*A San Francisco woman who spends $50 per month on nonessentials is revealing on social media how she stays on budget.
Alexis Howard, 28, has been sharing her financial journey on TikTok under the handle @financiallybrave. In July she recapped her spending on the challenge, which began in January.
“’I’m happy to share that I spent $41 in July,” she shared with followers, Daily Mail reports.
“When starting this challenge, I knew that summer was going to be the hardest season to trek through,” she admitted.
“So I’m a bit surprised that now is when I managed to underspend, especially given I was extremely busy in July,” Howard continued. “But what’s most interesting to note was that I felt my $41 was best spent on memories with friends rather than materialistic things.”
@financiallybrave♬ Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – McFadden & Whitehead
As the Daily Mail reports, Howard said her spending included $14.66 on ice cream for two, $8 on kava tea for a ‘night out,’ $10 on a bar cover fee, and $8 on a rollercoaster ride. She also went to a farmer’s market for free as a “fun July activity.”
“These purchases affirm two things for me,” she said. “One is that you don’t have to ditch your social life when you’re on a budget.”
Alexis has been sharing the rules of her $50 spending challenge every month since January.
“I’m tracking my expenses on an Excel sheet with all of my essentials laid out. This includes rent, groceries, bills, and any other financial dues that I must pay for,” she explained.
Howard noted that “Laughs and memories can still happen with friends, even if you opt for ice cream instead of an expensive meal at a restaurant.”
Hear more from Howard about her savvy spending via the TikTok clip above.
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