August is upon us! Can you believe we are already 8 months into 2018? I say that with astonishment at the start of every month, but this time around it’s truly unbelievable. It’s been a speedy summer. The other day I was perusing around the store and saw Halloween decorations. I’m okay with summer sticking around for a little while longer. How about you?   It’s day one of the new month; have you already prepared and planned your August budget? If you haven’t, here’s a quick list of some line items to add to your “itinerary”.   August Budget Line Items:   *End of Summer Vacation Summer isn’t over,…

When my husband and I first started the excursion in our financed Chevy Cruzes through the mountain of vehicle and student loan debt, we were slashing attackers and taking names. We paid off his car in three months and paid mine off seven months later. Now we’re tunneling through student loans. Intensity wasn’t lacking, and while not every month was perfect, and some budget line items were skewed, we managed to take it in stride and push through.   That adrenaline is an incredible motivator. When a budget is working right, things can move fast, and you’ll be surprised at how your balance starts to decrease every month. But even…

You’ve been there. Either in line or tucked off in the inner aisles of a store, an item in hand and questions on your mind. Should I buy this? Your bank account pulled up on your phone attempts to give clarity. Maybe it immediately shut down that idea but you still stand there, thinking of ways to justify the purchase.   I’ve prowled the aisles of stores, wasting time trying to decide if I absolutely need the items in my cart, especially if it’s an impulse buy. And if I do trot to the register and hand over my cash, she returns me my receipt, a load of coupons and…

The fear of being trapped, physically, emotionally, relationally, and even metaphorically can be utterly terrifying. Anxiety builds up in your chest, you start to panic, hope that you had is dissipating until it’s evaporated entirely. It’s a circumstance you hope you’re never forced into. Have you ever experienced your finances causing that same trauma? That backed-into-a-corner hopelessness? It’s always good to be prepared, in any situation life throws at you, and having a cushion of cash to fall back on can be the difference between debt and inconvenience. Here are some reasons emergency funds and sinking funds are invaluable, necessary, and should be an essential part of your financial life.…

The money we spent on moving….whew! Substantial distance or not, and regardless of size of home, it’s hard to walk away from a move without some sort of dent in your financial plan. Moving is an expensive ordeal, we all know it, but what if there were a few tidbits of the process that would help keep your paycheck in your wallet? Well, today I want to share with you a few ways to save money during this chaotic time in your life, and do just that.     Moving Boxes:   You never know how much stuff you have until you have to configure it into boxes. It’s enough…

Moving is stressful. It doesn’t matter if you’re packing up and heading across the country, the state, or just across town, it still is a pain and a time-consuming hassle. It would be hard to name something more daunting than dealing with packing tape nightmares and ceiling-high cardboard box mazes, but I think I can come up with one: money. If you let it, moving can cost you your school tuition, the combined amount of coin you’ve purchased in coffee during your drinking lifetime, and quite possibly the dollars you’ve saved for that down payment. Exaggeration inserted here. But really, it can be ex-pen-sive! Take it from me, ‘cough’. So…