Author: Shanah Bell

I am a Holistic Health Advisor with a Master's Degree in Nutrition. My partner is a Chef and we have a blended family with 5 children.

As a single parent of 2, I was able to still make things work while financially struggling with the help of food stamps. I was also one of the early children diagnosed with Celiac Disease in the US,which has driven my lifelong pursuit of using food for optimal health.

We focus on teaching people, and creating dishes, to help people learn how to make food that is:
- Quick
- Easy
- Delicious
- Nutrient Dense
- Budget Friendly

March 15, 2023

How to Find a Wedding Dress on a Budget

As someone who has become recently engaged, I know there can be a lot of things to think about when it comes to planning a wedding. This will be my second marriage, so we’re going much more low key than either my fiancé and I did for our first marriages. However, even for my first wedding, I was pretty frugal when it came to finding a dream wedding dress. And this time has been no different. In fact, I’ve been able to find 2 wedding dresses for much less than I even spent on the first one! So, here are some of my tips to find a great wedding dress on a budget.

wedding dress outlet stores

For my first wedding, many moons ago, I had no idea what kind of wedding dress I wanted. So, I did what most brides do (at that time, at least) and looked around the wedding stores near me for design choices. I have to say that I definitely had sticker shock when I first saw the prices they were charging for wedding dresses. Especially since you only wear them once for a few hours. Most of the wedding dresses I saw were priced between $1500 – $5000. These prices are crazy!

So, my mom told me that we should check one of the wedding dress outlet stores not too far away from us. And I’m so happy we did! With these types of stores, you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. So, your choices may be more limited based on size and style, but you’re bound to find something.

It took me a few hours to find some choices that would potentially work. I was able to find a fantastic wedding dress for my big day though. With the shoes and a veil I was able to leave the store spending just shy of $600 for all of it. I did have to get a few minor alterations done on my dress closer to the wedding day, but those only cost me another $40. This was still a bit more than I wanted to spend to only wear a dress, shoes and a veil for a few hours. However, it was much more budget friendly than the mainstream wedding dress stores.

Online WEdding dress shopping

For this second wedding, I began looking online for wedding dresses. The fact that there are so many choices online now make any kind of shopping so much easier. For our second marriage, we’ve decided to have a destination wedding in the Maldives on the beach. So, I wanted something much lower key, which also translates to more cost efficient. However, since destination weddings in the Maldives aren’t considered legal in the United States, we have to have a courthouse ceremony before we depart to make it legal also. Therefore, I need two dresses. One for our legal ceremony (which I wanted to be more of a dress that I would wear again to parties and special events) and one for our actual ceremony in the Maldives.

Hebeos and JJ’s House

I began searching and found two great websites that had a ton of wedding dress options for very frugal prices. Hebeos was the first website that I ran across. And I loved quite a few styles on this site, along with the prices. However, their return policy if I didn’t like the dress was a bit more stringent than the second website I found, JJ’s House. JJ’s House had a lot of similar options and also had a Try Before You Buy program. This program let me pick up to 3 different dresses and pay only $10 each to have them sent to my house for me to try on. I had 14 days to try them on once they arrived and return them if I didn’t like them. I loved this idea!

So, I picked one dress for the Maldives and two dresses for our legal ceremony here. I was really excited about them, but they didn’t fit me right when I tried them on. So, I returned them and picked a different style that I knew would work for me. This dress was only $109 and is for my legal ceremony here in the States. Plus, I love it so much that I will definitely be wearing it to other events.

boutique store shopping

My wedding dress proved to be a little more difficult to find. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted, other than I wanted it to not drag on the sand and fit my body well, but give me some breathing room. Plus, it had to pack well in my carry on bag with everything else and not get damaged. My mom and I went to the mall (which I detest doing) to see what we could find at the bigger department stores.

The department stores did definitely have some decent options, but none that were my style, or in my budget. We stumbled upon one of the smaller boutique stores that had a clearance section from last years styles. And we got really lucky. My mom found a dress that she thought looked like my style and was only $33 after tax! I I did need to take it to get hemmed a little bit and taken in on the back. But the total for those alterations was only $30. So I only spent a total of $63 on my actual wedding dress, which is awesome!

Wedding Dress on a budget summary

Overall, there are a lot of great ways you can find a wedding dress on a budget. A lot of it will depend upon your style, time of year and location where your wedding will take place. Wedding dress outlet stores are a good place to check for in person styles and so you can try some things on. Boutique stores and some department stores may also be good places to check. You never know what they can be hiding in their clearance sections. And if all else fails, searching online is probably going to be a win-win because of the plethora of options available.

I’m pretty darn happy with the fact that I was able to get two wedding dresses for a total of under $200. Especially since my first one cost a little over $600. Now, that gives me something else to smile about besides just getting married.

Where are some places that you’ve found a fantastic wedding dress on a budget?

March 14, 2023

5 Fantastic Budget-Friendly Valentine’s Date Ideas

Valentine’s day is upon us again. As crazy as that seems! And with today being the big day, the even bigger question is how should we show our love just how much we love them? And, is it possible to do just that while also not breaking the bank? Well, it certainly is possible to do both, in my experience. So, I’ve come up with a list of 5 fantastic budget-friendly Valentine’s date ideas that are my favorite options.

