20 Budget Tips for Families

With the start of the New Year, we’ve decided to overhaul our budget (if you could even call it that) so I thought I’d provide my top budget tips for families. To be honest, the past two years we’ve lived pretty frugal-less-ly. If we felt like eating out, we ate out. If I wanted a new shirt, I bought it. When I look back at my spending the past few years, I’m honestly ashamed. I spent thousands and thousands of dollars without a real awareness of where it all went.

This year, we’re getting back to our frugal roots and focusing on saving money. Here are my top 20 budget tips for families.

Top 20 Budget Tips for Families

Decide what’s important to you

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I love my Starbucks coffee. I’ve been like this for over a decade…and I’m not ashamed to admit it! Getting my $4 cup of coffee per day may be excessive to some, but to me it’s important, so we include it in the budget!

Now, not to say you can include every splurge in your budget, but make a list of things you like and decide what you’re willing to sacrifice.

Cut out things that aren’t important

For us, this meant cable TV, excessive clothes and shoes, dining out (we eat at Chick Fil A every Friday and continue to put that in the budget…but every other meal is eaten at home), manicures, trips to the hair salon, and more. I’d much rather not get a manicure and instead get my Starbucks 🙂 It’s all about priorities.

Make a meal plan

I didn’t used to do this and would overspend on food every single month. It’s just too easy to go grocery shopping when nothing in your pantry “looks good” and you aren’t keeping track. Now, I write down all of our meals on Sunday and stick to it, even though I don’t always want to. I also make sure we have easy things on hand to make in case we run low on food (which does happen with five people).

Cheap things to make include: bacon and eggs/omelettes, pancakes from scratch, sandwiches, pb&j on toast with a side of fruit, spaghetti, frozen pizza, etc. None of these meals will win any awards, but eating cheap never killed anyone!

Give yourself an allowance

My husband and I each get $20 per week of fun money. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but we are making it work for now. My husband usually gets a lunch out and maybe a coffee or two. This is my Starbucks money and maybe a soda 🙂

Use cash

We used nothing but credit cards for the past two years and while we didn’t go into debt, we sure as heck spent a ton more than had we used cash. It’s just too easy to be impulsive with a credit card, even if you’re pretty financially savvy. I challenge you to give the cash method a try.

We take out our weekly cash for food and household items on Sunday. This includes our allowances and money the kids may need. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Include your kids in your budget conversations

When talking about budget tips for families, you have to include your kids. My daughters (ages 7, 6 and 3) understand that we’re on a budget and love being involved. Last week, we had an extra $20 so we decided to go to Trader Joe’s to get some yummy treats for movie night! It was fantastic involving the girls in this and they realized that by avoiding unnecessary purchases during the week, we were able to “splurge” as a family for a fun night! I’m also really hoping these habits stick with them as they grow older. What better way to teach your kids to budget than to include them in the family budget?!

Use Ibotta

I love using rewards programs to get money back when I shop! My favorite is Ibotta. All you do is scan your receipt from your favorite stores (Target, grocery stores, Walmart, etc) and get cash back! I typically earn $5-$10 per weekly grocery trip back. Then, just transfer to your bank account.

Sign up for Ibotta for free here! >>

Find your “Why” for budgeting

What prompted us to start a cash budget system was two things: First, we both knew that even though we weren’t going into debt, we were definitely not aware of our spending. We felt out of control in this area and needed to reign things in. And second, we heavily debated moving and knew that if we were to do that, we’d need to really start saving money. While we’re still on the fence about the move, we are SO HAPPY to finally feel like we have our finances back under control.

What’s your “Why?” Perhaps you want to save more, put more money into retirement, send your kids to private school, or simply eliminate stress regarding finances. Find your “Why” and remind yourself of it daily!

Use the 24 hour rule

You want to buy something either online or in a store. If it’s not truly a necessity, wait 24 hours before purchasing. If you still want it (and it fits within your budget parameters) after the wait, then buy it guilt-free! I’ll be honest – I do this a lot and every single time I end up passing on the item.

Get rid of temptations

I’ve recently had to unfollow people on Instagram because I’m just too tempted to want to buy whatever it is they’re promoting. Ladies, I promise you: The clothes you have are fine!! It’s ok to wear the same jeans or leggings multiple times per week. I challenge you to put on a halt on clothing purchases for at least one month. I promise you’ll realize you missed out on …. nothing.

