[Looks At Bank Account] Yup, Recession Indicator..

Your Lifestyle Is Telling On You

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Hey Hey Funders!

Over a couple of nights of doom scrolling (yes, again), I noticed the vibe shift. The hashtag #RecessionIndicator has been trending — and while people are using it to joke, there’s some very real truth tucked inside that humor.

Y’all already know I’ve BEEN on this wave. From the Lipstick Index to what I call the “Club Index” (because if outside is empty, that’s a whole economic signal), and even Cardi B screaming on timelines like, “WHEN Y’ALL GON’ SAY WE IN A RECESSION???”

But here’s the thing: you don’t need the news or talking heads to tell you when things are changing.

You can feel it.

The thing is, our personal economies usually catch the shift before the headlines do.

[SECTION 1] Recession Indicators, But Make It Personal

Before I talk about your money, let’s understand what recession or economic indicators are. They are like the preview notification that things are shifting in the economy, or in this case, a recession. Things that used to be cool in the 99 or 2000s are now cool again. Celebrities are taking side quests to keep a check. But they could also be seen in how we are spending money. What we were once cool at doing is now common for our cash. I used to get my hair done every so often, now that’s getting paced out a bit. Due to, you guessed it - cost.

For a while, others, including myself, have been warning or yapping that we could see a recession. But to keep it honest, we could be in one as we speak, and because we haven’t had two negative quarters of a negative GDP, it’s not one. Snapple fact - many didn’t know we were in one statistically, but the party was still going.

Forget what the Bureau of Labor Statistics is talking about. What’s YOUR data saying? When was the last time you opened your bank account to look not only at the available balance, but what the transactions say? This is the algorithm to your accounts. What are you doing less of or finding alternatives for?

Here’s how your recession indicators might be showing up:

That beauty upkeep appointment you keep pushing back... not “self-care,” it’s budget intuition. I talked about how to budget yourself in your budget with Bustle and the New York Post.
Letting your DoorDash pass lapse and actually using your groceries? Indicator.
Those “Let me hold off on buying from my own wishlist” moments. Data point.
Canceling a subscription, not because of usage but because your spending vibe changed.

We laugh, but these are lifestyle analytics in real time.

The truth is: we all have a Cost of Paper Index (CPI). And if your personal CPI is fluctuating, it’s not just vibes — it’s your real life shifting, your money priorities adjusting, your wallet whispering:

“Hey, Big Money - this ain’t sustainable. You might wanna tap in.”

[SECTION 2] Run The Audit: Your Economy, Your Rules

While the jokes and hashtags are funny, what’s not funny is how the cost to live is going beyond your paycheck. And one of the things I said in Business Insider was for you to be your own Federal Reserve. While I’ve shared how to do this in other newsletter editions, I wanted to add this context to know how to handle and implement your indicators.

Set your own interest rates.
Regulate your own inflation.
Adjust your own budget to maintain peace — not panic.

Here’s how to start that audit:

Ask yourself:

What am I doing less of lately — not because I want to, but because I can’t afford to (in mind or accounts)?
Where am I quietly stressed about money, but not talking about it out loud?
What costs are creeping up that I haven’t adjusted my plan for?
What used to feel like “just swipe it” moments that now feel like “let me check first”?

These are your leading indicators. Your money side quests if you will. Mind you, knowing about this is you doing your own financial planning. Also talk about doing an audit of your wallet here.

They are the early smoke signals before the fire.

And if you’ve been feeling some kind of way about your money but haven’t done anything about it — that’s normal. But now’s the time to pivot, not pause.

[SECTION 3] Start With Emergency Funds (Yes, Again)

You’ve probably heard this a hundred times but emergency funds hit different when you're watching your recession indicators stack up.

That random medical bill? That flat tire?
That contract that got delayed (again)?
You don’t want your peace shaken just because your bank balance wasn't ready.

In case you missed it, I dropped a full blog post on this:
- [How To Emergency Fund Like You Mean It — Even on a Tight Budget]
- And there’s a new guide, too: [Download it here]

This isn’t about saving a mythical $10K overnight.

It’s about stacking a cushion to catch you before the spiral starts.

Even $100 - $250 in a separate account could be your recession parachute or Buffer Fund (Love suggesting Ally HYSA for this very thing with their budget feature), as I've called it before. Start where you are.

[SECTION 4] Implement With Intention

What most people miss is that recession prep isn’t only about cutting back.
It’s about being strategic with the money you do have.

Here’s how I’m moving — and what you might consider too:

Business-wise? I’m trimming my costs without cutting quality. That means re-evaluating tools, subscriptions, and my ROI on every dollar I spend.
Personally? I paused the random Target runs due to you know what. No more “just browsing.” That $35 turns into $92 so fast. I’m flipping my savings from there into my savings. Easy money.
Mentally? I’ve built in financial check-ins with myself. Not just budgets, but real “what’s going on with me and my money” convos. I suggest this to my clients and want you to consider the same. Every two weeks at least. Set the habits, get the harvest.

And no, this isn’t about lack or scarcity.
It’s about alignment. About knowing where your money’s going, and making sure it's building your version of stability — not someone else’s definition of success.

Also, comparing this pending (or in play) recession to 2008 or 2020 *yes there was one* to what we’re dealing with isn’t fair. I mean, back in 2008 inflation wasn’t as high as we’re seeing. Recessions are like having different sharpened pencils in your case, they all write but feel different. We’ll touch on this more soon.

[SECTION 5] Budgeting That Makes Sense — Class Next Week

If this whole newsletter made you pause and think: “Yeah, my money feels off,”
Then my class next week is for you.

I’m breaking down (and yapping):

How to build a real budget based on your lifestyle, not some random online template
Ways to spot your own financial patterns before they become problems
How to shift without shame when things get tight or weird
Systems you can actually stick to — because pretty spreadsheets don’t pay bills

🔗 Pull up. Save your seat here.

Final Word: Your Cost Of Living Has A Price, Peace + How You Pace Yourself

Inflation is wild. Headlines are chaos. Times and economy, unprecedented.

But YOU — you get to define what peace looks like. Stay locked in, friend. Don’t panic, plan it.

Your version of financial security might look different, and that’s the point.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about positioning yourself to pivot with clarity.

Let your lifestyle indicators speak — and then let your money respond with structure.

*Psst, here’s my latest YouTube video talking about my own personal money mess-ups. Yes, I tell my business.