Today, I have a fun article from a reader. Mrs. Picky Pincher is the blogger and money-saving maven at Picky Pinchers. She writes about living the good life while paying off $225,000 of debt. Below is her story. Enjoy!

I've always been bad at math. I remember sobbing my eyes out in fourth grade because I didn't understand fractions. Eh, I still don't really understand fractions, to be honest with you. But this lack of mathematical skill carried over into my adult life. It festered into a downright fear of doing anything number-related, including managing my money.

I was admittedly spoiled growing up.

My parents weren't wealthy by any means, but they always prioritized my wants, giving me free rein of their platinum credit card at age 16. I never had to work a summer job and my parents paid for all of my expenses. They even agreed to pay for my pricey private school university degree. I caused the kind of debt that only a mother could love.

When I graduated from college in December of 2013, I thought I knew everything, but I actually knew nothing. The combination of stupidity and hubris was dangerous, my friends. I scored a low-paying hourly job working a glorified receptionist gig at an awful company. I didn't budget and had no idea how to manage my variable income. All I knew was that I could barely afford my weekly groceries, but damn if I didn't want to buy myself a new Calvin Klein dress. [Read more…]

Hello! Today, I have a great article from Kelley Olinger. Kelley paid off $77,000 in debt in around 22 months! Here is her story:

In hindsight, my problems with money started early on, as they often do.

My parents felt burdening kids with money concerns was just that, a burden.  And so, I grew up free of conversations about money.  The money discussions hidden from me would only temporarily shield me from the stress to follow.  En route for me, were some tough, tough life lessons. 

Bursaries and scholarships covered the cost of my first year of college.  For my second year, I transferred to a University.  It was then that my mom bestowed upon me, money she saved throughout her working career (roughly 17 years in the making) – an education fund. 

Over the Christmas Holidays, the first break from my first year at University, (and half-way through my second year post-secondary), my mom asked me how I was doing for money.  I told her I needed more as it was all gone. 

She thought I was kidding.  I wasn’t. [Read more…]