Becoming Responsible in Finances

Becoming a full-fledged young adult is an entry with a grey area. Ages are celebrated with birthdays, exit from child to your teenage years is celebrated with a graduation from middle school and with a celebration entering high school. Some would argue that your young adult years began when you enter college. Yet, personally, responsibilities of an adult did not arrive till further after. My experience as a college student was special and I sometimes wish to relive them but studying an additional 6 years after high school had a sensation of prolonging my entry to adulthood. In one major aspect of it, was finances. As a college student, I was fortunate enough to be able to receive a number of awards, scholarships, and governmental assistance to push through until my first official job as a Data Analyst at a local Health Department. Prior to my first job, I did hold short term part-time positions, but the funds I received I used to buy food, enjoy short trips with friends, and pay for school supplies. It wasn’t until my first position as a data analyst that the stewardship of money became a real responsibility for me. Being a college student with limited funds, taught me to save and to stretch every dollar, but having consistent income had me forget some of those traits and skills. It was not until this year that I decided to take steps to become financially literate and a good steward with my income. I am glad to say that this year, my successes where far greater than my shortcomings, and this 2023 I hope to expand my repertoire of skills and solidify some that I have been consistent with this past year. Money tracking is hard, and in many cases impossible if you wish to micro manage. I was a able to create a template that assisted me in doing so and what I love about it is that I can go as granular or general as I please, while still allowing me to track my performance in spending and savings. I am currently working on a worksheet that would help in investments. I have loved what I have created that I shared it with many friends and one suggested to share it here in this community. I have attached it to this link, anyone is free to see and download the Excel. On the sheet, the numbers are all samples, as I did not wish to share my personal income. I hope you all enjoy it and find it as useful as I have! Personal Tracking XLSX