The tools that give me financial clarity, help me manage my money, and save money—minimal effort required.

I’m all about optimization (and I'm also kinda lazy). I use simple tools that are convenient and fit into the way I live my life. No massively complicated or time-consuming chaos that hurts my tender post-burnout millennial brain.

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CONTENTS

You can't optimize what you can't see.

After I got fired, I'd check my bank account and see plenty of money. I wasn't broke. I wasn't overspending. But I also had no idea:

• How much flexible spending could I actually do guilt-free?
• How much should I be investing?
• Was my money working for me or just sitting there?

I wasn't worried about running out of money, but I was frustrated that my money wasn't optimized. It wasn't doing anything meaningful because I didn't have a clear system for where it should go.

So I built one. Not complicated. Not perfect. Just clear.

These are the tools that help me see exactly where my money is and where it should be—so I can spend confidently, invest strategically, and actually make progress toward my goals.

The following contains: Click to jump to the section in the doc

• The Finance Tracker – Where I track every dollar in and out
• **Income Clarity Calculator (Free)** – How I decide where money should go
• Rakuten Cashback – The tool I use to automate cashback on purchases
• Wealthsimple – Where I invest for long-term goals
• **Blossom Social App** – Portfolio tracking + social investing
• Simplii Financial – My everyday no-fee banking (after breaking up with the big bank charging me for a place to hold my money)
• Wise – Send money globally without hidden fees, spend and get paid in different currencies—all in one account

Note: Some of these are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you—I only recommend tools I actually use, and any support genuinely means a lot to me!

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These tools are also linked in my bio @megofmeans, for easy clicking/navigation!

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THE FINANCE TRACKER

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What it is

I built this system when I wanted something both beautiful (the designer in me couldn’t help myself) and functional for my life. This google sheet system tracks income, expenses, savings, investments, net worth, and debt in one place. Built for both people with variable income or multiple income sources, and those with a regular paycheque.

Why I use it

Currently, I have 10+ different income sources (freelance, part-time work, reselling on multiple platforms, affiliates, tracker sales, et cetera). Without tracking both sides—what comes IN and what goes OUT—I couldn't answer basic questions like:

• Can I afford this flexible spending purchase?
• How much should I invest this month?
• Am I actually making progress or just treading water?

This tracker shows me:

• Real time data of where i’m at for the month
• Actual numbers vs what i’ve budgeted
• Exactly where every dollar is going
• How much is left to budget—invest, save, spend

Who it's for

Anyone who is making money (whether a little or a lot) but doesn't know how to allocate it strategically. Anyone with variable income. Anyone tired of hesitating before every purchase because they're not sure if they ‘should’.

What people are saying

*“One of using the tracker is done [and] I just want to say a huge thank you! I've been on and off my money journey for a number of years now, tried a few different things, and nothing has quite stuck like your tracker.

I would have no idea how much money I made in January ($6.5k!!!) had I not tracked all my little income streams, pay cheques, and deposits coming in.

I still have to get better at the budgeting side of the tracker, but seeing where my expenses are going helps a lot.

I even started contributing to my RRSP and TFSA again. I know it will make a big difference for me this year.”*

Cost: $24 (one-time purchase, lifetime access)