Category Archives: money

The Bravely Budgeting Workbook Review

Bravely Budgeting Workbook Review

The main reason I DIY, live in a small home and cook dinner almost every night is because it aligns with my values. I want to have the financial means to be able to work less and actually live my life. I want to be able to make a doctor’s appointment at 9 AM on a Thursday and not ask anyone’s permission to do so. I want to be able to take a nap in the middle of the day if I need to because I am a sleepy bear-person. And I want to avoid the teeth-clenching stress of an hour commute each day.

It took a lot of trial and error to get to the positive financial state that I am in today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still working on my financial goals and I will be for a long time. But, I wish that I had a resource like The Bravely Budgeting Workbook when I first started my financial journey of saving to buy my small home.

How We Saved Over $30,000 On One Salary in Just 3 Years!

How one couple saved over $30,000
If you can’t guess from the photo, the key to saving a significant amount of money for us was to live small in an Airstream travel trailer. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, our money saving journey is no surprise, but I don’t think I’ve ever shared the amount until now. Continue reading

The 30 Day, No Budget, Money Saving Challenge

The 30 day, no budget, money saving challenge

This is the time of year where I really start thinking about saving money and not losing my mind during the holidays. In the past I’ve done a No-Spend November, a Handmade Holiday Challenge and a $100 Holiday Challenge. This year I’ve been busier than ever and I really need an easy challenge to kick my butt into high gear. Enter the easy, no-budget 30 days of saving challenge to the rescue! Each day, I’ll tackle one thing off the list. If you want to play along too, know that you don’t have to do the list in order, but you do have to do #1 first. I’ve also included a printable at the end of this post to print out and stick to your fridge, so you can cross stuff out as you go. Here’s the deets:  Continue reading

No-Spend November: A 30-Day Money Saving Challenge

No-Spend November: a 30-day money saving challenge

George and I are taking our first overseas trip in December and we all know what December means… present-buying season. In years past I’ve done a handmade holiday challenge and a $100 holiday challenge. This year, before the holidays begin, I’m going to challenge myself to spend no money in the month of November. I’m calling it “No-Spend November.” Clever, eh? Of course, I can’t literally spend no money at all. I have bills to pay and food to eat, but I will be spending no money on non-essentials in November. We paid for our plane tickets and our hotel on our credit card, so the money that I save in November will go to paying that off. I also plan to buy Christmas presents when I am overseas, so I don’t have to plan holiday gifts far in advance this year. It’s win-win all around. Anyway… here’s the rules.

No Spend November Rules

The rules may vary from person-to-person depending on your life situation, but rule #1 is the same for everyone:

  • Only spend money on essentials! This is by far the most important rule. Throughout the month I’ll be asking myself: is this essential?
    • Essentials include doctor’s appointments, prescriptions, gas for car, bills. Not much else!
  • Shop for groceries before the month begins.
    • For items that expire quickly (milk, fresh produce, etc.) I am using CSA share that comes once a week and costs $25 per week.
  • Leave credit and debit cards at home. This will help me avoid temptation.
  • On November 1st I’ll pull $100 out of an ATM for gas money and gas money only.
  • Bring lunch to work every day.
  • No online shopping!
    • Delete saved passwords and credit card info to make online shopping harder.

That’s it. Those are the rules. It’s easier said than done, but I’m excited to get one step closer to our first overseas excursion.

How are you saving for the holidays? Will you join me for the No Spend November challenge? Talk to me in the comments!

love,
melanie

How Much Money Can You Save by Living in a Tiny House?

How much money can you save by living in a tiny house?

Today I’m going to address the question: How much money can you save by living in a tiny house? This answer is based on our own experiences and our own finances. The amount of money could vary for everyone.

We originally began living in an Airstream because we needed to save money. (At 188 square feet, we consider the Airstream a tiny house.) After we got married, George and I started to look at our finances and it wasn’t pretty. Individually we’ve each received 6 years of higher education. This gave us a bit of a later start in life.  During our college years and even into the beginning of our professional careers, we saved nothing. Yes, we probably didn’t spend as wisely as we could have, but there wasn’t much left after paying our bills to save. George was a teacher and I am a librarian. We made (and still make) less than the national average wage index, but we are above the poverty line. We knew that we needed to do something that would dramatically improve our finances.

Living in a more affordable place seemed the answer. We looked around at apartments in the new area where we were going to live. We were instantly discouraged. The apartments that were clean and safe would leave us with nothing at the end of the month. We’d be fighting the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle for the rest of our lives. We wanted out.

One day I stumbled across this Featured Seller story on pollenArts— a creative couple who work and live in their Winnebago! One night while lying in bed looking at adorable little properties we couldn’t afford, I mentioned it to George. I didn’t put the pieces together, but George started searching for RVs on Craigslist right away. He knew we could do this. Airstreams had the most appeal, although they were a bit pricier than other RVs. Our Airstream cost $5,000 and it took about $1,500 to fix up. (You can read the whole buying story here.)

