The Only Monthly Money Saving Challenge you Need for 2021

The end is near! The final few days of 2020 are in front of us and while we know nothing magical is going to happen when we change that calendar, it is a time for us to enter into the mentality that we have a fresh start and a new year to tackle. 2021 is going to be a big year personally for us financially. We have just a few more mortgage payments until we own our home free and clear. We've taken our 30-year mortgage and paid it off in 10 years. 
Financial goals are important to have but they aren't tackled in one big bite, you have to slowly chew at them. 2020 has been a year of adjustment and change and uncertainty for all of us, but it's also brought growth and perspective. Money-saving and frugal living has always been a part of our lifestyle and I hope that in the past decade of posts at RachelTeodoro.com you can see that reflected. I am going to be using 2021 to be more intentional about sharing practical tips and monthly challenges so that we can walk together on this journey. Do you want to see what is in store for the first five months?

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How to Start Saving Money

Saving money sounds simple enough. All you have to do is not spend money to save money. Well, if it were that simple, everyone would be able to do it. The reality is that getting started is the most challenging part. Once you can build a habit of saving, you may find you don’t need a budget anymore! Here is a quick guide to help you start saving money.

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How to Save Money And Travel the World

How to Save Money & Travel the World

Do you want to travel the world? Perhaps you do, but your wallet is like “Woah, hang on.” It is possible to save money and travel the world. You just need to know how to do it. Don’t get discouraged about how expensive it can be to travel. Let’s face it, saving money takes discipline, keep this in mind as you learn how to save money and eventually travel the world.

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How to Save Money by Using What You Already Have in Your Home

There are so many ways to save money. From changing your light bulbs to changing where you shop, all of these money-saving tips require you to spend money to save money. If you’re looking for a more practical place to start, I recommend you start saving money using what you already have at home. This can not only help you use up the items around your home, such as extra shampoo and soap, but also help you save money by avoiding the stores!

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Money Saving Tips While Being Home More Often

There is never a bad time to start saving money! These days, we are spending a lot more time at home, and I’m looking for ways to help us reduce expenses and help save money while we’re at home. If you’re looking for ways to cut back now that you’re spending more time at home, here are some great money-saving tips while you’re at home more often.

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The Secret Money Saving Formula No One Wants You to Know!

We are off to a strong start during our January Jumpstart. In case you missed it, start here for our first challenge. A new year means a new fresh start and it's a great time to take charge of your finances. Through a series of challenges and practical tips, I am helping you work towards those savings goals. The only way you can do that is by identifying a practical savings goal and then making intentional choices as you make small changes to achieve your goal. For our family, we will be paying off the balance on our mortgage. We took a 30-year mortgage and have been able to pay it off in 10 years with frugal living, wise choices, and clear goals. I'm sharing some of the practical tips we have used to help us through the years with you because practical is my middle name. There is no special formula to money-saving, just a lot of practical choices and those often start with a budget. I'm sharing a few of my favorite budgeting tips today.

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8 {Money-Saving} Reasons Why You Should Save Your Receipts

Organization isn't my strong suit. It's just not. I like organized people and organized systems, but it's not something that comes naturally to me. My husband though, it's his thing. He loves spreadsheets and envelopes and labels and order. I appreciate that because time and time again, this one thing has come in clutch {look it up in Urban Dictionary}. For the last 23 years, I've saved crumpled receipts placing them in my husband's inbox and he smoothes every one of them, inputting the numbers and reconciling them with our bank statement before carefully putting them into a monthly envelope. Why save receipts? I've got a few reasons why this one habit could save you money!

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5 Popular Disney Money Saving Tips that Can Backfire

Taking a trip to Disney can quickly become a costly endeavor. While it can be expensive, there are also so many ways to maximize your Disney dollar and help you save money on your trip! However, there are a few money-saving tips that can quickly backfire and end up costing you more money! Here are five popular Disney money-saving tips that can backfire.

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Sneaky Ways to Save More Money -Tips from our Depression Era Grandparents

The Great Depression Era was a time when most people didn’t have much money. Our grandparents had to be frugal out of necessity and do everything they could to pinch a penny back then. To survive and help their families through this challenging time, they picked up many frugal hacks that most of us wouldn’t dream of doing nowadays. If you’re looking for sneaky ways to save more money, are some of the best tips from our Depression-era grandparents that you should try.

