Does money ever just feel like it’s burning a hole in your pocket? If I’m being honest, that’s a big reason why I don’t carry cash. It’s too easy and too tempting to spend. But even when I’m budgeting, tracking my expenses, and tucking paper bills out of sight and out of mind, I still … [Read more…]
Two years ago, every single cliche came to life the moment I laid eyes on my son. Or perhaps it was a few moments after that initial instant. Much like a new ship is christened with champagne, this new mom was sprayed with another yellow liquid. Thanks, kid. Growing up, I never once fantasized about … [Read more…]
In the first two days of the month, we managed to spend $19 on our toddler. That means it’s official. Kids really are expensive. I kid. Kind of. We’ve actually been basking in the glow of all the fun summertime outdoor adventures these past two weeks. Thankfully, many of them also happen to be free … [Read more…]
Happy summer! It is summer, isn’t it? I ask because I think I’ve spent more time looking for my jacket and snuggling under blankets than anything else lately. Despite the rain and the chill, we’re making lemonade with our summer break. We’re also trying hard to not totally blow our budget. Granted, we did just … [Read more…]
With Memorial Day serving as the unofficial kickoff of summer and today’s temperature starting in the low 50s and nearing 90 by the end of the day, I figure now is as good a time as any to start this. But what exactly am I starting? My plan is to chronicle the summer spending that … [Read more…]
My default setting is programmed to shop. It’s truly an instinct and impulse. I spend a lot of time guarding against it, but I want to acknowledge something very important. Critical even. I. Buy. Things. It doesn’t get said enough. Not like that anyway. No, I don’t mean the excessive line spacing, either. Whenever people … [Read more…]
“But what’s the point of not really buying anything all the time if we don’t do this?” A comment my husband made while we were mapping out our summer plans stopped me in my tracks. Once again, I forgot the why of frugality. We were knee deep in the middle of ideas–literally. Our dining room … [Read more…]
Kids are really expensive. But what if you can get cheap toys? Cheap toys when they’re babies, toddlers, and kids. OK, never mind cheap. What if you learn how to get free toys? Kids are expensive anyway. But that doesn’t mean that learning how to score toys for less isn’t important. It is. In fact, it’s become … [Read more…]
There’s this common misconception that women don’t talk numbers. The truth of the matter is that the women in my life talk numbers far more than any man I know. Take my best friends for example: I know how many boyfriends they have had. I know how many pairs of shoes one friend owns and … [Read more…]
Latte factor: the total cost of your regular, nonessential spending to show how much you could be saving each year. “Look at all that money!” A student gasped, staring at her calculator in disbelief. Sure enough, that burst of excitement flagged the attention of several other students. “Money?” “What money?” “Whose money?” “Where did it … [Read more…]