Sweet Frugal Life

Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

Purpose of a Budget…and why you need one!

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

All of the reasons you should make a budget.

If you’ve been following here for a while you know that I preach budgeting to everyone and anyone who will listen!  I truly believe that every single person should have a budget, regardless of how much or how little money you earn.  Not sure what the purpose of a budget is???  Well I’ll tell you today, so keep reading!

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The Purpose Of Budgeting

I’ll be honest with you….years ago I did not believe in budgeting.  I felt like it was something that was only for families that were pinching pennies….and my family seemed to be getting by just fine without a budget.

But then my entire thought process changed after I randomly picked up Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover in the library one day.  This book opened my eyes to how our finances could be, if we only adjusted some of our habits….so we started budgeting.

It honestly took about 5 years of trying, failing, giving up, trying again, etc. until we got to a comfortable/confident place when it comes to the budget.

One of the things I learned through this experience is just how much a budget can change your finances.  Before we started budgeting, I really thought that we were fine the way we were spending, but once I had that budget to hold me accountable we were able to find so much extra money….and instead of spending that money on stuff (like the pre budget days) we were able to spend it on things that were much more important to us, like travel, retirement, saving for a car, etc.

If I can change my stubborn ways, anyone can!

1.  A Budget Prevents Overspending

One of the most important purposes of a budget is that it prevents overspending.

If you take the time to make a budget and give every dollar a job, a category, then you will be much less likely to impulse shop and buy things just because they caught your eye (may or may not be talking about myself here….).

Try to get into the habit of checking in with your budget daily.  This daily check in is so important to make sure you are staying on track, and to remind yourself of your money goals.

The days I don’t check in with my budget are the days I tend to impulse buy, because I convince myself we have enough money in the budget.  However, if I take the time to look at the budget then I am more aware of my spending and am able to control my overspending impulses.

2.  Budgeting Reduces Stress

It’s true!  A budget can/will ease your financial worries resulting in a less stressful life.  If you are budgeting with sinking funds (which I recommend!) then you will always be prepared for what’s to come, resulting in less stress.

For example, every year I make a sinking fund for Christmas expenses.  I save into that sinking fund with each paycheck, then when the holidays come along I can buy Christmas presents, Christmas decor, and any other items I need/want for the holidays using the money I have already saved, which completely eliminates financial stress during the Christmas season!

3.  A Budget Helps You Reach Your Goals

Another important purpose of a budget is that it will help you reach your money and savings goals. 

Want to save for a vacation, but money keeps flying out the window???  Make a budget!  Calculate how much you are spending in each area, look at the ways you can cut those costs, and then budget a sinking fund for vacation!  Yay!

Yes, making a budget and cutting expenses will require some sacrifice on your part, but with consistency you will be able to reach those important goals. Budgeting has a way of helping you focus on your priorities.

4.  Budgeting Helps You Spend Money Guilt Free

Most of us like to spend money….but we don’t like the guilt that often comes after spending money.  And this is exactly why I love a budget!  A budget gives you permission to spend money, guilt free!

Don’t believe me yet?  Check out these two scenarios:

Scenario A:

Allie wants new living room furniture.  She has her eye on a couch at a local furniture store and notices it goes on sale one weekend.  Allie excitedly runs to the furniture store to buy the couch.

She doesn’t have enough money to pay for the couch in full, but the store offers her to make monthly payments for a year to be able to buy it.  Allie buys the couch and has it delivered.

The monthly couch bill begins arriving and Allie starts to panic.  She didn’t realize how tight the monthly payments would make her finances.  The stress of paying this bill, along with all of her other expenses begins to set in and she feels guilty for making this purchase in the first place.  She realizes she acted on impulse, and doesn’t quit have the funds available.

Scenario B:

Brooke also wants new living room furniture.  She looks at a few different pieces of furniture at multiple stores and writes down their averages prices.  Brooke then makes a sinking fund category in her budget to help her slowly save the money she needs to buy her new couch.

Over the course of 6 months Brooke deposits money into that sinking fund, using her budget.  After 6 months her sinking fund is fully funded and she excitedly goes into the furniture store to purchase her new couch.  She is so excited to purchase the couch with cash, and pay in full.

The couch is delivered and Brooke is able to enjoy it for many years.  Brooke has zero guilt about this purchase because she knew she already had the money saved in her budget, and there are no surprise bills.

Do you notice in these two scenarios how they both have the same goal, and they both were able to achieve that goal, but one came with guilt and stress, and the other only came with joy??  A budget is so freeing!

5.  A Budget Helps You Get Out Of Debt And Stay Out Of Debt

One of my favorite things about my little ol blog is getting to cheer you on as you reach your debt freedom goals.  There is nothing I love more than receiving a message from a reader telling me how proud they are of themselves for being able to pay off their debt thanks to making a budget.

Budgeting helps you plan your finances in a way that makes debt pay off a priority.  Being mindful of your spending, and prioritizing how each paycheck is spent is one of the most important steps to paying off debt. 

If you are wanting to pay off debt, I recommend making a budget and also reading my article How To Pay Off Debt With The Debt Snowball.

