My Year of Paying With Cash Only and What It Taught Me About Spending

Close-up of hands exchanging US dollar bills, symbolizing a financial transaction or payment.
Photo by www.kaboompics.com on Pexels

📋 Quick Summary

  • “We’re actually cashless,” she said, pointing to a tiny sign I had never noticed before.
  • That was my first lesson: the world is not designed for cash anymore, and that design works against your wallet.
  • I started asking myself “do I actually want this?” in that moment, and the answer was often no.
  • My grocery spending dropped by a third within the first month.
  • The fancy crackers I’d never actually finish.