Why Your Family Should Do a Personal Financial Audit

When is the last time that you did a financial audit? If you're still thinking, it's been too long! If you're wondering why your family should do a personal financial audit, there are so many benefits to having one done. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that everyone in the family can take an active role in understanding the importance of fiscal responsibility when it comes to your finances.

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8 Simple Tips for Success During a No-Spend Challenge Month

Welcome to February! We closed out our monthly pantry challenge and moved on to our new challenge. This month, we will be focusing on a no-spend challenge month. Last year, I combined the two {a pantry challenge and a no spend month} and it was eye-opening. I noticed my spending pitfalls very quickly {shopping was one...but at thrift shops, so is it really that bad?} and made some changes that ended up saving my family a few thousand dollars. 
A no-spend month or a no-spend challenge is where you don't spend money in a certain area for a designated period of time. The rules are different for everyone, but the goal is to cut back on overspending and reevaluate your spending habits. Do you think a no spend month sounds interesting? Maybe something you would like to learn more about? Then read on! I've got a little no spend challenge for you with 8 simple tips that will help you succeed!

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A Grocery Stockpiling Guide: How and When to Save

Creating a grocery stockpile in your home is a great way to help you save the most on your grocery purchases. Making your own at home stockpile will ensure you’re always paying the rock bottom price and that you have plenty of food on hand in case of an emergency or unexpected event that keeps you from the store. Here is a grocery stockpiling guide to help teach you how and when to save. 

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No Spend Challenge Recap: How You can Save Thousands of Dollars in Just One Month Too!

During the month of February, I decided to take on a no-spend challenge. In case you aren't sure what that is, I laid out all of the details here. Essentially, you make a conscious effort to not spend any money on non-essential items. Every family will have different end goals and different rules for their no spend challenge, here are ours. I'm fairly budget conscious and pretty frugal and I learned a lot during this challenge that makes me think that having a no-spend challenge month at least once a year, would be a great reset for any family regardless of their financial situation. I just crunched the numbers and I'm shocked at not only how much I was able to save this month, but how much I was able to save annually, just by paying attention to a few of our reoccurring bills and making some changes. Want to see how our family did? I'm talking real numbers today. Come check it out!

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How to Save Money with a Pantry Challenge

One of my goals with the no spend challenge month was to cut my grocery bill to only $100 for the month for our family of four and use items in the pantry and freezer. I often forget what I have on hand and then buy more, or stock up on a good deal, but then never use up what I have. {If you are curious about the details of a no spend challenge, start here.} The interesting thing about a no-spend challenge is that there really are no rules. Every family is different in how they go about tackling the challenge. 

Want to know our family rules for the no spend challenge? Check out this post. 

For me, I knew I had a stocked pantry and freezer that rarely get used up. I knew taking the pantry challenge would help me focus on using what I already had. Regardless if you are joining me on a no-spend challenge journey or not, you may want to try a pantry challenge. Here are some tips on how you can save money with a pantry challenge.

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Surprising Library Benefits that Will Save You Money!

I can't think about the library without remembering the song my kids' favorite little aardvark on PBS used to sing. It went something like this "having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card." And boy, ain't that the truth! I am a huge reader, and lately, I've been loving audiobooks {though sometimes I show my age and call them books on tape, who else is with me?} and never once have I strayed from my love of the library. But after talking to some of my local friends, I know they have forgotten to use the library as a resource because when I got on a little tangent about the surprising benefits and the offerings of the library, most people sat mouth agape saying "I didn't know that!".   We are in the thick of a no-spend challenge {click the link to read more}, and I can't think of a better way to help encourage you to save money than at the library! Come check out the surprising library benefits that will save you money! Let me just tell you now, the library is more than just books!

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The Real Cost of the Impulse Buy: 7 Ways to Stop Overspending on Impulse Buys

We are in the thick of the no spend February challenge, hands up if you are with me! It has made me start thinking about how I spend money during the month. For me, I spend the most each month at the grocery store. We all need food and we all need to eat, so it's easy for me to think that what I purchase at the grocery store is a necessity. But it's not. I know I'm not alone because a recent survey I read said that more than 70% of people said that food was their biggest impulse purchase. 
Regardless of what your weakness is or how you justify it, we all have unplanned purchases so how can we cut back on those purchases and use that money on things we have planned for {a new car without a car payment} or something that brings us joy {a bucket list vacation}. 

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No Spend Challenge Month: Saving Money on Utilities

When I started thinking about the details and the rules I was going to impose during my no spend challenge month, utilities were one thing that came up as a non-negotiable item that would be paid. Regardless if you own a home or are renting, there are monthly bills that come with living somewhere. These utility bills, we will call them, seem hard to budget for, and there is little wiggle room in paying for them. It almost feels like you can't lower your utility bills, but I'm going to help you take a look at a few ways you can lower those standard utility bills to save money.

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No Spend Challenge: Our Family Rules

Last week, I introduced you all to a no-spend challenge. A no-spend month or a no-spend challenge is where you don't spend money in a certain area for a designated period of time. The rules are different for everyone, but the goal is to cut back on overspending and reevaluate your spending habits. I can't set the rules for you because everyone's intention for the challenge will be different, but I can share the rules that our family has decided to use for this monthly challenge. It's not too late to join us for the no spend February challenge! If you're curious, here are the rules our family will be following.

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No Spend Month Challenge

I'm fairly frugal but I have never taken part in a no spend month. A few weeks ago, I was at book club and a few of my friends were talking about currently being in the thick of a no spend month. I had never even heard of this. Though the name was self-explanatory, the idea was foreign to me. I'd never considered trying to attempt a no-spend month. Especially as a family...with teens...who have jobs and make their own money. We don't have any debt and we live really well on a budget so I guess the idea never occurred to me. But I thought the idea of pushing reset on our unnecessary spending and being intentional in our shopping habits could be really beneficial overall.
As a frugal family, we regularly do personal financial audits for our family. This helps us stay on budget and determine where we stand financially. We often use these meetings to help us figure out where we can cut back, and how we can save money. But we never considered stopping our spending to help us save!
A no-spend month or a no-spend challenge is where you don't spend money in a certain area for a designated period of time. The rules are different for everyone, but the goal is to cut back on overspending and reevaluate your spending habits. Do you think a no spend month sounds interesting? Maybe something you would like to learn more about? Then read on! I've got a little no spend challenge for you!

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