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…
My Story: The nightmare experience that changed me from Spender to Saver
I’ve tried to write this story many, many times. I’ve typed, and deleted more times than I can count. It’s hard to share about a time in my life when my thoughts were so dark, my joy completely gone, and my shoulders heavy with burdens. This is a time in my life when I would wake up every single morning with tears in my eyes and panic in my chest. The moment I opened my eyes was the hardest part of my day. The realization that I was going to have to live another dark day was almost more than I could bear. I still have some PTSD from this…
A Financial Tale of Two Sisters
The story you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect those involved. (Note Sarcasm 😉 ) Once upon a time there were two sisters. One was named Jane and the other Melissa. Jane and Melissa were raised by two hardworking, frugal minded parents. These wonderful parents raised the sisters to understand the importance of saving money, spending wisely, and budgeting. Jane and Melissa both began receiving an allowance at age 12. They were both given the same amount of money and were taught to save at least 10%, tithe 10% and the rest they could spend. Melissa began babysitting at a young age. The…
Debt Snowball Vs. Debt Avalanche
Two of the most common methods for paying off debt is the Debt Snowball and the Debt Avalanche. Neither of these methods are superior to the other. They both have great qualities and offer excellent motivation for getting rid of debt. Debt Snowball The Debt Snowball is the method Dave Ramsey recommends. When using the Debt Snowball you will list your debts in order from the smallest debt to the largest. While continuing to make minimum payments on all debts, begin actively trying to pay off your SMALLEST debt FIRST. This will mean that you will use ANY extra money that comes your way to paying off this one debt.…
The life lessons that taught me to budget for JOY while living in the present!
I’ve been asked a few times my opinion about spending money on life experiences right now, or if it’s best to keep saving and wait for the future. The obvious answer from a frugal, budget loving blogger, who loves to encourage everyone to spend conservatively and plan for their future, would be to advise everyone to wait until later and build your wealth now….. However…….. I actually feel very strongly about the importance of budgeting money to experience JOYFUL experiences right now. In THIS moment….because, you know what, those golden years you are anxiously waiting for, they just might not come….. My sweet mother was a huge saver. I have…
Budgeting for Beginners: FAQ
Disclosure: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” I receive so many messages on a daily basis from people wanting to start managing their money and living frugally, but they don’t know how to take that first step. I admire everyone who wants to improve on their life and financial situation, it can be scary trying to make such a big change into the unknown. I decided it was time for a FAQ article for all you brave…
How to Have a Successful Move while on a Tight Budget
My husband and I have had plenty of practice moving! We have been married 14 years and in that time we have moved 9 different times. This includes 6 different cities and 4 moves across the state border. We have made PLENTY of mistakes along the way, and over time have learned the best ways to keep the move simple and most importantly, FRUGAL. I wanted to share a few of the tips and tricks we have learned a long the way to help you on your upcoming moves. 10 Tips for Moving on a Budget 1. Budget The moment you know you will be moving, make a plan. Set…
What I Learned From the July Pantry Challenge
I am a member of online affiliate programs. I may receive compensation for purchases made through links in this post. All opinions are my own and I only recommend things I truly use and love! I just finished my month long pantry challenge!! If you’re not aware of the term, a pantry challenge is meant to encourage you to use up items you already have in your home, (pantry, fridge, freezer, shelves, etc.), instead of spending money at the store on groceries. My goal was to save a little extra money during the month by spending less on groceries. To do this I decided to cut my regular grocery budget…
10 Items In Your House You Can Sell Quickly To Make Money
Did you see my post 5 Places Online To Sell Your Clutter and Earn Cash? I am a HUGE fan of selling ALLLL of my house hold clutter (because let’s be honest, there’s a lot of clutter) and making some quick and easy money. I make the goal to sell a few items every month. It’s not a huge money maker for me, but it gives me a little extra spending money! I’ve had a few people comment to me that they just have “nothing to sell.” I truly believe EVERYONE can find SOMETHING (probably even a few things) to sell. The more desperate you are to earn some money the…