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Budget To Pay Off Debt

How To Improve Your Budget to Pay Off Debt

Making your first budget to pay off debt can be scary. It’s not as simple as assigning percentages because every person's finances are different. But the results are in and budgeting is a necessity to achieving your financial goals. Sure you can get by without a budget but you won't get ahead without one. My husband and I have been budgeting together since before we got married and it's set a foundation for us to be able to pay off over $64,000 over 18 months. There are a ton of methods, spreadsheets, printables, etc. to create a budget, but I…

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Emergency Fund Tips

Tips to Help You Fund (and Keep) Your Emergency Fund

Everyone who’s ever had an emergency will tell you money is key to making good decisions. We make bad financial decisions when we're broke and desperate. That’s why having an emergency fund is vital to starting any personal finance journey. We currently keep a mini emergency fund of $1000 while we’re paying our debt and so far it’s worked out great. Now we have a five-month emergency fund because we're debt free! But it’s hard to save, hard to know how much to save, and hard to avoid the temptation of $1000 sitting in your bank account screaming to be used.…

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5 Ways to be Better at Conscious Consumption

We’ve all been there. You walk into your favorite store, the one with the amazing branding and the conveniently set up dollar bins and somehow walk out with $100 worth of stuff when you just went in for conditioner. Or is it just me? I have accumulated stuff over the years sitting in drawers and boxes, cluttering up my closet and I have no idea how it got there or why it is there. Since taking a closer look at my finances and being more aware of my purchases, I was embarrassed by the number of foods from the grocery…

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Marriage And Money

3 Habits for Blissful Money Matrimony

As of this month my student loan has a 1 in front of it. That started as a 5! I realize I couldn’t have done this without my amazing [frugal] husband. Through this journey, I am constantly reminded how important it’s been to be on the same page with our finances. Our shared goals and vision for the future have made the hard months bearable and the pitfalls easier to climb out of. By the time I met Travis I’d seen more couples divorce in my age group than I want to count. It was so significant to me that…

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Budget Myths Debunked

Budgeting is a B Word – Budget Myths Debunked

Everyone I talk to about debt tells me “I know, I need to get on a budget.” In my head, I’m like “duh!?!” But the truth is, I remember what it’s like to be single on a 36K income staring 60K of debt in the face. It’s horrifying, overwhelming, and seemingly impossible. So I just ignored it. I let the interest pile up and said I just can’t do this. Flash forward two years and the budget is a vital part of my life. I am by no means a master budgeter and I’m always the one that ends up…

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Eat Out Less

A Month of Dinner Recipes for Families on a Budget

Growing up I did not have a Suzy Homemaker mother who taught me my grandmother’s secret dinner recipes or how to separate the yolk from the egg white. The extent of my cooking experience came from the instructions on the back of the Chicken Voila bag in the freezer section. In college, I became a vegetarian but I was more than satisfied eating dinners of Steam-in-Bag vegetables and fake meat corn dogs (honestly better than real corn dogs.) But when I got married and we decided to pay off our debt I knew I had to learn my way around…

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November 2016 Budget

November 2016 Budget

I’m on a financial high going into November. It’s my favorite time of year; the weather is crisp, people are happier, and my favorite holiday, Black Friday, is right around the corner. I’m on cloud 9. And I have one more thing making my money-saving heart flutter (or palpitate, I can’t tell the difference lately.) My student loan is now 4 digits. I’m finally under 10 grand! I didn’t see this day coming anytime in my 20’s and it’s here. You guys, hard work and perseverance pay off! And I’m really excited to have you to share this moment with.…

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3 PSL Hacks for the Frugal Pumpkin Spice Lover

See what I did there? PSL, Pumpkin Spice Lover? Okay, more reason for me to keep my day job. But seriously, I love the pumpkin spice latte. How else would we know it’s fall here in Florida without the return of the PSL? I remember waiting for Labor Day, knowing that the time was near. Standing in the 90-degree heat, wearing a scarf that served no purpose, holding that orange drink in my hand, knowing coffee shouldn’t be that color but not caring at all. It’s a magical time. But coming in at $5.30 for a Grande the PSL is…

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Low-cost-holiday-party

Throw a Holiday Party on a Budget!

We don’t get much cold weather here in Florida so when it dips below 70 I’m in full winter mode. Having friends over to listen to music, watch movies, and drink warm bevs is the highlight of my year. While those of us in our 20’s and 30’s usually dodge the bullet on hosting big family gatherings, we love our Friendsgivings and Ugly Sweater Parties. Holiday party hosting can get super expensive if you don’t plan ahead and set a budget. Fortunately, there are a ton of low-cost holiday party ideas out there. Some of you may be wondering, “Jen,…

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Holiday Leaves

7 Simple Ways to Save Money on Travel

Whether you’re traveling to see family or skipping out for a much-needed vacation, keep these tips in mind to save on travel to wherever you’re going. While I'm winding down my travel, holidays are coming up and it's the time everyone else starts thinking about their travel plans. To see family or get far away from them. When the holidays are vying for all the extra dollars in your budget, saving on travel is top priority. And these tips can be useful for holiday or summer travel so pin it for later and make frugality a habit in all your…

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