6.  Budgeting Helps You Understand Your Spending Habits

One of the most important parts of frugal living is being able to understand your spending habits, and a budget will show you exactly how you spend your money; including the good and the bad.  

When you sit down to budget each week you will be forced to see the categories you consistently overspend in.  Having this knowledge will give you the tools and motivation you need to reduce your spending in these areas.

When I first started budgeting I had convinced myself I was spending a certain amount of money on groceries each week.  But, after making a budget, I realized the cold hard truth.  I was spending so much more than I had realized.  Once I knew that this was a category I was overspending in, I was able to teach myself some new skills to reduce our grocery spending.

7.  A Budget Gives You Control Over Your Money

Do you ever get to the end of the month (or week) and wonder, “What happened to my huge paycheck I just got???  Where did all of my hard earned money go so quickly”?

I’ve had that thought, and it’s not a great feeling!

Do you want to know what my solution was?  Yep!  You guessed it, I needed to make a budget.

A big purpose of a budget is to help you have more control over your money, so that you don’t have to wonder where it all went at the end of each month.  You’ll know exactly where every dollar was spent, because you made a plan for those dollars and you stuck to the plan.

Want To Start Budgeting?

Have I convinced you yet that a budget is life changing (cause it totally is!).  

If you are ready to make the jump into budgeting, but aren’t sure how to start…..don’t worry!  I have you covered!  First, I recommend you check out my full budgeting tutorial here:  Zero Based Budget.

And then download my free budgeting cheat sheets.  They will walk you through everything you need to know to be able to make your first budget.  You got this!!!

 

 

Related Articles:

7 Simple Ways To Get Your Budget Back On Track (for good this time!)

How To Find Extra Money In Your Budget

Tips For Budgeting As A Couple

 

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Now you know the purpose of a budget!

How To Stretch Meals

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Easy ways to stretch your meals so you can spend less on groceries.

One of the biggest budget busters in most households is the grocery budget.  There is no denying the fact that food is expensive.  However, there is good news!  Groceries is one category in your budget that you can lower!  It definitely takes a little bit of extra work and effort, but it can be done.  There are a few different ways to lower your grocery expenses, and one of my favorites is learning how to stretch meals.

What Does It Mean to Stretch Meals?

Stretching meals simply means to make the food that you have last longer, feed more people and prevent waste.  It’s really easy to do too!  All it takes is a little more planning and creativity, but each of the following tips are so easy!

Here are 10 ways you can stretch meals so you can save more money.

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1.  Meal Plan

A smart meal plan is the first step to stretching meals.  When you make a meal plan, try to plan meals that will use the same ingredients.  This is an easy way to reuse ingredients before they go bad.

For Example:  Buy one head of lettuce and plan three meals that week you can use the lettuce for.  Or buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and meal plan several meals for chicken, like I did here.  These meals might be Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Pot Pie, etc.  Here’s how I use one Roast Beef for three meals.  It follow the same plan, buy once and use three times so it doesn’t go to waste.

2.  Use Less Meat

Meat is one of the most expensive parts of the meal.  Stretch the meat out for more meals by using less than the recipe calls for.

For Example:  If you are using a recipe that calls for 1 lb. of hamburger meat, use 3/4 lb. instead.  You probably won’t even notice the difference in your meal.  You can then use that extra 1/4 lb. hamburger for another meal.

3.  Souper Tuesday

Soup is so cheap to make and an easy meal to stretch!  I love making a huge pot of soup when I feed large groups or as a way to feed our family for several meals.

Consider turning Tuesday dinner into, “Souper Tuesday.”  This will be the day each week when you will make soup for dinner.  The pot of soup that you make should last your family for several meals.  You can even freeze the leftover soup to use for a later meal.  Just make sure to use it within the next 3 months.

  • Freezing Tip:  Freeze broth based soups simply by pouring it into a Ziploc freezer bag.  Squeeze out all of the air, seal tight and place in your freezer.  This will stay fresh for 3-6 months.  To thaw:  place frozen soup in fridge and let it defrost overnight.  Warm it up over the stove and enjoy!

Get creative with your soups!  Most soups can be made just by tossing together a few ingredients you already have in your pantry.  A little bit of chicken, broth and veggies will make a fantastic soup!

4.  Include More Side Dishes

Usually the main dish is the most expensive.  You can stretch the main dish out by adding more sides to your meal.

Try using a variety of side dishes and mix it up daily to keep the meals more interesting.

A few of our family favorite side dishes are:

Each of these ideas are budget friendly (especially if you shop sales) and very filling.  Encourage your family to take a few sides along with the main meal.  This will fill the family up quicker, making you able to use your main dish for a few other meals throughout the week.

5.  Use a Filler

Try adding a “filler” ingredient to your recipes.  A “filler” is just a cheaper ingredient, one that the recipe doesn’t call for, that you add to a meal to make it more filling and bigger.

A few of our favorite fillers are: pasta, rice and beans.

Beans

A can of beans is one of the cheapest and easiest ingredient to add to recipes as a filler.  All it takes is opening up a can!

You can use any of your favorite kind of beans, we prefer black beans, pinto beans or refried beans.

