Tag: Frugal Finance Management

December 15, 2023

5 Awesome Ways to Frugally Ring in the New Year

With the end of the year upon us, we have time to enjoy one more party together. And New Year’s Eve can be a lot of fun! However, it can also cost a bit more than you’d think if you aren’t careful. Therefore, I’ve found 5 awesome ways to frugally ring in the New Year that are also a blast!

#1 STATE MUSEUMS

Most people don’t even think about state run museums, or private ones for that matter, when it comes to how to ring in the New Year. However, in our city, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the NC Museum of History have their own celebrations during the day on New Year’s Eve. These museums have crafts and events all throughout the day for families to participate in, for NO COST.

They also vendors outside the museums that are either performing dances or music. Some of these vendors are specifically geared towards families by setting up arts and craft tables outside to partake in. This has been a huge boon to my family as it has something for all of us to enjoy while celebrating together. So, if you haven’t checked out these options around your town or city, I highly recommend it!

#2 FAMILY CELEBRATIONS

Even if you haven’t been able to find cool free New Year’s Eve events at museums in your area, most downtowns have a celebration at night. Our city is no different and it’s also completely FREE to enjoy. Most of it, at least. There are vendors set up with food and drinks, crafts, and some games and rides. While a lot of these do charge, you are welcome to walk around with your own food and drinks, which helps make this event even more frugal. My favorite part of the event is when they ring in the New Year early by dropping the acorn (our version of the glittery ball), so we can all get home before the kids fall asleep.

Once they finish the kids/families version of the New Year’s Eve party, they reset it for the adults. This is when most families leave and you can find more adult centered activities, including live bands and alcohol. We simply love this idea because we don’t have to do much on our end, other than show up.

#3 HOUSE PARTY

Another way we’ve rung in the New Year is via a house party. Some friends have created a New Year’s Eve sleepover party for close friends and their kids. I thought this was a great idea because it was fun for kids and adults. There were video games and party games for the kids to play, as well as some kid friendly foods and snacks. While the kids partook in those activities and foods, the adults got to chat and catch up over some themed adult beverages and more palate teasing foods.

The hosts provided sparklers, hats, and noisemakers for the kids. Which we all loved because it meant that we all got to have fun as a family. Plus, we got the bonus of showing off our cool holiday pajamas and spending the night together. This idea is a blast, if you have the room and desire to host it.

#4 RING IN THE NEW YEAR POTLUCK PARTY

Along a similar vein, one of my favorite New Year’s has been spent with friends at their house. Similar to the family house party, but adults only. And to make it more cost effective, everybody signed up to bring a dish and and adult beverage of some sort.

One of my favorite things about potluck parties is that you just never know what people are going to bring. Which means, we usually get introduced to some new foods and drinks to try. I love trying new things, so this was a huge bonus for me!

As an added bonus, at his particular party, each couple/single had to bring one of their favorite board games. This was a really cool addition because board games tell you a lot about a person and their likes. Just when you think you know somebody, you get to learn even more about them, while having a party at the same time. Huge bonus!

#5 ALL-INCLUSIVE PARTY

For the slightly less frugal option to ring in the New Year right, there are quite a few options that still won’t break the bank. There are quite a few places that have started offering all-inclusive ring in the New Year parties. These are awesome choices to consider since the entrance ticket usually includes:

food
non-alcoholic beverages
alcoholic beverages (some have a limit on how many and some are unlimited)
live music
dancing
coat check
champagne toast at midnight

Not only are these events indoors, where it is warm, but there are bathrooms at your disposal. For me, personally, that’s a huge plus. And I don’t have to worry about spending any more money after I’ve purchased my all-inclusive entrance ticket. Therefore, it might be worth it to look around your city to see who might be offering this option on New Year’s Eve.

frugally ring in the new year summary

Whether you have kids or not, there are a few really good options to frugally ring in the New Year right. Some of my favorite finds for families include:

State Museums
Family Celebrations
House Party

If you’re a single or a couple, or have a babysitter for the night, then these 2 options are good considerations:

Potluck Party
All-Inclusive Adult Party

Either way, as long as you’re with family and/or friends to ring in the New Year, and haven’t killed your wallet in the process, then you’re doing it right. So here’s to ringing in the New Year right without breaking the bank!

