Tag Archives: finances

My Favorite Podcasts

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c/o Death to Stock Photos

I jumped on the bandwagon and started listening to Serial. You’ve been living under a rock somewhere if you haven’t heard of it. If you have been living under a rock, props to you, can I visit sometime? I could use a break.

Anyway, Serial is a true crime podcast, brought to you by some of the same people from This American Life. (Sidenote: for years, years, I used to think “Brought to you by” was one word because the people of PBS said it so quickly. Thanks public television.) And I obviously don’t make Serial sound appealing, but OMG IT IS. I’m hooked.

That got me thinking that I’ve never shared my favorite podcasts with you all. And there are some good ones out there, folks. Take a break from all that holiday music and open up your ears to some sustenance! Here’s some of my favorite podcasts:

Freakonomics
This podcast is brought to you by (ha-ha!) the same guys who wrote the book. Freakonomics tells stories of the “hidden side of everything” including money. I’ve spent many a “drive way moment” listening to these fellows.

The Radical Personal Finance Podcast
The RPFP explores all aspects of finances and money management with a focus on the financial strategies of society’s outliers, like the homeless and billionaires! Radical, dude!

Listen Money Matters!
These guys say this isn’t your dad’s personal finance show and it isn’t. This show is funny, honest and give actionable advice to follow. And money saving should be entertaining, right?

Natalie Sisson’s The Suitcase Entrepreneur
In short interviews, Natalie describes the ins-and-outs of a travelling entrepreneur. This one is great if you’ve only got a few minutes before a doctor’s appointment or a meeting.

Extra Pack of Peanuts Travel Podcast
Travis Sherry describes himself  as “Rick Steves for the new generation.” Travis interviews some of the biggest names in travel and teaches listeners how to travel for less. Yes!

TheVAP – The Vintage Airstream Project
The VAP is great for new Airstream owners because it describes purchasing, repair and travel in an RV. It’s not always riveting, but it is informative.

Tiny House Chat
Tiny house chat does exactly what is meant to do: it talks about all things tiny house and all things tiny living! Tiny house dwellers (like me!) are so interesting, no?!

Minimalism for the rest of us
Minimalism for the rest of us typically is interviews or stories from people on their journey to minimalism. I’m a fan of minimalism and I like to hear about other people’s journey to the school of thought.

Elise Gets Crafty
Elise Gets Crafty is one of my favorite podcasts because Elise is such a natural! Usually she talks about running a small business or talks to small business owners. It’s fun and chatty, but also informative. I’ve learned so much from this podcast!

Creating Your Own Path
Creating Your Own Path is a podcast that I just got into recently. Jennifer converses with small business owners and asks them what I always want to know: how did you create your own path?!

What are your favorite podcasts? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

love,
melanie

14 Easy Ways to Save Money

Photo c/o Getty Images CC.

Photo c/o Getty Images CC.

The going has been tough for this girl. It’s almost the end of the spring semester and my head is spinning with projects, conferences and classes. During these insanely busy times, it’s so much easier to just stop and pick up something to eat or buy something just to make myself feel better. But I don’t want to fall off the savings bandwagon, I want to keep savings toward my goal of travel and eventually retirement. Lately I’ve been looking for easy ways to save money during these oh so busy times. Here’s a few of the easiest ways I’ve found to save a little dough.

  1. Automatic draft
    This is by far my favorite tip for saving money. Set up an automatic draft to pull money from your checking account into your savings account each month. It’s automatic so you have no excuse not to do it. Think of it as a bill you pay yourself!

  1. Cancel subscriptions you don’t use
    Subscription services are becoming a huge industry. Subscriptions, like Netflix or Barkbox can be fun, but remember they charge your credit card each month. Check your monthly bank statement and cancel any subscriptions you don’t use.

  1. Keep your tires inflated & change your air filter
    Keeping your tires inflated can save you about 5 percent in gas mileage and keeping your car’s air filter fresh can save you about 7 percent in gas mileage! Just keeping up with your car’s maintenance and could save you hundreds each year.

