Two Quarterly Habits That Remove Money Blocks
Part of an ongoing series: simple rhythms, lasting change.
This week’s post is the second-to-last in my multi-part series on simple money habits that help you reach your goals faster and feel more confident managing your money — no spreadsheets, shame spirals, or overwhelming systems required.
Each post in this series stands alone, but together they create a full-circle approach to building a sustainable, values-based financial life. So far, we’ve looked at the power of automation, daily habits that build momentum, weekly rhythms that bring calm, and monthly habits that add structure and intention.
Today, we’re zooming out to focus on quarterly money habits — the ones that keep you from drifting off course and help you catch subtle mindset and lifestyle shifts before they create real friction.
These are your financial reality check-ins. They’re not about judgment — they’re about getting honest, curious, and back in alignment.
1. Keep a money mindset journal: interrupt the old story
A lot of the work of achieving financial goals is mental — especially if you’ve internalized beliefs like “I’m bad with money,” or “I’ll never get ahead.” These stories don’t just hold emotional weight — they shape your decisions and actions in persistent, unconscious ways.
Journaling once a quarter can uncover hidden money beliefs — and help you begin to rewrite the story you’ve been carrying. You may be surprised by the insights it reveals into why you’ve been feeling stuck.
Try this:
Pick one of these prompts and write freely for 5–10 minutes:
How do you feel about money? What thoughts or emotions come up when you think about it?
How often do you worry about money, and what usually triggers it?
What did you learn about money growing up?
Are those inherited beliefs showing up in your current behaviors and thoughts? How well is that serving you?
No need to fix anything right now — honor your courage in exploration, and just let awareness do its quiet work.
2. Check for lifestyle creep: stay intentional as income grows
Lifestyle creep happens when your spending slowly increases every time your income does — meaning your savings rate stays the same (or drops), even though you're earning more.
It's sneaky, and it can undo all the hard work you're doing elsewhere. A quarterly check-in is the perfect time to pause and ask: Has anything subtly shifted in my spending?
If you got a raise, bonus, tax refund, or unexpected cash gift, a little self-gifting is perfectly fine (it’s healthy, even). But making sure your expenses don’t grow at the same pace as your income is one of the easiest ways to build wealth over time.
Try this:
If your income has recently increased, or you’ve received a little windfall, review your last 3 months of bank or credit card statements. Look for:
New subscriptions or services
Bigger restaurant, shopping, or grocery bills
Increases in fixed costs — like upgrading to a newer car
Then decide: Are these in line with what matters most to me? Do I want to keep them — or redirect some of that money toward my Future You bucket?
The goal isn’t to restrict spending — it’s to spend with intention: using your money for what truly lights you up, while also building your security, whether that means paying down debt, growing your emergency fund, or saving for important goals.
Wrap Up
These quarterly habits are like your financial alignment tune-ups.
They help you notice the mental stories driving your money decisions behind the scenes and keep your spending growth intentional — not automatic. The goal is awareness and choice.
Next week, I’ll wrap up the series with a final post about annual habits - reviewing your core values - those things that bring meaning and purpose to your life - and how to stay on track.
Until then, keep going — you’re doing better than you think.
Need support unlearning money myths or tracking lifestyle creep?
Book a free call — and get clarity on how 1:1 financial coaching could help you untangle your finances, simplify your structure, and make your money work in a way that honors who you are.