Now that you’ve got the history of our story, on to the good stuff! We spend about $700 on living expenses each month while living in the Airstream. (More about our expenses breakdown here.) This includes food, electricity, life, etc. In the past, our rent payments varied widely. Our most expensive rent payment was $1,000 a month– that’s what we were paying before we decided to move into the Airstream. That doesn’t even include the life stuff. When we were renting, we were spending everything we made.

This past year while living in the Airstream, I also went on a Spending Diet for the website I write for, And Then We Saved. I attempted to spend only $100 a month on “extra” stuff. Extra stuff included makeup, haircuts, clothes and stuff that I needed but didn’t really need to live. (You can read more about my Spending Diet here.) I didn’t succeed every month. It was much harder than I expected it to be! But I succeeded about 75% of the time.

With the help of the Spending Diet, I saved $12,441.99 in a year! I was hoping to save $15,000, but considering that I saved about half of my paycheck each month, I consider this a huge success. I also don’t plan on going back to my old ways, so I think I’ll hit my $15,000 goal in a few months.

Prior to the Spending Diet, we had lived in the Airstream for about a year. We went spent much of our “extra” money going on trips, but I don’t regret that at all. We could definitely save more if we didn’t go on vacations, but traveling is one of our priorities. George and I have been able to travel to Portland, Memphis, Austin, Canada/Niagra Falls and we took a road trip to Florida. I now also have emergency savings, a 401k and a Roth IRA. I didn’t even know what those things were a few years ago! Now that I’m off the Spending Diet (but still on the savings train) we just booked a trip to Iceland! So crazy.

Yes, we’ve been able to save more money by living tiny, but we’ve also been able to travel and explore the world outside our tiny home. That is priceless.

That being said, the longer we stay in the Airstream, the more we can save and the more we can travel. If we stay in the Airstream for another 5 years and continue saving at the same rate, we could save $60,000. That’s insane. I don’t know what our life will look like in another 5 years, but with that kind of savings, we could do something big.

Have you ever thought about living tiny to save money? Talk to me in the comments!

love,
melanie

Tuesday Thoughts: Wealth Consists Not In Having Great Possessions

wealth consists not in having great possessions“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” -Epitetus

Something to chew on this Tuesday.

love,
melanie

 

How Much Does It Cost to Live in an Airstream?

How much does it cost to live in an AirstreamI get a lot of questions about the logistics of living in an Airstream. Let me be the first to say, the logistics are going to be different for everyone because everyone’s life is different. You might have two kids or five dogs. You might be retired. You might work from home. There are all kinds of logistics that will make your life different from mine. That being said, people are often interested in the true cost of living in an Airstream. Today I’m going to be answering the question: “How much does it cost to live in an Airstream?” by sharing what it costs for us to live in the Airstream.

If you aren’t familiar with our situation, let me give you a refresher. Hi! I’m Melanie. I am a librarian at a community college and I run this blog. I live with my husband, George who is an artist and our small (11 lb) dog, Bambi in our 1978 Airstream Sovereign. We currently have our Airstream parked on family land due to my traditional job situation. Here’s a breakdown of our monthly living costs and the reasoning behind the costs. Continue reading

Tuesday Thoughts: Opportunity

opportunityEven the best opportunities require work.

Let’s get to it!

love,
melanie

 

14 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men Under $10

valentine's day gifts for men under $10Shopping for dudes is challenging– especially when you’re on a budget. But after my $100 holiday challenge, I learned that shopping for they guys in my life isn’t so bad if I do my research. And here’s the best part: I did the research for you! Today I’m sharing 14 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men Under $10. And bonus: they’re all available to buy online, so you can stick with your budget, no excuses! Just click the picture below to buy.

Siracha Keychain
This Siracha keychain is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. It’s perfect for the hot sauce lover (which is almost every man I know.) I kind of want one for myself too!

Bark Thins
Bark Thinks are George’s and my favorite new snack. It’s a departure from the regular ol’ V-day candy and with add-ins like pumpkin seed you can pretend like these dark chocolate delights are good for you.

Tanka bar
Tanka bars are another one of our favorite snacks. Tanka bars are buffalo jerky with a touch of added sweetness from cranberries. They’re gluten-free, nitrate-free, msg-free, hormone-free AND it’s a native owned company.

Chillin’ Cubes
I’ve been thinking about buying these ice cubes for wine and iced coffee for sometime. They’d also make the perfect gift for the whiskey or scotch drinker in your life. And at less than $10, they’re a steal.

Copper cup
I wanted to buy everyone copper cups for Moscoe Mule makin’ this Christmas, but man, they are expensive. This one I found online is a total deal though. And it’s pretty too!

