by Kati Kiefer | Dec 8, 2023 | Christmas
Do you and your family have fun family traditions for Christmas? In my family, it was reading The Night Before Christmas each Christmas Eve before heading off to bed. We would all sit down on the couch together, while my mom read it to us. As we got older, sometimes...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 7, 2023 | Budgeting
We've all been there before. Your credit card statement is staring you in the face and your checking account is just cents from zero. It happens. Time to make some household budget cuts. And then you get mad at yourself for allowing your finances to get in this awful...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 7, 2023 | No Spend
Whether you see each other every day or haven’t seen each other for months, having a weekend girl's get together with your girlfriends is a must no matter how busy you are. Just think about the idea of having your husband watch the kids for a weekend, no grocery...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 7, 2023 | Budgeting
There are two types of people who want to live on $2,000 a month. There are the people who only have $2,000 a month, or there are those who want to live on less by living on $2,000 a month and saving the rest. I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum, so I know what...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 7, 2023 | Christmas
After weeks, and maybe even months, of planning, shopping, baking, wrapping, parties, and holiday prep, it’s finally Christmas Morning. Did you give yourself a smart start to the day? By the time Christmas morning comes around, you may be exhausted and done with the...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Budgeting
When creating personal budget categories for your family, most people will start by either revisiting a previous budget they put together or by making a list of all their bills to figure out where money needs to be distributed. Budgets that are created based solely on...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
Are you looking for fun, cheap summer vacations? Traveling can be expensive, especially if you’re planning a big trip such as traveling a far distance with multiple overnight stays. When it comes to preparing a travel budget, this can be a little more tricky. You may...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Spend Less, Wedding and Honeymoon
Weddings are beautiful celebrations for newly engaged couples and their guests, but those wedding expenses can sure be expensive. And while everyone enjoys dressing up and having a great time with friends and family, wedding expenses can sure get a couple into debt...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Freebies, Grocery Savings
FREE Baby Diapers. Doesn't that sound crazy since they are so expensive?! Well, Momma, get ready to save money on your diaper expenses by getting FREE baby diapers! And since birthing and raising babies is so painful and expensive, can't we get something FREE out of...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Budgeting
We are all guilty of certain bad money habits. In fact, I am willing to bet that even if you are the most frugal person in the world, you are still guilty of at least one bad money habit. For me, it was too easy to use our credit card. Over just a short period we...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
It's hard to find cheap spring break trips for families…but I've got the best ideas to get your spring break trip started! Spring break is right around the corner so it's time to break out the bathing suits and sunscreen! And you might be looking to do something...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | Budgeting
The idea of creating and sticking to a budget probably sounds pretty straightforward when you start the budgeting process. All you have to do is make a plan for where you want your money to go and then stick to it. Sounds pretty simple, right? But you can easily make...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | Budgeting
Whether you're trying to pay off debt or just getting your financial life in order, we all need an emergency savings fund or a rainy day fund. Emergency funds are so essential for our financial security. When a financial crisis and unexpected expenses occur, instead...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | No Spend
Was the way of saving money with the Spending Freeze Challenge successful? Are you looking forward to the little extra money in your bank account at the end of the month? My desire to put the extra money to pay off debt turned into a vacation fund for my family, a way...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
The older I get the more I am realizing how important family getaways are to reconnecting with our families. We are always running in so many various directions during the year that we all need some relaxing time to let loose and have some fun. And while that sounds...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | Spend Less, Wedding and Honeymoon
The most important part of planning a wedding is to learn how to budget for your wedding. While the ideas of a string orchestra and a white horse drawn carriage sounds so romantic, your wedding budget can't handle that…can it? Do you even know? That's why it's...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2023 | Christmas
If you are having trouble finding a great gift for the Jedi in your life, there are plenty of choices for you to pick from this list of the best Star Wars Novelty Gifts around! No matter what your budget, you can make something yourself, or order it online and kick...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 4, 2023 | No Spend
Are you always searching for “free outdoor activities near me”? Free activities are always a good idea if you’re looking to save money during a Spending Freeze Challenge. However, you might be thinking that “no spending” also sounds like no fun...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 4, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
Do you want to learn how to not worry about money on your vacation? You know, that feeling where you worried about the dimes and nickles and how much you'll have at the end of the day? If you'll have to cut your trip short because it's been more expensive than you...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 4, 2023 | Spend Less, Wedding and Honeymoon
Are you trying to learn how to have a frugal wedding? This is such an exciting time but a stressful one too knowing how much weddings can cost these days. But I just know that your end result is going to be spectacular when you learn these frugal wedding tips. Right...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 4, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
If you are looking at how to save on your spring break vacations, then I've got some tips for you! Spring break is one of the largest travel seasons of the whole year. With students ranging from elementary all the way up to college age off all at one time, competition...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 4, 2023 | Christmas
Are you looking for some good deals after Christmas? Going shopping during the after Christmas sales is a big deal at our house. There are items that you just can't get cheaper any other time of the year. Oh, don't get me wrong, IÂ still shop on Black Friday and Cyber...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 3, 2023 | Budgeting
When it comes to creating a good budget, sometimes we make it harder than it has to be. Here's the thing, a good budget will not only tell your money where to go but help you stay on track, so you don’t overspend. While it is good practice to track your spending...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 3, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
You’re probably excited about getting ready to go on a much-needed family vacation and now the process of getting your vacation on budget starts. Do you actually know how much you need to save to have the best time possible? The last thing you want is to get to your...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 3, 2023 | Debt
Raising your credit score rating is a lot like losing weight. It’s not something that can happen overnight, and there is no such thing as a quick fix. Your credit score is determined by your past behavior and not just what you are doing presently to address it. So it...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 2, 2023 | Budgeting
I know what you're thinking…how to achieve big goals for your finances already seems daunting. Until this point, I had never shared my goals with you. Can you believe it? I started my frugal living journey long ago because I wanted to live a more meaningful life...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2023 | Budgeting
How do you go about planning for your financial future? Think back to five years ago. Are you where you wanted to be now? Do you even remember where you wanted to be five years ago? This is perhaps one of life’s hardest questions since a lot can change in just five...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2023 | Grocery Savings, Spend Less
Did you know that food is the third largest household expense families spend money on? Even the thriftiest people are still averaging a spending of $568 per month. Whether your family is big or small, we’re all looking for ways to save money on groceries. So how do...
by Kati Kiefer | Nov 30, 2023 | Meal Planning
Looking for a meal plan that works? The average American will spend $2,625 each year at restaurants; this doesn’t even include the amount spent on unused groceries! Whether you are trying to cut back on eating out or just pay less overall, meal planning can help you...
by Kati Kiefer | Nov 29, 2023 | Meal Planning
Now that you've been meal planning, how do you take your meal plan to the next level? Our family has been meal planning for years now to cut down our food waste, make mealtime more manageable, and save money. But after years of planning meals, sometimes things can get...
