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Big goals can carry price big tags. Whether you plan to buy a home, a new car or treat yourself to a much-needed vacation, you’ll need the money. And before you can really start planning for these big expenses, you’ll want to ask yourself, “Can I (or should I) afford it?”

If the answer is yes, then begs the question, “What’s an appropriate amount to spend?”

Here’s some advice on how to tackle a few big-ticket buys. And, if saving money isn’t exactly your strong suit, keep reading. I’ve included some of my favorite resources to get a jump-start at the end.

Buying a House? Cap Monthly Payments at 30%

When it comes to budgeting for housing costs, my rule of thumb is to spend no more than 30% of your take-home pay. That includes the mortgage, property tax and maintenance payments. The truth is that becoming a homeowner comes with hefty responsibilities and often, unforeseen costs.

Should your new home require a repair, you’ll want to be able to comfortably afford it without stretching yourself too thin. A rookie homeowner mistake is assuming you can spend the same monthly cost on a mortgage as rent. But renters aren’t necessarily required you to pay for plumbing damage or repair broken major appliances on their own dime.

Once you’ve calculated how much you can spend per month, figure out what size mortgage that equates to and that should help you narrow down homes by price. Home search website Zillow.com has a calculator that produces your target home price based on your annual income, monthly debt payments and the size of your down payment.

Speaking of, you’ll want to prepare to put down 20%, especially in competitive markets. For more on the specifics of home buying, check out my previous blog post.

Save more: To minimize monthly mortgage payments, be sure your credit is in great standing. Borrowers with high credit scores (often a 760 or greater) are best suited to qualify for the lowest interest rates on a home loan in today’s market.

Eyeing a Car? Ideally, Budget 15%

When it comes to purchasing a new car, aim to spend no more than 15 to 20% of your take-home pay. This includes maintenance and gas. if you pay with cash, take your annual salary and multiply it by .15 to calculate a max spend.

If you plan to finance or lease the vehicle, take your monthly take-home pay, multiply that number by .15 and that is a healthy budget for car payments (assuming you don’t have other major outstanding debt).

Save More: Go pre-owned. If you’re okay with a few scratches and some wear and tear but with the assurance that the car comes with a manufacturer’s warranty, then opting for a pre-owned vehicle could be a great way to save anywhere from probably 10 to 25%. This option can be more costly than going with a regular used car. But CPO’s come with benefits like a longer warranty and proper inspections.

If you’re set on purchasing a new car, wait until the end of the year when dealers are desperate to unload the current year’s models to make room for new inventory.

And for what it’s worth, waving cash at the dealer won’t necessarily earn you any discounts (unlike in years past). I recently purchased a new car and thought we would get a lower price by offering to pay entirely in cash. Wrong. Turns out, by signing up for auto-financing I was able to score a discount. With the loan interest rate at only 2% I decided to finance the car and commit to paying it off within the year (as opposed to four years) to keep interest payments to a minimum.

Fancy a Piece of Jewelry? Or any Luxe Item? Mind Your Savings.

Who doesn’t want to treat themselves to a little something every once in a while? Personally, I’ve been eyeing the new iWatch. But for such discretionary expenses (aka “splurges”) it’s best to pay them with cash on hand. If you can’t pay it off in a month, then I question whether it’s really something you can afford. If it’s a financial stretch, perhaps it’s wiser to hold off on the purchase?

For discretionary or miscellaneous expenses, I think it’s responsible to cap spending at no more than five percent of income and that includes things like luxury items and recreational spending. If you need to tap savings, just be sure you replenish the account within the next month and aim to leave yourself with at least a six-month rainy day cushion at all times.

Save more: Similar to pre-owned cars, what about buying secondhand? Tradesy and Poshmark are two websites that have a large inventory of gently used (or in some cases brand new, but discounted) designer goods. These online vendors verify that items are authentic and match the seller’s description.

Sallie Krawcheck, Wall Street veteran and co-founder and CEO of the online investment platform Ellevest, revealed to me on my podcast So Money that discount site The RealReal is her go-to place to splurge. She calls it “financially savvy.” Hey, if it’s cool for her, then it’s cool for me!

Longing to Getaway? Time it Right.

I always say it’s most rewarding to spend on experiences, especially travel. It’s important to recharge your mind, body and soul or to simply learn about other cultures.

For vacations, again, coming from your discretionary budget, aim to spend within 5% of your take-home pay.

Save more: Depending on when you book your flight you can earn more bang for your travel buck. Data from FareCompare show airfare tends to fall to its lowest level all week on Tuesdays starting at 3pm. That’s typically when airlines release the greatest number of deals and subsequent pricing wars lead to low prices.

Need Help Saving?

All of the above assumes that you have money left at the end of the month after covering your bills to save up and spend on big-ticket items. That may be a big assumption. Many of us live paycheck to paycheck and quite frankly, as humans, we’re not exactly hard-wired to save. As famed behavioral expert Dan Ariely once told me, “We see something, we want it and we go for it without thinking very much. The world is designed to tempt us and we follow and get tempted.”

Here are some free tools that can help us to curb some of that ill-fated temptation.

Digit – Save money without really having to think about it. Sign up for Digit by creating a free account. After a few days, Digit checks your spending patterns and moves a few dollars from your checking account to your Digit account, if you can afford it. Users can easily withdraw money any time, quickly and with no fees.. Over time, you’ll build a nice slush fund for yourself

Qapital –Qapital lets you set a savings goal and then create rules that trigger automatic transfers toward your goal. For example, users can charge themselves a determined amount for a guilty pleasure. Say they choose to charge $5.00 every time they order takeout, that $5.00 will go toward a goal of their choosing. Or, users can round purchases to the nearest dollar and the change will be allocated toward their specified goal. On this platform, the average user saves $44 each month.

SmartyPig – This is a free, high-yield savings account that lets you allocate money toward different financial goals. It can be hard to save for a big purchase if you’re lumping it in with your regular savings or checking account. But by compartmentalizing your savings for a particular goal (e.g. a new car, vacation, etc.) you can better track your progress. Like Digit, you can transfer funds at any given time.

