Getting back on budget when your life has fallen apart
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Life has been rough at our house the past few months. And we have found ourselves needing to get back on track... again.
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What do you do when a financial crisis comes your way?
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Don't you wish you could purchase insurance to cover every possible scenario of life? Why is there no devastating life change insurance? There is no policy to protect you in the case of a divorce that leaves your income stretched thin. There is no insurance policy for a job loss.
And while there are insurance policies for devastating diseases and accidents, no plan is perfect. Far, far too often people are left paying hefty price tags for things that are far beyond their control.
Read MoreTwo lessons learned after not having access to my money for three days
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About a month ago I found myself on the phone with the bank, frantically trying to figure out why my debit card was being declined.
As a budgeter, I know how much money is in my checking account at all times. So when I swiped my card at the Dollar Tree and it came back as declined I knew something was up.
Had my account been hacked? My card number been stolen? Was there a problem with the system at the Dollar Tree. No, no and no.
Read MoreLooking to move? Things to ask before renting a house
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Here are a few things you might want to ask before signing a lease.
Read More4 things to do when your spending gets off track
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We all do it. We all intentionally or unintentionally spend money somewhere on something that is outside of our budget.
It happens. In fact, I did it one Thursday night.
It had been a long week. Jason has been traveling and I was home alone with two kids who were alternating illnesses. It was raining, I was exhausted and I had had it. So I put the kids in their car seats and drove to Zaxby's where I spent $20 on a garden salad and two kid's meals. $20!?!??
Read MoreDon't forget to budget for life
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We budget for groceries and our electric bill. But how often to we budget for life? Oh and life happens. A lot of life happens. And sometimes all at once.
Read MoreHow to say no to spending money without feeling awkward
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When you're on your way to a frugal debt free life you will face some obstacles. But the one thing that a lot of people struggle with is saying no to social situations.
I personally do not struggle with this. It doesn't bother me to tell people why I am not participating in something.
The words: "we are trying to save money" just don't make me feel embarrassed or awkward. But I understand why not everyone feels the same way I do.
So I wanted to share with you a few ways to avoid those embarrassing situations.
Read More6 things to remember when you just can't catch a break
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This is not the post I intended to write today. You see, I was all prepared to write about how we lower our electric bill, but then... life happened... again.
And I wanted to share some things that might help get you through when you feel like you're in financial survival mode.
Read More16 money mistakes to STOP making in 2016
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Hang around, this year I am going to be motivating you on your own debt free journey. But first I wanted to share 16 money mistakes we ALL should stop making in 2016.
And some of these apply to me. Just because we are a frugal family who insists on paying cash for everything doesn't mean we don't make money mistakes. We do. LOTS of them. But here are 16 things I think we could all benefit from if we just stop doing them.
Read MoreHow to build your emergency fund fast
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Ask anyone who has gotten out of debt or worked to change their families financial family tree and they will tell you that the very first thing you should do is get on a written budget.
BUT- the second, yet equally important thing is to build an emergency fund. Having an emergency fund will give you room to breathe, it will help you feel more in control and it is a huge part in conquering your financial fears and failures.
Some of these tips are very basic, it's not rocket science. But I wanted to give you an example of what worked for us.
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