Work out at home

An easy budget tips for families is working out at home instead of a gym. There are two gyms within relatively close proximity of my house: The YMCA and Lifetime Fitness. I’ve been a member off and on at the Y for a few years, but just recently cancelled my membership (again). We were spending $115/month as a family of five but my kids didn’t love going there and we never went enough to justify the expense. Lifetime Fitness looks incredible, but we were quoted $270/month for our family of five and that just doesn’t align with our goals right now.

For fitness, I spend $15/month on Beach Body videos. There are so many options and the workouts are great! I also enjoy running and walking when the weather is warm.

Set some impossible goals

I would absolutely love if we could live off of rental income and dividends, for example. In order to do this, though, we need enough cash to be able to purchase said rental properties and dividend-paying stocks. If we achieve this “impossible” goal, our lives would be completely different. Can you imagine not “having” to work??! When you’re in your 30s and 40s?? Ah – the dream!

Setting big goals can help keep you motivated!

Earn more money

Some people truly do not have a spending problem, but an income problem. If this is you, I really encourage you to pick up a side hustle so you can pay off debt, save, and honestly change your life.

These are my favorite high-paying side hustles >>

Really think about your travel plans

I know, I know. Traveling is fun and a great way to create family memories. But, it’s also really expensive, even if you do it “cheap.” And I promise you your kids will remember fun times with you even if it’s in your own home.

Have fun at home

We basically have a $0 entertainment budget right now. Even taking our kids to the local jump place is at least a $50 outing! But, we have plenty of fun here at home. We go on walks and to the park (in the warmer months), we play tons of family games (Uno, Trouble, Monopoly and Bingo are our current favorites), we bake treats together, and we have movie nights. I hope more than anything that these things are what my girls will remember 🙂

Realize that budgets aren’t limiting

Budgets give you freedom, I promise!! It feels SO GOOD to know where our money is going each and every day. It doesn’t mean I don’t spend, it just means I’m aware and in control of my spending. This has rolled over into other areas of my life, too. I’m more disciplined with my workouts and eating, I’m spending more quality time with my kids and husband, and I’m focusing more on making money from home (something that’s been on the back burner for a while now!).

Watch your utilities

This is an easy way to save money and take control of your budget. Set your thermostat a little higher (or lower in the cooler months) than you’d prefer. Your body will adjust and you will easily save $3-$5 per day. We keep our thermostat at 68 in the winter (which is freezing for me; though I’m sure it’s too warm for some!) and 76 in the summer. And – similar to a budget – there is no “right” temperature setting. I simply challenge you to turn it up (or down) a degree or so from what you find the most comfortable.

Determine how much money you need

I recommend looking back at previous months’ spending to see where you currently stand. Then, start setting your budget with the ultimate goal of spending less money each week/month. Once you’ve come up with an amount, take that out in cash for the week. You can reassess once the week is over but I encourage you to give this a try. It has been very eye-opening for us!!

Ask for gift cards as presents

My dad gets me a Starbucks gift card every single year for Christmas and my birthday. While he may score low on creativity points, this is actually my favorite gift most years 🙂 I love saving money and I love my coffee, so this is truly the best gift for me.

My mom usually gets my daughters a gift card to Dunkin Donuts for their birthdays. This is also a super great gift as it gives us something to do (for free!) that my kids love! I know some people don’t like giving gift cards as gifts, but don’t be shy about expressing what you want! If you’re on a budget, asking for gift cards to your favorite restaurants is the way to go! And I bet the person buying the gift will be happy it’s an “easy” gift.

Take a close look at your health insurance

What are you spending each month on health insurance? We are self-employed and use Liberty HealthShare. If you’re interested in using this, please let me know as I can refer you! We spend $500/month for the family plan with a family “deductible” of $2,250 each year. Well-child visits are refunded, as are certain other visits/procedures. Once you meet your family deductible, 100% of your expenses are covered. There is also no “network,” so you can see any doctor. If you are spending significantly more on health care each year, I highly recommend you consider a health care sharing ministry.

Overall, creating a budget doesn’t have to suffocating. In fact, it’s extremely freeing once you get used to it. By budgeting, you are in complete control of your finances. Money no longer “disappears” out of your account with no recollection of where it went.

And remember, you can include things that are important to you in your budget! If going out to eat is something you enjoy, include it! Again, the purpose of a budget is to be aware and be in control, not to limit you excessively. I hope these budget tips for families helped!

What budget tips for families would you add to this list? Is your family on a budget?

This One Thing Will Make You a Successful Blogger

Why do you blog?

