Budget Archives - Page 2 of 90 - Making Sense Of Cents

37 Crazy and Creative Strategies To Pay Off Debt From Real People

May 14, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 19 Comments

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As you know, learning to pay off your debt is one of the best ways to reach financial independence. And, there are some crazy and creative strategies to pay off debt, and I LOVE hearing stories from the people trying them!

I published the post 60+ Extreme Things People Have Done To Save Money awhile back, and there were a lot of crazy interesting things mentioned in that article. There was someone shaving their own head to save money, people taping their shoes together, dumpster diving, and more.

Since then, others have shared their own stories, and I’m excited to share all of these new, crazy and creative strategies to pay off debt. I seriously love hearing about them.

Because there are so many strategies to pay off debt, many of us have probably gone to very different lengths to do so.

And, by sharing the things that we do, maybe we can all feel a little less embarrassed about our most crazy and extreme strategies to pay off debt, and we might even learn some new tricks. [Read more…]

10 Delicious Summer Lunch Ideas

May 11, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

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Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time for warmer weather, more outdoor activities, farmers markets, picnics, and more! When it’s cold outside, things like stews, soups, and other hearty meals sound good. But, in the summertime, it’s all about those fresh and easy to prepare meals for your summer lunch or dinner.

With fresh fruits and vegetables in season, the summer is a great time to take advantage of fresh produce. Who doesn’t love going to a farmer’s market and coming home with delicious fruits and vegetables to add to their meal plan?

Many of these recipes would be good for more than just summer lunches as they would make great light dinners too. Some of these recipes would be perfect dishes to bring to potlucks, easy things to prepare for picnics, or great things to prepare as a quick summer lunch before or after a hike.

Also, having a meal plan is an important step in keeping you on track with your budget. These summer lunch recipes won’t break your budget, and they can spruce up a boring weekly meal plan if you feel like you’re in a funk.

If you’re ready for summer like me, here are some tasty summer lunch ideas to get you in the mood for warmer weather by having new recipes to add to your weekly meal plan.

Other recipe roundups to check out:

Note: If you're looking for easy weekly meal plans that are full of budget recipes, I recommend $5 Meal Plan. $5 Meal Plan is a meal planning service that sends you a delicious meal plan and shopping list every week for just $5 a month.

Here are 10 summer lunch ideas.

[Read more…]

Why I Love Living In A Vehicle

May 2, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 53 Comments

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

Why I Love Living In A Vehicle #livinginavehicle #livinginacamper #rvlife Most people probably think that living in a vehicle is not “normal” and probably a little weird, haha.

Many people even make jokes about living in a home with wheels, like it's something you shouldn't aspire to.

But, it's my life, and I really, really love it!

RVing is becoming more and more popular too. According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, there was a 17.2% increase in new RVs over just the previous year. That is a HUGE increase.

And, more than 9,000,000 households now own an RV, and surprisingly, the largest segment of buyers are between the ages of 35-54. More and more younger people are starting to see the appeal in RVing, and I have been hearing from so many readers who are interested in starting their own RV life.

While I know that traveling full-time and RV life isn’t for everyone, I also know that I don't want to live in a “normal” home again anytime soon. [Read more…]

10 Statistics About The Money Habits Of The Average American

April 30, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 38 Comments

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10 Statistics About The Money Habits Of The Average American As a personal finance expert, I always come across spending statistics that surprise me, make me sad, and some that make me worried.

The statistics in this blog post are about people’s average money habits, and they may surprise you. But, I want you to be aware of them so that you can be better than “normal.”

Maybe you will find them so shocking that you will think twice before you buy something, or they may even cause you to drastically change how you spend money.

I do also want to mention that even if you are doing better than the average person, there is always room for improvement.

You should always strive to do your best as sometimes “average” is not good enough for you to live a financially successful life. Keep in mind that the average person is not the greatest with money, and many are wrecked with stress and hardship due to their unfortunate financial situation. [Read more…]

How We Paid Off $100,000 in Debt in 40 Months: Marriage and the Military

April 20, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 11 Comments

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Hello! Today, I have a great debt payoff story from Nolan Martin. Nolan is a military officer who successfully paid off $100,000 in debt in just 40 months. Below is his story.

We were incredibly anxious to get our lives started together. Fresh out of college and new to the military life, I convinced my wife, Erin, to marry me. Like most new couples, we both entered the relationship with plenty of debt on both sides. I was fortunate enough to receive a “career starter” loan of $35,000.

Erin represented the “normal” in America with over $40,000 in student loans. Then of course came the things you have to buy in a new marriage: the car, the house, and the puppies. On February 1^st, 2012, we had accumulated over $100,000 in debt.

The reality didn’t really hit us until we looked at the bank account after getting our first house. When you see the summary page of your accounts and it says, “You Owe $297,000,” it is enough to make you realize that you have to make some significant changes.

It was on this day, that Erin and I realized we wanted to live a debt free life and were willing to make the sacrifices it would take to be successful. [Read more…]

How This Couple Retired In Their 30s and Now Travel Around The World: An Interview With Go Curry Cracker

April 18, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 22 Comments

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How This Couple Retired In Their 30s and Now Travel Around The World: An Interview With Go Curry Cracker My monthly Extraordinary Lives series is something that I really enjoying doing. 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 Jeremy, Winnie, and Julian, also known as the family behind Go Curry Cracker.

With the goal of traveling around the world, Jeremy and Winnie were in their 30s when they retired around six years ago. Their 3-year-old son travels with them and has already been to 29 countries as well!

They were able to do this by saving intensively – over 70% of their after-tax income.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How they retired in their 30s.
What made them want to retire early.
How they live comfortably, rent houses with private pools, fly business class, and travel a ton – as opposed to the myth that early retirees are boring and just eat beans and rice to survive.
How they decided on the amount they needed to retire.
What they do about health insurance in early retirement.

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

I Thought I Was Too Good For Community College

April 16, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 73 Comments

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

4 reasons you should go to community college first Whether you are about to head to college (no matter what your age may be), if you have a child who is about to attend college, or if you know someone who is about to experience this, then this article is for you.

When I was around 17, I applied to several different colleges, but one mistake I made was that I didn't even give community college a thought.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to going to community college, like thinking it is for those that can’t get into a “regular” college, for those that don’t have enough money, or for those that have no other options. When, in fact, these are all far from the truth.

And, sadly, I bought into these myths and thought I was too good for community college.

The stigma about going to community college is absolutely ridiculous. [Read more…]

Here are 10 summer lunch ideas.

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