  1. Reusable water bottle
    Ok, I admit it, I used to go through at least two plastic water bottles a day. The costs of those little suckers can add up– especially if you are purchasing them from a vending machine. Two bottles of water at $1.25 a pop over the course of a year adds up to almost $1,000!  I’ve made the eco-conscious and money-conscious switch to a reusable bottle and never looked back. I’ve been drinking more water since I don’t have to pay for it and

  1. Keep snacks in your desk at work
    Do you see a theme here? Avoid the vending machine! By keeping snacks in your desk at work, you won’t be lured by the glow of the office vending machine. My workplace also has a coffee shop nearby, so to avoid that temptation I keep instant coffee at my desk. Some of my favorite snacks to keep at my desk are apples and peanut butter, tea, instant coffee (of course) and individual packs of nuts.

  1. Generic version
    The generic version of everything is cheaper than the name brand. I love to save on beauty products by buying the generic version. I recently bought some over-the-counter medicine and I was shocked at how much I saved purchasing the generic version. Think about the savings that will accrue over the course of your life by always simply buying generic!

  1. Unplug
    Phantom power is a thing, ya’ll. Even devices that have been turned off can draw power (phantomly!) and up your power bill. Scary, huh? By unplugging the power suckers you’ll decrease your power bill and save yourself some change. I’ve been unplugging my laptop and cellphone charger when not in use and I was surprised at how easy it was to form the habit.

  1. Negotiate your cable, phone and Internet bills
    This is one of those big wins that can save you thousands over a lifetime. By simply calling your Internet, phone and cable provider and asking for a discount, you may be able to obtain one. Ask and ye shall receive!

  1. Wait to purchase
    Since I’ve been on my journey to saving money, I’ve noticed that I have a tendency to impulse buy. Instead of buying the item I want right away, I’ll pin it to my Pinterest board or promise myself to come back to the store tomorrow. Nine times out of ten by the next day, I won’t even want the thing anymore!

  1. Pay off your credit cards immediately
    I don’t think credit cards are evil like some people will lead you to believe. Credit cards just have to be used wisely. Don’t put purchases on your card that you can’t pay off right away. And don’t let interest accrue on your purchases. By paying off your cards right away, you’ll avoid paying any interest and you’ll strengthen the health of your credit score.

  1. Avoid ATM fees
    ATM fees are ridiculous. ATM fees are just one of those things that I refuse to pay, eve if the fee is only a couple of bucks. There’s so many ways to avoid those pesky fees. You can bank with a bank that doesn’t charge ATM fees, use a large bank who has branches all over the country and you can get cash back during purchases. I’ve bought a pack of gum before just to get cash back and avoid a fee. Afterall, I’d rather have a $2 pack of gum than a $2 ATM fee.

  1. Use the library!
    Libraries have a variety of goods and services available to their patrons for free! Your library probably offers more than you think. For more ways the library can save you money check out this post.

  1. Price check
    One of the best things about smart phones is that now you have the instant ability to price check stuff while out and about on your phone. Before I’m about to make a purchase over $20, I’ll whip out my smartphone and do a little price checking. If I can get it for less online, I’ll wait to purchase it. The delay in purchasing also helps with impulse buys. f you don’t have a smart phone, that’s ok too. Just write down the price and when you get home (or to the closest Internet connection) check out the price from other retailers.

  1. Make frugal friends
    I love my frugal friends. They’ve taught me so much about money, deals and saving. They aren’t afraid to stay at home and just hang out to save money. They invite me to yard sales and I invite them to the flea market. Frugal friends don’t put pressure on you to spend extra money or to go out to eat because they’re happy making a meal together at home. Making friends with frugal people is life-changing. Don’t have any frugal friends? Feel free to email me or leave me a comment and we can chat. Virtual frugal friends are better than no frugal friends!

    What easy ways have you saved money? Let me know in the comments!

    love,
    melanie

How to Deal With Your Finances and Stay Sane

how to deal with your finances

Photo by Zach Klein on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachklein/54389823/)

Personal finance makes me want bury my money in mason jars and go back the good ol’ trade system. But I’m not a skilled digger and money makes the world go round. If you don’t learn about it, you’ll get screwed over by someone or some corporation that knows more about it than you do. Hashtag truth.

That’s why this year my personal goal has been to learn more about my money and to actually save it. Maybe that’s also why this year has been one of the most frustrating times of my life. 🙂 As I sat on hold with the bank yet again… I thought I’m going to lose it. I’m going to end up yelling at this poor person on the other end and I’m going to pull out all of my money. But I didn’t do that because over the last year I’ve learned some pretty good coping tools for money frustrations.