Is it to keep a diary of sorts of your life? Make money? Share recipes? To find freelance work?

I’m guessing you don’t have a strong answer to that, and that’s OK. But what I’m about to share will change how you blog forever.

You’re probably blogging because of all those things above. You want to:

Share your life
Connect with others
Make money
Quit your job
Let your spouse quit his/her job
Give yourself a creative outlet
and more

But, to be a successful blogger, you have to get out of the “me” mentality. Unless you truly are blogging to document your own life and don’t care one bit if anyone else is reading it, the key to being a better blogger is…

Serving your audience.

Your blog is not about you; it’s about giving your audience what they want.

How to figure out what your audience wants

This is the part that will take some time. I started my blog, for example, in the personal finance niche. I wanted to help people with their budgets, spending habits, and the like. While I still do write about finance from time to time, the topic that gets the most traction is blogging.

Here are five questions you can ask to help determine what your audience wants:

What are your top 5 posts in Google Analytics?
Which posts have the most social shares?
Which posts have the most comments?
What opt-ins / freebies have been downloaded the most?
What problems are readers emailing you about the most?

Now, if your most popular posts aren’t in the niche you really want to write about, you just have some work to do. Try to focus on improving the content within your desired niche and seeing if you can get a better response.

A super easy way to get more pageviews is to adjust your title.

Titles are everything. Your title is what gets the reader to click on your article (whether that’s in Google search or on an image in Pinterest). It has to be good.

The two phrases in headlines that are proven to get the most clicks are:

“will make you”
“this is why”

This is a fantastic article on how to write more engaging headlines.

What to do once you know what your audience wants

You’ve found their pain point, which is half the battle. Now what? Now, it’s up to you to solve their problem. You can do this in one of two ways:

Become an affiliate for a product that will exactly give your audience a solution to their problem

As an affiliate, you will make a percentage of each sale. If the product is priced high, you could easily make a couple hundred dollars per sale. Not bad, especially considering you didn’t have to create the product. But, the one downside of going this route is you have no control over the product. The product creator could discontinue it if they choose, which leaves you with nothing. Your other option is to:

Create your own product

Since you know your audience better than anyone, you can create a product specifically geared towards what they want.

You’ve already created content that your audience eats up, you’ve shared tons of advice for free via blog posts, newsletters and opt-ins, and you’ve probably shared courses and books that will help them as an affiliate, so you make a small percentage of the sales.

But now it’s your turn to create your very own course designed with your people in mind.

This, my friends, is what separates good bloggers from great ones. Almost every single blogger making tens of thousands of dollars month after month has their own product to sell to their audience (or, they have hundreds of thousands of pageviews each month).

I challenge you today to work on figuring out what your audience specifically wants from you, and then brainstorm product ideas to help them solve their problem.

My very first product is an eBook called The Beginner’s Guide to Blogging. I wrote it in Microsoft Word and use the platform Gumroad to sell it. I wrote an entire post on how to market and sell an eBook. I’m telling you this to encourage you not to be overwhelmed with products. You can write it in Word, have a friend edit it (or read through it yourself multiple times), make your own cover page in Canva, and upload your product to a server such as Gumroad.

My next product is coming out later this summer and I can tell already it’s going to be huge (at least, I hope!!). One of the things I’m doing differently this time around is I’m taking a course on making six figures a year with digital products. It’s called Six Figure Blogger and it’s a game-changer.

One of the reasons I’ve never had a huge launch with a product is I never really understood how to launch a product. I mean, don’t you just create it and then sell it by mentioning it in blog posts?

Well, turns out there’s a very specific process when it comes to creating and launching products. First, you need freebies or opt-ins that relate to your product. A freebie will get the right people in front of your product.

Then, there are all these sequences for doing things. I can’t give away all the details of the course, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Recap: How to be a better blogger

To recap, the only way to be a successful blogger is to truly serve your audience. Yes, there are some bloggers who are super popular and make a ton of money from ads and sponsored posts. While that’s great, it’s a lot harder to get super popular. Most bloggers can do just fine by finding “their people” and giving them what they want. Figure out what they’re problem is (why are they coming to your blog?) and create a solution to that problem.

10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Blog

Whether you just started your blog or you’ve been plugging away for years, there are always thing you can do to improve your blog.

If you’ve been stuck in a blogging rut and feel like you’re doing the same things day after day, this post is for you. Here are 10 things you can do right now to improve your blog.

