☕ The Latte Isn’t the Problem—But You Should Still Track It

☕ The Latte Isn’t the Problem—But You Should Still Track It

by Claudia | Goals with Claudia

We’ve all heard the advice: “Just skip your daily latte, and you’ll be rich!” 🙄

But let’s be real—your $5 coffee isn’t what’s holding you back from building savings or paying off debt. It’s not about the latte… it’s about what the latte reveals.

When it comes to personal finance, the goal isn’t to eliminate every small joy—it’s to understand where your money is actually going and whether it aligns with your goals.

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☑️ The Real Problem Isn’t the Latte—It’s Not Knowing You Bought 12 of Them

Small purchases are easy to ignore. A coffee here, a drive-thru run there, an impulse buy at Target—it doesn’t seem like much in the moment.

But over time, they add up:

3 iced coffees a week = $15

2 fast food stops = $20

1 “just browsing” online order = $30
👉 That’s $65 in a week… $260 in a month. Without even realizing it.

You don’t need to give these things up—but you do need to track them.

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💡 What Tracking Small Spending Teaches You

1. Awareness
   You’ll notice habits you didn’t even realize you had.
2. Patterns
   You may learn you spend more on days you skip breakfast or when you’re bored.
3. Power
   When you see the numbers, you’re in control. You get to decide: Keep it? Swap it? Pause it?

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✏️ Easy Ways to Track the “Little Things”

Keep a small “Daily Extras” list in your phone notes

Use a highlighter to mark these in your app or paper tracker

Create a separate budget line for “Convenience + Treats”

And hey, if you want to keep your lattes—keep them! But choose them intentionally.

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🔁 Claudia’s Quick Challenge:

Track all spending under $10 for one week.
Yes, every small thing.

At the end of the week:

Total it up

Circle what you loved

Cross out what wasn’t worth it

You might be surprised by what you’d gladly keep—and what you wouldn’t even miss.

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🧭 Final Thoughts

The latte isn’t the villain. It’s just the easy target.
The real goal is alignment—making sure your money is going where your values are.

You deserve joy and control. And it starts with tracking—even the little things. 💙

Let me know how your “under $10” tracking week goes! 👇
Drop a comment or DM me—I’m cheering you on!