Saving for College: How a Young Couple on One Income Helped Their Three Kids Graduate Debt Free!

We became parents while we were still in college ourselves. Both of our parents had committed to paying for our college tuition and despite the little bump in the road with an unplanned pregnancy, continued to pay for our college so that we could graduate debt free. After graduation, we quickly saw how very beneficial it was for us to not be burdened with debt and we were able to start our life on a firm financial foundation. I chose to stay at home with our children {three of them all by the time I was 26!} and despite only having one income, we lived below our means, so that we could hopefully provide the same gift of higher learning for our own kids. This is a bit of the story on how we did that. We were able to turn financial limitations into financial freedom, not only for ourselves, but for our children as well. There wasn't any magic involved, just mindset, strategy, and steady action and sacrifice. I'm not sharing any magic formula, but instead, hoping you are inspired to plan intentionally not only for yourself but for the next generation.

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How I Scored a 10-Day Trip to Vietnam on a Budget (Hint: Flexibility is Key!)

My brain started spinning and I started thinking. Every day I get messages from people and I try to respond to all of them. One message slipped into my DM's after I shared a recent sale from the thrift shop. You see, I often thrift with one thing in mind...find one piece that I can flip that will cover all of my purchases. I often say I try to live frugally so that I can spend money on the things that matter to me. For me, what matters is travel! So why not combine both of those things and create a travel budget from nothing? And hence, the Trash to Travel Challenge was created! So many people tell me that they'd love to travel, but they don't have the extra money. Well friends, I feel like I showed you one way to overcome this issue! 
At the end of my challenge, where I traveled to was dependent on how much I made. You see, I would be ok with a staycation nearby, but in one month, I managed to make about $2500! I decided I'd see if I could maximize that travel budget and hit off one of those bucket list destinations. I wanted to show other people what was possible and honestly, I kind of surprised myself! But then after the trip was booked, I got a lot of questions about how I was able to get a trip "so cheap". Well friends, I'm going to tell you how I decided on my trip location {Vietnam} and how I was able to score a 10-day trip from the South to the North on what some people might feel like is a limited budget. 
Maybe you don't want to go to Vietnam, but you have another bucket list international destination in mind. This is how I managed to score a deal, and how you can too! 

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Trash to Travel Challenge: What I Learned in a Month of Reselling to Create a Travel Budget From Nothing

I started this trash to travel challenge on a whim. Any time I post about reselling {often in my Instagram stories}, I always get questions about how I do it. A quick response to someone who dropped into my DM's, had my mind spinning, and the challenge was created. You see, when I started reselling items about 25 years ago, there weren't many platforms out there. You were often limited to reselling by having a garage sale, and while I love going to them, I don't always like having them! Things have changed so much, and nearly everyone has access to reselling their items for a profit, they just need that little push. As I've shared my experience during my trash to travel challenge, I have heard from many people that I have given them the push that they needed to start listing. After 31 days challenging myself to resell items and create a travel budget from nothing, I learned a few things too. Yes, even with decades of experience, I took away a few nuggets. Are you ready to see what they were?

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Practical Tips for Saving Big So You can Afford the Life You Really Want!

Saving money can often feel like a daunting task, especially when you are dreaming of big things like traveling the world and being financially free! One of my greatest skills is stretching a dollar and because of that, we've been able to pay off our home mortgage, send three kids out of state to college with no student loans, and have lived a Nordstrom life on a garage sale budget! I can't even say a Walmart budget because sometimes even that is more than I want to spend! I'm putting together a few practical strategies so that you can save more every day and make the dreams that you have a reality. Here are some actionable tips to help you save money without feeling deprived. 

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Favorite Buys on Amazon Even if They Aren't on Prime Day Sale!

Amazon Prime Day is known for its incredible deals and irresistible discounts, but there are certain items I'd buy on Amazon even without the allure of a sale. Whether it's because of their exceptional quality, daily utility, or the joy they bring into my life, these products are worth every penny, regardless of any special promotions. From essential gadgets to home comfort items, let's dive into my top Amazon picks that are worth the splurge any day of the year.