What are some of the best ways you have found to ring in the New Year without breaking the bank?

September 15, 2023

3 Easy Ways to Teach Kids About Money

As a parent, one of our big jobs is to teach kids about money. Whether we like it or not, at some point our kids will be out on their own in the world. And the last thing I want is for them to have to move back in years later because they couldn’t figure out the financial aspect of living on their own. Therefore, teaching them about money and budgeting is high up on our list of regular priorities. So, here are the 3 easiest ways we’ve found to teach kids about money, for long term retention. Hopefully!

1. BASIC money lessons

Since children’s brains process information differently than adult brains do, starting with basic money lessons is the way to go. This generally breaks down into creating information into smaller chunks. The more simplistic the concept the better, as these concepts lead to longer term retention.

One of the easiest first money lessons to teach kids is by using a simple piggy bank (doesn’t have to be a pig though!). This is due to the fact that kids are very visual learners. Just giving them something to physically see and touch begins the teaching process.

Some great ways to utilize this simple tool are:

What each coin looks like
How much each piece is worth
How many of them it takes to make $1.00

Once they have that down, a good next lesson is about sales tax. This helps kids learn just how much things actually cost, besides what just on the sticker. In order to do this, you’ll need to know the sales tax rates in your city specifically so that you can teach them how to properly calculate it.

The best way I’ve found to do this is to take my kids shopping with me. I have them pick out something they want for educational purposes only. Much to their dismay, I’m not actually planning to buy them anything for this lesson.

Teach Kids About Money EXAMPLE

If my child has $10.00 with them and sees a toy that costs $9.99, they’ll assume they have enough to buy it. This is where sales tax lessons come in.

Our sales tax here is 7.25%. Therefore, the sales tax will cost an additional $.71 on top of the $9.99, for a total cost of $10.71. Which means if they only have $10.00, they’ll still need another $.71 to afford the toy.

Even if you happen to be one of the few who doesn’t have sales tax in your area, this is still a necessary lesson to be taught.

2. SAVING money

Once kids grasp the concept of how much they actually need to purchase the things they want, saving money is up next. This can be a very difficult concept for a lot of children (and adults too!), because they want everything immediately.

I like to start with smaller savings goals, because this can help keep them on track for their larger goals. This is where the piggy bank comes in great handy. Since they can physically see how much money they’ve saved, it’s easier for them to see how far they still have to go. I typically like to have them take out all of their money once a week and count it. This not only helps them get a better grasp on what each denomination is, but also lets them see how far they’ve come.

Once this basic saving skill has been grasped, it’s time to move on to compounding. This is usually a good lesson to be taught with larger ticket items, which is all age dependent. Typically, at this point, the piggy bank isn’t the best way to save for the larger items. So, this is the time when I begin talking to the kids about moving money into a high yield savings account. The rates vary, but they will be able to save more, faster, simply due to the magic of compounding.

Compounding

Here is a great example of how compounding works with $100.00. If this is all they have to put in and the high yield savings rate is 4.35% (which is what ours is currently at), then at the end of one year they will have $104.35 in that account. This may not sound like much, but they just made an extra $4.35 without doing anything. Help them imagine how much more they could save if they add money monthly instead of just once a year!

3. make that MONEY, kids!

Now that they are more motivated to earn money, getting them to work for is up next. Getting children to do chores around the house is one good way to put kids to work so they can earn money. While this is not always my favorite way to teach them (because some kids can be so difficult sometimes), it’s a good place to start. How much you choose to pay them is entirely up to you. But I like to make the amount determinant upon how much of it they get done and how well the task was performed.

