Money

I am a spender. I’m not proud of this fact, but it’s true. I have never learned the fine art of budgeting or saving or, if I’m honest, managing my money at all. This was not because my parents failed, mind you; I vividly remember my father sitting me down and forcing me to learn how to balance a checkbook and lecturing me on the importance of a savings account. I’m sure if we got into the finer arguments about nature versus nurture, we would discern that it’s because I’m naturally impulsive, more of a right-brained creative thinker than a logical left-brainer, and just all-around less careful than I should be when it comes to finances. Which is why it’s so perfect […]

When I decided to quit my job and stay home with our first son, my husband and I whittled away our budget as tight as we could. It was time for us to find ways to save money. We looked at each bill and examined all of our spending habits under a microscope to make it work. Since then I’ve found even more ways to stretch a dollar! Here are some tips (and none are sponsored, just ideas) on ways to save money from me to you: 1. Wait until the end of the month to buy most things. Amazon used to be my weakness. I would decide we “need” something and order it lickety-split before putting much thought into how I

For years I was the “endcap” queen of America. An endcap, for those of you who don’t know, is the shelf space at the end of each aisle in almost every store in our nation. It’s the “this is an unbelievable deal” vortex that sucks busy women in when they are shopping in a hurry. It’s the place where retailers place the coolest stuff at the best prices. Really, can these buys be resisted? Not by me, at least for a time in my life. I didn’t know how to stop mindless purchasing. I mean, can we live without a portable chopper that works off batteries, cutting everything instantly into the appropriate-sized pieces? Only to get it home and find out what

I’m all about saving money. For a couple of months I was into coupon-clipping. I bought the newspaper on Sunday (two, of course, for BOGOs—Publix lovers know what I’m talking about). I clipped, and I saved. But like most resolutions, after a few weeks (maybe a month?) I got out of the habit and stopped. Still, I felt disappointed every time I recalled the savings I had once been dedicated to getting. I decided I needed to find a less work-intensive solution. I found a few ways to save that work for me! I’m pretty phone-addicted and love having apps to simplify and better my life. I know, I’m so 2017. But I’ve earned over $200 with the apps below and saved at least $500+

According to recent reports, the average Class of 2016 graduate has over $37k in student loan debt, which is up six percent from last year. While the specific amount can vary for each individual depending on scholarships, assistance from parents, private vs. public schools, etc., there are approximately 44.2 million Americans with student loan debts.1 I myself graduated in May 2012, and had my own little chunk of student loan debt to tackle. I had done what I could to minimize costs by spending my first two years completing my associate’s degree at a local community college as a dual enrolled student (which was available to me at no cost as a high school student besides paying for my books). I also

Our family has had to dramatically change the way that we spend, for several different reasons. I have been working on simplifying my life in many areas, and fortunately, that does end up saving a bit of money. I believe one of the best ways to save money is to be mindful of where your money goes. Write down your expenses, keep a budget, plan ahead. Nothing earth-shattering, but here are a few practical ways to start saving money: 1. Plan out meals for the week and stick to your grocery list. This takes about 15 minutes a week of planning per week for me. I also have a menu list of about 20 items, so when I don’t feel creative, I just check