First Quarter Blogging Results 2018

If you’re on my email list (you can join here!), you know I set some lofty goals for 2018. Now that we are done with Q1, I thought it would be fun to share an update and see how I’m progressing with my goals.

How to Have a Great Day

Are you ready to learn how to have a great day, every day?!

Two things have been entering my mind lately: 1. I’m really happy at this point in life, and 2. Most of my days are exactly the same (so, why are they so good, haha?).

I have three little girls who I love dearly, but anyone with little kids knows that day-to-day life with them is pretty rough and demanding. We have a pretty set routine, which I’ll share below, and I think it’d be easy for someone with this life/routine to be… bored? anxious? wanting more? But I really don’t feel like that. Sure, I’d love to take a vacation, but I’m honestly very content with my so-called mundane life.

After thinking more about this and doing some research on what makes life good, this is what I’ve determined allows you to have the best day ever, today (and every day after).

And, my new life motto is “Great days make a great life.” How true is that?! So, instead of focusing so much on goals and what the future holds, I’m focusing on today.

How to Save Money on Food without Sacrificing Quality

We all want to save money on food, right? I’ve been experimenting with our food budget lately and have discovered a few tips that have been saving us a decent amount of money each month. We are a family of five – my husband, myself and our three little girls (ages 5, 4 and 1). You would think little ones would be easy to feed but my goodness – my kids are all very picky (aren’t they all?) and go through snacks like there’s no tomorrow.

I’ve also always wondered if what we spend on food is “normal” compared to other families. While doing some research, I came across this chart that details monthly grocery budgets based on family size. As a family of five, we could be spending anywhere from $621 to $1660 according to the chart. And yup – we fall exactly in that range. Our total food spending each month (this includes groceries, restaurants, coffee shops, and some household supplies) ranges from $1,100 to $1,500. Whether we seem to eat out often or spend the entire month cooking at home, we always seem to fall right in that range.

Prior to wanting to save money on food, we spent closer to $1,800 per month. Since cutting back, we haven’t sacrificed one bit on quality and, since I’m more aware, dare I say we’ve been eating better?

Here are 12 ways to save money on food without sacrificing quality.

The Highest-Paying Side Hustles to Start Today

If you’re going to start a side hustle (ie, a job in addition to your full-time job), it needs to be lucrative. While you can make extra money taking online surveys, it usually won’t amount to anything greater than coffee money. Here, I’m showing you the highest-paying side hustles you can start today that are guaranteed to bring in substantial income each month. And hey, if you work really hard, you may even be able to quit your full-time job! A life of freedom and being your own boss?! Heck yes!

January Blogging Income Report 2018

Hi everyone! Welcome to my January 2018 blogging income report! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll notice I used to share these every single month, and then suddenly stopped for the past six months or so. The reason I stopped was simply because my income – as you’ll see below – tends to stay the same month after month. I felt inclined to share this month’s income report to show you that it really is possible to make money blogging even if you don’t have super high traffic and you don’t post often.

The Best Side Hustle for 2018

Side hustles have completely changed my life. I’ve tried a lot of different ones, but this one that I’m about to share is by far the BEST side hustle for 2018.

10 Frugal Self-care Tips

Frugal self-care tips for moms and women. One of my goals this year (actually, my only goal) is to enjoy the moment. I’ve spent the last five years of my life hustling and running around. I’ve had three baby girls, moved across the country, was a freelance writer/editor, worked full-time, built this blog, bought a house, quit my full-time job to focus on this blog, and more. Phew, just typing that out makes me exhausted!!! So, this year, I’m saying goodbye to the never ending to-do lists and hello to freedom and doing what I want! And a big part of that is taking better care of myself. Here are 10 frugal self-care tips I’ve adapted along the way.

Frugal Self-care Tips

Make your health a priority

I recently re-joined the YMCA. While it’s not free, it’s definitely the most frugal option around here. For me and my three kids, it’s $72/month. I looked into joining a few other gyms but just couldn’t justify the $200+/month price tag. I was a member of the Y last summer and while I probably worked out a little too much, I felt so much happier and healthier. This time around, I plan on going when it works. I’m not “committing” to going every day or even three times a week. I’m simply going when it works with mine and my kid’s schedules.

If you can’t join a gym, I recommend doing 10-minute HIIT workouts or other workouts you can find on YouTube for free. Or, go for a walk around your neighborhood, ask a friend to go play tennis, or go on a hike! There are tons of ways to get your body moving that don’t cost a dime!

