Valentine’s Day. There’s one thing I now like about it and that’s decorating a Valentine’s box for my kindergartner to take to school. But giving your significant other gifts for a commercialized holiday? It feels so dirty. I’ve always felt this way. I’m not a girly girl to begin with. I don’t like flowers, I don’t wear much jewelry, I don’t wear perfume, and I

Don’t Be Like Everyone Else The other day one of my close family members came over and saw my expense tracking worksheets laying on my kitchen table. “I need to start doing that too” she said. “Yeah I think you’d be completely surprised at just how much money you spend in certain areas.” I said in a general type of way – mostly meaning that

When you’re living paycheck to paycheck it’s so easy to become engulfed with financial stress. Trust me, I know what you’re going through. I’ve been there before. But if you’re deliberate in your actions, the way you’re both earning and spending your money, then it is possible to get one month ahead and eliminate that stress. Here’s what I did and it will work for

We’ve talked about what living minimally can do for your finances but I think it’s worth talking about again. The truth is, when you stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and instead start spending your time and money according to your values your entire life improves. What is Living Minimally? Living minimally is simply finding the things you love the most and getting

Last year one of my big goals was to double my income. And last month I almost did it! I went from earning about $2,000 per month to finishing the year at $3,850. This year my goal is to earn $5,000 a month or $60,000 per year. I’ve got to admit – last year my goal felt a little far-fetched. I was really struggling in

Since there’s only one day left until the New Year I guess it’s time to get my financial goals out laid out. This year I decided on three main financial goals. Since I’ve narrowed it down to just these three I’ll have time to give these the attention that they need. Here they are: Save $20,000 for a Down Payment on a Farm My number

I’ve been getting pretty wrapped up lately in wanting to really, really cut back on my expenses and live a less consumer-driven life. I’m just tired of all the waste – of filling up an entire trash bag full of junk in one day and having my kids’ toy boxes just overflow. So in 2015 you’ll be hearing a lot about how I’m doing all

Are you ready to get your financial in order in a way that allows you to live your life rather than worrying about money 24/7 or spending hours a day tracking your expenses? The reason people often give up on their finances is because they make their systems way too complicated! The best thing you can do for your financial situation is to keep it

Sticking to your Christmas budget can be tough, especially if you have kids! Before kids my Christmas budget was never too out of hand. I didn’t have anyone who I felt the need to lavish with gifts. Sure, I still liked giving meaningful gifts, but I found that those didn’t have to cost a lot of money. My first daughter was born in December of