Tipping has me stymied. Not in terms of dining out, having my hair highlighted, or requesting that a bellhop hold my luggage. Unlike some of my fellow millennials, I understand the etiquette behind that kind of tipping. If you are performing a job in the service industry that benefits me, especially if it goes above … [Read more…]
This isn’t your typical dining-out-is-bad-for-the-budget post. Of course, you should eat out less if you’re trying to save money or repay debt. It is essential that your spending aligns with your priorities. So most millennials know–or at least have been told ad nauseam–to cut back on the fine and not-so-fine dining. However, from one millennial … [Read more…]
Drum roll, please. At the start of September, I set two lofty goals. I pledged to reduce our grocery budget by 20% to keep the total spending to $200 for the two of us. Since my focus was already set on the kitchen, I figured I would keep my sights set on it by creating … [Read more…]
It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But why should mornings get all the glory? For a fun change of pace and for some serious savings, try serving breakfast for dinner once a month or more.
“You haven’t given me a gift. You’ve given me an obligation.” Of all the witticisms, one-liners, and pearls of wisdom that Sheldon Cooper* has uttered, that gem about gift giving is one of my favorites. He spoke those words in regards to the implied reciprocity of gifting. Granted it may be taxing to some people … [Read more…]
We’ve all heard the cliche that some things are too good to be true. In the case of “free”, sometimes there’s a much higher cost than anyone expects. In our consumer culture, the notion of free shows up in a lot of ways. Sample day at Sam’s Club (the horror!). Mail-in rebates. Buy one, get … [Read more…]
At the start of September, I set two lofty goals: slice my grocery budget to $200 and declutter my kitchen. Of the two, decluttering the kitchen has unexpectedly become the bigger burden. I’m not a gourmet chef; I don’t host epic dinner parties on a regular basis. It’s not like I was trying to … [Read more…]
From brown bagging your lunch and taking the stairs to using your gym membership and shopping from a list, there are dozens of little victories in any given day. Even though these small moments can work wonders for your motivation, finances, and overall happiness, it is sometimes difficult to find meaningful and fun ways to … [Read more…]
It’s true. I organized everything but the kitchen sink. To be more exact, I organized everything under the kitchen sink. We have a double kitchen sink with a spray hose and built-in soap dispenser. Those features make for convenient cleaning. They also make for lots of dangles and doodads under the sink that eat up … [Read more…]
Here’s the thing: side hustles are omnipresent in the personal finance world. Consumer debt, bad. Side hustle, good. I get it. You get it. We all get it. But if you don’t have a purpose for your side hustle, your side hustle won’t save you.