#1. Adult arcade adventure

As part of the generation that grew up with arcades as a normal part of life, they are extremely nostalgic for me. And while they seemed to have a slow death for quite a few years, it seems the idea of them has been revitalized lately. Not only are they beginning to come back, but they are coming back with a bit of an adult twist!

The few adult arcades we have in our area now offer a full bar. All of them also either have food trucks outside to grab some delicious food or a full kitchen with mostly bar food. The arcades around us are open to all ages during the day, but at night they are only for ages 21 and up. Which is nice, if you want to have an adult night out without children.

These arcades are usually stocked with all of the old school 1980’s games, for a highly reminiscent night of fun. But, we have found one even newer adult arcade option that also has some new spins on old favorites to make adult arcade night even more of an adventure.

#2. Romantic hike

Hiking is a great way to get out and enjoy nature, while reconnecting with your significant other. There are so many places to explore, that hiking can be an adventure all on its own. However, for a really good budget-friendly Valentine’s date you may want to spice up the romance a bit. And what better way to do that than to pack a picnic lunch or dinner with some wine to share?

Dig out a picnic basket, cutlery, plates, glasses and napkin. Then pack up a delicious tapas style feast to share somewhere along your hike. The best way to turn up the romance once you’ve gotten to this point is to disconnect from everything else and really just connect with your loved one. And the way to do this is to leave your phones in the car or turn them off, in case you need them for an unexpected emergency.

#3. check out a museum

Museums are another one of my favorite places to go for some budget-friendly fun. While not all museums are free, a lot of them are. We are lucky in that we live in the capital of our state, and therefore have a few museum options to choose from that are really good. And, all of ours just happen to be free as an added bonus.

Of course, each of the museums near us (Art, History, Science) also have paid exhibits. These are a little more special than every other exhibit they continually have on display. So, if you’d like to splurge a little bit, consider taking in one of the paid exhibits while you’re there. And a lot of museums will try to do something special for Valentine’s day, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

#4. Wine/beer tasting and pairing

The majority of us live somewhere close enough to a winery, brewery or meadery. And while not all of us will think of these as romantic options, per say, they really can be. A lot of these establishments will put on some sort of special Valentine’s date event to get more people to come in and try their offerings.

We have found quite a few near us that offer some sort of food pairing with their alcoholic options. And these dark chocolate strawberries or more savory concoctions can really add to the overall experience. Plus, it’s something a bit different than what they would normally offer.

While this option may not be quite as budget-friendly as others on the list, it can be a lot of great fun if you find the right space for you and your loved one.

#5. Movie fun

Throughout the years, movies have become more and more expensive. So, this may not be the cheapest option on the list. But, even though movies have become more expensive, they have been also upping the ante with the overall experience at the same time. Theaters have been achieving this by ripping out the old stinky fabric seats and replacing them with luxurious recliners. Some of them have small tables in group style pods also, for an even better experience.

These theaters have also revamped the snack bar to offer a much wider variety of options. On top of that, most of the theaters we have run across near us now also offer seat side service. Which means they will come and take your order at your seat (and have more of a full menu to choose from). They even offer beer and wine now too! So, check out a movie theater near you to see what great Valentine’s day movie options they may have available this year.

Budget-friendly valentine’s date ideas summary

Overall, there are quite a few options you can choose from to show your loved one just how much they mean to you on this special day. But, I’m not a huge fan of spending boatloads of money to do that. So, I prefer more budget-friendly Valentine’s date ideas as my go-to choices. When I’m wanting to have a bit more fun, I typically go the arcade or museum route. If I’m feeling a bit more romantic, I’ll probably opt for a romantic hike. And if I’m feeling like I’d prefer to be around more people and am okay with spending a bit more money, I’ll go for a beer or wine tasting or a movie.

But no matter which option you choose, you’re bound to have a wonderful time with your loved one on this Valentine’s day!

What are some of the best ways budget-friendly options you’ve found to celebrate Valentine’s day with your loved one?

January 13, 2023

Where Can You Find a Great Deal on Great Furniture?

No matter how you slice it, at some point we’ll be in the market for great furniture. And since I don’t like superfluous cash on products that just don’t hold up as well as they used to, I’ve learned to find a good deal. Searching for a great deal on great furniture is no different than anything else I’m hunting for to save some cash on. So, I’ve found some pretty good tricks to finding some great furniture deals that leave both my budget and my family happy.

CONSIGNMENT SALES

One of the first places I begin the search for great furniture is at local consignment sales. While a lot of the consignment sales are geared more towards children, that doesn’t mean they don’t carry furniture also.

While it may be a bit a more difficult to find an entire dining or living room set with this option, there are still plenty of viable options. Some of the great furniture deals I’ve found include:

Cabinets
Desk Chairs
Dressers
Dining Room Chairs
Living Room Chairs
Nightstands
Shelving Units
Side Tables
Twin or Double Bed Frames

So if any of these items happen to be on your list, then you should definitely check out a local consignment sale and see how lucky you get.

