Where does my money go? The test that tells you for real
I'm Hormi, the one in charge of small expenses, and I've got a game for you: three questions about your money, from memory, no peeking. Are you up for it?
HormiThe small expenses that add up.
Updated
The test: answer from memory
Lots of people keep their finances in their head and feel they've got everything under control. Maybe so. To find out, answer these three questions without opening your banking app, without checking statements and without a calculator. Take a few seconds for each one.
First: how much did you spend on food this month? "Roughly" doesn't count: give the number. Second: which bill is due this week, and how much is it? Third: how much do you have left until your next payday, not in the bank, but really?
Did you hesitate on any? That's normal
If you hesitated on one, or on all three, you're not alone. Your head isn't built for bookkeeping. Memory rounds down, forgets the daily coffee and doesn't see what's due next week.
It isn't a lack of intelligence or discipline. Keeping dozens of transactions in your head is like trying to remember every step you took yesterday: possible in theory, impossible in practice. On top of that, we remember big, unusual purchases better than the small everyday ones, which are exactly the ones that repeat the most.
What memory doesn't see
The expenses that slip away most are the small, frequent ones: transport, snacks, delivery orders, the subscription that charges itself. Each one seems tiny, so it doesn't stick in your memory. Together, by the end of the month, they can be a big part of what you spent. And cash is even harder to follow, because it leaves no trace on any statement.
Dates slip away too. A bill due on Friday doesn't feel real until Friday, and by then you may have already spent that money on something else.
Writing it down isn't distrusting yourself
Logging what you spend doesn't mean you don't trust yourself. It means you stop carrying everything in your head. Just as you write down an appointment so you won't forget it, logging an expense frees you from having to remember it. Your head is free for what matters.
With your spending logged, the three test questions answer themselves: you see how much went on food, what's due this week and what you really have left, in seconds. And if you didn't spend anything one day, that's an answer too.
Take the test with someone
This test works even better with company. Try it with your partner, your family or your friends, and compare answers. There are almost always surprises, and it's a simple, judgment-free way to start talking about money.
And if someone tells you they keep it all in their head, share the test with them. Maybe they're right; or maybe they'll discover something new about their money.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out where my money goes?
Log every expense for a few weeks, with its category, including the small ones and cash payments. Then add them up by category and compare them with what you expected. Something unexpected almost always shows up, like transport, delivery orders or subscriptions. That's your starting point for deciding what to adjust.
Why don't I have enough money if I'm not buying anything?
Because the expenses that weigh the most aren't always the big purchases. Small, frequent ones, like coffee, transport or delivery, add up a lot by the end of the month, and fixed bills due before your next payday take a share you don't always have in mind.
What are small daily expenses, and why do they matter?
They're the small, frequent expenses you barely notice: the morning coffee, the afternoon snack, the delivery order or the subscription you no longer use. In Spanish they're called ant expenses. On their own they seem minor, but together they can weigh on your month. It's not about cutting them all, but about seeing them and deciding which are worth it.
This is financial education, not advice: Oslo doesn't recommend loans or investments. Decisions about your money are yours.