Have a question for Farnoosh? You can submit your questions via Twitter @Farnoosh, Facebook or email at Farnoosh@farnoosh.tv (please note “Mint Blog” in the subject line).

Farnoosh Torabi is America’s leading personal finance authority hooked on helping Americans live their richest, happiest lives. From her early days reporting for Money Magazine to now hosting a primetime series on CNBC and writing monthly for O, The Oprah Magazine, she’s become our favorite go-to money expert and friend.

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Even if your new rental unit ticked off most of your must-have boxes — great location, lots of light, budget-friendly — you might be disappointed about one thing: There’s no dishwasher in the apartment.

Not to worry! Here are some tips, tricks and shortcuts that take the drudgery out of washing dishes — and you may even end up enjoying the task.

1. Plan meals that use fewer dishes

Instant pot filled with food.

Instead of dirtying piles of cooking utensils, try incorporating some one-pot meals into the rotation. Slow cookers, instant-pots, woks and sheet pans will all minimize the amount of mess.

When baking, measure your dry ingredients first and then reuse the same measuring cups and spoons for wet ingredients.

You can also line your pans with aluminum foil before roasting vegetables or baking lasagna to cut down on washing time afterward.

Also, read a recipe through before you start cooking to see how many dishes you will need. By thinking ahead, you’ll have less to wash when you’re done eating.

2. Clean up as you cook

Washing a dirty pan with soap and water because there's no dishwasher in apartment

As you prepare your meal, get in the habit of tossing food scraps into the compost bin or garbage can. Plan to wash what you use as you’re cooking or place dirty dishes into the sink as you go.

Before you start chopping any ingredients, fill the sink with warm soapy water and soak your dirty dishes so food doesn’t become dry and caked on. Wash your prep tools as your food cooks.

3. Get the right tools for the job

Cleaning tools for dishwashing.

Toss that stinky kitchen dishcloth and pick up a few smart gadgets that will almost make you forget you don’t have a dishwasher in your apartment.

A dishwashing brush can handle even the crustiest food remnants, plus it dries completely — no more damp, germ-infested sponges lying around.
If you prefer a sponge, get a washable microfiber one that you can toss into the washing machine.
Silicone scrubbing gloves protect your hands, plus they provide some scrubbing power.
Using a blade brush is a safer way to clean sharp knives.
A food scraper or dish squeegee makes dishwashing easier and keeps your sudsy water cleaner.

4. Protect your drain

Sink clogged with water.

The last thing you need when you have no dishwasher in your apartment is a clogged kitchen sink.

Never pour oil or grease down the drain because they can coat the pipes and cause a blockage. Use a sink strainer to catch food particles and empty it regularly while you’re cleaning up.

5. Be efficient by learning how to clean stubborn dishes

Handwashing dishes.

For about $10, you can upgrade your kitchen faucet with a swivel tap aerator, which helps get into the nooks and crannies for more effective dishwashing.

Wash items from least to most dirty: Glasses and silverware first, then plates and bowls. Save the largest, dirtiest things for last. Some dishes, like glassware or anything oily need extra-hot water to get clean, while others do better with cold.

For example, dairy and starch rinse off easily under cold water, which prevents the residue from getting sticky. For scorched pots and pans, head to your laundry room to grab a dryer sheet: Soaking it with the pan in warm soapy water for an hour will remove caked-on grime.

6. Use the right kind and amount of dish soap

Soapy sponge because no dishwasher in apartment

If you don’t like wearing latex gloves to protect your hands, use a natural dish soap that will be gentler on your skin. For very greasy dishes, you might need a more advanced dish cleaner.

Don’t use too much soap, because it can leave a sticky residue on your dishes — one or two tablespoons per load is all you need.

Pouring your soap into a touchless foaming soap dispenser controls how much you use, saving you money.

7. Purchase space-saving drying racks

Dishes drying on a cleaning rack.

Why double the amount of work to hand-dry all your dishes when you can let them air-dry instead?

Since small apartment kitchens usually lack counter space, ditch the bulky dish-drying rack in favor of a more streamlined solution, such as hanging a wire shelf over the sink, or using a roll-up drying rack that stores away when not in use. Or, use a silicone dish-drying mat — it’s better than a fabric one because it prevents mold growth.

8. Treat yourself to a few luxuries

Man listening to music while doing dirty dishes in the kitchen with no dishwasher in apartment

Just because there’s no dishwasher in your apartment doesn’t mean you should dread cooking great meals for yourself or your loved ones. One thing that makes the task easier is creating the right mood for the job.

Pick up some great-smelling dish soap and soft linen kitchen towels, which dry faster than cotton and are naturally anti-microbial. Set up a waterproof Bluetooth speaker or wear wireless headphones so you can listen to your favorite tunes or podcast or light a few aromatherapy candles to make washing dishes more enjoyable.

9. Invest in a countertop dishwasher

Speaking of treating yourself: Sometimes, especially if you have a family to feed three times a day, hand-washing everything is just not realistic. Apartment dwellers have another option: A countertop dishwasher.

These appliances — ranging in size from 16 to 22 inches wide — sit on your counter, hook up to the faucet and wash up to six place settings at once. These dishwashers cost about $400.

Adapt to having no dishwasher in your apartment

While living in an apartment with no dishwasher can seem challenging at first, the transition to a wash-as-you-go lifestyle is easier when you plan ahead, use the right tools and shift your mindset.

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Source: apartmentguide.com

We all want a just, inclusive work environment where everyone feels heard and valued … but where do we start? Kim Scott, the bestselling author of Radical Candor, shares the lessons that informed her new book, Just Work: Get Sh*t Done, Fast & Fair in this interview with Modern Mentor. And they’re just the tools and vocabulary you need!

Rachel Cooke

March 30, 2021

Radical Candor is striving to change that. In her new book JUST WORK: Get Sh*t Done, Fast & Fair, Kim offers a simple framework for recognizing and responding to bias, prejudice, and bullying. Her practical suggestions give us something we can put into practice today to start clearing away the inefficiency of inequity so we can just work.

Kim joined me for a chat that was vulnerable and funny and full of wisdom coming from her eight-year-old daughter. Listen to the full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform, or just click the audio player above.

