Recently I shared that we’ve been wasting far too much food around here. Groceries are my second-biggest monthly expense (after my mortgage). Therefore, avoiding food waste is one of the fastest ways a family can save money. I sat my two oldest still-at-home kiddos (19 and 17) down and asked them to help me brainstorm […]
Frugal Wins, September Edition
Pardon my metablogging for a moment, but expect to see more content here focused on women + finances. Frugality for me is a way to redirect more money into investments, and the frugal choice is almost always more environmentally sound. And I know September is over. This post is about what I did last month […]
The benefits of financial trauma
I heard a lot about financial trauma and financial anxiety at FinCon. And I’m thrilled at this public conversation. Financial trauma is defined as “a financial wound or injury that can cause disruptive behaviors with money,” according to Stephanie Genkin, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Financial Therapist (CFT-1) and founder of My Financial Planner, LLC. I remember a story my […]
How to stop emotional spending
I’ve avoided taking a close look at my spending recently, and this neglect has made me anxious.The stress of the last few months has made it impossible for me to focus on the details of my budget. In addition, I’m no longer doing a weekly or monthly budget meeting with my spouse. So when I […]
Notes from my first FinCon
It’s Monday and I have a mile-long to-do list from my first FinCon notes. If you’ve considered going to FinCon or are just curious about what it’s all about, read on! What is FinCon? FinCon is an annual conference for content creators in the personal finance space to come together for networking, learning and connecting […]
On Learning to Linger
I didn’t choose a “word of the year” as I have in previous Januaries. But if I had, my word should have been linger. (Hat tip to my fellow Gen-X readers who, upon hearing that word, conjure Dolores O’Riordon belting it out, may she rest in peace.) One of the things I work on with […]
Frugal Wins, July edition
Hi! If you’re new here, welcome! I share frugal wins periodically, both to keep myself accountable and to share good ideas with others. Here are some recent ways I’ve saved money. Note: this post uses affiliate links, please read more about that here if you’re curious! Thanks to a post by MoneySavingMom.com, I got 3 […]
Uber Frugal Month: join us?
I’ve done “no spend” months and even “no spend” summers before, and documented my experience here on the blog. This month, I’m joining the Frugalwoods for an uber frugal month, community style. Why do a spending fast? The point isn’t to produce suffering. It’s the opposite: to maximize happiness. For me, the most important reason […]
Thankful Thursday, job edition
Going through a divorce is stressful, to be sure. Economic fears, routine changes, shifting expectations and relationships. They take a toll on the brain. During a challenging season of life, I think it’s crucial to take time for gratitude. It’s been a long time since I did a gratitude post. So here goes! I’m super […]
Recent frugal wins (and fails)
First, the frugal fail! Recently I’ve been guilty of throwing away too much food. (The horror!) Food waste, according to this study from Penn State, costs the average American family $1,866 annually. Ouch. I needed to get a handle on this, quickly. For a few weeks after we moved into the new house, I had […]