THRIFT STORES

Thrift store shopping ranks right up there with consignment store shopping for me. It’s similar in that you’ll have to sift through all sorts of items that may not be anything close to what you are looking for. But you may just get lucky and hit the jackpot if you’re willing to dig.

I have personally donated a lot of furniture items to thrift stores to save money on taxes. And the majority of them were still in great shape. They just didn’t fit our space or lifestyle anymore for one reason or another.

Some of my favorite places to either donate, or scour for deals, are:

While I love all of these places, some have better stuff donated to them than others. I have found that shopping at the thrift stores in the more affluent parts of town has a tendency to reap better rewards than shopping at the other locations. So keep location in mind when you begin your great furniture search.

FURNITURE OUTLETS

The largest furniture market in the world is called High Point Furniture Market. It takes place every April and October in High Point, NC. This market is the furniture version of fashion week in Paris, where all of the new styles and colors for the season are premiered.

But, you can’t purchase anything at Market unless you are a designer or retailer, which doesn’t help most people. Luckily, once Market is over, almost all of the floor samples are sent to different furniture stores for sale at a deep discount. One such store that we have here locally is Heavner Furniture Market. They purchase a lot of the floor samples, along with factory closeouts and special purchases directly from the manufacturer.

Another other option is to find one of the factory clearance stores for a specific store, such as Rooms to Go Outlet. These pieces will usually have some slight blemishes or be older models. But if either of those aren’t that important to you, then this may be another great option!

ONLINE

Another great resource to find great furniture is, of course, online. Sometimes I search online first just to get a better idea of what type of piece I’d ideally like in the space. Sometimes, I get lucky and find what I am looking for online before I ever have to set foot in a store. When that is the case, it is usually via one of these websites:

Wayfair
Facebook Marketplace
Hayneedle
Amazon (if you have Prime, then you get FREE shipping!)
Craigslist

Some of these sites will be more expensive than others, and some won’t have as much of a selection. So you may find yourself hindered in one aspect or another online just as well as in person.

freebies

Of course, there is nothing better than free! While not every piece of free furniture will be a great option, it’s still worth it to take a look. If it looks like something that would actually work for you, that is. One of the best ways I’ve found to get free furniture is from friends and family. It’s actually the same thing I try to do before I donate furniture.

Throughout the years, some of the pieces of great furniture I’ve received for FREE, are:

Bunk Beds
Charcoal Grills
Coffee Table
Couches (x 3)
Dining Table
Double Bed
Loft Bed
Loveseat (x2)
Patio Furniture Sets
Side Table

great FURNITURE DEALS summary

Overall, there are a ton of different ways and places to find great deals on great furniture. Of course, my favorite is always to start with the FREE options, as long as they work for what I need. Next, I begin to go down the list of options and see where I end up. The way you go about this will ultimately depend on your needs, style and desires, as well as your budget. Not all options will fit everyone, so find what works best for you. After all there is something to be said for thinking outside the furniture box.

What are some of the best ways you’ve found to get a great deal on great furniture?

December 15, 2022

Why the End of the Year is a Fantastic Time to Save on a New Appliance

With the end of the year nearly upon us, it’s time to start taking advantage of some year end sales. Which means it may be a great time to save on a new appliance or two. If you really need them, of course. Since appliances can be pretty pricey, no matter when you buy them, it’s nice to be able to keep some money in your pocket. There are a few different things to think about prior to running out and taking advantage of a end of the year appliance sale though. So, before you pull the trigger, there are a few things to think about first.

appliance Longevity

Since everything is made cheaper and cheaper with the passing of time, that equates to a shorter overall lifespan and higher costs of our appliances. Which is ridiculous, if you ask me. But all of these companies would be out of business if they made appliances to last as long as they used to. And due to this mentality, it means we end up shelling out a lot more money than we used to for home appliances.

In fact, the average life expectancy of most major household appliances are as follows:

Dishwasher: 9 years
Dryer: 13 years
Electric Range: 13 – 15 years
Freezer: 10 – 20 years
Garbage Disposal: 12 years (On a side note, I disagree with this one since our brand new garbage disposal died after 3 years, which was 2 years after the warranty expired. When I called the company to discuss this issue, they told me they only guarantee them for 1 year now because of reduced life expectancy.)
Gas Range: 15 – 17 years
Microwave: 9 years
Refrigerator: 9 – 13 years
Washing Machine: 5 – 15 years

Obviously, this range is pretty wide and will vary. But, this is a good jumping off point for planning accordingly.

new appliance PLANning

When it comes to a plan, the best way to begin is by taking an appliance inventory. I like spreadsheets for everything, so this is a good time to play with Excel. Create a spreadsheet with the following appliance information:

Appliance purchase date
Make and Model of current appliance
Make and Model of the potential replacement
How many years of life each appliance has left based on average life expectancy
Multiply how many years of life left by 3.22%, which is the current average rate of inflation
The total amount that appliance would potentially cost you
Divide the cost by how many years each appliance has left of life expectancy
Divide by 12 to get the monthly figure you need to add into your monthly budget

Just by taking this one step in planning, you could potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars in the long run. But you can also help remove a lot of undue pressure by making sure you have enough saved for replacement appliances.

