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Budget

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AllBudgetBudget TipsOur Monthly Budget
15 Budget Categories You Forgot In April

April Budget Categories

March 3, 2021
It's crazy to think that April is right around the...
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March Budget Categories

March Budget Categories

February 12, 2021
March is almost here, and it's time to start looking...
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February Budget Categories You Forgot 2

February Budget Categories

January 29, 2021
With February right around the corner, it’s time to start...
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January Budget Categories

January Budget Categories

January 15, 2021
A new month, new year, and new a chance to...
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August 2020 Budget With Me

August 15, 2020 Budget With Me

August 21, 2020
Our August paycheck came on Friday, the 14th, and is...
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July 2020 Budget With Me

July 15, 2020 Budget With Me

July 24, 2020
Our July paycheck cames on Wednesday, the 15th, and is...
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How To Use A Budget Calendar

How To Use A Budget Calendar

May 13, 2020
Utilizing a calendar is a crucial step to help you...
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How To Complete A Budget Review

How To Complete A Budget Review

May 1, 2020
Reviewing our budget is a crucial step to making sure...
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Your Complete Guide To Using A Cash Budget

Your Complete Guide To Using Cash Envelopes

April 24, 2020
Whether you want to start using cash envelopes, or someone...
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Items We Stopped Wasting Money On

Over 30 Items We Stopped Wasting Money On

April 17, 2020
As we began our journey into frugality, I quickly realized...
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How To Track Expenses

How To Track Expenses

April 3, 2020
I've talked about how to start budgeting here before, but how...
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10 categories you forgot about in your November budget.

November Budget Categories

November 8, 2019
Every month there are predictable expenses, as well as expenses...
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July Budget Categories

July Budget Categories

July 12, 2019
It's so hard to believe that half the year has...
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June Budget Categories

June Budget Categories

June 7, 2019
With June right around the corner, it's time to start...
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What To Buy At Aldi 2

What To Buy At Aldi, And What To Pass On

April 12, 2019
I'll admit, when I started working my tail off to...
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How To Make Cash Envelopes

How To Make Cash Envelopes

April 5, 2019
The biggest game changer for our budget was when we...
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March 2019 Debt Update

March 2019 Debt Update

March 29, 2019
March brought our third monthly check, and in some ways...
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April 2019 Meal Plan

April 2019 Meal Plan

March 26, 2019
April in our family for the last 3 years has...
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Why Your Budget Needs Sinking Funds

What Are Sinking Funds

March 15, 2019
What if I told you that there was a budget...
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February 2019 Debt Update

February 2019 Debt Update

March 1, 2019
February brought our second monthly paycheck, and with it a...
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March 2019 Meal Plan

March 2019 Meal Plan

February 26, 2019
March is a welcome sight in this house.  All February...
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Five Money Saving Apps You Need To Use Today

Five Money Saving Apps You Need

February 22, 2019
I am forever looking for ways to save money, but...
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How To Save On Groceries 2

How To Save On Groceries | 4 Tips To Save Before The Store

February 15, 2019
It's payday.  There's nothing left in the fridge or pantry,...
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How To Determine Budget Categories

How To Determine Your Budget Categories

February 8, 2019
When you start budgeting, it can seem so daunting.  At...
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January 2019 Debt Update

January 2019 Debt Update

February 1, 2019
This month we transitioned to a monthly income versus the...
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February 2019 Meal Plan

February 2019 Meal Plan

January 29, 2019
Every month when I make our monthly meal plan, I...
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December 2018 Debt Update

December 2018 Debt Update

January 11, 2019
December... the time of year when it feels like everything...
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January 2019 Meal Plan

January 2019 Meal Plan

January 8, 2019
Hands down, the easiest time I have making my monthly...
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40+ Financial Habits To Develop

40+ Financial Habits To Develop

December 14, 2018
No matter whether you're beginning to get your finances together,...
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November 2018 Debt Update

November 2018 Debt Update

December 7, 2018
After feeling off kilter the last few months, November was...
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How To Reach Your Savings Goals

How To Reach Savings Goals

November 30, 2018
I'll be honest, before we started budgeting, we had no...
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December 2018 Meal Plan

