I write essays here about money, attention, and the small decisions that compound. I also keep a handful of calculators on hand for when the math gets in the way. This is a personal blog - my own notes, not professional advice.
One programmer's notes on twenty years of tracking money, building ordinary habits, and worrying less.
About me
I'm Kelvin, an Australian programmer and definitely not a financial adviser. For twenty years I've tracked my own money - the home loan, the credit card, and the habits that actually worked. Cents Matter is where I write down the ordinary notes from my own spreadsheets.
5 pieces
Once a year I run a top-to-bottom audit on every recurring bill, subscription, and bank account, then I make the savings automatic. Here's the exact process - the comparison sites I use, the subscriptions I cut, and the frugal habits I rely on to stop the money leaking back out.
Discover the tools I used to transition from basic Excel sheets to MoneyManagerEx. Learn how to track expenses, transfers, and assets without budgeting burnout.
Learn how a simple annual audit of recurring bills and subscriptions can save you thousands. Real tips on cutting unnecessary costs and beating 'lazy' retail pricing.
Discover the balance between detailed expense tracking and living your life. Learn how categorising regular bills while staying casual with daily spending builds financial health.
Learn why manual expense tracking is the secret to financial health. My personal story of using Excel to survive the first year of money management.
The full archive, grouped by year.