YEAR END new appliance sales

Once the life expectancy of each appliance has been narrowed down, then you know which ones you should start keeping an eye out for first. If any of the appliances on your list are getting towards the end of their life expectancy, now is a great time to start looking for end of the year sales.

Traditionally, most appliance manufacturers roll out new product lines in September or early October. By the time the end of the year comes around stores are practically handing out freebies. The end of the year brings some major last minute sales quotas that need to be met. But, most dealers also don’t want to keep old merchandise in stock because they need to make room for the new lines. Which means that if you’re willing to purchase a last year model, you will have amazing negotiating power at this time of year.

Another option if you miss the eoy boat

If you aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger yet, don’t worry. You may still get lucky in January. Since January is one of the slowest purchasing months of the year, dealers need us even more to reach quota. So, if they couldn’t get you in December, they may just be willing to throw everything they have at you now to get you to purchase a new appliance (or 5).

Keep in mind that while you may not get the exact appliance you had been budgeting for, what you can get will probably be comparable. By willing to take the so called leftovers, you could be making out like an appliance bandit. And saving yourself a lot of your previously budgeted money for something else instead.

End of the Year New APPLIANCE summary

Whether we like it or not, we are all going to have to replace appliances at some point. It’s just the nature of the beast in our current world. But it doesn’t mean that it has to cause additional stress on our wallet or our psyche when it happens.

So, take an appliance inventory and create an estimated life expectancy. By creating an appliance replacement plan ahead of time, it’s almost an impossibility to not save money when we have to purchase a new appliance. Overall, now is one of the best times of the year to get a phenomenal deal on a new appliance. As long as you are ready for one and have the money budgeted, of course.

Have you found any great end of the year new appliance deals? If so, where and on which appliances?

November 15, 2022

How Can You Help Reduce Food Costs by Foraging

With the cost of everything rising dramatically since COVID, food costs are definitely no different. In fact, the average cost of groceries has risen exponentially since 2020. While the average increase annually over the past 20 years has been 2%, in the past year alone it has been over 11%. That’s ridiculous! So, to help counteract that huge rate of inflation a little bit, a lot of people have started to reduce food costs by foraging. And we are no different.

reduce food costs by foraging best practices

If you do decide you want to embark upon a foraging trial to help reduce food costs, there are some best practices to follow. These practices help keep you and your family safe, as well as help replenish the environment you are foraging in.

Know what you are picking before you pick anything
Don’t take more than you plan to consume before the food can go bad
Only collect foods when they are in abundance
Leave plenty of food behind for the animals and to regenerate
Don’t pick rare species, as it may be illegal
Get permission to forage on someone’s land before doing so
Don’t pick anything near highways and roads, as they are typically fairly contaminated

What to forage

Choosing what to forage will be very specific to you. What you and your family like, will have a huge impact on what you choose to forage. Another big factor will be what is available near where you live, or within driving distance. And the last big factor will be what season it is. Certain plants, berries, fruits, nuts, mushrooms, etc. can only be found during certain times of year.

For us, personally, our big focus tends to be in the fungi family. We have a lot of edible species that grow wild around us, so we take full advantage. Overall, here are some of our favorite things to go out and forage for:

Chicken of the Woods (Mushroom)
Hen of the Woods (Mushroom)
Lion’s Mane (Mushroom)
Chanterelle (Mushroom)
Shaggy Stalked Bolete
Wild Dill
Wild Green Onions
Burdock
Purslane
Dandelion
Blackberries
Blueberries
Raspberries

For us, we are lucky in that we live in the piedmont area of North Carolina that gets a lot of rain and has tons of foliage regularly. If you aren’t sure what might be available near you, there are plenty of foraging groups you can get involved with. Most of these are on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. But, one of the best sources I have found to take with me when I forage has been the Wild Remedies book. It not only gives me a wide variety of plant life to look for, but also scientific identifiers to make it easier to not choose the wrong species on accident. And, as a bonus, it gives me some delicious ways to cook what we’ve foraged.

where to forage

Once you’ve nailed down what you plan to forage for, then you just need to figure out where the best spots are. A lot of the crowdsourcing groups can help with this. We are a part of a couple of them that post where they find some of their foraging bounty and when. If you aren’t sure where to start though, there is a great website, Falling Fruit, that gives a ton of in depth information about specific species, when and where to find them. It can be a bit difficult to weed through though, so be patient. Here is another good source of information to find some more sources that may be more local to you, as well.

We typically forage at some local parks and hiking trails that aren’t too far away, as well as our own yard since we follow organic practices. One thing I want to caution you about is choosing what you are foraging wisely. A lot of less wild spots will spray herbicides and pesticides regularly, which you don’t want to ingest. And if you are foraging near a roadside, you are bound to get highly contaminated food instead of clean sources. So, the further you can get away from the beaten path, the better.

And when you are foraging, make sure you leave an ample amount of your “prey” behind so that it can feed the wild habitat it thrives in, as well as regenerate. This is especially true of the fungi and algaes. If you take all of them, instead of leaving some, you are diminishing the crop down to nothing and directly impacting the environment negatively.

reduce your food costs by foraging summary

Ultimately, foraging is a great way to reduce your food costs and increase your diet’s biodiversity. Plus, you’ll be getting outside to get some exercise and fresh air, which is also great for your health. We’ve been able to reduce how much fresh fruit, mushrooms and herbs we’ve had to buy from the store vastly. And by doing so, we’ve cut our food costs, because these things can get pretty pricey. Plus, they taste so much better when they are freshly picked. So it’s a win-win all the way around.

