Budget Archives - Making Sense Of Cents

How Amanda Paid Off $133,763 In Debt in 43 Months

April 24, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 11 Comments

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How Amanda Paid Off $133,763 In Debt in 43 months #debtpayoff #payoffdebt

My monthly Extraordinary Lives series has been a lot of fun, and I’m back with another inspiring interview. First up was JP Livingston, who retired with a net worth over $2,000,000 at the age of 28. Today's interview is with Amanda, who is now living debt free after paying off $133,000 in three years and seven months.

I've been following Amanda – @debtfreeinsunnyca – on Instagram for quite some time, and I'm so happy that I was finally able to interview her!

In this interview, you'll learn:

How Amanda got into debt.
Why she decided to get out of debt fast.
The expenses she cut so that she could pay off her debt quickly.
What she thinks about the cash envelope method.
The sacrifices she made to reach her goal.
What she did to stay motivated.

And more! This interview is packed full of valuable information! [Read more…]

How We Made the Switch to Full-Time Travelers and Planning a Life of Adventure

April 17, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 3 Comments

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Hello! I had the pleasure of hanging out with Steve and Courtney several times while we were all in Tucson with our RVs. Steve and Courtney retired from full-time work at the ages of 35 and 33 and travel the country for a living in their 30′ Airstream travel trailer, named Charlie. They blog about financial independence and early retirement at ThinkSaveRetire.com and publish travel videos on a growing YouTube channel, A Streamin' Life.

How We Made the Switch to Full-Time Travelers and Planning a Life of Adventure Listening to the birds and the rush of the creek behind us, we sit beside a morning campfire.

We are watching the sun rise over the mountains in the distance as we sip on our morning coffee. The conversation turns to what hike we are going to attempt this morning and the local brewery we want to try out this afternoon as a reward.

Did I mention this is a typical Tuesday?

My husband and I live and travel full-time in a 30’ ft Airstream travel trailer and try to make mornings like this one more of our norm than the exception.

But three years ago, our life was anything but adventurous.

I had barely stepped inside an RV, had never camped in my life, and if you had asked me where to go for a morning campfire, I would have looked at you blankly! [Read more…]

Is Paying Off Your Debt Worth It?

April 15, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 16 Comments

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

Is Paying Off Your Debt Worth It? #payoffyourdebt #debt Paying off debt is hard work. If it weren’t so hard, then it would be no problem for people to do. But, that isn’t the case at all.

Once you decide to pay off your debt, there will challenges along the way. There will be times that you feel tired and even defeated. Paying off debt takes making sacrifices, it takes time, and you may feeling like you are the only one working towards being debt free.

There are many things that may weigh you down as you pay off your debt, and the ones I bring up are all going to feel very negative. But, I want to talk about them because they are all things that I have felt while paying off my nearly $40,000 of student loan debt. By knowing that these feelings are common, my hope is that today’s post can help you overcome difficulties that you may experience along the way.

Instead of letting these feelings or challenges completely stop you from moving forward as you pay off your debt, you should know that many of the obstacles you come across are things that you can push past and move on from. [Read more…]

10 Easy Road Trip Snack Recipes

April 8, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 2 Comments

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Road trips are one of the best ways to travel affordably, and they can be a lot of fun for families, couples, or a way to travel on your own. Even though we no longer have a car, we did RV for several years, so we are road trip pros, haha.

Now, while road trips can be an affordable way to travel, it is also very easy to buy snacks every time you need to get gas or use the restroom. Even though they are usually somewhat cheap, the cost can really add up. That means you will probably be spending much more money than if you made your own road trip snacks in advance.

The other bad thing about the kind of road trip snacks you find in gas stations is that they are usually full or sugar, sodium, and just aren’t very healthy for you.

I have gotten much better at not grabbing candy or chips when on a road trip because I hate how it makes me feel afterwards. But, I also hate how quickly the cost of those snacks adds up.

So, if you’re wanting some ideas for healthy, make at home road trip snacks for your next adventure, then I have a great list of delicious recipes for you to try.

They are delicious snacks for anyone who might be joining you on the road, and they hardly take any time to make. [Read more…]

Last Minute Tax Tips

April 7, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 1 Comment

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The following is a sponsored partnership with H&R Block.

The tax deadline is nearing!

Personal tax returns are due on Monday, April 15th, 2019. I recommend putting this on your calendar now, so that you do not forget because it is coming up very quickly.

Due to this, I encourage you to file your taxes as soon as you can. [Read more…]

Save Your Money And Avoid A Storage Unit

April 3, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 9 Comments

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

When we downsized our house and belongings to move into our RV, we rented a storage unit for a few months to help us deal with some things we still had left but couldn’t fit into the RV. While it was helpful at the time, we are now really happy that we got rid of our storage unit.

It’s been a few years since we got rid of it, but we're still very happy with our decision!

I won't lie, though, just a few months ago, we were talking about whether or not we should get a small storage unit again for some of the gear we have (bikes, bikes, and more bikes, and other outdoors gear that we have) and things that we have collected over the past few years while traveling.

But, we've decided not to. [Read more…]

How to use your tax refund to repair your credit

March 31, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 2 Comments

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

The following is a sponsored post with Creditrepair.com.

Are you looking to improve your credit score and your credit history? As you recently learned in What makes you a good candidate for credit repair?, your credit score is so important!

As a refresher, your credit score can influence the interest rate you receive on a loan, buying a home, finding a rental home, attaining certain jobs, your insurance rates, and more.

If you're receiving a tax refund this year, I recommend using it to your advantage and improve your life first. Yes, splurges are great, but if you have a low or not-excellent credit score and credit history, I recommend using your tax refund towards this instead.

Here are some ways you can use your tax refund to repair your credit. [Read more…]

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