141. What I Actually Spent My Money on in 2025 & My Consumption Rules for 2026

We're walking through my favorite purchases from 2025 - both items and experiences - and reflecting on what they reveal about my consumption habits, priorities, and values. We talk through everything from wardrobe upgrades and wellness investments to the things that didn’t stand out as much as I expected (and why that matters). I also share how I’m approaching a January no-buy, the spending rules I’m carrying into 2026, and how I’m shifting from constant curation toward intentional refinement. 🎧 Topics include: 👉🏻 My favorite purchases and experiences from 2025 👉🏻 Why most purchases fade into the background faster than we expect 👉🏻 Buy less, buy better - what worked and what didn’t 👉🏻 January no-buy intentions 👉🏻 Consumption rules for clothes, beauty, and home in 2026 Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-... 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-bud... 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-temp... 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-b... 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: [email protected] 📸 Instagram:   / breakyourbudget   📲 Tiktok:   / breakyourbudget   📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠  / michela_alloccaa   💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Welcome to Don’t Depend On Daddy + what this episode covers 3:00 – Why my favorite purchases didn’t immediately stand out 6:45 – What my long-term “favorite purchases” reveal about consumerism 10:15 – January no-buy + why I’m focusing on refinement in 2026 14:00 – Favorite purchase: The Brick and breaking phone habits 18:30 – Favorite wardrobe investment: a long-term everyday bag 24:45 – Winter upgrades: coats, cold weather, and buying the right gear 30:30 – Experiences worth the money: Pilates and tennis lessons 36:15 – Kitchen + wellness favorites (knives, Oura Ring, skincare standouts) 44:30 – My 2026 consumption rules: clothes, beauty, home