I Was Always Broke, Even When I Made More Money – Here’s Why

How tracking money leaks helped me finally break the paycheque-to-paycheque cycle.

For the longest time, I believed that my financial problems would magically disappear as soon as I started earning more.

More income = more freedom. Right?

Wrong.

Because every time I got a raise, a bonus, a bit of extra income from a side hustle, it was gone within days.

Somehow, I was still broke.

And I didn’t understand why.

The Paycheque-to-Paycheque Trap

I was working, studying, and raising a family. Every month, I was doing what I called “mental budgeting” — you know the one:

🧠 “I think rent is around this much…”
🧠 “Groceries should be fine with £100 this week…”
🧠 “We don’t really need anything else this month, right?”

But then the month would end, and the money would be… gone. And I’d be sitting there, looking at my bank account, wondering:

“Where did the money go?”

The truth?
It wasn’t the big expenses.
It was the little ones, dripping away like a leaking tap.

The Sneaky Leaks That Kept Me Broke

I remember one day scrolling through my bank app and realising how many times I’d spent on:

Coffee on the go
Cheap little storage baskets from the home aisle
Plug adapters and random phone leads (we had five!)
New pyjamas “just because they were cute”
Snacks on the way home
Sale items I didn’t even need

Each one was small.
Each one felt harmless.
Each one felt… justified.

But collectively, they were draining my income month after month.

Worse still, whenever I had money left over at the end of the month, I felt this urge to spend it.

“Let me treat the kids now before it’s gone anyway.”
“I worked hard, I deserve something nice.”
“If I don’t use it, it’ll just disappear…”

And so I spent it.

Over and over again.

More Money, Same Problems

The first time I hit a decent milestone in my income, I remember feeling proud.
I thought, finally, things were going to be easier.

But they weren’t.

I just upgraded my spending.

More meals out.
More “quick fixes” for the house.
More spontaneous Amazon baskets.
More, more, more.

And still, I had no savings. No emergency fund. No investing strategy. Just a very chaotic bank statement and a head full of stress.

That’s when it hit me:

It’s not how much money you make. It’s how well you manage it.

The Day I Faced the Truth

I finally decided to do something I had been avoiding for years:

I tracked every single expense.

Every coffee.
Every bus fare.
Every £1.99 impulse buy.

For one full month, I wrote it all down. I didn’t judge it. I didn’t beat myself up. I just observed.

And the results?

Shocking.

I discovered that nearly £150 a month was going to small, irregular, unplanned purchases.

No wonder budgeting always felt like a setup.

I was trying to stick to a plan that didn’t account for real life.

So I changed my approach. I didn’t just cut back — I created a system.

What Actually Worked: Creating a Sinking Fund

Once I knew where my money was leaking, I realised that those irregular expenses weren’t bad — they were just unplanned.

So I created what’s called a sinking fund:
A small amount of money I now set aside every single month specifically for those unpredictable, non-essential, but still very real expenses.

Things like:

School birthday gifts
Replacing broken chargers
Spontaneous family treats
Home essentials that pop up
Clothes and seasonal shopping

I call it my “Life Happens Fund”.

And suddenly, budgeting got easier.
I wasn’t surprised by the same surprises anymore.
I stopped feeling guilty for small spends because I planned for them.

And that changed everything.

The Freedom of Financial Awareness

Now, I don’t fear looking at my bank account.
I’m not perfect, but I’m in control.

I’ve created better spending habits, a working monthly budget, and more importantly, financial peace of mind.

For any woman trying to juggle family, work, studies, and still keep her head above water, tracking your money isn’t optional. It’s survival.
It’s self-care.
It’s legacy-building.

That’s why I created a simple tool to help you begin.

💸 Quick Win Download: The Money Leak Tracker

Stop wondering where your money goes – and start telling it where to go.

💡 What It Is:

A simple 3-step tool to help you:
Track where your money is leaking every month
Create a sinking fund for those irregular but recurring expenses

Plan a budget that actually works with your real life

👛 This tool is perfect for:

Women living paycheque to paycheque

Families who are constantly surprised by “unexpected” costs

Budgeting for beginners who don’t know where to start

Anyone ready to stop overspending and start saving — without giving up everything they love

“Money doesn’t disappear. It moves — unless you tell it where to go.”
The Balanced Wealth Studio