Sometimes people ask me what's the biggest mistake I made when I was paying off my student loans. I tell them, "I didn't refinance my student loans." Honestly, I didn't even know I could refinance my student loans. Companies like SoFi, CommonBond and Earnest were barely around when I graduated from college and refinancing wasn't as widespread as it is today. Now, SoFi has ads during the Super Bowl. Even so, many of my friends aren't ... Read more...
How a Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Business Earns Jennie Hundreds
I met Jennie almost 10 years ago, when I worked at the college student newspaper. She was the office manager, in charge of making sure we got paid. I loved her snarky sense of humor and her adorable cardigans. We stayed in touch even when she transitioned to a new job. A few weeks ago, I noticed that Jennie was posting more dog photos on social media than normal. "Is she fostering a new pup?" I thought. Nope, it turns out Jennie had ... Read more...
How to Save on Tampons, Bras and Everything in Between
Most personal finance bloggers are willing to share how to save on groceries, utilities and gas. They'll tell you how they use cloth diapers for their kids or buy used clothes from Goodwill. But today, I'm here to talk about the stuff that we all have to buy, but that no one wants to save money on: bras and periods and dating. Being a woman is wonderful - but it's also expensive AF. So here are some ways to minimize those costs while still ... Read more...
How to Save on Medical Bills Every Time
Graduating from college and getting my first "real" job was a huge adjustment. I was living on my own, in a town of 30,000 people and far away from my family and closest friends. That wasn't all. I was suddenly responsible for paying off my student loans (on a $28,000 salary). And I had to pay for my own healthcare. I wasn't totally screwed. I was still under my parent's insurance (thanks Obama!), but I did want to be responsible for my ... Read more...
6 Grocery Saving Tricks That Will Save You Hundreds
Since starting this blog, I've also become a financial coach. I help people figure out their goals, determine what they need to do to get there and create a plan for them to follow. I love coaching and motivating people. Personal finance is so taboo that many people don't know where to go for good advice. Usually what I do with my coaching clients is have them go over their expenses for a couple months and write down how much they spend. ... Read more...
Is FOMO Wrecking Your Finances?
A few weeks ago, I sent an email to my subscribers about my new garden and how planting a vegetable is like building a budget. It takes time, daily care and fixing problems when they arise. Budgets are like gardens. If you ignore the first sign of bugs, the next thing you know, your garden is infested. I asked people to respond to my email with their budget challenges. One woman replied: "Having a boyfriend ruins my budget! We always want ... Read more...