Money Musings is a monthly series where I break down my total income, expenses, savings, and investments for a designated month, and review whether my spending aligns with any challenges I’ve committed to.

˚⊹♡ Notable mentions for August 2026: joined a new group at work and carved out research-related tasks in my job role; visited Upstate New York for a wedding, as well as Mr. Beans’ alma mater; commenced the PhD application process for Clinical Psychology programs; received my first matcha PR (thanks Noritual!) as an avid matcha enthusiast; in a similar vein, got accepted to receive PR from a book publisher; was informed that a paper that I am a co-author on has been accepted for publication; resold six items, yielding my highest resell income month yet; and received a pay raise.

In August, I posted two Frugal Spending Diaries. If you’re new here, the FSDs are weekly reflections of everything I spent and the income payments I receive, down to the merchant, dollar amount, and date. Ultimately, these FSDs are paywalled as they reveal more about my identity than I would feel comfortable sharing to the general public. Any further curiosities about the budget categories and details will most likely be described in the FSD (though I’m happy to respond in the comments if you have a specific question).

As a follow-up to my Ultimate Beauty Boycott Directory, I was inspired to write about Naturium, a brand that was founded by a self-absorbed woman with a crooked moral compass.

This is a detailed overview of my income sources, mandatory expenses, non-essential expenses, and savings/investments. I use YNAB, a budgeting tool that allows me to budget with the money I already have, instead of what I plan to make. This section does not contain any financial advice; please do research on your own prior to making any financial-related decisions. Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar for ease of calculation.

One of my Instagram posts that went viral resulted in a lot of backlash, confusion, and doubt about my reported numbers. This post goes into detail with screenshot proof and detailed explanations for each category. I won’t be doing this for each newsletter because this level of reporting is unnecessary and excessive, in my opinion. But anyways, it’s there if you want it.

My NET WORTH hit $296,749.

My assets consist of retirement, investments, checking, and savings accounts, while liabilities include my credit card. I do not have debt of any kind.

✶ Full-Time Job $0.
I work a regular 9-5 job at a university. Great benefits, solid pay, and excellent work-life balance. However, last month was a two-paycheck month, so this month’s expenses used last month’s pay. Also — I forgot to mention this last month but will mention it now — I received a pay raise! Most of the staff workers at the university received a pay bump because we’re protected by the union and this is what they negotiated and won. My salary went from $84,000 to $88,200.

✶ Part-Time Job $956
I picked up a part-time research assistant role with a PI from graduate school. I put in 10 hours per week, and get paid every Thursday, which August has four of.

✶ Facebook Marketplace $832
This month was crazy with the reselling! Truthfully, I didn’t do anything new or different. I’ve learned that certain months of the year are more profitable than others, and the end of summer is certainly one of them. I sold six items this month — four on Facebook Marketplace, two on Ebay.

✶ Interest Payment $137
I currently use Wealthfront for my HYSA. If you’re interested, you can get 4.05% APY on your first three months if you open an account using my link. And if you want to compare different HYSA financial institutions, CNBC has a resource here.

✶ Money With Beans $141
This is a combination of my social media streams— Instagram, Substack/BuyMeACoffee, Gumroad, and partnerships.

✶ Cashback $8
I use Rakuten for cash-back.

✶ Rent $1,000 | Budget: $1,000 | Difference: $0
I split rent equitably with my boyfriend. Our apartment has two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and is located in a relatively medium/high cost of living city in Southern California. He covers his portion of rent, as well as utilities (e.g., electricity, Internet, water, trash).

✶ Health $83 | Budget: $75 | Difference: -$8
Restocked on my prescriptions and purchased floss from a new (very viral but surprisingly effective) TikTok brand.

✶ Groceries $603 | Budget: $400 | Difference: -$203
Even though we spent a few days out of town, ultimately not really needing groceries for that period of time, I had to restock on my matcha ($84), oat milk ($35), and earl grey tea ($60). Otherwise, most of my grocery shops were at Sprouts, and a few at Trader Joe’s. I ended up buying a lot of quick-to-prepare foods because I was so exhausted from the trip. I’ve also been dealing with some hip pain (not sure the cause but need to schedule a PT appointment for this).

✶ Transportation $119 | Budget: $110 | Difference: -$9
Filled my tank once, paid for parking for a cafe twice, and went into work seven times.

✶ Maintenance $253 | Budget: $100 | Difference: -$153
I purchased a new daily bag after selling my BAGGU Fanny, a carabiner (two came in one package) from REI to attach to my carry-on backpack and daily bag, a few travel necessities from Target, Vera Bradley pouches for electronics, a tea filter for my London Fogs (latest drink obsession), and paid for a return shipping fee for one of Mr. Beans’ return.

✶ Outside Food/Drink $116 | Budget: $75 | Difference: -$41
Honestly every expense in this category was relatively reasonable, until I saw I spent $43 on Thai food for just me. Just. Me. Girl, what were you thinking?! 29% was spent on caffeinated drinks, and the rest on food.

✶ Gifts $19 | Sinking Fund Balance: +$558
Mr. Beans left his water bottle on the trolley at Comic-Con, so I had to get him a new one. (ᵔᗜᵔ)

✶ Wishlist Item $490 | Budget: $0 | Difference: -$490
I’m expecting a $41 refund from this total, so technically the final spend would be $449. I purchased items from Muji, Kipling, and Not Perfect Linen.

✶ Travel $18
I purchased a toiletry tub for lotion and during my trip to Upstate New York, paid for parking and coffee for Mr. Beans and me. He covered all the other expenses when we were there (though I did pay for the Airbnbs and my flight ticket). Those charges hit last month.

✶ 401A $1,050
Every month, I contribute 7% of my paycheck ($515) pre-tax, and my employer matches 8% ($588).

✶ 403B $997
I am contributing 15% of my pre-tax pay.

Get YNAB free for 34 days!

The original post that details intentions for the Mid-Year Reset:

↑ The Highs

I actually think I did pretty well this month. Even though I didn’t abstain from everything non-essential, I felt like I did it in a way that 1) aligned with my values, 2) brought a significant amount of usefulness into my life, and 3) ensured the one-in-one-out rule to avoid excess clutter at home. My biggest win is having an impressive resell month, with my 2026 total resell income surpassing $1,000. My biggest tip for those with a full-time job who want to resell on the side is to expect nothing and be surprised by even a $5 sale. I’ve been reselling for years at this point, and every time I receive a sale, I’m hit with shock. I’ve had items on my page sell within 10 minutes, but others sell after 1.5 years. There is no absolute guarantee that your product will be sold, which makes resell a side hustle an extremely unreliable source of income. If you have the space in your home to pile in all the items that you aim to resell, then do it. I have all my items stuffed away in my cleaning closet. Out of sight, out of mind.

My trip to Upstate New York was also quite lovely! I won’t get into it to protect Mr. Beans’ privacy, but I lived my dream fairy cottage life for a few days and cannot wait to visit again. I’m headed to New York City soon, and while I know it’s going to be a completely different vibe, I’m really looking forward to the hotel we’re staying at. Expect a NYC debrief from me once the trip is over. ˙ᵕ˙

My biggest non-essential expense this month was from Not Perfect Linen. I explain why I purchased it here, but ultimately, it was out of frustration regarding a pair of polyester pants I own that I will most definitely sell once I receive my custom NPL order. While I can tolerate the non-breathable polyester fabric in top form, my bottom half of the body refuses to be suffocated in a dark, humid envelope of heat and sweat.

↓ The Lows

Groceries, groceries, groceries. Oh, to have spent $603 this month, also knowing that Mr. Beans and I also spent on outside food/drinks worth ~$500 (he paid). While the fun drink trifecta captures a pretty alarming portion of the total sum, I know I could’ve been better at meal prepping. Out of my haul for this month, I’ve had a pineapple and half a kale bunch go bad. I try my best to avoid food waste to the best of my ability, and allowing these two go bad really hurt! Plus, the sustainability of it all.

One thing I struggled with was being consistent with cooking, and using up what I had in the pantry. Project pantry is so difficult for me, because I creating recipes out of what I already own do not come innately to me. I’ve seen recipe apps where you input what you have and a list of recipe ideas pop up — sounds interesting, haven’t gotten around to doing it. It’s just a bit frustrating knowing that I paid $600 on groceries, and that there is this ambiguous grey cloud of outside food/drink that was also spent. Mr. Beans doesn’t track his expenses as closely as I do, so getting this total from him will be difficult. I’m only assuming it’s around $500 because we ate out for all meals on our trip, and following the trip, we’ve had outside food at least three times a week. Following this drop in enthusiasm and motivation for cooking on a routine basis, our health has taken a hit, and my hips need to be seen by a physical therapist. My hips! I am a young, 29 year old woman, and it’s not like I suffered an impact to my midsection! Oh my god, I really am getting old.

✽ Grim Tidings by — Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos meets Grim Reaper Darcy Moore in a beautiful story of how life and death is not purely black and white, and how there can be goodness and darkness in both. Inspired by her husband, a doctor working in palliative care, B.K. exquisitely captures the glory of saving a life juxtaposed against the inevitable guilt when bringing such life to its deathbed.

✽ The Paris Match by — Physician Layla Bailey gets invited to the wedding of her ex-sister-in-law’s (aka her ex-husband’s sister) wedding, where she clashes with “Billionaire” Griffin Testa, who is physically suffering from a traumatic incident of the past. This book feels like the darker, more chaotic sister of The Ex Vows by , with the dramatic and toxic relationship component of Happy Place by . The third act breakup was also very well done, a heartbreak justified and within reason. The character development in this book is rich and introspective, and surprisingly realistic. Most importantly, the plot progresses at the same rate, refusing to tangent into a singular subplot for too long.

✽ Moft Snap Phone Tripod Stand — After years of seeing this promoted by influencers, I thought, “Why the heck not?”. I was getting sick of leaning my phone up against my water bottle, as if done in the wrong angle, everything falls. This stand is the best for doomscrolling while eating, so…beware for those battling their social media addiction.

✽ Fat and the Moon Persephone Emerges Plant Perfume — Thank you, FATM, for gifting me this! I’m shocked that I actually project panned a perfume to begin with. I really wanted this scent for the coriander and grapefruit notes, but upon spray, the jasmine note is the most dominant. That would’ve been a dealbreaker, but the sweetness isn’t cloying, thankfully. It absorbs quickly into the skin and clothing, making only the first few seconds unbearable. Just hold your breath, spray, wait for 10 seconds, then breathe. The dry-down is divine. If you would like to try some FATM products, I have a 15% discount code: BEANS.

✽ Cheong 청 — This is a syrup that is the result of sugar maceration, a technique that softens, breaks down, or extracts components from a solid material by soaking it in a liquid. I have peach, blueberry, and strawberry cheong in my fridge, and I’ve come to learn that these have earned a trusty spot as a staple condiment. I do equal parts white sugar and fruit. I’ve learned that what helps the fruits macerate most quickly is by dicing them up. Even dicing blueberries in half will speed the process up significantly. My favorite combinations are peach matcha, peach greek yogurt, and blueberry earl grey matcha. Up next on the recipe docket is peach jasmine matcha!

Thank you for being here. I genuinely love writing these Money Musings as it helps me reflect on my own spending. I hope it helps you too, or at the very least, provide some semblance of entertainment as I am aware that these are the ramblings of a highly anxious, uncoordinated woman. ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ Hugs!!

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly-ish newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, paired with life updates and media I’m consuming. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, feel free to take a look at the two free FSDs on my website: the first and the fourth one. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

Hi, friend!

I’m so very excited to be writing this at a coffee shop. These days, Mr. Beans and I have been dedicating a day of our weekends to just setting up shop at a cafe, ordering a buzzy caffeinated drink, and grinding out the work that needs to be done. From 12:00 - 2:30 p.m., I worked on rating 10 papers using a NIH Study Quality Assessment Tool for a new systematic review I recently joined at work. Because I’m headed to New York soon, I told the PhD student who’s leading the project that I could get 20, instead of 10 done in a week. Though I’m firm on work/life balance, I actually did not get any work done on Friday because our WiFi went out, so this is me making up for lost time.

I’ve been loving the autumnal shift in Substack posts, now that September is upon us. However, Southern California is currently dealing with a gnarly heat wave that’s making it feel like an extended summer — something I do not want. To those fighting the urge to turn on AC because of how unbearable it is indoors, I feel you. I hope you’re able to seek solace at a nearby store or library! 𖤓

Read more

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly-ish newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, feel free to take a look at the two free FSDs on my website: the first and the fourth one. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

Hi, friend!

How are you? It’s been a while since, I know! Consistency has been my biggest struggle with this newsletter sometimes, and because I go with the flow, hard. I listen to what my body craves — whether it’s rest, partaking in hobbies, or prepping my CV for PhD programs. At the moment, it feels like a gentle hybrid of all; I’m finally reading again, after going on a months-long hiatus, I’ve picked up a side hustle and find that the effort is very worth the payoff, I joined a new research group at work and have a few papers lined up to work on (after telling myself I wanted to get more involved in research considering my role is heavily project management focused — I finally did it!), and am cooking interesting recipes instead of repeating the same thing over and over again (to which, there’s nothing wrong with, but I can sense my creative side coming out again when I entertain different recipes using never-used-before ingredients).

With that being said, I missed you, and can’t wait to overshare what I’ve been up to.

Read more

In 2020, Susan Yara failed to disclose that the skincare products she was promoting and touting as better than other reputable brands, was in fact, her own line, Naturium. In 2023, e.l.f. acquired Naturium for $355 million. In 2026, Yara posted a picture of herself at a beach in Tel Aviv. At a micro-scale, Yara believes that a skincare company can be successful without having the academic and training credentials to show for creating such product. In a 2026 Forbes interview, when asked whether she has considered pursuing formal licensing or dermatology school, Yara says, “I have no plans to actually work on anyone’s skin,” she says. “A lot of what I know about skincare ingredients—I already know. I don’t need to go to school to validate the information that I have, if that makes sense.”

Due to the controversy surrounding Susan Yara and her devolution into a character devoid of a moral compass and respect for others, everyone’s looking for Naturium alternatives and I thought it would be helpful to provide ethical, non-controversial alternatives to her products. Unfortunately, Naturium products do actually work, but despite how good they are, there’s a dupe out there that could do its job, or a better one.

In posts providing alternatives for Naturium products, I’ve seen too many people recommend brands like Panoxyl, Cerave, or even L’Occitane as replacements — altogether, this is shocking, considering that there isn’t even an effort to try to find a product that is also ethical. I’ve noted down a recurring theme across these Instagram/TikTok posts, and provided explanations as to why these brands should be boycotted below. A more comprehensive list of brands to avoid can be found on a post I wrote earlier this year, called the ultimate beauty boycott directory.

ꕤ Hanahana Beauty, founded by Abena Boamah-Acheampong, is a consciously clean skincare + wellness brand whose mission is to disrupt the global beauty industry. From their About webpage, “Our intention is to increase accessibility, transparency, and sustainability in all aspects of what we create. From the fair sourcing of our shea butter, to the creation of our homemade products, down to the responsible representation of people working with us at every end. Hanahana Beauty exists to redefine ethical skincare through transparent, producer-to-consumer sourcing and sustainable shea production in Northern Ghana. From their Social Impact webpage, “We are committed to advancing economic equity, protecting vital shea ecosystems, and closing the living wage gap by paying women producers 2× the market price and investing in long-term community wellbeing. Through our nonprofit arm, the Hanahana Circle of Care Project (501(c)(3)), we extend that commitment beyond skincare—investing in reproductive healthcare education, free community healthcare, clean water systems, and youth mental wellness programs. Together, we are creating a more equitable beauty industry that honors the women at the heart of our supply chain.”

ꕤ Remedy Science is founded by Dr. Muneeb Shah, who is actively vocal about fighting for Palestine’s rights. Dr. Muneeb Shah and Dr. Bishr Al-Dabagh have an active GoFundMe, raising money for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) who has humanitarians on the ground to deliver food, water, and medical care to the children affected.

ꕤ Cocokind is founded by Taiwanese-American Priscilla Tsai, who is incredibly passionate about giving back to the community. The Cocokind Impact Foundation awards both financial grants and mentorship to female-identifying founders in the health, wellness and sustainability industries, who are working to create greater social change through their businesses. She also donated $26,000 to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota this year from sales generated during the 2026 nationwide boycott.

ꕤ Topicals was founded by Olamide Olowe. In an interview with the podcast Female Startup Club, Olamide states, “We make skin care for chronic skin conditions and we’re on a mission to transform the way people feel about skin through effective products and mental health advocacy. We talk a lot about mental health advocacy because people with chronic conditions are two to six times more likely to experience depression or anxiety. We donate a percentage of proceeds to mental health organizations now like Therapy for Black Girls, Five Girls Foundation and Fearless and one hundred.” In addition, a portion of proceeds from all Slick Salve purchases will be donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF).

ꕤ EADEM, founded by former Google marketing colleagues Marie Kouadio Amouzame (CEO) and Alice Lin Glover, means “the same” in Latin—because although we all have different backgrounds and stories, we share invisible bonds that unite us. In June 2025, EADEM donated to ACLU’s Immigration Rights Project to support the legal fight for immigrant rights and protections. In January 2026, they shared resources on how to support communities affected by ICE. As a bonus, EADEM has a Substack newsletter called , where they lend a platform to women of color and create thoughtful conversations about what it means to embrace their skin, heritage, and multitudes.

ꕤ Salacia Salts, founded by Cari Clark Phelps, is a woman-owned brand inspired by the sea and grounded in Southern hospitality. They handcraft small-batch, cruelty-free products with real ingredients—no colorants or petrochemicals. Guided by a love for coastal beauty and a respect for Earth’s natural resources, Salacia Salts believe in whole-body wellness, simple rituals, and sustainability at every step. In early 2026, Cari spoke out about ICE (e.g., here, here, and here).

.ᐣ Prequel is founded by dermatologist, Dr. Samantha Ellis. This brand is one of those non-controversial brands that have not spoken up about social impact issues.

.ᐣ CYKLAR is founded by Claudia Sulewski, former YouTuber turned beauty businesswoman. In 2020, she posted about the #BlackLivesMatter movement. However, she has not been vocal about political issues since then, rendering her brand’s ethical status as questionable. However, her fiancé, Finneas, has been vocal about his pro-Palestine stance on Instagram and in his career.

.ᐣ Josie Maran, founded by Josie Maran, has three guiding pillars: clean ingredients only, women empowerment, and sustainability. Their Argan oil is sourced exclusively from women-led co-ops in UNESCO-protected forests, and partner with carefully vetted harvesting co-ops led by Berber women that pay women directly for their work, help them achieve financial independence, and send their children to school. Josie has donated to 100% of their refill sales to One Tree Planted, started Beauty Together, a movement dedicated to raising funds for families who have lost everything during the 2025 Los Angeles Fires, donated $30,000 to CORAL’s conservation programs that address overfishing, minimize water pollution, advance cutting-edge science, and support coastal communities, and created a virtual mentorship program in partnership with Blood Cancer United, whose mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, & improve the quality of life of patients & their families. While their current political stance is unclear, they posted a meme with Bernie Sanders in 2021, promoting their QVC appearance.

.ᐣ SOME BY MI is owned and founded by Lee Ji-Eun (IU). In 2026, Ji-Eun donated 100 million won under the name "IUAENA" (IU + Uaena) to mark Children’s Day.

.ᐣ True Botanicals is founded by . When Hillary was confronted with a cancer diagnosis, she chose to turn a challenge into purpose: to create beauty products that heal, protect, and perform—without harm to people or the planet. With some of the world’s most brilliant scientists and green chemists, she founded True Botanicals, delivering MADE SAFE® certified skincare that proves indulgence and intelligence can—and should—coexist. On January 30, 2026, True Botanicals participated in the National Shutdown, a protest against the ICE raids, by pausing activity on their website for the day. During the LA Wildfires in January 2025, True Botanicals donated to the Los Angeles County Fire Department Foundation and shared resources on their Instagram page.

ᴖ̈ Amlactin is owned by Advantice Health, a consumer healthcare company that develops and markets over-the-counter (OTC) therapeutic skincare, footcare, and first-aid brands. To backtrack even further, Advantice is owned by TA Associates, a private equity firm that has ties to 🇮🇱.

ᴖ̈ Frank Body started in 2013 as a group of friends, Steve Rowley (CEO), Bree Johnson, Jess Hatzis, and Alexander Boffa, around a coffee machine in Australia. In 2020, the brand donated 100% of all global sales of the A-Beauty Scrub to @wireswildliferescue, @cfavic, @nswrfs and @wildlifevictoria to support bushfire relief across Australia. Five years into the founding of the brand, the Frank Body team took on an outside investment, Unilever Ventures, which ultimately became Frank Body’s first non-founding board member. Four years later, in 2021, the brand completed an investment round with China-based private equity firm, EverYi Capital.

ᴖ̈ Hempz, founded by Rick Hough, was acquired by private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners in April 2020.

ᴖ̈ L’Occitane and their subsidiaries. This luxury brand entered the MLM business in 2021 — the Regional Managing Director spoke on this business strategy, saying, “As a customer-centric brand, our strategy is to continue to create authentic relationships with our customers and soon consultant community”. L’Occitane supports the 🇮🇱 and 🇷🇺 economies.

ᴖ̈ Pacifica Beauty was founded by Brook Harvey-Taylor and husband, Billy Taylor. In 2025, Brook Harvey-Taylor left her position as CEO of Pacifica Beauty, and Eric Reiter, partner at Brentwood Associates, the private equity firm that invested in the brand in 2022, is now occupying the role on an interim basis.

ᴖ̈ Panoxyl is owned by Crown Laboratories, a privately owned global skincare company, led by CEO Jeff Bedard. Crown has been involved with a number of lawsuits, the most recent one regarding the failure to disclose benzoyl peroxide in CeraVe’s 4% and 10% benzoyl peroxide foaming cleansers and PanOxyl’s 4% and 10% foam cleansers.

ᴖ̈ Saltair was founded by Iskra Lawrence, who dedicated her career to empowering women. In July 2026, TSG Consumer Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer brands, signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Saltair.

ᴖ̈ Supersuite, led by creative director Renell Medrano, is owned by Tru Fragrance & Beauty, a major U.S. based manufacturer and distributor in Beauty, Fragrance, Lifestyle, and Wellness categories. Monogram Capital Partners, a private equity firm, acquired a majority stake in TFB in 2024.

ᴖ̈ Urban Skin Rx was founded by licensed esthetician, Rachel Roff. Because Roff is a White woman with a brand that appeals to Black women, the brand was under a high level of scrutiny in 2022. In response to the backlash, Roff participated in an interview with Essence to share her side of the story. All of this to say, the brand is now owned by American Exchange Group, a privately-held firm that provides beauty and fashion products.

Due to the massive catalog that Naturium boasts, I’ve decided to split this into mutiple parts. The goal is to capture dupes of all Naturium products, as well as new ones that they develop. Therefore, this will be an ongoing series.

The 11 Naturium products discussed in this post include:

• Salicylic Body Acid Spray

• Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash

• KP Body Scrub & Mask

• Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Scrub

• Glow-Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter

• Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash

• Glow Getter Body Oil

• Smoother Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Wash

• Calmer Ceramide Body Wash

• Phyto-Glow Lip Balm

Each item will have its list of ingredients copied and pasted from the Naturium website by August 16, 2026. If the formulation has changed beyond that date, please let me know so I can update it accordingly and if need be, find more alternatives that better align with the new formulation. For ease of reading, I have also highlighted in green, ingredients that match with the original Naturium product, so that you can see how closely the formulation in comparison.

🏷️ indicates that the alternative is priced at a lower cost per ounce compared to the Naturium product.

🧪 indicates that the alternative has 5 or more similar ingredients compared to the Naturium product.

ᴖ̈ Salicylic Body Acid Spray ($17.50/4oz ➔ $4.38/oz)

ꕤ SOMEBYMI AHA·BHA·PHA Miracle Body Toner Mist ($19.07/4.73 oz ➔ $4.03/oz) 🏷️

A body care mist for smooth skin that helps with skin care and skin texture improvement. A fine mist spray evenly coats the body for comfortable daily oil-moisture balance care while managing excess sebum and shine for a refreshing finish.

ꕤ Soft Services Clearing Mist ($26/6.5oz ➔ $4/oz) 🏷️

A refreshing, quick-dry spray made specifically to treat body breakouts exacerbated by sweat, bacteria, and irritation from tight clothing, especially athletic wear. Zinc PCA (2%) regulates sebum, niacinamide (5%) targets hyperpigmentation, and salicylic acid (1%) treats acne.

ꕤ La Suite Skincare Clear Skin Alpha Beta Skin Smoothing Body Spray ($52/3oz ➔ $17.33/oz)

Treat ingrown hairs, body acne, and KP (those pesky bumps on arms, thighs, and bum) with our 10% glycolic / 2% salicylic acid treatment that transforms dull skin, smooths rough texture, and evens skin tone.

ᴖ̈ The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash ($17/16.9oz ➔ $1/oz)

ꕤ SOME BY MI AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Cleansing Foam ($19/3.38oz ➔ $5.62/oz)

Delivers gentle pore care and oil control with salicylic acid and calming botanicals. It leaves skin feeling soft, balanced and visibly clearer without stripping or irritation for daily use.

ꕤ Medicube Red Body Wash ($28.90/14.1oz ➔ $2.05/oz) 🏷️🧪

A popular addition to medicube’s renowned Red skin care line, the Red Body Wash treats body acne with a soothing, hypoallergenic formula matching the skin’s natural pH. Infused with salicylic and lactic acids, the product deeply exfoliates dead skin and unclogs pores to reduce inflammation. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid ensure continued skin moisture while niacinamide offers additional brightening touches. Lather thoroughly over the body, then rinse off with water and follow with a calming mist or lotion for optimal effects.

ꕤ Prequel Gleanser + SA Non-Drying Salicylic Acid Cleanser ($20/13.5oz ➔ $1.48/oz) 🏷️🧪

A non-stripping face and body cleanser formulated with 50% glycerin and 1% salicylic acid that gently exfoliates to soften and renew. This skin-softening, humectant-rich glycerin and salicylic acid cleanser effectively removes makeup, excess oil and impurities while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Designed for all skin types and suitable for dry or easily sensitized skin.

Thank you so much for reading! If you made it this far, and would like to support my work monetarily without paying for a subscription:

Buy Me A Coffee

ᴖ̈ KP Body Scrub & Mask ($19/8oz ➔ $2.38/oz)

ꕤ REMEDY for body bumps KP Exfoliating Body Scrub ($25/7.7oz ➔ $3.25/oz) 🧪

Dermatologist-developed exfoliating body scrub that smooths bumpy texture and clears keratin buildup with 10% AHAs and fine sugar.

ꕤ Peach & Lily KP Bump Boss Microderm Body Scrub ($29/8.11oz ➔ $3.58/oz) 🧪

Say goodbye to body bumps, breakouts, and ingrowns. Inspired by Korean bath houses, our scrub combines the benefits of a chemical peel, microderm, and skin softener. Powerful yet gentle AHAs, PHAs, and micro-crystals visibly smooth keratosis pilaris bumps and patches while cica and squalane visibly calm and brighten.

ꕤ cocokind KP smoothing stick ($19/1.7oz ➔ $11.18/oz) 🧪

This mess-proof KP treatment stick with 10% AHA gently exfoliates to smooth bumpy, rough texture and reduce the look of discoloration associated with Keratosis Pilaris. The innovative applicator and lightweight, non-sticky finish makes it easy to target KP bumps, ingrown hairs, and dull, flaky skin at home or on the go. The fragrance-free formula has been clinically tested for sensitive skin.

ꕤ Fur KP Silk Scrub ($55/6oz ➔ $9.17/oz) 🧪

Buff away dead skin cells for radiant resurfacing. This exfoliating treatment smoothes and polishes skin and can be used for a quick shower buffer or left on as an exfoliating mask.

ꕤ Forgotten Skincare Get It Bright Exfoliating Body Scrub ($18/8oz ➔ $2.25/oz) 🏷️🧪

Discover your ultimate skin-smoothing solution with our in-shower exfoliating scrub. Designed to target rough, bumpy kp skin, dark underarms, inner thighs, and uneven areas like elbows and knees, this formula helps soften, smooth, and brighten all those commonly overlooked spots. 8 fl. oz Fragrance free and clinically tested safe for sensitive skin types. Pro tip: This contains Glycolic Acid for underarms to help combat body odor for fresh, even toned skin. Use as a body mask by allowing to sit on wet skin for 1-2 minutes.

Subscribe now

ᴖ̈ The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Scrub ($20/8oz ➔ $2.50/oz)

ꕤ Josie Maran Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub ($29/6oz ➔ $4.83/oz) 🧪

Your Clean California Glow starts here! This luxurious full-body scrub leaves skin silky-smooth and beautifully radiant in one delicious step. Delicate sugar crystals polish away dead skin and surface impurities while Argan Oil, coconut oil, and shea butter soak deep into skin to instantly and intensely nourish all over. The slushy texture dissolves with water, leaving nothing behind but baby-soft, positively juicy skin.

ꕤ Manjeri Skincare Body Scrub ($40/6.3oz ➔ $6.34/oz) 🧪

Grapefruit Body Scrub is a refreshing blend of natural grapefruit extract, sugar granules, and nourishing oils that gently exfoliates, brightens, and smooths the skin. Designed to energize your body care routine, this scrub leaves your skin feeling soft, radiant, and revitalized.

ꕤ Bare Botanics Brown Sugar Body Scrub ($29/20oz ➔ $1.45/oz) 🏷️🧪

Each jar creates a pure and uplifting ritual that leaves skin smooth, soft, and radiant. Fine and ultra-fine sea salts gently exfoliate while nourishing oils and butters, including jojoba, argan, shea, and aloe vera, deeply hydrate the skin. We keep it honest with no fillers, no dyes, and no synthetic fragrances.

