To say that this hasn’t been the spring we imagined is an understatement. Our usual free and frugal fun adventures are comprised of library visits, playground adventures, and children’s museum explorations. So when the pandemic and subsequent lockdown more or less shook the Etch-a-Sketch of options clean, we had to rethink what free and frugal … [Read more…]
When the pandemic hit, we stopped vacation planning, but we already had our air travel booked for this summer. That meant that I was going to try to do the unthinkable: get my money back from an airline. I honestly never expected that it would happen. But this past week, we got our moolah back! … [Read more…]
I haven’t done one of these saved and earned recaps in a while. Why? Because I somehow seem to be one of the only people in the universe whose spending isn’t dramatically less during COVID. Why is staying home so expensive? OK. It could have something to do with the fact that just this morning … [Read more…]
I believe most people are good. And I also believe that most people want to do good in the world. However, it can be really hard to know how to get started. In this particular moment in history, many families are already feeling a huge financial pinch. While I certainly hope that we’ve put ourselves … [Read more…]
This has been another week for the history books. And not in a good way. It’s more a “Oh, my gosh, Penny, why did you already eat all the ice cream? It’s only Wednesday” kind of way. Mr. P and I have both tried to stay calm in front of HP. But his schedule is … [Read more…]
What a week it’s been in the personal finance world. The market turmoil continues, as does the panic over COVID-19 the fact that our local Target can’t quite seem to keep up its stock of toilet paper or frozen pizza. Unlike some people, I’m not choosing to tune out the daily news cycle. Instead, I’m choosing … [Read more…]
Last week was weird. It alternated between feeling like a typical February in the classroom (Children climbing the walls! Teachers climbing the walls!) and something totally atypical. Between worries on Wall Street and people bracing for the possibility of a pandemic, things just felt strange. Still, saving and earning took priority over worrying in our … [Read more…]
Do you do that thing before bed each night where you refresh your account balances? No? Maybe it’s just me. I’m not entirely sure what it is I think I’ll find, but I suppose on some level, I’m checking to see whether or not I still need to set my alarm clock for work. Of … [Read more…]
I tend to prioritize saving over earning more money. It’s worth noting *why* I do this. Obviously, if you have a big mountain of debt to move, the best way to move the needle is to make more money. However, we don’t have an income problem so much as a spending problem. Or at least, … [Read more…]
If you followed my quest for a stress-free Christmas last year, you know I’m a big fan of phone apps. More precisely, phone apps that promise me riches a few dollars in PayPal and a few dollars to Amazon. I know a lot of people write them off as a waste of time, but for … [Read more…]