Have you ever tried foraging to help reduce your food costs? If so, what has been the best thing you’ve found so far?

November 10, 2022

How to Increase Your Income by Diversifying Your Skill Set

With the rate of inflation not getting any better anytime soon, one of the only ways to get ahead is to earn more. While there may be many different ways to do this, there is one way that works so much better than everything else. At least, in my opinion. In order to increase your income at a faster rate than inflation, it’s important to learn how to diversify your skill set.

WHY Should you DIVERSIFY?

First and foremost, when you learn a new skill you’re already diversifying. You do this by going outside of your comfort zone, and by doing so you become much more effective at problem-solving.

Therefore, diversifying is what can help increase your income fairly fast. And at the same time it also helps increase your problem-solving skills. These two happen to have a direct correlation to each other, coincidentally.

When you learn a new skill you are increasing the thickness of the myelin sheathing in your brain. This white matter protects the large system of nerves that run through your brain, which is what sends all communications to every part of your body. By increasing the thickness, you’re increasing how fast, and accurate, messages travel in your brain. This increases your overall cognitive ability and, therefore, your problem-solving skills become that much stronger. By doing this, you increase your potential value as an employee, which then directly correlates to increasing your income.

INCREASE YOUR INCOME

If you’re already happy with your job, learning new skills is the next step forward. By doing just this one thing, you set yourself up to earn more money.

You can do this by now being able to potentially perform another possible job function. Or can perform your job at a higher level, and both of these increase your overall worth. This increases your value and therefore your worth.

Some of the best skills to look at incorporating to gain the highest rate of return are:

Accounting
Bookkeeping
Currency Exchange Trading
Customer Relations
Data Analysis
Digital Marketing
Excel
Graphic Design
HTML/CSS Coding
JavaScript
Mobile App Development
Networking
PowerPoint
Public Speaking
Python
Real Estate Investing
Social Media Management
Video Creation
Website Development
Writing

THE ALTERNATIVE

If you aren’t as happy in your current job, then another way to diversify your skill set is to take on side hustles. Whether you work a primary job or multiple side hustle types of jobs, adding in another can only help increase your income. By incorporating side hustles, you’re not only increasing your skill set but also diversifying your income stream.

By doing both of these you end up creating more overall financial security for yourself. I have found this to be extremely helpful because things change all the time. So by not putting all of our eggs in one basket, there’s a much better chance that major changes at a primary job, or the market, won’t affect our financial bottom line as much.

Some of my favorite side hustles are:

Accounting/Bookkeeping – Quickbooks is what I have been using since the 1990s, but Freshbooks is another great option.
Airbnb & Airbnb Experiences – these are great options if you have extra space or a specific talent to share.
Buying and selling electronics – some of my kids have been doing this for years and made some pretty good money.
Real Estate Investing – buy and holds, land, lending trusts, fix and flips, etc.
Rover – this can include boarding dogs, doggy daycare, dog walking, drop-in’s for dogs and/or cats.
Selling at Consignment Sales – while you might not make a ton of money doing it, it’s still a pretty great side hustle.
Surveys – such as America Consumer Opinion, Pinecone Surveys, Survey Junkie, and Swagbucks.
Uber and Uber Eats – these can be done on your own schedule, which is great for those of us with a hectic lifestyle.
Writing a book or Freelance Writing – this can even create passive income, which is a huge bonus.

Increase your income summary

By learning new skills you increase your diversity, which in turn increases your problem-solving skills. And when you increase your problem-solving skills, you have a much better chance of increasing your income because you’ve become a more valuable player at your job. Or you can use these increased problem-solving skills to embark upon some side hustles instead.

Either way, you’re only setting yourself up to be a better version of you in the future and also increase your income at the same time. This sounds like a major win-win to me!

What are some of the best ways you have found to ultimately increase your income?

September 15, 2022

4 Ways to Maximize Retirement Account Benefits

No matter what age you are, retirement is something that should be in the back of your mind. Even if you’re younger and just starting out in the workforce, or almost at the retirement finish line. What you choose to do now can greatly affect your financial future. In this vein, there are 5 fantastic ways to maximize your retirement account benefits.

#1. MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS to retirement account

If you have the means to do so, maximizing the contributions to your retirement accounts can really help boost you to a new level during retirement. Heck, this can even help you retire early, should you so desire. Here is the basic breakdown of the maximum you can contribute in 2022, according to the new IRS rules:

$20,500 for 401(k), 403 (b), Thrift Savings Plan & some 457 plans
$6,000 for IRA’s
$1,000 for catch up contributions over the age of 50
$27,000 for catch up contributions over the age of 50 if you have the government’s Thrift Savings Plan

The IRS increased some of the contribution limits going into 2022, which they have been consistently doing in past years as well. This continual increase should help a lot of Americans save more faster. But this only helps if you can contribute the full amount.

