In an effort to redirect our focus during the Christmas season towards the true meaning of Christmas and to save a lot of money, this year our family has decided to try out a “second hand” Christmas.
So if you are looking for a way to save a lot of money on your gift lists this year stay right here and I will help you!
Have you read about our family’s plan to buy a house in two years? We are really excited about our future and want to share everything we learn with you!
There are so many things that need to be done before we are ready. Two of the main items of business are 1. Paying off our debt and 2. Saving for a down payment.
In order to accomplish those goals we are going to need and be super creative on ways to live frugal and fabulous! My hope is that by sharing our family savings plan successes and failures, you can learn from our experience, which will make the process a lot more smooth and easier for you!
All three of my siblings got married this year! Kinda crazy right! It’s been a bit of a busy year. But incredibly awesome!! Our family has pretty much doubled! So. Much. Fun!!
SO! Me being the oldest sibling and about to leave my 20’s, say what!!! I can’t help but think about all the things I wish I had done differently.
First years on your own, FREEDOM! Livin’ the college life! Late night runs to the drive thru. First years of marriage. Kids. A lot happens in your 20s! Which can make a statement on your bank account if you’re not careful!
Your 20s are a time in your life where you learn a lot about growing up and living on your own. Unfortunately, a lot of times those lessons are learned the hard way.
I am the type of person who loves to hear others advice. I don’t always take it but I definitely will learn from it. I hope that’s what these five financial cautions can offer you.
Even if you are a little past your 20s, maybe you can relate and have made these money mistakes when you were in your 20s. Are you making these mistakes even now that you are out of your 20s?
It’s never to late to change! Following these five guidelines to avoid money mistakes and they will help you no matter what your age is.
So far in this Pretty Penny Budget Series we have talked about the tools you need to get started, how to set them up, and how to use them efficiently. Now we are ready to dive even further into starting a budget by comparing your income to your expenses and to actually setting a budget a long with financial goals.
Everyone always talks about their “budget”. Sure I heard it all the time and I even used the word myself, but I don’t think I really understood how to use a budget until the last couple years.
I instantly have anxiety when I think about how my husband and I used to run our finances when we were in college. We would do things like pick an apartment based on nothing else other than what we “thought” we could afford. We never sat down to look at our income and actually run the numbers. Stressful to think about!
After many “lesson learned” experiences we have a system going for us right now that works pretty good. It’s not perfect but very helpful and a huge stress reliever. When finances run smoothly (this doesn’t mean we have a lot of money, just that we manage it better) it’s amazing how other things in life run better.
Maybe I am just a total nerd but I honestly get really excited when I start planning out our monthly budget! The idea of not having a looming debt over our head is completely freeing!
This state of mind has not always been with me. I got married pretty young… Like when I was 20! So… that’s young. Talk about being thrown into the financial independence fire! I literally went from relying on my parents for 98% of all of my income and paying for all my expenses, to 0% in a matter of days. Luckily I married a really awesome man who knew a lot more on the subject then I did! But it would be a complete lie if I told you that it wasn’t hard to learn how to budget.
Learning to live on a budget can be quiet the transition. No matter how old you are. It is going to be hard at first. There really isn’t any way around this. (If you know of a way, let me know!) But with a little hard work and dedication you can learn to be happy!
Are you someone who loves to go to the movies? Do you love to go see the latest flick the very night it opens? I am a person who would love to do that but going to the movies is crazy expensive. We usually only go to the theaters if we have been given a gift card. On a very rare occasion we will pay full price if there is a movie that we just cannot wait to watch at home.
It happens to almost everyone… You decide it’s time to sit down and look over your bank account and your budget. Both you and your sweetie are dreading the conversation because you just know that it is going to end in a high intensity discussion and you would rather cuddle up and watch a movie on the couch.
Although I wasn’t able to specifically pin down a cold-hard statistic on how financial issues influence marriage, I think it is safe to say that financial problems are one of the highest influences when it comes to marital disagreements.
But guess what! Going over your budget doesn’t have to involve a yelling match. We all know we should never yell in our homes. Right?
With baby number three having just arrived in our family, my mind has turned to prepping. Baby prepping. I am trying to think about everything and anything I can do to save time and money for when the little guy comes! That way all my thoughts and attention can be on my family!
Having a newborn join your family is one of the very most exciting times in life! It almost feels like the world stops for those first few days and weeks and all you have to do is love and care for your precious little one.
Then reality hits. The world doesn’t actually stop. Your bills still need to be paid. Your other kid or kids, your hubby, and yourself still need to be fed. Your house still needs to function somewhat. It is a lot to juggle all at the same time!
But even with all the things that are still on the never ending to-do list you still want and need that special time to enjoy while your baby is still a baby! I have found that the very best way handle this balancing act is to prepare as much as possible.
