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12 Delicious And Healthy Meals On A Budget

Last Updated: March 3, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 1 Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Are you interested in recipes for healthy meals on a budget? Would you like to cook more tasty meals at home so you’re less tempted to eat out?

If you are looking for delicious, healthy, and budget friendly meal ideas, then I am excited to share this list of recipes with you today.

healthy meals on a budget

Eating healthy meals doesn’t have to be expensive. And, there are so many options out there that will get you excited about eating at home again.

I know it gets hard during the week when you’re busy or feeling in a rut with cooking.

It often feels like it would be so much easier to just go out to eat, stop at a drive thru, or order take out. But, the problem with those options is that they’re expensive and often unhealthy.

Eating at home is healthier, and it’s a great way to stick to your budget. 

There are some really delicious healthy meals on a budget in this round-up.

I’ve already tried several of these recipes, and some of my favorites are:

  • Healthy General Tso’s Chicken – Now that we live on a boat, we don’t often get the chance to do Chinese take out, but this recipe really hits the spot when I am missing it. The sauce has a sweet and tangy flavor, and I like to make mine extra spicy.
  • Vegan Bean Burritos – These are plant-based burritos that are so easy to make. I make them in advance when I know we are going to have long sailing days because you can store them in the fridge for a few days before you eat them. You can try any number of fillings, and my favorites are avocados, black beans, bell peppers, and salsa.
  • Cucumber Pasta Salad – This healthy pasta salad recipe is a good summer meal idea because it is fresh and light. This recipe is vegan, but I think adding feta cheese to it would be really good. 
  • Beans and Rice – I love beans and rice recipes because you can add so many different toppings, put them in wraps, or even add your leftover beans and rice to salads. This recipe is flavorful, healthy, and affordable.

If you want to get excited about eating healthier at home instead of spending money going out to eat, then I definitely recommend that you try these ideas for delicious and healthy meals on a budget. [Read more…]

1 Comment
Filed Under: Budget, Food

15 Best Money Books For 2021 To Help You Change Your Life

Last Updated: March 1, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 6 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Are you interested in reading some of the best money books? Reading financial books is a great way to improve your financial situation and reach your money and life goals.

If you want to make a change in your financial life, then I recommend that you start reading personal finance books.best money books

What I like so much about reading financial books is that you can hear so many different kinds of stories (kind of like reading personal finance blogs!). But, the authors can go much more in-depth in a book.

The best money books motivate you with personal stories, teach strategies you never thought of, and lay out the steps to take charge of your financial life so you can change it for the better.

Today, I want to share some of the best money books for all ages.

The books below are great for any stage of your life, whether you are fresh out of school, have a family, seeking retirement, or something else.

These books are great to purchase for yourself, or to give away as gifts. I know for me, I like to give books as gifts as they can be so helpful in a person’s life.

Also, if you are looking to save money, you can simply see if your local library has the book that you are interested in. Many times they do, so that can be a great way to save money and reduce waste. Free personal finance books are a no brainer! [Read more…]

6 Comments
Filed Under: Budget

How To Make Extra Money By Starting A Home Bakery

Last Updated: February 26, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Do you want to learn how to make extra money by starting a home bakery business? Here’s the equipment needed to start a bakery, food laws, tips on pricing your baked goods, and more. Please enjoy this guest post from Denise Treco. Denise ran a home bakery as a side hustle, and today she is here to help you learn how to start a successful home bakery business as well. Enjoy!

If you love to bake, you probably had some friend or family member tell you should open a bakery.

Maybe that is your ultimate dream—whether it is or not, there is a way to take your passion for baking and turn it into a profitable side hustle. I am talking about a home bakery.how to start a home bakery business

Under cottage food laws, which vary by state, you can operate a home bakery. Before I go deep into the details of starting a legal home bakery, I will share a little bit about my bakery experience.

I became a first-time homeowner so that my mom could live with me after my dad passed away. You know how everyone tells you owning a house can be expensive with repairs, taxes, etc.? Well, everyone was right. 

I found myself in a position where I needed to make extra money outside of my 9-5 job as a marketing director for a nonprofit to support my mom and me. 

I guess I should go back a little further to say how much I enjoy baking.