1. Prepare for phone calls
You may already know that a simple phone call to your service providers could help you to save money on all kinds of bills– cable, internet, maybe even rent! And don’t forget to call your bank to get overdraft fees and other outrageous bank fees leveraged too. Just make sure you always have a plan for the conversations, so they go your way. Above all, remain calm and prepare to walk away, if necessary. You don’t really need cable anyway. (Ramit Sethi from I will Teach You To be Rich has some great scripts for those difficult phone calls.)

2. Keep pictures of your end-goal in appropriate places
Do you get stressed about money when you are sitting at your desk and balancing your checkbook? Keep a picture of your end-goal on your desk. Do you get stressed just looking in your wallet for cash? (I do!) Keep a picture of your financial end-goal in your wallet. By having pictures of that dreamy financial end-goal in strategic places you’ll create a quick comfort, you’ll be reminded of the goal, and it might even curb your spending.

3. Remember that saving is a journey
Patience, in general, is so, so hard. It can be even harder with saving because we don’t see those immediate rewards. Buying your lunch can be so much easier and temporarily more rewarding than saving that $10. By changing your mindset about saving, and learning to recognize that even the littlest bits count, you’ll reach your financial goals much faster.

4. Break up your financial to-do list into manageable chunks
This is a life-tip, but getting super motivated and creating a giant to-do list of stuff to do can actually hinder your progress. Make your financial to-do list manageable by breaking it into smaller chunks. Complete one small thing on your list every day. Be happy that you completed something and avoid being paralyzed by the stress of too many to-dos.

5. Talk about it
For many, money is a taboo talking point, but ya need to get it out. Worrying about money but not talking about it is a sure-fire recipe for a heart attack. Find someone you feel comfortable talking to, whether it be a relative, friend or psychiatrist and let it out.

6. Practice affirmations
Affirmations can seem silly and maybe even a little narcissistic. But don’t discount them! Say an affirmation enough and you’ll start to believe it. (Here’s an example one: “Every day I am attracting and saving more money.” But my favorite affirmation of all time is this little girl’s affirmation. After I saw her video I started adding “I can do anything good!” to my affirmations.

7. Meditate or pray about it
Pray about your money issues, if you are into that. If not, meditate about it. Meditation has made me a calmer and overall nicer person. It’s given me clarity about my money issues that I would have never reached on my own. And the best thing about meditation? It’s free!

8. Recognize your triggers and avoid them
Just going into Target triggers my impulse to spend, so I avoid Target. If I must, must go I bring my husband along and tell him to monitor my spending. Recognize when your finance habits get out of control. Do your spending habits swirl out of control during the holidays? Try a handmade holiday instead. Do you spend a ton of money on beauty products? Find ways cut your beauty routine. Make it into a game if you must! Just avoid those triggers!

9. As my life coach, Suze Orman says, “People first, then money, then things.”
I love Suze Orman, not only does she give sound money advice, she’s also compassionate. I love her sign-off, “People first, then money, then things.” Once you have your priorities straight, your finances are much easier to handle.

So how do you deal with your finances and stay sane? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

Why I Don’t Coupon and How I Actually Save Money on Food

1976_Maypo_magazine_adI got extreme one weekend and binge watched multiple seasons of Extreme Couponing on Netflix. It had me totally convinced that coupons were straight up gold and I was an idiot for lazily using coupons in the past. No, extreme was the way to go!

But in practice, extreme couponing or just couponing in general rarely works for me. Here’s why:

1. The time factor. Who are these women who have time to coupon 40 hours a week? I have a full-time job. I don’t even have an extra 20 hours a week for coupons. At some point I need to clean and maybe have a life.

2. Coupons are rarely for fresh fruit and vegetables. When was the last time you saw a coupon for a dollar off a dozen oranges? Yeah, never. I’m not a food snob, but I try to steer clear of the processed, prepackaged food.

3. I have no where to store 500 boxes of Easy Mac. I live in a trailer, ya’ll.

That’s not to say that if I see a coupon for toothpaste, I won’t use it. But I’ve recently discovered a much better way to save money on food. Join a CSA.

