Life Archives - Making Sense Of Cents

We’re Pregnant!

Last Updated: July 26, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 174 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.

Hey everyone!

Big news.

We are having a baby!

We are super excited for this new adventure that we are on, and I can’t wait to share more.

I went back and forth on whether or not I wanted to share this directly on the blog, but many of you have been with me for years, and I haven’t really done a life update in a very long time.

I completely understand that a pregnancy announcement can lead to mixed feelings, and both good and bad judgment/advice/etc. Also, I do not plan on having things change around here on Making Sense of Cents, as personal finance is still what this website is all about.

Anyway, this is exciting news for us, as Baby Gardner is due in December 2021!

We are so excited to share that we will be starting our greatest adventure yet, and we can’t wait to show our new family member the world.

Pregnancy has been interesting so far, with lots of nausea (but I actually haven’t thrown up at all) for the past couple of months. Eating has been difficult, which feels crazy because I’m usually a huge eater and will eat anything. But, pregnancy has led to a lot of food aversions.

I am starting to feel better now, though, so I am hoping to get ahead in work, do as many fun things as I can, and prepare for the new family addition as best as we can.

I know that many of you are probably wondering (this is the number one question that I’ve received so far)- Our plan for right now is to live with our new family member on our boat. We plan on taking it slow but eventually doing a lot of travel with our new family member by boat, van, plane, etc.

Please leave a comment below:

If you have any books or blogs that you recommend I read about pregnancy, starting a family, work/life balance as a parent, traveling families, etc.
If you have any positive advice or kind words that you’d like to share
If you have any questions for me.

Thank you so much for following along on my journey over the years. Things are about to get even more interesting!

Have a great week!

10 Lessons I’ve Learned From Living A Nomadic Lifestyle

Last Updated: July 20, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 13 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.

If you’ve ever wondered what the nomadic lifestyle is really like, I’ve been traveling full-time for over five years, and I’m always excited to share my experiences.

It all started back in 2013 when my husband and I left our day jobs and became location independent. We started traveling more extensively, and we loved being able to spend more time outdoors doing what we love.

Then in 2015, what feels like a lifetime ago, we started traveling full-time. First, we sold our house in Missouri that we had owned for a little over five years and moved to Colorado.

We rented a house in Colorado and bought an RV right after we moved in, but the house didn’t last for long. We were ready to move into the RV and start traveling full-time.

Traveling is always something I was interested in, even from a young age, but I never thought that I would live a nomadic lifestyle.

It was exciting and scary at first, and I’m so excited I gave it a shot as it has greatly changed my life for the better.

I’ve found many nomadic lifestyle advantages over the years — I have learned so many skills, I have met amazing people, been to countless beautiful places, and more. [Read more…]

Ask Me Anything

Last Updated: May 24, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 114 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.

Hey!

It’s been a long time since my last Ask Me Anything here on Making Sense of Cents.

Ask Me Anything is literally that – you can ask me anything. If you’re struggling to figure out what to ask, here are a few of the topics you may want to know more about:

Personal finance
Blogging
My life
Travel
RVing
Sailing
Being location independent
Business
Making extra money
Questions about my dogs

And so on, and so on.

Seriously, ask me anything in the comments below, and I will take the time to answer every single one. Of course, please nothing inappropriate or creepy. I’ll let you be the judge of what is creepy, I guess, haha!

All right, go for it, ask away!

P.S. If you’re looking to see all of the comments and questions, make sure to hit “Older Comments” or “Newer Comments” below. The comments break apart in pages once there are over 50 comments.

My Best Advice For Graduates – 16 Tips Every Graduate Needs To Hear

Last Updated: April 19, 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.

Are you wondering what is the best advice for graduates? Whether you or someone you know is graduating high school or college, I have some great tips and wisdom to share.

Graduating is a life changing experience.

You’ve worked incredibly hard to reach this achievement, and it’s both a stressful and exciting time.

You might be wondering what you’re going to do next with your life, or you may have a plan. There were times when I felt like I knew exactly what I wanted to do after graduation, but I was also completely clueless at times too.

Graduation means you’re moving onto the next phase of your life, which is why it’s both so scary and thrilling.

It only makes sense that you would be looking for the best advice for graduates. [Read more…]

20 Ways To Organize Your Life In 2021

Last Updated: March 20, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 5 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.

Does your life feel pretty chaotic? Would you like to learn how to organize your life so that it is simpler and less stressful?

Well, this blog post is for you!

Life can be difficult, and I completely understand that.

It can feel quite daunting to manage everything from paying bills, family life, retirement planning, and more.

On top of financial stress, many of us live with a lot of disorder and chaos. Some of us fill our houses with things we don’t need or will ever use. Some people have spending problems, live with debt, feel unsatisfied with their job, etc.

There is also a lot of emotional stress that comes when you live with so much mental chaos and clutter. You might feel depressed, anxious, have low self-esteem, etc. You may also start to compare your life to others — thinking that they have it so easy and are so much happier. [Read more…]

2020 Business and Life Review

Last Updated: April 7, 2021 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 56 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.

Welcome to my 2020 Business and Life Review!

Usually, I separate my travel and business annual review content into two separate blog posts, but this year I’ve decided to combine it into one.

2020 was a different kind of year, and I’m sure nearly everyone would agree with that statement.

It was a tough year for a lot of people, and I completely understand.

I feel very grateful for the life that I get to live, but it was a hard year for me as well. I lost two important family members in my life, my grandma as well as my dog who was my best friend for almost 14 years.

[Read more…]

Your 2021 Goals – How To Set And Reach Goals In The New Year

Last Updated: December 31, 2020 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 5 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 plan on setting 2021 goals for yourself?

If you’re like many people around the world, the answer is probably yes.

Whether you want to call it a New Year’s resolution or a goal, having goals for yourself can be a great thing. And, the new year is the perfect time to think about what you want your future to be like.

Setting goals for the new year is a long standing tradition.

However, only about 8% of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals each year. And, only 75% of those who are setting 2021 resolutions will follow through with them after the first week of the year.

It’s crazy that 25% of people will stop working towards their resolutions after just the first week! And by June, more than half of the people who set 2021 resolutions will have forgotten about them.

So, why do so many people fail to reach their goals each new year?

There are many reasons for why goals aren’t met, and a lot of it has to do with how you set your goals.

Is your goal specific enough?
Is your goal achievable?
Is your goal realistic?

These factors can have a huge impact on whether or not you are able to reach your goals. [Read more…]