Debt Free Life Hacks: Managing Money Like a Boss

If I knew then what I know now. My mom is a bargain shopper, so quite naturally I became one, but that was not always the case. As a child, my performance in the thrift stores was award-worthy. It was soooo below me, I would complain about the smell and to me the thrift store was "the itchy store". It made my skin itch, I couldn't breathe. Call it an exaggeration, but little ole me was suffering.  Fast forward many years later. That little girl grew older and wiser. I learned that thrift stores are often filled with hidden treasures. It no longer makes me itch and the smell isn't as bad as I made it. Maybe I'm just too excited by all the potential deals and savings that I just don't notice anymore.😆Not only can you find gently used items, you often can find brand new items but without the brand new price tags.  JACKPOT! For me, the rebirth of the thrift store took place when I discovered I could find board games for the low. Being that I hosted a ...

DEBT- Nobody wants it, nobody likes it, but lots of people have it. According to Debt.org , " American household debt hit a record $13.21 trillion in 2018 ".  That's a whole lot of money! So what does this tell us? This means that if you are in debt or have debt, you are not the only one. While this may not be a reason to celebrate,  it may offer some comfort knowing you're not alone in the battle to be debt free. Some may argue the benefits of "good debt", but that's for another time.  For now, it's important to focus on reducing and eventually eliminating your consumer debt.  There are many sources of debt including but not limited to the following: Credit Card Debt Automobile Loans Student Loans Personal Loans Mortgage  Medical Bills Will I ever get out of debt? As Sherman Klump said in The Nutty Professor "Yes, I can"!  So yes , YOU can ! 😉 Depending on the amount of debt you have, it's sometimes hard to...

Small amounts can add up over time.  It's easy to overlook the small ways that you can protect your finances. Here are a few tips that can help you save money that may otherwise be wasted on fees.  Bank Accounts - Find a bank account that doesn't charge fees or find an account where you can meet the minimum requirements to have the monthly fee waived. Monthly fees vary, however, they can easily add up. Instead of paying the bank, that money could be added to your savings/rainy day fund.  Car Insurance - If possible, it's ideal to pay your full car insurance premium in full. Why? Typically, when you pay monthly (or other split methods) there is usually an extra fee charged to each payment. Many people do not pay attention or notice it, but it's there. Those fees go away when you pay in full and sometimes even with a discount.  Auto Pay Discount - Some cell phone companies (and others) offer a small discount when you sign up for auto pay. You no longer have t...

YOLO (You Only Live Once) We've all heard this phrase, and it definitely holds true. Another is "Life is short". Also, but only sometimes true. While we know that we only have one life to live and tomorrow is not promised, we cannot spend every dime we have to our name today because if we are fortunate enough to see tomorrow we still must be able to "live". This is not meant to be a dark topic, but in life, we must make complicated financial decisions. Because YOLO, you may want to enjoy life to the fullest, and that you should. This, however, is not an excuse to be irresponsible. Enjoying life to the fullest does not mean blowing all of your money on fun and entertainment. Yes, you can have a social life.  Yes, you can go on vacation.  Yes, you can treat yourself. Before you do all these things, just make sure you have some sort of plan in place. Create a budget for the major categories in your life. How much do you want to spend on fun and entert...