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5 Super Cheap & Easy Meal Ideas for College Students!

Shared on September 12 2 Comments

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
easy cheap meals for dorm rooms - saving money in college

Just the other day my college aged babysitter asked me to send her several inexpensive, easy recipe ideas. She said she missed my cooking, but wanted to replicate it cheaply. :=) Do I have any cheap meal ideas for her to use at school??!!  Boy, do I ever!   I didn’t have to rack my brain very long for recipes that fit her request – most of the meals I make can be stretched a long way!  What I did have to consider was her access to cooking utensils, pots and pans, etc. I think I came up with several go-to recipes for her to try out. Quick & Easy Meals for Busy Keep Reading

Filed Under: Meal Planning

How Our Life Insurance Needs Have Changed Over the Years

Shared on August 24 4 Comments

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
A smiling baby with brown hair and a pink checkered outfit sits in front of a window. The baby has an open mouth, appearing to laugh. A thought bubble above the baby's head says, "I'm so glad my Mommy & Daddy have met their life insurance needs!!!".

Today I want to talk about a serious subject: life insurance needs. Jeff Rose over at GoodFinancialCents has challenged personal finance bloggers, or anyone else with a passion about life insurance, for that matter, to write about the topic. The official LifeAware movement occurred on August 22nd, but I’m late writing this because I’ve been caught up in life with three kids.  Go figure.  ;=) Life Insurance Needs Over the Years Life insurance is what I would consider a necessary evil. Nobody wants to pay for it, but nobody wants to leave this world knowing their affairs won’t be Keep Reading

Filed Under: Budgeting

5 Reasons to Pay Off Your Mortgage – Why & How I’m Aiming for Early Mortgage Payoff

Shared on July 22 2 Comments

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There are so many reasons to pay off your home mortgage early. Living debt free, including the amount of money you owe on your house & credit cards, allows you to live a life of freedom most will never experience. Mortgage payoff is in the cards for me...click here to learn exactly what I will be doing to make extra money on the side so I can afford added mortgage payments to be completely debt free.

As I announced recently, I've challenged myself to pay off my mortgage way sooner than the standard 30 years everyone seems to prescribe to. The more I think about it, though, the more I wonder if I am just being ridiculus.  So I asked a fellow personal writer to come up with several reasons why someone might want to pay off their mortgage early. Enter Jonny Pean. He tends to believe that debt of any kind is not good for your finances. He says you should shake off debt as fast as possible and live a comfortable, debt-free life. Below are his top five reasons for paying off your Keep Reading

Filed Under: Family Finances, Mortgage Payoff

Can I Pay Off My House Early? My Mortgage Free Dream

Shared on July 14 4 Comments

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
Learn why I plan to pay off my mortgage early. Important tips for homeowners to read!

Learn why I plan to pay off my mortgage early! My husband thinks I'm crazy.  My friends think I'm crazy.  But I'm not crazy. What's crazy is accepting that it should take 30 YEARS to buy a house. Who ever came up with that idea? 30 years is way too long. I think about paying off our mortgage ALL the time. The Main Reason I Want to Pay Off My Mortgage Early: Peace of Mind I know too many people who suddenly find themselves out of work or facing tremendous medical bills who constantly worry about losing their homes (okay, I really only know three people like Keep Reading

Filed Under: Mortgage Payoff

How You Can Save Money by Impulse Saving

Shared on June 10 4 Comments

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A bright green ceramic piggy bank adorned with pink and red flower designs.

Learn more about ImpulseSave to fatten your savings! Every day, we’re faced with spending decisions. Out for lunch…“Should I order the daily special or what I really want – the pricey crab cakes?”  On the way home after a long day…”Should we get Chinese takeout or grill hamburgers like we planned?  In the checkout line…”Mmmmm – Rachael Ray’s 30 no-fuss meals in under 30 minutes look delicious and easy! I need this magazine!” Sound familiar? I face spending decisions all day long every day, and I’m sure you do, too.  A long time ago, I tried to implement a system where I Keep Reading

Filed Under: Budgeting

How to Get the Best Deals at Garage Sales – Savvy Negotiation Tips

Shared on May 31 5 Comments

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
A framed painting of pink and purple flowers on a tan background hangs on a light green wall. The artwork, often found among the best deals at garage sales, is bordered by a black frame with a white mat. The abstract flowers have long stems and various shapes and shades.

