That’s right. I failed. But you know what? Even though I missed my CRAZY goal of spending only $150 on groceries for the month of December (I knew it was nutso going into it, but hey… shoot for the moon so we fall among the stars, right??), I still came out WAY ahead! In October 2018, when I first started implementing this Monthly Meal Planning system for our family, I had just taken the time to figure out our ACTUAL average grocery spending… and I swear my eyes have never bulged from my head like they did when I read those numbers. We had been averaging about $1200 a month…
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The Secret to Functioning Adulthood in the Midst of Survival Mode
I came across this lovely gem of a photo thanks to Facebook’s Memories feature, and just feel like my face captures so much of early motherhood: The first thing I see in this photo (besides that pretty little squish with her signature mohawk hairdo) is my facial expression. It says, “I’m here! I showered! I may not have any makeup on, my eyebrows may be almost invisible (thank you 90’s over-plucking popularity), but my hair even looks decent. I’m with people I love, and I really am happy. However… I’m also dying a little inside because my 7 month old never lets me put her down without screaming like I’m…
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7 Reasons Budgets Fail & How to Succeed!
Do you ever start the month thinking that you’re good to go, have plenty of money, and by the end of this month, you should have plenty of money leftover in the account to put towards that vacation/getaway/pedicure/shopping trip/etc. you have had your heart set on… But by the end of the month, you’re just standing in shock saying, “WHERE DID ALL OF OUR MONEY GO??” Only this seems to happen month…after month…after month…after month… Does this sound familiar? Well, let me share with you some hard truths, my friend, so that you can STOP this cycle of insanity, get your feet under you, and make some traction in your…
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Free Thank You Notes Tracker For the Family
Every year, I think about how I need to be sure and follow through on writing Thank You notes to our friends and family for their thoughtful gifts to our family, and every year I fail to do so for one reason or another. This year, I’m putting the onus on our kids for their parts! 😉 I have created 5 uniquely designed pages for the kids to keep track of their own gifts received (well, I’ll be writing Parker’s for her, I’m sure, but she’ll be in charge of making sure I get them all on there)! Best part? They’re FREE! WOOHOO! Click here to get your own copy…
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Don’t Forget About These December Costs!
It’s December!! Time to prep your new month’s budget (if you haven’t already). We need to be sure and account for some extra things in December that we don’t typically have to worry about… Don’t be caught off guard by any of these items. If you have already written out/planned your December budget and you did forget to add in any of these, go back today (or if not today, put IN YOUR CALENDAR exactly when you will…) and add them in/rework your budget. Anytime you recognize a mistake in your budget, the sooner you tweak/fix that plan, the better off you will be. DO NOT PUT IT OFF. It will NOT be easier to…
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5 Ways To Avoid The November Budget Bust!
Happy Thanksgiving Week! If you know me, you know I’m ALL about getting into the spirit of anything at all – I can turn anything into a celebration. Lemme at it. HOWEVER… I am also not one to spend money when I don’t have to. Call me cheap, call me thrifty, call me stingy, call me frugal. Whatever. I’ll take it all. As Popeye says, “I yam what I yam.” So be it. Regardless of how people see me, I’m going to roll with it, and also let you in on a few penny-pinching tips that you can use to hopefully put to use for your own Thanksgiving week savings:…
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How to Order Custom Holiday Cards for Under $10
Girl, listen. You and I both know that Holiday Card ordering is NOT the easiest or most stress-free thing on our Q4 to-do list. We love to put our creative skills to use in this way that we get to share with friends and family, but then we see the price tag and want to throw the computer because…RUDE. “I worked super hard on this. How dare you charge me $75 to print 25 copies of this thing that I DESIGNED?! Boo.” Enter my super awesome Christmas Card Ordering Hack that I’ve used for YEARS now: Vistaprint. Using the following steps, I’ve been able to order our Christmas Cards for…
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Don’t Forget These Things in Your November Budget!
It’s a new month, time for a new budget, and with that new budget plan, we need to be sure and account for a few new things. Don’t be caught off guard by any of these items. If you have already written out/planned your November budget and you did forget to add in any of these, go back today and add them in/rework your budget. Anytime you recognize a mistake in your budget, the sooner you tweak/fix that plan, the better off you will be. DO NOT PUT IT OFF. It will NOT be easier to deal with later. It will be more difficult, so if there is literally no…
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Credit-Card-Using Budget Rebel
Are you tired of people telling you that you have to cut out credit card use in order to stick to your budget? Me, too. I LIKE USING CARDS! Debit, Credit… Whatever. They are convenient, I am much less likely to somehow misplace an envelope filled with my entire budget for the month, and I get cash back for things I’m already spending money on. Seriously. Just for paying off my card each month, Amazon/Chase gives me between 50-150 bucks! WHAT?! Yes. So I made my own SUSTAINABLE budgeting system where I can have my cake and eat it, too! 🍰 💳 No joke. The majority of our family’s spending is…
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Every Little Choice…
Like love, financial freedom (no debt, the ability to spend and/or save however YOU prioritize) is a DAILY choice. MANY times each day, YOU have to ask the question, “Is this thing/experience I’m about to spend (any amount of) money on going to put me CLOSER to or FARTHER from my financial goals and our family’s priorities?” If you can’t say “closer to” then odds are, you need to pass on spending money on that thing. Even 1.00. Even 75 cents. Those little spends ALL ADD UP (faster than you might realize). Don’t allow yourself to play the victim of your circumstances – past or present. Take charge of your…