ꕤ Salacia Salts Kiss My Grits Sugah! Body Scrub ($22/7oz ➔ $3.14/oz)

Kiss My Grits Sugah! Body Scrub is a sweet, fragrance-free, exfoliating body sugar scrub polish made with organic cane sugar and Georgia grown grits body scrub. Southern made and inspired by the goodness in our sea and on land. Polish your skin with exfoliating ingredients like organic sugar and grits for smooth, beach-ready skin. We blend them with all-natural ingredients like vitamin E to help lock in moisture and combine with the moisturizing benefits of coconut oil.

ᴖ̈ That Glow-Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter ($20/7.7oz ➔ $2.60/oz)

ꕤ Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter ($36/6oz ➔ $6/oz) 🧪

…In Bed Body Butter cocoons skin in 48-hour hydration for long-lasting glow, leaving it whisper-soft.

ꕤ Hana Hana Beauty Amber Vanilla Shea Body Butter ($32/8oz ➔ $4/oz)

Indulge in the luxurious scent of Amber Vanilla with our Amber Vanilla Shea Body Butter, a rich and soothing blend designed to deeply moisturize and rejuvenate your skin. This creamy body butter combines Amber‘s warm, inviting aroma with the calming properties of Vanilla to reduce skin inflammation and leave your skin feeling nourished and silky smooth. Infused with a powerful mix of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, and Mango Butter, this body butter helps tone, hydrate, and restore your skin’s natural radiance.

ꕤ True Botanicals Pure Radiance Body Butter ($60/7.4oz ➔ $8.11/oz) 🧪

An anti-aging body butter rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants for luxurious moisture and a dewy glow.

ꕤ 8 Days Botanicals Unscented Body Butter ($36/4.2oz ➔ $8.57/oz) 🧪

Nourish and soothe sensitive skin with our best-selling body butter, now available without added essential oils for those with the most delicate skin. Perfect for babies, mommas (or mommas to be), and anyone on their journey with scars, eczema or psoriasis.

ꕤ Madame Jo’s Signature Body Butter ($18/4oz ➔ $4.50/oz) 🧪

Madame Jo’s whipped body butter is a skin dream come true. This ultra-rich triple butter blend moisturizes dry to very dry skin and is perfect for those with eczema, rashes, and other irritating skin conditions. When Madame Jo made this for you, she wanted your skin to feel nourished and protected. She chose skin-loving ingredients like Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil, and Vitamin E to create a blend she knew you would love. The relaxing Signature aroma highlights notes of mango, sandalwood, lemon, and clary sage.

ꕤ Nurture with Nature Pure Body Butter ($21/3.3oz ➔ $6.36/oz) 🧪

Our Natural Body Butter is a rich blend of shea butter, cocoa butter, and sea buckthorn oil designed to deeply hydrate, soften, and restore the look and feel of healthy skin. The texture melts slowly into warm skin, delivering long-lasting moisture without leaving a greasy residue. Your skin feels smooth, supple, and comfortable all day. Because this formula is concentrated and water-free, a little goes a long way, making each jar a lasting part of your daily self-care routine.

ꕤ Brillo Beauty The Butter ($47/10.5oz ➔ $4.47/oz) 🧪

A rich and luxurious bump and body butter to deeply hydrate and restore changing skin. A powerful combination of shea butter, betaine, sea buckthorn oil, vitamin E and evening primrose oil will leave skin nourished, soft and smooth.

ᴖ̈ The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash ($17/16.9oz ➔ $1/oz)

ꕤ Necessaire The Body Wash | Multi-Oil ($28/8.4oz ➔ $3.33/oz) 🧪

The Body Wash is a rich, non-drying, non-stripping cleanse for the skin. Niacinamide and Plant Oils rich in Vitamin C/E and Omega 6/9 are paired with a high concentration of glycerin and gentle plant surfactants to provide a softening cleanse. Iconic texture, rich luxe foam and fine fragrance notes of Eucalyptus, Siberian Fir, Lavender, and Ginger for the best in sensory. Made without SLS/SLES, Silicones, Phthalates, Parabens and PEGs. Dermatologist-Tested. Hypoallergenic. Non-Comedogenic. Vegan.

ꕤ Prequel Gleanser ($18/13.5oz ➔ $1.33/oz) 🧪

A non-stripping glycerin cleanser for the face and body formulated with 50% glycerin, inulin, and a unique aquaporin-stimulating active to boost skin suppleness. This skin-softening, humectant-rich glycerin cleanser effectively removes makeup, excess oil, and impurities while maintaining skin’s natural moisture barrier and pH. Added arginine, oat extract, and aloe soothe and comfort. Designed for all skin types and suitable for dry or easily sensitized skin.

ꕤ Cyklar Fragrance-Free Sensorial Body Wash ($35/16.5oz ➔ $2.12/oz) 🧪

A silky, luxurious oil-infused fragrance free body wash that gently cleanses and nourishes the skin.

ꕤ California Naturals Glow Oil Body Wash ($12/16.5oz ➔ $0.73/oz) 🏷️🧪

A gel-to-foam wash powered by nature’s best hydrators for soft, glowy skin that smells like citrus.

ꕤ Hanni Rich Rinse Hydrating Serum Body Wash ($33/11oz ➔ $3/oz) 🧪

Rich Rinse is an ultra-hydrating serum-in-cleanser developed with 50% less water than traditional body washes. The first-of-its-kind, serum-forward formula delivers the softest skin imaginable in a rich, indulgent experience.

ꕤ Junoco The Body Oil Rinse ($25/9.3oz ➔ $2.69/oz)

This overachieving shower oil pours like a golden dream with sweet scents of melon and pear. When it touches water, it’ll turn into a fresh floral lather. A comforting blend of nourishing oils & extracts leaves your body soft and hydrated even after you rinse. This unique oil-foam formula lifts away dirt and grime without stripping the skin. Plus, it doubles as a base for a spa-like bath soak.

ꕤ Kopari Hydrating Vitamin C Shower Oil ($32/8.45oz ➔ $3.79/oz) 🧪

A unique oil-to-foam body cleanser that cleanses and brightens without stripping your skin of moisture. The luxurious foam leaves skin cleansed and hydrated without moisture-stripping sulfates. Plus, every shower will feel like paradise!

ᴖ̈ The Smoother Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Wash ($17/16.9oz ➔ $1/oz)

ꕤ ABI AMÉ Soft-Touch 30% AHA + 2% BHA ($38/8.5oz ➔ $4.47/oz) 🧪

Serious exfoliation without any scrubbing. A first-of-its-kind, pre-shower body mask Soft-Touch melts away dead skin, clears sebum build-up, and smooths out bumps, roughness and texture in just 5 mins. Powered by a potent blend of exfoliating acids (30% AHAs + 2% BHAs), this first-of-its kind pre-shower body mask delivers softer, smoother, healthier skin without the harness of traditional exfoliators.

ꕤ Necessaire The Body Exfoliator ($35/6.1oz ➔ $5.74/oz) 🧪

The Body Exfoliator is a mild-to-moderate in-shower physical and chemical exfoliant cleanse for the skin. Physical exfoliation (Volcanic Pumice) and Chemical exfoliation (AHA/BHA/PHA) work in synergy to help treat and prevent KP, ingrown hairs, and rough, textured skin patches for softer and smoother-looking skin. Non-stripping. Non-drying. Made without SLS / SLES, Silicones, Phthalates, Parabens and PEGs. Fine fragrance notes of Eucalyptus, Siberian Fir, Lavender, and Ginger for a relaxing experience. Dermatologist-Tested. Hypoallergenic. Non-Comedogenic. Vegan.

ꕤ Prequel Glycolic Acid Body Wash ($20/13.5oz ➔ $1.48/oz) 🧪

A non-stripping face and body cleanser formulated with 50% glycerin and 5% glycolic acid that resurfaces for brighter, firmer looking skin. This skin-softening, humectant-rich cleanser effectively removes makeup, excess oil and impurities while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Designed for most skin types.

ꕤ Medix 5.5 Glycolic + Lactic Acid ($20/15oz ➔ $1.33/oz) 🧪

Start every day with smoother, radiant skin using our Glycolic + Lactic Acid Body Wash. This SLS/SLES free cleanser gently exfoliates to remove dry, dull surface skin, revealing softer, smoother, more even toned skin. A blend of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid, this cleanser is perfect for targeting rough texture, uneven tone, and “strawberry skin.” Infused with refreshing essential oils, this skin perfecting wash invigorates and revitalizes skin and senses, prepping your body for lasting hydration and a youthful glow.

ꕤ Necessaire The Body Peel | 12% AHA/BHA/PHA ($62/5.1oz ➔ $12.16/oz)🧪

The Body Peel is a leave-on exfoliation serum for the skin. This serum-in-gel pairs 12% AHA/BHA/PHA (Exfoliating Acids) with Glycerin, Niacinamide, and Resveratrol to help treat and prevent KP, ingrown hairs, and rough, textured skin patches for softer and smoother-looking skin. Due to the high % of chemical exfoliating acids The Body Peel is sticky upon application. Mix with moisturizer to minimize stickiness. Dermatologist-Tested. Hypoallergenic. Non-Comedogenic. Vegan. The Body Peel is packaged in our signature airless package for sustained efficacy and safety.

ᴖ̈ The Glow Getter Body Oil ($25/3.4oz ➔ $7.35/oz)

ꕤ CYKLAR Vitamin C Body Oil ($38/4.2oz ➔ $9.05/oz) 🧪

A skincare-infused body oil that restores hydration and adds glow.

ꕤ By Rosie Jane Dulce Body Oil ($42/5oz ➔ $8.40/oz)

VANILLA DECADENCE. drench your skin in our ultra hydrating DULCE BODY OIL. a natural oil that locks in moisture and leaves skin glowy. scented with our award-winning DULCE fragrance, a warm blend of vanilla, a touch of brown sugar, and soft, earthy hinoki wood.

ꕤ True Botanicals Pure Radiance Body Oil ($52/4oz ➔ $13/oz)

A moisturizing oil blend that reveals your most radiant skin all over.

ꕤ Blank Body Beauty Sweet Plantain Body Oil ($48/3.4oz ➔ $14.12/oz)

A warm gourmand body oil that wears like a fragrance — caramelised plantain, mango and Tahitian vanilla, lingering on skin for 12+ hours. Vitamin C–infused to visibly firm and brighten as it wears.

ᴖ̈ The Calmer Ceramide Body Wash ($17/16.9oz ➔ $1/oz)

ꕤ cocokind milky-soft face and body cleanser ($18/13.5oz ➔ $1.33/oz) 🧪

A lightweight milky-gel hybrid designed to effectively remove daily buildup while being gentle on skin. A unique blend of five surfactants delivers the deep-clean feel and lather of a gel with the softness of a milk. A blend of saccharides, glycerin, and ceramides boosts skin’s comfort and hydration. Skin is left feeling fresh, calm, and clean from head to toe.

ꕤ Q+A Ceramide Shower Cream ($14/8.4oz ➔ $1.67/oz) 🧪

Q+A Ceramide Shower Cream has a rich and creamy formula that forms a light lather to gently cleanse and deeply nourish your skin. Infused with Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, and a Ceramide Extract. Ceramides help protect and strengthen the skin barrier, preventing moisture loss and keeping your skin soft, healthy and hydrated.

ᴖ̈ Phyto-Glow Lip Balm ($12/0.34oz ➔ $35.29/oz)

ꕤ Alchimie Forever Peptide Lip Booster ($29/0.3oz ➔ $96.70/oz)

This 100% vegan, science-backed, volumizing lip treatment combines powerful peptides Volulip™* and Maxilip™* with nourishing oils and butters for immediate and long-term hydrating and plumping benefits. Swiss Edelweiss extract, highly concentrated in leontopodic acid, has strong antioxidant properties to further promote a youthful appearance of the lips.

ꕤ Melixir Vegan Lip Treatment ($13/0.5oz ➔ $26/oz) 🏷️🧪

A 3-in-1 lip balm that works as a gloss, lip mask, and lip tint in one swipe. The lightweight formula delivers lasting hydration and a glass-like shine, with jojoba oil to keep lips soft and smooth. Wear it sheer, or build it up.

ꕤ EADEM Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm ($24/0.49oz ➔ $49/oz) 🧪

Le Chouchou is more than meets the eye—it offers the benefits of three lip products in one sleek, minimal tube. This revolutionary formula exfoliates the lips like the gentlest lip peel, transforms parched lips like an intense lip mask, and offers a non-sticky, reflective sheen like a high-shine lip gloss. You can swipe on the ultra-comfy jelly to cocoon lips in bouncy moisture and vivid color.

ꕤ Dr. Idriss Barrier Baste Lip Baste^™ ($24/0.34oz ➔ $70.59/oz) 🧪

Not your average lip balm. Meet your new go-to solution for chapped lips relief unlike any other. Barrier Baste Lip Baste soothes your lips and locks in moisture to continuously protect your lip barrier health. Clinically proven and formulated with high-performance actives like squalane to prevent moisture loss; ceramide to improve barrier strength and hydration; and shea butter to condition and soften lips.

ꕤ facile Rouge Lip Jelly ($15/0.5oz ➔ $30/oz)🏷️

Care for your lips like you care for your skin. Our restorative formula visibly plumps, hydrates, and adds a natural wash of color. Swipe on Rouge for a sheer yet buildable day-to-night red. Our hydrating blend of Peptides and Essential Fatty Acids softens and conditions for ultra-soft, super nourished, and fuller-looking lips.

ꕤ Kulfi Lip Snack Moisturizing Glossing Balm ($22/0.5oz ➔ $44/oz) 🧪

A non-sticky high shine lip balm, with a sheer tint and lightweight moisture in one swipe.

ꕤ cocokind ceramide lip blur balm ($12/0.3oz ➔ $40/oz)

Infused with skin-loving ceramides and peptides, this nourishing lip balm locks in hydration and blurs for a fuller, plump look. Glides on smooth with a soft, cushiony feel and glossy finish.

ꕤ Topicals Slick Salve Lip Balm ($16/0.5oz ➔ $32/oz) 🏷️🧪

This hydrating balm nourishes the lips and protects the skin’s moisture barrier with ceramides and glycerin. Formulated with hyaluronic acid and rice bran wax to lock in moisture, our know-it-all formula conditions, softens, and soothes for lips that look and feel their best. Powered by Cling Technology, Slick Salve creates a protective moisture shield, locking in hydration for all-day comfort. A portion of proceeds from all Slick Salve purchases will be donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF).

Thank you so much for reading! If you found this post informative and would like to support my work monetarily without paying for a subscription:

Buy Me A Coffee!

Notable mentions for July 2026: lost my Comic-Con v-card and met two authors that have been on my meet-and-greet bucket list ( & ) and Lana Condor (Lara Jean from To All the Boys I’ve Ever Loved); bought the wedding guest dress that I will be wearing to every wedding for the rest of my life; received my dream PR package from ; added four new books to my mini book collection; and obsessively listened to Gracie Abrams’ Daughter From Hell album.

My NET WORTH is $285,201.

My assets consist of all retirement, investments, checking, and savings accounts, and liabilities include my credit card. I do not have any debt.

✶ Full-Time Job $8,460
I work a regular 9-5 job at a university! Great benefits, solid pay, and excellent work-life balance. This was a two paycheck month, and considering I get paid monthly, this means I’m not getting a paycheck next month.

✶ Part-Time Job $1,196
I picked up a part-time research assistant role with a PI from graduate school. I put in 10 hours per week, and get paid every Thursday, which July has five of.

✶ Facebook Marketplace $150
I sold my beloved Byredo Eau de Parfum and hair perfume, because I’m realizing that 1) I easily get sick of scents in my full-sized bottles, 2) I want to downsize my excessive collection, and 3) Diptyque is the only perfume house I find the most luxurious smelling and not too nauseating.

✶ Interest Payment $129
I currently use Wealthfront for my HYSA. If you’re interested, you can get 4.05% on your first three months if you open an account using my link! And if you want to compare different HYSA financial institutions, CNBC has a resource here.

✶ Money With Beans $25
This is a combination of my social media streams— Instagram, Substack/BuyMeACoffee, Gumroad, and partnerships.

✶ Claim $8
Received a payment from an escape room I did a few years ago. They sent all attendees a letter saying that a booking fee (?) was mistakenly charged when we went, and we could submit a claim for some money back.

✶ Rent $1,000 | Budget: $1,000 | Difference: $0
I split rent equitably with my boyfriend. Our apartment has two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and is located in a relatively medium/high cost of living city in Southern California. He covers his portion of rent, as well as utilities (e.g., electricity, Internet, water, trash).

✶ Health $102 | Budget: $75 | Difference: -$27
From Arrae, I got their Magnesium and Bloat supplements, which came out to $77. I needed itch creams from Target that ended up being $15, and Ibuprofen from CVS which was $10.

✶ Groceries $313 | Budget: $400 | Difference: +$87
I visited my parents for July 4th weekend, and they provided a week’s worth of food — hence, the lower than usual grocery bill. Usually, this decrease in cost is offset by the transportation cost (which will be higher since it’s a 1.5 hour drive to their place). I spent $69 at Trader Joe’s, $90 at Sprouts, and $153 at Costco.

✶ Transportation $162 | Budget: $110 | Difference: -$52
Filled my tank twice because I visited my parent’s this month. Outside of that and my work parking, I paid $5 for one of the days I took public transit to Comic-Con. (We took the trolley on all days but Mr. Beans covered my ticket on the other rides.)

✶ Maintenance $235 | Budget: $100 | Difference: -$135
I recently decided to move this category to Perishable from Privileged, because there are a number of items that I truly cannot live without that get assigned to this category. My biggest expenses were my bulk order of Cora long liners directly from their website and Always FlexFoam Pads, Command Hooks, Dove Bar Soap, Dawn Powerwash, and Crest Mouthwash from Costco. Unfortunately, my Dyson Air-Dryer has been giving off a burning smell, and no matter how many times I clean the filter, nothing is resolving the issue. I lost the tape that indicated the serial number of the product, so customer service was also unable to help me. As a result, I purchased the BaBylissPRONano Titanium Lightweight Dryer as the replacement ($99). I also replaced the charging cord for my phone because the wire was fraying and apparently this is dangerous ($20)? I’ve had this charger like this for a while, and it only just hit me now that I might catch a spark if I keep this wire around. From Target, I purchased a bug catcher and drain clog dissolver ($37). $56 worth of returns hit this category, cushioning the total amount.

✶ Outside Food/Drink $56 | Budget: $75 | Difference: +$19
Hung out with a coworker and got boba ($14), got overpriced pastries from a nearby shop (sadly not worth the $13 for two tiny sweets), and got Mexican food on one of the Comic-Con days for Mr. Beans and me ($28).

✶ Gifts $16 | Sinking Fund Balance: +$577
Saw a cute Edward Cullen bookmark at Comic-Con and knew it’d be the perfect gift for my coworker’s Twilight book collection ($6). I also got the cutest Snorlax & Pikachu art print from Sonya Lei’s booth ($10).

✶ Entertainment $84 | Budget: $100 | Difference: +$16
This was my Comic-Con spending breakdown:

• $30 - 3 Sonya Lei art prints

• $12 - 1 Ghost Egg art print

• $21 - The Someday Garden for Ashley Poston to sign at the Mysterious Galaxy/Penguin Random House booth 

• $21 - 2 Noino Art foil postcards

Despite stating in the Mid Year Reset post that my Entertainment budget would be $50/month, I amended this because I wanted to allow myself to enjoy my first ever Comic-Con. I just felt as though $50 would be a hard limit.

✶ Wishlist Item $446 | Budget: $0 | Difference: -$446
$446 is how much I spent, but I also got back $989 worth of returns. I’m not counting returns in this category as it will skew the actual spend and I don’t want to inflate my success by calculating it like this. I purchased my dream wedding dress from Reformation — the Lilibeth Silk Dress. I tried it on in store and instantly knew that this was going to be the one. I also purchased the LeSportSac Classic Hobo Bag because I was so frustrated during Comic-Con while using my BAGGU Loaf bag. No matter how “minimalist” I want to be, especially with my wardrobe, I find that a one-size-fits-all bag is cause for extreme frustration. Ultimately, the goal is to have four different bags (all excluding reusable grocery bags — I have 5+ of those):

1. a “fancy” bag that I can take to proper events: BAGGU Loaf

2. a casual everyday bag that I can take on errands or social outings: LeSportSac Classic Hobo Bag

3. a functional, lightweight bag with big enough capacity for hiking, conventions, or activities where I would greatly appreciate my chest/arm area being free to do whatever: TBD on this one. I’ll see if the LeSportSac bag can fill this gap though crossbodies/totes aren’t ideal for this activity category. A top contender is the North Face Mini Borealis backpack.

✶ Travel $1,139
A spontaneous New York trip for September was planned this month, so I spent $503 on plane tickets. Airbnb charges for my August New York trip also hit my credit card ($648), but because this is for Mr. Beans’ friend’s wedding, he told me he’d cover my flight and our hotels. (I keep forgetting to Venmo request him). 

✶ 401A $1,050
Every month, I contribute 7% of my paycheck ($490.00) pre-tax, and my employer matches 8% ($560.00).

✶ 403B $948
I am contributing 15% of my pre-tax pay.

✶ Next Month $4,263
The YNAB budgeting system works in that if we have extra money to spare for a given month, we can allocate it towards future month’s budgets. The money allocation system works like gift cards. Therefore, each transaction I make “draws” from its respective category’s gift card balance. Every time I get paid or money back, I can replenish the funds in that category. The second paycheck from 9-5 that I received is directly going into next month’s budget categories.

✶ Sinking Funds $2,152
The remainder of my money after subtracting expenses and next month’s budget from my income funneled, into a variety of sinking funds:

• Chapter 3 (which I call the “next step” — at the moment, I’m saving up for our wedding): $1,290

• Travel: $239

• Emergency (vulnerable and shameful confession here but I had to pull from my EF because I made too many unnecessary purchases in the last three months — hence, the need for the mid-year reset): $604

• YNAB: $9

• Canva: $10

Get YNAB free for 34 days!

Because I’ve formatted the section above to compare this month’s numbers to my budget from the Mid-Year Reset, I won’t categorize each of the items into red, yellow, and green light (a format that I usually stick to). Instead, this section will discuss the highs and lows.

The Highs

The first month of any spending challenge is usually my strongest and most exciting effort. July was a relatively quiet month, purposefully so because I knew Comic-Con would be exhausting (it was) and the weather has made it difficult to leave the apartment. Anything over 85°F starts to get unbearable.

My biggest stressor was finding the wedding guest dress. I thought I would be reusing the one I wore to my best friend’s wedding earlier this year, but after feedback from Mr. Beans and friends, I’ve learned that it is too “bridesmaids-y”. After purchases from Sézane, Urban Outfitters, and Reformation, one finally stuck, and it nearly felt like winning the lottery despite having to pay $353 for it. I successfully pushed past temptations of getting a f*ck it, whatever dress — a cheap, polyester option just for the sake of the upcoming event. However, my moral conscience wouldn’t let me take that path, as I knew I could only be happy with one made of a natural fiber. With cotton and linen options looking too casual, silk was the top contender, despite the significantly higher cost. I could have saved $100-$150 by opting for cotton/linen, but decided I would later regret it down the line and end up with a silk dress in the end.

I had my first full month of paychecks at my part-time job as a RA, and it’s been such an enjoyable source of steady-ish (until the project ends) income for the summer. I love the project we’re working on — without going too much into the scope of it, this is a qualitative study on experiences that are racism-adjacent and perspectives on a law intended to combat discrimination. I find qualitative coding and thematic analysis to be a calming process. It can get exhausting if this is the only project I’m working on, but because it’s a 10 hour/week commitment, it’s very manageable. Plus, I get a publication out of this. I really could not ask for anything better.

A surprising win was finally selling my Byredo Bal d'Afrique eau de parfum and hair perfume. I spent twice the amount, but I haven’t used them in a long time, and I’d rather have $150 back over having these bottles collect dust in my drawer.

I experienced a number of successful waived fees, specifically with my returns. My personal biggest win was with East Fork Pottery, a company I plan on supporting again in the future. There was a small damage on the glasses I purchased, and I sent in two different emails 1) reporting the damage and 2) requesting to return the items. They likely just saw #1 so they issued a replacement for that glass. After I followed-up to clarify that I wanted to return everything, they told me to return just the items I purchased and that I could keep the replacement glass. Not realizing I was expected to cover the shipping cost, I asked to see if they would be able to, to which they said yes! If I didn’t ask, I would’ve been out $25 considering the box that the glasses came in was pretty big.

The parking police at work is my biggest enemy. The university decided to upgrade the website used to pay for parking permits, and as a result, I received a parking ticket. Luckily, I was able to contest it and get it dismissed, saving me $85. I don’t miss much about my old job, but I really do miss being able to park for free.

My spending across the board, despite going into the negative for some categories, felt intentional. It helped to see a majority of my returns hit my account. I’m still waiting on $279 to process!

The Lows

This month felt incredibly rejuvenating and fulfilling, so I can’t report on too many lows. However, if I nitpick every line item of my July transactions, here’s where I could’ve cut back on costs to save +$557.

• Baboon to the Moon’s return policy involved a $10 return fee, so unfortunately, that was money down the drain after returning their crescent bag (too long and very narrow opening) and luggage tag (impulse buy).

• Levenger kindly waived their $8.95 restocking fee for my return, but they didn’t refund the shipping cost. As a result, I lost $7.95.

• Just for the sake of checking something off my food list, I got a mini matcha cheesecake and hōjicha vanilla madeleine from a local Asian woman owned bakery. The cheesecake was bitter, and the madeleine was even smaller than the ones sold at Costco. This was $13.50 not well spent.

• I love all the pieces I purchased at Comic-Con, but if I were to narrow it down to what truly excites me, I should have stuck to Sonya Lei’s and The Ghost Egg’s art. Sonya uses a risograph technique and the colors in her prints are incredibly vibrant, a unique pastel-neon that you rarely see in prints nowadays — one that is pleasant to the eye, rather than strikingly offensive. The Ghost Egg prints are just adorable, and I was able to find one that reminded me of Mr. Beans and me. If I opted out of buying the two postcards from Noino Art, I would’ve been able to save $21.55.

• Because I’m already visiting New York (not the city) in August, booking a round trip flight for $504 into the City for September felt impulsive. Taking a hard look at my finances, I could afford it, but my ticket depleted my Travel sinking fund from a triple to double digit balance. I already know I’m going to have the best time there, so the experience will be well worth it. However, now that I’m reflecting, I should have delayed this trip to the upcoming year, instead of rushing excitedly into it.

Getting Tickets

I’ve wanted to go to Comic-Con since high school. I never cared much about the superhero content, but I was a die-hard Vampire Diaries girl. To see the cast of the show show up at Comic-Con year after year, and not being able to secure tickets because of the lottery system, made the convention feel so…aspirational. A bucket list item, for lack of a better word. When the opportunity presented itself earlier this year — my cousins’ girlfriend’s employer guarantee passes for their employees, plus a guest pass for anyone they want to go with — we couldn’t say no, despite the hefty $400 ticket price. There weren’t any unique perks that I knew of in having a Professional pass compared to an Attendee one; the only one is the bypass of the lottery system.

Getting There

I was fortunate enough to have friends who lived in San Diego, where Comic-Con has held their multi-day event for decades, so we were able to save our money on housing. What helped the most was taking the trolley to the Convention Center. There was no was that we’d be able to find parking if we drove.

The Convention Center

From what I’ve seen online, there were “worse” conditions at the Convention Center this year, including weaker AC units and a musty/dirty atmosphere. I can attest to this, which is why most of my Thursday was spent holding my breath in segments around bad smells or coughs/sneezes while the rest of the days, I made sure to bring a mask. Downstairs bathrooms were revolting, but upstairs was relatively well managed.

The Dealer Hall

Also known as consumerism hell. This is where you get your merch, where you wait in line to buy plastic knick knacks that will likely collect clutter. This is also where you see resellers try to rip you off for plushies, keychains, and figurines that seemed to have been dropshipped from Temu. My cousin, who is an avid convention go-er, calls this “landfill”, and it is so evident in people’s behaviors that there seems to be some worth in heaps of plastic. Here, you’ll also see scalpers who aggressively cut in line to buy exclusive merch, just to upsell it on Ebay the next day. Try Googling “Comic Con 2026 merch”, and you’ll already see the catalog of what’s been sold at ridiculous prices.

To avoid adding clutter to my apartment, I stuck to art prints and books. My art prints were from Noino Art, Ghost Egg, and Sonya Lei. As for freebies, I was also able to snag a cute sticker sheet from CapyFun Shop, three books from Penguin Random House (Let’s Kiss and Tell by Joss Richard, Doomsdate by , and Die For Me by ), and a personalized Yu-Gi-Oh card of myself.

The Panels

Did I go to the third Hall H panel? Absolutely not. You will never catch me waiting multiple days for a one-hour panel. More importantly, not everyone who waits 15+ hours in line gets in, and for most people, that’s already two days wasted. I bet high school me could have handled this, but not the current version of me who can barely handle a 2-hour wait.

I thought this year’s panels were very subpar outside of the obvious Hall H Day 3, as most of the showcases were of films and books I wasn’t interested in. I attended two however: Hope with Director Na Hong-jin and Onslaught with Director Adam Wingard and cast Adria Arjona, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, and Dan Stevens. During the Onslaught panel, someone in the audience asked about the usage of AI art in A24 storyboarding, as Onslaught is produced by A24, and Adam just responded with, “Next question.” Everyone collectively oohed.

I only regret not attending Friday’s Hall H panel, though I’m not entirely sure what the wait would’ve been. I would’ve loved to see Jamie Campbell Bower in all of his beauty.

Meet & Greets

I attended a romance author autograph panel, and was surprised at the line! There were around 25 people ahead of me, which equated to a 30 minute wait. This was where I got my The Someday Garden copy signed and personalized by .