The difference between bias, prejudice, and bullying in the workplace

What’s the difference between bias, prejudice, and bullying? Simply put, Kim says: “Bias is not meaning it, prejudice is meaning it, and bullying is being mean.”

Bias reflects an unconscious belief system that may impact how we engage with others.
Prejudice is conscious—when we knowingly believe something to be true about someone due to a fundamental attribute (gender, race, sexuality, etc.)
Bullying is bad behavior meant to intimidate, belittle, or otherwise hurt another.

“The real benefit of beginning to distinguish between these three things is that the response to them needs to be very different,” Kim says.

How to respond to workplace injustice that happens to you

So what’s the key, then, to addressing each of these in the workplace?

BIAS

“If it’s unconscious bias,” Kim says, “I find it’s best to respond with an ‘I statement…’ [which] invites the person to understand things from your perspective.”

I don’t think you mean that the way it sounded.

PREJUDICE

“When you’re dealing with someone’s prejudice,” she continues, “you need an ‘it statement.’ People can believe whatever they want, but they can not do or say whatever they want. An ‘it statement’ can appeal to the law… to a code of conduct… or to an HR policy.”

It’s a violation of our HR policy to _____.

BULLYING

“With bullying, you want to respond with a ‘you statement’ that pushes the person away from you.”

You can’t talk to me like that.

Kim confessed that her perspective on how to confront bullying was shaped by her third-grade daughter who was being bullied at school.

When Kim’s daughter approached her about the bullying, Kim initially suggested she use an “I statement,” telling the bully how his behavior made her feel. But her daughter wisely pointed out that making her feel bad was the bully’s goal! “He’s making me sad!” she said. “Telling him how I feel would be like giving him a cookie and telling him he’s won.”

How to be an upstander when workplace injustice happens to others

Whether it’s bias, prejudice, or bullying that’s reared its ugly head, the key to combatting it is to be an upstander.

A bystander observes, but an upstander stands up and intervenes.

What’s an upstander? It’s the opposite of a bystander. A bystander observes, but an upstander stands up and intervenes.

Being an upstander does come with risk. Kim shared the caveat that it’s important not to think of yourself as “somebody [who] charges in and [wants to] play the role of Knight in Shining Armor. When I say ‘upstander,’ I mean standing up to the injustice, not asserting yourself as the stronger person than the [one] who’s [being] harmed.”

Kim pointed out that, in addition to standing up, offering support to the affected person is equally important. After witnessing an injustice, consider approaching the affected person to validate their experience and offer some kindness in return: “Gosh, I noticed this. Are you OK?”

“It’s almost like gaslighting when something obviously bad happens and nobody comes up to you,” Kim explained. “So your role as an upstander, even if you just approach the person who was harmed and talk to them later, is really important.”

How should leaders address bias?

Kim recommends creating bias interrupters: “…a shared vocabulary on the team that everyone will use to flag bias when they observe it in a meeting.” Words matter, she said, but she can’t tell leaders what words to use with their own teams. “You’re going to have to choose the words that work for you.”

One team she referenced literally flags bias during meetings by throwing purple flags. Another used a simple, straightforward phrase: “Bias alert!”

When a bias is flagged, team members have two ways to respond:

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Thanks for pointing that out.”
“I don’t quite get it. Can we talk after the meeting?”

Have a listen to the entire interview to hear more incredible insights from Kim. You can also pick up JUST WORK from your favorite bookseller or on Amazon.

With Mother’s Day around the corner, moms everywhere can rejoice in knowing that they tend to leave a positive impact on their children’s financial lives. A survey finds 81% of Americans saying their mothers shared financial wisdom with them and 85% learned how to be frugal thanks to mom.

On my podcast, So Money, parenting experts and money gurus have shared some invaluable advice on how to raise money savvy children in today’s world. Here’s a round-up of some of the best advice from how to make saving fun and ways to teach kids to appreciate the value of a dollar.

“Make money visual.”

– Susan Beacham, Creator of the Money Savvy Pig

“Research tells us that at the age of 4, the visible accumulation of coins, of a child watching coin accumulate translates and helps them understand the concept of saving. If they don’t see it accumulate, you’re losing the very essence of what they need to understand how to delay and put money aside for something they want tomorrow.”

“Teach that money is abundant. They’ll value it more.”

– Dr. Shefali, Psychologist and Author, The Awakened Family

Instead of telling my daughter all the time that we don’t have money, I always tell her that there’s enough money for every single thing you desire. But the key is to know what we truly need and then wait for what you need and create a plan for it in the future. But it always is a yes…just maybe not a yes right now.

Instead, I tell her, let’s make a plan for it. If you really want that ridiculously expensive piece of machinery, you can have it. And if you really want it, you’ll get it.

Spreading abundance is key for our children so that they don’t grow up thirsty for money. I do believe that much of our fear around money comes from the state of scarcity that parents create in their children. It can actually make them thirstier for it rather than making them feel like, “I have enough and be grateful for what I do have.”

“Engage your kids.”

– Beth Kobliner, Author, Make Your Kid a Money Genius

“I think it’s that important that we talk to kids about what we’re doing. For example: “Now I’m paying the bills. We have to pay for the cellphone and we have to pay for the lights.”Those kind of conversations, especially when kids are young, are really important tomake money concrete. There are studies that show when parents talk to kids about college savings, and say, “I have money and I’m putting it into a savings account for your college,” kids are more likely to go to college.”

“Start retirement lessons early.”

– Bill Dwight, FamZoo.com

“One of my favorite financial habits with my kids was convincing them to set up a Roth IRA when they got that first summer job or part-time job. Hopefully you’ll also teach them about using an index fund. You can possibly offer to match a little bit into that Roth IRA, too. I’ve done this for each of my kids and I think it’s such a powerful message: Work and you will be rewarded.”

Have a question for Farnoosh? You can submit your questions via Twitter @Farnoosh, Facebook or email at farnoosh@farnoosh.tv (please note “Mint Blog” in the subject line).

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I’ve been offering financial advice professionally for 40 years, since I started working as an investment adviser in 1981. I’m also a millionaire several times over.