My other favorite way to have them earn money is by working for me. The perk of being a business owner is that I can outsource some things (that are age appropriate) to my kids. And most of the time, my kids prefer to do work for my business as opposed to chores. Therefore, my kids working for me helps teach them how to make some of their own money by working for someone else. Even if the someone else just happens to be their mom!

Teach kids about money summary

Overall, teaching kids about money can be as easy or as difficult as you make it. But, as a parent, it’s our job to give them the building blocks now can help ensure their long term financial literacy, and hopefully, success. To do so as efficiently and easily as possible, keep these skills in mind:

Teach them money basics its worth (Plus sales tax)
Learning how to save is crucial (Plus compounding magic)
Teach them how to earn money

Once they have these foundational lessons down, there are plenty of more complicated financial lessons on the horizon. Oh the joys of parenting sometimes!

What are some ways you have successfully taught your children about money?

August 15, 2023

4 of the Best Places to Search for School Supplies

When it comes to August, school starting is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. And ours is no different. Since the COVID pandemic hit, some things have changed regarding the beginning of the school year. But hunting for school supplies isn’t one of them. So, here are 4 of the best places to search for school supplies and not break the bank.

#1 Dollar Tree

Dollar Tree is is one of my favorite places to search for school supplies first. While everything used to be only $1, they have changed their business model recently. Now things are more along the lines of $1.25 each. Still nothing to sneeze at, but that also means some products aren’t built for long-term use. The things we’ve found to fit into that category typically include: crayons, markers, glue and tape.

Ultimately, this is a pretty good place to try first. Some of my favorite purchases from Dollar Tree include:

Calculators
Composition notebooks
Erasers
Glue sticks
Hand sanitizer
Lined paper
Plastic folders
Post-it notes
Scientific calculators
Scissors
Sanitizing wipes
Spiral notebooks
Tape
Tissues
Whiteboard erasers

#2 Drug stores

Some of the drugstores, such as CVS and Walgreens, tend to have fairly competitive sales during the back-to-school season. In order to get the really good deals, you should use your store loyalty card or app though. Typically, this will either give you extra discounts or a coupon off a future purchase.

Some of the best items I have found to get at the drugstores are:

Backpacks
Glue sticks
Highlighters
Lunchboxes
Notebooks
Pencils
Pens
Water bottles

#3 five below

Five Below is another fantastic place to check out. They are similar to Dollar Tree in that everything used to be $5 or below. But, in the past couple of years they have changed their business model. Now it is more along the lines of $10 and below. Their back to school supplies aren’t usually as vast a selection as Dollar Tree, but sometimes they are higher quality products.

One good example of this is that they carry Crayola brand crayons, instead of the off brand ones. And usually these will end up being on sale for $1 during back to school season.

Some of the best deals I’ve found here are to date are:

Backpacks
Crayons
Glue sticks
Headphones/earbuds
Lunchboxes
Markers

#4 online

Lastly, for an increasingly larger percentage of us who don’t like to run around from store to store, online shopping is the way to go. Some of the aforementioned stores will even have similar deals online and ship your purchases directly to your house! While they can sometimes add a shipping cost to do so, most of the time it’s waived. So, it might actually end up saving you more money in the long run due to less wear and tear and gas for your car. Bonus!

Some of the best places to get cheap school supplies online are:

Amazon: Pretty much any and all school supplies can be found here
Hollar.com: Character backpacks and lunchboxes, and a $1 section with a lot of school supplies
Freecycle: This site is a place for people giving away things instead of selling them, so nothing is a guarantee here
Facebook Marketplace: Similar to Freecycle, plus there are some special groups just for parents. This site can be to purchase or give things away, so a great place to check if you’re really trying to stick to a budget.
Oriental Trading Company: Not just for party supplies, they also have school supplies in bulk. Plus there is usually an Ebates rebate that you can use with this site. Extra bonus!
Discount School Supply: Pretty much everything you can think of, plus they have free 3-day shipping

These are great sites to keep in mind year-round because you never know what you are going to find. One of the best ways I’ve found to cut costs is by keeping my back-to-school supply stocked throughout the year.

