The Secret to Happier Spending: How to Prioritise What You Value

What Do You Spend Your Money On? Do You Even Know?

Do you ever wonder where your money goes? Are you spending on things that truly matter to you, or do you just tap away with your card without thinking?

It’s easy to get caught up in impulse buying, especially with social media marketing targeting you at every turn. Whether it’s the latest skincare routine, trendy ‘self-care’ products, clothes you’ll never wear, or home décor that ends up forgotten in a corner, these purchases can quickly add up.

But when you align your spending with your values, life becomes simpler, less cluttered, and far more enjoyable.

How to Align Your Spending with Your Values

Before you buy anything you see advertised on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest, stop and ask yourself: Do I value this? Do I really need it? Or am I just buying it because the marketing gurus put it in front of me?

A great resource to help with this process is Brene Brown’s list of values, which you can find on her website here.

What I want you to do is to look at this list and highlight any that feel good to you. Feel free to add anything else you can think of as well if it isn’t already on the list. 

Next up, I want you to go over those and circle between three and five that resonate the most - these are your top values. Then I want you to rank them from number one to five. 

For the sake of spending, we are going to look at our top three mainly. So, what are yours?

Now you know your top values, think about how you have been spending your money (and time). Do these line up? Or do you have a complete disconnect?

My Values and Spending Journey

Personally, my top values are adventure, freedom, and community. Since I was 18 and spent a semester in Canada on a university exchange, I’ve always prioritised spending on travel and it aligns with all three of these values.

But I also used to spend a lot of money on partying. Since doing this activity I have cut back on the nights out and feel so much better physically, mentally and of course my bank account has loved it as well. 

This money and time is now funnelled into more travel and more healthy pursuits which enhance my life. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good night out, I just don’t do it every week, or a couple of times every week now.

Helping Clients Align Their Spending with Their Values

In my three-month coaching programme, Financially Fit, I always take my clients through this values-based spending exercise. It usually takes a session or two to identify your core values, then go through your prior spending to see where you have been spending and then come up with ideas on what you don’t care about and want to cut out. We then put that money towards things you really love and value instead.

I am normally told this is such an eye opening session and the one that clients love the most in the program.

How Will Your Values Shape Your Spending?

I’d love to hear from you - what values did you come up with and how will they influence your spending habits going forward? What will you spend more on? What will you cut back?

If you’re ready to take control of your money and start aligning your spending with your values, let’s chat about getting you on the path to becoming Financially Fit.