During my time in the trenches, I’ve heard every conceivable piece of financial advice, acted on many and offered a few of my own.

In this week’s “Money!” podcast, we’re going to explore the best of the best — a few simple techniques you can use that will absolutely, positively make you richer and quite likely, a millionaire.

Don’t expect some magic formula; there isn’t one. What there are, however, are proven techniques that worked for me and will work for you as well.

As usual, my co-host will be financial journalist Miranda Marquit, and we’re joined by our producer and sound effects guy, Aaron Freeman.

Sit back, relax and listen to this week’s “Money!” podcast:

Not familiar with podcasts?

A podcast is basically a radio show you can listen to anytime, either by downloading it to your smartphone or other device, or by listening online.

They’re totally free. They can be any length (ours are typically about a half-hour), feature any number of people and cover any topic you can possibly think of. You can listen at home, in the car, while jogging or, if you’re like me, when riding your bicycle.

You can listen to our latest podcasts here or download them to your phone from any number of places, including Apple, Spotify, RadioPublic, Stitcher and RSS.

If you haven’t listened to a podcast yet, give it a try, then subscribe to ours. You’ll be glad you did!

Show notes

Want more information? Check out these resources:

About me

I founded Money Talks News in 1991. I’m a CPA, and I have also earned licenses in stocks, commodities, options principal, mutual funds, life insurance, securities supervisor and real estate.

Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.

Source: moneytalksnews.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

We are officially in our last month of being in student loan debt. I thought this month would never come, but here it is.

How I’m feeling about being almost debt-free.

I’m not good at writing about feelings. If I take the time to write something I want it to help people, not give them an inside look at what’s going on inside my brain. But I see a lot of posts about people “in debt” and “debt free” but not many about being “almost out of debt.”

We’re one month away from completing the journey of paying off $78,000 of car and student loan debt in less than two years. 23 months to be exact.

It’s hard to imagine being in the last few months of debt repayment when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. We were at the midway point last year and I was crushed. It’d been a hard year and we still had a year to go.

Starting this blog was how I dealt with that hopelessness. I thought if I could help people starting their debt-free journey it’d help me finish out mine. And I was right a million times over.

Does it ever get easier?

Not really. I’m still whiney about budgeting, Travis still looks at cars and big screen TVs online, and we are both worn out. But in the end, it’s made our lives so much better.

Travis and I are now comfortable being completely honest and open with each other about our spending. I’m a more frugal shopper and Travis makes fewer thrift store trips (you’d be surprised by how much those add up.)

All in all, I’m so ready for this season to be over. I’m ready to watch interest work for me instead of against me, to not feel bad about treating myself, and to scream “WE”RE DEBT FREE!!”

Our plans after making that last payment:

Why yes I have made a list of what I’m going to do when we’re debt-free.

Book a cruise. As soon as I have enough in our bank account to book a cruise, I’m doing it. I know I should be working on an emergency fund at this point but I’ve been salivating over a cruise to the Bahamas for more than a year and I have Travis on record agreeing to it. So we’re doing it.

Max out our Roth IRAs. Yeah, I still know I should be working on an emergency fund but we’ll never get 2017 back. I plugged it into a calculator and if we retire at 60 we lose out on $60,000 by not maxing out our Roth IRAs this year. We can start investing next year but no matter how much we make we’ll never be able to put that extra $11,000 into pre-tax retirement.

Get life insurance. Nope, still not working on that emergency fund. Dave Ramsey has basically denounced us at this point but he said we should’ve had life insurance this whole time so better late than never right? I also want to look at long-term care insurance for my mom who’s 59. In a perfect world, she’d split the cost with us but I’m not holding my breath.

Build our emergency fund. OKAY, I HEAR YOU. Now we’re going to work on building a $10,000 emergency fund. We already have $1000 so only nine to go!

Upgrade to a king sized bed. And finally, once all the necessities are met (cruise was definitely a necessity) we’re going to get a king bed, and maybe a bedside table because Travis has been using a cooler since we moved in.

We plan on putting our queen into the spare room and putting it up on Airbnb. With the money we make we’re going to pay for our next car in cash!

Final thoughts and some encouragement.

About three months ago I determined the date of our final debt payment. On the 100 day mark, I started an Instagram account as a declaration of my commitment to that goal. Since then we lost side jobs and had a few surprise car repairs. But we adjusted our spending whenever those things popped up.

I am 100% certain we would not be making our last student loan payment on August 31, 2017, if I had not publicly declared that goal. Something changes when you have 1500 Instagram followers holding you accountable to your word. It’s no longer a goal, but a deadline.

So don’t be afraid of setting specific date goals along your debt freedom journey. You may miss some but you’ll probably make more than you miss if you keep making them. And declaring them publicly makes all the difference. You don’t have to have a blog or Instagram. You can post it on Facebook or tell your friends, your true friends will be supportive and encouraging.

Happy debt-paying my friends! And to the #debtfreecommunity: I’ll see you on the other side!

<img data-attachment-id="1294" data-permalink="https://www.modernfrugality.com/thoughts-last-month-debt/3-13/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.modernfrugality.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/3-e1501362685951.png?fit=400%2C693&ssl=1" data-orig-size="400,693" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta=""aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"" data-image-title="almost debt-free" data-image-description="

We’re almost done paying off debt.

” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.modernfrugality.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/3-e1501362685951.png?fit=173%2C300&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.modernfrugality.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/3-e1501362685951.png?fit=346%2C600&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” data-pin-title=”Thoughts and Feelings on the Start of our Last Month in Debt” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1294 jetpack-lazy-image” src=”http://www.hanovermortgages.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/thoughts-and-feelings-on-the-start-of-our-last-month-in-debt.png” alt=”We’re paying off debt and I loved this post about being almost there. It makes me know these feelings are normal and we can be debt-free!” width=”400″ height=”693″ data-recalc-dims=”1″ srcset=”data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7″>

We’re almost done paying off debt.

” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.modernfrugality.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/3-e1501362685951.png?fit=173%2C300&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.modernfrugality.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/3-e1501362685951.png?fit=346%2C600&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” data-pin-title=”Thoughts and Feelings on the Start of our Last Month in Debt” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1294″ src=”http://www.hanovermortgages.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/thoughts-and-feelings-on-the-start-of-our-last-month-in-debt.png” alt=”We’re paying off debt and I loved this post about being almost there. It makes me know these feelings are normal and we can be debt-free!” width=”400″ height=”693″ data-recalc-dims=”1″>

Jen Smith is a personal finance expert, founder of Modern Frugality and co-host of the Frugal Friends Podcast. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Lifehacker, Money Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Business Insider, and more. She’s passionate about helping people gain control of their spending.

Source: modernfrugality.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

According to CareerBuilder, more than one-third of working millennials have a side job.

For a generation thought to be lazy and entitled we sure do a lot of work. And with the creation of the sharing economy, we’re not confined to working minimum wage or pouring drinks for extra income. We can use talent and experience to create side businesses that are more lucrative and fulfilling.

If you’re starting a side hustle, whether it’s freelance designing, consulting, reselling, whatever, there three must have tools for side gigs you’re going to need to make your business thrive and your life easier.

1. Website

The type of website you’re going to need depends on the type of business you’re starting. If it’s services or good you’ll sell in person a Facebook page or free hosted website will be good. If you’re strictly selling online you could do with shop on Amazon, eBay, TeeSpring, etc.

If you plan on running transactions online or making money on the actual site you’ll want to self-host. I have a step-by-step guide on setting up a self-hosted WordPress website or blog if that’s your angle. Whatever it is you’re going to need an online presence.

2. Accounting Software

Starting out a spreadsheet is fine. When you don’t have many transactions (or monies) you can save your receipts, track expenses and invoices for free in excel. Here’s a guide to help you start.

If that was a little confusing or you don’t have time to keep track of everything manually then investing in accounting software is going to be a lifesaver. Most people know Quickbooks but there are many more out there that are cheaper and with snazzier features.

I like Xero, it’s cloud based so you can access it from any computer or mobile device, has an easy to use interface and syncs directly with payment providers like Square and Paypal (and 21 other apps, who knew there were so many apps to receive money through?)

Accounting is hard and boring but Xero is easy to use for people who aren’t good at math (and those who are I guess, I can’t speak for you) and is cheap enough to be worth the investment, $9/month for basic and $30/month for standard.

Eventually, you’ll get to the point where you’ll need a real-life accountant. Another plus on Xero is that it has unlimited users, so you can easily add an accountant to the team and they can access all your accounting details anytime anywhere.

3. Schedule

Every type B’s nightmare, but don’t panic! There are free apps that make scheduling fun and easy! Remember the milk is great for to-do lists, youcanbook.me has a free version that allows you to make appointments without the need for emailing back and forth, heck, a Google calendar will work if you don’t want to get fancy.

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Apps for business

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Apps for business

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Even if you’re not setting up meetings or events you still need a schedule. We all know the rabbit hole social media can be and without time blocking or some other schedule for productivity it’s hard to make good progress. I love plain ol’ pencil and paper for my weekly schedule. The feeling of crossing things off my list is a little victory for me.

Tell me: Do you have a side hustle? What are your side hustle essentials?

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3 Must Haves

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3 Must Haves

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Source: modernfrugality.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Today is our first anniversary! I remember thinking the day would never come and now it’s been a year. Crazy. Our first year has been pretty great. I only cried a few times and they were both on our honeymoon so I got it out of the way early.

smithwedding-14

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Related: 3 Habits for Blissful Money Management

I started this blog last month to keep me motivated and help people who want to get out of debt. When I started I didn’t even know what financial freedom was or what it looked like. I want to help you discover that there’s so much more to money than buying stuff.

So I’ll offer you our biggest asset right now, a transparent look at our budget.

As the nerd of the family, I’ve studied and refined this budget over the past year to get us paying as much debt per month as possible while not living under a rock. It’s tight and by no means sustainable but we’re comfortable and we have a good time.

I’ll start with a recap of September’s debt payment. We paid $3800 over 3 payments, that’s 55% of our total income for the month. I get paid weekly and Travis gets paid bimonthly so I set the payments set up to come out on the days his check gets put in our account and on the 28th, the random day the auto-pay is set up for.

I’ll be honest, we went way over budget this month, luckily Travis had unexpected overtime. Funny how that happens. 😉 I had a tire blow out and Travis needed tires so we just got 5 at the same time (from a guy off Craigslist.) And I knew I wanted to go to #FinCon17 next year so I snagged tickets at their early bird sale, an expense I wasn’t anticipating so soon. But thanks to a thin buffer and a little extra income we didn’t have to touch our emergency fund (which is $1000 we keep at a credit union.)

Now the fun stuff. The cash flow plan.

There are a lot of ways you can categorize the line items. We use EveryDollar, it’s a simple minimalist design, which appeals to me, and the free version requires you to input transactions manually. The inconvenience of manual entry is key to being intentional about your spending, especially if you’re not on the envelope system.

october-copy

Related: Budgeting is a B Word – Budget Myths Debunked

I’m attempting my first shopping ban this month. Inspired by powerhouse minimalist Cait Flanders I‘m following her guidelines and nixing my “personal” line item this month. Since purchasing my FinCon ticket was double my normal allotted budget I thought this was fair. I’ll let you guys know how it goes next month.

We’re paying $3800 again on my student loan. That’s 57% of our income. Normally I would add a holiday sinking fund in October but we’re going to use the last of our wedding gift cards for present purchases so our expense will be minimal.

If you have any questions about the budget feel free to ask! We’ve done lots of research to get payments as low as possible so I love talking about sculpting budgets.

October 2016 Budget

Source: modernfrugality.com

What do you typically do after work? If you’re like many people, you probably eat dinner and then watch some television. According to Nielsen’s 2020 Total Audience report, Americans spent over 12 hours per day interacting with media during the first part of that year.

There’s nothing wrong with chilling on the couch watching Netflix, playing video games, and browsing social media. But 2019 research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that if you want to have a better day tomorrow, you need to do something different tonight.

Changing up your evening routine can improve your reputation at work, help you think more creatively or be more productive, or give you the initiative to ask for a raise or apply for a promotion. And taking a few small, actionable steps can help you achieve peak performance at work the following day.