December 2018 Meal Plan

November 27, 2018
December in our house is a hectic craze before the...
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Our Bare Bones Budget

Our Bare Bones Budget

November 23, 2018
I talk a lot on here about paying off our...
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7 Steps To Get Your Budget Back On Track

7 Steps To Get Your Budget Back On Track

November 16, 2018
Occasionally on our debt-free journey things go off the rails. ...
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October 2018 Debt Update

October 2018 Debt Update

November 9, 2018
This month was an eye-opening month.  After trying to find...
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November Meal Plan

November 2018 Meal Plan

November 6, 2018
November for us brings an end to the chaotic soccer...
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Summer 2018 Debt Paid

Summer 2018 Debt Update

October 5, 2018
Each month I chronicle our progress on our debt free...
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October 2018 Meal Plan | Frugal Living | Feeding A Family of 5

October 2018 Meal Plan

October 3, 2018
After my whirlwind summer, I figured it was time to...
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April 2018 Debt Update

April 2018 Debt Update

May 2, 2018
Each month I chronicle our progress on our debt free...
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May 2018 Meal Plan

May 2018 Meal Plan

April 25, 2018
May is right around the corner, and it's time to...
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May budget categories

May Budget Categories

April 18, 2018
May is right around the corner.  I don't know how...
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March 2018 Debt Update

March 2018 Debt Update

April 6, 2018
Each month I chronicle our progress on our debt free...
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Frugal Spring Fun

Frugal Spring Activities

March 30, 2018
Spring time brings the end of winter, and a big...
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April 2018 Meal Plan

April 2018 Meal Plan

March 26, 2018
With a new month around the corner, it's time for...
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9 Simple Steps To Pay Off Debt

9 Simple Steps To Pay Off Debt

March 21, 2018
Does this sound familiar? You work hard at a job...
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Bill Pay Checklist

Bill Pay Checklist | Organize Your Finances With This Free Printable!

March 16, 2018
Does this sound familiar?  You're so caught up in the...
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Simple Steps Save Money Groceries

Simple Steps To Save Money On Groceries

March 14, 2018
When we started our debt free journey and I was...
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February 2018 Debt Update

February 2018 Debt Update

March 2, 2018
Each month I chronicle our progress on our debt free...
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March 2018 Meal Plan

March 2018 Meal Plan

February 26, 2018
With a new month around the corner, it's time for...
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Frugal Pantry Staples

30+ Frugal Pantry Staples

February 14, 2018
If you've seen any of my recent posts on Instagram,...
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January 2018 Debt Update

January 2018 Debt Update

February 2, 2018
Each month I chronicle our progress on our debt free...
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February 2018 Meal Plan

February 2018 Meal Plan

January 29, 2018
February's meal plan was based around one thing... trying to...
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Debt Snowball vs Debt Avalanche

Debt Snowball vs Debt Avalanche

January 26, 2018
When it comes to paying off debt, the first question...
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My 2018 Planning System

My 2018 Planning System

January 17, 2018
One of my goals for 2017 was to get better...
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December 2017 Debt Update 1

December 2017 Debt Update

January 12, 2018
Here it is... my last debt summary for 2017.  If...
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Zero Based Budget

Zero Based Budget

December 15, 2017
When beginning to budget in order to reach financial goals,...
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52 Week Savings Tracker

52 Week Savings

December 8, 2017
Once upon a time, we had very minimal savings.  I'm...
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October November 2017 Debt Update 2

October & November 2017 Debt Update

December 6, 2017
October and November brought the end of soccer season, the...
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No Spend Month

No Spend Month

December 1, 2017
If you've been researching how to save money, you've likely...
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December Budget Categories

December Budget Categories

November 29, 2017
Hello all!  I'm glad to be back.  The end of...
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Frugal Fall Fun

Frugal Fall Fun!

October 20, 2017
Wow, that title had way too many F's in it....
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How To Freeze Sliced Peaches

How to Freeze Sliced Peaches

October 18, 2017
Hello again all!  Sorry I wasn't around on Monday to...
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How To Can Fresh Peaches

How to Can Fresh Peaches – with tutorial!