As for meeting , I got to the Penguin Random House booth at 9:32 a.m. (the doors open at 9:30 a.m.), and was told they sold out of Joss’s tickets. Genuinely, what. I think I looked pretty sad when I asked one of the volunteers if there was any chance I could get a ticket for her signing, and as a result, she hand-wrote a ticket for me (shoutout to “KT”). I wish I kept the ticket for memorabilia’s sake, but these lines go by so quickly and the lady managing the meet-and-greet line tossed it in the trash. I waited around 35 minutes until it was my turn to meet the kindest author yet!

The biggest star I met was Lana Condor, who was promoting her new movie Coyote vs. Acme. This was a 1.5 hour wait in the incredibly busy Dealer Hall, but my nerves overtook the pain of locked knees. While seeing Lana in person felt wildly surreal (she is so pretty in real life), there was an immense amount of pressure to get your item signed and go. I stuttered over my words and slightly embarrassed myself in the moment by taking a poster when I wasn’t supposed to (apparently they said we could only get one thing signed, and I thought that meant a personal item along with the posters that the booth was giving out). Despite how cool it was to meet Lana, the experience was more stressful than I thought it would be, making it not as enjoyable as the other two.

What to Bring

Everything I brought to Comic-Con was wrong, in one way or another. As mentioned earlier in this post, my BAGGU Loaf was too small to hold anything substantial for a full-day convention like this one. Luckily, I had a carabiner and attached a reusable tote holding my art prints, water bottle, food in a plastic bag, and my hat. Imagine all of those swinging parts knocking against my body every time I walked, but also in fear of any one of those items falling off in the chaotic throes of the Dealer Hall. In addition, my emergency kit takes up majority of the space in my Loaf, and with the weights of items on both ends of the bag handles, opening and closing the bag was a nightmare.

Enough complaining. This is what I should’ve brought:

✶ Bigger bag - ideally a mini backpack of sorts, because carrying all these items on one shoulder is inconvenient.

✶ Larger water bottle - i had to bring my 12oz nalgene and not my 32oz because of weight issues, but if i had a more balanced bag, i would’ve been able to fit a larger water bottle. i experienced severe dehydration across all four days because i couldn’t just drink all my water at once. water stations were held outside of the dealer hall, so anytime i was in there, i had to exist in a state of dehydration for the time-being.

✶ Foldable Chair - as an extreme germaphobe, i cannot handle sitting anywhere, especially at a conventions where people forget what deodorant and showering is. sitting on the convention carpeted floors actually made me feel sick, and i regret not buying a chair like this helinox one.

✶ Masks - once you find yourself in line or at a panel, you’re stuck with the people around you. most importantly, you cannot guarantee that they’ve adhered to the common sense rulebook of showering and using deodorant. my first day at comic-con without a mask was actual torture. in addition, seeing all the reddit posts of people catching covid or the flu post-con makes me so grateful that i didn’t catch anything on the first day. all in all, i should’ve brought more masks in my bag, in case i needed to throw out the one on my face. i think i only had one spare in my bag.

Was It Worth?

My coworker, who’s been to Comic-Con multiple times as a volunteer, told me I needed to do the convention at least five times. That’s a bit of a commitment for me, but I think I’m willing to go one more time, now that I’ve learned what to do and what not to do. Instead of spending so much time in Dealer Hall, I’ve learned to:

1. Input interesting events I want to attend in my calendar (or download the app — I didn’t do it this time because my cousin said the app is very clunky). Because I didn’t do this, there were moments in the day when I was just mindlessly wandering around without a plan. I also ended up missing a romance panel where Ali Hazelwood was one of the speakers. Ali is still on my to-meet list, and I hope this happens before she gets even more popular and impossible to meet (cough cough Emily Henry).

2. Go to at least one Hall H panel. It doesn’t have to be Saturday’s (usually the one where people start lining up on Thursday), but try for any of the others. The wait time is surprisingly bearable, ranging from less than an hour to a couple.

3. Hunt for the freebies. This will take a bit more effort, but there were a number of free items that weren’t completely useless trash. I was able to score three books, a personalized Yu-Gi-Oh card with my picture, and a capybara sticker sheet.

4. Get to the convention early. We ended up going to the convention around 1pm on Thursday-Saturday because we simply wanted to sleep in. No other better reason for that. I think maximizing our time and attending more morning panels would have made my ticket worth the cost.

5. Follow my favorite booths on social media. This could give way to even more freebies. I overheard someone asking one of the book booths if they were still doing giveaways for the “secret word they saw on social media”.

6. Join a Comic-Con discord group. I saw a girl who had a Comic-Con Friends discord group page open, where people were updating what they were doing, the items they got, and general tips all around. (At a convention like this it is nearly impossible to not eavesdrop/get into each other’s business, no matter how hard you try not to, so don’t blame me for taking a peek.)

7. Dedicate a day to experience activations outside the Con. Some of the activities seemed more interesting than what was inside the convention center. I also love how many free items the booths were giving out! I’m a little sad about missing the Snoopy pop-up, because they were giving out free Snoopy plushies. The Percy Jackson activation also looked insane from the outside.

8. Sleep early! The most wonderful thing about attending these events with people you haven’t seen in a while is the post-con debrief at the end of each day. Unfortunately, these debriefs resulted in conversations that went up until 4 a.m. Next time, I’m setting sleeping times for everyone.

9. Scout for the Comic-Con chocolate. Post-con was when I first heard about them womp womp, but the flavors look insane, and a sweet treat is a universally well-appreciated gift. Gifting chocolate bars especially, since if people dislike eating them straight, they can chop them up into a baked goods. Chocolate chip banana bread, anyone?

10. Take advantage of the trolley. A one-way trip on the trolley costs $2.50, so transportation was $5 per day if I only went to the Downtown area and back. If I were to stay at a hotel instead of my friend’s place, I would pick one that is located close to a trolley stop.

A Few Interesting Links

ꕤ Why cosplay isn’t as big of a thing at SDCC via r/SDCC - discusses the cons of dressing up as your favorite character to a big convention like SDCC

ꕤ San Diego Comic Con 2026 had a lot of news to share, and some disappointments… - an in-depth reflection of a comic-con attendee who has been to the convention for 22 years in a row!

ꕤ The irreversible shrinking of the Con - a discussion on how much bigger the convention used to be, and as a result of mergers and budget cuts, how differences between this year’s con and previous ones are become more evident.

ꕤ Awful people - a collective, artful rant about how exclusive merch drives greed and establishes a normalization of greedy and rude behavior

Subscribe now

My favorite trend these days is seeing a list of what people think are worth your money, because they’re a bit more curated than the infestation of PR-riddled hauls that influencers get gifted and paid to talk positively about. I barely make any money off of my social media, and I get a manageable amount of PR that I sometimes have to give away, because backups of backups of backups are clutter in my small apartment. Ultimately, everything listed here is something I’ve only ever purchased with my own money and has never been gifted. For transparency’s sake, of course.

1. A budgeting tool that actually gets you to budget
   if you are the type of person who wants to get better at finances but don’t know where to start

I used to use Mint, the free version, and that was great. I miss the days when I don’t have to pay $120 annually to manage my money, but my YNAB subscription is very difficult to let go. I won’t harp on about why you should get YNAB specifically, because the budgeting system won’t work for everyone’s brain. However, if there is a budgeting app that you know aligns with your way of thinking and organizing, and if it ends up costing money, the cost might pay itself off in the long run. I know that I’ll have $1,000 thrown into YNAB after five years of use, but this is money well spent considering the generous return on investment.

There is a budgeting tool for everyone. If you’re currently at the “nothing has worked for me and I’ve tried it all”, trust me — you have not tried it all, considering there are thousands of app and Excel sheet options. MyWealthDiary or HayeCreatives sells some promising budgeting templates (I’ve never tried them so don’t quote me on this — the photos look good though).

The best Excel dashboards don’t need 12 tabs at the bottom for each month. Most importantly, if you’re paying money for an Excel budget template, you should not have to create a new Excel document per year! Rather, there should be a toggle on one page where you can switch between months and years. This type of Excel system will make your system less clunky and cluttered, and is likely more advanced considering the macros required for a functionality like this. Most importantly, this will allow you to compare your data across multiple years in one file, rather than having to sort through multiple files in your folder.

2. Air purifier

   this is for everyone, but more importantly most effective if anyone in your household has allergies, owns a dog, and/or has children

This + hypochlorous spray and you’ll never sneeze in your own home ever again. I have the Coway Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, and it has been the best air purifier I’ve ever owned. I love seeing the little LED light change color based on how “clean” the air is and the rate of filtration increase. When I’m cooking, this guy starts working overtime.

3. An at-home matcha station ($500 for the set-up + $120/month on powder)

   if you actually enjoy matcha and find yourself getting a matcha latte at a shop multiple times per week

All you need: a chawan (茶碗-tea bowl), chasen (茶筅-tea whisk), chasen-tate (holder for the chasen), a chashaku (茶杓-tea scoop), a sifter, and a precision scale.

• A good chawan follows a few qualities that should be taken into consideration (though if you are on a budget, you could use a bowl you already own ) — a diameter of 4.5-6 inches, not too shallow where you’re splashing tea everywhere while whisking but also not too tall that you can’t reach the bottom with your chasen, the design of the koudai (高台) or foot at the base of the bowl needs to be large enough to comfortable hold when pouring and have enough weight for stability but not too heavy that it is impossible to pour. The best part is that a high quality chawan can range between $50-$300, depending on your aesthetic. Glass chawans tend to be lower in cost, while handmade ceramic versions are on the higher end.

• A chasen is a tea whisk that is made out of bamboo, split into fine tines. This is the key to creating a foamy usucha (thin tea) or koicha (thick paste). There are three chasen shapes — standard, shin 真, and straight. Standard is the most common style you’ll likely find at a local store, with a gentle curve at the tip of the tines. The shin has a narrower handle than the standard. There isn’t a visible difference in how foamy the usucha gets between both — it’s purely dependent on your whisking skill. Straight isn’t common nor are they easy to use, so don’t bother with this one.

• A chasen-tate is a stand for the chasen, used to store and preserve the shape of your matcha whisk. This, paired with your whisking technique, will increase the longevity of your chasen, resulting in less broken and out of place bristles. I keep my chasen in the lid of the container it came in (do not recommend), and after a year of making matcha consistently, I’ve finally decided to purchase a proper chasen holder (arriving in August).

• The chashaku is a tea scoop, traditionally hand-carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory. Its sole purpose, in the classical sense, is to measure and transfer matcha from the tea caddy into the bowl.1 You can either go the traditional route of getting a chashaku, or you can simply use a regular spoon, considering you’ll have a precision scale to measure. I use a stainless steel teaspoon.

For a bare bones set-up without consideration of aesthetics, the set-up (without the powder) would cost $300 or less.

• Chawan

  • Tezumi Matte Black Faceted Spouted Matcha Bowl ($148)

  • Glaze Me Pretty Matcha Bowl ($49)

  • Sojha Studio Waves Matcha Bowl ($95)

  • Little Match Studio Chawan ($100)

Avoid: Aurora Earthy Tales on Etsy, Amazon (anything mass-produced)

• Chasen

  • Kettl 80 Tine Chasen ($22)

  • Den’s Tea Chasen ($16)

  • Zenkyu Matcha Chasen ($40)

  • Mizuba Tea Dark Wood Chasen ($30)

• Chasen Tate

  • Ippodo Tea Whisk Stand ($12)

• Chashuku

  • Rocky’s Matcha Measuring Spoon ($12) - or use the measuring teaspoon you have at home, your choice. i have this so i know it’s my “matcha” scoop and can keep it in my matcha station. sharing a teaspoon across cooking, baking, and matcha would drive me nuts.

  • Kettl Brass Chashaku Scoop ($60) - a “bifl” option over the bamboo version, since you’ll have to replace a bamboo chashaku once it starts to splinter

• Sifter

  • You probably already have this in your kitchen, but if you don’t, you can find one at your local Asian market for less than $5.

  • For an “elevated” sifter (ngl, all sifters are the same to me), Kettl and Matchaful have some nice looking ones.

• Scale

  • Time More Coffee Scale ($79)

Obviously, matcha powder is necessary for matcha. I would recommend starting at a culinary matcha powder, and making your way to harvest. Ultimately, choose the cheapest per ounce matcha powder on a reputable matcha website.

Here are a few matcha powder options with price per ounce comparisons:

• Megami Ceremonial Matcha 100g ($72.25 with sub) — $0.72/g

• Rocky’s Matcha Osada 100g ($66.30 with sub) — $0.66/g

• Rocky’s Matcha Horii Shichimeien 100g ($91.80 with sub) — $0.92/g

• Ippodo Tea Ikuyo 100g ($81) — $0.81/g

• Ippodo Tea Sakaya 100g ($119) — $1.19/g

• Nami Yame First Harvest Matcha 100g ($114) — $1.14/g

• Yamamasa Koyamaen varieties 30g ($15-$22) — $0.50-$0.73/g

• Paru Tea 10K Ceremonial Matcha 100g ($135) — $1.35/g

At the moment, I’m paying $78-$108 on 100g of matcha, which lasts me 25 days. In a year of home-made daily matcha lattes, I spend roughly $1,100. ◡̈ (Keep in mind - this doesn’t take into account other ingredients I also use — Minor Figures barista oat milk and a homemade syrup!).

4. A pair of pull-on linen pants

   if where you live gets to unbearable high temperatures and you also have to show up professionally to work

It’s muggy and hot in Southern California, and when I’m headed to work, the last thing I want to pull on are a pair of unbreathable trousers made out of polyester. Last week, I headed out in my Aritzia Lodge Pant in their Crepette fabric, and after heading down the stairs, I went straight back up because I was already perspiring in areas I could not be bothered with, especially at 8 a.m. I went back in, swapped with my Not Perfect Linen Puglia pants, and actually felt cool, despite the 85°F heat. I wouldn’t repurchase the Puglia mainly because they are not professional enough for my liking, and I ideally would want a pair of wide-legged, full length black linen trousers that I could pull up to an academic conference in. Therefore, I can’t provide a recommendation for that specific style, but if you’re interested in a wide-legged high waisted crop, the Puglia pant has been a solid choice!

5. Solbari Wide Brim Beach Hat UPF 50+ ($69)

   for the person who gets headaches from caps, needs a breathable and sweat-wicking solution to scalp sweats, and appreciates the look of a bucket hat.

Foldable but structured, washable and flexible. I cannot say any bad things about this hat. It’s been with me to every vacation, every errand, and embarrassingly, every date with Mr. Beans. I stuff it in my small bag when I no longer need it, or I tie the adjustable loop in the back to my bag strap. When it falls to the ground, I get the ick but also know that I can throw it in the wash when I get back home. I can raise the flap upwards when I’m indoors (despite looking like a fool but hey, it’s effective), and push it back down when I head back outside. If my temples are sensitive that day, I can adjust the drawstring in the back to expand the hat a little so relieve the pressure, whereas on windy days, I can tighten it to ensure it doesn’t fly off my head. I pray I never lose this hat, but if I ever do, I’m replacing it with the exact one. This is the final upgrade of a hat that I’ll ever be able to find for my headache-prone, sweaty head.

6. A Home Theater Set-Up (~$4K)

   for the person who hates the experience of going to a movie theater for whatever reason (i have my own extended list), but still wants the big sound and visual effects of one and of course, enjoys movies, especially ones with heavily layered audio scenes (dialogue, background noise, music altogether), intense musical scores, gripping action sequences, and sharp, sudden sounds to elicit fear.

I’m not trying to replace the IMAX experience, as I currently live in a 2-bedroom apartment with a 12x10 living room, which is where the actual set-up is. Investing in a home theater set-up doesn’t necessarily outweigh the cost of going into a movie theater upfront. Similarly to investing in a Breville Espresso machine, it’ll be a few years until a set-up like this is the more cost effective option. With that being said, here is why a home theater set-up is simply the superior option: 1) I can have a WHOLE smattering of food, chips, drinks, and candies to my heart’s desire without having to smuggle it in in a tiny tote bag, 2) I can wear my PJs without getting the ick (because wearing PJs to public places makes me want to vomit, though I am aware this isn’t a shared grievance across most people), 3) the ability to hit PAUSE when anyone in the movie watching party needs to use the bathroom (and with that, the freedom to drink as much as your heart desires without fear of missing any part of the movie), 4) being able to walk a few steps to bed once the movie’s done, instead of having to make the 5-15 minute drive back home. The fourth one is the best option if you want the horror movie experience without having to deal with driving home from a theater post-fright in the middle of the night.

Anyways, this is what makes up our 3.1 Klipsch Home Audio set-up:

• Center Channel Speaker: The central channel speaker is dedicated to the reproduction of the dialogue of an audiovisual program. The speaker(s) connected to the center channel are placed in the center of and behind the perforated projection screen, to give the effect that sounds from the center channel are coming from the screen. In many home surround sound units, the center channel is positioned above or below the video screen. We have the Klipsch R30C ($525).

• Subwoofer: The subwoofer enhances the reproduction of low frequencies in an audio system, offering a richer, deeper and more immersive sound experience. The subwoofer is specially designed to reproduce low frequencies with precision, adding power and clarity to musical elements such as percussion, the bass of electronic music and sound effects in films. It helps to balance the overall sound spectrum and create a more complete audio experience.2 We have the Klipsch R121-SW ($650).

• Left and Right Channel Bookshelf Speakers: Bookshelf speakers are compact loudspeakers designed to be placed on a raised surface, such as a stand, desk, or media unit, rather than directly on the floor.3 There are two types — active and passive.4 Here’s a thread from r/audiophile to learn more about the differences between the two types. We have two passive bookshelf Klipsch R-50M speakers ($425 each, $850 total).

• AV (Audio Video) Receiver: Its purpose is to receive audio and video signals from a number of sources, and to process them and provide power amplifiers to drive loudspeakers, and route the video to displays such as a television, monitor or video projector.5 Essentially, if you want any sound to come out of your speakers, you’ll need this guy. We have the Onkyo TX-NR696 ($649).

• Television: The most important, of course! What’s a home theater without a television? For a home theater, getting a OLED or Mini-LED TV is important. As for size, this is heavily dependent on how far your viewing area is from where you will be placing the TV. The further the distance, the larger the TV should be. This website has a tool that can help you calculate how big your TV should be based on that distance. We have the LG C4 65” (originally $2,700 but after discounts, we ended up paying $1,400).

If you want the theater set-up without the hefty price-tag, there’s a SubReddit called r/BudgetAudiophile that may be helpful.

7. Aisle Seat + Emergency Row on an Airplane

   if you tend to use the bathroom often during a flight, have claustrophobia, get airsick, and/or have a lot of limbs that take up space.

I take the aisle seat for my germaphobia and claustrophobia, and the emergency row when I’m on 5+ hour flights. After one too many flights of suffering in the middle/window seat, dealing with nausea and whatever health issue I would have at the time, I’ve learned that there needs to be enough “air” (if you can even call the the germ chamber of an airplane that) for me to manage my claustrophobia. Most of the time, my head is angled towards the aisle. In the emergency aisle, I can stretch and bend my legs at will. 100% worth the $100-$200 upgrade.

💌 If you liked this post, feel free to dig through my newsletter archive!

🦦 Don’t be a stranger, say hi over on Instagram at moneywithbeans

🫘 Get discount codes to my favorite money platforms or access to my Notion templates

There’s a ring on my finger, the incessant “when’s the wedding?” buzz in my ear, and $3,000 depleted from my bank account on frivolities. Frankly, this is the moment where my financial anxiety has reached its peak. With an impending (I promise I’m excited about this) wedding to fund and the desire to set our roots down by buying a home big enough to fit my fiancé’s larger than life hobbies (of which I love and support because they are my conversation starter when anyone asks about him), I need to save as much money as possible, without the over-complication of desiring upgrades, luxurious travel, and the occasional what ifs. The budget needs to be the leanest it can get, and I can no longer justify spending money for the sake of living a better life.

And at the age of 29, where my default is to scour social media pages for reviews before buying anything, I can’t say I’m necessarily regretful of previous purchases. I’m mostly satisfied the items I currently own. While some were impulsive buys, they were either items I’ve thought about for years, or had a specific purpose to fulfill a need of mine. However, my instinct is to always buy new, as someone who utilizes the return policy heavily if something feels a little off. With the thrifting/secondhand method, once I buy it, I’m forced to keep it. The flexibility of knowing that I can send back an item if it isn’t the perfect item I imagined it to be has been my biggest mental obstacle to fully embracing a frugal and sustainable life.

I’ve published a number of newsletters about spending challenges, saving money, and decreasing lifestyle inflation. However, they have all been published at distinct stages of my life, where circumstances make spending easier or more difficult, depending on the line item. As I’m on the brink of starting a new chapter of life with my fiancé, this Mid Year Financial Reset will capture the following:

1. Reflecting on what life looks like at the moment — joy bringers and spending triggers

2. Concretely establishing goals stating exact numbers and due dates

3. Examining my budget closely and strategically planning how I will be decreasing my cost of living

4. Saving tips for me (and you)

Reflecting on what life looks like at the moment — joy bringers and spending triggers

Currently writing this in July, in my two-bedroom, 1.5 bathroom apartment in Southern California, a homemade Spanish iced latte in hand. I currently exist in a standard of living greater than what I could ever dream of at this age. Our south-facing apartment receives generous light throughout the day, our rent moderately priced supplied with an in-unit washer and dryer (!), my workplace as a medium to fulfill my social battery quota among coworkers I can actually call my good friends, struck between a fine line of feeling happily complacent in life but toeing over the feeling of wanting more in my career.

Good health comes and goes — lately I’ve been experiencing waking up with some nausea and headache, more consistently than I’d (obviously) like, strong bouts of anxiety during my luteal phase, but otherwise, all with access to healthcare with a PPO health insurance plan I can’t complain about. In the context of health behaviors that I can actually control, a good diet, daily movement, and good sleep have wavered in quality. I fall more short in getting steps in as compared to eating well, as I’m still trying to figure life without following the strict rules of veganism. At times, I find myself sleeping at 2 a.m., not for any particular matter.

Many things bring me joy, including but not limited to:

✶ Decluttering on a weekly basis. My buy nothing group on Facebook and I are besties, and I don’t even have to send my pick-up spot since most of the people I gift items to are “regulars”.

✶ Our three-year old Kivik couch that I’ve arranged into the most cozy, comfortable sanctuary for naps, full sleeps, working on Substack posts (like this one), and watching TV.

✶ Following a recipe that actually ends up being good (latest obsession: spicy sweet and sour fried eggs by TiffyCooks). Too many online recipes have been looks first, taste last. I will not be making a matcha yogurt chia bowl ever again.

✶ Having a good laugh with my fiancé, who is the funniest person I know.

✶ Paycheck days, especially as someone who gets paid once a month. The financial dopamine in my brain, if that’s even a thing, runs out at the halfway mark of the month, and if I could, I would go back to the twice a month paycheck cycle.

✶ Towels that dry quickly. As a multiple wash-then-towel-dry-er when I’m doing my skincare routine at night, I find it deeply satisfying to be able to dry my hands, knowing that the hands will indeed be dry. I have long-standing beef with Piglet in Bed and had to get two bedsheets replaced due to quality issues, so you bet I was surprised when this towel (that they’re sadly discontinuing) surpasses all my absorbency-related expectations.

✶ A 2+ mile beach walk. A bonus if there are benches at the beach and I can take a break while reading a book. Truly an ideal weekend activity.

✶ A barista-worthy iced matcha latte in the morning. My current recipe is 4g high quality matcha + 40ml room temp water + 100 ml oat milk + 10-15g syrup over ice cubes. I spice things up by using different flavored syrups.

Despite most of these joy bringers being no-spend or low-cost activities, my spending triggers sometimes overcome my desire to save. When they do, the spending becomes a domino effect, and months later, I have to haul myself up by my shoulders and give me a good shake. This was how I felt in late June when I paid off a $5K credit card balance. I’ve identified a few situations where spending triggers lead to a months-long shopping spree.

✶ When I need to purchase an item for a specific event, I start to justify a slew of other items that are event-specific. A good example of this is my best friend’s wedding earlier this year; I purchased the necessity — the dress. As for the non-essential, I paid $125 to get the dress tailored and $400 for a pair of designer heels because every other lower cost heel I tried on at Nordstrom was painful and unstable. A necessitated purchase is dangerous territory because the moment I remember the feeling of putting my credit card information in and waiting for the package to arrive, I continue to chase it for as long as the irrational, budget-averse part of my brain stays active.

✶ Being inundated by things on things on things online. I’ve redownloaded TikTok and created a new account — it’s been good so far. Even though there are a few things that creep into the “looks cool, I kind of want it” territory, I’m able to hold back. What helps is this Apple Note where I jot down items I want. Despite my love for my Notion wishlist template, adding items in can get a bit cumbersome on mobile, so the Apple Note is my go-to right now.

✶ The urge to upgrade once I see someone with a better version of an item I own. This might be my biggest vice. I love an upgrade as much as the next person, and as a BIFL supporter, simply knowing that I could leverage a lifetime warranty or have confidence in the item’s quality typically results in me making that purchase. Unfortunately, these upgrades haven’t always been successful, as I’ve dealt with disappointing quality and performance after trying to replace what I currently own.

Concretely establishing goals stating exact numbers and due dates

My two main long-term sinking funds are for 1) our wedding and 2) a downpayment for a future home. We’d like to prioritize the wedding first, and are aiming to save $50,000. We’re shooting for $35,000, but $50,000 is for any unexpected expenses along the way. Rather than setting a date for completing the fund, we agreed to allocate 30% of our take-home pay to a wedding fund, and stop until our contributions reach our goal amount. Because the downpayment comes after the wedding, we will not be saving towards it until the wedding fund is fully funded. (Am I saying fund too many times?)

A goal that I would like to make second priority is travel. Mr. Beans’ family lives on the East Coast/overseas, so travel is inevitable. Considering that we are now engaged, there is more of an expectation for both of us to be there. Outside of family obligation-related travel, we want to travel more together for fun, but with budgeting constraints, I would like to limit this to two “big” air-travel based trips per year. We don’t go on weekend trips often, but want to try prioritizing this as we’ll save a chunk of money by driving to the location instead of flying. Joshua Tree and Palm Springs are on our list! The goal is $5,000 yearly, with this fund fully budgeted prior to booking a trip. I also want to apply for a travel credit card and learn how to better utilize my credit card points. I’m leaning towards Chase Sapphire Preferred considering I already have a Chase Freedom Unlimited card, and learned from my finance savvy coworker that I can transfer points between cards.

Subscribe now

Examining my budget closely and strategically planning how I will be decreasing my cost of living

Here’s what I’d like my budget to look like (current six-month average → revised).

ESSENTIAL

✶ Rent: $1,000 → $1,000
I don’t expect my share of rent to change.

✶ Health: $108 → $75
Because I spent $220 on a contacts lens exam and contacts (post-insurance), this number is a taaaad inflated. I also purchased a treadmill for $273 that I need to make better use out of. Co-pay for doctor’s appointments are $30 as long as I see a provider in-network, and at the time, I only need yearly checks with a dermatologist, pulmonologist, OBGYN, and PCP, which is $120 per year. I will be looking into a ClassPass membership once our private fitness sessions run out (this was a gift from Mr. Beans on our anniversary last year), but I’d like to set my budget to $50/month. I will supplement the other days with long, medium-intensity walks or pickleball.

✶ Groceries: $434 → $400
As a newly turned meat-consumer, I unfortunately have to try to stick to $400. The reason for the average being $434 is due to my 1) exorbitantly priced matcha powder that costs anywhere from $78-$92 per 100g, and 2) the best pre-marinated frozen fish by Sea Cuisine at $11 for 10.5oz filets. For the matcha, I consume 4g per drink and try to limit myself to one drink per day, so one tin lasts 25 days. A local shop that I used to go that has a specific matcha powder at a slightly lower quality than Rocky’s Matcha that costs $54 for 175g ($0.31/g). Insane! I will be swapping to this brand after I empty my Rocky’s tin, as it will decrease the frequency of matcha restocks, lasting me 43 days instead of 25. I am also going to push myself to make the 20 minute drive (involving a freeway) to Costco.

✶ Transportation: $136 → $110
I want to stick to $100, but this will be difficult. Parking permits at work increased from $6.05 to $6.35, so I pay $51 per month as I go in twice a week. Ultimately, this leaves me around $49 dollars for gas. A full tank costs $66 if I’m completely depleted. This means I will have to decrease visits to my parents’ home (1.5 hours there and back), or plan according to my remaining transportation budget balance. I downloaded the app, Upside, for more cashback on gas. Let’s see if this helps!

✶ Home Maintenance: $142 → $100
When home maintenance purchases bring me joy, I know they’re teetering on non-essential. If they’re essential, I dread buying them. I had to replace my water filter and air purifier filter — both very necessary, both very not-fun. The most “fun” item from the past six months was a 6-pack of silk scrunchies for $68; unnecessarily expensive, but a joy to look at and wear. Outside of that, I’ve been trying to utilize my Costco membership for toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex, Clorox toilet bowl cleaner, Clorox wipes, Clorox toilet wand refills, Dawn dish soap, laundry sanitizer, Scrub Daddies, and plastic waste-bags. I’m still purchasing hand soap and kitchen cleaner from Koala Eco, dishwasher detergent from Dirty Labs, and laundry detergent from Target (because I wanted the Tide Hygienic one that isn’t sold at Costco). Ideally, I’d like to make the switch to Costco-only purchases because I can buy in bulk at a slightly lower cost.

1. Hand Soap: Koala Eco Hand Soap ($0.59/oz) → Softsoap Liquid Soap at Costco ($0.08/oz) or Dr. Bronner’s Bulk Castille Soap ($0.48/oz)

2. Dishwasher Soap: Dirty Labs ($0.34/load) → Cascade Dishwasher Detergent ($0.14/load) **these calculations are estimations, considering DL is in powder form and Cascade is liquid, and I’m not sure how much I’ll be needing for Cascade. I currently I use 2 tbsp per load for DL.

