October 2026 Money Diary
October 2026 money diary savingmymondays
October 2026 Money Diary: Saving Is Not the Same as Investing
October 30, 2026 · Saving My Mondays
It's the last business day of October, and that means it's time for my first monthly money diary.
I started Saving My Mondays with a simple idea: I want to build a life where Mondays don't feel like something I need to escape from.
Not because I dislike working. Not because I expect money to solve everything. But because having more control over my time is something worth working toward.
And I figured the best way to begin was to start documenting the numbers.
No impressive investment portfolio. No remarkable success story. Just an ordinary financial starting point, recorded as honestly as possible.
So, here's October.
The numbers: October 2026
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Total income | $10,208.00 |
| Total expenses | $3,481.64 |
| Cash remaining | $6,726.36 |
| Savings rate | 65.9% |
| Amount invested | $0.00 |
| Portfolio value | $0.00 |
I spent roughly 34% of my income this month, leaving 65.9% unspent.
That's an encouraging starting point.
But I'm also aware that one month doesn't tell the whole story. Income can fluctuate, unexpected expenses happen, and some months will inevitably be more expensive than others.
I'm not trying to make every month look perfect. I'm trying to understand the patterns over time.
Where did the money go?
My total spending for October came to $3,481.64.
Rent was the largest expense at $1,177.07, accounting for 33.8% of everything I spent.
Taxes and social security contributions totaled approximately $461. I also spent $449 on eating out, $299 on transportation and car-related expenses, and $250 on education.
Utilities came to around $195, while groceries were $189.
One thing immediately caught my attention: I spent more than twice as much eating out as I did on groceries.
I don't necessarily see that as a problem. Life isn't supposed to be reduced to an endless exercise in spending less.
Good food, time with people, and small everyday pleasures matter too.
But seeing the actual numbers helps me decide whether my spending reflects what matters to me.
There were also expenses that might not repeat every month, including a $250 exam fee.
For now, October is simply my baseline.
The investment update: $0
Here's something I want to be especially clear about.
I didn't invest any money this month.
My investment contribution was $0. My portfolio value is still $0.
The $6,726.36 remaining after expenses is cash, not invested capital.
That distinction matters.
Saving money creates opportunities. Investing is a separate decision about what to do with those savings.
I don't want to confuse the two or make this journey appear further along than it actually is.
Eventually, I want to build a consistent, long-term investing habit. But this month, the progress happened on the saving side.
And that's where the story begins.
The bigger picture: October's economy
Personal finances don't exist in isolation. The economic environment matters too, especially when managing money across currencies.
In Turkey, annual inflation for September was reported at 29.73% in data released on October 5. Later in the month, on October 22, the Central Bank of Türkiye reduced its policy rate from 37% to 36%.
In the United States, September's annual inflation rate came in at 3.7%, according to figures released on October 14. On October 28, the Federal Reserve held its federal funds target range at 3.75%–4.00%.
These numbers offer some context for the financial environment in which I'm starting this journey.
I track my finances in US dollars, although some of my everyday expenses are paid in Turkish lira. That makes it especially important to distinguish between nominal savings, currency movements, and purchasing power.
I'm not recording these developments to predict the next market move. I simply want to remember what the economic backdrop looked like as this journey unfolded.
What October taught me
The most useful thing about this month wasn't reaching a 65.9% savings rate.
It was finally having a clear picture of where my money went.
I know what came in, what went out, and how much remained.
What I haven't done yet is turn that remaining cash into a long-term investment portfolio.
And I'm comfortable being transparent about that.
Next month might look different. I might save less. I might begin investing. There will probably be expenses I haven't planned for.
Whatever happens, I'll record it.
From now on, I'll be sharing these updates on the last business day of every month.
Not to prove that I'm doing everything right, but to build a record of the decisions, mistakes, progress, and ordinary moments along the way.
October's final numbers: $6,726.36 in remaining cash, a 65.9% savings rate, and $0 invested.
It's a beginning. Nothing more, nothing less.
And I think that's worth documenting.
Saving money. Making time.
This is a personal financial journal, not financial advice. All personal figures are recorded as of October 30, 2026.
Economic data sources: Turkish Statistical Institute · Central Bank of Türkiye · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Federal Reserve