How Your Evening Routine Can Influence Your Productivity

The Journal of Applied Psychology study looked at the evening routines of 183 employees over 10 workdays. The purpose of the study was simple: Researchers wanted to explore how various activities influence the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors people experienced the next day.

These workers filled out a questionnaire three times per day. In the morning, they described how they were feeling. Midday, they described what types of proactive behaviors they were doing, such as taking the initiative on a project, doing something to create positive change in the workplace, or taking control of a situation.

In the evening, employees described what they did after work. For their evening activities, the employees were asked whether each activity gave them a sense of proficiency, such as learning a new language or playing a sport, as well as how that activity made them feel. They were also asked how well the activity helped them relieve stress and detach from work.

Researchers discovered that the employees who engaged in activities that gave them a sense of proficiency were more motivated to create positive change at work the next day. They also reported feeling more relaxed, inspired, and joyful than the other employees.

The employees who engaged in activities that helped distance them from work, such as meditation or listening to music, felt relaxed but didn’t experience the same take-charge feelings, such as excitement and inspiration, at work the next day.

Researchers also discovered that having the freedom to choose what you do in the evening can lead to more proactive behaviors and positive feelings the next day. For example, people who have many obligations to meet after work, such as caring for an aging parent or young children, are less likely to feel proactive the next day simply because they have less freedom to choose what they do in the evening.

How to Create a More Productive Workday This Evening

The study illustrates a critical point: Vegging out in front of the TV isn’t likely to make you feel positive and inspired at work the next day, but doing something productive or physically engaging probably will.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do tonight to have a better workday tomorrow.

1. Start a Hobby

Engaging in a hobby at the end of the day is one of the best ways to create a more productive day at work tomorrow. Some hobbies can even help you earn more money. But too many of us don’t have a hobby at all.

We go to work, come home, do chores, and perhaps take care of our kids or work a side hustle like DoorDash driver or online teaching. And then we hit the sack, where we wake up and start the whole soul-sucking cycle all over again in the morning. It’s an exhausting daily routine.

But hobbies are something we do simply because we love doing them. There’s no sense of obligation. Hobbies are relaxing, fun, and stimulating.

They also provide several significant health benefits. A 2009 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine analyzed the leisure activities of 1,399 study participants. It found that those who participated in more activities had lower cortisol and blood pressure, a lower body mass index and waist circumference, lower levels of depression, and higher levels of positive psychological states.

The COVID-19 pandemic compelled more people to pursue hobbies they previously didn’t have time for. James C. Kaufman is a professor of educational psychology at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. He tells the American Heart Association that a pandemic hobby can help take your mind off negative news and fears.

When you’re creative, you can slip into a state of “flow” in which you’re completely caught up in what you’re doing. This positive disconnect can be valuable whether you’re experiencing stress at work or in your personal life.

Hobbies can influence your career too. Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg tells CNBC that hobbies show prospective employers you have passion and drive. If you’re ready for a career change, you might even be able to turn your hobby into a business.

Think about what you’ve always wanted to do but never made time to learn. Some popular hobbies include:

Outdoor Activities	Craftsmanship	Sports
	Restoring old furniture Metalsmithing Leatherworking Pyrography (wood burning) Woodworking Bookbinding Building dollhouses or room boxes Fixing classic cars	Running Golfing Dancing Skiing or snowboarding Yoga Tennis Martial arts Archery Rock climbing Cycling
Arts & Crafts	Mental Challenges	Life Skills
Gourmet cooking Scrapbooking Embroidery, crochet, or knitting Journaling Photography Drawing and painting Pottery Calligraphy Writing Origami		Sewing Canning Baking Home renovation Candle or soap making Basket weaving Homebrewing or winemaking Auto repair Volunteering

This list is by no means exhaustive. Any activity that excites and interests you can make a worthwhile hobby. But set a budget for hobby expenses so you don’t end up spending more than you can afford.

2. Learn a New Skill

The Journal of Applied Psychology study found that any activity that helps give you a sense of proficiency increases the likelihood you’ll take charge at work the next day.

Hobbies fit the bill here. But so does learning any new skill or technique that can better your life and career and give you a greater sense of control over your destiny — whether or not it becomes something you enjoy and do regularly.

So think about the knowledge and skills you regularly use in your career. Which of these skills do you need to work on to do your job better? Which would help further your career down the road?

For example, effective communication skills are a must in every profession, and that includes business writing skills. If your communication skills are lacking, strengthening them could pay off significantly. You could take a writing class or read a book like “4 Essential Keys to Effective Communication” by Bento C. Leal III.

If it’s your foreign language skills that need work, you can learn a new language with Babbel. You can also master a new language quickly through courses offered at Udemy.

If you’re unsure which skills would help in your current role, talk to your boss or a trusted colleague. Ask which of your skills — or weaknesses — they think could use some work.

It can also help to think about the important tasks or responsibilities you struggle with at work. These challenges often point to a knowledge or skill gap. For example, if giving the weekly presentation makes you break out in a cold sweat, work on your public speaking skills. If you have trouble working with others, learn how to be a better listener or collaborate more effectively. Conflict-resolution skills are also vital for working effectively as a team.

Learning skills that benefit your professional life pays off in two key ways: It provides a sense of proficiency that results in positive feelings and a take-charge attitude the next day, and it gives you the tools you need for long-term success. That’s true whether you work with a team at a large corporation, you’re working from home, or you own a small business.

3. Go to Bed Early

This one’s a no-brainer. Getting enough sleep is essential to having a productive, energized work life. Yet the United Kingdom’s National Health Service reports that 1 in 3 people don’t get enough sleep, which the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) defines as seven or more hours per night.

Persistently poor sleep and sleep deprivation also negatively affect your health. According to the CDC, poor sleep has been linked to obesity, heart disease, lowered immune function, decreased fertility, decreased brain functioning, and diabetes. Frequent sleep deprivation might also shorten your life expectancy.

So if you’re having trouble getting a full night’s sleep, how can you get better sleep and wake up refreshed the next morning? Start by changing your bedtime routine.

