In what can only be described as a Herculean effort fool’s errand, I announced to my family that I wanted to finish Christmas shopping this year by the end of November. The fallout was mighty. However, the most unexpected consequence of my hubris came from my mom. Namely, she met my request with one of … [Read more…]
You probably thought the definition of insanity was doing the same thing twice and expecting different results. That is…until you read the title of this post. Then, maybe you reworked your definition, huh? But we actually purposefully make the choice to take our toddler grocery shopping. Every. Single. Week. And we like the results! In … [Read more…]
Babies don’t have to be expensive. They don’t require a lot of stuff. Except…they definitely are and they kind of do. There are myriad ways to cut costs when it comes to child rearing. But there’s no denying the breathtaking burden of childcare and college tuition. It’s easier to combat clutter that college costs, but … [Read more…]
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…]
Is apple picking worth it? We can–and do!–go to the store and score apples for less than what we pay at an orchard. So, from a purely mathematical standpoint, this would be the shortest post ever. Even by my standards. Fortunately, personal finance is rarely ever just a numbers game. To us, apple picking is … [Read more…]
The email hit my inbox around 2 am. If you know anything about Target and their designer collaborations, this is not all that unusual. In fact, it’s pretty standard. What was different about this designer launch is that I…slept through it. In years past, I would sit up and watch the minutes click by. Would … [Read more…]
Remember how in my last money diary I joked about $19 in 48 hours making kids expensive? Hahahahahahahaha. Here’s live footage of me trying to salvage our budget at the end of July. via GIPHY There’s just something about summertime that means spending in my life. Though if social media is any indication, it’s pretty … [Read more…]
“I don’t buy my kid toys.” I remember hearing that sentence like it was yesterday. But it wasn’t. It was 12 years ago, and it was at my parents’ house. My cousins were visiting for the holidays with their 1-year-old baby, and that comment was part of their very grateful acceptance of the gift we … [Read more…]
Are kids expensive? Are kids cheap? No one knows and everyone claims they do. The only thing I actually know is that there are plenty of ways to be frugal when it comes to having a toddler. It’s not just about learning to say no to their wants. It’s also clearly about learning to say … [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…]