Latest Blog Posts
How to Financially Plan for a Chronic Illness
I was eight years old the first time a bleeding episode sent me to the emergency room. My parents had pulled my tooth the night before, and I woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sensation on my face. I got up, looked in the mirror, and screamed. My face...
How I Get Cheap Massages for Just $8
We all know that self-care is important, but we often don’t want to shell out money for it when we’re trying to save. I have chronic neck and shoulder pain and treating this for free (with yoga, stretching, etc.) can only go so far. I recently started getting massages...
June 2018 Income Report: How I Earned $462 Blogging
Today I'm excited to share my very first blogging income report! If you're new to the world of personal finance blogs, you might wonder why I would choose to share my blogging income. There are a couple of reasons. First of all, I want to show others that it is...
Spring Blizzards, Dog Birthday Parties, and Other Q2 Updates
I post an update each quarter that shows how we’re doing on our debt snowball and other goals. This helps to hold us accountable and to keep track of the progress we’re making. How is your sprinter (spring/winter) going? To many people in the world, April to June...
4 Secrets to Mastering Affiliate Marketing with a Small Blog
If you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in affiliate marketing but you aren’t sure if you can really make money with it because your blogging traffic is relatively low. I’ve been there! I’m working on increasing my traffic (mainly by improving my Pinterest...
10 Simple Frugal Living Tips for Beginners
Are you new to frugal living? Congratulations! You’ve already taken the first step toward getting your financial life together. Maybe you’re struggling with debt or you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Whatever the reason, frugality can bring a freedom to...
Why a 3 Year Spending Ban Isn’t as Crazy as it Sounds
When I tell people I’m on a three year spending ban, they often act like that’s completely insane. Many people try a spending ban for a week, a weekend, or a month. Doing one for three years is much less conventional. I chose to do this because my husband and I are...
Top 20 Cheapest, Healthy Foods to Buy When You’re Broke
If you want to eat healthy or lose weight on a tight budget, it can feel overwhelming. However, you don’t need to spend a small fortune every week! I eat a (mostly) whole food diet, and I spend a reasonable amount on groceries. There are plenty of healthy, natural...
9 Surprising Ways to Save Money Shopping Online
I love shopping online. I'm an introvert, so I don't enjoy having a salesperson follow me around the store trying to make conversation just so they can get me to sign up for a store credit card. Shopping online is so much more pleasant and convenient. If you've been...
How to Lose Weight on a Tight Budget
The fitness industry exists to make money. Your fitness guru will tell you that you need an expensive personal training package, fancy yoga studio classes, supplements, diet pills, an overpriced gym membership…and all sorts of other gimmicks that aren’t necessary....
4 Secrets to Exploding Blog Traffic with Pinterest
It’s difficult to make money blogging if no one is reading your blog. When I first started blogging, I wrote articles, shared them on my social media accounts, and hoped someone would read them. Only a few people did. When I finally started strategizing, my page...
Starting a Spending Ban? 4 Tips for Success
A spending ban (cutting out spending on non-essential items) can be a great way to reduce your expenses so you can pay off debt, build savings, or break bad spending habits. A spending ban can be for a weekend, seven days, a month, or even a year (or longer). I’m...