Monday Practice Part 4: Money Date

This is the final part of a 4-part series. Read part 1, part 2, & part 3.

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To wrap up my Monday Practice, I have my weekly Money Date.

My Money Date has 4 steps:

1. Review Budget & Pay Bills

2. Update Mileage Tracker

3. Reconcile QuickBooks

4. Write 1 page in Money Journal

Your Money Date might look completely different.

That's great!

It doesn't matter the steps or which tools you use.

What matters is developing a nourishing practice with your personal & business finances. 

Step 1: Review Budget & Pay Bills

Even though I love looking at spreadsheets, it's important to me to put a lil' extra time into my budget spreadsheet to make it look extra pretty.

My budget spreadsheet shows my monthly & annual bills. This gives me clarity on how much money I need to make & when.

Since I've created intentional space around paying my bills, I've been able to adapt a mindset of: "I'm grateful to have the money to pay these bills," rather than: "Agh! Bills!!"

This mindset reframe has been a mother f'ing game changer.

Step 2: Update Mileage Tracker

Again, I use a spreadsheet to track miles. A spreadsheet is especially helpful as it does the math for me!

I open my Google Calendar to review the previous week & make the below notes in my tracker:

• Date

• Where I went

• Who I saw

• Why

• Total miles

Including mileage tracking into our Monday Practice makes our end of year tax reporting waaaay easier.

Also - I get to review where I'm spending my time & look at ways to simplify my movements around the city.

Step 3: Reconcile Quickbooks

This step is all about verifying "actuals," which means making sure what is entered into QuickBooks (or other bookkeeping tool) matches the bank.

With QuickBooks I assign each transaction to a category, so I can run reports that tell me exactly how my money was spent.

I then use this cash flow data to adjust my budget accordingly.

Step 4: Write in Money Journal

For the past year or so I've been actively exploring my money story, working with questions such as:

• What are my beliefs around money?

• What type of relationship do I have with money?

• What type of relationship do I want to have with money?

These questions have floated around my brain as I've read books & researched the concept of a "money story."

Only recently did I take this Deep Work into my journal.

I'm only a few weeks in, so not quite ready to share data.

But what I do know is: writing it all out is a fabulous way to end my Money Date.

Your Action

Money practices can bring up all sorts of shit.

It's ok to go S L O W.

Remember to take breaks & celebrate your wins.

Even a 1st step that might "look easy" (checking your bank account each week) is worth a celebration.

Grab your journal & explore these questions:

• When I think about money, where do I feel it in my body?

• What are my first memories about money?

Be gentle & observe your body as you journal these questions.

Remember: This is a practice.

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h/t Bari Tessler for the Money Date inspiration