October 11, 2017
For as far back as I can remember, canned peaches...
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October 2017 Meal Plan

October 2017 Meal Plan

October 9, 2017
Hello again!  It's been a long while since I've posted...
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October Budget Categories

October Budget Categories

October 6, 2017
While I was making our October budget, I found some...
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Cash Envelopes

Our 30 Day Experiment with Cash Envelopes

July 14, 2017
Some of you may be shocked right now.  I mean,...
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June 2017 Debt Update

June 2017 Debt Update

July 12, 2017
Welcome back friends!  After updating you all on how the...
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March 2017 Budget Debt Update

March 2017 Budget Debt Update

April 5, 2017
Our March budget, while it didn't go as I hoped,...
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February 2017 Budget Debt Update

February 2017 Budget & Debt Update

March 6, 2017
For February's budget, our expenses started before the month did....
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February 2017 Meal Plan

February 2017 Meal Plan

March 3, 2017
When February started, I hadn't made our monthly meal plan....
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Our Income Is Changing Here's How We're Preparing

Our Income Is Changing, Here’s How We’re Preparing

February 22, 2017
Strap in folks.  This post has been a long time...
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January 2017 Budget Debt Update

January 2017 Budget & Debt Update

February 20, 2017
It's been a while since I've gotten on here and...
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December 2016 budget debt update

December 2016 Budget & Debt Update

January 18, 2017
December was a crazy busy month for us, and honestly,...
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How To Cook Freeze Dry Beans

How To Cook and Freeze Dry Beans

December 7, 2016
Beans are one of our favorite frugal foods not only...
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November 2016 Budget Debt Update

November 2016 Budget & Debt Update

December 5, 2016
November brought some normalcy to our lives again.  While we...
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Must Haves Packed Lunches

7 Must Haves for Packed Lunches

November 17, 2016
For the last 6 years, I've packed lunches for my...
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Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent

November 9, 2016
Throughout the past few years, I've been researching on how...
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October 2016 Budget Debt Update

October 2016 Budget & Debt Update

November 4, 2016
This month is our last month for full on soccer practices...
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meal planning worth time

Is Meal Planning Worth My Time?

October 21, 2016
"I don't have time for meal planning.  Is meal planning...
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Why We Still Use Credit Cards

Why We Still Use Credit Cards

October 14, 2016
Yes, you read the title of this post correctly.  We...
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september 2016 budget debt update

September 2016 Budget & Debt Update

October 7, 2016
This month was the first full month with the boys...
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summer 2016 budget

Summer 2016 Budget

September 2, 2016
Since we've had a busy summer, and I wanted to...
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didn't give up landline

Why We Didn’t Give Up Our Landline

August 26, 2016
When I started researching ways that we could save money,...
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How To Freeze Corn In 6 Easy Steps

How To Freeze Corn in 6 Easy Steps

August 24, 2016
Hub's favorite time of year has got to be when...
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How To Create A Monthly Meal Plan

Create A Monthly Meal Plan In 5 Easy Steps

May 3, 2016
I thought I would take this Tuesday to do something...
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april 2016 budget

April 2016 Budget

April 30, 2016
I was looking forward to our April 2016 budget after...
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March 2016 Budget

March 2016 Budget

April 8, 2016
The last few months I have been posting our budget...
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grocery budget 1

How Much Should My Grocery Budget Be?

March 24, 2016
It's one of the most often asked questions in the budgeting...
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saving on groceries

9 Do’s & 1 Don’t to Save on Groceries

March 10, 2016
With food prices constantly rising, it can get tricky to...
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February Budget Update

February 2016 Budget Update

February 29, 2016
Income Hubs: $3,660.71 January Debt Savings {& Interest}: $117.29 Remainder from Instrument...
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Annual Savings Account

Annual Savings Account: Why We Have One, & How We Use It

February 18, 2016
Earlier this year, one of the goals I set is to put...
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leasing band instruments

Why I Stopped Leasing Band Instruments

February 4, 2016
Bookworm has always had an eye for music.  It's not...
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February Budget

February 2016 Budget

February 1, 2016
Income Hubs: $3,658.40 January Debt Savings {& Interest}: $117.24 Remainder from Instrument...
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January 2016 Budget Update

January 30, 2016
At the beginning of the month when I set up...
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Ways To Increase Debt Payment 2