If you aren’t in a position to contribute the maximum amount currently, then you will first need to work on fine tuning your budget.

#2. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MATCHING

If you do have the benefit of working for somebody else AND they offer to match for retirement contributions, then this is something you should fully take advantage of. Every company is structured differently, and it is completely up to each company how they decide to offer matching, if they do at all. So, you’ll need to reach out to your HR personnel to find out what your company currently offers.

However, here are some of the most common ways you might run across a matching option:

$.50 on the dollar for the first 3-5% you contribute
2.7% of your pay, on average
100% match up to the first 3-5% you contribute

#3. SEP IRA

A SEP IRA is a great way to contribute to a retirement account when you are self-employed. This type of account is similar to an IRA, except that you can contribute more to it than a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA.

Currently, if you open a SEP IRA, you can contribute up to 25% of your income or $61,000, whichever one happens to be less. Not only that but you won’t be taxed on anything until you begin withdrawing funds in retirement. So this can be a really great way to maximize the benefits of retirement and save more along the way.

#4. WHERE YOU LIVE

When you’ve finally decided it’s time to retire, choose where you live wisely. Even if you don’t think it matters, it really does. The biggest determining factor here are that 37 states that do NOT tax social security income. Yes, you heard me correctly!

This means that if you want more bang for your buck when you retire then you should seriously consider where you live.

Don’t just look at which states are social security income friendly though. You will want to take a look at the property taxes, state and local taxes and taxes on other retirement income. These aspects are crucial to the overall equation in order to maximize your benefits in retirement.

maximize retirement account benefits summary

Overall, there are a few fantastic ways to maximize your retirement account benefits, no matter what your company offers. You may choose to maximize your contributions which will directly impact your company’s matching. Or, if you’re self employed, you may open a SEP IRA and put in as much as you’re legally allowed each year. No matter which of those two options you choose, where you live now and in the future does matter. This is something to keep in mind in order to keep more of your hard earned money and hopefully be able to enjoy retirement to the fullest.

What are some of the best ways you’ve found to maximize your retirement account benefits?

August 15, 2022

21 Awesome Ways Children Can Earn Money

Making money as a child was a lot trickier for people in my generation than it is for kids today. But, because of the strides people in my generation made, it is so much easier for kids today. And because of these strides in evolution, children can earn money with much less effort today.

Along with my children being able to make money at a much younger age, I also want my children to be more financially savvy with their money. These two things go hand in hand when it comes to how I teach them about work and finances. Therefore, I have introduced them to as many different ways to earn money at a young age as possible. This helps them diversify, but also see the things they really like to do to earn money.

children can earn money in-person and online

Earning money in person isn’t quite what it was when I was a kid, but there are still plenty of opportunities. But, that’s not they only way for them to earn money these days. There are also a ton of ways for them to earn money online, which might end up being an even better fit for your individual child. However, not all of these suggestions will be appropriate for all ages.

Babysit – Babysitting is something I started doing at the age of 12. And parents are always in need of good babysitters. If you have any friends or family that could use your child as a babysitter, just to try it out, this is a great way to start.
Create a yard sale – Have your kids help you go through their old clothes, shoes, and toys. Then, have them set up a yard sale and run it, while you oversee. They can keep whatever money they make.
Employ your kids – If you are self-employed and have any tasks your children can help you with, then you can pay them to do so. My younger kids help with things like shredding mail and picking up dog poop. Anything that’s business related counts.
Organize people’s stuff – If any of your kids have an eye for organizing, then this may be a viable money earning opportunity for them. This is another one you’d have to oversee, of course.
Peer product flipper – One of my kids likes to flip candy, shoes and trading cards at school. This is a really good way that children can earn money if your child has a good eye for a deal.
Selling t-shirts – Designing and selling t-shirts all in one fail swoop is extremely simple to do today. Some of my kids love to create designs, so this is a good way for them to make some money on their hobby. A few good websites to check out that cater to this market are: CafePress, Shopify, Teespring and Zazzle.
Walk dogs – Walking dogs is something that most kids love doing, and most adults could probably do more of. So this activity could be a threefold option to spend more time together, get some exercise and earn money at the same time.
Wash cars – All of us need our cars washed, probably more often than not. Not only can you pay them to wash your car, but they can help with your friends, family and neighbors also, if they are willing.
Water plants – Helping your child find families that are vacationing, work long hours, or are elderly that need help taking care of their plants is another great option.
Yard work – Yard work is something that a lot of families would love help with. This option is another one that gives them some good exercise while earning money.
App tester – There are quite a few places your child can begin earning money playing with app. Two of the best places to get started are TesterWork and UberTesters.
Create games – Similar to being an app tester, your child could get paid to create games. If this sounds like something your child might like, then it may be time to investigate creating their own game and monetize it.
Create illustrations – If your child likes to create illustrations, then this is a fantastic option for them. All they need is a decent illustrating tablet and intuitive software (Clip Studio Paint Pro is a good one). A great website to have them set up a portfolio on is Deviantart.
Make crafts or jewelry – If your child loves to create jewelry and crafts, then selling them online may be a great way for them to make money as a kid. The most popular website for things of this nature currently is Etsy.
Making music. If your child has a musical ear, then this may just be the money-making genre for them. One of the best places to get started is Soundtrap.
Make YouTube videos. Kids can be product testers and make videos of them testing out products from different companies. Even if your kid just wants to make videos talking about particular subjects (video games, how-to-videos, etc.), they can place ads in their videos to start generating income. As a parent, however, you should be closely monitoring them.
Selling digital goods. Creating an eBook or a course is a great way to begin selling digital goods with very little overhead.
Sell their old stuff online. There are many different platforms for your kids to sell their old stuff online. Some of our favorites are Amazon, Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark.
Start taking photographs. Taking photographs can be a great way to put your child’s hobby to good use. Some of the best sites they can check out are: EyeEm, Foap, Pexels and Scoopshot.
Streaming. If your child is already big into watching streamed live content, then it may be time for them to start creating their own. Live streaming through Twitch is a great way to get them started.
Take online surveys – Since the kids are on their devices more often than not, they might as well be making some money and have fun at the same time. Some good online survey sites to check out are: MyPoints and Swagbucks.

