Money is often the first excuse we use to put off a career change. “I can’t afford it.” “I need job security.” “I don’t have the funds to retrain.” Sound familiar?

But what if you could look at it differently?

This exercise invites you to challenge those beliefs. By understanding where your money goes, you can begin to see where adjustments —big or small— might be possible. Could you free up funds for a course? Scale back your expenses to take a career break? Even small changes, like canceling an unused subscription or rethinking a daily habit, can make a big difference over time.

This is your opportunity to take control, think creatively and realign your finances with your career goals.

How to do it (Estimated time: 30 mins)

1. Download your transactions for the past three months

2. Categorise your monthly expenses:

   • Fixed e.g., rent, mortgage

   • Variable (discretionary) e.g., restaurants, ubers, shopping

3. Calculate your average weekly spending

4. If you lost your job tomorrow and had no income, how long could you survive with your current spending?

Reflect

• Where does your money actually go?

• Are you surprised by what you find?

• Generate a list of things you could do with your money to invest in your career.

• Identify three or more small changes you could make to your spending habits.

• Be bold and implement some of your ideas.

Up Next: The Time Audit