School supplies summary

Overall, there are a ton of places you might be able to find great deals on school supplies. But some of my favorite go-to options just happen to be: Dollar Tree, Drug Stores and Five Below. And when I’ve exhausted those, I go straight to the online platforms to see what hidden gems I might be able to find for my kids. The options these days are fairly endless, so now’s the time to begin the search for your kids school supplies.

Where are some of the best places you’ve found great deals on back to school supplies for your kids?

June 15, 2023

Gardening to Increase Your Health and Wealth

I will be the first to admit that gardening was never something I figured that I would do. However, as we have ventured further down the path towards financial independence, gardening is one of those things that helps. Embarking upon our gardening journey with growing food has helped to increaser both our health and our wealth. So, here are some of the great tips we’ve learned so far to help us be more successful on our gardening journey.

Gardening for Health

Growing your own food can help you save money on groceries, if you do it right. But, gardening can take some really hard work in the beginning to finally get to the place of balance. Therefore, you’ll have to put in some sweat equity regularly, and be prepared to make mistakes. After all, the best way to learn anything is through the mistakes we make along the way!

No matter what your space is, there is a way to work a garden out. Some of the most common options are:

a large space to garden – you can plant many different crops in rows, raised beds, stackable planters, or any combination
a small patio or deck – hanging baskets, stacking planters, railing planters are the best options

Even though we have a large back yard, we have found that planting a lot of our crops in planter boxes works better for us. It helps reduce the number of weeds and pests, and it’s easier to keep all of the dogs out of our food.

gardening for wealth

According to the most recent report by the National Gardening Association (NGA), the number of households that participate in gardening has only continued to increase every year. I’m pretty confident that this is due to multiple reasons:

COVID affected how people could get fresh food, so personal gardens gained popularity
quality of fresh produce has declined throughout the years
grocery prices have increased
people have started taking more control over their health and wealth and food is a big part of that

On top of increasing individual health, the amount that a household can save on groceries can also increase. For the most part, having your own home garden can save you between $500 – $1000 per year. However, this can be based on:

where you live
your family size
how many different crops you grow
what kind of seeds and starters you choose to use

As an example, we are a family of 7, and were able to save a little over $600 the first year we started our food garden. And we only started out with a very small amount of crops, because of time and knowledge constraints. Seeing as we have expanded our garden this year, we are pretty excited to see how much more we can save this year.

choosing seeds

Besides losing crops due to inexperience, choosing seeds can be the next more expensive part of at home gardening. Especially, if you are like us and only use organic seeds.

The reason we choose organic seeds only is due to the fact that we want all of the crops we grow to be organic from beginning to end. Organic seeds and growing everything organically, creates a better end result that is more nutrient dense. And we don’t run the risk of potentially toxic chemicals in our food or soil. Both of these are things extremely important to us, so we’re willing to pay more for it.. But, different strokes for different strokes, and this may not be where you land, which is perfectly fine.

Either way, the cost of the seeds you buy will all depend on whether they are:

organic
heirloom
perennials (they come back every year without you having to replant)
annuals(you will only get one crop out of them and will have to replant every year)

We prefer to plant perennial crops because I am not a huge fan of having to do the same work over and over again. It is hard enough work to keep the beds weeded and the pests away. Due to this, we are working on creating a more permaculture type of garden this year, which will naturally keep the pests away. But, we’ll just have to see how that goes!