how children can earn money summary

Overall, there are so many different ways children can earn money these days that it could make ones head spin. I personally prefer for our kids to try all of the in-person options first because it gives them more social skills also. Which is a huge bonus. But, going through the list of all the money earning opportunities have helped us as parents see where our kids interests and skills lie. Which has ultimately helped us learn more about what they might really thrive at as adults in the work world. And this knowledge will only help them more financially in the future also. Even bigger bonus!

What are some of the best ways you have found that your children can earn money on their own?

July 15, 2022

4 Ways to Create a Budget Without a Fight

I don’t know about you, but we are always trying to do better with our finances. One of the best ways we’ve found to do this is by creating a budget together. And having a weekly budget meeting where we discuss every aspect of our budget helps keep us on track and speaking the same financial language. Just these few things have really helped us in our financial journey towards getting out of debt and, hopefully, retiring early.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that we always see eye to eye on everything in our budget. Therefore, here are 4 ways to create a budget without a fight.

#1. DETERMINing YOUR WHY

Determining the main underlying reason why you both want to create a budget is extremely important. While you and your spouse may not be on the same page regarding every aspect of finances, discussing your main reason WHY can really help get you more in sync. Ultimately, if you don’t have a strong reason to create a budget in the first place, then there really isn’t any point in doing so. And it may just cause undue stress on your relationship instead.

When it comes to most common reasons why couples choose to begin a budget, here they are:

Debt pay off
Build an emergency fund
Save to retire early
Fund travel
Home improvements
Purchase a house
Grow a family

While you and your spouse’s WHY may not fit into these categories, it really doesn’t matter what it is. As long as you both have on and discuss it in depth. You and your partner’s WHY will become your driving force to not only create a budget, but stick to it.

#2. CREATe THE VISION

Once you have determined both of your WHY‘s, then it’s time to discuss the best action plan to get to each of your goals. This can be both together, as a couple, and also separately. After all, you can’t do everything together all the time!

At this point, some great questions to pose are:

What is the ideal timeline for both of your goals to be reached?
How much do you both ideally want to save each month?
How much can you actually save a month with your current income?
Where are areas that you feel you both can cut back on?
What areas does your partner think you can both cut back on?

These questions are great jumping off points to create your budget because they are setting the foundation for all future budgetary discussions and goals.

#3. BUDGET CATEGORIES

The next step in this process is setting up the budget categories. Categories really help you see, on a monthly basis, what you are ACTUALLY spending on things, as opposed to what you THINK you are spending. Most of the time, what we think we are spending on things ends up being completely different than what we are actually spending. Therefore, this is a very important piece to any budget.

The categories I suggest to start with are:

Income
Recurring Expenses
Automobiles/Transportation
Food/Drinks
Household
Travel
Clothing
Gifts
Luxury
Savings
Investments
Misc.

These are the basic categories that we use, personally. However, if you want to break them down further to really dig into what you are spending on every little thing, then I highly suggest that also.

#4. BUDGET COMPROMISE

Once the budget categories are set up, then it’s time to determine how much of your income goes into which category. This can actually be the most difficult part of the whole process because it’s the most in depth. And due to this, it can create the most friction among couples. So going into it with an open mind and patience is really key to making your household budget a success.

The first year you do this can be the most difficult because you don’t have as much past data to pull from. While part of it is a guessing game, most of the big categories can be fairly easy to determine. These categories usually include:

Income
Recurring Expenses
Automobiles/Transportation

Once you have these categories figured out, you’ll need to take what’s left of your income and and divvy it up among the remaining categories. This can be much easier said than done though!

You and your partner should discuss how each of you thinks the remaining dollars should be appropriated. And this is where disagreements can come into play. So talk through each category calmly and in as much depth as possible to come to the best budgetary compromise on spending.

Create a BUDGET without a fight summary

My partner and I may not be on the same page with everything all the time (and who is, really?). However, we both respect each other’s point of view. We also both want to be financially independent by the time our youngest leaves the house, so we have a major goal.

Therefore, we talk weekly about our budget and change things accordingly when we feel like we are off track, if things change, or if one of us voices a concern. Sometimes, we decide that we want to pivot and reallocate our funds to one category more than another. This works well for us because we communicate well with each other. And we’re always careful to be respectful of each other’s opinions about where we would like to see the budget going.

