Can you believe we are 6 months into this year? I can’t, I refuse! While that doesn’t seem right, summer season sure does. And while June can be a fantastic whirlwind of joy and excitement and the start to your warm-weather dreams, it can also become a wild money month. I feel like there are two strong scenarios that take place during the summer months. Position one saves money. These are the people that enjoy nature and enjoy its free entertainment. They aren’t looking to spend cash on things to do because the outdoor world has more than enough to offer. You might not spend as much cash, except maybe…

Hi, guys. It’s me, Kayla. It’s nice to see you again. I’m so sorry for leaving this blog silent for two months. The crickets were having a gathering, I’m sure. That short break turned into an extended vacation and I found it difficult to time my jump back into the waters of regular blogging again. Some really exciting things happened while I was away, and I’ll share it with you shortly. But I’m back, and excited to return to the swing of a static routine! As we’re nearing the end of April, it’s time to plan for the expenses we encounter in May. I’m still getting over how we can…

Hey guys! It’s time. I know it seems like we just did this, but we’re closing out January and peeking in on February so it’s budgeting time. February is a fun month, a lovely month, don’t you think? It’s short, we celebrate love, and we pay attention to the groundhog. If you’re looking for a budgeting checklist for this 28 day month, then check out my list below! What do you always budget for during February? Winter Activities We’ve (Michiganders and other out-of-staters) have been hammered these last few weeks with winter’s rain. And with all that snow comes travel restrictions, white out conditions, and (this week, dangerously) cold temps.…

Ohh, it’s here! It’s finally here! The first day of January, numero uno, day 1 of 31 and 365. We’ve come to the wonderfully satisfying restart, the day where a new day, a new week (remember last year?), a new month and a new year all hang out at the same time. They mingle until they combust into a million little sparks of motivation and manifest into resolutions we intend to see through to habits. Right off the coattails of Christmas, this New Year jolly disposition is the icing on a perfectly decorated holiday season. It’s a hopeful vision for an equally exciting year ahead. If you’re like me and…

Ah December, the jolliest time of the year! Can you believe that we are just 4 weeks away from 2019? We’ve got a lot to do before then, so today I’m sharing with you some expense ideas to add to your December budget.   Before we get started, what is your favorite Christmas tradition? Christmas Gifts I had to kick off this list with the obvious budget expense. Christmas gifts! Whether or not you’re a late shopper or have been gathering gifts since October, there always seems to be something we’ve forgotten, are still holding out for a better deal, or can’t seem to get our hands on yet! Try…

It’s the last Thursday of October. Has October flown by to anybody else? I feel like I say that every month, but now that we’ve already had snow where I live and the holidays are only weeks away, it seems I blinked and October was over.   It’s the start of a new month, so today I’m putting together a budget checklist. If you’re like me, you’ll find November to be one of the craziest and most expensive of the year. Below are some things you might want to remember to add to your budget for this exciting month ahead. Snow Tires Do you live in a high probability snow…

October? 10 Months in? What?!   Believe it or not, October is here. And with it, comes a new budget. Fall is already in full swing, the leaves are changing, school has been in session for a while, and it’s time to plan your big Halloween bash. With everything going on during this festive and season-shifting month, there is a lot to remember to budget for.   Check out my list of suggestions for October budget reminders. Happy Fall! 1 Halloween Is that the first thing that came to your mind? It’s at the very end, but it tends to sneak up earlier in the month every year. Here are…

If you’re familiar with A Zesty Existence, you’ll know that my husband and I are in the phase of life where paying off debt is our top financial priority. It’s a trail we’ll continue to walk until every student loan has been shed and there aren’t any emails informing us of our upcoming automatic withdrawals. Oh I can’t wait for that day!   So right now, it’s important for us to be choosy with where our money is going. And the more we keep in our cash envelopes the better! Being picky pays off when you can save a little cash. And while we know we won’t be existing between…

I’m all for Fall, it’s my favorite season, but I’m grasping tight to the few days of summer we have left. It’s funny that I’m seeing Fall and even Christmas displays around town, and yet we haven’t even breached the first day of September. Even into early September we have warm days, (here in Michigan) so I’m going to hold onto these last few “summer” days like we won’t see them for another eight months.   September 1st will probably be the day the switch flips for me; when I’m antsy to tear down my spring/summer décor and put up all my leaves and orange pumpkins. Isn’t there something so…

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,…