Put more time into meals

I think every family in America probably eats out too much, and the main reason is because we are so darn busy. Cooking becomes a chore where we rush through the process, then eat and clean up as quickly as possible so we can move on to our next “task.” Instead, give yourself the proper time to prepare a yummy meal. Turn on some music, set the kids up with a TV show or art project, wipe down the kitchen before you begin, and go! I totally realize this cannot happen every single night, but cooking can actually be a huge stress reliever if you allow it to be.

Realize it’s OK not to “do all the things”

When it comes to self-care, this one was the biggest for me. I don’t HAVE to have my day jam-packed with commitment after commitment. My girls are currently in one activity (gymnastics), and we rarely have weekend plans. I encourage you to give yourself grace when it comes to your life. If you want to skip the dishes one night in favor of a hot bath, do it! If saying “no” to a commitment allows you to live a less stressful life, by all means say no! Instead of filling your day with “must-do’s,” fill it with things you want to do.

Have a good attitude

I totally realize most of us can’t fill our entire day with things we want to do. Ha, wouldn’t that be nice! The fact of the matter is our families have to eat, we have to go to work (or somehow make money), we need to stay on top of the laundry and dishes, we need to make time for the people in our lives we love, and so on and so forth. But, instead of begrudgingly getting through the things you “have” to do in order to make room for the things you want to do, do so with a grateful heart. You’re most likely working so you can provide your family with a good quality of life. You cook and clean for your kids and spouse that you’re so blessed to have. And, you have a body that allows you to do all of that with ease. Life is good, guys, we just have to try our best to maintain a positive attitude.

Spend time in the evening doing something just for you

When I was a kid, I loved doing variety puzzles. I could spend all day going through those books. As an adult, I stopped doing them because it seemed like such a waste of time. I mean, I’m not making any money by doing them, I’m not helping my marriage or bettering my relationship with my kids, so what’s the point? Well, just last week I picked up a variety puzzle book at the store (I know, I realize I’m a huge dork) and have been spending about 20 minutes in the evening doing them. This small thing has brought me so much joy!! It’s kind of sad, actually, hahah, but I love them! Find something you like to do and make the time for it!

Pamper yourself

Let’s all admit we feel better about ourselves when we look beautiful! I’ve always done my make-up every day, but admired women who always had freshly-painted nails. I mean, who has the time for that?!? Well, this year I’m going to make the time. It really only takes 10 minutes and I can work on the computer while they’re drying. What’s one thing you could do to pamper yourself a bit more?

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Mental health plays such a crucial role in how we feel about ourselves and our lives. And I believe focusing on our mental health should be a top priority when it comes to frugal self-care tips. I am a planner by nature, and don’t like it when plans change or get messed up. A recent example is our grocery budget. I try really hard to stick to a certain amount per week – this includes groceries, eating out, Starbucks, etc. If we go over, I tend to get all flustered and stressed out. Recently, I’ve realized this just isn’t worth getting worked up over. If I spend a bit more in groceries, we’ll simply spend less in another area. Or, I can opt to work a bit more online and make up the difference. But really, spending an extra $10/week on groceries isn’t something to get stressed out about.

If you’re interested in working from home, check out this FREE work-at-home summit. You’ll learn the exact steps to take to be making a full-time income within one year!

Drink plenty of water

Such a simple thing, but the benefits of drinking water are huge! They include clearer skin, a healthier immune system, more energy, and a better mood! I aim to drink the recommend eight glasses per day.

If you’re not happy, make a change

Don’t like where you live? Make a plan to move. Aren’t happy in your marriage? Do the things in your power to make it better. Stuck in a dead-end job? Start a side hustle! But, know that it takes time to build a legit business or blog from home. Don’t stress yourself out over your side jobs or expect to quit your full-time job within a few months. Instead, enjoy the journey. Whatever phase of life you are in, slow down and enjoy the ride.

I’ve worked a few full-time desk jobs and hated not having control over my own time. If you want to work on your own time, two really good careers are freelancing and blogging. I’ve done both, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Freelancing will make you money immediately, but blogging will make you money long-term and once you get it going, it’s easy to keep up the momentum with significantly less work.

Take a break from social media

If you instantly want to feel better about your life, go on a social media cleanse. I quit using Facebook for a year and had never felt better. I had more time, and my brain wasn’t being filled with things and events I really didn’t need to know about. Now I use Facebook for blogging purposes, but still find myself getting sucked in. I’m hoping 2018 will be the year of less social media nonsense and more real life relationships.

What frugal self-care tips do you have? Please share in the comments!