We used to be those people who say things like, “Yeah! I think we can afford that.” Then spend the money without another thought. Four days before payday, we would get the dreaded notice of Overdraft & Fees!!
This literally was happening to us more than once a month! Things are quite a bit different now!
What did we change? Well, it’s not complicated at all. It’s called a B-U-D-G-E-T. Don’t freak out! (I feel like I say this a lot! Haha!!)
Dang it! We did it again! Oh no, another $30 overdraft fee! Why are we always over spending?
This scenario was recurring way too often in our bank account. We would think we were staying on budget but the reality was, we really had no idea where all our money was going.
Every month, three days before the next pay day, I would send a frantic text to my husband, “Don’t spend another penny! We only have $18 left!” Then some months, it was too little too late.
Pending purchases would push us over the edge and we would end up paying overdraft fees. Getting us ever further behind on the next pay periods spending! Ugh!
I am so sorry if this dramatic reenactment sounds all too familiar for you.
The good news is that we eventually figured it out! In fact, we are actually an entire month ahead of our bills now! We haven’t had overdrafted our bank account in over a year!
Can you imagine how wonderful that feels? How completely freeing it is to have your spending under control! Looking at our budget no longer provokes tense conversations or anxiety driven swipes of our debit card.
You’re trying your best to eat healthy but your dang bank account keeps getting in the way!
There is a rumor going around. I have heard it from many different sources. You know, it’s just to dang expensive to eat healthy!
Don’t fall for it!
I’m going to break it down for you and share some quick tips that you can use on your next shopping trip to help you eat healthy even if you are broke!
We love smoothies in our house! It doesn’t matter what time of the year, we will always eat them. You might find us huddled around our kitchen table wrapped up in layers of sweatshirts and blankets because we are freezing. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is outside, we will keep drinking this frozen treat!
One of the reasons it is a constant in our home is because I love that my kids will actually be eating something healthy! My kids are uber-picky eaters and feeding them smoothies is one way I can easily get some nutrition into their little bellies.
Here is a recipe for one of our very favorite smoothies!
The hard thing about this is that frozen fruit can be super expensive! Not only is the price hard to handle sometimes but the flavor of store bought frozen fruit is not always wonderful. The solution, start freezing fruit on your own! You will save at least 50%!
This post was sponsored by ALDI as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central.
This is big news guys! I have heard the rumors of the amazing prices, the fantastic selection, and delicious tastes. But it wasn’t until this morning that I was able to experience this wonderfulness called, ALDI!
It was a few weeks ago that I just about ran my car off the road (don’t worry, no one was harmed due to my excitement!) when I heard an advertisement come on the radio announcing that ALDI was coming to southern California!
Wa – what!?
There once was a day, a day before I really knew what a budget actually was, where I felt ready to slam-dunk my budget in the trashcan at the end of the month! I was SO over it! Sticking to a budget had become exhausting and I felt like I was living a very limited life. Have you ever felt like that?
Do you want to know the secret to avoiding budget burnout? When I say that I don’t get burnt out anymore, I am not lying! I want to share with you my secret so you can say the same thing!
The secret to avoiding budget burnout isn’t complicated and it’s actually going to make you very happy! The secret is to budget to have fun!
Stay away from the pretty red bullseye! As much as it pains me to say this about my very most favorite store, Target. But it is probably a good idea for you to stay clear, just for the next four weeks.
The temptation of the perfectly cute banners, poka dot straws, and other pretty trinkets in the dollar spot is extremely too tempting for myself. It’s just better for my personal mental state to keep my distance during this no spend month.
Let’s have a moment of silence please…
Don’t worry Target, we will be back ASAP!
Why in the world would anyone want to put themselves through the torture of (almost) completely freezing their spending? The answer is so you can save a bunch of money really quickly!
Before we go any further there is one thing we just need to get out of the way. It is not easy to complete a no spend month. Nope. But is it worth it? Oh yeah!
Are you ready for spring cleaning? Don’t worry, you got this! Try focusing on one room at a time to make the entire process a little easier.
Each week tackle two rooms in your house, dedicating one day for each room. Start at the top and work your way down. Crown molding, walls, furniture, and then on to the floors.
But before you get started you need to know which cleaning products to use, right? Be careful when choosing because all those expensive products can add up to a hefty spring cleaning cost.
