Blog - Making Sense Of Cents

Living On A Boat – The Good, The Bad, And The Beautiful

May 20, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Wow, it's crazy to think that we've been living on a boat for over a year now! Just a year ago, I was pretty much a complete newbie to sailing. I had no idea what I was doing, and at times, I was wondering what the heck I had gotten myself into.

You can read all about our start in Welcome To Paradise – We’re Living On A Sailboat!

In the beginning, I shed a lot of tears, was stressed out, and occasionally wondered if I made a huge mistake. [Read more…]

How To Make $1,000 Extra With Facebook Each Month

May 15, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 11 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Today, I have a fun interview to share with you that will show you how to make extra money running Facebook ads for local businesses.

I recently had the chance to interview Bobby Hoyt. Bobby is a former high school teacher who paid off $40,000 of student loan debt in a year and a half. He now runs the personal finance blog Millennial Money Man full-time, as well as a digital marketing agency for local businesses that he started in 2015.

Yes, this is a skill you can learn!

Last year, business owners spent over $88,000,000 per day on Facebook ads.

If you are looking for a new business or even just a side hustle so that you can learn how to make extra money, learning how to make money running Facebook ads for local businesses may be something that you want to look into. [Read more…]

30 Money And Life Lessons I’ve Learned In The First 30 Years Of My Life

May 13, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 12 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Next week, I turn 30.

Wow!

While some of you will still think of me as a youngin', turning 30 is… uh… interesting.

When I was really young, I frequently remember adults telling me that their 30s were the best years of their life.

Even with that, I thought they were crazy.

When writing this article, I stopped and started reading articles about turning 30. Some interesting things I found from 11 Points and Buzzfeed include:

At age 30, you’re older than 42% of Americans.
The most common way to die at age 30 is by accident.
The average person has had 7.5 jobs by age 30, and you’ll have 2.4 more by age 35.
30 is the average age of retirement for NFL players.
At the age of 30, you are six years older than Monica and Rachel were at the start of Friends.

I thought those were entertaining to read, haha! [Read more…]

How We Paid Off Our $223,000 House By The Time We Were 30 (Yes, We Have Kids!)

May 10, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Hello! Today, I have a great guest post on an amazing debt payoff story. If you are interested in learning how to pay off your mortgage early, this is something you should definitely read! Enjoy.

I get asked all the time, “how in the world did you pay off your house at your age?” Normally I give some wise anchor answer like I won the lottery, or my rich uncle died but those just aren’t true. The truth is, I’m a pretty normal guy but I had a big, not so normal goal.

Hi, I’m Tyler, my wife Ashlee and I paid off our $223,000 mortgage off by the time we were 30. Now, we live a life full of freedom, adventure, and 4 kids. To find out more, check us out at Paid Off House.

So here is how we did it. I know some of these things are pretty common-sense things, but I happen to know for a fact that they work. (Because we did it!) [Read more…]

This Easy Product Gives You a Customized Plan to Help Achieve Your Credit Score Goals

May 10, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Image Source: Ivory Mix

Disclaimer: This article was sponsored by TransUnion and contains affiliate links to their products. I received a [free demo and free trial] of the product to use and am being provided compensation for my review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My experience is my own, and your experience may differ.

Are you trying to improve your financial situation, and reach your credit score goals, but don't know how to begin? Do you want personalized recommendations on how to reach your credit goals so that you know exactly what steps to take next? [Read more…]

Money And Relationships: Are You On The Verge Of Calling It Quits?

May 8, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 14 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

What To Do When Your Partner Is A Financial Disaster #moneymanagement #manageyourmoney

Is love enough for a healthy and happy relationship, especially when it comes to financial troubles? What if your partner was hiding a secret account or was lying about their spending? Are those issues you could work past?

Unfortunately, negative issues with money and relationships are incredibly common. I actually receive lots and lots of emails from readers who are struggling with some of these exact issues. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t get a question or comment from a reader who has concerns about the bad spending or savings habits of their partner.

Here are a few of the situations I’ve been asked about:

My partner earns $50,000 a year and wants to buy a $900,000 house, and we have NO savings. How do I explain why this won’t work?
My partner has the mistaken idea that if he has a coupon for Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. that he must absolutely buy something because he’s “losing money if I don’t use the coupon.” He is a hoarder and spends all of his money on stuff that he will never use. How do I help him work past his issues before it’s too late for us?
My partner spends over $1,000 a month on entertainment but we have a lot of debt. How should I approach them about it?
My partner is hiding her spending from me and I know it’s happening. How do we work through this?
My partner isn't trying to find a job but we desperately need the money. What should we do?

[Read more…]

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