3. Kitchen Spray: Koala Eco Kitchen Spray ($0.47/oz) → Sal’s Suds Biodegradable Cleaner ($0.40/oz)

NON-ESSENTIAL

✶ Outside Food/Drink: $130 → $75
I covered Mr. Beans’ meals a few times in May, so that total inflated my six-month average. Otherwise, I can easily stick to the $75 mark if I tell my friends I’m on a no-buy.

✶ Gifts: $68 → 🤔
This is a weird one because not only do I have very little friends, but I like giving people I love nice things. For example, I would love to gift my best friend and her fiance a visit from the exterminator because their apartment is infested (and they actually just told me that they will not be moving to a new apartment this year — I was going to hold off on this gift in the situation that they move to a brand new and clean space…). This will likely cost ~$200. Altogether, I have two friends I give birthday gifts to. Christmas gifts are a whole other extravaganza, because I now have work friends (yay!) and there is a gift giving culture (nay!), so I feel obligated to honor that. Last year, I spent around $15 per person. My favorite gift giving is for Mr. Beans, though we both recently decided to decrease spending that much money one each other. With that being said, let’s reframe this. Instead of doing an average spend, I’d like to limit my total gift spend for the year to $1,000. Last year, I spent $1,500, so this is a slight improvement? My total right now is $407, so I have $593 left to spend.

✶ Entertainment: $259 → $50
This captures concerts, weddings, and activities. Considering I’ve spent $600 this year on concerts alone, I’d like to dial the entertainment budget back significantly. (I did not get Daisy Chain Fields tickets but now reflecting on this, I am so grateful because it would’ve pushed me closer to the $1,000 concert spend mark. Yikes.) The $50 will be used for just-in-case situations (e.g., I might get fabric tape for an upcoming wedding and may need a new dress for their pre-wedding festivities). With this low of a budget and how easily the expenses can add up, I will have to leverage the thrift store and creativity to make this really work.

✶ Wishlist Item: $494 → $0
I am appalled that my six-month average, and if I make no wishlist item purchases, I can decrease this monthly average across 2026 to $250 (still not ideal, but sounds much better). I have enough stuff in my life, and I want to embrace underconsumption as a reality rather than an idealized version of myself through consuming underconsumption content.

✶ Home Decor: $74 → $0
My biggest 2025 home decor fail was the three wooden wall shelves for $512 and realizing I had to drill them into studs, and then realizing I could not do this without potentially drilling into a wire because of where the studs were placed and where the drilled bits were located on the wall shelf. I’m so done with home decor and trying to curate a “cozy space” when it’s ALREADY cozy. There are a few corners of clutter where I need to sell a few things, and we don’t necessarily have a catch-all corner for returns/misc., but outside of that, we truly do not need any more physical items. I struggle with the Container Store because an organized closet or drawer is an instant anxiety cure. I am going to have to work really hard to fight the impulse for this one.

SINKING FUNDS

✶ Emergency: $21 → ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
$0 is ideal, but life doesn’t always give us lemons for lemonade.

✶ Travel: $472 → 🤔
Similar to gifts, I don’t travel monthly, but I have two New York trips planned in the next two months — one outside of the city for a wedding, and one in the city with friends. Here are some rules I’d like to put in place for them:

• Wedding: We’ve already paid for our flights, car rental, and part of the Airbnbs that we will be staying at. I chose the Airbnb payment plan to pay half of the total on the day of booking, and pay the rest on a later date. The second amount will hit next month, and I obviously cannot do anything about it. Because this is Mr. Beans’ friend’s wedding, he will be covering the rest of the expenses on this trip. I don’t expect to bring back travel trinkets.

• Friends: Mr. Beans and I are splitting expenses for this trip 50/50. So far, I spent $504 on my plane ticket and reserved a hotel room for $3,042 (pay at the time of check-in and will be split with Mr. B). This trip will be very touristy, doing all the things — visiting the museums (MET, MOMA), walking around Central Park, having New York-style pizza, attending a Broadway show — so I expect to spend around $500 in addition to what I’ve paid so far. I’ve dreamt of going stationary/niche furniture shopping in NYC, but I’m limiting myself to $50. Altogether, the maximum budget set for this trip is $2,550. (Currently: $2,025)

And in consideration of all that’s mentioned above, my goal of visiting Hong Kong/Singapore this year is sadly not happening. Not only do I have very limited PTO, but it will cost me $3K-$4K for one-ish week.

My average income for the past six months was $4,651, which made my average savings rate 40%. If I assume that my income stays relatively consistent (I work a 9-5 with side hustles that don’t vary in the extremes), then my savings rate will increase to 61%.

Saving tips for me (and you)

✶ Compare grocery store prices across the markets I frequent. I’m guilty of solely purchasing items from Sprouts despite knowing that it tends to be the most expensive option. Unfortunately, they sell most of my go-to’s, including my Oatly Barista Oat Milk, Purely Elizabeth granola, and Graza Original Mayo. With that being said, I can stick to my go-to brands from higher end stores, but as for produce, I need to opt for the cheapest.

✶ Eliminate first time, experimental grocery store items. For me, this pertains to fizzy drinks, convincingly effective supplements, or a crunchy savory snack using a niche ingredients. After trying Smart Sweets, I’m never touching candy marketed as “better for you”. I’m either consuming the full-bodied sugared up version, or none at all (the latter being the most realistic and healthy).

✶ Remove excess weight from my car. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your fuel economy by around 1%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. I have a foldable shopping cart that I no longer use, now that I live in an apartment complex without an elevator.

✶ Drive at the speed limit, and avoid rapid acceleration and braking. These days, I’ve found myself driving a bit more aggressively than I used to. Maybe it’s because the city I now live in has an influx of aggressively terrible drivers, and I feel the need to “match” that to get from Point A to Point B in a reasonable amount of time, also without being tailgated or cut off every five seconds. With increased patience, I’d like to pay more attention to how quickly I speed up and slow down, all while noticing my surroundings and keeping to my pace without feeling pressured to speed up because of an incessantly impatient knucklehead behind me.

✶ Emulate matcha and coffee shop drink recipes at home. Unfortunately, I will be removing a pop-up off my calendar because no matter how tempted their fig matcha latte, I have to pass for now. I also feel like some of these pop-ups are aesthetics-driven? I went to my first pop-up last year and ordered their strawberry matcha latte — truly one of the worst drinks I’ve ever had in my life. It was sour. Sour! Yes, strawberries are naturally sour, but that part of the strawberry flavor should not come through in a latte. (I tried making strawberry cheong 청 recently, and it is truly excellent. Dice some strawbs, do a 1:2 sugar to strawberry ratio mix, and set it in the fridge for a week. This + jasmine syrup is an unbeatable combo for matcha.)

✶ Ask before buying: If I didn’t know this existed, would I want this? Thanks Reddit, for this one! I like this tip a lot because it really shows how easily influenced we are by mass purveyors of social media. Even just taking a quick glance at my wishlist (referencing the screenshot in the above section), 90% of them are items I wouldn’t have ever known existed and I also wouldn’t have thought about wanting them. The air fryer and coffee syrups were wishlist items that sprung out of a random need while doing my day to day tasks. The rest were straight from social media.

✶ Avoid subscriptions that require additional purchasing of product. I’m thinking about the premium subscriptions to DoorDash, InstaCart, or Amazon Prime. You’re telling me I have to pay money in order to pay more money to get the things I want? I think not. Not having the subscriptions also prevents me from using these services to begin with. For a while, I was tempted to get InstaCart’s subscription because Costco is 20 minutes away and I hate the drive there, but I knocked some sense into my brain and did not pull through with that.

✶ Always ask for a price adjustment or if a fee can be waived. It never hurts to ask! From all the purchases I made in the last three months, all but one company agreed to waive their restocking/return fee, saving me at least $50. (The one that didn’t do it was Baboon to the Moon.) My email template is:

And their response was: I have confirmed that the fee will be waived. Please go ahead and use the return label we sent you to return the item. Once we receive the returned item, you will receive a full refund for the item or if you requested to have a exchange order, it will not include that fee.

I use a similar tone when I ask for discount adjustments as well. If an item goes on sale or the company has a store-wide discount shortly after I’ve purchased an item (I make sure to check that it is within the window frame of the return period as well to build my case), I email to see if they could honor the discount towards my purchase. I’ve received a lot of yeses and a few no’s (looking at you, Blueland).

✶ $1/use rule. Can you wear or actively use an item the number of times of it’s rounded up dollar value? Will your $180 dress yield 180 wears? I have a lot of regrets in this category, as I tend to buy exorbitantly priced, out of budget clothes that get worn, but not to the point where I could envision myself wearing it in the hundreds range. For example, I purchased a Gillian Stevens dress in 2025 for $224, and I’ve only worn it 24 times even though I feel like I’ve worn it 100. I wear it when I’m running errands and/or on my period, and I log my outfit daily. For all of that to only add up to 24 is insane, because Mr. Beans has jokingly commented on how I wear nothing but just that dress on weekends.

✶ Maintenance is cheaper than repair. Someone on Reddit said, “schedule your maintenance, or it will be scheduled for you.” 🤏🏻 And maintaining, no matter how tedious, terrible, exhausting, at times frustrating that the process may be, will always be less work than repairing. A few things to stay on top of include: car (taking it to the mechanic when any concerning light turns on); vacuum (cleaning the filter, removing hairs from the brush bar — disgusting but needed); getting an annual check paired with a blood draw (the first appointment is the most annoying to schedule, but once that’s done, everything else is on an automated schedule); using drain stoppers like a Tubshroom to catch hair and other gunk from going down the drain and clogging it (I’ll admit, I don’t do this because I’m in a rental unit but if I owned my own home, Draino is not allowed within premises); and cleaning and descaling your very expensive espresso machine.

✶ For toiletries, practice the one-in one-out rule by category. I’m pretty good at this for skincare and haircare, but I tend to get stumped with hand/body lotion. At this time, I have a full sized Prequel and La Roche Posay lotions on standby that I need to empty. Despite how badly I want to try the CYKLAR body lotion, I’m refraining from doing so until both bottles are cut in half and scraped out completely.

✶ Properly store produce in the fridge. Moldy vegetables and fruits are no stranger to me. Unfortunately, with rising produce costs, I can’t just bat an eye and do nothing. A brilliant person compiled this guide on produce storage tips.

✶ Only thrift cookware. Pots and pans should never be purchased at full price, specifically stainless steel and cast iron. My coworker, who is an avid cook (makes everything from scratch and I have never seen her eat out a single time at work — twins), only thrifts her kitchenware items. Luckily, we have a local nonprofit kitchen co-op that has a great, low-cost selection of kitchenware! I’ve also seen Goodwills around the world carry stainless steel. No matter what condition they are in, they can always be brought back to life.

✶ Use pre-made snacks only during emergencies. I’m fortunate as a baker to be able to see most baked goods (my weakness!) as a “I can make it better at home” reflexive thought. Unfortunately, savory chips are also my biggest vice, and I’ve never attempted (or wanted to attempt) making these at home. I will be omitting these from my diet and only buying individual packages for my car, purse, and work. I have hypoglycemia, so despite wanting to cut out snacks entirely, having them at arm’s reach can prevent me from fainting spells.

✶ Opt for powered cleaners over liquid or pods, as they are significantly cheaper. I currently use powder dishwasher detergent and it surprisingly cleans my dishes much more effectively than the Cascade pods I used to purchase. I’ve yet to switch from liquid to power for laundry, because I’m apprehensive about whether it’ll fully dissolve in the dispensing tray of my front-loading washer.

✶ No streaming services. I quit Disney/Hulu earlier this year, and for full transparency, I still use my parent’s Amazon account to watch shows/movies on Prime. If they stopped their subscription, I’d survive. These days, I only watch continuation of existing shows I know I love or book to film adaptations that I’m eagerly anticipating (e.g. The Love Hypothesis releasing September 23, 2026 — ahhh!). Try being ✨resourceful✨ if you really want to watch something.

✶ Check for credit card offers and google coupons prior to purchasing anything. On the Chase app, there is a “Chase Offers” section, and I always forget to check this prior to buying anything. I must have missed out on at least $50 this year by not doing this! Googling coupons is also handy thing. If there isn’t a newsletter discount code that the company offers, I’ll click through a few discount code websites and test out everything they say it’s active. Most of the time, it won’t work, but if I’m lucky, one will stick.

✶ Costco for everything. I am only a two year Costco-cardholder, and am still discovering how I could maximize benefit from my $65/year Gold Star membership. We recently booked flight and a hotel for our upcoming NYC trip, which is $2,100 per person. After a quick check on Costco Travel, a round trip flight + 4-star hotel stay is $1,620 per person; they also add a $150 Costco Shop Card as a perk. What. The. Heck. Our upcoming trip to Mexico City will absolutely involve Costco. Beyond travel, this is everything else they offer (with a few more in Home & Installation but I couldn’t fit it all into a screenshot).

Share

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly-ish newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, feel free to take a look at the two free FSDs on my website: the first and the fourth one. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

To track these expenses, I use YNAB, my go-to budgeting tool for 3+ years at this point. If you want to try the website out for free for 34 days, then feel free to use my link! (Disclaimer: I’ve never been sponsored by YNAB. I currently pay for their yearly annual subscription. Whenever someone upgrades to a paid subscription using my link, I get one additional month for free added to my subscription.)

THE ESSENTIALS [-$26]

• Work Parking [-$13] - work raised our daily permits +$0.30, so my total when rounded is now $13 and not $12. womp womp womp.

• Groceries [-$13] - mainly pineapple, orange, and apples for some cold pressed juice i made for a work potluck. this week was a very low grocery spend because i visited my parent’s last weekend and they gave me 2 weeks worth of food.

THE NON-ESSENTIALS [-$955]

• Reformation [-$696] - purchased six dresses (-$1.8k), received five, returned four (+$1.2k) and am considering keeping one ($375). i’m still waiting for the last one to get delivered ($321). after failed dress purchases from sezane and urban outfitters, i’ve decided to give reformation a proper try for a timeless and versatile wedding guest dress. i was a bit nervous to buy from reformation due to quality issues reported by customers on reddit, but i’ve also heard many people talk about how timeless their dresses are.

Read more

Money Musings is a series where I break down my total income, expenses, savings, and investments for a designated month, and review whether my spending aligns with any challenges I’ve committed to.

Notable mentions for May 2026: visited Olympic National Park and got proposed to; could not stop talking about Off Campus and sharing the word to literally every single person I know (current influence count: 5 people); transitioned out of veganism after being a vegan for 10 years; took a small break from reading because I clearly am a hobby extremist and have already knocked out 60+ books in the first five months; and started planning a trip to New York for Mr. Beans’ friend’s wedding.

• my frugal spending diary | apr 20-may 3 — (fsd 03) double week feature ft. a shopping spree, getting tickets to my dream event (since high school!), my second target purchase of the year, gifts for my man, and king of gluttony release

• did i really drop $1,500 on clothes? — (money musings 09) income, expenses, savings, & investments in april 2026. month 1/3 of the “advent” calendar spending challenge + how much i spent as the maid of honor at my bestie’s wedding.

• frugal spending diary | may 4-10 — (fsd 04) reviewing my 7th (!!!) 5-star book of the year, a generous gift from mr. beans, & the number of queues we were in to get olivia rodrigo’s the unraveled tour tickets

• frugal spending diary | may 11-24 — (fsd 05) a few emojis to summarize these past two weeks: 💍🏞️🥾🍵🔬🍖

• a list of delights - 01 — overly detailed rants on things i’m delighted with, through an anti-consumer lens -- incl. my top dystopian novel, where to get THE best vegan bánh mì in socal, and 1-yr update on my $600 work tote

My NET WORTH is $285,877 (↑$23,242 from the prior month).

My assets consist of all retirement, investments, checking, and savings accounts, and liabilities include my credit card. I do not have any debt. Stock market’s doing reeeeal good this month.

My INCOME was +$9,181.

• Full-Time Job +$8,807 | Got paid twice this month (which just means I won’t be getting a paycheck in June). In addition, the union that I’m a part of according to my job code won us a small bonus, so I received an extra $400!

• Interest Payment +$134 | I currently use Wealthfront for my HYSA. If you’re interested, you can get 4.05% on your first three months if you open an account using my link! And if you want to compare different HYSA financial institutions, CNBC has a resource here.

• Ebay +$62 | Sold one item that’s been listed on my account for three years. I consider this one of the biggest resell wins in all my ten years of doing this.

• Cashback +$50 | From allll the shopping I’ve been doing.

• Money With Beans +$47 | This is a combination of my social media streams— Instagram, Substack/BuyMeACoffee, Gumroad, and partnerships.

My PERISHABLE EXPENSES was -$1,854.

• Rent -$1,000 | I split rent with my boyfriend. Our apartment has two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and is located in a relatively medium/high cost of living city in Southern California.

• Health -$254 | Purchased a treadmill for my standing desk (sadly learning that walking + typing is nearly impossible) and restocked on my Lexapro. Received a refund for a supplement purchased from Sprouts.

• Groceries -$503 | Outside of my regular grocery runs, I also purchased coffee beans from a local shop, syrups for my coffee, and overpriced but delicious oat bran muffins for breakfast for one week. [hyper-specific grocery breakdowns by category and item can be found in my frugal spending diaries]

• Transportation -$97 | Filled up gas once; the other expenses are parking for work.

My PRIVILEGED EXPENSES was -$2,396.

• Maintenance -$60 | Refunds from Dieux, Prequel, and Sprouts significantly decreased the total amount for this category. I purchased glass jars for my chia pudding, drain maintenance items, and dishwasher powder.

• Outside Food & Drink -$331 | Went out five times for some sort of caffeinated drink (a few of those times, I covered Mr. Beans’ order), went to an AYCE dumpling restaurant, got Japanese curry, and vegan Vietnamese food.

• Gifts -$62 | A return is pending for this category, so once that gets processed, the real total for gifts this month should be $10 for the Trader Joe’s sunscreen that I gifted to Mr. Beans.

• Entertainment +$153 | Ended up with a positive balance because the return for Vivaia hit this month (gave back $400+). Outside of that, this month consisted of Olivia Rodrigo tickets + parking and tickets to ’s book signing for Tropesick.

• Wishlist Item -$490 | Chaotic month, because so many transactions were made — including both purchases and returns. I have a few items that need to be returned, so the “true” amount will be less than the reported. Disregarding the purchases that have been returned in the same month, I got: Mulberry card case (plan to return), Patagonia sweater & jacket (keep); REI carabiner (keep); Levenger case (keep); Hario bottle (keep); Away bag (keep); Crate and Barrel scale (keep); Topo Designs bags (plan to return).

• Travel -$1,191 | Purchased a few travel supplies, including shoe bags and hiking shoes (that I will be testing out in June). I purchased a Patagonia backpack but will be returning because it is too big for a personal item. The rest of the expenses are from the Washington trip — a postcard is in the works!

• YNAB -$109 | I’m still a YNAB user, but man, is it hard to stay a user considering all the controversy the people behind the app have been facing. Most recently, they laid off a number of staff members from the social media team, who I should add, have been integral to YNAB’s brand image.

I SAVED/INVESTED $6,929.

• 401A $1,050.00 | Every month, I contribute 7% of my paycheck ($490.00) pre-tax, and my employer matches 8% ($560.00).

• 403B $948 | Divested in a variety of university-specific target date funds (that are honestly so insanely well curated that my rate is return is 43% (versus my Roth IRA which wavers around the 20-25% mark).

• Sinking Funds & Future Months $4,931 | Because it was a two paycheck month, I allocated some of the leftover money to June’s budget categories, while maxing out my sinking funds. Most of it went to Travel because of the trip I was already on, an upcoming trip to New York, and later in the year, an Asia trip.

Get YNAB free for 34 days!

For Quarter 2 of 2026, I’ve decided to do an Advent Calendar Challenge — meaning, I designate a “category” of items that I am allowed to spend on for the next few months. And I must stay within category, otherwise I’ve “broken” the challenge for the month.

Let’s review for May, which I’ve limited to workout, hiking, travel, and health. If there is an asterisk next to the item, then I will be returning the item and the final amount is expected to change.

Green Flag

• Portable treadmill ($273) - don’t know how i feel about this purchase. for one, it’s great to have an indoor option when the outdoor weather is not it. but no one told me that it’s nearly impossible to type and walk at the same time. having to deal with misspellings every three words is a headache, and lately, haven’t been using the treadmill as much as i would like because of this. sighhhh.

• Patagonia sweater and jacket ($208) - best purchases for my trip! both were on sale, and fit perfectly. while it’s now too hot to wear them, i’m excited to pull them out when the weather cools down in…six months.

• Eagle Creek shoe bags ($40) - i’ve always used plastic bags as shoe bags, and after trying the thule shoe bags (which we returned bc they weren’t machine washable), i'm a changed woman. i purchased the eagle creek ones bc they can be machine washed.

• Carabiner ($14) - might be one of the most functional items i’ve seen in use for travel. went ahead and purchased a heavy duty mountain climbing one, for the sole purpose of hooking my water bottle to my personal item.

• Dirty Labs dishwasher powder ($26) - honestly have been enjoying this one. much better than the seventh generation powder i purchased from sprouts.

• Book signing with ($25) - i’ve never regretted a book signing experience, and i’m so so so happy to be adding a new book to my very small, curated, personalized shelf. lauren was so kind and sweet, and i can’t wait to see the impact she has on the romance publishing industry! big moves to come.

• Pink House Alchemy ($56) - i can make my own syrups, yes, but the maple delight syrup is magic. i won’t ever stop supporting this brand bc every one of their syrups has been a hit.

Yellow Flag

• Fjällräven Kånken mini backpack - used this on my olympic trip, and it was such a bad experience. straps were too short, and as an above average in height woman, i struggled putting both straps on. it was way worse with thick clothing. i’m not entirely sure if this will be accepted for a refund (i emailed customer service, they told me to send it in but no guarantees).

• Clementine scrunchies ($68) - expensive ass silk scrunchies but i really do love them. let’s see how well they hold up.

• Levenger Tissue Holder ($30) - takes up a lot of space because it’s made of leather. not doubting the quality, but i would rather have something much more compact in my bag because space is limited! something like this perhaps, or even a regular small pouch for me to designate it as the tissue pouch?

• Away toiletry bag ($94) - completely unnecessary. i know. i’ve had some issues with my current one (cotopaxi accessory), and i wanted something that could fit my items better. cotopaxi was a black hole, and i always struggled to get things out of it. so far, the away has been impressing me.

• TubShroom drain stoppers ($38) - could’ve been a green flag, but mr. beans has been busy and i’m too scared to snake a drain…so i’m 100% aware that these items are a need bc we keep clogging our drain but can someone please do this for me.

Red Flag

• Fjällräven Kånken sling - i want to be able to carry a small pouch and water bottle in my bag. this sling not only was a tight fit for both items, but i couldn’t even make use of the back pocket where i wanted to keep my wallet and phone. all in all, this was too small. plus, the fabric, similar to the mini backpack, is a pain to care for.

• Mulberry card case* ($296) - cute and slim, but can only fit two cards and the key attachment feels like it’ll break off at any moment. also hard to take the cards out of the slot.

• Olivia Rodrigo tickets ($260) - thank god i love liv that much to justify these tickets bc wtf was up with the pricing scale?!? so disappointed, but because i missed out on sour and guts, attending this concert was almost a necessity if we won the ticketmaster lottery. 21 queues later, we did.

• Hario cold brew bottle ($43) - oof. i’ve been having some issues with this specific bottle, namely, the lack of strength yielding from the cold brew after following instructions. customer service helped me figure this out, but now, my issue is how tiny the bottle is! it doesn’t give as strong of a concentrate as the chameleon cold brew concentrate, so i’m drinking this up much faster than i’d like to, and as a result, i have to keep making it every few days. a bit annoying, and it also uses up a lot of ground coffee. having mixed feelings about this one.

This edition of “list of delights” will span favorites from January through May 2026. The next list of delights will likely take place months from now, because time is needed to thoroughly test products to full capacity, for me to consider them a great, recommendation-worthy item.

If you would like to support my work monetarily without paying for a subscription:

Buy Me a Matcha Latte! 🍵

This year, I had the goal of DNFing less than three books and branching outside of my comfort genre, which is contemporary romance. I surpassed my reading goal more quickly than I thought I would, and have been thrilled at how many new authors and series I’ve come across. So far, I’ve given eight books a five-star rating. Reviews below are spoiler-free!

#1: Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart
✷ genre: fiction, romance, fantasy
✷ format: FMC first-person pov
✷ tropes: enemies to lovers, found family

I’ve mentioned this in a few posts, but ever since I started buddy-reading books with my coworker, I’ve become a romantasy gal. It’s about time! Quicksilver is an easy-to-follow fantasy-romance that centers around Saeris (FMC), a thief in an impoverished part of the world where water is rationed and stolen. She gets transported to a different world through a sentient substance called Quicksilver, meets the incredibly murderous and cruel Kingfisher (MMC), who weaponizes her for her ability to tolerate the manipulation of Quicksilver. Now that I’ve read more fantasy books, if I had to re-read this one, I’d likely rate it much lower, since the story was all over the place and apparently, there was a slew of bad grammar and punctuation that I somehow missed? Or maybe I just glossed over them because I was excited to talk to my coworker about this. To be completely honest though, I don’t think this is a book I could confidently recommend to any reader. Maybe if you’re new to fantasy, sure, as you’re still calibrating your “gold standard” for the genre; however, if you’re familiar with all the world-building and lore set-up, you might dislike this.

I love reading negative reviews of books I enjoy, mainly because it helps me understand how people interpret the same work of literature as I do. Not that it necessarily changes my opinion on my rating, but it allows me to be cognizant of what I may have missed, and ways in which I could be more critical in future books I read. Here’s an inflammatory review of Quicksilver that I found relatable and amusing.

Unfortunately, the second book in this series, Brimstone, fell terribly flat. It’s plain awful. I felt as though the second book marred this series for me, and I’m dreading the release of the third book because I know I’ll feel obligated to read it.

#2: Daggermouth (The Heart Duology, #1) by H.M. Wolfe
✷ genre: fiction, dystopian, romance
✷ format: third-person, multiple-pov
✷ tropes: enemies to lovers, political/forced marriage, slow burn, touch her or die

Daggermouth is objectively a strongly written book, with heavy references to the current political climate (U.S. specific, but can be applied to other territories) and a perfectly executed enemies to lovers dynamic. The world building in this book is exquisitely detailed, vibrant, and gritty. The story is set around the “Heart”, which is the city that controls New Haven. The “Boundary” is where the discarded people go to seek sanctuary. Maximus Serel is the ruthless, brutal, corrupt ruler of the Heart. His children, Greyson (MMC) and Lira, are forced to follow in his footsteps, especially Greyson, who is the executioner of “guilty” people who secretly or outwardly defy Maximus or his rule. Shadera (FMC) is from the Boundary, and is sent an order to kill Greyson, Maximus’s son. If you grew up reading dystopian novels, like Divergent or The Hunger Games, you’ll enjoy Daggermouth as the more “adult” version of your childhood favorites.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the third-person multiple-POV set-up; while most chapters are in Shadera’s perspective, I enjoyed Jameson’s (Shadera’s best friend with benefits from the Boundary), Callum’s (Greyson’s best friend and lethal assassin who owns a club and is great at technology and security systems), Lira’s (Maximus’s daughter and Greyson’s sister), and Maximus’s (the most riveting, chilling chapter!).

#3: Blood Rains Down (The Stories, #2) by H.M. Wolfe
✷ genre: fiction, romance, fantasy
✷ format: dual-pov between FMC and second (?) FMC
✷ tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, female rage, found family/betrayal

For me to enjoy a sequel more than the first book in a series will always be marked as a win in my book. This not only indicates that not all the best plot points are used up in the first book, but that the author is learning and improving to make their next books better. I rated the first book, House of Cin, 4.25 stars. Blood Rains Down was a captivating and heartfelt continuation of what happens at the end of Book #1. I can’t say much without spoiling the first book, but just know there is more action, more romance, more adventure, more heartbreak in the second.

Here’s a part of my personal review:

the book of cin is a beautifully woven tale following a close-knit group of friends — witches, warlocks, and fae alike — and the journey of escaping a town destroyed by a group of people in search of a certain person with special magic. hyacinth, or cin, starts this journey side by side with taft, the only boy she's ever loved and known to feel safe with. cracks in the illusion of safety begin when she meets landers (the main critique about him is his name. it is so ugly to me, even though he's hot in my mind), the headstrong, tortured, brutally honest MMC, who shows her that love isn't shown through emotional and physical abuse, that the sign of love is having trust in them and encouraging them to grow. he is a big touch her and you die type of guy with a lot of restraint because if it weren't for cin, taft would be gone 30 pages in.

p.s. big time trigger warnings for anyone who's been in an emotionally or physically abusive relationship, because taft's behavior in this book was sickening. the number of times i wanted him booted out of the book, slain by lander's hand or taken away by a demon, is far too many to count.

#4: Lost and Found (Spunes, #3) by
✷ genre: fiction, romance, contemporary
✷ format: past & present, dual-POVs
✷ tropes: second chance, forced proximity

After tearing up while reading the prologue out of all chapters, I had a gut feeling that this would be a great book. This was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2026, as I fell in love with the first in the series (Savor It) and enjoyed the second (Left of Forever). Silas, who is the MMC in Lost and Found, was mentioned often in the first two and I had already fallen in love with his charismatic lovable personality, so any rating less than 5 stars would’ve been a massive disappointment. This book contains a lot more than you’d expect in a 336 page novel — Silas (MMC) is a firefighter who experienced a life-threatening accident that happens in Book 1 or 2 of the series, and as a result, has been dealing with self-image issues, where the burns have permanently scarred onto his skin. He is one of the most green-flagged fictional men that there is, with a dash of anxiety and heaps of softness. Bea (FMC), in the present POV, battles guilt, trauma, and loss in the aftermath of her best friend’s death — which is also where she learns that she’s been entrusted her friend’s eggs. Yes, the things used to make a child! Majority of Bea’s journey is her experience with IVF, her struggle to afford rent as she deals with the crippling need to focus on grieving her best friend instead of supporting herself, her slowly deteriorating relationship with her mom, and on top of all of that — being unable to finally afford her own apartment, and finding herself moving in with Silas. And everything I just mentioned is just at the tip of the iceberg. has the uncanny ability of bringing aliveness and realism into her characters, and crafting a narrative that undoubtedly cauterizes the stigma of romance as a “fluffy” genre, but instead, positions it as a genre that you can learn real, life lessons from — literary fiction, complex characters, slow pacing, social commentary, and a happy ending.