Beerzicle
These things really work! I recently tested them at a friend’s house and wow! They really do keep your beer cold. Beerzicles would be perfect for those pool parties I’ve been dreaming about.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener
Every man cave needs a wall mounted bottle opener! And this one is so pretty I wouldn’t mind it being in a woman’s cave either!

Rosewood Pocket Comb
This teensy tiny wooden comb is perfect for combing unruly, manly facial hair. It even fits in your man’s pocket or wallet!

Working Hands Cream
I specifically put this one on here for my man, George. Honey, you need this hand cream. He’s a manly man, but sometimes manly mens need to take care of their rough hands!

Slouchy Beanie
This slouchy beanie is perfectly slouchy. So cute for men or ladies!

Wool Socks
These Wigwam socks are so warm. I have a pair myself and I love them! The gift of warm feet is gold!

Emergency Fire Starter
This emergency fire starter would be great for the woodsy man in your life. Or even the not-so-woodsy one. You never know when you’ll need an emergency fire starter.

Swiss Tech Key Ring
I’m amazed at all the things this little key ring can do. It’s multiple screwdrivers, including a flat screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, and a micro-sized screwdriver. It also includes a bottle opener, straight blade knife, and serrated blade knife. What else do you need?!

Digital tire pressure gauge
This digital tire pressure gauge is a deal! I’ll never have to stop at a gas station again to check my tire pressure? Yes, please.

And if you’re more the homemade type, last year I made these cute printables to add to bagged nuts. Print them out, bag some nuts and go enjoy your valentine!

love,
melanie

Please note, the above post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links and buying the product, I receive a small commission. The opinions about the products are my own. Programs like this help to keep my blog running. Thank you for your support!

 

The $100 Holiday Challenge: Did I make it?!

The $100 holiday challenge: Can you spend just $100 on gifts this holiday season? This lady tried it!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! This year we are celebrated both! This holiday season I also lost my mind and challenged myself to spend only $100 on almost 20 presents for friends and family. Check out the original post if you need a refresher.

And for those of you who were curious about my strategy, this post explains it. If you’re not feeling extra literary, here’s the short of it: I used coupons, I had a no-gift pact with my husband, I crafted and I shopped early, among other things.

Since it’s now Christmas, I can share the full details with you!

  1. Mom – $2 necklace flea market find
  2. Dad – $10 pants with a coupon at JC Penny
  3. Dog – .99 soft toy from Ikea
  4. Sister – Necklace made from materials at Michaels $10.11 with coupon and Etsy: $10.00
  5. Sister’s cat – .99 soft toy from Ikea
  6. Sister’s boyfriend – $2.78 hat with coupon from Kohl’s and coffee from my CSA (free)
  7. Mother-in-law – Gift basket made with things from the Dollar Tree: $8.00 and a neck relaxer .53 with coupon from Kohl’s
  8. Father-in-law – Set of grilling accessories: $5.33 with coupon from Kohl’s
  9. Brother-in-law – Slippers with coupon from Kohl’s: $6.39
  10. Sister-in-law – Made with same supplies from sister’s present: free
  11. Niece – Finger puppets from Ikea: $4.99
  12. Kid Cousin – $9.99 toy vehicle kit from Ikea
  13. Kid Cousin – $4.79 necklace making kit from Kohl’s with coupon
  14. Gift exchange – Made with same supplies from sister’s present: free
  15. Friend – Ice scraper from Kohl’s with coupon $7.26
  16. Friend – Purse $4.06 with coupon from Kohl’s
  17. Friend’s kid – $10 Groupon
  18. Co-workers – Nuts made with ingredients already on hand and packaged in bags from the Dollar Store $2.00

Total: $100.21

You guys, I got so close! It’s almost unbelievable! Admittedly, I probably didn’t add in tax for everything (which is pretty low here). I would have been under if everything had worked as planned– but of course it never does! I had planned on redeeming some of my credit card/debit card points for gift cards, but they didn’t arrive in time. Although I ordered them a month ago. Ugh!

Regardless, I’m considering this a win!

So what did I learn? Start early– super early. I thought I was starting early enough with a month’s leeway, but I could have used more time. The holidays are such a busy time, I’d love to just be able to sit back and enjoy them without all the shopping and craziness.

Use cash because it’s more tangible and you can easily figure out exactly how much you have left in your budget.

I also learned to look in the clearance section before even looking at something that people might enjoy. Then, use your coupons strategically. I always tried to get things for less than a dollar, if possible.

Check out those savings!

Check out those savings!

And luckily, I have a coupon crazy mom who graciously couponed for me and gave up some of her Kohl’s cash for me.

Happy holidays, ya’ll! It’s been a fun, wild ride, but I’m glad it’s over. I can’t wait for the refreshing start of a new year!

love,
melanie