Gardening for health and wealth summary

Overall, gardening can be a great way to increase both your health and your wealth. However, the costs of starting your garden can vary widely, depending on:

where you live (cost of living)
how big your family is
how much room you have for a garden
seed costs
learning curve

When you first begin this journey, it will probably be overwhelming. As with everything life though, it gets easier with time and knowledge. Plus, it is so rewarding to be able to go outside and pick your own fresh fruits and veggies and not have to pay anything for it. There is almost nothing better, in my opinion, than being able to create meals right from my own backyard. And we are definitely healthier, and wealthier for it!

What are some of the greatest benefits you’ve had from starting your own food garden?

May 12, 2023

Fantastic Budget Friendly Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

As we start to come out of the colder winter months and really embrace springtime, there are a lot of great things to look forward to. And Mother’s Day happens to be one of the best things occurring in this season of fun. With it almost upon us now, it’s time to really think about how to get a fantastic budget friendly Mother’s Day gift for your mom.

mother’s day artwork

One of my favorite gifts that my kids give me just happens to be their artwork. While not all of my kids are going to be world renowned artists, they all bring something unique to the table. And a few of them are actually really darn good at the artwork they create for me.

One of my kids is a fantastic potter and has given me many of his one of a kind pieces for Mother’s Day. In the past, I’ve gotten a coffee mug, a plate and some smaller bowls that I use regularly. I’m hoping for another one of his masterpieces this year, if I’m lucky. And these aren’t too expensive either since he makes them in some of the classes offered by our local Parks and Rec programs. And he’s also taken pottery in school before, so those pieces cost even less since he was in public school.

One of my other kids is a fantastic painter and another one one draws like I could never even imagine. So, in the past I’ve received many really cool paintings and hand drawn pieces from them. I have quite a few hanging in different places around my house and office. Last year, one of them even drew a picture of their interpretation of me, which was pretty awesome when it was complete.

For these lovely pieces of artwork, I end up paying for some of the supplies, sometimes. In most cases though, they already have the supplies since they ask for art supplies for birthdays and Christmases.

Mother’s day feast

Another budget friendly Mother’s Day gift that I really love happens to be when the kids make me food of some sort. Sometimes this takes the form of breakfast or brunch, and other times it’s craft coffee and pastries, or sometimes dinner. No matter which one it happens to be, I’m always interested to see what Mother’s Day food concoctions they come up with for me.

Sometimes, what they come up with is really very tasty. Other times it’s a bit suspect, but I’m willing to give it a try. After all, they did put a lot of work and thought into whatever they’ve made me. And it’s all been made with love, so I owe them to give it a shot.

If you’re willing to be a bit adventurous, having your kids make you some sort of food or beverage concoction for Mother’s Day can be a real treat. They get a thrill out of showing off their skills, or sometimes lack thereof. And having them make an effort for me is just as much of a gift as something they’ve bought from the store that I’ll never use.

Mother’s day utilitarian gifts

I realize that not every mother wants the same things for Mother’s Day. That being said, I fall into the more utilitarian camp, as I despise extraneous stuff. Anyone who knows me for 5 minutes can figure that out, and my kids are no different. So, throughout the years, they’ve learned that if they want to get me an actual paid for gift, it better be something that I can use for something.

Some of my favorite past budget friendly Mother’s Day gifts they’ve gotten me include:

Giant coffee mugs (I like the ones that are not only unique but are also the size of a soup tureen)
Fuzzy socks with the grippers on the bottom (so I stop slipping down the stairs and trying to break my neck)
Really cool mousepad with artwork on it
Cell phone stand
Foam coasters with their artwork on top
Travel coffee mugs (because I keep dropping mine and denting them all to heck)

The list could probably go on. But these are some great examples of some good budget friendly Mother’s Day gift options.

budget friendly mother’s day gift summary

Overall, there can be a ton of great ways to celebrate mom on Mother’s Day. And since it’s almost here, it’s time to really figure it out. Some of my favorite go-to’s for budget friendly Mother’s Day gifts are pretty simple and meaningful. Artwork from my kids shows me just how much they think about me. Mother’s Day food options are always fun for me because they are full of surprises. And utilitarian Mother’s Day gifts are also always welcome. I can use them for something, as opposed to them just sitting somewhere gathering dust.