Turn Off Your Devices & Dim the Lights

To get the best sleep, doctors recommend avoiding screens and dimming the overhead lights in your home two hours before bedtime.

The blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and TVs tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daylight. That reduces the amount of melatonin, the sleep hormone that helps you get deep sleep, your brain releases.

Your home’s overhead lights have the same effect. A 2010 study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that exposure to room light suppressed melatonin production in 99% of study participants and shortened melatonin duration by 90 minutes compared with dim light.

You’ll likely get better sleep if you dim the lights in the evening. Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic recommends avoiding screens one hour before bed.

Cut the Caffeine

According to a 2018 study published in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 90% of American adults consume caffeine daily. To sleep better, limit your caffeine intake to no more than three 6-ounce cups per day.

It’s also important to time your caffeine consumption to avoid disrupting sleep. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that consuming caffeine six hours and three hours before bedtime both significantly contribute to sleep disruption. So if you want to be in bed by 9pm, don’t consume any caffeine past 3pm for a better night’s sleep.

And remember: Coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. Foods and drinks like chocolate, black tea, and energy drinks also contain caffeine.

Get Outside

Exposure to bright outdoor light helps maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. It can also help reduce feelings of depression and seasonal affective disorder.

If you work all day indoors, make time to get outdoors during or after work. Eat lunch outside or go for a walk as soon as your workday is over.

The type of lighting in your workplace can also affect how well you sleep at night. A 2008 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health found that blue-enriched white light improved alertness, mood, performance, and sleep quality compared with regular white light. Including this type of light in your workspace, whether it’s the overhead light in your office or a lamp on your desk, could lead to higher productivity and better sleep at night. If you can’t influence the overhead lights in your office, invest in the Miroco light therapy lamp from Amazon.

Exercise

One of the best ways to ensure you sleep long and well is to get enough exercise. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Physiotherapy found that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improved sleep in older adults.

But don’t exercise right before bed. For some people, exercise is so stimulating it can actually make it harder for them to fall asleep. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Sports Medicine, engaging in vigorous exercise one hour before bed can make it harder to fall asleep and reduce your total sleep time for the night.

Pro Tip: If you’re struggling to find a workout that gets you motivated, try Aaptiv. They have thousands of workouts and add more than 30 new classes each week.

Fight Insomnia Naturally

If you still have trouble sleeping, try using some natural sleep aids to fight insomnia. For example, taking melatonin right before bed might be all you need to sleep better at night. You might also sleep better by sprinkling some lavender essential oil on your pillow or mixing it with water in an aromatherapy diffuser in your bedroom. Lavender is well-known as a natural sleep aid.

You can also try drinking some herbal tea at the end of the day to aid relaxation and promote sleep. Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night tea contains passionflower, catnip, chamomile, and linden flower — all herbs that help your body relax and allow you to drift to sleep.

4. Plan Your Day the Night Before

How many times have you lain awake at night thinking about everything you need to do the next day? This type of worry is unproductive, and according to The American Institute of Stress, it can cause stress and anxiety.

Instead of keeping your to-do list in your head, take some time to plan your day right before bed. Identify the top three priorities for tomorrow and make a list of your commitments, such as meetings or school pickups. Jot them down in your planner so you don’t forget. It gives you a sense of control over your responsibilities and relieves the worry you’ll forget something important.

5. Journal

In a column for Inc., organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy calls writing in a journal nightly a keystone habit — that is, a habit so powerful it leads to numerous positive, transformative behaviors.

Throughout history, many extraordinary people have used journaling to transform their lives.

Founding father Benjamin Franklin journaled throughout his life and used his journals to reflect on his strengths and weaknesses and improve.
Leonardo da Vinci used his journals to sketch the first underwater breathing apparatus and figure out how to use concave mirrors to generate heat.
Celebrated literary blog Brain Pickings lists Anias Nin, Virginia Woolf, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Oscar Wilde as just some of the famous writers who regularly wrote in a journal throughout their lives and careers.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, nightly journaling can help you detach from work and deal with the stresses and frustrations of the day. That can help you sleep better because you’re not stewing about all these feelings during the night.

It can also help you identify thoughts and feelings you weren’t consciously aware you had. Use it to identify meaningful goals and create a plan to make them a reality. It might also influence you to look at your life from another perspective and identify things that need to change.

You can boost the positive effects of journaling by taking a few minutes to write about what you’re grateful for. According to Harvard Health, gratitude can increase your happiness and help you realize how abundant your life really is. At the end of your nightly entry, write down three things you’re grateful for. You might be surprised how life-changing this simple practice can be.

6. Streamline Your Routine

If you have a long commute or multiple kids to get out the door, streamlining your morning routine is essential. Anything you can do in the evening to prepare for the next day will be well worth the time you spend.

For example, try taking your shower in the evening instead of first thing in the morning. Prepare your brown-bag lunch, work with your kids to get everything they need for school into their backpacks, and put your work bag in your car. Transitioning to a capsule wardrobe also makes getting dressed a cinch.

Popular business writer and coach Brian Tracy also suggests writing a to-do list the night before. He theorizes that for every minute you spend planning your day, you save 10 minutes in execution.

A streamlined morning routine could make it easier to wake up early and sneak in a workout, meditate, or make a healthy breakfast, which are three activities that can also have a powerfully positive impact on your workday.

Finding Time for a Productive Evening Routine

Taking time to engage in a hobby or learn something new is fantastic when you have some time to set aside.

But as the Journal of Applied Psychology study found, people who have a high degree of external obligations, such as caregivers or those working a second job, often don’t have the freedom to choose what they do in the evening. For example, when you’re a single parent with a mountain of household chores, it’s tough to step away and devote some time to your own needs.

A 2012 study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology backs that up, finding that people with lots of responsibilities outside work experienced less vigor and engagement at work the next day than those with fewer obligations.

So if you’ve already got a full plate, what can you do?

One strategy is to team up with someone else in the same situation. For example, if you’re a parent who desperately needs an hour in the evening, team up with another parent and swap kids: They watch your kids for you on Mondays, and you return the favor on Thursdays. This strategy won’t give you an hour each evening, but it’s a start. And the more parents involved, the more evenings each of you has free.