These can be added to a wide variety of meals including:  enchiladas, soups, or tacos.

Pasta

Pasta is cheap and filling.  You can easily add it to soups to make them more filling.

Rice

Rice can be mixed with beans or meat to use in burritos, tacos, or enchiladas.  This is also a great filler for soups!

Use your imagination and get creative when choosing fillers!

6.  Meatless Monday

Try incorporating less meat into your meals.  We do this by having Meatless Monday each week.  This is one day of the week when I prepare something, well, meatless!

A few of our favorite Meatless Monday dinners are:

  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Homemade Mac n Cheese
  • Bean Burritos
  • Pasta Bake
  • Spaghetti

Grab a few of these recipes in Mel’s Home Cooking Recipe Book!

7.  Appropriate Servings

Many of us (definitely me!) eat larger servings than is necessary.  Stretch your meals by eating smaller portions.  It’s important to eat enough, just focus on not over eating and this will help you save more for the next meal.

Our eyes might want two large spoonfuls, but remind yourself that one large spoonful will be enough to fill your hunger.

  • Tip:  Eat on smaller plates to help keep the portions smaller!

8.  Meal Prep

Meal prepping in advance is an easy way to ensure you have smart portions for every meal.

I like to set one day aside each week as my Meal Prep day.  This is the day when you will cook your meat, chop your vegetables, and separate all the ingredients into daily meals.

When we prepare the food in advance it’s much easier to plan out the servings and ensure nothing goes to waste.

Store your dinner portions in Tupperware, Ziploc bags or, I really like these containers.

9.  Add Water

Stretch meals by adding water to the recipe.  Water is FREE, making it the cheapest ingredient you own!

You can add extra water to soups or stews to stretch the broth a little further.  Your family won’t even notice the difference, and your soup will last much longer!

10.  Save All Leftovers

All food can be reused!  Try to get into the habit of saving any and all leftovers from each meal.  This food can all be used for a different meal in different ways.

Freeze It

If you don’t think you will be able to use up the leftovers within the next few days you can easily freeze it for later.  Just let the food come to room temperature, put it in a Ziploc bag, get out all of the air, and toss it in the freezer.

For a full list of what can be frozen check out this list from Lauren Greutman.

Reuse It

If you have enough leftovers for another meal, consider saving it to eat the next day.  We love to have leftovers for lunch, and sometimes even dinner.

Re-purpose It

If you don’t have enough extra food for an entire meal, add the leftovers with some other ingredients to make a complete dinner.  You can turn most leftovers into a soup or casserole, simply by mixing it with something else!

We love to use leftover taco meat for soup the next day.  I just mix the taco meat with some cans of beans, tomatoes and water and wah-lah-Taco Soup!

 

In Conclusion

Try think outside the box when you are stretching meals.  There are so many different ways you can save money on groceries and make the food you have at home last longer!  You can do it!

 

Related Articles:

10 Quick Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill

Freeze Chicken in Bulk and 6 Freezer Chicken Recipes

How to Cut Your Budget; When There is Nothing Left to Cut

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How To Get A Discount On Amazon Prime

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Tips For Saving Money On Amazon Prime!

Alright, the news is out and Amazon Prime has announced that they are raising their prices.  Starting on February 18, 2022, prices will increase from $119/year to $139/year.  As prices seem to be increasing all around us, hearing this extra price rise has been hard for many of us just trying to save a few bucks.  So, I did some research and found a few ways you can get a discount on Amazon Prime!

What is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a subscription service from Amazon that gives you extra perks, including faster shipping, free shipping, access to thousands of video streaming content, kindle books and free music to stream.

You can subscribe for a yearly fee or monthly.  The choice is yours and you can cancel at anytime!

Sweet Frugal Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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What is included in Amazon Prime?

I like to think of it as multiple services (books, music, movies, etc.) all wrapped into one.  Amazon Prime offers you:

  • Access to stream thousands of movies and tv series
  • Millions of ad-free songs available for streaming
  • Thousands of kindle books, magazines and more
  • Early access to prime deals
  • Unlimited photo storage
  • Free shipping
  • And much, much more!

How to get a discount on Amazon Prime

I know so many people who love Amazon Prime, and all of its many benefits, but the high price tag just doesn’t fit into their budget.  If you can relate to this at all, then you’re in the right place!

I have scoured the internet, researched everything on Amazon, and found a few hacks to help you get an Amazon Prime Discount!

1.  Amazon Student

If you happen to be a student, then you qualify for an Amazon Prime discount through Amazon Student.  Anyone enrolled in a college or university, within the United States qualifies for the Amazon Student discount.

When you sign up for an Amazon Student account you will get 6 months of Prime for free!  At the end of the 6 month free trial, you can continue using Amazon Prime for a huge discount of just $6.49/month.

Amazon Student includes all of the prime perks, you will get the quick and free shipping, and the ability stream movies, music and more!

2.  Free 30-Day Trial

All new Amazon Prime customers can get a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial!  This is a great way to experience all of the amazing benefits of having prime, for free!  You can cancel your free trial at any time, so no need to worry about signing up for long term if you decide it’s not right for you.

