What Self-Employed Money Diarists Learned From Tracking Their Spending

If you’ve read even a handful of R29’s Money Diaries, then you know how much more there is to learn from someone’s daily spending than just the cost of their morning green juice. The real lessons lie in the larger details of the diarists' lives — their jobs, their interests, their social habits — and how money fits into each of those. It’s these things that let us see a little bit of ourselves in the diaries and think about the role money plays in our own lives.

Take, for instance, self-employed diarists. Whether you’re currently out there hustling on your own or are thinking of one day leaving your 9-to-5 to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams, there’s so much that can be gleaned from the spending habits of others who are already at it — from how to handle inconsistent pay to adequately valuing your time.

That’s why, in partnership with Intuit, maker of the money management tools every self-employed person needs in their arsenal, we checked back in with some of our favorite entrepreneurial diarists and dug deeper into what it’s really like to run your own business. Ahead, find out what’s changed since their diaries were published, key lessons they've learned, and their best advice for those also looking to go out on their own.