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How to Find Cheaper Produce

If you’ve been around the produce section of your local grocery store, then it’s not a secret that food has gotten outrageously expensive! Getting inexpensive produce is not as impossible as it might seem, and you can avoid paying full price for the fruits and vegetables on your meal plan. Here is how to find cheaper produce no matter when you’re looking!

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DIY Projects You Can Tackle Yourself

Whether you’ve just purchased a new home or your home of 10+ years could use some sprucing up, it can be overwhelming sometimes. If the list of house projects is starting to give you anxiety, this is your opportunity to tackle some DIY projects, even if you feel like the least handy person around the home. You don’t need someone to paint your walls or tile a backsplash! With patience and a little time, you can tackle all of these yourself! Making practical and stylish additions to your home can feel intimidating. But these DIY projects are simple enough that you can tackle them yourself!

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The Best Thrift Shops in Tacoma, Washington

I've been shopping at thrift shops for decades. In a world of fast fashion and disposable trends, I love that there is a shift towards second hand. Not only is it great for the environment, it can also be a great way to save money too. Many of these shops are a fun treasure hunt for one-of-kind pieces while embracing sustainability and maybe getting a deal too! I love exploring the thrift shops in my area and thought this blog post from 2013 needed an update! We will also explore the differences between each of the different retail destinations from resale boutiques to consignment and vintage shops. I'll even share my local favorites. No gatekeeping here! Come along for the ride!

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Do You Really Need to Hire an Interior Designer for a Kitchen Remodel?

When we bought our current home nearly 13 years ago, I never really liked the kitchen. It was a custom home, it just wasn't our custom home. The kitchen was spacious and had a lot of upgrades, but the cabinets were dark and when the weather is dreary nine months out of the year in the Seattle area, dark is the last thing I wanted! But the home was relatively new, and I had a really hard time coming to terms with ripping out perfectly good materials just to replace them with something different. I spent years trying to come up with alternatives to create a space I would like better {paint the cabinets?, add a cabinet box?, remove the tile?, add new accessories?}, but the discontent was still there. The years passed and I started to get more serious about doing a kitchen remodel. I had a few different eyes on the project and took advantage of free consultations from interior designers, to contractors to kitchen designers with a cabinet company, because I wanted to try to see what my options were. Here is how I ultimately decided to hire an interior designer for our project and I have zero regrets! You might choose a different option, and I'll lay out some thoughts on what might work best for any budget during a home remodel.

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Easy Tips for Saving More Money

Do you ever feel like despite your best efforts it can feel like your bills just keep going up? Life gets in the way, you need new tires for the car and before you know it, you’re back at another drive thru. The truth is, that you don’t have to have all your ducks in a row to start saving money. Here are a few easy tips for saving money that go a long way, but require very little effort.

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Everything You Need to Know to Bleach Furniture to Get the Raw Wood Look

Last year, we remodeled the whole downstairs of our home. We updated the orange wood tones that were all over the house with a much more neutral look. If you've ever done a home remodel, you know that you are basically just bleeding money for months on end. And when our remodel stalled and we had to fire our contractor, we weren't sure how we were going to move forward with a new plan and how much that was going to cost us. Being on the frugal side of things anyway, I like to buy cheap and save the difference. But I was willing to splurge on a few things, a new table being one of them! After searching around and not being able to stomach the many thousands of dollars a new table was going to cost, I started looking into some DIY options. I came full circle, and while it took me buying and refinishing about five tables, I finally settled on two that I absolutely love for our dining room and kitchen nook. And in the process, I learned a lot of lessons on how to bleach furniture to get the coveted raw wood look that's so hot right now. Here is what I learned.

