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Budgeting

How to Track Spending to Get Out of Debt

Is tracking spending worth it?

How to use a spending journal to conquer debt

 

(Updated Jan. 2021)

Hi, I’m Sarah and my husband and I have paid down over $100,000 worth of debt combined. We are close to being totally debt-free when we pay off our mortgage this year (2021). Read more about our story here.

If there is one trick that has helped us pay down debt and stay out of debt, it is tracking our spending.

Have you ever considered using a spending journal? You may be thinking, “Why would I want to add one more thing to my “To Do” list?”

Yet, tracking your spending could be the one aspect of your budget you are missing to put the “debt-free” back into your life. Nonetheless, journals come to mind when writing about feelings and yes, they are more commonly used for this type of writing, yet isn’t your money journey just as important as your emotional journey? These two aspects of life are intertwined immensely.

Writing down what you spend will give you a clear picture of where your money is going and help you solve your debt puzzle. I suggest making this the first step to beginning your budget and obtaining financial freedom.

What is a Spending Journal?

Spending Journal: A written journal of all the money you have spent that week or month. I recommend tracking your spending for at least a week, but a month would be better and will give you a clear picture of how you spend. Moreover, once you have this in place you can begin to trim the fat off of your budget and use the extra money to pay down debt or save for an emergency fund or retirement.

Suggested Reading: No Money to Pay My Bills, Help!

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Save Money

5 Boderline Genius House Cleaning Hacks to Save You Time and Money

5 House Cleaning Hacks to Save You Time and Money

Today is an exciting day! I have my first guest post on the I Heart Frugal blog. Sury Jane from onlycanistervacuum.com is here to tell us about her amazing cleaning hacks. In Sury’s post, you will find ways to save time and money while maintaining a clean house. Her tips are so easy to use, you will wonder why you didn’t start sooner. Please be sure to check out Sury’s blog, onlycanistervacuum.com and social media links listed below the article. She really knows her stuff when it comes to keeping a house clean!

5 Borderline Genius House Cleaning Hacks to Save You Time and Money!

Spring has sprung and there’s no better time to get all the dust and germs that accumulated over the winter out of your house. Though it may seem far off, the holiday gift-giving season is not that far away. Instead of spending loads of money on Spring cleaning supplies, here are 5 frugal house cleaning tips to save you time and money.

Suggested Reading: How to Do your House in 25 Minutes without going Crazy

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Budgeting

How to Get Out of Debt: 11 Actionable Steps to Live Better

Learn How to Get Out of Debt in 11 Steps

Debt payoff

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Almost any man knows how to earn money, but one in a million knows how to spend it.” Most people have not mastered the art of frugal living – living within your means. It is commonplace to use credit cards and buy on a whim.  Moreover, debt continues to grow and as your paycheck fizzles away, plastic replaces reality. Spending more than you make becomes a habit and your debt becomes a way of life.

In fact, learning how to spend with intention and cut out unnecessary items from your budget, can be your saving grace if you are in debt.

Are you in debt? You are not alone. Over 50% of Americans are in debt right along with you. The average American family carries a credit card debt of $8,377 according to CNBC.com.

One solution is to toss up your bills and hope you win the lottery, but your odds are super low.  So now is the time to solve your debt dilemma.

Reasons to Pay off Debt:

  • peace of mind
  • ability to save for an emergency fund
  • less stress
  • no family fights about money
  • own your house and car outright
  • fewer bills
  • pay less interest

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you. This site uses cookies for better user experience. For more information read our disclosure policy here. 

Suggested Reading:

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Make Money Blogging

How to Start a Money-Making Blog in 5 Easy Steps

Start a blog the easy way

How to start a money-making blog in 5 easy steps
How to start a money-making blog in 5 easy steps

Have you been toying around with the idea of starting a blog? I was right there with you about seven months ago. You see, I am a stay-at-home mom of two boys and I wanted to find a way to continue to be a stay-at-home mom.

I was a teacher for thirteen years but the thought of leaving my kids and going back to work was really hard to imagine. Yet, I knew if I didn’t find a way to make some income, the plan was (and still is) for me to go back to work.

Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching too, but when I went back to work with my first son I was having a hard time juggling the demands of being a special needs teacher and spending quality time with my baby boy.

Not to mention, my son became terribly sick after attending daycare, which sent us into a three-month cycle of ear infections and no sleep. Shortly after, I left teaching and I’m now at home with my beautiful boys.

Life is fun chasing after these two and blogging on the side. I’m making a small income (very small) from my blog, but my hope is to learn more and increase my income as my blogging game improves.

Related Blogging Posts:

How I got Started Blogging:

Creating a website sounded fun and interesting to me. BONUS – I like to write! However, it is difficult to put yourself out there and get used to knowing that whatever you publish can be read by all (YIKES!).

Truth be told, I had no idea how to start a website, let alone run it and make it pretty (Yes, still working on this). So, it is crazy that I am now writing a tutorial on how you can do the same.

If you are reading this, you are in the same boat I was in a few months back. I was spending countless nights reading blogging “how to’s.”  What I learned…It is a bit intimidating, but it is not that hard! I learned how other people start blogs daily (seriously, there are millions out there) and many bloggers do so while working full-time jobs.

And yes, being a stay-at-home mom is a full-time job but I decided to give it a go and you should too!

If this story resonates with you and you are still toying with the idea of starting a blog, I say go for it. The only way to become a successful blogger is to dip your toes into the water. It will feel amazingly refreshing once you get started.

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you. This site uses cookies for a better user experience. For more information read our disclosure policy here. 



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Make Money

Side Hustles: My Ultimate List of 75 Ways to Earn Extra Money!

75 Side Hustles to earn extra cash – Use one or a combination of these side hustles to earn $100 per day.

 

The Ultimate List of 75 Ways to Earn More Money
The Ultimate List of 75 Ways to Earn More Money

Are you in need of a side hustle? Do you work hard but can’t seem to catch up?

Are your bills piling high like a stack of pancakes at IHOP? It may be time to find some worthwhile side hustles to help you increase your cash flow.

What Is a Side Hustles?

They are many ways to earn extra money, on the side as opposed to your regular nine to five! As we talked about in Budgets 2019 you may be spending more than you are bringing in. Unfortunately, you will always be at a deficit if this is the case.

You can slash your grocery bill for starters (learn how here). Yet, if you are still living beyond your means coming up with a sensible budget and supplementing your income with a side hustle will be the trick to putting you back on track.

Why side hustle?

  • Pay off debt
  • Save for a purchase (car, home, wedding)
  • Catch up on bills
  • Save for a vacation
  • Earn extra spending money
  • Learn a new skill
  • Work from home
  • Build an emergency fund
  • Put away money for retirement
  • work hard now so you can retire early

Whatever the reason for needing extra cash, you will find something on my 75 side hustles list. Use one or a combination of the side hustles below to earn up to $100 per day. This extra money will be life-changing!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you. This site uses cookies for a better user experience. For more information read our disclosure policy here. 

 

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