Essay · 7 min
What Your Spending Reveals About the Rest of Your Life
Every time I tracked a money problem, it turned out to be something else. Your spending is a mirror for your whole life.
Friday, May 22, 2026Issue № 4Weather: low pressure, high leaks
The Leak Ladder
Financial leaks, priority order, and the stuff most money advice skips.
EST. 2026 · MONTHLY-ISH§ Essays
Long-form, slowly written
19 essays · updated monthly
§ Field Notes
Short things, seen in the wild
18 dispatches · weekly
- №01
I Ignored My Super for 3 Years. Here's What It Cost Me.
Super2026-05-21→ - №02
I Was Investing While Quietly Losing Money
Investing2026-05-20→ - №03
A Cracked Phone Screen Taught Me Two Things About Money
Emergency Fund2026-05-19→ - №04
What If Your Budgeting App Told You What to Do?
Budgeting Apps2026-05-13→ - №05
The 3-Week Wall: Why You Quit Every Budgeting App
3-Week Wall2026-05-12→ - №06
I Paid Off Debt Before Building an Emergency Fund (And Ended Up Back in Debt)
Emergency Fund2026-05-05→ - №07
Your Spending Is a Diary (You Just Never Read It)
Tracking2026-04-29→ - №08
5 Spending Leaks Hiding in Your Transactions
Spending Habits2026-04-28→ - №09
The Blank Budget Problem: Why You Always Quit at Setup
Budgeting Flow2026-04-26→ - №10
Your Rent Is Due on the 1st. You Get Paid Every Other Friday.
Pay Cycle2026-04-26→ - №11
Should You Invest While Carrying Debt?
Investing2026-04-21→ - №12
Avalanche vs Snowball: Which Actually Works?
Debt Payoff2026-04-14→ - №13
Lost Super: The $19 Billion Australians Forgot About
Superannuation2026-04-08→ - №14
Are You Leaving Your Employer Match on the Table?
Employer Match2026-04-07→ - №15
Should You Save or Pay Off Debt First?
Debt Payoff2026-04-01→ - №16
$1,000 or 3 Months? How Much Emergency Fund You Actually Need
Emergency Fund2026-03-31→ - №17
What Are Financial Leaks (And How Many Do You Have)?
Financial Leaks2026-03-25→ - №18
Savings Problem vs Spending Leak: Which Do You Have?
Financial Leaks2026-03-24→
§ Changelog
What shipped
3 releases · 17 entries · live
2026-04-21
v1.1.0
Bigger update this time
- —Dark Mode (pick Light, Dark, or System in Settings)
- —Redesigned onboarding with interactive chapters and claim cards
- —New in-app tours walk you through Home (Budget and Actual), Categories, and Accounts. Replay anytime from the drawer or the (?) icon on each screen
- —Categories page now shows each category's budget amount. Tap to edit, or tap Add to set one. Income tab shows your take-home pay
- —Tap an unbudgeted category on the Planned tab to set a budget mid-cycle
- —Budget tasks are no longer premium
- —Tap your avatar for the new profile sheet
- —Emergency Fund leak targets now stay in sync with the account's goal amount
2026-04-09
v1.0.1
Bug fixes and minor polish
- —Fixed dates showing the wrong day in certain time zones
- —Fixed keyboard staying visible after sign-in and modal transitions
- —Calendar and time picker display fixed in system dark mode
- —Minor UX improvements across transaction entry and onboarding
2026-04-02
v1.0.0
YourDigits ships on the App Store
- —Budget around your actual pay cycle, not the calendar month
- —Voice entry: tap the mic, say what you spent, YourDigits parses merchant, amount, category, and date
- —The Leak Ladder: nine financial leaks to fix in order, with a health score and prioritized tasks
- —Accounts, categories, transactions, and a Budget/Actual Home screen
- —No bank linking required. On-device voice transcription.
§ The Pledge
When the app ships, you'll be the first to know.
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