I Heart Frugal - Page 42 of 52 - Spend Less. Live More

Learn How to Be Happy Getting Rid of Stuff

What I Learned after selling 65 Items out of my closet and getting rid of “stuff”…

Learn how to be happier by getting rid of stuff

Have you ever considered what clutter does to your brain? Research shows clutter has a negative effect and more so on women. It makes us ladies feel unfocused and out of control when clutter starts to take over. It is difficult to feel content in an ever so cluttered environment.

Yet, many of us do not want to let go of our accumulated messes because our stuff holds value and sentiment. According to the Journal of Consumer Psychology, we see our stuff as part of us which explains why it can be so hard to clean out those baby toys or clothes you once looked so fab in.

A study from the January Issue of The Journal of Neuroscience from The Princeton Neuroscience Institute states, “Multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation by mutually suppressing their evoked activity throughout visual cortex, providing a neural correlate for the limited processing capacity of the visual system.” In everyday terms, the more stuff and clutter you have in your home, the more stressed out and less productive you will be. Your clutter will always be competing for your attention, and that precious time could be so well spent elsewhere (like with your kids), which leads me to why I am writing this post.

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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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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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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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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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