There are rumors that have claimed that Amazon will offer the free 30-day Amazon Prime trial to anyone who had prime in the past, but haven’t used it for over a year.  It’s worth looking into if you are an old customer who cancelled a year or two ago!

3.  EBT Discount

Another great Amazon Prime discount to look into is for anyone with an EBT (Electronics Benefits Transfer) card.  This is a discount that isn’t as talked about as much as the others, but totally should be!

If you currently have an EBT card, then you can get an Amazon Prime membership for just $5.99/month.  That’s less than half the price of a regular membership!

4.  Amazon Household

If there are multiple people living in one household, you can all save a little bit of money by sharing Amazon Prime benefits through Amazon Household.  With Amazon Household you can share a Prime account with 2 adults, 4 teens, and 4 children.  If everyone chips in a few dollars each month, it’s a great way to get all of the Prime benefits for less!

Keep in mind though, that you will be sharing your payment methods with each other, so make sure you are comfortable with that before setting up Amazon household.

5.  Metro by T-Mobile

If you happen to be a T-Mobile customer on the Metro plan, you can get Amazon Prime for FREE!  It is probably not worth switching cell phone plans just to get this discount, but it is a fun perk you should know about it if you already have the plan.

In Conclusion

Amazon Prime is such a great service, and I have loved using it off and on over the years.  I hope that these suggestions can help some of you enjoy a discount on Amazon Prime!

Related Articles:

Frugal Cell Phone Provider; My Honest Tello Mobile Review

How to Save Money When Eating Out

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I hope you are able to get a discount on Amazon Prime!

Easy Budget Cuts We Made To Save Over $2500 Each Year

By: Sweet Frugal Life34 Comments

What we did to save more money each month.

I am not naturally a frugal person.  I was raised by two frugal parents, but I lean more towards wanting to shop and buy all of the pretty things (I’m looking at YOU Target).  It has been a huge learning process for me to become more frugal and to realize the value and beauty in cutting back and saving money.  Learning my new frugal lifestyle has been over the course of years, and quite honestly, I’m still trying to better myself.  Today though, I started thinking about all the easy budget cuts we made over the years, and I was blown away with the amount of money we are saving ourselves just by making a few different lifestyle choices!  If you don’t know what to cut from budget, this article is for you!  I truly hope it helps you learn how to reduce monthly expenses.

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Pack Your Lunch:  $1000

Packing a lunch for work, instead of eating out with coworkers, has been our biggest money saver.  Every night I pack a lunch for my husband to take to work.  A packed lunch doesn’t need to be anything special or fancy.  Most days it’s just leftovers from dinner the night before, occasionally he will bring a sandwich.

It’s important for my husband to be sociable and build strong relationships at work.  So, a few times a year he will bring some cash to work and go out to eat with his coworkers.  There has been a few times he has joined them for lunch, and ordered something small.  You can keep these strong relationships, while bringing a lunch from home.

I was so surprised to find out this simple habit is saving us over $1000 a year!

Change your own oil:  $210

The second easy budget cut we made to reduce monthly expenses was to change our own oil.

My husband taught himself how to change the oil in our two vehicles, all it took was watching a few YouTube videos.  It takes him less than an hour to do and he claims it’s super easy.

He uses this oil drum to drain the oil.  You can deposit the oil for free at most auto parts stores.  This is not some natural talent he has, he had to get out of his comfort zone to learn this skill.  If he can do it, you can do it too!

Once you master changing your cars oil, consider looking into other car maintenance you can DIY.  My husband has changed our brake pads and spark plugs from time to time.  Honestly, I get a little nervous when he does it…..but we haven’t crashed yet!

This simple task DIY oil changes saves us $210 a year.  It’s not a huge savings, but every penny adds up.

Cut the Cable:  $480

A few years ago we decided to get rid of our cable TV.  We were actually already on a fairly cheap rate, but we decided we could do without it.  There are so many budget friendly alternative TV options available now.

You can sign up for Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime and more!  I recommend limiting yourself to one or two subscription services.  If we join all of them, you’ll probably end up paying more than you were paying for cable!

The best part is, you don’t even need to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy smart TV.  Just invest in a simple, affordable Roku and you can watch each of your TV subscriptions.

We have saved $480 a year by doing this!

At Home Haircuts:  $200

I have been giving my husband at home haircuts for over 15 years now, my son has been getting them since the year he was born.  I am not a professional, hair is NOT my talent. I have watched a few YouTube tutorial videos and both my husband and son get very basic cuts.  I have made a few mistakes on both of them, but I keep learning and trying.  And luckily boys hair grows out fairly fast!  😉

All it took $20 to purchase clippers, and I’m still using the same set 14 years later!  You can find a similar pair to ours here:  Hair Cutting Kit.  This one quick purchase has saved us hundreds and hundreds over the years.

These at home haircuts saves us $200 each year.

Workout at Home:  $840

Exercise is important for the human heart, body and mind.  However, I have just never been willing to pay $70/month for a gym membership.

So, my husband and I have learned how to get a good workout from home.  We go for a run or bike ride during the warm months.  We love using free YouTube workout videos (my favorites are Yoga with Adrienne and PopSugar Fitness) at home and have even scored some really cheap used gym equipment that we enjoy on a regular basis.