6 Ways to Increase Debt Payment

January 7, 2016
When budgets are tight, trying to increase debt payments can...
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January 2016 Budget

January 1, 2016
This is our budget estimate for January.  This month, my budget...
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December 2015 Budget Update

December 30, 2015
Income Hubs: $4,587.02 November Debt Savings (& Interest): $132.59  November ATM Rebate: $0 ...
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Learning From A Failed Budget

December 17, 2015
If you've ever had a month {or even a few...
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why i bought a sam's club membership

Why I Bought A Sam’s Club Membership

December 1, 2015
As we started into our journey of debt freedom, I...
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December 2015 Budget

December 1, 2015
>>>Check out the updated version of our December 2015 budget...
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makingcentsmatter

makingcentsmatter
Our January 15th paycheck is officially in the boo Our January 15th paycheck is officially in the books. Since we're paid monthly, and we tend to leave wiggle room in our budget for things that come up (like atom projects for a 6th-grade science class), our budget tends to look messy by the end. And that's totally okay!⁠
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Even though we went over in some categories, we were under in others, and under in our overall budget! This $75 remaining stays in our checking account for the time being. We've got some dental procedures coming up in this family, and I'm not sure what the actual OOP costs will be.⁠
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To see how we did, you can check out by January Paycheck Review here: https://youtu.be/GtGRIYTX_8c⁠
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#makingcentsmatter #monthlyincome #monthlybudget #zerobasedbudget #paycheckreview #budgetreview #budgetwithme #budgeting #budgettips #budgetworkbook #frugalliving #savingmoney #debtfreejourney #debtfreeprogress
Payday is today! Actually, payday was Friday the 1 Payday is today! Actually, payday was Friday the 12th because we completely forgot today is a bank holiday in the US. The feeling of being paid and not needing it is a nice one.⁠
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Here's what our paycheck needs to get us through for bills until March 14th. For a full look at our budget over the next month, head over to my budget with me on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rb8uyi1-rNc⁠
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#monthlyincome #monthlybudget #monthlybudget #zerobasedbudget #payday #budgetwithme #budgeting #budgettips #budgetcalendar #frugalliving #savingmoney #paycheck #makingcentsmatter #debtfreejourney #debtfreeprogress
This weekend was focused on a pantry shop and meal This weekend was focused on a pantry shop and meal plan creation! This meal plan to get us to our February payday. We also picked fast meals, because it's a busy two weeks between doctor's appointments,. Academic Decathalon, dance, and drama. I'm unsure we'll be able to shop on payday, hence the extras.⁠
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Total spent: $112.39 for items to get us through this and lunches.⁠
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Keep in mind, just over $112 for 12 meals isn't sustainable for our family, just in times when we need to stretch the last bits of our monthly income. I really wish $112 was enough to feed two teenaged boys in our household.⁠
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The point being... do what works for you, and your situation based on your location. Don't try to fit yourself into someone else's situation!⁠
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#mealplan #mealplanning #frugalliving #frugalmom #makingcentsmatter #savingmoney #monthlyincome #budgeting #budgetmom #groceryshop
January's real numbers:⁠ .⁠ House: $511.13⁠ January's real numbers:⁠
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House: $511.13⁠
Citi: $720⁠
D NelNet: $100⁠
K NelNet: $100⁠
K Chase: $150⁠
Explorer: $343⁠
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Extra Payment to Citi: $500⁠
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Noteworthy... our car payment had a late fee assessed because the mail was SLOWED down over Christmas. Three headaches later, and we potentially have online banking finally set up with them. It is still a headache. And we are never taking another car loan out with this bank!⁠
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How was January?⁠
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#makingcentsmatter #debt #debtfreejouney #debtfreeprogress #debtfreecommunity #realbudget #savingmoney #savings #frugalliving #frugalblogging #budgeting #monthlyincome #zerobasedbudget #financialgoals #personalfinance #personalfinancetips #financialfreedom
Sometimes in order to see progress, you need to ta Sometimes in order to see progress, you need to take a step back.
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I'll be honest, I didn't think that we got this far in 2020. With everything going on - and more importantly, everything NOT going on - we didn't keep up with this every month. We just threw what we could at our goal. I'm simply amazed at how far we came.
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Things are still hectic, and I'm simply mentally exhausted between remote learning, extended remote learning, offset quarantining children... it goes on and on.
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But I also cannot wait to see what strides we will make in 2021.