An excerpt from my personal review:

this book genuinely feels like a warm and toasty hug after a long day at work or upon hearing the most terrible news of your life. it provides comfort while acknowledging that you are allowed to feel your lowest, the constant reminder that while life is absolute shit right now, you can still rely on others to carry some of that shit to take the burden off.

#5: Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros
✷ genre: fiction, romance, fantasy
✷ format: mostly single-POV with a few unique multiple-POV chapters
✷ tropes: forbidden/broken love, forced proximity

It’s battle season! Because this is the third book in the Empyrean series (the first being the very well-known, Fourth Wing). If you’re new to romantasy (genre hybrid between romance & fantasy), I’d recommend this series over Quicksilver, because it’s more fast-paced (though if you’re expecting insta-love/lust, it might be very slow burn for you). Violet Sorrengail (FMC) and Xaden Riorson (MMC)’s relationship builds carefully but also, satisfyingly, across these three books. To me, Fourth Wing was a great starter book, that introduced the school that the two attended, the structure of the wings, student organization structure and leaders, key people of power, and dragons and mind-reading. Iron Flame, the second book, is information-heavy, which was why I rated it the lowest. While it was a very necessary book to include, to provide context around the impending war, various mythical creatures and their abilities, and utility of the Scribes, Infantry, and Rider quadrants in practice, I wish there was more plot to that story. Onyx Storm is an excellent blend of world-building, romance, adventure, and character development. While it is expected that the characters grow stronger as the books go by, the characters really grow into their powers in this one, making battling very strong enemies more plausible for a small and miraculous victory rather than a bleak attempt at survival with excessive deaths (cough cough, Brimstone, cough cough). This book has me eagerly anticipating the fourth book, but Yarros is releasing an intermediary novel before the fourth one, some time this year that is part of the Empyrean series.

#6: Games: A Love Story by
✷ genre: fiction, romance, contemporary, literary
✷ format: single-POV in third person
✷ tropes: age gap

Grateful for Ali Hazelwood for endorsing this book, because not only did I add it to my TBR, but I was luckily enough to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of it on NetGalley! This book is out June 30th, and it is Volkova’s debut novel. In Volkova’s Substack post, #28: The Origins of GAMES, she summarizes her novel as:

Games—following Lili Marwan, its sharp, opinionated heroine, a brilliant economics grad student navigating an intense, unexpected relationship across a chasm of age and worldviews with Aleksandr Petrov, a Wall Street banker two decades her senior, who escaped the Soviet Union in its dying days—is a novel about desire and economics. It’s a love story about power and precarity, grief and loss, about what capitalism costs and what it means to be American, Soviet trauma and Middle Eastern heritages, domination and submission, and everything that complicates them.

Imagine a democratic socialist meeting a neoliberal capitalist, but instead of a full-blown argument, there’s strong, intellectual banter, valid points made to debunk each other’s theories, and the finality of a relationship built on two polarizing ideologies. The generic Gen-Zer or Millennial will likely resonate with Lili’s socialist perspectives, but interestingly, Aleksandr’s almost-nihilistic perspective is understandable at times. He is not a monster of pure wrongdoing, but he represents what most immigrants who live in the U.S. have come to adopt — this need to put yourself before others, because expecting the good in others without guarantee is doomed to fail. I found his ideologies to closely resemble my parents, immigrants from Myanmar who protect their wealth in lieu of the American dream, only giving with specific intention and to actual people in need, demonizing the socialist welfare agenda in which my mom, as a healthcare professional, sees her patients abuse governmental benefits to seek a temporary recluse from daily life from substance/drug addiction. Exposure to these patients, similar to Aleksandr’s escape from the Soviet Union, markedly strikes greed and corruption as stolen self-preservation, and in response, rise to power out of indignation for what has been taken away from them in childhood.

As brilliantly says in her Substack post:

Lili and Aleksandr are a walking dialectic. Again, to be reductive, since these characters end up being much more than their political perspectives: her democratic socialism is the thesis, his neoliberal capitalism is the antithesis. The resolution isn’t that one of them converts, or compromises their beliefs—it’s the relationship, their journey itself, that synthesis, which neither position could have produced alone and which neither can fully explain.

#7: Leave and Come Back by
✷ genre: fiction, romance, contemporary, literary
✷ format: dual-POV in third person
✷ tropes: slow burn, friends to lovers

I captured my thoughts about this book in this newsletter — like full on ranted about how incredible, magnificent, though-provoking, nostalgic (in a weirdly traumatic way?), and tender this story was.

#8: Tropesick by
✷ genre: fiction, romance, contemporary, literary, magical realism
✷ format: past/present,
✷ tropes: grumpy/sunshine, brother’s best friend, girl next door, forced proximity, forbidden love, groveling hero, second chance, slow burn, one bed

This was a recommendation, and once again, I am not disappointed. The story centers around Katie Caruso and Tyler McNally, two childhood friends whose relationship falls apart after a shared devastating tragedy — Katie’s brother’s overdose. This might be the first time I read a book without reading the synopsis, and everything hit me like a wall of bricks (specifically the substance addition and magic). Lauren’s writing is enchanting, vivid, and heartfelt. She touches upon highly triggering topics with the right level of sensitivity that brings the reader to feel as though we are a part of these difficult conversations (which there are a lot of in this book). While there is a third-act breakup, in books like these, I find it to be a necessary turning point — and especially if the breakup is written well, it makes the character development more satisfying in the end. I received an ARC of this book, and because I loved it so much, I will be seeing Lauren on tour!

A quote from the book I love:

“Do you ever wish,” she said, “that you could go back in time? That you could rewrite your first drink, your first . . . ?” I knew the rest of her question before she finished asking it. This was that secret language we shared—a deep and thorough understanding of our own inciting incidents. Of whatever it was that rewired your heart, brain, and body to want nothing but more, then began to gut all the good in your life at an indeterminate and personalized pace you could not have prevented or predicted or put a stop to, which you wouldn’t have anyway, because you were born to do this. To get drunk, to get high. To disappoint people. To let them down.

One Piece Season 2 was as incredible as I thought it would be. I haven’t read the manga or watched the anime, but my OG One Piece friends & fiancé have, and they think the live action has captured the original well. The casting was done so perfectly (though Mr. Beans and I argue over whether Taz Skyler is the best Sanji that they could’ve cast; I think Taz is great) — specifically Iñaki Godoy as Luffy.

Bridgerton Season 4 was a delight, as Sophie and Benedict are a match made in heaven and I adored their push-and-pull relationship. If you want yearning in a man, this is the season to watch. Tell Me Lies Season 3 was a riot — filled with betrayal, shocking ends, and even more toxicity, if you could even believe it. This was a stressful yet gripping show that had me on the edge of my seat until the end. And the finale…I loved it, once I got over the brevity of it.

Off Campus Season 1 was the perfect spring to summer transition show (though they could’ve done something with a winter release considering this is a hockey romance). I haven’t read the books, and sports romances aren’t typically my jam considering everything I’ve read so far has been poorly written. The show however? No notes. Hands down the top romance show of the year (unless Every Summer After, which comes out on June 10, tops it).

WARDROBE
Most items have been owned for at least one year or more, namely due to the fact that a product review isn’t legitimate (at least, to me), until all four season’s worth of usage has been experimented with such item.

• Léo et Violette Le Maxi Gina in Black Grain Leather ($603, owned since 5/14/25) - this was my first “big girl” tote as an adult, and while it’s taken a while to get used to since i’ve only ever used backpacks my entire life, i like how it takes on a lovely dumpling shape! i didn’t want anything too structured, bc this way, i’m really able to stuff more than i should if need be. while i absolutely love this bag and the way it looks, there is no organization within the interior of the bag. none of the little pouches that you typically see. i don’t mind it because i’ve found that organization adds to the weight of any bag (e.g., freja paloma tote was the most painful, heavy bag i’ve ever carried and had to immediately return). it also doesn’t zip up — because i live in socal, rain is something i don’t really have to care about when buying bags like these. the bag closes using two perpendicular hooks. if all are hooked, the bag takes on a xiao long bao shape. if only one is hooked, it looks like your classic dumpling. if none are hooked, well…might as well give a show and tell because it opens up like a flower for everyone to see what’s inside.

• OluKai Hila Sandal in Cloudy ($87, owned since 6/23/24) - i purchased this for the main purpose of traveling to hawaii with a friend. unfortunately, the week before, i caught covid and all plans were cancelled. the only good thing that came out of that cancellation was these sandals. they are so comfortable, and surprisingly, my feet are supported while wearing them!

• Hoka Bondi 9 ($184, owned since 6/3/25) - i swapped my nike air max 97s with these and what a big difference! these aren’t necessarily the most polished looking shoe, but i still wear it everywhere, from work to social events. there is more than enough cushioning to prevent feet from getting sore after long walks. my cost per wear is $1.12!

• Pact Heather Airplane Relaxed Blazer ($51, owned since 11/13/24) - you know those pieces you own that very much do not spark joy, but you find yourself wearing it more often than you thought you would? it’s the finishing touch to a fit, but for practical purposes. this “blazer”, which is honestly more of a cardigan, is just that for me. the light jacket that i bring with me on chilly spring nights or dewy fall mornings, just in case i catch a chill. my cost per wear is $3.40.

• Not Perfect Linen Puglia Pant - Taupe ($115, owned since 1/30/24) - this was part of my first not perfect linen haul of 3 items, and it’s been worn so often that i truly do not know what life was like before these. what pants did i even wear to work? even though it’s only been two years of owning these, i feel like i’ve worn them so frequently, an innate pull from the closet when i’m unsure of what to wear. i own two other puglias, but because the taupe ones are the oldest, they are the most comfortable and “worn” — aka, the waistband is a tad stretchier for bloated days and the pant fabric is softer. again, it isn’t the most polished looking pant, but i am grateful i don’t work in corporate as these are appropriate to wear to the office despite all the wrinkles that i’m too lazy to iron out in them.

CLEANING

• Koala Eco Kitchen Spray ($10, first tried in 10/2025) - i’m currently on my second refill, and i can’t imagine myself using a kitchen spray that isn’t this product. this has the most delightful, lemon-y scent that really makes the kitchen smell clean. i previously owned the method kitchen spray in a sandalwood scent and cleaning with it was…odd. i don’t associate sandalwood or anything woodsy with clean. plus, koala eco’s lemon scent is light and fresh, not cloying or overwhelming. it has a lingering scent, but doesn’t stay for too long after usage. i purchased their glass spray bottle (not necessary at all) but it makes end-of-the-day clean-up more satisfying.

• TopJob Blinklean Vacuum* (owned since 3/4/2026) - this was a surprise gift from the topjob team, and i love how nifty and compact this little guy is! i’ve only owned it for a few months so testing in progress! i have it on the bottom shelf of my coffee table, so i’m able to reach for it in messy times. plus, i appreciate how they provided multiple filters in the box (i think each time you empty the vacuum, you have to change out the filter). there’s also a low and high suction option, which i rarely see on handheld vacuums.

• Dyson Mini Motorized Tool ($54, owned since 4/16/25) - for the vacuum! not their hair products! it sucks that my v10 vacuum doesn’t come with this tool. it’s always disturbing to see how much dust this tool collects when i vacuum my couch weekly. weekly, i need to add!!! where is this dust coming from?!

BEAUTY

• African Net Sponge (owned since 11/7/25) - hygienetok kiiiiind of took over my life in 2025, but the one good thing that came out of it was swapping out my amazon exfoliating cloth with an african net sponge. it has holes throughout, so it feels much more sanitary to use (compared to my old one which was just a flat piece of cloth with knots for the exfoliating effect). i throw this in the wash, admittedly less than i should (once/month). i also feel a big difference when i’m traveling and without this item - my skin feels a little more gritty!

• CLIO Extreme Gelpresso Pencil Liner in Deep Brown (owned since 8/13/25) - i’ve become a gel liner girl (went from being a brush tip liner girl), namely due to the fact that my hands are not as precise as they used to be. brush tip liners aren’t forgiving when mistakes are made, and as someone who loves a very dramatic cat eye with precise sharpness, i can’t pull off what i used to be able to do throughout undergrad. however, the gel liner is a hack, because i can be as messy as i want because once the shape is there, i just use the tip of my finger and swoop! (carefully). because the gel liner is easy to remove, the swoop makes the wing look cleeean.

• peripera Pure Blushed Sunshine Cheek in Maple Cream (owned since 8/13/25) - i always thought i was a cream blush girl until i met miss. peripera, and realized i’ve been doing it all wrong. asian blush powders is where! it’s! at! this blush formula feels seamless on the skin, and this specific shade matches my natural blush color. i’m not going for the rosy dewy blush that sabrina carpenter often dons; rather, i’m simply adding a spark of life to my face, the illusion that i look healthier than i actually am.

Eating

• Đông Hưng Viên Bakery (Westminster, CA) - vegan. vietnamese. pastries. need i say more? nearly everything from this bakery is exceptional — from their vegan grilled chicken bánh mì (if i could, i’d have this daily for lunch) to their vegan pâté chaud and vegan pistachio croissants, i’ve never had a bad experience here. plus, the ladies working at the counter are always so kind, and if you are extra nice to them, they might even offer you samples!

• Parakeet Cafe (CA) - the parakeet bowl is a heaping bowl of healthy vegan goodness. this has replaced sweetgreen and cava for me.

• Jimbo’s Naturally (CA) - as mentioned here, i am deep down an la girl, so any discovery of a niche health supermarket is wildly exciting to me. you best believe i am an erewhon girl through and through, even though that market falls way outside of my income bracket. jimbo’s is a health-focused market, and their vegan blueberry muffins & vegan strawberry/raspberry muffins are the best breakfast option, despite having to pay $3.50 for one. expensive, but worth?

• Grean Matcha (Seattle, WA) - matcha is insane in seattle. i tried tsukime matcha (which was so good don’t get me wrong, but grean was on a whole different level. their strawberry jasmine matcha was fruity (not sour), floral (not artificial), and earthy (not muddy). it was everything i wanted in a drink, and i still daydream about having this drink again.

• Karak House Coffee (CA, NY) - their caramom rose is my favorite! it’s surprisingly better than the original karak coffee. i just love floral drinks! i love that there are many locations across southern california.

• Loving Hut (CA) - the first time i tried loving hut, i hated it. i had it again bc there is one close to where we live, and it’s my go-to guilty pleasure vegan spot. my favorites: spam musubi, orange chick’n, kung pao, and garlic fries.

If you enjoyed this post, you might find these others similarly interesting!

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, feel free to take a look at the two free FSDs on my website: the first and the fourth one. One thing that’s missing from my Monthly Musings but is in FSDs is the “free stuff” I get, whether it be free food at work, Mr. Beans getting take-out for me, or a gift. Understanding this can help contextualize why my monthly spend is the way that it is. The FSDs also provide a granular perspective in my spending decisions and how I maintain frugality with a <$100K salary. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

In my previous FSD, I asked you guys which format you preferred more — daily vs. categorical breakdowns. The categorical one won, so I will be sticking to that from now on. It’s also easier for me to write up, so thank you for that. ◡̈

To track these expenses, I use YNAB, my go-to budgeting tool for 3+ years at this point. If you want to try the website out for free for 34 days, then feel free to use my link! (Disclaimer: I’ve never been sponsored by YNAB. I currently pay for their yearly annual subscription. Whenever someone upgrades to a paid subscription using my link, I get one additional month for free added to my subscription.)

FIRST, THE ESSENTIALS [-$28]

• Work Parking [-$12] - only two days worth of parking needed to be paid because i took one week off to visit washington!

• Dirty Labs [-$26] - did you know powder is better for the dishwasher than a pod? that there’s a science behind how to actually get your dishes clean? reddit sent me to this video, and i’ve decided against restocking my cascade pods and opting for the dirty labs powder instead. i’ve tried this product two years ago but used it improperly. i will be giving this an honest attempt when it gets delivered!

SECOND, THE SPENDFUL NON-ESSENTIALS [-$652]

• Clementine Sleep [-$69] - i purchased their organic silk scrunchie pack (abb), which was purely due to negligence… i lost around 2 scrunchies on my trip, and was perilously running out of hair ties by the end of it. i don’t even know what happened! i swear i’d just keep them on my wrist. anyway, i purchased 8 silk scrunchies from this brand bc i’ve been curious about the whole silk thing for hair and i’m too lazy to maintain silk pillowcases. i felt like the scrunchies was a good first foray into using silk for better hair health.

• Hario [-$42] - i’ve had the cold brew maker on my mental wishlist for ages at this point, and i only felt inclined to purchase this because i’ve been buying bottled cold brew these past few months. considering cold brew is a pretty recurring part of my morning caffeine routine (i go through phases of matcha and cold brew), if it’s not useful to me now, it will be in the next six months.

• Eagle Creek [-$41] - mr. beans and i used the thule shoe organizers on our hiking trip, and i loved the idea so much. the only downside is that they are not machine washable, and i am not trying to hand clean nasty dirty shoe bags! i found machine washable ones from eagle creek, and am excited to have this in my packing list instead of haphazardly using plastic bags and hoping they don’t untie themselves amidst my clean clothes.

• Levenger [-$30] - this was one of those “damn, i wish i had this while on vacation but make it sustainable”. there were too many instances where i needed tissues or someone needed them, and we had to make do with not having them. turns out, tissue cases exist, and i can just refill them myself like how i usually do with my toiletry bottles, with tissues from the kleenex box i have at home. paying $30 is excessive but it’s one of those buy once and forget about it type of purchases.

Read more

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, feel free to take a look at the first one or keep reading on, as this one is also free. One thing that’s missing from my Monthly Musings but is in FSDs is the “free stuff” I get, whether it be free food at work, Mr. Beans getting take-out for me, or a gift. Understanding this can help contextualize why my monthly spend is the way that it is. The FSDs also provide a granular perspective in my spending decisions and how I maintain frugality with a <$100K salary. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

My prior spending diaries have been broken down into daily diary entries, but I’ve decided to switch up the format, just to provide a different variation of how this series could go. Please let me know which format you prefer more! [poll will be placed under the finances section]. And for the sake of this new style, this FSD (usually paywalled) is free for all subscribers!

Any expense screenshots are taken from my Chase app or You Need A Budget (YNAB) dashboard. YNAB has been my go-to budgeting tool for 3+ years at this point. If you want to try the website out for free for 34 days, then feel free to use my link! (Disclaimer: I’ve never been sponsored by YNAB. I currently pay for their yearly annual subscription. Whenever someone upgrades to a paid subscription using my link, I get one additional month for free added to my subscription.)

I’ve come to accept that these few months are going to be expensive, but still spendful, a YNAB term defined as “having alignment between how you spend your money and how you want to live your life.”

FIRST, THE ESSENTIALS [-$270]

• Jimbo’s Naturally [-$30] - 4 bran muffins and a bag of trail mix

• Local Vietnamese market [-$42]

  • Condiments & Sauces (31%) - soy sauce, vegetarian dipping sauce

  • Fruits (28%) - apple, orange, pineapple

  • Vegetables (22%) - green beans, mushroom, snow pea, yam

  • Meat Alternatives (9%) - tofu

  • Grains & Pasta (7%) - rice paper

• Sprouts [-$83]

  • Fish & Seafood (37%) - frozen citrus herb salmon, frozen honey chipotle salmon, smoked salmon

  • Snacks & Sweets (30%) - queso puffs x2, siete chips, pistachios x3

  • Vegetables (21%) - celery, cucumber, broccoli, beet

  • Herbs & Spices (9%) - minced garlic

  • Fats (7%) - pb x2

• Parking [-$6] - i took a sick day on tuesday so i only had to pay once for parking this week!

• YNAB Subscription [-$109] - proof that i pay for the annual subscription, because this app has truly saved my finances for the past three years.

SECOND, THE RETURNS [+$506] The best feeling is getting back a return from an item that wasn’t worth the money.

• Sprouts [+$15] - laundry detergent that potentially contributed to my rosacea flare up

• Reformation [+$266] - two items returned from my total four item order. i sent back the jensen high rise cheeky short because the fit was so odd on my body and avery knit top because it was see through and despite being skin-tight, not flattering.

• Cou Cou Intimates [+$225] - this brand usually charges a fee for returns but i sent them an email asking them to waive it and they did. heck yeah! always send that email!! even if it saves you a couple bucks, it still feels good that you got 100% of your money back.

THIRD, THE SPENDFUL NON-ESSENTIALS [-$2,332] By no means did I need any of these items, but I’ve wanted or needed a few for a while now. Will explain a bit more below.

• Beaba [-$40] - while i could lament about my previous glass container purchases, i’ll choose to move on. because what do you mean a potentially perfect (need more testing to use this adjective) chia seed pudding/oatmeal container was created by a baby brand?? i decided to try the 8oz containers out and when i did the water test, jaw dropped! not a single drop of water in sight. i’m sad i fell for the w&p hype back then (specifically their seal tight glass bowls) bc nasty things kept getting in between the glass and silicone sleeve, and it was actually impossible to remove the sleeve from the bowl. i do not want to see food gunk and hair at the bottom of my oatmeal…even if it isn’t touching my food.) i emailed w&p and they kindly gave me a refund for the bowls, so no $$ loss there. however, since then, i have been on the lookout for replacement bowls and beaba has thoroughly impressed me!

• Vuori [-$494] - yes, again! i know i made a vuori purchase last week but to be fair, i returned everything except for a pair of pants (the elevation trouser if you’re curious). i wanted to try a few more items out because i really love their fabric and quality seems good for what it is - on par with the athleisure greats - so i ordered the following: seamless surge tee, pose tube top, pose cami, short sleeve feather classic tee, and the halo mini full zip hoodie. i ordered the villa wideleg but they later notified me that the colorway + size i picked was out of stock, so i’ll be expecting a refund in the upcoming week for that (+$128). real total should be around $366.

• Trailviber [-$273] - i’ve had this treadmill on my wishlist for ages, and i finally did it. i finally got a treadmill for my standing desk. frankly, i’m sick of having <5,000 steps per day, and i know that a huge contributing factor is that i’m not mindful of going on walks. it doesn’t help that my neighborhood isn’t pleasant to walk around, as my apartment complex is surrounded by very busy streets. i’m also on a weight loss journey, so i think that this would positively impact my health. i didn’t expect it to be so heavy and big, but it’s set up in my room and i’m just waiting on a pair of new shoes so i can start walking!

• Fjällräven [-$173] - remember the kånken mini and sling i purchased last week? hated the colors, and have decided to return them. i ended up buying the same two in different colorways - graphite and forest green. i’m just praying it delivers before my trip because i honestly purchased the kånken mini for the purpose of the trip. the sling is just a more spacious and fun replacement to my baggu fanny.

• Olivia Rodrigo’s The Unraveled Tour [-$261] - i really cannot believe my friends and i secured tickets to this tour. i’ve wanted to see her live since sour, so it feels very deserving that i finally got tickets. all thanks to the girl in our group who was in 11 queues spread across her and her husband’s ticketmaster account. all of us together combined = 25 queues. we got tickets to her los angeles show and in section main32 (which is the closest section behind floor seats and in the right-center). i couldn’t ask for anything better, truly. the ticket alone was $246 and my share of parking at the venue was $15. frankly, i am disappointed at the way olivia and her team priced these tickets, as well as how quickly bots snatched them up. when i got tickets for chappell roan, there were a series of steps that i had to follow (verification processes), just to ensure each concertgoer would have a fair chance at securing tickets. did olivia not learn from that?!

• Alex Mill [-$543] - this was…undeniably an insane impulsive purchase. i purchased three items - jo shirt, hudson pant, and painter jacket. i have high hopes for the first two, eh for the last. but if the painter jacket works out, it’s going to be the best statement piece i own in my closet. we’ll see!

• Mulberry [-$297] - i wasn’t so familiar with mulberry’s quality, but have heard this brand around for ages. i had always thought it was an old person brand until i came across this reddit post and felt more inclined to buy their love letter card slip keyring, which by the way, was a purchase out of a “i dislike my current situation rn, and i want to fix it”. my current wallet carry is a louis vuitton 6-key ring holder, and i’ve grown to kind of hate it. it’s been my go-to for so long, and while i’ve loved it for a long time, i hate how annoying it is to take out my keys and open doors. the usage is terrible and horribly inconvenient. also, i’ve had my car key fall off the key holder more times than i’d like. i’m not the biggest fan of how there’s a huge heart on the mulberry case, but i love the brown and blue color combination, and truthfully, i can see myself really loving that heart addition over time. my main priority is function over aesthetics.

• tbco [-$251] - to be honest, this brand was influenced to me through a tiktok i saw years ago, where this girl was showcasing items her rich mother-in-law got her. she put the pjs on, and i felt this gravitational pull towards it. like i just wanted to look like that when i wanted to cozy up in bed. it’s been years since putting that on my wishlist, and this past week, i finally decided to go for it. i ordered the cropped cotton pjs and cotton pjs in red stripe ruffle. both are very cute, very expensive, and i can’t wait to test them out!

FOURTH, OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINK [-$75]

• Vegan Vietnamese Restaurant [-$75] - mr. beans and i made a little trip to the neighboring county and we went to one of my fav vegan restaurants of all time. we ordered their bbq pork gỏi cuốn + phở + bánh xèo. so good!

FIFTH, THE INCOME [+$35] Considering that this is the second week of May, anything that comes in is simply fun, side-hustle money. None of the big hitters here.

• FB Marketplace [+$25] - i sold two items! i haven’t sold anything on here in a very long time, so it felt good getting some items out of the house at a small profit.

• Substack [+$10] - paid subscribers, ily!!

SIXTH, THE COVERED EXPENSES AND/OR GIFTS [+$1,459] One thing that most finance breakdowns miss is revealing what actually gets covered, whether it be a meal on their card, a gift, or free snacks at work.

• Three caffeinated drinks [+$24] - mr. beans covered two lattes and one matcha. surprisingly, all were a hit! we rarely find places that we both like equally, so these finds were exciting for us.

• REI [~+$1,300] - i had planned on paying for all of these myself for our upcoming hiking trip, but mr. beans told me that he wanted to gift me these items. i was shocked, then felt incredibly guilty (because at the store i really was just throwing in everything i needed without paying too much attention to the cost), and then later, the gratitude hit. as for specifics, he purchased for me: 2 pairs of REI trailmade pull-on pants, 3 smartwool thermal long-sleeves, patagonia torrentshell rain jacket, patagonia ahnya pullover; columbia jacket, merrell hiking shoes, 4 pairs of darn tough hiking socks, matador refillable toothpaste tubes, and matador pill case.

• Vegan grilled chicken bánh mì + 2 pâté chauds [+$17] - went to my go-to place, and it always hits.

• Cococane Strawberry Sugarcane Juice [+$8] - this is my favorite sugarcane place in socal. i tried their new strawberry flavor, and it tastes kind of like strawberry milk? i liked their hawaiian sugarcane juice more.

• 4 home-cooked meals when I visited parents for Mother’s Day [+$40] - i had plans to take mom out for brunch, but she refused and wanted to eat at home instead so obviously i had to comply. it’s her day! we ended up eating food at home the entire weekend i was there.

• Packed home-cooked food that’ll last ~7 meals [+$70] - in usual asian mom fashion, mom packed a whole bunch of food to last a few meals this week.

• I reached out to a professor regarding PhD programs. This was nerve-wracking! I haven’t cold-emailed anyone in a very long time, and truthfully, I’m expecting the worst (aka, no response). Now that the plan is in motion for applying to PhD programs, I’m getting more excited to do what I have to get done.

• Received a response from Saint Sirene. As a huuuuuge The Vampire Diaries girl and a Rebekah Klaus girl for life, I was too excited to receive a response from Saint Sirene, a brand founded by best friends Claire Holt (Rebekah, my girrrrl) and Madeline Simmer, when I reached out about a potential collaboration. I hate cold-DMing, but when they respond, the adrenaline rush is unmatched. It’s even better if it’s an item I would’ve actually spent money on.

• Celebrated Mother’s Day. Visited my parents over the weekend with Mr. Beans, had a lot of good food, went on a walk, and gave too many bear hugs.

• Got hiking clothes for upcoming trip. Despite how outwardly Type A I am about a variety of nonsensical things (e.g., I track every single thing watched on Notion down to the episode and create rating graphs across seasons and episodes in a season; created a better and more comprehensive Goodreads + Storygraph dashboard because the website wasn’t doing it for me), packing is one thing I severely struggle to do well. I’m always under or overpacking, bringing clothes that are not at all suitable for the weather of the destination we’re headed to, and somehow end up forgetting something important despite having a packing list. On my last trip to Boston, I forgot my Lexapro…that was miserable.

• Attended two private training sessions + went on two walks. Exercise and I are not best friends at this moment. I don’t know! I’ve been struggling to gain the motivation for it, but scheduling those private sessions is a great way to keep me committed, since I’d lose money from a same-day cancellation. I’ve also learned that FaceTiming my parents while walking makes it less dreadful.

• Progress for checking off my 2026 release TBR list has been better than I had imagined. I only have The Paris Match as a book that’s already out but haven’t read yet! Even though I have TBR lists containing these exact books, I’ve found that this specific list really helps with tracking all the new releases, as well as searching for an ARC ahead of time. I was very luckily with receiving ARCs for No Matter What, Leave and Come Back, and Lost and Found. I submitted a request for Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison but am not too confident about it getting approved...