These at home workouts are a $840 yearly savings!

The Results:  $2730

Just by making these 5 easy budget cuts to our lifestyle we save $2730 a year!  So, in five years we have saved $13,650!  Ten years it will be $27,300!  Those little expenses don’t seem like a big deal during the day by day, but over time they add up to be a very very BIG deal.

It really has not been hard to cut any of these things from our budget.  We have been living this way for years and honestly never seem to miss a gym membership or cable TV.  It has just become our way of life, and it’s a great life!  It can be hard to form new habits, but once you do, those habits become your way of life and you often never really look back!

Take a look at your budget and lifestyle.  Can you find a few things that you could change in order to save money?  I promise the pay off is so worth it!

 

 

 

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How To Lower Monthly Expenses Today

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Easy ways to reduce monthly bills.

Are you feeling stressed about your monthly bills?  The expenses keep coming in yet the income is staying the same?  I have been there!  I have felt the stress of not feeling like we will ever have any extra money.  It’s not fun!  I learned quickly, and a little begrudgingly, that in order to eliminate this finance burden in my life I would need to cut some things from our monthly expenses.  And guess what!  It worked!  I was able to eliminate a few things and clear up some extra room in our budget!  Here are 11 Things you can do TODAY (yes, do them right now!) to reduce monthly bills and save more money!  I’m so excited to tell you how to lower monthly expenses today.

Cut costs on your monthly budget so you can have more money. frugal living help | how to have more money | how to get out of debt | how to save more | budget help #budgeting #budgettips #savingmoney

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Why You Need To Lower Monthly Expenses

You might be wondering why you should take the time and hassle to lower your monthly expenses.  Maybe you feel like you are doing pretty good financially, and don’t want to add any extra stress to your life.

These are legitimate thoughts!

However, I want to present to you a few reasons why the effort and sacrifice just might be worth it!

Pay Off Debt Faster

Do you have debt?  Maybe it’s some lingering student loans, or perhaps a few extra charges on the credit card.

You might not realize it right now, but this debt is holding you back financially.  That extra money you have to pay towards interest each month is money that you have earned, and you deserve to keep it to use for something else!

Once you have paid off your debts you are able to begin saving, spending, and planning for expenses that are important to YOU!  Becoming debt free is one of the best ways to relieve financial burden and finally take charge of your money.

When you cut your monthly expenses you will be able to have extra cash to pay off your debt quicker, putting you one step closer to that sweet financial freedom you deserve.

Save For A Large Upcoming Expense

If you have any large upcoming expenses, such as paying for braces, buying a house, or a new child on the way, lowering your monthly expenses is a great way to save up for that expense.

When you make a few of the changes I suggest below you will have some extra cash that can be used for the big life events that you might have coming up.

Save For Something Fun

Another great reason to lower your monthly expenses is to be able to have more money to spend on something fun!

Maybe you like to vacation.  If you were able to have an extra $200/month, you could put that money into a vacation sinking fund and in a year you will have enough money to take a small vacation.

This didn’t require earning more money or putting the vacation on the credit card, all you had to do was cut some expenses and use that extra cash for something fun!

Imagine the fun things you have been wanting in life, when you do the work to lower your bills, you are giving yourself a chance to afford the fun things in life!

 

How to Lower Your Utility Expenses

Lowering your utility expenses is one of the easiest expenses you can cut.  It doesn’t require very much extra effort, and can have a huge impact on your finances.

1.  Reduce Your Home Thermostat

Consider lowering your house thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees during the day and 10 degrees at night (just pile on those blankets and flannel pjs!).  We keep our thermostat set to around 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer. 

By making this one simple change you can save up to 10% on your electricity bill!  Quick, go lower that thermostat asap!

2.  Switch to LED Light Bulbs

If you haven’t switched out the traditional light bulbs in your home for LED light bulbs now is the time to do so.  LED light bulbs are more expensive upfront, but through time the savings is huge and well worth the initial cost!  This 6 pack on Amazon is a good deal at $17.

The great thing about LED light bulbs is that they last forever!  Ok, I might be exaggerating a bit here…they don’t really last forever.  But they do last for a very long time!  As a matter of fact LED light bulbs lasts 5 times longer than regular light bulbs.  This means buying less light bulbs which will save you money (yay!).

The other great thing about LED light bulbs is that they use much less electricity, which brings down the cost of your electric bill.  Just one regular light bulb will cost you $15 a year.  One LED light bulb will only cost $6 a year.  Multiply this number by the amount of light bulbs in your home and you will see a huge savings.

3.  Lower The Temp on Your Hot Water Heater

Double check the temperature on your hot water heater.  Lower the temperature down to 120 degrees.  This is low enough to see a savings in your monthly bill, but high enough that your showers will still feel warm and your dishes will get cleaned.   For every 10 degrees you lower your hot water temp you will save your family about 3%.

 

How to Lower Your Household Expenses

It’s no secret that running a household is expensive!  However, there are a few things you can do to help bring down these costs.

