Last issue, I wrote about the idea that we all live with pots — not the ones in the kitchen cupboard, but invisible pots that hold our money, our energy, and our sense of security. Your Rainy Day Pot, your Fun Pot, your Debt Pot, your Growth Pot… even your Energy Pot.
Many of you told me you drew yours out and had quite the lightbulb moment. You saw which pots were overflowing, which were empty, and where the balance was off.
So this week, let’s go a step further. Because once you’ve seen your pots, the next question is this: where are they leaking?
Most of us don’t lose money in dramatic bursts. We lose it in drips. Tiny leaks that don’t seem to matter — until one day the pot’s half empty and we’re wondering how.
And it’s rarely just about money. The leaks in our financial life often mirror the leaks in our emotional life: the unpaid invoices we keep meaning to chase, the “harmless” subscriptions we never use, the extra glass of wine to unwind from a week we didn’t enjoy. All tiny trickles of energy leaving our system.
Let’s look at where those leaks hide — and how to plug them.
The Invisible Drip: Subscriptions and Small Spends
You know that feeling when a £9.99 payment leaves your account and you can’t remember what it’s for? That’s a leak. It’s not about the tenner — it’s about the unconsciousness.
When our spending goes on autopilot, we stop being the driver and start being the passenger. The companies behind these “easy” renewals count on that — they design it that way.
Take ten minutes this week to go through your bank statements. Circle anything you don’t recognise or don’t use. Then cancel it. Every cancellation is an act of clarity — and self-respect.
The Emotional Leak: Guilt Spending and “Deserved Treats”
Sometimes leaks aren’t about what we buy, but why we buy. Ever noticed how easy it is to hit “add to basket” after a hard day? That little dopamine hit feels like comfort — but it’s not really soothing anything. It’s just a temporary plug for an emotional hole.
Try this instead: next time you feel the urge to spend as a reward, pause. Ask yourself, “What am I really trying to give myself right now?” Is it rest? Validation? Connection? Then find a way to give that to yourself — without handing your card over.
Plugging leaks isn’t about deprivation. It’s about discernment.
The Time Leak: Busyness That Buys You Nothing
Money and time share the same currency — attention. And many of us are overspending. We say yes to things we don’t want to do. We scroll instead of rest. We burn through hours on distractions that leave us no richer in energy or joy.
Busyness looks productive, but often it’s an avoidance strategy. We stay busy to avoid discomfort — the same discomfort we feel when we face our finances.
So here’s a challenge: for one week, track not your spending, but your time. Where does it go? Which activities fill you up, and which drain you dry? The leaks will show themselves.
The Relationship Leak: Generosity Without Boundaries
Let’s talk about the “quiet givers.” You know who you are — picking up the bill, lending money that’s never returned, covering for others to keep the peace. It’s generous… until it’s not.
When you give from depletion instead of abundance, that’s a leak. It’s not kindness — it’s self-abandonment disguised as generosity.
Set clear boundaries around your giving. Not out of stinginess, but out of sustainability. Because when your own pots are drained, you can’t pour into anyone else’s.
The Energy Leak: Worry Without Action One of the biggest leaks of all? Mental bandwidth. Worry is energy spent with no return. It’s like paying interest on a debt you haven’t even borrowed.
If something is stressing you — a bill, a decision, a debt — make a plan. Even the smallest action (a phone call, a spreadsheet, a conversation) will stop the leak.
Action turns anxiety into agency. And that’s where peace begins.
There’s an old saying that “small leaks sink big ships.” The same goes for your financial life. It’s not the big mistakes that wear you down — it’s the constant background drip that quietly erodes your energy, confidence, and sense of control.
When you start plugging those leaks, something amazing happens: the pots begin to refill themselves. Not because you’ve earned more, but because you’ve stopped losing what you already have.
So here’s your challenge for this next fortnight: find three leaks — one financial, one emotional, one energetic — and plug them. Then notice what happens. The calm. The clarity. The quiet satisfaction of no longer leaking away your power.
Because wealth isn’t built by what you earn — it’s built by what you keep, and the energy you preserve while keeping it.
Fanny SnaithCertified Money Coach | Cognitive Hypnotherapist