What Happened When I Let My Imaginary 10-Year-Old Run My Budget

I have to admit that I’m not proud of how this came about.

I was standing in the cashout queue staring at a bar of chocolate I didn’t need and thinking
I’m just going to buy it anyway (let’s agree, that’s why they’re positioned there).

No budget
No plan
Just a mild hunger

And that’s when the thought popped into my head.
What if my 10-year-old self was in charge of my finances right now.

Now obviously that version of me had zero understanding of bills or bank accounts.
But he knew a thing or two about happiness.
And oddly enough he also knew how to sniff out bad decisions from a mile away.

So I decided to run a little experiment
For one week I’d let that inner 10-year-old guide my spending
Not totally control it
But influence it
The way a loud backseat driver might. Here’s what happened.

He asked one brutal question over and over

Every time I reached for my card
I heard it

“Do you even like this thing?”

And let me tell you
That question is annoying
Because it’s not asking if I need it
It’s not even asking if it’s affordable
It’s cutting straight to the core
Do you actually enjoy this or are you just bored

Half the things I usually buy didn’t pass the test
Random tech upgrades
Weird subscription renewals
Clothes that look good on the hanger but make me feel like a sad office plant

Gone

Turns out this 10-year-old me had some serious opinions
And he was ruthless

I started buying things that made no sense on paper

One day I spent fifteen dollars on art supplies
I am not an artist
I haven’t drawn anything since secondary school
But kid me was practically bouncing at the idea

So I bought a sketchpad
Some markers
And an hour later I was sat on the balcony scribbling nonsense and smiling like a fool

Would a financial expert approve
Probably not
But weirdly it felt like one of the best purchases I’d made in months

Because joy matters
Even if it doesn’t come with cashback

He completely ignored my loyalty to brands

Adult me always prefers to go for brands
Loyalty cards
All those reward points that make you feel like you’re saving money when really you’re just being manipulated

my 10-year-old me
did not care

He chose based on instinct
Colour
Smell
Funny packaging

I found myself grabbing the random peanut butter instead of the one I usually get
And guess what
It was cheaper
And no worse than my usual brand

Maybe not everything needs a spreadsheet after all

I said no to things I normally say yes to

This really shocked me

I thought 10-year-old me would be all impulse and chaos
But turns out he had standards

He didn’t care about keeping up appearances
He wasn’t afraid to be the one who says no when everyone else says yes

Fancy dinner invite
Nope
That money could buy five trips to the park with snacks and music

Another overpriced coffee
Nope
Home coffee with biscuits and my playlist hit harder

It wasn’t about being cheap
It was about value

And the more I thought like him
The more I realised I’ve been buying a lot of stuff that doesn’t actually add anything to my life

He reminded me why I wanted money in the first place

Here’s something I hadn’t thought about in a while
Why am I even trying to manage money better

Honestly why?
What’s the point?

For 10-year-old me the answer was simple
To feel free
To do fun things
To not worry all the time

Adult me had somehow turned it into this rigid system of numbers and guilt

Letting my inner kid take the wheel reminded me that money isn’t the goal
It’s a tool

A tool for freedom
A tool for breathing room
A tool for joy
Not punishment

So did I learn anything useful?

I surprised myself, because I really did

Letting my imaginary 10-year-old run my budget for a week didn’t mean I lost control
It meant I actually paid attention

I stopped buying out of habit
I questioned what I was doing
And I made space for things that genuinely felt good

No spreadsheets
No fancy rules
Just a little curiosity and a lot of honesty

Feel Like You Want To Give This A Try?

You don’t need to go crazy
But next time you’re about to spend
Ask the question

Would 10-year-old me be excited about this
Or would they think I’m being a bit of a mug

You might be surprised by what changes
Not because you became more disciplined
But because you started paying attention to what matters

And maybe that’s how budgeting becomes less about restriction
And more about realignment

Spend like someone who remembers why they started

That’s the goal