I was the person in my family who brought dessert for every holiday gathering or friend’s party and always made a birthday cake for my colleagues. [Read more…]

2 Comments
Filed Under: Budget, Career, Extra Income Tagged With: Career, Extra Money, Hustle Series

Mistakes I Made When I Bought My First House At The Age of 20

Last Updated: February 22, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Are you thinking about buying a house? Do you want to avoid common home buying mistakes?

I bought my first house when I was only 20 years old. Even though that was a little over 11 years ago, I have looked back many times and wondered how I did it.first time home buying mistakes

I made so many first time home buyer mistakes!

Of course, I was young and had a lot to learn. But, I definitely could have done more research to avoid many of the home buying mistakes I made, like not comparing interest rates or understanding the total cost of buying a home.

I’m not alone in how I approached buying a house. There are many people who simply do not understand everything that goes into buying a house, and that’s something that can negatively impact your finances and cause stress. 

Over the years, I have received many emails about buying a house in your early 20s or when you’re young. I also get lots of questions from people who have been renting and are thinking about buying their first home. [Read more…]

4 Comments
Filed Under: Budget

How To Make $1,000 Monthly Selling Your Poop

Last Updated: February 17, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Today, I have an interesting way to make money to share with you. Did you know that you can make $1,000 a month by selling your poop?

Yes, this is a real way to make extra money.how to make money selling your stool

To learn more about this way to make extra income, I interviewed Michael Harrop, as he is an expert on this topic and answered many of the questions that you probably have.

Michael founded Human Microbes, which is a stool donor network currently serving the USA and Canada.

Below, I ask him questions such as:

  • Why stool donors are needed;
  • The qualifications that are needed to become a stool donor;
  • The steps to take to get started donating stool and making money;
  • How much money you can make donating stool;

And more!

Plus, you can get a $1,000 sign up bonus if you use my referral link for the donor screening questionnaire and list “makingsenseofcents” under “How did you hear about us.” The $1,000 bonus will be paid out over the first 30 donations. [Read more…]

4 Comments
Filed Under: Budget

How To Get Your Blog Featured In The Media, Magazines, News, and More

Last Updated: February 15, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Are you looking to grow your blog and business?

No matter what type of business you run, being featured in the media can improve your market reach, page views, income, and more.

How To Get Your Blog Featured In The Media

Photo credit: Daisy Gamboa

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Selena Soo.

Selena has landed publicity and been featured in places like Forbes, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and Inc., Entrepreneur On Fire, Smart Passive Income, and more.

I have heard amazing things about Selena over the years, and we randomly connected one day when we realized that we were both in a small town in Puerto Rico at the same time for several months.

Media features are something that I’m always extremely happy to land, and I know that they do wonders for a blog. In fact, in 2021, I am hoping to land even more features. I have been featured on Oprah, Reader’s Digest, Forbes, CNBC, Business Insider, and so much more.

Due to that, I know how valuable media mentions are!

You can see many of my features here, and as you can see, I have put a lot of time into it over the years.

All the time I am asked how I have so many features in the media…. [Read more…]

4 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Career

16 Free Work From Home Courses & Resources

Last Updated: February 8, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Trying to find free work from home courses? Would you like to learn how to work from home?

Today, I have a great list of free online courses, plus webinars and ebooks that will help you learn how to start your own home business.Free Work From Home Courses

If you’re looking to make extra income or a full-time living, working from home can be a great idea for you to learn more about. 

For me, I love being able to work from home. I have been working from home for over 7 years now, and I wouldn’t change a thing!

Many people enjoy working from home for reasons such as eliminating your commute, making extra money from home, being your own boss, having a more flexible schedule, and so on.

Also, around 50% of U.S. businesses are now based at home, and that number is expected to to grow.

There are lots of valuable paid online courses for work from home jobs, but if you’re not sure about an idea, you might not want to invest any money just yet. [Read more…]

3 Comments
Filed Under: Career, Extra Income Tagged With: Career, Extra Money

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My name is Michelle and I'm the author/owner of Making Sense of Cents. Learning how to save money and make more money changed my life. It allowed me to pay off $40,000 in student loans, start my own business, and I now travel full-time.
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