Problems and Projects -

Everything You Need to Know About The Writer’s Toolkit 2021

Some of you know that I've been MIA for a while. Life definitely happens! Check out this month's budget report for all the fun details about what's been occupying my time lately. Fortunately, things have calmed down, and I'm back and ready to get writing. Fortunately, The Writer's Toolkit by Ultimate Bundles is right on time to help me get back on track. Whether you're a brand new aspiring writer or a seasoned expert, this bundle has tools that can help you: write your first (or next) book quicker than ever publish and market your writing start making real freelance…

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June 7, 2021

budget friendly sustainability

10 Easy Garden Vegetables to Grow for Newbies

Let's face it. Even with the best of intentions, successful gardens often elude us. If you're a brand new green thumb, the whole thing can feel super overwhelming. Luckily, you've got plenty of options when it comes to easy garden vegetables to grow. Whether you've been growing for a while or you're just getting started, these options are sure to help. You'll find some of my personal favorites to grow from seed and from plant starts that grow quickly and with fewer problems.Save a few bucks, live more sustainably, and enjoy some fresh, home grown produce. Down below, you'll find a list…

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June 5, 2021

Save Money

Best Things to Buy in June to Save Money

It's time for another installment of Best Things to Buy! Today, we'll talk about the best things to buy in June to help you save money. Obviously, I haven't been the best about keeping up with the month to month posting. Check out the May Budget Report to find out why. Even so, I'm working to get back on track providing you with content that can help you reach your financial goals. Check out these other Best Things to Buy posts: Best Things to Buy in January Best Things to Buy in February As always, remember that the best way…

3 Comments

June 5, 2021

Budget Report / Budgeting

Budget Report – May 2021 Personal Finance

Welcome To Our May Personal Budget Report! Welcome back, friends. It's been a long, LONG time, but we're finally back with our first posted budget report since December. Don't worry, we've still made sure to meticulously track our spending and finances. We continue to inch slowly toward our goals each month. Every cent has been accounted for in our family budgeting spreadsheet. You may have noticed, however, that I have been more or less radio silent in 2021. Isn't that just life more than a year into a global pandemic? I'll be honest, this house full of teachers got a bit overwhelmed…

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June 5, 2021

budget friendly sustainability / preparedness

Why Winter is the Perfect Time to Plan Your Garden

The peak of a Polar Vortex might seem like a weird time to plan your garden, but don’t be fooled by the frigid temperatures outside! Late winter is the perfect time to plan your garden for the coming growing season. In fact, February might even be a little bit later than you want to start if you live in a very warm climate, but here in zone 8, the growing season is just preparing to ramp up! Full disclosure: I wanted to post this in mid February! Then, Texas froze, and we spent a week without power/internet. Needless to say,…

7 Comments

March 2, 2021

Save Money

Best Things to Buy in February to Save Money

Can you guys even believe the first month of the year has passed? I, for one, feel like life is still pretty crazy. I'll admit, I've been struggling to keep to a regular posting schedule. However, I really wanted to take the time and get the second installment of this year's "What to Buy" monthly posts up for you. Today, we'll talk about the best things to buy in February to help you save money. Missed last month? Don't forget to check out The Best Things to Buy in January to Save Money! My plan for this post series will…

384 Comments

February 8, 2021

Debt Reduction

2020: A Year In Review – Lessons, Financial Goals, Blog Income

Alright, I know it kind of feels like it's December 43rd of 2020 and like the whole time stream is pranking us... The fact is, though, it's (technically) a new year. For many of us, that means looking back on last year, and reflecting on what we hope to accomplish this year. Today, I'll be looking back on 2020 with a year in review. I'll reflect on our experiences, share a few lessons learned, discuss our finances and debt payoff progress so far, and give you a glimpse into what my first year of blog income looked like.Then, we'll chat about…

112 Comments

January 12, 2021

Save Money

Best Things to Buy in January to Save Money

Nearly every budget minded shopper knows that sales are cyclical. This year, I thought it would be fun to have a new monthly installment of posts to share that info! I initially wanted to call it something like "Buy Day Friday" because I like rhyming. Obviously, it's Wednesday, so I'll have to rethink that. Why wait, though? Today, we'll talk about the best things to buy in January to help you save money. My plan for this post series will be to publish early in the month and always within the first week of each month. That way, you can…

46 Comments

January 6, 2021

Budget Report / Budgeting

Budget Report – December Personal Finance

It's Budget Report Time Again! Welcome to another monthly budget report. Let me just take a moment to officially welcome you to winter! Hopefully, you enjoyed your holiday season, even if it looked different than normal. Did you remember to ditch the resolutions and set some New Year's SMART goals instead? I'm a little ashamed to admit that I actually haven't written a budget report update since September. At this point, I honestly don't see the sense in going back and trying to publish them this late. Let's just do a quick recap. In October, I may have overdone it a bit…

5 Comments

January 5, 2021

Blogmas / Debt Reduction

Why I Don’t Make Resolutions and What I Do Instead

I don't make resolutions. In fact, it's been years since I made one. Every year, as the new year approaches, we all set resolutions. We decide that the coming year will be our best one yet and proudly declare the things we'll achieve. Lose weight, earn more money, get organized, travel more, quit smoking, get fit, read more. Odds are, you've set a resolution that sounds something like this. Statistically speaking, there's also an 80% likelihood that you gave up on that resolution by Valentine's Day! That's the problem with New Year's resolutions. We go into them with high hopes…

130 Comments

December 31, 2020