How to Align Your Spending with Your Values
One of the most powerful shifts you can make in your financial life is changing the way you think about spending.
Not in terms of “cutting back” or “budgeting better”—but by asking: Is this how I want to use my money?
Start With Awareness, Not Judgment
So many people carry guilt or anxiety around spending. But judgment isn’t helpful. Awareness is.
Start by tracking where your money has been going—not to grade yourself, but to get curious. Where are you spending out of habit, and where are you spending out of intention? What feels energizing? What feels misaligned?
This isn’t about what you should value. It’s about noticing what actually feels meaningful and worth it.
Identify What You Value Most
A big part of my work as a Financial Life Planner is helping clients name what matters most to them—freedom, creativity, family, adventure, contribution, simplicity, health. Your list will be uniquely yours.
From there, we can design a spending plan that reflects those values.
If you say health is a top priority, does your budget support time for rest, movement, and nourishment? If freedom is a core value, do you have a financial buffer that gives you flexibility?
The Four Uses of Money
Every dollar you earn can go to one of four places:
Spending
Saving
Giving
Owing (debt or taxes)
The magic is in finding the right balance for you. Spending in alignment doesn’t always mean spending less—it means spending on purpose.
You can spend boldly on what lights you up, and be frugal with the rest.
Build in Flexibility, Not Rigidity
A values-aligned plan isn’t meant to feel restrictive. It’s meant to feel freeing. When your money reflects your values, you no longer feel the pull to compare yourself to others—or follow generic financial advice that doesn’t fit your life.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about congruence.
When your spending aligns with your life, you feel it. There’s clarity, calm, and a deeper sense of satisfaction.