No matter what you choose to do for your Mother, I’m sure she’ll love it. When it comes from the heart and you’ve really put some thought into it, that’s all that matters.

What are some of the best budget-friendly Mother’s Day gifts you’ve either gotten or given?

April 14, 2023

4 Ways to Stay Frugal with Money

In the fast paced life of today’s world, we have pretty much everything at our fingertips. While that is fantastic in so many ways, it can also be really financially problematic. This land of instant gratification can make it so easy for our money to slip right out of our hands. And when that happens, all of our hard work to become financially fit goes out the window with it. So, here are 4 great ways to help you stay frugal with your money. Even when Amazon Prime day is lurking around the corner!

#1 Pay off credit card monthly

Even if you prefer to pay cash whenever possible, using a credit card is just much easier to get things in life done these days. In fact, approximately 80% of us prefer a credit card over cash for transactions, and most retailers prefer this method of payment as well. But, paying with a credit card for the majority of your purchases can also make it extremely easy to rack up credit card debt.

The best way to avoid this is to make sure you pay off your credit card(s) in full every month. When you do this, you avoid any interest charges from accruing. Plus you will still get to take advantage of the credit card rewards, which makes it more like free money.

I suggest checking your balance weekly so that you know exactly where you’re at with your spending. We do this every Sunday when we have our budget meetings and it helps us stay frugal.

#2 Open a high yield savings account

No matter what your debt-to-income ratio is, there is always room to save something. It could be as little as $20 a month, but that will add up over time. We’ve found the best way to bulk up our savings is to switch to a high yield savings account.

A regular savings account at the bigger banks are typically giving out minimal interest on your money. Not even enough to keep up with inflation. But, the high yield savings account with MySavingsDirect that we use is currently giving us 4.35% interest on our money. While that may not seem like a ton, even this little bit helps us to stay frugal by saving a little bit more each month.

Every week when we have our budget meeting we discuss how much we can put in there. But for those who get a regular paycheck, putting a specific minimum amount in each month can really help boost your savings faster.

#3 stay frugal by determining Needs vs wants

Setting up your financial goals and a good budget are good first steps. But staying on track can certainly be difficult when life happens, or a really good sale on something you’ve been eying. This is the time for you to dig deep into needs vs. wants.

Determining if the item/service is a need or a want can help you be more disciplined about your money and stay frugal. Before you pull the trigger on anything, it’s good to think long and hard about any purchases.

If it is a need, then go ahead and do it. But if the item is actually something you want instead, it’s usually best to hold off. If you still want the thing after you’ve really thought about it for some time, and it’s within your budget, then go for it.

But just remember that every “want” you purchase can derail you even a little bit from overall financial freedom. So, it better be something really good!

#4 avoid peer pressure

In the game of financial freedom, you aren’t even necessarily your own worst enemy. Friends and family can play havoc with your own personal finances if you let them.

We all want to have a good time with our friends and family, but it doesn’t have to kill you financially to do so. This is the part where you should budget for some fun and entertainment in your monthly budget. Once you decide how much that monthly allowance is, don’t go over it. Having this in place ahead of time will help you feel more freedom to relax and have a good time, while still staying frugal.

stay frugal summary

Overall, there are plenty of great ways to help you stay frugal if it’s really that important to you. And I think, for most of us, that’s the case. But we also don’t want to live life only to reach certain financial goals. We have to enjoy living life at the same time. Everything in life is about balance, and frugal finance management is no different. So, to help keep yourself on track, you should:

Pay off your credit card monthly
Consider opening a high yield savings account
Determine your needs vs. wants
Avoid peer pressure like the plague

When you can do all of these things regularly, the balance you seek between enjoying life and creating wealth should be much easier to come by.