  

Books

• Finished Leave and Come Back and rated it 5 stars. Hi , I adore you so much!! This was my first LL book, which I miraculously received as an ARC. This is the book I wish I had when I was in undergrad, where I felt like all my parents wanted for me was to follow their agenda, to abide by every expectation, and reprimand me each time I went “off” the rails. And even though wounds have been healed (not just scabbed over; I mean really healed) as I am now in my late 20s, I wish for two things — 1) that I never saw that white therapist who told me I needed to “set boundaries” with my parents by just telling them I wanted to go clubbing and come back at 11pm instead of 2am because of course they were going to take that well, and 2) to realize that my parents still loved and cared for me, and that they were scared I would be too easily susceptible to all the bad things happening in this world. Every friend of mine was inspected for whether they could be a “positive” influence in my life, meaning, they had to be heterosexual and Asian. I absolutely could not date anyone, unless it was the son of a Burmese family friend. Going out past 10pm was preposterous, and anyone who suggested I stay out that late was a bad influence (exceptions: family members, of course). The ending of Leave and Come Back made me realize that I approached this all wrong when I was younger — spinning a web of intricate lies that involved all of my friends and at one point, my boss; the inability to have a single conversation with my parents without it spiraling into an argument; and using my insolence and avoidant attachment as an escape from the current reality. Also, as a final cherry on top, as a Southeast Asian woman dating an Indian man, I kiiiind of understand Leo’s (Simran’s very White boyfriend) struggle, but damn! Even some of the things he did would’ve given me a heart attack, like shoes in the house or not getting up after touching the feet of an elder and just staying…down there, or correcting the maternal figure of the person you’re dating. (shudders in embarrassment and fear). And another thing — the miscommunication in this book is frustrating, but not in the way that two love interests fail to communicate, construct mind games, and run in circles around each other. The miscommunication in LICB is grounded in generational trauma, the cultural definition of processing and getting past terribly devastating moments that you can’t fathom actually happened but you have no choice but moving past it. There were moments where I wanted to scream — ASK FOR THE TRUTH! WHY AREN’T YOU SPEAKING UP? — but when zoomed out to see the bigger picture, I realized I had been doing the exact same thing in undergrad. I found myself getting upset at the younger, more stubborn version of me whose perspective on the world was overshadowed by uncontrollable rage and unfettering sadness. Anyway! This book is magnificent, and I would recommend it to every single person in my life, but specifically, for those who: 1) have a difficult relationship with their parents, 2) are only or eldest children, 3) are Indian or in a relationship with someone who is Indian, 4) want to learn more about Indian wedding culture and etiquette. And even if you don’t identify as any of the above, you should still read it. ☺

  

  And to seal the deal, here are some non-spoiler quotes that I’m obsessed with because if there’s one thing to get out of this FSD, it’s to add Leave and Come Back to your TBR.

  • You’re not allowed to be handsome if you’re not Indian—Amma will just be more suspicious of you.

  • Simran knows what it feels like to be alone even in a crowd, silence in every space without the throng of people that used to surround you, without the people who call you by your childhood nickname. Sometimes, her darkest thoughts tell her that she’s no longer the child her parents knew; instead, she’s been rearranged, not just by their loss, but by everywhere she’s had to fit into since.

  • “How do you say ‘goodbye’?” he asks. Simran realizes something. “There’s no word for ‘goodbye’ in Tamil. Instead, you say ‘poitu varen.’” “Poy-too vah-reh. What does it mean?” he asks. “‘Poitu varen’ means ‘I’ll leave and I’ll come back.’ You say it because goodbye is too final.”

  • No one celebrates like Indian people do: pounding bass, infectious zeal, an endless loop of catchy, deeply familiar songs. The dancing is sloppy and unselfconscious because the joy is frenzied and unfettered. It startles her to realize that she hasn’t listened to songs like this, loud and with a crowd, outside of her classes or her own two headphones in years; the noise and the energy and the celebratory delight seep into her. Even the gossip of her return is part of the acceptance. Here, it’s okay that she left and it’s okay that she’s come back. She can slip back into it at any time, like a warm, worn glove.

  • Over these last two weeks, being the only white guy in most rooms, having everything explained to him, or getting things wrong because everyone knows them but him has given him a fresh perspective. He’s understood, for a long time, that the world was set up for him, where others have to work years—sometimes over generations—to get to what he’s been born with. Even though he tries to move through the world conscientiously, it will always tilt in his favor. He’s never not been the default until these last two weeks. It feels like something he needed to understand and something he’s a little ashamed he didn’t contemplate more deeply—after all, how he feels here is probably how Simran has felt at some point, moving through the world.

• Had mid expectations for Carley Fortune’s new book, Our Perfect Storm, and it definitely met those expectations (or lack thereof). For me, Carley Fortune’s works started going downhill after Every Summer After. I loved ESA (even rated it a 4.75), but One Golden Summer was so poorly written, I had to DNF it. I was able to get through Our Perfect Storm, and it felt like People We Meet on Vacation 2.0, Wattpad edition. There is one character in OPS that gets forgiven (when they shouldn’t have been) and another character who made the smallest mistake that got blown into a third-act breakup. I’d recommend Our Perfect Storm if you’re looking for a lighthearted and fun romance book for the summer, one where you likely won’t be too invested in the characters for their growth (because there really isn’t much).

• Currently reading Shucked by Kate Canterbary. I was going to start Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden (because everyone and their mothers have raved incessantly about this and I’m feeling literary FOMO), but I was craving something light and silly. Surprisingly, Shucked is better than I thought, and I’m kind of loving Beckett (MMC). Sunny (FMC) on the other hand is annoying, but I think there’s room for character growth because she’s getting more tolerable to read at the 40% mark.

• Upcoming releases I’m looking forward to:

  • Fever Dream by Elsie Silver (Releases May 19, 2026) - i will always, always, always read an elsie silver book. truthfully, the writing in elsie’s books could use some heavy editing for flow and reduced cringe, but i’ve found her tropes and storylines to be interesting enough for me to stay hooked. i read a few catherine cowles books a month ago and felt like they were a worse version of elsie silver’s writing. i haven’t found the ultimate cowboy yeehaw romance author for me, but ES is at the top of my very short list of three.

  • Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver (Releases June 9, 2026) - i actually cannot wait for this one. brynne weaver is one of those authors that you just guilty-pleasure read while constantly thinking what-in-the-absolute-hell-is-going-on. all of her stories involve a MC that’s a serial killer, so if you’re sensitive to blood and guts, stay very far away! i was eh about the ruinous love trilogy series, but after reading tourist season, i knew that brynne weaver had real potential for good writing! harvest season is the sequel to tourist season, and i know it’s going to be so good.

Film

• Disliked this week’s episode of The Boys. Can you let me know if this season is also bad for you? I thought the first two episodes were strong, but it started going downhill halfway through the season. I am very excited for the upcoming episode, as Marie and Jordan from Gen V will be starring in it!

• Upcoming releases I’m looking forward to:

  • Off Campus (TV show • Releases May 13, 2026) - book to film adaptations are always my jam! though, have you guys heard about the discourse on elle kennedy and her lesphobia? a lot of people are boycotting the show because of this, and to be completely honest, i’m not sold on the trailer either.

  • Every Summer After (TV show • Releases June 10, 2026) - i will be watching this without question. i’m excited, the casting for percy and sam are perfect, and i loved the first book as mentioned above. i can’t wait to see how this gets adapted! (plus the trailer came out today and i want to scream at how good it looks)

  • The Love Hypothesis (Movie • Release Date TBD) - the romance world is so divided on ali hazelwood, but i am forever an AH girl, through and through. i love her writing and i find her stem romances realistic in the context of academic politics, predatory mentors, and the stress of being in a phd program/post-doc position. the casting is also perfect. lili reinhart as olive, tom bateman as adam. this is fan casting done right.

Music

• Loved begged by Olivia Rodrigo. I’m so excited for the album, and her performance of begged on SNL was beautiful! I have a feeling this album is going to be for the sad girls. Will I spend the summer crying? TBD!

• I’m not a Noah Kahan enthusiast or listener, but loved his latest album and I fear it’s a loose pre-requisite for her upcoming book, Every Ordinary Thing. I’ve met Jessica twice, and suffice to say, I’m a huge fan of hers and subscribe to her pop culture propaganda. So, if she loves Noah Kahan as much as she does, it is imperative that I give his latest album a listen. Because I no longer have Spotify, pulling up a new artist’s album has some resistance to the act — meaning, I’ll have to go on YouTube and deal with the ads every other song. But, listen! I’m not complaining. It’s just making discovering and listening to new artists (ones that aren’t bookmarked in my calendar to search for) a bit more difficult!

• Upcoming releases I’m looking forward to:

  • Ariana Grande’s first single off “petal” (Releases May 29, 2026)

  • Gracie Abram’s single, Hit the Wall (Releases May 14, 2026), off her new album Daughter From Hell (Releases July 17, 2026)

If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy my other Frugal Spending Diary editions below!

Money Musings is a series where I break down my total income, expenses, savings, and investments for a designated month, and review whether my spending aligns with any challenges I’ve committed to.

Notable mentions for April 2026: attended my best friend’s wedding as the maid of honor and had the best time of my life; did my yearly wardrobe revamp (this expensive ritual unfortunately happens on an annual basis); established a new supplement routine; picked up pickleball and private fitness training again; got an expensive but well worth it haircut; landed a new research project that will start this summer, one which I will be paid for (I was okay with this being unpaid, so the extra $$ is a huge perk); ended my 10+ year relationship with Spotify.

• my frugal spending diary | apr 20-may 3 — double week feature ft. a shopping spree, getting tickets to my dream event (since high school!), my second target purchase of the year, gifts for my man, and king of gluttony release

• how to re-ignite reading as a hobby — erasing the superiority complex that comes with reading in that it should be a hobby, not an indicator of intelligence + an actionable set of tips that will get you motivated to start reading again

• my frugal spending diary | apr 13-19 — how i landed a new summer research project, the most comfortable pair of stuart weitzmans, a closer look at all the times mr. beans and i go out for food, and my new hair

• my frugal spending diary | apr 6-12 — my first attempt at the fsd series! this one is free for all my subscribers.

• how i was able to achieve a successful no buy quarter — three months of saying no to silly little things i don’t actually need, and instead, maxing out my roth ira, reaching my emergency fund goal, and upping my 403b pre-tax contributions to 30% (from 15%)

• when the $8 sweet treat feels more expensive than a $400 flight ticket — (money musings #8) how much i made, spent, saved, and invested in march 2026.

My NET WORTH is $262,635 (↑$25,230.21 from the prior month).

My assets consist of all retirement, investments, checking, and savings accounts, and liabilities include my credit card. I do not have any debt. Considering I was down $8.8k last month, this is a satisfying increase — and no, I did not somehow come into $25K. The stock market was simply doing well in April.

My INCOME was +$3,664 (↑$157 from the prior month).

• Full-Time Job +$3,427 | Considering last month was a no paycheck month due to the annoying schedule the university I work at operates with, I’m thrilled that this month is a paycheck month.

• Interest Payment +$140 | I currently use Wealthfront for my HYSA. If you’re interested, you can get 4.05% on your first three months if you open an account using my link! And if you want to compare different HYSA financial institutions, CNBC has a resource here.

• Money With Beans +$96 | This is a combination of my social media streams— Instagram, Substack/BuyMeACoffee, Gumroad, and partnerships.

My PERISHABLE EXPENSES was -$1,630 (↓$104 from the prior month).

• Rent -$1,000.00 | I split rent with my boyfriend. Our apartment has two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and is located in a relatively medium/high cost of living city in Southern California.

• Health -$79 | Last month, I purchased contacts and filed a VSP claim. The claim got approved and hit my account this month, so the total for this category was cushioned by that +$150 reimbursement. Outside of that, I purchased five different supplements from MegaFood and a few from Sprouts since they were having a 25% off all vitamins sale in late April.

• Groceries -$420 | Ideally, I would want to keep this amount to <$400, but there were a few expenses that pushed it past that mark. I restocked on my Minor Figures oat milk ($35 for 6 cartons), replenished my emptied spice bottles with Morton Basset spices ($50), and tried a “clean” electrolyte brand, LMNT ($39). What helped keep the other “normal” grocery cost low is that I cooked less for Mr. Beans this month. He’ll consume my cooked food here and there, but for the most part, he’ll grab Chipotle or CAVA for sustenance. A big reason for this? We had two terrible instances of cooking spoiled ground chicken this month, and suffice to say, we’re a little traumatized from that disgusting smell that lingers for days even with the help of my Coway air purifier on the highest setting. P.S. One of my favorite parts about my FSDs is the fact that I break down every receipt and categorize them accordingly! I show what a vegan diet looks like when buying groceries, with the occasional sprinkle of trying to cook meat for my man.

• Transportation -$130 | Anomalies outside of my work parking pass and my once a month gas refill is paying for a parking application (to ultimately get free parking at a park I frequent) and street parking when I was out with friends.

My PRIVILEGED EXPENSES was -$2,679 (↑$1,107 from the prior month).

• Maintenance -$441 | Last month, I wrote that I wanted to keep this amount to <$100…yep. I replaced the filters in both my water purifier and air purifier and got a haircut. I also purchased $157 worth of skincare that flared my rosacea, and received a refund for one brand (still hoping to get a refund for the other). The real total for this category should be $342 but the refund hasn’t hit YNAB just yet.

• Outside Food & Drink -$38 | This is very low despite having gone out to eat a lot this month, thanks to Mr. Beans. I think he covered around $300 worth of my portion of food. Outside of that, the $38 consisted of 1) matcha and coffee for me and Mr. Beans, 2) jasmine milk tea, and 3) mango sorbet.

• Gifts -$217 | Gift giving is one of my favorite love languages to give, and all items spent in this category were all for my man (what’s new). First, Airtag + Airtag case because there are too many instances where his phone dies and he’s out and about, and I’m unable to contact him. I also purchased a Nalgene 16oz bottle and a few pieces of clothing from Vuori (which were all flops so will be returned). He’s been struggling with his existing Uniqlo shirts because they stain way too easily, and I’m on the hunt for higher quality alternatives.

• Entertainment -$316 | I did an escape room with friends (-$94 for me and Mr. Beans) and purchased a pair of Stuart Weitzman heels for the wedding, which I loved and am ultimately keeping (-$400). For the wedding, I had to tailor my bridesmaid dress — tightening the bodice, removing the boning, and shortening the length cost -$120. I received a few returns from purchases I made in February, which is why the total is much less than what it should be. I am also expecting a +$437 refund next month from this category.

• Wishlist Item -$1,547 | Oh boy, this was a hefty category. An itemized list can be found in FSD #3 — otherwise, here are the totals by vendor: Vuori ($537), Cou Cou Intimates ($224), Fjallraven ($102), Jungmaven ($197), Reformation ($455), Cakes Body ($32). I expect to be making a few returns in May, so the final number for this category is yet to be determined!

• Canva -$120 | Yearly subscription charge! I’ve been saving up for this monthly so it was expected and did not affect my budget whatsoever.

I SAVED/INVESTED $3,795 (↓$948 from the prior month).

• Roth IRA $1,797.29 | Maxed out for the year! This screenshot was from last month, but when I made the payment, it didn’t hit my account until April. I’m still counting it as a double-month win.

• 401A $1,050.00 | Every month, I contribute 7% of my paycheck ($490.00) pre-tax, and my employer matches 8% ($560.00).

• 403B $948 | I cut down my 403B contributions in half, and am now contributing 15% of my pre-tax pay.

Get YNAB free for 34 days!

For Quarter 2 of 2026, I’ve decided to do an Advent Calendar Challenge — meaning, I designate a “category” of items that I am allowed to spend on for the next few months. And I must stay within category, otherwise I’ve “broken” the challenge for the month.

Let’s review for April, which I’ve limited to wedding and entertainment expenses. If there is an asterisk next to the item, then I will be returning the item and the final amount is expected to change.

Green Flag

• Apple Airtag + Case ($69) - location tracking purposes for my man.

• Cakes Body Nippies ($32) - haven’t worn two pieces of clothing from my closet because I don’t own nippies, and now that I do, they’re now getting some use. win-win in my book.

• Dress Tailoring for Wedding ($120) - the bust was gaping and the length was too long

• Haircut ($126) - this is the most i’ve spent on a haircut! i’m very happy with it, but i’m going to try to prolong this cut until next year if i can.

• Wooden Spoon Herbs Elderberry Lung Support ($25) - purchased this to ensure that i wouldn’t get sick prior to the wedding. not sure if it did any good but it does taste great with my homemade juice, mixed in as a daily nightcap!

• Fjällräven Mini Kånken + straps* ($102) - had this item on my wishlist since undergrad (circa 2015). isn’t that insane? i consider a 10 year wishlist waiting period pretty darn impressive. i purchased this in prep for the upcoming olympic national park trip, as i don’t have a big enough hiking bag to store the essentials. my current baggu fanny is struggling with one 16oz water bottle as it is. i like the size of it because it surprisingly fits my 32oz nalgene! however, i realized the colorway i got is…not the best. i will be returning it for now. in may, i purchased the fjällräven sling, so i’m going to wait on that to deliver to see if i really need to own both, before i buy a new colorway of the mini kånken.

Yellow Flag

• Megafood Supplements ($135) - i ran out of my b-complex & l-theanine so i wanted to restock. however, i added on a few more (iron, hair growth, liposomal glutathione, and turmeric). i’ve been taking these pretty regularly so i’m justifying them. also, no side effects so far!

• Arrae Magnesium ($34) - been testing out various forms of magnesium this month, since i tried the calm powder years ago and it made my sleep worse. the arrae one is actually quite good as it wakes me up promptly at 9am and i feel quite refreshed from my sleep. i’ve also learned that magnesium l-threonate is way better for my body and drowsiness than magnesium glycinate (what most mag supplements use). if your standard mag supplement gives you side effects, give a l-threonate one a try!

• Stuart Weitzman Heels ($533) - even though all wedding related expenses are categorized as green flags, this one was…*dun dun dun*…$533. but i survived the wedding with no blisters, just sore feet for two days. as someone with sensitive feet, i don’t mind it. i’d like to break these in even more so the next occasion i go to where a lot of dancing and walking is involved, i’ll have an easier time recovering.

Red Flag

• Cou Cou Intimates* ($224) - truly a splurge. all i wanted was to upgrade my pj collection, that’s it. however, after trying them on, the quality was absurdly disappointing — i expected more for expensive sleepwear. i will be returning all items.

• Jungmaven* ($197) - i’ve had my eye on this brand since i entered the susty space, and have always wanted to dip my feet into the genre of “denim” for my closet. the pants i got have an elastic waistband so i have some hope, though i am insanely picky with my clothes so i’m not too confident about it either. sadly, when i tried these on and sat down, the waistband bunched so much that it gave me a faux muffin top. it was horrible! i will be returning this item.

• Reformation* ($455) - an impulsive splurge but also an attempt to make my wardrobe more cocktail / nightlife / rooftop bar / brunch with the gals appropriate? i had a bit of a cottage-core phase these past three years and i’m ready to expand my style. i already know i’m planning on returning one item and am waiting on one more to get delivered. as of today, the real total is expected to be $357 or less.

• Vuori* ($537) - this was my first vuori experience! i am returning most of the items i purchased, and will be keeping one pair of pants. the other one, i might exchange it for a black color-way. the expected total should be around $200.

Other (Gifts)

I didn’t include the fact that May is both Mother’s Day and my dating anniversary with Mr. Beans. These items are green flags because I always intentionally try to purchase items that align with the person’s stage of life as well as their needs.

• Vuori* ($138) - i purchased two tops and a pair of shorts for mr. beans, but it didn’t fit him well so i will be returning all of these. expected total will be $0.

• REI ($117) - i got two water bottles (each with a different purpose, don’t worry) and a sweat-wicking cap for mr. beans. i somehow accrued $6 worth of rei rewards, so i was able to use that towards my order.

^This isn’t the full list of gifts, as more will be spent towards both events and items in the month of May. Stay tuned for next month’s Money Musings for the final breakdown!

Usually, I’d end my newsletter right here but I wanted to share a full breakdown of how much money I spent for my best friend’s wedding as the Maid of Honor, as well as what was covered.

Spent → $991

• Dress ($248) - obviously. i got mine from azazie, and even though the dresses are relatively affordable, i had to pay extra for the tailoring. there is an option to get custom measurements for the dress but because i was very indecisive on what dress i wanted, i opted to go for a larger size and size down if needed. unfortunately, the tailoring resulted in the straps being far too wide apart, and they kept falling down during the wedding. so. annoying. i’m going to see if i can tuck the straps inwards and make it strapless, and then use some sort of fabric adhesive to make the front part stick to my skin. mr. beans and i have an upcoming wedding to attend in august, so i’ll need to figure this out by then since i’m obviously rewearing this dress. there’s no way i’m letting all $248 go down the drain for a singular event.

• Heels ($533) - i purchased a variety of heels from vivaia and naturalizer, all of which hurt my feet so terribly. i also went into a nordstrom and tried out the heels in the $100-$200 range, brands like sam edelman, jeffrey campbell, aldo, etc. all were terribly uncomfortable. when i stepped into the stuart weitzmans, holy. cow. they felt like marshmallows. clouds. and yes, even though my feet were in dire need of tlc at the end of the wedding, keep in mind that i suffered zero blisters, and only dealt with some redness in my pinky toe. pretty dang good for a first wear experience. i didn’t even break these heels in prior to the event and the suffering was minimal.

• Haircut ($126) - i got my hair cut for reasons beyond the wedding, but am glad i did so because the hairstyle that i ended up with didn’t give me migraines! i have a very sensitive scalp, and i was already feeling my long hair weighing my head down. even though short hairstyles can be limited in creativity, we made it work! i loved how my hair came out!

• Dr. Scholl’s Blister Cushions ($14) - i ended up not using these for the wedding.

• Eye Exam + Contacts ($70) - the out of pocket cost was for the exam itself. i was able to get the contacts covered by my insurance! i haven’t worn contacts in three years and didn’t want to wear glasses to the wedding.

Covered → $436

• Airbnb - the bride wanted all her bridesmaids to get together in one place near the venue so that we could be efficient the day of the wedding. i’m not entirely sure how much this cost, but we all shared a 3 bed 3 bath home across six girls. i’m too lazy to find the listing for the exact cost, so i’m going to throw out an arbitrary number that seems right for my one night stay — $100.

• Hair + Makeup - this was truly the biggest blessing. i am so grateful the bride paid for these services for all of us! i’m terrible at doing hair, and i was able to go all out with the type of hairstyle i wanted. i probably could’ve survived doing my own makeup, but i’ve been dealing with some skin issues so i’m glad a professional was there to ensure i was camera ready. i think this was around $200 per bridesmaid?

• Special vegan menu - obviously meals are “comped” at a wedding, but i’m grateful that the bride was able to get me a full vegan course so i wouldn’t go hungry. the dishes were just okay, but i so appreciated the effort. the bride paid $86 for my meal (the regular ones are $78/person).

• Breakfast the day of the wedding - this was covered by one of the bridesmaids’ boyfriends. i ordered a delicious vegan bagel sandwich with daiya cream cheese, tomato, carrots, onions, peppers, cucumber, and sprouts. i’m drooling thinking about it. this was $12.

• Cocktails at the open bar - i had four cocktails that night, and each had 1oz of hard liquor each. i know it sounds absurd to count this as “comped” considering this was a part of the wedding, but i think everyone should include this in their wedding guest breakdown to understand the worth of your consumption. i’d estimate that the four cocktails were $32? the cups were smaller than the sizes served at bars or restaurants, so i’m guessing each is $8. plus, mr. beans and i helped taste test the cocktails since the company was located closer to our home and only available on weekdays. i’m proud that the ones we ranked highest were praised by guests!

• Boba - boba service will always take a wedding to the next level. bestie catered bopomofo at her wedding (one of the best), but i was only able to get one drink because i was terribly rushed. i chose the “ba-la matcha” which, at the cafe, costs $6.75.

In total, ~$436 was covered. (This is obviously a loose estimate, as I don’t know the exact number of each little thing offered to the guests. I came across a Reddit thread that posed the question as “cost-per-head” and found the responses very interesting!).

This was the first wedding I had a big role in, and learned a lot about wedding planning. Though I wasn’t involved in the actual planning process, here were a few things I learned:

1. People need time to socialize. The itinerary was pretty packed, starting from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. I wish there was more time allocated to photo taking, cocktail hour, and dancing at the very end. For my wedding, I’d probably start a bit earlier and end closer to midnight, if possible. It’s heavily dependent on the venue, so I’d want to find a venue that can let us host for that stretch of time.

2. Avoid venues that require shuttling to and from the parking lot. That’s how my parents missed the ceremony! I also think that it is inevitable for older people to find any direction outside of Google Maps confusing.

3. Recite vows. My best friend and now husband chose to do their vows privately, but I think I’d like to do them in front of my loved ones. Them omitting this part of the ceremony resulted in a very short ceremony, to the point where it kind of felt like — oh, that’s it?

4. Bustle that dress. I didn’t know what a bustle was until my best friend said she wanted to wear her wedding dress throughout the entire day instead of doing a dress change during the dancing part of her wedding. She got this tailored for a couple hundred dollars, and while I was shocked at the amount, I understood why it cost so much. It’s a complicated sewing process!

5. Do not have a maid of honor, or if so, ensure that she is only in charge of the “fun” stuff and not expected to ensure the wedding goes as planned. The amount of stress I was put under was magnanimous, and I may have disassociated at certain points during the day because I was hyper-focused on ensuring that everything was going according to plan. For my wedding, I envision having two bridesmaids. I really don’t have more friends to pick from beyond that.

6. Make sure guests have enough space at the table. At the bridesmaids table, I found it a bit hard to maneuver the food, my purse, and my speech around. At my wedding, I’d either sit less people at each table, get more tables, and/or find a bigger venue. There are a lot of creative ways to ensure that people have ample room.

7. The groom should have equal responsibility or a well-versed understanding of the wedding plan. Everyone called it [my best friend’s name’s] Wedding and that the groom was her plus one. It’s a funny quip, but for me? I would be irritable to a T if my man didn’t do his due diligence in helping plan core parts of the day.

8. The food selection is important — pick your caterer wisely! From what I’ve heard, the dishes were on the heavier side (high oil, high fat, high salt). I wonder if buffet style is a better option. The ideal would be for me to pick and choose from different caterers to serve a blend of our ethnic cultures’ cuisines, but with how strict venues are with third party catering, I don’t know if this is feasible.

9. No one noticed the lack of cake. While everyone was served dessert as part of their dinner course, I completely forgot the whole cake cutting ritual of typical american weddings. I know the cost saving hack is to get a three-tiered cake from Costco or Whole Foods, but I wonder if that’s even necessary. I can’t imagine spending $500+ on a specialty cake, but is the illusion of one that important to us?

10. No one can actually see the shoes. Yes — I am aware I purchased a $500 pair of shoes as a bridesmaid, but I did it for comfort (the lower cost ones were uncomfortable). My friend didn’t splurge on her shoes, but I know many brides who make the big splurge on Louboutins to commemorate the moment. What’s the point if you’re only going to wear it for a singular occasion? However, my friend was in excruciating pain at the end of the ceremony, so I need to make sure my shoes are fully broken in by then.

11. After the MUA/hair trial (something that artists offer at lower cost to show you what they can do and help you figure out if they can achieve your vision), schedule engagement photos. If that’s already done, do something medium-high intensity to test the longevity of the look and how well it withstands rain, sweat, tears, and dust.

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. This and all future editions will be paywalled. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, take a look at the first one (which is free for all subscribers). One thing that’s missing from my Monthly Musings but is in FSDs is the number of times Mr. Beans covers me for outside food/drink. Understanding this can help contextualize why my monthly grocery spend is the way that it is (some say it’s unrealistically high, others say it’s too low). The FSDs also provide a granular perspective in my spending decisions and how I maintain frugality with a <$100K salary. All links are non-affiliate. I do not make any commission from purchases, and have only provided them for ease of accessibility.

Read more

I picked up It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (wouldn’t recommend but it did the job) in January 2023 after years of starving myself from the allure that is — fictional writing. In my early 20s, during years of emotional healing, breakup after breakup, I resorted to nonfiction (specifically self-help) to get me through grueling times. I was intrinsically focused on self-improvement but little did I know, the excessive consumption was purely just…consumption without practice. I read these books at such a fast pace that despite taking notes and feeling inspired within the pages, once the last page was turned, everything read and learned flitted away. I started dating Mr. Beans in 2021, ultimately “curing” myself of any need for this relationship self-help journey I was on, and went on a two year reading hiatus. In 2023, I came across “Bookstagram”, as what people call it these days, and found myself gravitating towards splashy colors of romance novels and the allure of hyper-intellectualization through the reading. And for the first time in a very long time, I felt like a middle-schooler again, hiding away in the library, my nose buried in a Percy Jackson or The Clique books during lunch. I am writing today’s post as an effort to encourage you to read for your own whimsy, to read like how you used to when you were younger and had to write up book reports, chapter after chapter. While the online book community is divisive, in that certain genres are predisposed as “less serious” or “doesn’t count as reading”, I’m encouraging you to treat this as static noise. They exist, but within a strict set of bounds that doesn’t allow for growth, creativity, or imagination. Reading, regardless of genre, is a hobby we need to bring back for adults — and not just the nonfiction, self-help ones that guarantee you’ll learn something out of it. We need to allow ourselves to read, for fun. On that note, I’ve compiled a variety of strategies that have helped me keep maintain my reading habit over the past three years, and counting.

i read in my downtime

During pockets of time when I am at a standstill, whether it be waiting in line to order a drink or sitting on the toilet, I am reading. When I’m at open-play pickleball, I’m reading on the bench, waiting for my paddle to be called up. On the treadmill, reading detaches my body from the exhaustion of exercising, allowing me do to do more without feeling excess fatigue.

