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Ways We Save

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AllWays We Save
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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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars

October 6, 2020
I am a lover of quick bread. It’s like the...
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How To Freeze Blueberries

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July 8, 2020
Every summer, the kids and I patiently wait until the...
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May 13, 2020
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May 1, 2020
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April 28, 2020
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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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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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April 12, 2019
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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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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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March 2019 Meal Plan

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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 Freeze Fresh Herbs

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February 19, 2019
One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh...
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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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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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January 2019 Meal Plan

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January 8, 2019
Hands down, the easiest time I have making my monthly...
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How To Reach Your Savings Goals

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

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November 27, 2018
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How To Make Jalapeno Jelly

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November 13, 2018
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November Meal Plan

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November 6, 2018
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How To Can Spiced Peaches

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October 9, 2018
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October 2018 Meal Plan | Frugal Living | Feeding A Family of 5

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October 3, 2018
After my whirlwind summer, I figured it was time to...
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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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Frugal Spring Fun

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March 30, 2018
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April 2018 Meal Plan

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March 26, 2018
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March 14, 2018
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February 26, 2018
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How To Can Tomato Sauce

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February 21, 2018
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February 14, 2018
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February 2018 Meal Plan

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January 29, 2018
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January 2018 Meal Plan

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January 10, 2018
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Apple Peel Jelly

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December 13, 2017
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December 8, 2017
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December 2017 Meal Plan

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December 4, 2017
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December 1, 2017
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November 2017 Meal Plan

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November 27, 2017
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How To Can Fresh Peaches

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Habanero Jelly

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makingcentsmatter

makingcentsmatter
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.
Super busy here... but I wanted to share that wins Super busy here... but I wanted to share that wins can come in super small packages. I thought I'd spend $380 to clean the band instruments in this house. I ended up spending $234. So the remaining $146 can go to reimbursing what I pulled from our EF.
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No matter the win, celebrate it!
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What are some wins you have had lately?
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