Ep. 156 - Overlooked Expenses: What Your Brain Might Be Missing

 When your brain is running on overload, it's easy to miss the little things—like that auto-renewed subscription, a forgotten late fee, or an unclaimed discount. It’s not always the big, bold purchases that derail your financial goals—it’s the small, sneaky leaks that go unnoticed. In this episode, we’re exploring how mental clutter and decision fatigue can quietly cost us financially. Tune in to learn how to spot these money leaks, plug the holes, and redirect that energy back into meaningful growth. Because sometimes, it’s not about making more—it’s about keeping more. 

Transcript

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been going through all of my personal and business financial accounts, double-checking everything for taxes. Even though I like to think I’m fairly organized and on top of the general in-and-out flow of my money, I was surprised to discover a couple of late fees and accrued interest on an account.

This experience, along with recent conversations with different individuals, inspired this two-part series on the vampire drains in our life—those subtle, silent bites into our time, money, energy, and attention.

The Bottom Line on Top of this episode is that big efforts can certainly lead to big progress, but progress can also be hampered by the obstacles that are either invisible or ignored.

I’m the kind of nerd who loves a good deal. Few things bring me as much joy as a surprise discount at checkout or when I find an epic promo code online. I’m frequently frugal when it comes to the small stuff—something my kids are very quick to point out—but that thriftiness gives me the confidence to invest more freely in things that truly delight me.

So, I was genuinely surprised to see all these charges I hadn’t anticipated. Looking back, it made sense—I was in the middle of selling a house, living between a rental and an Airbnb, juggling projects and payments. I had paid the fee, but it turned out it posted just a day late—and that the banking system automatically tacked on its charges. My brain had already checked this off the to-do list so I never gave it another thought, or another look. 

And here’s the science behind that: when we’re mentally overloaded, the brain’s executive function takes shortcuts. It narrows its focus to what feels urgent, not necessarily what’s most important. This is known as attentional narrowing. Researchers found that under stress or high cognitive demand, we’re more likely to overlook small, routine tasks—especially ones that feel “done enough.”

Plus, in today’s world, we also rely so much on automation. Auto-pay, tap-to-pay, and charges that quietly renew. While they’re helpful, these systems can create a false sense of control. We trust the tech to track it all—but that trust leads to what behavioral economists call “automation bias”—the tendency to overlook errors or forget to check in simply because something is automated.

And then there’s the energy drain of it all.

There are absolutely times when I see a charge or a recurring task and think, “Not today.” Not because I don’t care—but because I just don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with one more thing. This is part of a concept called ego depletion, where even simple actions—like canceling an app or disputing a charge—feel like more than we can take on right now.

This is part of the modern brain-money mismatch. Technology makes it easier than ever to automate so many things, but it also makes it easier for us to mentally disengage from them. I still remember having to balance my checkbook by hand back in my 20s.

Our brains love efficiency—but too much automation can dull our financial awareness, almost like cruise control on a road trip. You’re moving forward, but you’re not really noticing all the signs you're passing.

When you catch a leak—whether it’s time, money, or energy—the first step isn’t overhauling everything. It’s simply pausing and asking, “Is this changeable?” And then see if there are any simple actions that could be taken. 

In my case, I called the bank—where I’ve had an account for a long time—and I took full accountability. I explained the situation and asked if anything could be done.

💬 Side note: Years ago a customer service rep once told me that he was empowered to take action, but only when the customer directly asked for support. A lot of people will call to complain, he said, but unless they specifically ask for help, he could only offer information. 

So here’s the gentle prompt of this episode: scan your accounts. Not with judgment or fine tooth comb, but with curiosity. Are there any apps or subscriptions you meant to cancel? Charges that crept up over time? Home maintenance, fees, or dues that just keep renewing?

You don’t have to do it all today. But the more you spot, the more control you get back. And control isn’t about cutting costs necessarily—it's about choosing and knowing where your energy and money actually go.

Thanks for joining me on this walk through our wallets. In the next episode, we’ll explore the time and energy leaks that steal our focus—and how to reclaim those.

Until then, take a look at where the slow drips might be adding up.
You don’t need to do a full budget overhaul.
You just need to pause now and then and ask:
Where is my money going—and is that still the right place for it to go?

These are important places to make sure we’re looking after and taking the right steps to take good care.