From the category archives:
A few weeks ago I posted about my first experiences with the gleaning co-op that I have joined which resulted in many interesting questions. I thought I’d drop in and update you about how it’s going, how it’s affecting our “bottom line” and if it’s worth it.
First off: It’s a huge time commitment. I [...]
{ 5 comments }
I’m about 3/4 the way through “Stop Acting Rich” by the same author of “The Millionaire Next Door“, Thomas Stanley.
The good news is that for the most part, my consumption and spending habits match exactly with the frugal millionaires (or Toyota Millionaires) that Stanley lusts over.
I don’t even drink Vodka, but if I did, I’m [...]
{ 10 comments }
For 2010, I’m trying to be even more frugal. As I mentioned before, there’s just $7,000 left of debt to bust and I’m looking for a way to get there even sooner. Groceries consume about $500 in our budget each month for our family of four, so that’s certainly a candidate for “tweaking.” [...]
{ 9 comments }
This is a special post from debtkid reader Kimberly. Great tips for setting at wedding budget! Just in time for me as I got engaged at the end of last year!
Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now that you are now a “we,” personal finance should become part of the conversation. You could be thrown into this immediately [...]
{ 1 comment }
Perhaps the easiest step you can take in your journey to debt freedom is to cut your spending.
In our house, we’ve found ways to save on practically everything we buy. I’ll list a bunch of items here and ways to save 30% or more—and I invite you to post questions of items you’d like to [...]
{ 15 comments }
Mint: There’s many other great systems, but I simply want something that will scream at me (or text me) if I’m over budget and a dashboard or “mission control” for all my accounts in one place. Networth on demand, every day. I love Mint. If you haven’t tried it—you should! If you use a smaller [...]
{ 0 comments }
Next month is open enrollment for our family. I dread this season. My husband works for the state government, which gives us a broad range of choices—six this year.
This is the first time we’ve had to consider the whole family on one plan—and to shop around for the best deal—the last time we’d added our [...]
{ 4 comments }
Back in December when I was laid off from my regular 9-5 job and decided to pursue self employment in lieu of reliable income, I did some pretty serious bill slashing.
I called every service provider to our household and demanded a better deal. In all but one instance, I got a better deal. Now [...]
{ 4 comments }
The scissors had to come out.
When the time came for me to create a budget and cut out all the extras, I really struggled. I had grown so accustomed to being pampered! I would get manicures and pedicures at least once a month. My hair would always get colored every 8-10 weeks and I would [...]
{ 1 comment }
I’m finally doing what I always should have done, and what I thought nearly everyone did. I’m budgeting. An actual written budget about what gets spent in the household. And my family sticks to it.
Being a personal finance writer, my money is a pretty open book, as I often write from experience, but I’ve recently had [...]
{ 13 comments }