To also assist with choosing the Kindle or Books app over social media, I’ve deleted my most addicting social media platform: TikTok. All the way down the account. I’m thankful I never grew my main platform on TikTok because this would be difficult. I still have an Instagram account, but the algorithm is so terrible, that using the app is more tedious than not.

i only ever use libby and netgalley for obtaining books

I currently own five physical books, three of which are personalized copies with my name in them. I’ve made it a rule to not purchase physical books unless I’ve rated them 5 stars and can get them personalized by the author. One day, my two EmHen books will be signed. (*manifesting this*)

If you’ve seen other people’s towering bookshelves, categorized by color, please know that this isn’t necessarily sustainable or financially realistic. If I were to be reading at the rate that I do, I would have to spend around $600 on books each year. If you have the money and space in your home, by all means, but if not, then know that there are other options to obtaining books for free.

Libby is one of the greatest resources that you must leverage. Download the app on your phone, register for a library card at your local library (some libraries require you to go in person — keep that in mind), and you now have access to all the titles they own. For highly popular books that have already been out for months or years, you’ll likely have an easier time accessing them. For example, the Fourth Wing series can be easy to borrow, since libraries tend to purchase multiple copies based on need. At my local branch, 400 e-book copies were available to cardholders! I’m no Libby expert, but here’s what I’ve discovered after scouring the Reddit pages:

1. Place a lot of holds. You can always ask for it to deliver later or cancel the hold entirely. But if you have a lot of them, eventually it will transition into a more constant stream of items coming up as available from your holds. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

2. Always browse with the “available now” filter when you’re actively looking for a new read. Always. Don’t even bother being tempted by something that you can’t have if your goal is to borrow a new book in that moment. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

3. One card is great, but more is better! Check (1) if your library has reciprocal borrowing agreements with any nearby jurisdictions, and (2) if any libraries in your state issue cards to all state residents. I have double digit cards on Libby, and yes, they are all ones I legitimately qualify for. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

4. Something come off hold and you don’t have time to read it in the next 14 days? No problem, put your Kindle in airplane mode and transfer the book via USB. As long as your Kindle is in airplane mode you can read the book (even after your loan expires). Source; the 250+ library books currently held hostage in airplane mode on my Kindle. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

5. If you can’t find something on Libby, see if your library has Hoopla and check there. I’ve found many books on my “Notify Me” Libby tag this way. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

6. If your state only requires state residence, not county or lower municipality, you can get cards from any library in your state. Many have online registration since covid, as well. The most I had to do for one was email the library my ID. Worth looking into, it really helps get you the popular books sooner, and that means it helps free up copies for the libraries that are going slower. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

7. Regularly browse the “Coming Soon” tab. I’ve gotten so many new releases nearly right away or shortly after release date because I end up being one of the first holds with how frequently I review. (Source: Reddit | Libby: You’re Doing it Wrong)

The downside of Libby is that it will be difficult to access newly released books, which is why…

NetGalley exists! This is a platform that allows you to access Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) before the book’s actual publication date. This isn’t a guaranteed system, and you will not be granted all books you request access to. However, I’ve discovered a number of new authors through this platform (e.g., Mazey Eddings), and find it even more thrilling to read a highly anticipated book before everyone else (e.g., Lost and Found by Tarah Dewitt — this is a 5 star read, btw). Most importantly, you do not have to be a book blogger/influencer to access ARCs. It helps to connect your socials to the platform, but a key metric is the feedback ratio, which tracks whether or not you have been submitting reviews to the books you’ve requested. Unfortunately, there have been a few books I ended up DNFing after receiving an ARC to them, resulting in my ratio being impacted. The goal is 80% or higher, and I’m unfortunately at 69%. Here’s a helpful guide that someone posted on Reddit about NetGalley.

If you find yourself really wanting to purchase a book though, remember to source them from your local bookstore over buying them from a big retailer, like Amazon or Target! I’ve also found that most authors these days offer indie bookstores bonus additions to their releases that you wouldn’t be able to find at a big retailer. And if you can’t find them in store locally, Bookshop is a B-Corp certified online retailer that financially supports independent bookstores.

if you want to explore a new genre, buddy-read it

I’ve tried reading fantasy for the longest time, but thought it wasn’t for me after DNFing (acronym for did not finish) A Court of Thorns and Roses. The fantasy genre finally stuck a few months ago when my coworker told me about Quicksilver by Callie Hart. To be honest, that book would’ve been a DNF if I had read it alone, but knowing that I could discuss the book with her after reading it felt like a reward. It is gratifying and unifying when you read a book with someone, and while I haven’t “buddy”-read since high school (except those were the days everyone in class was forced to read the same book together), I’ve found the discussion after reading as a great motivator. Think of it as watching a TV-show with a best friend, and dishing out hot takes after each episode.

For me, the next genre I’d like to get into is the classics. I’ve tried a few times, but couldn’t get past the first few pages of Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice. However, I’ve found that literary fiction is a good intermediary between what I’m reading right now and the classics.

novellas and audiobooks count as reading

A 90 page novella is still counted as “1 book”. I’m not an audiobook person, but just because you’re using a different medium doesn’t mean it is a lesser form of reading. At the tail end of 2025, I was losing my reading steam, and ended up opting for novellas to up my reading count. Albeit, I didn’t hit my reading goal, but I was a few books closer to it at the very end. I also think that novellas are a great way to jump back into reading, especially if you’ve been on a hiatus. Not all novellas are written, well, and I think the romance ones tend to be lackluster since there isn’t enough time to develop characters properly and the plot is either too silly or unrealistic. Regardless, a few novellas I’ve actually enjoyed are Ali Hazelwood’s Two Can Play and ’s A Risk Worth Taking.

As for audiobooks, not everyone has the luxury to have that quiet time to settle down in a cocooned nest and indulge in a book. (I do, but I am without children or pets.) If an audiobook is the best way for you to get your reading in, then allow yourself to count that as part of your reading goal.

set one goal per day

If you’ve found yourself in a reading rut, set a daily micro-goal. This could be:

• 1 chapter

• 5% of a book (great if you use an e-reader)

• 20 pages

• 15 minutes

This is especially helpful if you’re reading a book that you know is good, but you’re lacking the enthusiasm for it, or you’re intimidated by an extremely long book but still want to read it (e.g., Alchemised by SenLinYu). This could also be for books with information-dense chapters. I regret not doing this for Games: A Love Story by (philosophy and economics layered over a heady age-gap romance) and the Fourth Wing series by Rebecca Yarros (romantasy with dragons, fantastical creatures, and too many characters to count).

don’t be too hard on yourself if you have to quit a book

Mentioned earlier and also known as “Do-Not-Finish” (DNF), it is okay to put a book down, for good. In the first two years of reading, I DNFed 10+ books each year, mainly because I didn’t understand what was causing me to lose interest in these books. Over time, I learned that some authors have a writing style that makes it very hard for me to stomach. In romance, my DNFs have been characterized by bad, cringey banter, ridiculous third act breakup (to be honest though, if I’m already at the third-act, I’ll usually hate-finish the book), questionable behaviors that are normalized (cheating, abuse), or dialogue formatting (I finished Normal People and loved it, but despised how the dialogue was structured in that book).

You can choose where your limit is when you determine if quitting a book is substantiated. For the longest time, I would quit after the first few chapters. These days, I aim to get through at least 20% of the book until I allow myself to give up. This is mainly due to the fact that I DNFed at least 20 books in 2025, and found that to be a bit excessive. There isn’t a set limit to follow, so allow yourself a more generous limit at the start of your reading journey, and slowly build it up. Resilience in reading a book that doesn’t interest you is a great skill to have, but if it impedes on reading enjoyment, put. that. book. down.

set aside a time of your day to read, or do absolutely nothing

The hardest part about reading is sticking to a singular story for an extended period of time. The number of times I’ve gotten distracted from my book and started doomscrolling is more than I’m proud of, but over time, my attention span began to increase. I started appreciating the journey a story takes me on, rather than short 1-minute clips in rapid succession. Focus will come slowly, and it takes years of practice to get into the “reading zone”. To speed up this process, you can do the following:

• Cut off your internet temporarily

• Brick your phone and read at a coffee shop or library

• Use an e-reader instead of your phone to read

• Delete or deactivate social media altogether

And in the moments where you’re exhausted from reading, instead of doomscrolling or reverting to a low-attention span activity, why not just…do nothing? Daydream, think about what you’ve read, write about it. Anything, but scroll.

reading books isn’t “better” than other types of long-form media consumption

I’m specifically talking about long-form media consumption, because truth to be told, I do think that it is significantly better than short-form media. However, if you simply cannot stomach reading books for whatever reason, there are other types of long-form media that you can indulge in. Critically acclaimed movies, hour long podcasts, Substack newsletters, documentaries, scientific articles, online magazines (e.g., Aeon, Psyche) — these are all great ways to increase your attention span, if reading books isn’t your jam. This can also help you reframe reading as a source of indulgence and fun, over an obligation to increase your intelligence. Plus, if anyone insists that the only way to “get smart” is by reading, I give you permission to call them pretentious and walk away.

create a to-be-read list

Also known as a TBR label. If you have a Storygraph account (highly recommend this over Goodreads since the latter is owned by Amazon), you can mark books as to-read. This way, once you’re done with a book, you’re not left scrambling to figure out what to read. In the early stages, this period of indecision can lead to inconsistency with this habit. I’ve made the mistake of not knowing what to read next, and as a result, went on week or month long reading hiatuses.

Another thing I do is to “prep” my Kindle for what I’d like to read next. If this is a highly anticipated read that I know I’ll have a difficult time accessing through Libby, I’ll place a hold on it, so that once I’m done with my current book, it’ll be ready. I like to have at least 3-4 ready to read books in my Kindle, so that I’m always prepped with a new book on hand once I’m done with the current read. It helps keep the momentum going.

find your go-to genres and authors

This is difficult at first, because you may not know what genre you actually enjoy reading after a long reading break. I was lucky enough to stumble upon romance, and am still an avid romance reader. Once I experimented reading a variety of authors’ books, I learned that there were certain authors whose writing styles I couldn’t stand, and others on my immediate-read list (aka if the author comes out with a new book it’s immediately going into my TBR regardless of its plot description). My immediate-read list has grown since then — this is a great strategy for when I’m in a reading rut, because when I start to lose motivation, all I need to do is read a book by an author I know I love, and the momentum restarts.

Once you get into a good reading habit, I would implore you to explore other genres! This year, my goal is to read one book outside of my usual genre, and I’ve already hit that. (It’s literary fiction, by the way).

If you’re unsure of where to start, think of the types of movies you enjoy, and start there.

experiment with your ideal reading time

Try reading in chunks early in the morning (after waking up), during lunch, after work, on your way back home (if you take public transit), and before going to sleep. This is especially important since everyone has varying levels of energy and motivation throughout the day. For the longest time, I usually only ever read after work, but these days, I’ve found out that reading after waking up helps me wake up, and reading before going to sleep helps me prep my brain for sleep. I also like reading in the daytime more than the nighttime, but will still do both depending on the amount of time I have and the plans scheduled for that day.

create a reading nook so comfortable you don’t want to leave

And…keep that pesky phone in a different room. My hour-long reading sessions only ever take place on the chaise part of my couch, where I’ve set up two big pillows and three blankets. If I try reading on a different part of the couch that isn’t the chaise, I know I won’t be able to keep up reading for long. Creating a cozy reading nook also allows your brain to associate this hobby with safety and comfort — two feelings imperative while reading. Remember to keep a water bottle or a fun drink near you! A snack if you get peckish, but I hate crummy fingers on my Kindle so I usually keep the finger foods to a minimum.

keep a reading journal

This is one of the more difficult habits to upkeep, so I wouldn’t recommend this for new readers. If you’re starting to build a habit, adding on too many tasks beyond the basics can cause you to crash and burn. Therefore, at the easy level, rate the book once you’re done reading on a scale of 5 or 10. I rate my books on a scale of 5, without any particular rubric. I go off of vibes and how I felt after reading it. To take it a baby step further, write down bullet points of strengths and weaknesses — what you found really interesting vs. what the author should’ve done to improve the book. Once you’ve got the reading momentum going, I’d highly recommend reflecting on the book — this could either be a few sentences long (medium level) or an in-depth review that encompasses key parts of the book (hard level). I crashed and burned after trying to do a full on review at the start of my reading journey. I got to a point where I didn’t want to read because I knew I had to write a review of it afterwards. Instead, I wish I just allowed myself to rate the book, and gradually work my way up to post-reading reflections. These days, I’ll write paragraph long reviews with quotes embedded in them.

You can do this online (e.g., Storygraph, Fable), in a physical journal, or on Notion (what I use). My current Notion set-up is quite complex and is a unique blend of Goodreads and Storygraph functionalities. If you’re new to Notion, I’d recommend testing out a free Notion template on their Marketplace before purchasing a template. I am happy to share what my dashboard looks like if there is demand for it!

To my avid bookworms, did I miss anything? If so, let me know!

Share

Welcome back to another week of the Frugal Spending Diary, a weekly newsletter that walks through every financial decision I make each day, with the added bonus of life updates and media I’m consuming. This and all future editions will be paywalled. If you’re curious as to what style this type of newsletter is like, take a look at the first one (which is free for all subscribers). One thing that’s missing from my Monthly Musings but is in FSDs is the number of times Mr. Beans covers me for outside food/drink. Understanding this can help contextualize why my monthly grocery spend is the way that it is (some say it’s unrealistically high, others say it’s too low). The FSDs also provide a granular perspective in my spending decisions and how I maintain frugality with a <$100K salary.

Read more

One of my favorite newsletters to read is ’s Spending Recap series, and oddly enough, I haven’t done a personal-style post in a while. The last of this was of my Report Cards series, which got a bit overwhelming for me to keep up. Naturally, as my online “brand” evolves as do my interests, motivations, and inspirations, I try to allow myself to adapt to what keeps this going. Though consistency is important for brand image, I’ve experienced burnout with this account a number of times, and I’d rather consistently create varied content as opposed to taking extended breaks due to a self-inflicted expectation to meld into a cookie cutter image I’m supposed to uphold.

I will be trial-running this Frugal Spending Diary (FSD) newsletter concept that will be offered to paid subscribers starting with the second installment. The first posts of any series on this newsletter are always free, just so you know what you’re getting yourself into. If you’re a free subscriber through and through, my Monthly Musings series covers high level summary of my finances.

Expense screenshots under each finance section are taken from my You Need A Budget (YNAB) dashboard. YNAB has been my go-to budgeting tool for 3+ years at this point. If you want to try the website out for free for 34 days, then feel free to use my link! (Disclaimer: I’ve never been sponsored by YNAB. I currently pay for their yearly annual subscription. Whenever someone upgrades to a paid subscription using my link, I get one additional month for free added to my subscription.)

LIFE

I’ve been incorporating pickleball into my exercise routine lately, and it’s been a ton of fun! I’ve found that I hate cardio with a burning passion, but when it is turned into a competitive racquet sport, I’m all in. Locked in, despite heaving from exhaustion after ten minutes. Playing against 60+ year olds and losing to them is humbling, but at least I’m having fun.

FINANCES

I had an annoyingly admin-heavy expense day today. Going from top to bottom in the screenshot below:

1. I purchased two pairs of heels from Vivaia: the Almond-Toe Stress Free Chunky Heels (Julie Arch Pro) and the Margot Slingback Heels (Mikko). I purchased a pair from Naturalizer last week, and while the brand is known for its comfort, I was suffering while on a short walk from the car to the coffee shop this past weekend. My pinky toe was screaming in pain, while the blister cushions did nothing to stop the strap from digging into my heel. I’m beginning to worry about my shoe options for my best friend’s wedding in late-April, and think that if none work, I may have to resort to shoes without a strap on the back.

2. My friends and I are doing an escape room this weekend, so I purchased tickets for us. I’m expecting $229.95 back by the end of it.

3. We own a Simpure Y9T Water Filter, and a few weeks ago, the filer replacement lights began popping up. First, it was two of the filters, and now, all three are lit up. These last six months, so I’ll expect to make another $105 payment later this October.

4. I told you it was an admin day, didn’t I? I had to buy another filter set for my Coway Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH. I got this on sale last year when it was $143, and would absolutely recommend if it if you notice a lost of dust or odor in your rooms. The odor filter light came on, so I purchased a new filter set for $53.

5. I am aware this expense line item is out of order so bear with me, but I purchased an Apple Airtag case that was ridiculously overpriced, but it looked nice. I also have a weakness for my man and will get him what looks aesthetically the best. To me, that Airtag case looks sleek and would go perfectly with his keychain.

6. I’ve wanted Cakes’ Sticky circles for a while now (63 days to be exact, so it did pass my 30 days minimum wishlist test). I have an Aritizia top that hasn’t been worn in a while, mainly because every bra I own shows its strap through.

7. Back to the Airtag, of course I got the actual Airtag for my man. I got this because there have been too many times to count where his phone dies while he’s out, mainly due to him forgetting to charge his phone overnight. This way, I know where he is if something happens to him.

8. I applied for a resident parking permit, and the application fee costs $5. Doing this would save me the $10 required each time I visit this area.

LIFE

My work is a blessing for more reasons than one. As you probably know from my Monthly Musings, I make $84,000 annually. My position is hybrid, so I go into office twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, though I can change it up if need be. My boss is reasonable and understanding, but most importantly, my coworkers have become my friends. Is it work when half of it is spent socializing? I wish I were kidding (not really). One of my coworkers is a huge dark romance fiend, so we chatted about Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. My coworker got me onto the series, and I’m currently halfway through Iron Flame while she’s on Onyx Storm.

Before I continue, I’d like to highlight Rebecca Yarros’ numerous controversies. A lot of what she’s been involved in is severely disappointing, and due to this, I will not be recommending or linking any of her works. I am reading these books through Libby (support your local libraries!) and do not ever plan on supporting her through buying books/attending her events. As a romance reader, it is enticing to engage in a variety of “viral” book discourse, because this type of book aligns with my genres of interest. However, it is my responsibility to ensure that steps are taken to minimize money being directed towards people or companies that do not align with my values.

We plan on buddy reading K.J. Shen’s new release, Twisted Pawn (Society of Villains, #2) once we’re finally done with Yarros’ series. I rated Bad Bishop (Society of Villains, #1) 2.75 stars, so I don’t have high hopes for this one, though I do think Achilles (the main male character) is an interesting enough character for me to be enticed.

My beauty boycott directory was mentioned in ’s reel on Instagram. Love her, love her content, and what an honor. I found out about this through a Buy Me A Coffee supporter, so truly. Thank you.

FINANCES

I received a payment from Substack (+$4.89), and am always forever grateful for anyone who is on a paying subscription to this newsletter. There was an event at work today, so I was able to get a free lunch! I don’t usually track the number of free meals I get, but I do think it’s worth stating here in finances that it saves on food-related expenses (naturally), and I was able to save the minestrone soup + sourdough bread I packed for a different day.

MEDIA

I was hating XO, Kitty Season 3 hard, up until episode 4. No spoilers here (don’t worry), but I’m very much looking forward to how the rest of the season plays out. Mr. Beans and I have been trying to rewatch The Boys considering the last season releases tomorrow (4/8). Unfortunately, we only made it to S2E6 today. My latest artist obsession is Avery Cochrane and her new EP, Male Validation and Other Drugs. Favorite songs off the album are Griever, Loneliness in Numbers, and Shapeshifting on a Saturday Night. I’m currently reading Iron Flame as mentioned earlier, but it’s a much slower read for me than Fourth Wing was. I will say though, this series is much more impressive than I thought it would be. While the main characters are all likable in one way or another, the plot and lore itself is what’s keeping me hooked. I remember when I read Callie Hart’s Brimstone, which is the second book to Quicksilver, I lost interest in both the main romance and plot — the only interesting part about the second book was three specific characters who needed more “page”-time (Taladius, Carrion, and Onyx).

LIFE

I’ve been tempted to attend author book events, but my personal book buying policy is that I must have already read the book before actually buying a physical copy. Beyond that, if I were to purchase a physical copy, it must be personalized. And while this may seem ridiculous and overly specific, this prevents me from over-consuming books. I already have a small apartment, and quite literally have no space for a full fledged library. Plus, it feels extra special to know that each book has a little note from the author, and that my library is uniquely personalized to me.

I finally called Jury Duty because they keep summoning me to a court in a County I no longer live in. The process involves mailing them the form they sent me (or in this case, to my parent’s house) with proof of my new address. My dad will be mailing that form to my current address, and I will be mailing this form to the court. Ah. Admin.

FINANCES

I’ve had a few Beans-related payments hit my account today — Buy Me A Coffee ($44), Instagram ($17), and Substack ($4).

I also received a reimbursement for the contacts I purchased last month from my vision insurance plan. Thankful for the +$149.98 back into my account!

My dress for my best friend’s wedding was also ready for pick-up from the tailor. I was extremely nervous about this, since I’ve heard about far too many horror stories about bad tailoring jobs, but this lady did a great job tightening up the bust ($40) and shortening the bottom length ($80) of the dress. I paid full in cash, hence the ATM withdrawal.

MEDIA

Still reading Iron Flame, though I will admit, my steam is running out. It’s still really interesting, but the content in this book feels like it would need to be covered by 2 2-hour films. I watched S3-E5 of XO, Kitty, and actually cried. The show is getting better, albeit just a smidge. Like, a 3-star rating type of “better”. Mr. Beans and I excitedly watched The Boys Season 5 — the first two episodes have already been out, and oh. my. god. The comedy and political satire are both spot on. This might be the best season out of all. My favorite (non-spoiler) scenes were: Homelander realizing M.M. stands for Mother’s Milk; M.M.’s Britney Spears’ shirt; seeing my girl, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (aka Devi from Never Have I Ever) kill it as Countess Crow; have you seen the memes about me? Homelander crashing out will never not be funny to me.

LIFE

I posted on my story some time last year about personal training, and remember getting a very long message about how it is a scam, and I should just pay for a gym membership since it’s more cost effective. While a gym being more cost effective is a valid point, I don’t necessarily think that paying a professional to help with alleviating gym anxiety and how to actually exercise beyond daily walks is a “scam”. To be frank, I’ve never lifted a single weight prior to personal training. Having a personal trainer guide me through exercises and fix my atrocious form even while doing simple ones (like squats!) has been worth the money. Mr. Beans purchased a personal training package for a set number of sessions for our four-year dating anniversary last year, so we’re using them up while intermixing with our personal workouts at the gym and for me, pickleball games. All of this to say, I did injure my arm by increasing the weight amount too quickly in a short period of time, and had to halt physical training sessions for a while. Physical therapy taught me that instead of achieving “personal bests”, I need to increase my reps at a lower weight.

FINANCES

It was a no spend day! 🥳

MEDIA

I finally finished XO, Kitty Season 3! Here’s my rating distribution, with an overall season average of 2.41 ★★☆☆☆:

And if you’re wondering, yes, I try my best to record my rating and review for everything I watch, all the way down to the episodes themselves. I’ve had this system implemented last year, but have had a few off-months where I stopped tracking. ’s 38 ways to create more than you consume, while you consume has been a great reminder for me to get back into it, to stop mindlessly consuming when I should be reflecting on everything I watch, read, and listen to. There is already too much content generated in a single day, that we absorb without even realizing. Absorb without being aware of its existence. Absorb, then forget in the next few seconds. I’ve always struggled with my attention span (was put on Ritalin at a very young age), and while never diagnosed with ADHD, it was evident that my careless excessive consumption has, for lack of a better word, consumed the little attention span I had left. And don’t get me wrong — writing a review after finishing an episode halts the “flow” of a binge-watching session. It sucks. It’s uncomfortable. Because all I want to do is to just go-go-go and hit “next episode” to immediately see what happens next. But upon creating this tracker, it has become an innate feeling at this point, knowing that if I don’t jot my notes down, I’m going to forget, fall asleep, and rely on my memory the next day when retroactively completing my review. And as a researcher, lack of validity in my own data collection is my biggest nightmare, even if it is as silly as television show reviews.

I also finished Iron Flame, and the ending. The ending, guys. I no longer post reviews and updates on Goodreads, but in my next media roundup, I’ll share my thoughts. Naturally, I’m only Onyx Storm now. I think Onyx is looking to be the first 5-star in this series, but who knows. It’s already so good.

LIFE

I was going to hit up a new recreation center for pickleball today, but of course my period had to hit out of all days. I ended up taking a four hour nap and Mr. Beans kindly got me CAVA for dinner. My usual order is half lentils half supergreens, falafel, eggplant & regular hummus, topped with all the veg, or at least as much as I could without getting a stink eye from the server. Though one thing I’ve noticed is that when I eat at a restaurant these days, I find myself severely dehydrated after an hour or two. Cooking at home has made me realize the drastic amount of sodium that is used at restaurants, and how much it affects my body. I consumed 24oz of water in a span of two hours (rare for me, as I always forget to drink water).

FINANCES

I purchased LMNT’s Zero-Sugar Electrolytes in Citrus Salt ($39) after finishing up a Costco pack of Liquid IV Sugar-Free Electrolytes (and also doing a few deep dives on Reddit to figure out which one is the best). The only criticism I’ve seen on LMNT is its cost, but otherwise, it supersedes its competitors with their very minimal ingredient list. Mr. Beans wanted to get coffee mid-day so we went to a new cafe — I got an iced hōjicha oat and he got a pistachio latte (he paid for both). I don’t usually order hōjicha but am realizing that I am a matcha girl through and though. Hōjicha tastes a little too seaweed-y for my liking.

LIFE

My best friend and her fiancé down to visit us. We had ramen (friend covered our meal even though I wanted to for her birthday) and tea (Mr. Beans paid for mine), and I went with my friend to her makeup/hair trial. The makeup artist was so kind, and she did a phenomenal job at achieving the natural, Korean look that my friend wanted. This took three-and-a-half-hours. Even though I wasn’t doing the work, I was exhausted by the end of it. We went to the escape room that was paid for on April 6 and got out in 35 minutes! To end the night I had a scoop of ice cream from Van Leewuen’s (their seasonal Vegan Mother Earth flavor is great). This day was exhausting in particular because we all hung out at a different friend’s place to play couples games and chat, up until 3:30am. What happens to adults at that time of night? Delirium.

FINANCES

No spend day, thanks to Mr. Beans!

LIFE

Best friend, her fiancé, Mr. Beans, and I went to a local Chinese restaurant that my coworker recommended. She is the resident “foodie” at work, so I know that I can trust her with taking other people to places she has recommended to me. I loved their garlic green beans (pretty comparable to Din Tai Fung’s), garlic snow pea leaf, and vegetarian mapo tofu. Mr. Beans particularly enjoyed their French-Style Steak dish. Mr. Beans ended up footing the bill for this meal.

When we got back home, the both of us took a nap. Well, Mr. Beans took a 4-hour nap while I slept through the night. So yes, I ended up sleeping for 16 hours. Many people suffer from insomnia, I have quite literally the opposite of it (but not necessarily a flex because I’d rather be productive than sleeping my day away).

FINANCES

This was technically a no-spend day, but a few transactions still hit YNAB. First, the parking charge for work from last Thursday. Then, there was a whole Venmo/Zelle “fight” after lunch today, where Mr. Beans and I fought to pay the bill and my best friend and her fiancé tried sending us half the amount. Her fiancé sent me $94, and Mr. Beans sent him $94 back. And as a result, I sent Mr. Beans the $94 back that was given to me.

Unnecessarily complicated, but as Asians, it is within our nature to fight for the bill when appropriate.

I’ve received Venmo payments back for the escape room, but it hasn’t hit my YNAB yet.

MEDIA

42% into Onyx Storm, and I really think that this is the best book out of the three so far. It’s witty, exciting, and most importantly, not too painful to read. Violet (the FMC) was tortured too much in Iron Flame, and she needs a break. While Onyx Storm has a multitude of dark elements, there are many scenes that feel like a breath of fresh air and provides some inkling of hope that there will be some happy endings.

Thank you for tuning into the first Frugal Spending Diary! If you enjoyed this newsletter style, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below, as most of my generated content comes from the likes of my readers.

Sincerely, Beans.

Leave a comment

My plan for January through March 2026 was to go on an Elimination Diet, which is a version of the No Buy Spending Challenge. This was born out of needing to recover from the excessive shopping done in late 2025, and driven by a number of motivating factors — 1) reach my emergency fund goal ($35K), 2) save up for international travel, and 3) aggressively save for retirement.

As a refresher, these are my rules:

Allowed

• Perishable (e.g., rent, health, groceries, transport)

• Spotify and Disney+/Hulu

• Basic cleaning supplies, beauty replacements, and other home necessities needed to keep my routine going

• Donations

• Canva and YNAB subscriptions

• One-off categories include outside food/drink, gifts, and entertainment — assess on a case-by-case basis.

Not Allowed

• Dates with Mr. Beans

• Wishlist items

Indicators of Success

• Max out Roth IRA at $7,500

• Meet my Emergency Fund goal of $35,000

• Contribute 30% of pre-tax income to my 403B through my employer

For greater accessibility to my newsletter, I’ve decided to make more of my usual paywalled posts available for free (such as this one). If you would like to support my work monetarily without paying for a subscription:

Buy me a matcha latte! 🍵

Perishable expenses were relatively standard. Compared to last year, rent was significantly less since we happily “downgraded” from a luxury 2bed-2bath apartment to a modest 2bed-1.5bath unit ($4,929 in 2025 v. $3,000 in 2026); health was more, mainly because I decided to do a contacts lens exam and a half-year supply of contacts ($159 in 2025 v. $219 in 2026); groceries was more because I cook pretty routinely and switched from instant coffee in the morning to barista-level matcha lattes made with specialty syrups ($954 in 2025 v. $1,159 in 2026); and transportation was also more because I now live farther away from my parents, gas prices have been increasing steadily over the years, and I have to pay for parking at work ($134 in 2025 v. $356 in 2026). All in all, despite all the smaller categories costing less in 2025, I spent more altogether in Perishables in 2025 ($6,126) compared to 2026 ($4,828). This really does show that no matter how incremental you decrease your spending budgets, nothing will make as big of a difference as cutting down on your big bills.

