Latest Blog Posts
10 Simple Frugal Living Tips for Beginners
Are you new to frugal living? Congratulations! You’ve already taken the first step toward getting your financial life together. Maybe you’re struggling with debt or you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Whatever the reason, frugality can bring a freedom to...
Why a 3 Year Spending Ban Isn’t as Crazy as it Sounds
When I tell people I’m on a three year spending ban, they often act like that’s completely insane. Many people try a spending ban for a week, a weekend, or a month. Doing one for three years is much less conventional. I chose to do this because my husband and I are...
Top 20 Cheapest, Healthy Foods to Buy When You’re Broke
If you want to eat healthy or lose weight on a tight budget, it can feel overwhelming. However, you don’t need to spend a small fortune every week! I eat a (mostly) whole food diet, and I spend a reasonable amount on groceries. There are plenty of healthy, natural...
9 Surprising Ways to Save Money Shopping Online
I love shopping online. I'm an introvert, so I don't enjoy having a salesperson follow me around the store trying to make conversation just so they can get me to sign up for a store credit card. Shopping online is so much more pleasant and convenient. If you've been...
How to Lose Weight on a Tight Budget
The fitness industry exists to make money. Your fitness guru will tell you that you need an expensive personal training package, fancy yoga studio classes, supplements, diet pills, an overpriced gym membership…and all sorts of other gimmicks that aren’t necessary....
4 Secrets to Exploding Blog Traffic with Pinterest
It’s difficult to make money blogging if no one is reading your blog. When I first started blogging, I wrote articles, shared them on my social media accounts, and hoped someone would read them. Only a few people did. When I finally started strategizing, my page...
Starting a Spending Ban? 4 Tips for Success
A spending ban (cutting out spending on non-essential items) can be a great way to reduce your expenses so you can pay off debt, build savings, or break bad spending habits. A spending ban can be for a weekend, seven days, a month, or even a year (or longer). I’m...
Is This Extreme Frugal Living? 10 Crazy Things We’ve Done to Save Money
When my husband and I decided to pay off $117,000 of student loans in three years, we knew we’d have to do things a little differently. As Dave Ramsey says “live like no one else now, so later you can live like no one else.” We’ve found many ways to save money. Here...
My 10 Favorite Things to do on a No-Spend Weekend
When my husband and I decided to pay off $127,000 of debt (mostly student loans) in three years, we knew we would have to drastically reduce our expenses. One item we cut from our budget was outings with friends (and date nights). Does this mean that we NEVER hang...
How to Start Meal Planning + A Free Printable!
I used to spend WAY too much on groceries every week. I was relying on pre-made items and microwaveable food a lot of the time, and I found myself wasting food each week. Sound familiar? I have a solution for you - meal planning. *Disclosure: This post contains...
How to Refinance Your Student Loans with LendEDU
The average college graduate now finishes school with over $30,000 in student loan debt. For those who have advanced degrees or attend private colleges, the amount can be much higher. My husband and I finished school with a combined total of $117,000 of student loan...
Why Your Credit Score Matters + Credit Sesame Review
Many personal finance experts believe that your credit score is extremely important, while others (such as Dave Ramsey), say that credit scores are unnecessary. Dave refers to your FICO score as an “I love debt” score because it’s based on your relationship with...