Ultimately, good clear communication is the most important part when trying to create a budget without a fight.

What are some of the best ways you have found to create a budget without a fight with your partner?

June 15, 2022

5 Ways to Save Money on Gas

While it’s been a great relief to finally be on the tail end of the COVID pandemic, the cost of everything seems to have increased exponentially. And the price of gas at the pump is no exception. How much gas has jumped here is astronomical and fairly ridiculous. But, where we live, you simply have to have a car to get around because our public transportation is spotty, at best. Due to that, I’ve found some of the best ways to save money on gas to stretch my dollar further.

#1. TIME OF DAY

The most important tip, in my opinion, is to be very aware of when during the day you fill-up.

Filling up when it’s cooler outside ultimately costs you less money overall. This is due to the fact that there is less evaporation of gasoline fumes while fueling, so less loss. Therefore, shoot to fuel up in the morning or later at night, whenever possible.

Also, filling up early morning (and I mean EARLY) or late evening can sometimes net you lower fuel prices. Gas station prices can fluctuate during the day when refueling trucks show up. So if you go during off-hours, and when it’s cooler, you are more likely to get lower gas prices per gallon and retain more of the fuel you’re paying for.

As another caveat, do your best not to get gas from a gas station if a refueling truck is there. When the refueling trucks pump new gasoline into the tanks they disturb the sediment at the bottom of the tank. This is “gunk” that you don’t want in your tank because it reduces your gas mileage.

#2. LOCATION

Just like everything else in life, not all things are created equally. And gas stations are no exception to this rule. Gas prices can vary widely depending on which part of town you’re in at the time. For example, gas on the south and southeast parts of town are much much cheaper than the north side of town where I live. Sometimes they can fluctuate up to a $1.00 a gallon in difference. Which is absolutely crazy!

Therefore, get to know your home base better. Learn where better gas prices usually are. Once you do that, it makes it easier to save on gas if you hit those stations regularly. However, it may include some planning on your part, depending upon where you live.

#3. ROUTE planning

With regards to planning routes, this can be another important part of the puzzle. Planning where you need to go for the day, and maximizing your time and gas money is important.

Map out the routes in your head, or on your map app on your phone, and figure out the best time of day and route to get it all done at once. This way you won’t have to waste time, gas, and wear and tear on your vehicle going back and forth between home and these different places.

By planning your route out to spend the least amount of time, and miles, on the road, the further your gas will go and the less money you’ll ultimately be spending.

#4. APPS

Another great way to save on gas is with apps. There are two that I have been using for a while now. One much longer than the other, but both have helped me out a ton.

GET UPSIDE

The Get Upside app is one of my favorite gas apps. This app is expanding to offer more deals than just gas, which is awesome. However, how they operate is by giving rebates on gas, groceries, and restaurants.

As soon as you pull up the app, it pulls up a map of where you are and all of the participating stores on the map in relation to you. These are stores that they have an agreement with. Basically, it’s marketing for the stores to get you to shop with them versus their competitors. When you filter out all of the other stores and just look for gas stations, the prices you see will be the price of gas at each station after the rebate, not before. So this is a good thing to keep in mind.

All of the money saved goes into your Get Upside account until you cash it out. You can cash out at any time, but I usually wait until I have at least $20 in rewards. The way you can get the money out is either by PayPal or by choosing one of their many digital gift card options. I typically choose Amazon so that I can just use it for any of our many Amazon purchases.

GAS BUDDY

This is my second favorite gas app, which I’ve been using this one for years now. Since I found Get Upside, I haven’t been using it as often, I must confess. But, it still helps me out when I’m out of my home area a lot, so I keep it in my back pocket.

Gas Buddy is a free app, that works by tracking location and shows the best gas prices in the vicinity. You can search by city, zip code or by hitting the “Find Gas Near Me” button in the middle of the home page. This pulls up a map of where you are and shows you all of the gas stations nearby, with their prices listed.

You can also report gas prices when you are at a gas station. This is to confirm that the prices they are showing are correct. When you do this, you will get “points” that you can use to enter their daily drawing for a $100 gas gift card. While I haven’t won one of the gift cards yet, it doesn’t hurt to keep trying!

#5. REWARDS CARDS

Most of the gas companies also have rewards cards with perks for using them. I currently have a BP Rewards card and an Exxon/Mobile Rewards card.

The easiest ways to get these is by grabbing one of the applications at a station when you are there or by downloading their app. These are not credit cards, but are solely rewards cards. Depending upon the card, and how often you have used it, the rewards can vary. I have been able to get anywhere from $.02 to $.13 off of each gallon of gas, per purchase. And these can be partnered with either of the aforementioned gas apps to help you save even more money. Which is an awesome bonus!

Save money on gas summary

Overall, even though gas is crazy expensive right now, there are ways to save money and stretch your dollar. By being cognizant of the time of day you refuel, location, route planning, using apps, and partnering with rewards cards you can really help maximize your gas mileage and reduce costs. And by doing so, enjoy your summer travel just a little bit more.

What are some of the best ways you’ve found to save money on gas this year?