What are some of your best tips and tricks to stay frugal?

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?

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?

May 13, 2022

7 Ways to Help Your Teen Build Credit

When it comes to having teenagers, there are a lot of things we as parents need to teach them. And nowhere is this more important than when it comes to to their financial education. Teaching our teens about money, finances, credit scores, etc. is extremely important to do before they leave the nest. There are many different ways we can go about this, of course. But, one of the most important things I feel that we can teach our teens is what a credit score is and how it impacts every aspect of their future financial lives. Therefore, before they leave the nest to fly on their own, helping a teen build credit is high up on my list of important lessons.

1. Get a job

One of the first things I told my teens when they turned 16 was that getting a job would be a good first step into the adult world. Not only does this give them some idea of what to expect in the work world, but it also gives them a first taste of managing their own finances usually. As a bonus, getting a job helps a teen begin to build their own credit.

2. open a checking account

Once your teen has a job, opening a checking account for them is the next best step to help them build credit. Most banks won’t let a child open a checking account on their own, so you’ll need to be a co-signer on the account until they are 18. This is also helpful when it comes to monitoring their spending, as it gives you a way to see everything that’s happening with their money. And it gives you good talking points to discuss with them about budgeting, when they get off track. Which my teens have done more times than I’d like to admit!

3. open a savings account

Whether your teen has a job and/or checking account, they can still get a savings account. We started savings accounts for our kids when they were much younger, just to put money into for them that relatives gave them for holidays. Having a savings account is a good way for them to watch a nest egg grow. And we have found it’s also a good place to put excess money they earn from their jobs is a savings account. This has helped rein in and regulate their excess spending on random junk they don’t need and help them save for bigger goals at the same time.

4. Open a Roth ira

When our kids started working for me, I opened Roth IRA accounts for them. These types of accounts can only be funded by earned income. So they can’t be opened until your teens have earned income that will be taxed. But, once they have some earned income to work with, you can open a custodial Roth IRA for them that will roll over directly into their name solely once they turn 18. This not only gives them a good first taste into investing, at much lower risk than when they do it as an adult, but also helps your teen build credit.

5. get a prepaid credit card

The next option is to help them get a prepaid credit card in their own name. Typically, you’ll have to be a co-signer on the account, as with all of the other accounts. But, with these types of credit cards you determine how much is put on the card to begin with, so that is all they have to spend. This works out really well if they have a job already also. You can tell your teen to set aside $100 – $500 to put onto the prepaid card and then use this card for all of their purchases. This way they are building credit while only spending the money they already have.

6. credit card authorized user

As another option to the prepaid credit card, you can add your teen to one or more of your existing credit cards as an authorized user. I did this for my two older teens just recently with one of the credit cards we never use that also has a high credit limit. I chose to put them on this one since we don’t use it because it’s easier for me to track who is spending what. Plus, since it has a really high limit, it helps boost their credit that much faster due to the amount of credit used versus the credit available. So far, they’ve both been paying off what they spend before the bill even closes, which is awesome!

7. teach them about credit scores

After all of these other options, the most important thing to teach them about is their credit score. Since they are trying to build credit, understanding how their credit score impacts their financial future is integral to overall financial health. If they have any of the aforementioned accounts opened, they can begin to see how their saving and spending are affecting their credit score. Which is a fantastic way to give them an early taste of how the whole system currently works. And don’t forget to show them how to pull their annual credit report each year so they can run through it for any discrepancies.

Teen building credit summary

Overall, there are a lot of great ways to start helping your teen build their credit score early on. While I don’t use the prepaid credit card method, I have used every other option to help my teens build their credit now. And, they’ve been doing awesome so far with the learning curve. So my hope is that by the time they are out on their own, they won’t have nearly as many issues as a lot of young adults do with their first taste of financial independence.

What are your favorite ways to help your teen build credit early?