Think back to when you were a kid. Do you remember how your family dealt with money and how you felt about it? Did your parents constantly argue about spending money so when you grew up you thought that spending money on anything was bad? Did your family get a new car every year and then when you were on your own you realized that there was no way you could afford to do that? Do you remember wanting to go out to eat like your school friends did and your mom told you she couldn’t afford that and you started to wonder if you’d have enough for food because as a 5 year old you didn’t realize eating out is more expensive than eating in? You learned these money lessons whether your parents meant for you to or not and you can teach your kids different money lessons.
Budgeting
A budget partnership
Most relationships have it- one person who’s a budgeter or saver and the other who just isn’t. And while that balances a lot of couples, it can also be very frustrating for the budgeter to try to get the other partner on board. And let’s face it, if you aren’t on the same page and working towards the same money goals, then everything is twice as hard. While you’re running uphill attached to a rope, the other end is your partner driving away in the other direction and pulling you backwards. It just feels like you can’t win. Here’s how to plan a monthly budget meeting that will help you feel better about your budget and work to get your partner on board so you can both achieve your financial goals.
Celebrate July 4th on a budget
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Independence Day in the US is right around the corner. How do you celebrate your patriotism without breaking the bank? Here are 8 ways to have an awesome Fourth of July without spending a fortune.
Grocery shopping on a budget
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Have you noticed that groceries account for a HUGE portion of your budget? Does it seem like you can’t ever walk into a grocery store without spending more money than you planned? These 11 secrets below will help you win at grocery shopping on a budget.
Gyms are too expensive. I can’t get in shape!
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Gyms are too expensive. I can’t get in shape! This is an excuse, not a fact. If you’ve ever uttered this phrase, I hope you weren’t serious. Just because gyms are expensive doesn’t mean you can’t get in shape. Don’t get me wrong, gym memberships range in price and can certainly cost a good bit of money, but there are plenty of ways to get in shape without using cost as a convenient excuse. The Mayo Clinic states that working out even as little as 10-15 minutes at a time can have huge health benefits in lowering stress and anxiety.
With focus increasingly being put on self care, make sure to make some time for you. In addition to the physical health benefits, working out can also give you some time to think or even be a way to be productive and do something fun at the same time. You should pick the form of exercise that you will most enjoy. It could be a workout class or video, walking beside your friend while you talk about what’s new in your lives, spending some time walking with your dogs, or even walking while listening to music or a podcast you really enjoy.
Friends on a budget
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Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sit at home alone and not ever have any fun. There are lots of ways that you can enjoy fun with your friends without spending a ton of money. I’ll honest, I’ve been budgeting for over 10 years now and while my budget doesn’t allow me to go to expensive events every week, I still manage to have plenty of fun and find things I enjoy. Here are 8 ideas of how to have fun with friends without spending an arm and a leg to get you started.
Life versus debt freedom
A lot of experts will tell you to live as poorly as possible to pay off debt as quickly as possible. I’m here to tell you that they are definitely right, but that isn’t the path I took. Sure, I cut out a lot of indulgences and monitor my spending very carefully, but I also want to enjoy life and be in a good mental and emotional place. I definitely could have saved money by living with my parents (or any relatives) after college graduation, but I had been dreaming of moving to North Carolina and honestly the thought of another Boston winter sounded absolutely miserable. I made the choice to follow the path I thought was right for me and am so unbelievably glad I did. Will it take me a bit longer to get out of debt? Yes, but it’s a trade off. As long as you are caught up on minimum debt payments, I think it’s important to listen to expert opinions (after all, there’s a reason they’re the experts), but also to really reflect on your own personal situation and make sure you choose the path that is right for you.
I’m engaged!!! Now what?
You’re engaged, congratulations! Now what? Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. I’m sure you’ve already started getting questions about when the date will be. I know that I was asked that question the second I announced I was engaged. Try to keep calm through the questions and don’t panic if you haven’t set a date yet. Enjoy your moment. The rest will come. There are tons of ways to save money on a wedding, but today let’s focus on some basics on how to get your dream wedding.
Actionable advice towards big picture budget goals
You have to keep your big picture goals in mind. Popular personal finance experts will give advice that includes things similar to: sell your house and your car and move into a studio apartment walking distance to work with 6 roommates or quit your rewarding non-profit job that you love and go get a better paying job. While this advice will definitely get you out of debt quickly, a lot of people just aren’t going to follow it. The extreme advice will make people shut down and just keep doing what they’re doing. I’d rather have more realistic recommendations that are actionable and help you achieve the big picture goals. It’s also important to mention that suggestions may work perfectly for some people and be just completely unrealistic for others and that’s ok. That’s what makes it PERSONAL finance. You have to evaluate any advice based on your situation and determine if it’s a fit for you.
I just looked at my money and… UH OH
Have you realized that something with your money just isn’t the way you want it to be? Do you have a budget and stick to it?
Maybe you realize that no matter how hard you try, you’re always spending all of the money in your bank account. Maybe you don’t have a bank account. Maybe you have 5 different credit cards and they are all maxed out. Maybe you just looked at your student loan balance and had a panic attack. Once you recognize that something about your money isn’t the way you want it to be, you’ve already taken the first step towards fixing it. Whatever the situation, if you want to change it, you can. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but keep moving through these four steps and you’ll get through it.