Here’s how it works: each week, I get a certain amount of points on food. I don’t let myself go over these points or I will be charged. One of my major money spending triggers is just being in a physical store. OO! Those strawberries look good! Or OOO! Green beans are on sale! Ordering my groceries online has almost completely eliminated my food impulse buying. I’ve whittled my food spending down from an average of $500 a month to an average of $250. I’ve cut that bill in half, ya’ll!

I am lucky that my CSA carries a wide variety of food. They don’t just sell veggies, but also dairy and some pre-made stuff, like bread and jellies. If your CSA doesn’t have that kind of variety, you could replicate the process by buying food through Amazon and holding yourself accountable to only spend a certain amount. Or you could use Amazon’s subscribe and save and get the items you need each month delivered to your door. It’s fast, easy and you don’t even have to leave the house! (And Amazon didn’t even tell me to say this, I just enjoy their services!)

Do you coupon? How have you saved money on fresh and healthy food?

love,
melanie

 

Be Brave, Live Small

be brave, live small

Terrified, excited, nervous, relieved– these past few weeks have been a roller coaster of emotion. My new job will force us to move and it has forced George and I to have long car-ride and late-night talks about our future.

Through those talks we’ve often discussed that world is not as it once was. I was told, we both were, that when we got out out of college the world would be waiting for us. As college graduates, no matter our major, someone would want us. They would pay us well. We would have healthy 401(k)s and retirement plans and we would soon be ready to buy a house. It’s the dream that our blue-collar parents did not easily achieve.

And as we are learning, it is not a dream we will easily achieve either. The world is not as it once was. An undergraduate education does not equate job safety– nor does a graduate education.  The job prospects in 2008 when I got out of school were abysmal– especially so for an English major and an Art major.

We hid out for a while in underemployment and in our parents’ houses. Then I hid out in graduate school where I was lucky enough to get a couple of assistantships, internships and a few very small scholarships. After a very long job search, George got an elementary school teaching position. We were thankful. And we were happy.

But our happiness was short-lived. We were again fearful when I graduated from my graduate program in 2011. The constant thought of how difficult my job search was in 2008 loomed in the background. I worried daily and we lived off canned soup and saltines. (Ultimately, our diet combined with the stress of looming unemployment made me very sick, but that is a story for another time.)

I applied to over 100 jobs and out of those 100 applications, I got one interview for a job at a small, rural community college. One job interview. But by some miracle, I got it. Again, I was thankful and relieved, but the job was in a rural area, hours away from any of our family and friends.

We were sad to leave the place that we had made our home for the past two years. We lived in a tiny, old apartment– only 400 square feet, but the rent was affordable, the area was walkable, and it was clean.

Moving to a rural area was hard for me. I still  struggle to find fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store and it is a 30 minute drive to the nearest Wal-Mart. Our rental choices in the area were slim and out of the two apartments available, we chose the more expensive choice because it was safe and didn’t have mold. Throughout it all, we made the best choices out of limited options.

During the time we’ve lived here, we’ve had some of the best and hardest times of our lives. Most importantly, we got married! But throughout the entire planning process, we struggled with the finances of a wedding. Ultimately, we made it out unscathed by being incredibly realistic with ourselves and I am so proud that we made that choice. But we ended up depleting our meager savings in the process.

We are also incredibly grateful to have very little debt. George and I worked throughout the time we were in school. (At one point, I had 3 jobs; it was kind of insane.) We got some scholarship help and our very middle class families helped us too. We know that we are incredibly lucky. And we know that we are better off than the majority of graduates.

Despite all of our luck and hard work, we still can’t get ahead. We still live paycheck to paycheck. If our rent and other bills stay the same, we won’t be able to buy a house in the foreseeable future.  George will never be able to pursue his art full-time. We won’t be able to afford a vacation or adopt a dog. We won’t get out of the cycle.

But we think we may have found a way to get ahead. To lead the life we want to lead, debt-free. And the answer is to live small.

For the next year, George and I will live smaller than we’ve ever lived before. Our budget will be smaller and our house will be much smaller (more details on this later!). But our bravery, our bravery will be big.

Have you ever had to take drastic measures to get out of the debt or break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle? I genuinely want to start an honest conversation about this in the comments.

living small but loving large,
melanie