Just like when you do spring cleaning I occasionally do the same with my emails. For all my online purchases, I tend to keep my emails just in case I need them in the future for quick lookups. I haven’t cleaned my email mailbox for about 4 years and you can imagine what I found…all the emails of my online purchases, travel reservations, receipts from here and there, and some other junk that I should have cleaned out a long time ago. What caught my eye was all the purchases I made, looking back on my past spending, and comparing myself from 4 years ago to now.

What I found in my old emails is someone who was less experienced and less mature financially? I found that I made purchases I wouldn’t have today. I spent on items that were just useless and more of a spontaneous purchase. Whenever I buy things today, I always ask myself do I really need it? Will my life be better with this?

Here are some of the changes that I learned looking back on my past spending

• Only buy things I really need
• Consider things that I WANT as a treat
• Never buy things at full price
• Being cautious when buying things in bulk
• It’s OK to spend on yourself
• Don’t be afraid to take chances
• Giving is a blessing

It was a good to see where I was 4 years ago and where I am today. I have changed my financial mentality for the better. I am living a lifestyle that works for me and my family. You can’t change your past but you can learn from it and change your future. Take a look at your past and see if there are things you can change for the better. Looking back at my past spending reinforced where my journey is going. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

To see all my previous articles, go to my Archive page