4.  Switch your Cell Phone Carrier

Shop around to multiple cell phone carriers.  If you have been with the same cell phone carrier for a while it might be time to switch.  Most cell phone carriers will offer you a good deal for being a new customer, all you have to do is ask!

Your original cell phone provider might even match the deal when they find out your considering switching.  Don’t be afraid to negotiate a little!

Last year our family started using Tello Mobile.  Plans start as low as just $6 month and we have been so impressed with the coverage.


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5.  Negotiate Your Homeowners Insurance

Ask your insurance provider for special discounts on homeowners insurance.  Most will be willing to offer you a deal if you bundle with your auto insurance.

You might also get a deal if you have a security system, have retired recently, been with the same company for a long time or updated your home to make it more disaster proof.  My motto is that it never hurts to ask!  Remember, everything is negotiable!

Don’t be afraid to shop around for different providers while you are at it.  You might be able to find a cheaper rate somewhere else.

 

6.  Pack a Lunch for Work

One of the quickest ways to lower your monthly expenses is to stop going out to eat.  Eating out regularly is very expensive.  I have found it important to make a meal plan each week and stick to it.

If you consistently eat out for lunch while at work, start packing a lunch from home instead.  Give your co workers a polite, “no thank you” to the lunch invites and eat a lunch from home.

My husband loves to take dinner leftovers in his lunch.  Whenever we have leftovers, we just proportion them into lunch sized servings and stick them in the fridge.  This makes it easy to grab and bring to work, and tastes much better than a sandwich!

 

How to Lower Entertainment Expenses

Another budget category that is easy to lower are entertainment expenses.  Entertainment usually falls under the want category, making it easy to stretch a little thinner if necessary.

7.  Cancel All Subscriptions/Memberships

Look through all of your monthly subscriptions and memberships.  Pick a few (or a lot) of these subscriptions to cancel immediately.  You just might be surprised how quickly the extra money adds up from this simple switch.

Don’t forget these common subscriptions/memberships:

  • Gym Membership (try one of these free exercise ideas instead)
  • Netflix
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu
  • Disney Plus
  • Magazine Subscriptions
  • Music Streaming Services
  • Beauty Box Subscriptions

If this feels like a huge sacrifice to do all at once, try cancelling just one or two per month.  This will help you ease in to the change.  Just don’t forget to keep canceling something new every few months!

8.  Cut Your Cable

Do you still have cable TV?  Get rid of it to save an extra $40-60 every month. 

We did this a few years ago and I thought we would miss it (especially the DVR).  Fortunately we actually haven’t missed it at all!  There are so many other affordable ways to relax and watch TV.  A few of our favorites is to rent movies from the library and use Netflix.

 

Other Ways to Save

Now that you’ve reduced your entertainment, household, and utility expenses there are still a few more things you can do to free up some extra money.

9.  Increase Your Auto Insurance Deductible

Consider increasing your auto insurance deductible.  This will result in a lower monthly premium, saving you money each month (which is what we want!!).

Just be sure you have enough money in your emergency fund to cover the deductible in the case of an accident.

10.  Ask for a Lower Credit Card Rate

If you have any credit card debt call these credit card companies and ask for a lower monthly interest rate.  Most companies will be willing to honor this request if you have been paying on time each month.

I know this can be a scary phone call to make, but really the worst thing they can say is, “No”, right???

11.  Sell Clutter Around Your Home

Use your clutter around your home to make a little extra money!  Take an hour today to sort through your home and use a few online platforms to list a some of your clutter for sell. 

My favorite quick-to-sell place is Facebook Marketplace.  Most items I list for sell on Facebook sells within a few hours.  Use this extra cash to help pay for your bills this month.

Try to make a goal to sell a 2-5 items every month.  If you have any debt this is a great way to get this debt paid off a little faster.

In Conclusion

You do not need to implement each of these ideas into your life immediately, just pick a two or three to do today and then pick a couple more to do tomorrow.

These small simple changes will make a big difference over time.

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I hope this article helped you get some ideas about how to lower monthly expenses.

 

 

 

 

9 Easiest Vegetables To Grow In First Garden

By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

Beginner Gardening Tips!

Gardening season is just around the corner and so it’s the perfect time to share a few tips about some of the easiest vegetables to grow in your first garden.

I am so excited for garden season!  I’ve already  started mapping out my garden and planning all the yummy produce I will be growing.  My goal every year is to grow enough produce so that I don’t have to buy any throughout the summer.  I haven’t quite met this goal yet, but I have faith one year I will find success (fingers crossed!).

Another goal I work towards each summer is to grow enough produce to preserve for use throughout the winter.  If done correctly gardening can be a huge money saver.  If you have wanted to start gardening but are unsure where to begin, this is the article for you.

easy to grow vegetables

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Choosing the Perfect Garden Spot

If this is your first time planting a garden you will need to prep your garden area.  I recommend starting small at first.  If you have success with a small garden, then you can slowly increase the size every few years.

When choosing  a garden plot pick a spot in your yard that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.  The more sunlight, the better!

Also, think about the logistics of your garden area.  Is it within reach of your garden hose, so it can be watered?  Is the ground flat?  Both of these are important aspects of a successful garden.

