Sometimes when we look at ways to adjust our budget, we see long-term goals. You can make some budget tweaks immediately, however, and see immediate gains. Here are four ways you can adjust your budget today and see the savings within the next 30 days (sooner with some). 1. Insurance Policies – Are you paying too much for your car insurance? You hear that question all the time in commercials, usually for companies that will charge you just as much {Read More}

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Once you buy a house, you’re locked into a mortgage for 30 years, right? Wrong. Most banks have done away with prepayment penalties and made it easy for you to save money on your mortgage and pay it off early. Your mortgage may be the biggest expense you ever have, so why not cut it down and get rid of it as quickly as possible? These tips make it easy to pay your mortgage down fast. Add Two Extra Payments {Read More}

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We’ve all done it and we’ve all felt guilty for it. You only plan on spending $300 (or $200 or $100) at the grocery store, but when you get to the checkout, your total is $30 or $50 more. To spare yourself time and embarrassment, you just put it all on credit. This leads to debt and overspending. Need to break this habit? Use envelope budgeting. When my husband and I were $80,000 in debt we had to figure out {Read More}

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You love coffee. Many people do, and for many people, the day does not begin without coffee. If you enjoy your morning cup, the cost can add up. Fortunately, you can save money on your coffee very easily. You just need a little willpower and some ingenuity. Downsize Your Coffee Menu You love your coffee shop coffee, whether it is Starbucks or a local shop. That latte, however, can add up very quickly. If you simply must have your coffee {Read More}

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You have been doing really well and saved money for an emergency. You have pinched pennies. You have cut corners. You have avoided the temptation of the Chai Latte. Now, you are looking at an emergency and wondering – Should I dip into my emergency fund? Sometimes that answer can be easy, sometimes it can be tough. Sometimes we are tempted to go to that fund when we don’t really need it. So how do we know when we have {Read More}

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You have this great spreadsheet on your computer. On it, you have budgeted everything – utilities, rent or mortgage, car payments, gas, and groceries. Unfortunately, when you get to the end of the month, you are still scraping to pay something even though your spreadsheet says you should have money left over. Why can’t you seem to get a break when it comes to the household budget? Chances are, you’re overlooking a few expenses that are killing your budget. Vehicle {Read More}

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One of the most important budgeting tips you hear is “plan your menu.” What does that mean exactly? What meals should you plan, and what meals are okay to simply let happen? Planning your meals for the week is an important way to control your food budget and ensure you and your family eat healthy. These tips will help you create effective meal plans. What is your eating situation? How busy is your week? Do you have a lot of {Read More}

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Ever wonder what you could do with your morning coffee grounds other than thrown them in your garden? Why not make a shower scrub? From what I have read it could possibly reduce cellulite and varicose veins (due to the caffeine).. and while I don’t know about all that it will exfoliate your skin with out any harsh chemicals!! DIY Coffee Body Scrub What you will need: 2 cups of used coffee grounds from your morning pot 1 tablespoon olive {Read More}

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Your local Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or other dollar store can be a great source of inexpensive goods that can save you tons of money. Some items are a better deal than others, though, so it’s good to go in with a plan. Next time you hit up the dollar store, keep an eye out for these items! Certain toiletries and personal items While some generic toiletries are best avoided at the dollar store, there are quite a few that {Read More}

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I am a huge fan of Costco. We buy our electronics and appliances there, we bought a garage door from them, and refinanced our home loan through them. They rock! However, I don’t actually buy a lot of groceries there. Their food prices are on the low side of average, and the portions are just too big for us to use and store in the cupboard. But there are a few exceptions. Here are the groceries and household items that {Read More}

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