Yard saling has to be one of my all-time favorite past-times. I’ve been hitting yard sales with my mom since I was a little girl.  She’s the ultimate yard sale queen. My mom taught me the best way to negotiate prices, from seeing her do it hundreds of times to watching her work with customers as we held sales in our own yard. I learned that, as a rule of thumb, you can expect to get garage sale items for at least 50% off retail price. But, if you employ savvy negotiating tactics, you can easily save 75% to 90% discount off retail.  Getting good deals at yard sales is easy; Keep Reading

Filed Under: Budgeting

How to Save Money on Food – 8 Ways To Make Family Meals Less Expensive

Shared on May 16 8 Comments

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A close-up of fresh produce on a wooden surface: a pile of cherry tomatoes in a wicker basket, two large green chili peppers, and a small red chili pepper. The vegetables appear vibrant and freshly picked.

Learn 8 great ways to save money on food! Eating meals at home, on the whole, saves you tons of money over eating out.  For starters, you avoid restaurant markups, server tips, commuting costs, and meal extras that add up (like getting dessert when you normally wouldn't eat one). Beyond the obvious savings, there are many changes you can make to the way you prepare food, shop for groceries, and plan your meals to enhance your savings even more. Ways to Save Money on Food When You Make Family Meals at Home The tactics I use to save money on the cost of homemade meals fall Keep Reading

Filed Under: Meal Planning

Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons of Buying in Bulk?

Shared on April 20 1 Comment

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Close-up image of a corner of a U.S. twenty-dollar bill. The photo shows part of the bill’s design, including the words "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private," and the signature of the Treasurer of the United States, Mary Ellen Withrow—a reminder that every dollar counts, especially when buying in bulk.

For years, I had a membership to BJ's wholesale club.  It cost $40 a year, and I always felt like I was getting my money's worth because I could find good deals on bulk packages of everyday household items and food. Pros and Cons of Buying in Bulk  As a new mom, the pros of buying in bulk at BJ's Wholesale Club seemed to outweigh the cons.  When my first daughter was born, I got hooked on Pamper's brand diapers, and I found that buying them at BJ's saved us money (because I could stack a club coupon with a manufacturer's coupon on top of already decent prices).  BJ's also Keep Reading

Filed Under: Budgeting

11 Ways to Save Money on Christmas Presents

Shared on April 12 1 Comment

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
A folded twenty-dollar bill is isolated on a white background. The bill displays the White House on one side and features a slight curl, giving it a somewhat worn look.

When my first child was born, I was still trying to figure out how we would be able to live on one income.  Even though we had been fairly successful at doing so in the year-and-a-half long trial run leading up to her birth (we started pretending like we didn't have my income well before we needed to), I went a little nuts with saving strategies after our daughter arrived. Only then did it seem real that I wouldn’t be bringing in any money going forward, and I was so afraid we wouldn’t be able to do it. Our 1-Present Christmas – The Year We Only Spent $10 on Christmas One thing I did was Keep Reading

Filed Under: Budgeting, Christmas

Can You Really Afford to Live on One Income?

Shared on March 26 6 Comments

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, and StudioPress.
A woman is seen in close-up with her eyes closed and hands clasped near her face, appearing to be in deep thought or prayer. The blurred background, suggesting an outdoor setting with trees, hints at the serene life she has embraced to live on one income.

Several years ago, I transitioned from a stressful desk job to being to a stay at home mom. How our family manages live on one income is probably the thing I got asked most about when friends and family learned I wasn't going back to work after my maternity leave ended. Living Beyond Our Means: Could We Ever Live on One Income? Making the initial jump from a comfortable two-earner household without kids to a single income household with a little one was not easy.  We were used to spending our money willy nilly without any pressing responsibilities to Keep Reading

Filed Under: Being a Mom, Budgeting

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Disclaimer

This website contains endorsements for products and services, which means when you click on a link from this website and take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for an offer, WhatMommyDoes may receive a commission. Not every link is an affiliate link (like links to external resources and references), but some are. For our full disclaimer, click on "Disclosure Policy" at the top of this page.

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