 

Prepping Your Garden Plot

Vegetables grow best in soft, loose soil.  Once you have your garden spot picked out spend some time tilling up the soil.  We use a garden rototiller for this.  Here is a fairly cheap tiller on Amazon with really great reviews.

For best garden results, spread a 2 inch layer of compost or manure over your soil before tilling.  This gives the plants extra heat and needed nutrients.

Once your soil is loose and fertile you are ready for planting!

 

Where to Buy Seeds

You can buy your garden seeds at any local garden supply store or online.  Remember when choosing what to grow, pay attention to your local Hardiness Zone.  This will help you determine what to plant and when to plant it.

The Best Beginner Garden Vegetables

And now it’s time to learn all about the easiest vegetables to grow in first garden for beginners!  Remember, when deciding what to plant in your garden, choose the vegetables that your family already likes and eats regularly.  If your family isn’t going to eat it, it’s probably not worth planting!

1.  Lettuce

 

Lettuce is one of the easiest garden vegetables!  Lettuce is a cold weather crop and grows best in the spring and fall months.  So, remember to plant early!

When planting lettuce, it’s best to plant seeds in 1/4 inch dirt and water regularly.  Once they start sprouting, thin plants 8-10 inches apart.  Lettuce should be ready to harvest within 6 weeks.

2.  Potatoes

 

I was raised on an Idaho Potato Farm, so you know potatoes will be on this list!

Not only are potatoes easy to grow, they are also easy to store!  This means, if stored correctly, you can enjoy your home grown potatoes throughout the winter months.  Woo, even more money saved!

Plant seed potatoes 4 weeks after your last frost.  They grow well when planted in a 6 inch deep hole and 12 inches apart.

About 80-100 days after planting the vines will begin to die.  This is the sign that your potatoes are ready to harvest.

To harvest potatoes, simply dig them from the ground, and rub off the dirt.

Store your harvested potatoes in a cool, dark place.  A basement storage room or cellar works well.  Just make sure they get as little light as possible!

3.  Peas

I love to grow peas!  There is just something so nostalgic about sitting out on our front porch shelling our home grown peas with my kids.  Plus, peas are another one of the easiest vegetables to grow!

Peas are a cold weather crop and should be planted as soon as you can work your soil.  These vegetables grow well on a trellis.  Be creative with your trellis, we used chicken wire, just because we already had some in our garage.

Plant rows of peas next to your trellis.  As the plants grow, train them to grow up on the trellis.  This makes harvesting peas much easier!  Promise!

4.  Beets

 

Beets are another easy vegetable for your first garden.  They grow best in cooler temperatures, so plant them during the early spring months.  I always plant my peas, beets and lettuce at the same time.

When planting beets, sow your beet seeds 1/2 inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart.  Thin your beet plants as they grow to prevent crowding.  Your beets should be ready to harvest within 70 days of planting.  (I love juicing my garden beets!  They are delicious!)

5.  Carrots

 

Carrots are another one of my favorite vegetables to grow!  You can get so many sweet, crunchy carrots from just a handful of baby seeds.

The secret to perfect carrots is well drained, deep, fine soil.  Mix some sand with your soil to make it extra fine, which will help the carrots to grow long and straight.

Carrots also need to be thinned well.  If they aren’t thinned properly they will grow together making deformed carrots….and nobody wants deformed carrots!

When watering carrots remember to water deep, and then let the ground dry out.  Deep watering will help the carrots to grow longer and thinner, which is what we want!

6.  Zucchini

 

If you plant one zucchini seed you’ll feed your neighborhood for a year.  Ha!  Not really, but kind of!  A zucchini plant is the gift that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving.  Which is why they are so awesome to grow!

To plant, sow two zucchini seeds in a fertilized dirt mound.  You can plant more seeds in mounds 3 to 6 feet apart.

Shredded zucchini freezes really well!  I use my frozen zucchini in smoothies and baking.

7.  Pumpkins

 

There really isn’t anything more fun than watching a baby pumpkin grow into a large carving pumpkin.  Pumpkins aren’t only fun to carve, they also make fun fall decorations and can be used in baking.

Planting pumpkins is very similar to planting zucchini; in mounds spaced 3 to 6 feet apart.  Pumpkins grow best with plenty of compost mixed into the soil.  Also, be sure to give your pumpkins lots of water.  They are thirsty plants!

8. Beans

 

There are many different varieties of beans to plant, making it a great crop for everyone!  I prefer pole beans because they are easier to harvest.

If you grow bush beans no trellis is needed.  However, pole beans will need something to climb on.  We use chicken wire (because it’s what we already have), but you could also use poles or strings.

Beans need lots of warmth and sun to grow, so be sure they receive plenty of sun throughout the day, and some extra compost is helpful too!

9.  Onions

 

I planted onions for the first time last year and can’t believe it’s taken me this long to start growing them!  Honestly, I didn’t give them much care or attention, but they grew and grew.  We have them stored in our basement and I love grabbing my garden onions when prepping dinner.

Plant onions using what’s called an “onion set.”  An onion set is basically a small bulb.  You can find these anywhere that sells garden seeds.