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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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Money Saving Tips that Will Change Your Life

I am really loving infographics this year. If you remember my teens and technology post {a parents guide}, I used a few in there. I'm super visual, so I love how easy they are for me to read.
I saw this money-saving tips infographic from Quicken Loans and thought that it was relevant to the Living Well on Less series that we have been working through this year. If you missed any of the Living Well on Less Posts, you can find them here.
Saving money on clothes for the whole family 15 tips to saving money on your food bill Saving money on your cell phone How to survive without cable

Do you have any tips you would like to add? How is your family saving money this year?

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Does a Bulk Store Really Save you Money?

Buying bulk is usually going to be less expensive if you break the price down per unit. But, if you’re not able to finish everything you buy and end up throwing half of it away, you could spend a lot more than you would have by buying the standard size. There are a ton of things to keep in mind when shopping at a bulk store, so in this post, I’m going to share my thoughts on whether or not a bulk store can save you money.

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5 Money Habits that Will Turn You Into a Saver

Do you consider yourself to be a spender? Or are you a saver? When it comes to managing your finances, you likely fall into one of the two categories. I would consider myself to be a saver, but I wasn’t always this way! There was a time when I would have categorized myself as a spender. So what changed? I changed some of my money habits to make me into a saver or a recovering spender, I should say. Here are some of the money habits I developed to turn myself into a saver.

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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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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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Save Money on Groceries with These Money-Saving Tips

Are you looking for one of the best places to start when it comes to buying at a discount? One of my best money-saving tips is to shop at Grocery Outlet first! They have so many great deals and resell items at their rock bottom prices. You can find name brands and seasonal items at unbeatable prices and expensive organic and natural food for a fraction of the cost! If you’re looking for some tips to help get the best bang for your buck, here are my top tips for shopping at grocery outlets.

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How to Teach Teenagers About Money

For many teens, they are shocked to realize how expensive things are in the real world. After years of not being able to have a job, and then thrust into a world where they need to manage money, this can be a difficult transition. It’s important to teach your teenager about money to help them make more responsible decisions with their finances when they leave the nest. Here is how to teach your teenager about money.

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How to Save Money on Back-to-School Outfits

This post was written by me on behalf of JCPenney in partnership with Activate. All opinions are 100% my own.
Back-to-school clothes shopping was always one of my favorite summer traditions when I was a kid. My mom would give us a set budget to shop and we could buy whatever we wanted. I have always been a budget shopper, so I always liked to see how far I could make my money go when shopping, even when I was in elementary school! I wanted to get the most outfits and the most new pieces that I could with the money that I had. My kids have learned through the years to do the same thing so it's fun to see what they end up selecting and how they do it. Back-to-school shopping is even more important to them now that they are older. This year my youngest is in junior high, my middle daughter will be a sophomore in high school and my oldest will be a sophomore in college. Clothes matter to them! They want the latest trends and styles and I want quality at a great value. I've got some tips on how to save money on back-to-school outfits and can't wait to share them with you.

photo by nickl.media

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5 Ways to Save Money on Pumpkins

Nothing says fall like pumpkins and pumpkin patches. I know my kids love to frequent a few of our local farms. They always have some of the best activities for those crisp fall days. Who doesn't love to get lost in a corn maze or take a hay ride through the fields, but when it comes time to leave, do you pick up a wheel barrow and wander through the mushy fields to pick overpriced pumpkins from the farm? We don't! Today, I'm giving you a pass and sharing with you how you can save money on pumpkins for the whole family {even you mom, so you can decorate the mantel and the front porch!} but still enjoy family time at the local pumpkin patch and farms.

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Which Budget System is Right for You

Sticking to your budget can be hard no matter what method of budgeting you choose. However, choosing a budget that is best suited to your lifestyle and goals can make a huge impact on how well you’re able to stick to your budget. There are so many different ways and apps to budget that it can be challenging to pick one if you’re just getting started. So here is a guide to help you choose the best budget system for you!

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