by Kati | Jul 19, 2019 | Budgeting, Meal Planning
Budget meal planning for families can be a challenge. Convenience foods loaded with empty calories and extra fats are so tempting to feed our families in the chaos of a hectic schedule. Yes, prepackaged foods are convenient, but we know deep down they are not good for...
by Kati Kiefer | Jul 18, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
So you may have seen those silly 365 Day Money Saving Challenges, and they sound all glamorous, “Save Over $1,000 this year!” but when you look at the nitty gritty penny challenge details, you have to sock away around $50 EACH WEEK by the time November...
by Kati Kiefer | Jul 16, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
What would you do if you had an extra $10,000 (ten grand) in your pocket today? Just think of what an additional $10,000 a year could do for your family. A few simple changes in your shopping habits can really add up to some BIG savings. Find out how to save Ten Grand...
by Kati | Jul 11, 2019 | Budgeting, Spend Less
Did you know that over 80% of Americans admit to throwing money in one form or another? Are you throwing money away? The majority blame dining out as the biggest culprit (me included), but that is something we know we do that can waste money. What about those things...
by Kati Kiefer | Jul 9, 2019 | 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 | Jul 4, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Many people are looking to improve their financial situation this year, but have no idea how on earth to achieve this goal! If you are struggling to get ahead financially, just the idea of getting control of your finances can seem intense. I’m not going to lie to you...
by Kati | Jul 2, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Can you believe it’s already 2019?! It’s time to set a smarter goal! Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday we were celebrating the start of 2018. It’s time to start goal setting and making New Year’s resolutions. However, the new year is not just about goal...
by Kati | Jun 20, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Creating a budget breakdown and sticking to a budget was and is by far the hardest part of gaining control of your finances. For us, we spent so much money outside of our budget that we ended up carrying balances on our credit cards. And then paying them off using...
by Kati | Jun 20, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
It’s a new year and a fresh start! That can mean a new financial year for you! If your New Year’s resolution this year is to make better money management decisions or even give your finances a financial makeover, you’re in the right place! I’m going to show you how to...
by Kati Kiefer | Jun 13, 2019 | 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 revisit the household budget. And then you get mad at yourself for allowing your finances to get in this awful...
by Kati Kiefer | Jun 13, 2019 | Budgeting
When it comes to budgeting, 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 anyway, a...
by Kati Kiefer | Jun 11, 2019 | Budgeting
The idea of creating and sticking to a budget probably sounds pretty straightforward. 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? Don’t make these mistakes when starting your budgeting...
by Kati | Jun 6, 2019 | Budgeting
Whether you’ve decided not to spend any money for a short period (by doing a spending freeze), or there just isn’t enough money to make ends meet, everyone encounters a time when you have to use budget savers to make the money you have last until it replenishes and...
by Kati | Jun 4, 2019 | Budgeting
Are you wondering how to show someone you love them when extra money is not in your budget? When was the last time you went out for a night on the town with your significant other? But flowers, dinner, a movie and a babysitter will easily cost you over $100! For only...
by Kati Kiefer | May 23, 2019 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Frugality is often confused with being poor or cheap and spending only the minimum. But I’ve found that living a frugal life isn’t about sacrificing and feeling deprived. Being frugal is learning to live smarter so that you can afford to live the life you...
by Kati Kiefer | May 21, 2019 | 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 | Apr 4, 2019 | 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 | Apr 3, 2019 | Budgeting
The cash envelope system is a spenders godsend when it comes to budgeting. This easy way of budgeting will keep you from going over budget, and help you stay accountable and on track with your budget. While using a paper envelope to keep your money in each month might...
by Kati | Mar 31, 2019 | Budgeting, Debt, Spend Less
A couple weeks ago my oldest son, Kevin, turned 17. All he wanted for his birthday was a new bed. But not just any bed. A Hammock. Weird right?! Contrary to what we originally thought, after researching the effects of long-term hammock sleeping, we found that a...
by Kati | Mar 26, 2018 | Budgeting
You may not be thinking about buying a house for a few years, but a down payment on a house could end up being thousands of dollars. If you’ve already started thinking about saving up for a down payment, you might feel just a little overwhelmed. Unlike retirement, the...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2017 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
When you’re in the middle of a no spend challenge, it can start to feel like the days are endless. Time, when you used to spend out shopping, eating out, or being out on the town, is replaced with days in the house and evenings wondering what to do with your free...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2017 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
If you’re anything like me, then you might religiously check your budget and track your personal expenses every month so you can stay on top of things. However, staying on top of things doesn’t necessarily mean you are void of having no emergency savings, a...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2017 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
You’ve probably already heard the statistics about money and marriage; “more than half of marriages end in divorce because of money.” And it’s nothing to scoff at because money problems are the second leading cause of those divorces (second...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2017 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to how you budget your money. Some methods may work better for you than others, but as long as you are sticking to it and tracking your expenses, you should have great success. After failing to stick to a regular budget,...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 1, 2017 | Budgeting
It’s so important to put money away for savings regularly. Having money in savings will provide you with a cushion for emergencies and unexpected expenses that may pop up in your budget. Your savings account can also provide you with a way to meet your financial...
by Kati | Sep 15, 2017 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Are you ready to learn more about how much money you are saving? This Coupon Savings Tracker will help you...
by Kati | Feb 5, 2015 | Budgeting, Featured Articles
Finances. We all have them… but some of us just have a handle on how to use them better. Are we born with an innate “spending” vs “saving” nature? Or do we learn this as we grow and start earning and spending our on own? In general, I...