My privileged categories in 2026 differed slightly from last year. Maintenance was lower this year because I put in a conscious effort to ensure that I only purchased bottom-line essentials ($300 in 2025 v. $188 in 2026), going out for food/drink was comparable ($249 in 2025 v. $239 in 2026), and donations was a new category I added to my budget (in 2025, I categorized all donations as gifts). Overall, I spent less in Privileged ($529) than I did last year ($651).

• 🟢 Subscriptions — While Spotify and Disney were allowable expenses under subscriptions, I wish I could retroactively go back and rescind the Disney part of this rule. As I’m entering a “new” phase of life, where I scrutinize every single thing I’m giving my money to, I have no interest in partaking in Disney’s success.

• 🟡 Maintenance

  • I purchased a Muji bath mat which probably is the most “red flag” item of the list. Our previous bath mat was one of those polyester, stubby mats with a rubber backing. However, after numerous washes on high heat (because the dang thing takes forever to dry), the backing started to crack. I could’ve kept using it until it really disintegrated on the floor, but I decided to buy a Muji bath mat on my trip to Boston. Is it the best mat to ever exist? No. It’s not absorbent at all. However, it is much easier to throw in the washing machine, and I feel less icked out by the idea of gross bathroom things getting woven up in the threads. I also purchased a Koala Eco dish spray refill, but decided to tack on their glass refillable spray bottle — mainly because I own their glass soap bottle and it’s beautiful. I love it. The spray nozzle is strong and the mist is very fine. It makes cleaning enjoyable, but I acknowledge that adding this on wasn’t necessary and I could’ve continued on with the old plastic spray bottle I had. My biggest “fail” was purchasing this MDSolarSciences sunscreen without realizing it was a chemical sunscreen formula, rather than a physical one. It also didn’t match my skin tone and made me look like an orange. I was able to get a refund on the product, but not the shipping cost, so I still had to pay $7 for it. Luckily, this was one of those “keep/donate the product, and we’ll refund you”. I ended up giving the item away on my Buy Nothing page!

  • However, I’d like to acknowledge my wins in this category. I was able to get a refund on two (!!) items purchased last year — W&P glass jars and an Ergodriven standing mat. I filed my taxes with FreeTaxUSA (they upped the price by $1 from last year). I made an ethical switch from Target’s hand sanitizing wipes to Grove Collaborative’s version and I’m obsessed — it’s thicker, more saturated with the solution, and smells divine (I got the lavender scent). It’s going on subscription once my stash is done. I also finally purchased Cora pads through their website rather than buying from Target! I used to get their microthin liners, but found it to be too thin. I decided to try the Got-You-Covered Liner, and am jumping. It’s thick enough so that I don’t have to replace it within one day, and it calms my problems down there.

• 🔴 Outside Food/Drink — The total spend for this was much higher than I would’ve wanted it to be. A bulk of my dining out experiences were covered by Mr. Beans, but we had many friends visit this quarter, so ultimately, there’s only so many recipes I can experiment with before burning out. I can cook for two meals, but after that, I’m burnt out. The one place that I don’t regret visiting is Pantry West Hollywood. Their banana matcha with oat milk is the best drink I’ve had this year.

• 🟢 Donations — I donated to Immigrant Legal Resource Center for January and February, and The Hind Rajab Foundation in March.

There isn’t much to compare in the Future category between this and last year. Last year, the maximum contribution limit was $7,000, which I did meet, but at the end of the year. I also did not have to take from my Emergency fund in Q1 last year.

• 🟢 Roth IRA — As mentioned in Money Musing #8, my paycheck for March didn’t hit until April (the downside of monthly paychecks — there are some months I don’t get paid and others where I’m double paid). Therefore, I had to wait until April 1st to max out my Roth IRA. As I’m writing this post in April, I can confirm that I have maxed out the account. Huge win!

• 🟢 Emergency — I had that “maintenance” light on my car for a while so I took it to a mechanic to get it checked. They did an oil change and found a nail in my tire (which…I still need to take care of…).

Archive is called archive because, well, it’s supposed to be archived. Total should’ve been $0, but life happens. I organized these categories differently in 2025 so I’ll go based off of sub-categories without reporting the totals for the general category. Compared to last year, I spent less in gifts ($333 in 2025 v. $291 in 2026), less in wishlist items ($550 in 2025 vs. $0 in 2026), more in travel ($0 in 2025 v. $863 in 2026), and more in subscriptions ($51 in 2025 v. $64 in 2026).

• 🟢 Gifts — I purchased a few items from Muji for four coworkers, got my best friend a personalized Flamingo Estate candle for his birthday, and my other best friend a perfume she really likes. I’ve learned how wonderful it is to have few but very close friends, because I get excited spending this much on them without feeling like I’m overdoing it with gifts. All fall within my green light rules.

• 🟡 Entertainment — Majority of these expenses are related to my best friend’s wedding that’s happening in April. Around $600 of the total will be refunded in April, since I have a few dress returns to make. I purchased a pair of wedges for the wedding since the heels I currently own are painful to walk around in. For Mr. Beans’ birthday, we did an interactive activity with friends, and I covered Mr. Beans’ portion (which he ended up hating because it was very overstimulating for him). Outside of the birthday activity, all expenses are green lights.

• 🟢 Wishlist Item — I ended up getting a refund from a purchase made in December, hence the positive balance. Outside of that, I’m very proud of myself for not buying anything on my wishlist! It definitely helps that I deleted TikTok and am not inundated with product recommendations.

• 🟢 Travel — Mr. Beans and I have plans to visit Olympic National Park, so I paid for my flight ticket and paid the first portion of the Airbnb (which will soon be split across 7 people once the full payment is made). I didn’t expect to make travel related expenses, but I knew I wanted to visit a national park this year. Therefore, I’m just happy that plans are in place for this goal to be checked off.

• 🟢 Subscriptions — I only paid for a Spotify Family and Disney+/Hulu subscription this quarter. I love cataloging my spending habits because now that I’m heavily focused on the companies I’m financially supporting, I wouldn’t have started the Disney+/Hulu shared subscription with my friend. I told her to kick me out in January and retroactively made last two months’ worth of payments in January. As for Spotify, I had no choice but to keep it on until April, since the members of my family agreed to pay me the full year’s amount to avoid the monthly Venmo payments. Luckily, March is the last month that I will be paying for Spotify.

• 🟢 Roth IRA has been maxed out at $7,500 — We did that! Really grateful to the last year version of me for saving up $1,500 or so to help me out with this goal.

• 🟢 Emergency fund has been met at $35,000 — Done! Maybe this is “cheating”, but I shuffled around my sinking funds to reach this goal (e.g., transferred a few thousand dollars from Travel to Emergency).

• 🟢 30% of pre-tax income contributed to a 403B — Done! All I needed to do was to just not touch my allocation once I set it to 30%. Despite my monthly net pay being $3,427 (compared to what it used to be with a lesser pre-tax percentage, $4,766), I still made it work!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you likely have seen my fair share of impulsive purchases (e.g., overpriced slow fashion clothing pieces; niche lamps; plants I could not keep alive; my fragrance collection after falling prey to PerfumeTok). There is a lot, and I’ve had to do multiple financial resets after big splurges. The binge and purge cycle, while averaging a modest sum, is something I’ve been trying to break out of for years at this point. I wanted 2026 to be a transformative year on all fronts — emotionally, physically, financially, professionally, and spiritually — and doing this spending challenge forced me to face my impulse spending triggers head on. I’ve compiled a few ways that I managed to keep my spending tight while living a good, if not, great life.

1. I stayed up-to-date with all life admin. You know the little things you end up having to complete, that seem so little individually but over time, after accumulating hundreds of little things, feel like you’re shouldering a boulder up a mountain? I’ve had the boulder moment occur a few times, but I’ve learned that the better you are at life admin, the less money you end up spending. This can happen in a multitude of ways — realizing you have a backstock of lentils in your pantry instead of going out to buy a new bulk bag at Costco; calling insurance to make sure that the healthcare provider you’re seeing is actually in network while confirming your co-pay amount; and emailing companies the moment I notice a product defect, usually yielding in a replacement or refund and that way, I don’t to buy a replacement; submitting claims way ahead of the due date in case there are problems with my application. Life admin is not supposed to be fun, and while I try to stay on top of these tasks, I hate my life while being on call with a representative and being put on hold for 30 minutes. At the same time, I know it will save me hundreds of dollars in the long-run, so doing them is always a worthwhile and necessary endeavor.

2. I deleted my TikTok account. This mainly helped with impulsively wanting new things. I’ve said this a few times on my account and posted about how my life has changed since deleting the app (plus there are too many thought pieces to count on deleting social media, so I won’t add to the barrage). I’m no longer trying to have the “perfect” apartment decor, “perfect” capsule wardrobe, or the “perfect” perfume collection.

3. I stopped excessively donating everything on my Buy Nothing group. I’ve learned that the more I spend, the more active I am on my Buy Nothing group in giving away my items. Perhaps it is likely due to the increased number of items that my home would have after shopping and the need to purge old items to get to an equilibrium state of calm. I think I posted around three times this quarter, and even then, they were all small items. Realizing that I have enough physical items around me helped me understand that I do not need anything more than what I currently own. If anything, I’ve learned to make do with what I already have, even if they are not the perfect item for its item category. Instead of trying to find the best item, I’ve become to appreciate making do with a subpar item and getting creative with what I can do to maximize its use.

4. Setting a goal to max out my Roth IRA made it extremely difficult to buy anything outside of the essentials. For context, I make $84,000 per year. This is a comfortable amount for someone like me, but it definitely does not allow for unintentional purchases to go unnoticed. After allocating my paycheck across categories in YNAB, it was illuminating to see how at times, it was difficult to fund some categories that I knew I’d be making purchases in (e.g., entertainment, travel). I still made it work by shuffling money around, but if I’m already struggling to get necessary items for my friend’s wedding or base purchases for an upcoming trip, there really is no wiggle room left for a silly little treat.

5. I discovered a recipe for a lazy girl dinner that actually tastes good. I love the flavor profile of sesame noodles, but prefer using peanut butter instead of tahini. I’ll boil one serving of Taiwanese noodles and in the meantime, microwave my vegetable of choice with a wet paper towel on top. This “boils” the vegetable, and I’m able to do it at the same time the noodles boil without having to take out a separate pot to do this (= more washing). All at the same time, I’ll prepare the sauce: 2 tbsp peanut butter, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 tbsp chili oil (optional: 1 tsp mirin). Mix and serve! All of this takes no more than 15 minutes to whip up. I eat this at least 3x/week. Discovering this recipe has really cut down on any urge to go out for food. I haven’t had the temptation to get food out. The only benefit of doing so is to discover local restaurants in my area, and in doing so, being able to take my friends to good restaurants rather than trying out new places with them, hoping that the food is actually good. However, it’s more of an optional, fun thing to do if I have the money to spare, rather than something that makes me significantly happier.

Share

Welcome to the Money Musings, a two-part series where I 1) break down my total income, expenses, savings, and investments for a designated month, and 2) review whether my spending aligns with any challenges I’ve committed to. If you’re new to my content, here’s a disclaimer-slash-context post that can help better inform you of my financial story.

Notable mentions for March 2026: copiously binged interviews by the cast of One Piece’s Live Action in honor of Season 2’s release (this one’s my favorite); laughed too hard at the Jon Bernthal vs. Ebon Moss-Bacharach Hot Ones episode; fell in love with Laderach chocolate; grieved the loss of my family dog; ordered eye contacts after not owning/wearing them for two years; attended my first alcohol tasting (for my friend’s wedding but I’m still counting it); read 27 books, including a few novellas that helped with this count; hung out with coworkers after work for the first time; discovered a new favorite Thai/Laotian restaurant; played the album, locket by Madison Beer, on repeat; and received a higher than usual volume of PR due to this post gaining traction.

My NET WORTH is $237,440 (↓$8,800 from the prior month).

My assets consist of all retirement, investments, checking, and savings accounts, and liabilities include my credit card. I do not have any debt. My Roth IRA significantly decreased in value. Because most of my investments are in VTSAX, which is essentially the S&P 500 plus smaller stocks, and with the S&P 500 flipping from green to red, dropping 0.4%, I’m back to the $230K range.

My INCOME was +$3,507 (↓$421 from the prior month).

• Full-Time Job +$0 | Yes, I am still employed at my job. Unfortunately, with my monthly paycheck cycle, there are a few months where I’m double paid in one month and not paid at all in certain months. March happens to be a no pay month (February and October are double paycheck months).

• Interest Payment +$121 | I currently use Wealthfront for my HYSA. If you’re interested, you can get 4.05% on your first three months if you open an account using my link! And if you want to compare different HYSA financial institutions, CNBC has a resource here.

• Money With Beans +$475 | This is a combination of my social media streams— Instagram, Substack/BuyMeACoffee, Gumroad, and partnerships.

• Tax Return +$2,911 | If you haven’t yet, remember to file your taxes before April 15, 2026! I used FreeTaxUSA and only had to pay $15.99 to file both federal and state taxes.

My PERISHABLE EXPENSES was -$1,707 (↑$100 from the prior month).

• Rent -$1,000.00 | I split rent with my boyfriend, and we live in a relatively medium/high cost of living city in Southern California.

• Health -$220 | I had an eye and contacts exam, since I wanted to get contacts for my best friend’s wedding next month. Of course, I ended up getting contacts as well from Costco. Because they are “out-of-network”, I submitted a reimbursement and expect to get the full amount for the lens reimbursed (paid $150 for a 6-month supply of bi-weeklies).

• Groceries -$375 | I am very proud of this number! Even with my matcha/earl grey tea restock ($78) and Minor Figures oat milk restock ($35), I’m able to keep this under $400. Though…with a few caveats that I should add here. Mr. Beans’ friend visited for the latter part of March, and as a result, there were a number of meals (around 5-6) we had out (he paid).

• Transportation -$112 | Disruptions from the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran spread quickly to the world's energy supply, as a result, increasing gas prices. If you own a gas-fueled car, you likely have noticed this. My usual $51 for a full tank fill is now at a whopping $62 — I even opted for the lowest tier fuel option since I usually do the middle one, and the total is still $11 more. The remaining amount went towards parking for work.

My PRIVILEGED EXPENSES was -$1,572 (↑$1,171 from the prior month).

• Subscriptions -$17 | I officially hit “cancel” on my Spotify family plan this month! It officially ends on April 17, 2026. Reasons why I’m quitting Spotify here.

• Maintenance -$107 | I ideally prefer keeping this amount to <$100 sigh. I purchased the following: filed taxes with FreeTaxUSA, Grove Collaborative’s sanitizing hand wipes ($36), MD Solar Sciences BB Creme and Mineral Creme ($62), shipping for refunded MD Solar Sciences Product ($7 — they refunded me the product amount, not the amount I paid for shipping), Cora pads ($38), Costco toilet paper ($37, because Who Gives a Crap was slightly more expensive), and Dr. Scholl’s blister cushions and insoles ($29). Plus, I received a $117 refund for the Ergodriven standing mat I purchased last year.

• Outside Food & Drink -$67 | The charge for a place I went to in late February hit my account in March, as well as a Venmo payback from my friend (net = -$24). Tried out a new matcha cafe with Mr. Beans ($13), and after a hike with friends when we all went to a tea shop, I brought back home a drink for Mr. Beans ($13 for two). I was too lazy to pack my matcha for work, and ended up getting a drink ($7) at a new coffee shop on campus. It was terrible, and I’ve learned my lesson. I hung out with a friend and we went to a matcha cafe ($8) recommended by a coworker — it was phenomenal. I haven’t had a good strawberry matcha so far, and this one easily tops everything else. But for full transparency, because it was a social month for us, Mr. Beans covered a lot of our eating out expenses. I won’t ask him to calculate since he isn’t as highly detailed about these things as I am, but I would estimate that he’s covered around $200 worth of my portion of outside food/drink.

• Gifts -$99 | My best friend’s birthday was this month, so I got her a Jo Malone perfume that she loved when we last visited the perfume counter at Nordstrom.

• Entertainment -$353 | Went to a flower festival with Mr. Beans and covered our tickets ($40) — sadly, it was overly crowded and not worth it at all. We were there for 15 minutes until we started feeling overwhelmed. I purchased two pairs of heels to test out — wedges from Nordstrom ($183, return) and slingback heels from Naturalizer ($129, keep).

• Travel -$857 | Got flight tickets to Seattle for an Olympic National Park trip this summer (will be going with Mr. Beans and his friends). I also booked an Airbnb for Seattle — this will eventually be split among six people at the end. A part of the total cost was charged to my account, and the full amount will be charged after the cancellation deadline passes.

• Donation -$51 | Made a donation to the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgium-based nonprofit that is devoted to breaking the cycle of Israeli impunity and achieving justice for all the victims of the Gaza genocide.

I SAVED/INVESTED $4,743.141 (no change from the prior month).

• Roth IRA $1,796.89 | For complete transparency, my goal was to max out my Roth IRA by Quarter 1. However, because my March paycheck didn’t hit until April 1, I maxed it out in April, not March. I’m still counting this as a goal checked off.

• 401A $1,050.00 | Every month, I contribute 7% of my paycheck ($490.00) pre-tax, and my employer matches 8% ($560.00).

  

• 403B $1,896.25 | I’ve made it a goal to contribute 30% of my pre-tax to this account, for at least the first quarter of 2026.

Get YNAB free for 34 days!

I will touch on the two sections of the original No Buy Rules post — One-Offs and Not Allowed.

One-Offs

Here are the expenses that fell outside of my rules, with a colored circle emoji [🟢🟡🔴] indicating if the purchase was justified or not.

• Outside Food/Drink

  • 🔴 Saigon Beach ($25) — I actually talked about this in February 2026’s Money Musings. The charge and the Venmo payment from my friend didn’t hit my account until March. Long story short, their food was terrible and I’m never coming here again.

  • 🔴 A matcha latte & cold brew for Mr. Beans and me ($13) — I ordered a banana nut matcha latte, and it was pretty good! Recently, I’ve been on a banana syrup kick, and have been seeking out places that offer this flavor with a dairy-free option. Luckily, this cafe offered just that. The cold brew that Mr. Beans offered was also good, and we ended up using this to make multiple lattes throughout the week. This is coded as red because I wasn’t supposed to be getting any outside food/drink with Mr. Beans during my no-buy.

  • 🟢 A floral tea and avocado drink for Mr. Beans and me ($13) — I appreciate the consistency in pricing across cafes. Unfortunately, my drink was very subpar. Mr. Beans enjoyed his, so that was a win. I picked up these drinks after a hike with coworkers.

  • 🔴 Matcha at work ($7) — While I appreciated the baristas for making their banana matcha vegan, as the original recipe has a dairy foam top, this truly was one of the worst drinks I’ve had in a very long time. Naturally, as someone who makes barista-level drinks at home, I have high expectations for cafes, as I am paying $7+ for a drink when I could be making it for much cheaper at home. My laziness the night before with not packing a matcha to work is a lesson to be learned.

  • 🟢 Strawberry matcha with a friend ($8) — Phenomenal, no words. Despite this drink costing more than what I’m used to, I would happily pay for an expensive good drink than a cheap subpar one. This was more of a strawberry milk matcha than a strawberry puree one, and I’m realizing that the reason I’ve had prior strawberry matcha lattes in the past was because it was made as the latter. The puree was always a hint too sour and chunky, and I would’ve rather had a Nesquick-strawberry flavor (without the Nesquick, of course). The barista said they use a vegan strawberry powder to make their drinks, and because the cafe is geared towards health nuts, I was genuinely shocked at how good it was.

• Gift

  • 🟢 Jo Malone perfume for my best friend ($99) — I’m grateful I don’t have too many friends, because this way, I’m able to really splurge on each one intentionally. We visited a Nordstrom perfume counter the last time we hung out, and she was all over this specific fragrance. The only fragrances she owns are body sprays from Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, so I thought I would treat her to something more elevated.

• Entertainment

  • 🔴 Flower festival ($40) — These were tickets for Mr. Beans and me. Sadly, the festival was overly crowded, there were barely any space to take photos with the flowers, and we survived only 15 minutes until we had to leave as a result of feeling claustrophobic. Never again!

  • 🟢 Cole Haan wedges from Nordstrom ($183) — Not sure what prompted me to get 3.5 inch heels, when I can barely walk on my two feet with sneakers. They branded the shoe with “cloudfeel” support, so I was optimistic. Unfortunately, the strap dug in so much, and I didn’t trust myself to be stable when wearing these. The purpose of buying heels is for my best friend’s wedding in April. The existing pair I own is torture to wear, and I knew I had to find a more comfortable option for a wedding. This will be returned. I’ve marked this green because this is for the wedding.

  • 🟢 Naturalizer slingback heels ($130) — This is the more ideal option considering the price, but I like how it’s only a 1 inch block heel. It definitely feels more stable, but I’m concerned about how narrow the toe part of the shoe is, as well as the heel strap. I purchased the Dr. Scholl’s blister bandaids, so hopefully this will remedy the strap. As for the toe part, I’ll likely resort to Reddit for advice on breaking it in. This is a keep. I’ve marked this green because this is for the wedding.

• Travel

  • 🟢 Flight ticket to Seattle ($465) — Planning on visiting Olympic National Park in May. I actually don’t feel too burnt out by these expenses. Even though I didn’t allocate money into my Travel category, as I didn’t expect to start planning for this trip in Q1, after moving some money around, I still feel okay.

  • 🟢 Airbnb in Seattle ($391) — Part of the trip will be spent in Seattle.

• Other

  • 🔴 MDSolarSciences shipping ($7) — I purchased one of their sunscreens to only realize upon testing that it was a chemical sunscreen. As someone with rosacea, I can only tolerate mineral sunscreens, so I asked customer service to see if I could return it. They refunded me the product amount, allowed me to keep the product itself, but the shipping cost wasn’t refunded. This was pure lack of attention to detail, resulting in the red light categorization.

Not Allowed

🟢 In my previous monthly musings, I wrote that I wanted less things after deleting TikTok. I was thisclose to purchasing the treadmill for my standing desk considering the return for my standing mat was processed, but I decided to hold off on this until the next quarter. It isn’t the most ideal situation, standing without any movement or cushioning for my knees, but I’ll deal with this for a few more weeks (or months) until I feel like it’s time to invest in this treadmill. As for the Cakes circles, I know that purchasing this will make me wear my Aritzia tank more frequently, since none of the bras I own match the neckline of the top. I hate the look of a bra being visible underneath a top.

Share

As of late, I’ve become incredibly aware of my online presence and how little I want to show up digitally. I’m nowhere close to being a well-renowned professor with accolades, so once I get there (and I will), I will have to re-visit this conversation. In the meantime, I’m terribly exhausted of all the people who have access to me, whether it be seeing every single job I’ve ever worked at (with timestamps, with locations) on my LinkedIn profile, photos of this year’s trip to Taiwan on Instagram, or my “online” status on a Meta account (Facebook/Instagram). I understand that going completely offline isn’t plausible for everyone — I still have an Instagram presence for Money With Beans, because I actually enjoy creating content for the community I’ve worked so hard to build in a five year timespan. I also find that there is a lot of knowledge sharing happening in the content creation space that I’m in — an intersection of finance, sustainability, and ethical consumption.

Because not everyone has the flexibility to completely remove an app, I’ve included ways that you can protect your social media privacy to the best of your ability, while continuing your app usage. However, keep in mind that the fewer the accounts, the better. In this post, I’ve only mentioned Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Reddit, because I have active accounts on each platform and can share exactly what I’ve done. I would say that these tips are generalizable to other social media platforms, like TikTok or Snapchat.

This post does not cover security and privacy tips for the sake of protecting your data and identity (this will be done in a separate post). Rather, this post is geared to protect your privacy from random strangers online and people you know (or used to know).

The Tech Talk series is for paid subscribers, but I’ve decided to remove the paywall due to a high demand for this specific topic. If you would still like to support this newsletter monetarily without paying for a subscription:

Buy Me a Matcha Latte!

• For profile pictures, for maximum privacy, choose a photo that is adjacent to you, but not of yourself. This could be your pet, your favorite Disney character, or a Notion Face.

• Do not spell out your actual name in your username.

• Do not use your real birthday. My go-to is January 1, 1990.

• To go the extra mile, create a “spam” email account that’s designated for things like social media sign-ups. This spam account can be a random assortment of letters or a smorgasburg of odd words. I’m sure crunchypearflakes1990@gmail.com isn’t taken.

• Don’t be afraid to block people. I’ve personally blocked majority of people from high school and a lot of my ex-friends & partners. I don’t need them crawling up in my space on the whim of wondering what I’ve been up to.

• Avoid posting anything on your feed. Delete all old posts.

• Delete photos you have uploaded onto your account. Untag yourself from photos. Narrow down the “photos” album to nil.

• Omit your cover photo.

• Unfriend everyone who you are not close with. I currently have less than 50 friends added.

• Remove the ability for anyone to find you through your email or phone number. Opt out of the search engine.

• Delete your phone number from your Meta Accounts. Only keep your email linked.

• Untag yourself from all posts — includes text and photos.

• Toggle the review option for tags, so that you can review the post before it actually gets published on your wall.

• Once you post something in a group, delete it once you’ve received your answer. For example, on my Buy Nothing group, once someone picks up the item, I’ll delete the post.

• Remove all posts, comments, and other content shared in a group.

• Change as all visibility options to only me.

• Understand what information you are unable to private — this includes your name, gender, username and user ID (account number), profile picture, and cover photo.

• Delete all activity off Meta technologies.

• Remove your relationship status and family members on Facebook.

• Your personal account should be set to private. No excuses.

• Omit your last name. Use a nickname instead of your real first name, if applicable.

• Inform yourself with the profile information that is public and cannot be changed to private.

• As Instagram is a more “casual” social media platform, avoid using a photo of yourself in your profile picture. I’ve had friends whose profile photos are of their favorite animated characters or their pet.

• Only link your email to your account, not phone number.

• Do not connect your Instagram account to your Facebook account.

• When posting images, avoid tagging the location. You can write this in the caption if you think a location is that necessary for the context of your photo.

• Location Services is a new (and absolutely terrifying) feature in Instagram — ensure that this never gets enabled by turning location services from the app off on your phone settings.

• Unfollow anyone and everyone who you don’t want access to your personal life. Especially if you’re the type of person to post updates on your personal or professional life, keep in mind that not everyone has your best interests.

• Once you unfollow some, remember to delete them as a follower.

• Be very cognizant of the content you interact with — this includes likes and comments, and even watching a reel all the way to the end. Actively take part in marking content as “not interested” if you do not want to continue seeing related content in your feed.

• See annoying ads that are hyper-specific to your interests? Navigate to ad preferences and remove all categories used to reach you.

• Change social interactions to only me. (Meta Accounts Center → Ad Preferences → Manage Info → Other Settings → Social Interactions)

• Disable ads shown outside of Meta. (Meta Accounts Center → Ad Preferences → Manage Info → Ads shown outside of Meta)

• Disable activity information from ad partners. (Meta Accounts Center → Ad Preferences → Manage Info → Information used to show you ads)

• Remove all Meta Pay information, including shipping address, email, and phone number. (Accounts Center → Meta Pay → Manage)

If you have a job but still need to keep an active LinkedIn presence, here’s what I would do (I don’t have screenshots for you since my account is in hibernation):

• Omit your zip code in your bio. I forget if this is necessary, but if so, use a fake zip code — you could input the nearest major city (e.g., Chicago, NYC, Miami, Los Angeles) instead of your specific city or suburb.

• Do not add specific locations of where each job was. This is best if you work at a big company with multiple locations, making it more difficult for someone to track you down. If your company only has one location with an easily accessible address, I would recommend thinking about whether adding it to your profile is really necessary. I know that some people only include their past work experiences, not their current one, for privacy reasons. I’ve always been terrified of someone showing up at my work after finding the address of my building online.

• Omit job descriptions, or make them as concise as possible. This is why your resume or CV exists! People do not need to know what exactly you do in your role — only hiring managers do. Add skills if you really feel the need to showcase competencies.

• Change your profile visibility to first degree connections.

• If you’re in college or older, do not add your high school in the education section.

• Remove the exact dates that you attended college. Doing this will make your age range more ambiguous.

• Do not add every single employment history you’ve ever had. Only include the most relevant ones that you deem necessary for having a LinkedIn presence.

• Limit your profile photo to your connections only.

• Choose to display your last initial instead of your full name.

• Remove unnecessary connections. These include people you accidentally added (or vice versa — this happens more often than not), people you don’t know at all, people who aren’t in the same field as you, people who you can’t foresee yourself seeking advice/mentorship from, and people who post highly irrelevant content on their feed (this is my biggest pet peeve — LinkedIn is not social media, folks!).

• When using the job search feature, remember to remove any open job searches once you’ve landed a job. More importantly, apply for jobs directly from the company’s website, rather than completing the LinkedIn Easy Apply application.

• Do not add your phone number to your account.

• Any changes to your profile should not be posted to your feed, especially job updates.

• Hide all content from your profile. (Settings → Profile → Curate your profile)

• Use a Reddit-made Avatar instead of a personalized photo. They are honestly all so cute!

• For location customization, click on “no location specified”. (Settings → Account)

• This isn’t really a privacy-related tip, but rather a hack I came across a few years ago. If your Reddit feed is filled with a bunch of nonsense from subreddits you don’t care about, you can actually toggle “Show recommendations in home feed” off, so that you only see posts from the subreddits that you have joined. (Settings → Preferences)

• I like to delete my posts after some time. Whether or not I’ve gotten the answer to my question, I’ll delete it — the post will still linger on the subreddit, but my username will be removed. However, if you do this, remember to delete any comments you leave on your thread otherwise it can still be traced back to you.

Share