6 Actions That Help You Watch Every Dollar With Purpose
Protect Every Dollar You Earn
Every decision I make affirms my worth. — affirmation
If I sound upset writing this, it’s because I am.
I just found out that we’ve been paying for a subscription we never asked for. For six whole months. Six months! Amazon, yes, the giant, opted us into their grocery subscription service. We already pay for Amazon Prime, which is fine. But we don’t use Amazon for groceries.
We never signed up for this.
But somehow, they signed us up anyway. And they’ve been taking money, our money, every month without us noticing—even after tracking and monitoring our expenses on a regular.
This moment was a wake-up call. One that stirred up a little anger, and one I want to share in case it saves someone else from the same mistake. Because if we don’t watch every dollar with purpose, someone else is more than happy to take it from us.
This Is Bigger Than Just Watching for Subscriptions
You’ve probably heard the advice: “Check your subscriptions monthly.” That’s good advice, but it’s not enough. Watching your money isn’t a once-a-month task. It’s a way of life. It has to be, because these companies are playing a different game now. And the only rule they follow?
Take, take, take.
They don’t care what financial state you're in. They don’t care if you're behind on rent or trying to save for your kid’s school supplies. Their systems are built to quietly siphon dollars out of your account. A $9 charge here, a $5 fee there. Most people won’t notice, and that’s the scary part.
These aren't just mistakes. They're strategies.
Even the Most Money-Conscious People Can Miss It
Here's the part that really bothers me. My wife and I regularly check our accounts. We stay on top of our money. And even we missed it.
That tells me something very important. This can happen to anyone.
No matter how careful you are, the volume of digital transactions, subscriptions, and auto-renewals is overwhelming. Companies know this. They design systems around it. And they hope you’re too busy, too tired, or too distracted to notice.
And they’re probably right most days.
Check Everything: Your Account, Your Pay, and Your Bill
This isn't just about subscriptions either. Watching your money includes your paychecks, your restaurant bills, and any transaction where another person or company handles your money.
Let’s talk about your paycheck.
Companies can mess up payroll. And yes, even the company you work for might not have your best interest in mind. Make sure what you're being paid matches what you agreed to. Review your hourly rate, your hours worked, your PTO, your taxes. It’s not fun, I get it. But it’s better than waking up one day and realizing you’ve been underpaid for six months.
Now let’s go back to the restaurant. Recently, I had an amazing meal with my wife. So good, I didn’t even glance at the bill. I signed it, left a tip, and we walked out smiling. But in the car, my wife looked at the receipt and said, “Wait, this isn’t right.” We were overcharged by $65.
Not $5. Sixty-five.
All because I didn’t take 10 seconds to scan the bill.
Humans Make Mistakes. Trust Yourself to Catch Them
The thing is, not every overcharge is malicious. Sometimes it's just human error. But regardless of the reason, the outcome is the same. Your money is gone.
You can't trust that every person handling your money will get it right. That’s just reality. You have to trust yourself to double-check. And it doesn’t make you paranoid. It makes you wise.
If someone else has access to your account, whether it's a spouse, business partner, or assistant, make sure you have the kind of trust that lets you sleep peacefully. It’s good to have four eyes on your money, and not two. That way, if something slips past one of you, the other might catch it.
Watching Your Money Is Self-Respect
Staying on top of your finances isn’t glamorous. It’s not fun. It’s not exciting. But it’s a form of self-respect.
You work hard for your money. So why let it be quietly drained without your knowledge?
When you don’t watch your money, companies win. Restaurants win. CEOs win. You lose.
You lose peace of mind. You lose progress on your goals. You lose control.
But when you do watch your money, you gain power. You catch that $19 subscription. You reverse that $65 overcharge. You notice when your paycheck is $320 short.
And you send a message: I’m not someone you can quietly take from.
Action Steps You Can Take Today
Let’s end this with a few things you can do right now:
Review your subscriptions: Look at every line item on your bank or credit card statement. If you don’t recognize it, investigate.
Audit your paycheck: Go over your next paycheck carefully. Make sure the math adds up to what you were promised.
Check every receipt: Restaurants, gas stations, online orders. Get in the habit of double-checking.
Set calendar reminders: Once a week, block off 15 minutes to look through your transactions.
Use alerts: Most banking apps let you set spending alerts. Set one for anything over $20. It’s a simple way to catch weird charges fast.
Talk to your spouse or partner: Make watching your money a shared mission. Two sets of eyes are better than one.
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Be the Protector of Your Peace
What happened to us with that Amazon subscription isn’t just frustrating. It’s violating. And I’m not going to let it slide without learning something from it. If you’ve had something similar happen, I want you to know you’re not alone. You’re not dumb. You’re not careless.
You’re living in a world where companies are banking on you being busy.
But you can outsmart them. You can protect what’s yours. You can make watching your money a priority. Not just once in a while, but every day.
Because your money is tied to your peace. And if you don’t guard it, someone else will gladly take it.
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