holiday budget

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In: Personal Finance 101

***This is a Guest Post. <3 from the Dames*** The holidays are filled with fun, food, friends, and family–as well as extra expenses. Even if you love this time of year, spending more money than your used to can be stressful. Having a side hustle or second job can be a great way to replenish your bank account while also avoiding the headache that comes when the bills do. Here are five suggestions to get you started: Get A Part-time Job Just like yourself, retail stores, restaurants, and bars are all busier at this time of year. Higher foot traffic, family members in town, andRead More →

yolo

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In: Debt Repayment

***This is a Guest Post. <3 from the Dames*** The YOLO (You Only Live Once) mindset greatly affects almost every millennial’s spending habits. One look at all social media platforms and you will see how much premium this generation has put into living YOLO that sadly, many are willing to go into debt just to pay for those “once in a lifetime” experiences. This is why YOLO is being tagged as one of the top reasons why thousands of millennials are now caught under the crushing weight of debt. YOLO may have earned a bad reputation as the perennial excuse for impulsive behavior towards money,Read More →

save money wedding planning

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In: Budget Beauty & Living

***This is a guest post. <3 from the Dames*** If someone handed you 30 grand right now, what would you do with it? Pay off some debt? Spend a little and save the rest? Surely you wouldn’t blow it all on one thing…unless you are planning for a wedding. According to The Knot, the national average cost of a wedding in 2017 was $33,391. Think of all the things you could do with that much money! If you’re planning a wedding, don’t let this number scare you. You can have the magical day you’ve always dreamed of without going broke. Here are five ways to planRead More →

holiday cheer

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In: Saving Money

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to spread holiday cheer, drink peppermint mochas, look at beautiful lights, & pretend you’re living in a Hallmark holiday movie. Or is it? If you’re like me, the holidays can be bittersweet. On the one hand, you want to spend all of your money to buy all the things for all the loved ones in your life. On the other hand, you’re poor, and not only that, but also you’re spending 1/3 of your budget on debt repayment each month. So how do wannabe-Cindy-Lou-Whos spread holiday cheer without breaking the bank? Read on to find out. The SinkingRead More →

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In: Budget Beauty & Living

Because I’m a hostess at heart, and the boy and I now live together, I thought it only appropriate that we host a Friendsgiving this year. For the newbies out there, there’s no difference between Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving – except that Friendsgiving is for the family you pick (aww). The added bonus is that it lets you get your hosting desires out of the way if, like me, you’re from a family where the matriarchs refuse to pass the torch. Regardless of those hosting desires, you can’t let your need to be sociable get in the way of your financial goals. But, with a littleRead More →

staying on track

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In: Budget Beauty & Living

***This is a Guest Post. <3 from the Dames*** Now that school is back in session, it’s time to put together a plan to make those college years the most successful they can be. Today’s guest post is just for our new and returning undergraduates as they work their way through a minefield of debt, expectations, studying, and maybe partying. Starting and staying on track is the key to success. Enjoy! There are several major changes in our lives and becoming a college student is definitely one of the biggest. We leave our parents’ houses, start managing our own time and money, all while adjusting to aRead More →

financial check-up

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In: Personal Finance 101

***This is a Guest Post. <3 from the Dames*** People often start the new year begins with a ton of financial resolutions…but old habits are tough to break, especially when it comes to finances. So, it’s a wise idea to review your finances periodically and check-up on whether you are on track to meet those goals or not. While the middle of the year might be over (so long summer weather!), this is actually the ideal time to check if you’re on the right financial track. Think of it as the adult version of going back to school. If you’re in trouble, there’s still timeRead More →

treat yo self

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In: Budget Beauty & Living

Hi friends, Ever feel like you’re just slowly walking towards your goals? It can be tough watching all of your money pay down debt day after day – especially if you have all your payments automated like us…and it’s going to take you 1.5 years to reach your goal. In order to keep ourselves motivated we’ve been investing in frugal rewards to keep us excited as we reach each milestone. It’s the same idea nutritionists often suggest for maintaining a healthy diet: everything in moderation. Anyways, here are some cheap(er) ideas to keep the gazelle-like intensity: Get that Starbucks grande iced coconut milk mocha macchiatoRead More →

live together

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In: Personal Finance 101

Continuing on with my theme of dramatic, life-changing events happening to me in 2017 (see here): I also moved in with my boyfriend. We moved back in March, so we’ve been living together for ~3 months or so. It wasn’t exactly a tough choice. We’ve been together since August of 2013, and we’ve been doing pseudo-long-distance (an hour apart) for the past two years, which basically means we’ve been living together every weekend for two years. In March, my boyfriend was moving back to my city, and with both of our leases ending at around the same time, we decided it only made sense toRead More →

groceries

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In: Saving Money

Major grocery confession: I don’t do coupons. I don’t look for them, I don’t cut them out, and I certainly don’t remember to take them to the store. I also don’t buy in bulk but that’s mainly for storage reasons. I use coupons if and only if they are attached to the item I’m purchasing. Sad, I know – especially given my food budget woes. To make up for my lack of couponing & help stick to my 2017 financial goals, I’ve decided to start using two grocery apps, Ibotta and Checkout 51. Ibotta The first of the rebate apps, which covers all kinds of products,Read More →