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The Best Clothing Brands to Resell

I've been reselling clothing on-line for more than 20 years. I started by selling my oldest son's outgrown baby clothes. Kids grow so quickly, that clothes purchased second-hand and worn by them, still had a lot of life left in them. It was a great way as a young couple to basically clothe our children for free for many years. Anything I paid for the clothes, I gained back in the reselling and then put into buying the next season of clothing. For years I only sold items we used personally, but I've since moved on to buying and reselling things I find at Goodwill Outlet and once garage sale season starts again, I'll start reselling items from there too. There are brands that sell well and brands that just aren't worth wasting your time on. Today I'm sharing the brands that I keep my eyes peeled for and you should too. These are the brands that have the best resell value and the ones that will sell quickly and easily so you aren't holding on to any inventory.

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6 Tips for Reducing Food Waste

The amount of food waste the average family wastes each year is higher than most of us would like to own up to. Now that the teens and young adults have moved out and left the nest, it can feel like you still need to make those massive family dinners for five even though your family has shrunk. Here are my secrets to help you avoid food waste as a smaller family and help you avoid wasting both food and money!

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Best Items to Splurge On If You are Generally Frugal

Whether looking for the perfect solution for everyday challenges or just finding the right product that can be game-changing, we often look for the most budget-friendly option when shopping. High-quality items that will last much longer and work better are a no-brainer, so here are some of the areas where we “splurge” and why they save us money in the long run.

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How to Find the Best Stuff in Any Thrift Store

Thrift stores can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially if you’re shopping at a larger thrift store. However, it doesn’t have to be. You need this guide if you’re tired of not knowing if you’re getting the best deal while thrift shopping! Thrift stores can be a fantastic spot to find all kinds of wonderful treasures, and using this guide; you can learn how to find the best stuff in any thrift store.

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The Best Frugal Living Tips for Beginners

Being a beginner at anything kind of sucks. Even something simple like frugal living can be hard and even daunting when you’re just getting started. If you are new to being frugal and are looking for some tips on how to get started, I put together a list of the best frugal tips for beginners to help you out!

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Cheap Date Ideas for Couples Who Don't Need a Babysitter Anymore!

The moment you’ve been long waiting for as parents have finally arrived. Your kids are old enough that they don’t need a sitter! But after ten or so years of having to work around a babysitter, you might be a little short on ideas for what you should do with your newly found freedom as parents. If you are looking for some fabulous budget-friendly date ideas that you can do when you don’t have to worry about a sitter, here are some of my favorite ideas.

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You Can Sell Your Used Kitchen Cabinets and Granite: Everything You Need to Know!

In late 2010, we purchased a new home. It was a custom home that was just a few years old. Here's the thing. I never really liked the kitchen. It's just not really my style and it was dark and Seattle is dark enough for nine months out of the year, that I dreamed of something lighter and brighter. The real dilemma for me was that we had a really nice kitchen. Top-of-the-line materials were used and I have always been of the mindset that you use what you have. Plus, I didn't want to see perfectly good materials ending up in a landfill. I'm not sure when the bug was put in my ear that I could sell our used kitchen, but I have sold just about everything else so why couldn't I sell our kitchen? I'm sharing all my tips and tricks so you can sell your old cabinets and granite, put a little money back in your pocket for your upcoming remodel, AND keep perfectly good materials out of the landfill! It's a real win all around!

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Is a Meal Subscription Service Budget-Friendly?

I've always been pretty budget-conscious, especially when it comes to one of our family's largest expenses: food. Food costs have gone up since the late 90's when we first got married and I started paying attention to a grocery budget, and our life has changed a lot in the past two decades since we've established our family. If you are like me, you get ads and coupons and bloggers/influencers telling you all about meal subscription services. I often entertain the idea when I get those coupons for $100 off! or 17 free meals, could you be getting a break on your food budget by using them?  I'm breaking it down for you and helping you decide if a meal subscription service is worth it for your budget-conscious family.

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Fixer Upper Decor for Less on Amazon

Who doesn’t love the classic Joanna Gaines’ inspired fixer upper style? We all want that timeless farmhouse decor that you see on her show, but it’s easier to get than you think. You don’t need to go all the way to Magnolia Market in Waco to get these great Fixer Upper finds. Here are my favorite Fixer Upper Decor for less on Amazon.

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