dive. Each chapter works its numbers out with the calculators and cites its sources.

Volumes3
Chapters20
Reading time1.9 h
Calculators7
READ IN THIS ORDERFoundations → Strategies → Deep dive
01
VOL 1 · FOUNDATIONSExpense Tracking & Awareness6 chapters · 36 min
  1. 01Why You Spend the Way You Do
  2. 02Fixed, Variable and Irregular Expenses
  3. 03Where the Money Goes: Reading Your Spending by Category
  4. 04Finding the Costs You Never See
  5. 05Needs, Wants and the Space Between
  6. 06Spending on What Matters to You
02
VOL 2 · STRATEGIESExpense Reduction & Cost Auditing6 chapters · 38 min
  1. 01The Complete Expense Audit
  2. 02Auditing Subscriptions and Recurring Charges
  3. 03Lowering Your Housing Costs
  4. 04Paying Less for Insurance Without Losing Protection
  5. 05Cutting Utility and Phone Bills
  6. 06Spending Less Without Feeling Deprived
03
VOL 3 · DEEP DIVESubscription & Recurring Cost Optimization8 chapters · 41 min
  1. 01How Subscriptions Quietly Add Up
  2. 02Finding Every Subscription You Pay For
  3. 03Judging What Each Subscription Is Worth
  4. 04Negotiating Lower Rates on What You Keep
  5. 05Downgrading, Free Tiers and Smarter Plans
  6. 06Streaming Without Paying for Everything at Once
  7. 07Software and Work Tools, Including the Tax Side
  8. 08A System That Keeps Recurring Costs Down
CALCULATORS FOR THIS SHELF
Latte Factor Calculator →What does a recurring small spend cost me invested, and how much does it delay FI?Lifestyle Creep Detector →Has my spending grown faster than income, and what does it cost my FI date?Subscription cost audit →How much am I really paying for subscriptions per year?Paycheck budget →How should I split each paycheck between bills, savings and spending?HYSA vs T-bill vs CD vs MMF after tax →After federal and state tax, where should my cash sit?Down payment savings timeline →How long to save a down payment plus closing costs?Emergency fund calculator →How many months of expenses do I have saved, and how many do I need?
TERMS ON THIS SHELF
Lifestyle creepEmergency fundTake-home payPay yourself first50/30/20 ruleEnvelope budgetingSinking fundZero-based budgetMental accountingBudget varianceFixed expenseVariable expensePresent biasOpportunity costHedonic adaptationHouse hackingStandby powerAnnual percentage yield (APY)Deposit insurance (FDIC and NCUA)CD ladderTreasury billI bond (Series I savings bond)Values-based spendingHigh-yield savings accountSubscription creepCost per useAutomatic renewalBilling error disputeSunk cost fallacy