Tips from Banco Industrial on managing small daily expenses

Many people find that their salary seems to disappear quickly, even without making large purchases. This is often due to small daily expenses such as coffee, snacks, or subscriptions that accumulate over time and represent a significant amount by the end of the month.

Lesly Mejía, Coordinator at Banco Industrial, provided advice on how to better manage these so-called "ant expenses." These are minor but recurring costs that can have a noticeable impact on personal finances. Mejía explained, "In my experience, I have seen that they usually concentrate in the area of food because sometimes we seek to reward ourselves during the day with a coffee or by ordering food through apps. This can greatly affect our budget in the short term."

One way to detect these expenses is by carefully reviewing account statements. By doing so, individuals can spot recurring charges and small but frequent purchases. Mejía said, "Through the account statement it is possible to compare historical expenses each month. However, as a preventive measure it is crucial to create a budget and execute it with discipline."

To reduce unnecessary spending, Mejía recommended allocating about 10% of one's salary for extra consumption. She noted, "Without detailing your income and expenses you will simply spend a lot without knowing exactly what your limit is."

Banco Industrial offers tools such as Bi en Línea Web and App for customers to monitor their accounts in real time. These platforms allow users to categorize spending and receive alerts about their transactions. Additionally, Mejía highlighted another resource: "Also, as a complement to Banco Industrial's tools, the Gestor de Gastos application—available for free—is another excellent way to record daily income and expenses for conscious budgeting."

Maintaining financial discipline and using available technology can help prevent small daily expenditures from becoming obstacles to financial goals.

Having a checking account is described as an important step toward practical and secure money management.