When Not to Feel Guilty About Spending Money…
When it comes to spending money I usually have the motto, “Just don’t buy it.” This motto has served me well. It has helped our family survive a crushing job loss, save for retirement and our kids college funds, build up sinking funds, and allow me to continue my favorite job as stay at home mom. However, when you live very frugally and are tight with money, it’s fairly common to develop some spending guilt. Have you ever experienced this???? Spending guilt is actually a very good thing, even necessary in some cases. It can give us the extra kick we need to stop overspending and to start working towards…
10 Ways to Show Dad You Care, Without Spending a Dime
I am a member of online affiliate programs. I will receive compensation from purchases made through links in this post. All opinions are my own. Do you ever want to gift your Dad something extra special…..but constantly draw a blank??? This is how I feel every.single.holiday. I am constantly racking my brain for that perfect “knock your socks off” gift…..but, I am also on a tight budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money on this gift. This makes it so difficult! You know what I have learned though??? My dad doesn’t want me to spend a lot of money on him! Sure, he wants to be loved…
10 Quick Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill
I am a member of online affiliate programs. I may be compensated by purchases made through links in this post. All opinions are my own. Groceries is one of the biggest monthly expenses. And, unfortunately food prices continue to rise every day. The good news is that you CAN use a few tricks to lower these costs, and still eat well. 10 Quick Ways To Lower Your Grocery Bill 1. Meal Plan Make a meal plan for all of your weekly meals and snacks. Browse through pinterest boards, and recipe books to give you fresh ideas of what to cook each week. As you meal plan, make a list of groceries…
Over 20 Tricks for Travel on a Budget
I am a member of online affiliate programs. I will be compensated for purchases made from links in this post. All opinions are my own. Do you long to to see the world, but finances are always holding you back? I get it, I have this inner struggle almost daily. But guess what I have finally learned……you CAN travel while on a budget! We have successfully traveled to Disneyland, Kauai, New York City, and more, all without spending a fortune. You can do it too! You can travel, make memories, and see new places….no matter your budget! Today I’m sharing 17 of my Favorite Budget Travel Hacks! I also asked…
12 Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms
This article contains affiliate links. I will receive a commission off of purchases made through my links. One of my very favorite joys in the world is to be a stay at home mom with my sweet kids. I wouldn’t trade this opportunity for anything! But, as my kids have grown older and I have had more free time, I have been looking for ways to earn a little extra income, without having to give up my time with my kids. I brainstormed a list of ideas for any of you moms who might also want to earn a little extra money on the side! 1. Clean Businesses or…
This is What Happens When You Give a Teen an Allowance….
So, this afternoon I had a fun shopping trip with my 13 year old daughter. I happen to love shopping (yep, frugal AND a shopping lover!) and I love quality time with my kids, so it was a GREAT day! However, shopping trips with my daughter tends to bring some stress (for me) and anxiety (for her). You see….once my kids reach the age of 13 they are required to pay for all of their own clothes, along with a few other expenses. We have decided instead of mom and dad deciding what clothes are in the budget, we would give her an allowance so SHE can decide how to…
Dollar Tree Easter Basket Ideas
I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. A common misconception is that the only way for kids to have a childhood full of memorable holidays and fun traditions is to spend a lot of money…..I’m here to tell you that is just.not.true. This is one of the many reasons why I LOVE The Dollar Tree. I love watching their season aisle. It’s fun to see what they bring in every year. Every year I buy my kids Easter Basket Stuffers from The Dollar Tree spring section. This year I spent…
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Mix Recipe
Did you know that you can make your very own Cream of Chicken Soup Mix? Yep! You can! And guess what, it’s also incredibly easy, quick and frugal to whip up. (hooray!) I really don’t like buying the canned soup in the store, but sometimes I just want a good old fashioned recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup in it, ya know??? I came across this recipe years ago and have been using it regularly ever since. It tastes so much better than the cans, and is a lot less processed. I use it in soups, stews, casseroles, etc. All you need is a little water added to the mix…
Here’s What You Should Do When Unexpected Expenses Arise
Every month my husband and I sit down for our monthly budget meeting. Is it fun? Nope. Do I look forward to it? Big no! Do I do it anyways because I know it will save me money and I love to save money???? Absolutely! The monthly budget meeting is the time for us to discuss the previous months budget. We go over what worked, what didn’t work and we put together a budget for the new month. Our budget is a zero based budget, meaning every single penny that comes in during the month is budgeted to a certain category. There is no excess. This not only helps keep…
How to Recover your Budget From a day of Impulse Shopping
It happens to every single person…..and it usually happens more than once. Everyone goes through moments of weakness when they throw all their common sense out the window, ignores their budget, and buys on impulse. It actually happened to me just last week. Yep. You read that right! Miss Sweet Frugal Life ignored her own advice and didn’t stick to her budget. Let me start at the beginning. I have been slowly trying to decorate my music room. When we moved into our house two years ago this room sat completely empty. We have had to buy all new furnishings, and it has been expensive. But, after years of buying…
