A belated Merry Christmas to everyone! We had a wonderful time celebrating the holiday with our family. I think we did a good job of balancing the fine line between being cheap and being frugal. This is quite an accomplishment with all of the pressure to spend, spend, spend this time …
Cyber Monday was just a few days ago, another “holiday” devoted to spending money on material possessions. I admit to scanning through some of the “great deals,” but the only ones that gave me pause were the video game systems. Mr. Smith wants one. He has always loved playing video games and …
It can be hard to convert loved ones to our new frugal ways. They are unable to truly adopt new priorities, without being ready to change their entire attitude regarding money. While we won’t be shopping, there is no talking down the rest of them. Black Friday and Cyber Monday, those “holidays” …
I’m probably in a minority of moms who don’t find mornings that stressful. It has taken a while, but my routine is finally tweaked to be as efficient, and frugal, as possible. Of course, saving money is always an important consideration. But I also had to reassess my priorities when it comes …
I’m finally starting to feel like myself again. The stomach flu took me out of commission for a few days. One of the hardest things about being sick was allowing myself just to rest – no work, no side hustling, no making Christmas presents, and no chores. I think my body was telling …
Christmas is everywhere, even though Halloween was just one week ago. There were decorations displayed for sale before we even went trick or treating and a lot of blog posts this past week were focused on saving money during the Holidays. We always seem to be preparing for the next celebration …
Three suicides in the past six months. An acquaintance, a coworker, and a friend’s brother. We all have the same initial reaction of denial, that first step on the traditional path of mourning. Then, the questions start. How could they do this? What about their family? How did we not see …
It is far too easy to become bogged down and depressed by the numbers representing our total debt. At this point in our journey, we still have credit card balances, a consolidation loan, student loans, and mortgages. I try to channel some motivation from our past mistakes, resolving to fight back …
My current predicament is the result of having misguided priorities for far too long. I used to believe that my future happiness was dependent on a prestigious, exciting occupation. I dreamed of fancy suits, expensive cars, and designer handbags. I worked hard to obtain material possessions and stature that are no longer important to …
Everything was tinted with the iridescent gold of a setting sun. I watched a large, gauzy cloud drift by overhead as the sound of cheerful revelry provided ambiance. It was one of those rare occasions on which I actually relaxed and chatted with some neighbors while our children relished a …