If you have trouble finding others in the same boat, check Meetup. There are parenting groups in most cities, including single-parent Meetup groups.

Another strategy is to look at where you do have an hour free of your daily obligations. For many people, that’s their lunch hour at work. Instead of wasting time going out to lunch, give yourself more time and save money by bringing a healthy lunch from home. Use the extra time to get some exercise or learn something new.

While it might not provide the same benefits you’d receive by doing the activity in the evening, taking the time to do something for yourself can still help you relax and feel fulfilled.

Final Word

The Journal of Applied Psychology research shows that what you do in the evening can significantly affect how well you perform at work the next day and how happy and excited you are in the process. Taking time to engage in a hobby, listen to an inspiring podcast, or learn a career-related skill can give you a sense of proficiency and the feeling you’re in control of your life.

The energy and positive feelings you get from a fulfilling evening can also give you the drive and initiative you need to do your best at work. Over time, that will help strengthen your reputation and possibly open doors to a raise, promotion, or new job.

Source: moneycrashers.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

When we started paying our debt off there were a bunch of things I could say about how it sucked. But somewhere along the timeline of the last 12 months, I changed my mind.

I used to complain about wanting to take a vacation (specifically a cruise) and not wanting to cook at home every night. I even had to unfollow friends on Instagram because watching their adventures was making me miserable.

I don’t know when it happened but I noticed it on my anniversary weekend. Everyone asked me what we were going to do for our first anniversary and I was like ¯_(ツ)_/¯. My husband kept asking me if I was okay (maybe based on the fact I never shut up about cruises) and really, I was. For the first time, I didn’t have any FOMO or vacay envy.

“But Jen, how do I achieve ultimate debt repayment enlightenment as you have?”

I can hear you asking it and honestly, ¯_(ツ)_/¯. But I can share some things we’ve done that I know have made this season suck a lot less. And when you see firsthand that living frugally is surprisingly simple, it becomes less of a “season you have to endure” and more of a lifestyle. One that I’ll likely carry with me long after the debt is gone.

Vision Cast

I may talk mostly about paying off debt but only because that’s where I’m at. Ultimately, it’s just a means to the end of a vision we’ve cast for our future. And deciding on this vision was essential for making the small everyday decisions seem more eternal.

A road trip without google maps is a road trip I do not want to be on. Same with your life. having a reason for doing what you’re doing is going to be the big push that keeps you going.

So sit down and write out a vision for your future. Think big, that’s what millionaires do. Include dream trips and how many kids you want but also what you’d like to do when you retire and then figure out when you want to retire and how much you’ll need to do it.

Casting a vision for your life shouldn’t constrict you to the plan, road trips have plenty of unplanned bathroom breaks and coffee stops. But a vision will keep you heading toward each goal in the right direction and at the right pace.

Start a Blog

I used to judge people with blogs. But seriously you guys, this whole “sharing my feelings thing” has been majorly cathartic. Being able to help people and hearing how I’ve helped you has been an amazing and motivating experience. It also takes up a lot of my time so I forget about all the things I could be spending money on.

Start one for free at WordPress.com or go all out with your own domain name through Bluehost. It’s super easy and connects you to hundreds of other personal finance bloggers with the same mindset who are currently or have paid off massive amounts of debt.

Purge

You’de think it’d be a bummer to sell your stuff or worse, throw it away. But it’s the most freeing feeling you can have with two feet on the ground. We started posting things on Craigslist and OfferUp and took clothes to Plato’s Closet. Then what we couldn’t sell we took to Goodwill.

We were able to finish paying off my car and got rid of a lot of superfluous stuff lying around. I’ve now made it a habit to purge every few months.

Mystery Shop

We started mystery shopping after reading about it on The Penny Hoarder. We do a lot of restaurant shops and it doesn’t come out of the budget because you get reimbursed! I’ve also been paid to test drive a car and ask questions at a bank. It’s fun to feel like a secret detective and not have to do the dishes when you get home.

Color in the Lines

We started coloring in a debt thermometer a few months ago and it’s been a game changer. It’s disgustingly big and not cute at all but at the end of every month we take turns coloring in the section we’ve accomplished and every time we turn the the the A/C up or down (we put it by the thermostat, real clever huh?) we’re reminded of our progress and what lies ahead.

I’ve made a color-in debt thermometer for you for FREE at this link so you can get started today on visualizing your goal.

Source: modernfrugality.com

1. Plan meals that use fewer dishes

2. Clean up as you cook

3. Get the right tools for the job

4. Protect your drain

5. Be efficient by learning how to clean stubborn dishes

6. Use the right kind and amount of dish soap

7. Purchase space-saving drying racks

8. Treat yourself to a few luxuries

9. Invest in a countertop dishwasher

Adapt to having no dishwasher in your apartment

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About the Author

“Make money visual.”

– Susan Beacham, Creator of the Money Savvy Pig

“Teach that money is abundant. They’ll value it more.”

– Dr. Shefali, Psychologist and Author, The Awakened Family

“Engage your kids.”

– Beth Kobliner, Author, Make Your Kid a Money Genius

“Start retirement lessons early.”

– Bill Dwight, FamZoo.com

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Show notes

About me

How I’m feeling about being almost debt-free.

Does it ever get easier?

Our plans after making that last payment:

Final thoughts and some encouragement.

Related

1. Website

2. Accounting Software

3. Schedule

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So I’ll offer you our biggest asset right now, a transparent look at our budget.

Now the fun stuff. The cash flow plan.

Related

How Your Evening Routine Can Influence Your Productivity

How to Create a More Productive Workday This Evening

1. Start a Hobby

2. Learn a New Skill

3. Go to Bed Early

Turn Off Your Devices & Dim the Lights

Cut the Caffeine

Get Outside

Exercise

Fight Insomnia Naturally

4. Plan Your Day the Night Before

5. Journal

6. Streamline Your Routine

Finding Time for a Productive Evening Routine

Final Word

“But Jen, how do I achieve ultimate debt repayment enlightenment as you have?”

Vision Cast

Start a Blog

Purge

Mystery Shop

Color in the Lines

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