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#makingcentsmatter #debtfreejouney #debtfreeprogress #savingmoney #savings #frugalliving #frugalblogging #budgeting #monthlyincome #zerobasedbudget #financialgoals #personalfinance
This is what school looks like when it's a hybrid This is what school looks like when it's a hybrid model, and your house does not have unlimited space. I was standing in our kitchen when I took this picture, the kids behind me making lunch.
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Our district is carefully monitoring our local infection rates, and we are currently in a hybrid form. That means they divided the district into two groups; half are in school on Monday and Tuesday, the other half on Thursday and Friday. They are offering an all remote option, but Verizon for some reason supplies our house with speeds so slow that it would shock a tortoise. Remote was a no-go.
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This set-up has taken some trial and error to get to where we currently are. Because no matter how prepared you are and how much you've planned, once you're in the weeds, actually doing it, there is no telling how your best-laid plans will work.
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Our home is a 1800sqft one-story, open living area, 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom, ranch-style house in a very rural area. It has no home offices. No guest bedrooms. Yes, that is a desk in the corner of our dining room. 🤣
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Each kid gets their own color bin for their school work. This includes school-issued Chromebooks and other standard items they need to get work done - headphones, pencils, and so on. When we are done for the day, we clean up everything, place them neatly in these bins, and place them in cubbies (on my current left) at night while the Chromebooks charge.
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I do NOT bother to clean up at lunchtime. It would take us more time to clean up and reset everything than it takes us to eat lunch. So we only pack it all up for the day and call it done.
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During the day, I sit between my younger two and field any questions they may have, troubleshoot technical issues we all have, and be the overall bouncer when things get off-topic. My high schooler will occasionally emerge from his bedroom, which opens to the kitchen. So he is close by when he has questions.
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Please remember that with all things in life, you need to work with what's available to you. And there is no shame in that. Don't ever feel like you're not doing good enough because it's not picture perfect. Work with what you have available to you, and you'll do amazing things.
School is in session, the garden is slowing, and I School is in session, the garden is slowing, and I’ve finally realized I haven’t shared our payoff numbers for July or August. Yeah……
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Please keep in mind, we are paid monthly on the 15th, but we don’t go by a “monthly” budget. So I have to go back and look at these numbers based off their due dates in the calendar. Because our pay falls in the middle of the month, I can’t tell you what portion of our income went to debt. It’s going to vary paycheck to paycheck anyways because our priorities vary with each check. Nothing is ever the same month to month, and pay to pay.
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That said, inJuly we paid off $2,694.43.
In August we paid off $1,673.40.
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The difference here is that our priorities shifted between the two months.
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During August, we were doing more prep for whatever school would look like this year, and we had some savings goals make their way to the top of the list as well.
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Of those goals, in August we made progress!
EF Reimbursement: $146 / $1,200
Checking Buffer Reimbursement: $227 / $500
Vet Sinking Fund: $40 / $200
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Remember this is a journey, not a race. There is no point wearing yourself ragged and still making no progress. Make progress where you can, and celebrate it. Even if it’s $5.
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It’s progress, and that’s what matters!
While I wait for the canner to finish the last rou While I wait for the canner to finish the last round... I rearranged our recipe binder. It's only taken me 8 or so years. 🤣😶😭
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I miss the days when zucchini was my problem. Now it's tomatoes. I can only find so many ways to use up spaghetti sauce! So the next 50lbs or so will be chili base and unseasoned sauce.
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On top of this school is starting with a hybrid in building & online system. And I'm seriously slacking on some things I need to do. I'm not good at juggling multiple things and the balls are falling. But I keep reminding myself... be patient. This too shall pass. This is only a phase. So I pick and choose what's the most important, focus on that and go from there.
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So if you feel overwhelmed with your current phase, remember, this too shall pass. It's okay to rearrange priorities. It's okay to take a breather.
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This too shall pass.
If you didn't start finding interesting ways to ge If you didn't start finding interesting ways to get rid of the squash, can you say you even planted any?
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Good news, I'm almost caught up! Bad news, the garden has more.
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