When planting, place your onion sets 2 to 6 inches apart and cover with 1 inch of loose soil.

Onions are ready to harvest when their tops begin to yellow and fall over.  Check out this article for more info about how to cure and store your onions.

A Few Tips For The Beginner Gardener

Here are a few tips for starting your beginner vegetable garden.

  • Water your garden in the morning or evening, and avoid watering during the heat of the day.  This gives the water a chance to soak into the ground before evaporating.

 

  • Water deep (about 2 inches worth of water) and less often (about 1-2 times a week).  The soil needs a chance to dry out to prevent disease.

 

  • Use mulch between garden rows to help keep the weeds down.  Mulch will also keep moisture in the ground, which is what we want!

 

  • Experience is the best teacher.  You will have a few fails, and you will have some successes.  But, over time you will find what works best for you and your garden.  Do not give up!

In Conclusion

Alright, it’s your turn!  Now, it’s time for you to get to work planning your first garden!

Remember what we learned:  First, check your zone, pick a few plants from my beginner garden vegetables list (make sure your family will eat them), and then get to work planting them in your garden.

Then, the best part comes!  Watching those beautiful green seedlings pop out of the ground.

Be sure to reach out if you have any questions!  I love to talk about gardening!

Leave me a comment telling me what veggies you are planting in your garden this year!

 

 

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I hope you find success in these easiest vegetables to grow ideas!

Why I Disagree With Dave Ramsey

By: Sweet Frugal Life10 Comments

How we use a credit card and earn money!

I disagree with Dave Ramsey about something….and I need to get it off my chest.  Honestly, I love Dave Ramsey and follow his advice and teachings religiously.  Except for one thing….there is just one reason why I disagree with Dave Ramsey.

 

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I am a member of online affiliate programs.  I will receive compensation from clicks on my links.  All opinions are my own.  I guarantee to never share anything I haven’t already been using for years.

 

Ok….here goes…

I have a credit card and use it regularly.

There, I admitted it!

Dave Ramsey advises against using any sort of credit card…..but honestly using our credit card EARNS us money!  I feel like I would be missing out on free money if I didn’t use this credit card.

Dave Ramsey recommends to always use cash envelopes.  And I love cash envelopes, I really do!

As a matter of fact I use cash for about 50% of our purchases.  Usually the cash is for things like clothing, decorations, restaurants,  etc.  The items that I tend to overspend on, I spend with cash.

Our credit card is for everything else.  Items such as utilities, groceries, fuel, etc. always go right on our Discover Card.

I understand the reason why Dave Ramsey advises against using the credit card.  I truly do.  Credit cards can be incredibly tempting.  It’s far to easy to swipe and assume you can worry about paying it off later.  There have been many people who have gotten into debt due to the temptation of the credit card.

Fortunately, this has never been a problem for my husband and I.  We are very diligent at paying the card off each month and mainly use it for our fixed expenses.  We keep track of our budget daily and always know exactly how much money we have in our account and owe on the credit card.

What we love about the Credit Card

When it comes to choosing a credit card, you will found plenty of great options.  We shopped around for a while until we found the one that worked best for us.

When researching credit cards we decided to open up a Discover Card.  This decision really came down to the rewards.  We wanted cashback rewards so that we can choose how to spent the cash in the way that works for us.

Our cashback is saved throughout the year to use for Christmas presents.  It doesn’t cover the entire Christmas, but it gives us enough to help lesson the burden!

Discover offers a 1% cashback bonus on ALL purchases and a 5% cashback bonus for a variety of purchases.  This bonus 5% cashback rotates between different categories.

Some months we will receive this extra cashback from grocery purchases, other months it will be for fuel.  The category changes enough that we feel we are always being rewarded.

On top of all of that, Discover Card has what’s called a rewards center.  The rewards center gives you the option to shop at many popular online stores, (Old Navy, Gap, Target just to name a few) through the Discover link and you will earn 5% cashback on these purchases.  So easy!!

Before I buy ANYTHING online, I always go to the Discover website and check to see if they have a cashback option for that store.

We make about $300-$400 a year just by using our credit card.  (YAY for free money!!)  Think of all the possibilities you could use this extra money for!  You could pay extra towards debt, use it to build your emergency fund, add it to a sinking fund, or buy something you’ve been saving for.  The options are endless!

A Word of Caution

I disagree with Dave Ramsey about credit cards for me personally, but for others this might not be the best option.

If having a credit card will tempt you to spend more money than you normally would then DO NOT sign up for one.  It is NOT worth the temptation.

If this is your situation the cashback Rakuten offers would be a great alternative for you.

However, IF and ONLY IF you are able to use a credit card responsibly and pay it off monthly, I HIGHLY recommend signing up for one that offers a cashback option.

In the 10 years we have been using our card we have earned around $4,000!   Just by shopping like we normally would!  It’s the easiest $4,000 I’ve ever made!!

And every thing else Dave Ramsey teaches….I totally agree with!  Except for the $1,000 emergency fund thing……but that’s a different topic for a different day!

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This is why I disagree with Dave Ramsey….this one time.

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