Behavior I Want to Change: Spending money unnecessarily
I decided to track impulse-spending, because as a grad student now, I’m super conscious of saving my CAship paycheck and putting it towards investments or savings. I also pay for the meal plan which is exorbitant and so, I hate seeing that go to waste. Impulse-spending also includes spending that could’ve been avoided. This process isn’t so much to judge all my spending choices, but to analyze and figure out where I can avoid it. I tracked this from Thursday to Sunday night!
Logging was definitely eye-opening. I felt more guilt and shame Than I usually would. It almost felt like I would immediately dismiss it and try not to think about it. It felt unpleasant.
Data:
Collected timing and where
What I spent it on and how much
Thoughts I had
Motivation for spending
The triggers present
Thursday – Off-campus dinner after a movie ($18)
Context: After a movie, off campus
Thoughts:
- Going back to campus feels like too much effort.
- I just want food now.
- I don’t want to eat leftovers.
- I’m with friends and we all want to eat.
Motivation: - Convenience
- Being close to food places
Trigger: - Hunger + being close to yummy food places
Friday Night – Matcha ($9)
Context: Out on University Ave before going out
Thoughts:
- I need caffeine.
- I don’t want to make coffee at home because I’m more sensitive to caffeine
- A sweet little treat sounds nice.
Motivation: - Energy
- Convenience
- Craving for sweet
Trigger: - Feeling like I deserve a sweet treat
Saturday Morning – Brunch with a friend ($30)
Context: Social hang
Thoughts:
- This is the plan, it’d be weird not to eat.
- I didn’t eat before and I’m hungry
- Brunch is kind of the whole point of hanging out.
Motivation: - Social bonding
- Hunger
Trigger: - Food-centered plans
Note: - This feels more intentional than impulsive
Sunday 2am – Uber Eats ($35)
Context: Late night, drunk, hungry
Thoughts:
- I’m drunk and want food.
- My spicy grilled cheese from The Melt sounds so good.
- It’s my tradition.
Motivation: - Comfort and convenience
- Alcohol = no impulse control
- Wanting a reward after being out
Trigger Analysis: - Being out late, intoxicated, and having nothing to make at home
- No food to eat at home and just wanting something immediately
My Learnings on What I’m Seeing
It’s usually social, or it’s because it’s more convenient to eat food. Nothing is really thought out about in advance, anticipating my hunger or dinner options. Convenience and Comfort trumps.
It’s less about being bad with money and more about letting low-energy, impulsive versions of me make the decisions.
The biggest thing I learned is that this behavior was driven by my state and environment. When I’m hungry, tired, drunk, or already out, my brain prioritizes immediate comfort and convenience over long-term goals. The environment makes it even easier: food delivery apps, cafés everywhere, no food ready at home. Social norms like hanging out with friends and wanting to avoid the awkward being the only one to eat also played an effect.
It was a loop of two kinds:
Low energy or inhibition → craving comfort → spending → short-term pleasure → stronger association between food and relief.
Also: spending → guilt → “I’ll be better next time” → but no actual change in the system, so the cycle just restarts.
What I Would Do Differently Next Time
Next time, I would start even earlier, logging when the triggers show up: I start getting tired, I start drinking, when I leave campus without a plan for food. I’d also separate “intentional spending” (like planned brunch with a friend) from “impulse comfort spending” (like 2am Uber Eats), because one does feel more justified than the other.
