Month: November 2020

A Practical Guide to Setting A Budget (Part Three)

Abby H.

The first two parts (Part One, Part Two) of this series talked about the essentials of how to budget. This third part is for those of you who are having a difficult time making the ends meet to get your needs met.

I’m talking about when cutting cable and going cash only for groceries isn’t enough. When you need help. When there isn’t much (or anything) to eat. When the power might be shut off. When there isn’t money to put gas in your car to get to work or job interviews.

This is the most important thing to remember: It is ok to ask for help. It is ok to seek out services and take advantage of programs. Do not worry about what others will think- This pandemic and all of the fallout that has happened has affected so many of us. So many hardworking families and individuals need a hand up right now. 

A lot of the services and programs listed below are specifically for San Diego County. If you live outside San Diego County, I recommend that you call 211 anywhere in the US. They can help you find resources- all judgment free!

So when I talk about needs being met, I mean:

  • Shelter (Rent/mortgage assistance/utilities)
  • Food (Healthy food for you/your family and pets)
  • Comfort (Clothing, healthcare, medication)

Shelter:

  • If you have a mortgage, contact your lender for a forbearance. You may have to provide them with proof that you are unable to pay.
  • If you are a renter in San Diego, here is the County Rental Assistance site.
  • If you require assistance with your utilities, SDG&E has many programs and assistance available.
  • For your water/sewer bills, you will need to contact them directly. There are so many water municipalities in San Diego County.

Food: Food insecurity is a cause near and dear to my heart, so I have all kinds of resources to share!

Many food banks give out pet food as well- don’t forget to mention your furry friends when you complete your intake paperwork (which is oftentimes to find out demographic information to obtain additional funding from the government or private grants). Some do not require any paperwork at all.

Comfort: Being housed and fed is important, in addition to this I’ve added the comfort category. This includes clean, well fitting clothes, access to health care, and prescription medicines.

  • There are many resources for no and low cost clothing (besides thrift stores, which have become increasingly higher in cost in the past year). Naomi’s Closet, Closet on 54th, Charity’s Closet at Sonrise Church, Sharia’s Closet are all San Diego resources. I’ve been told that some Salvation Army churches offer free clothing vouchers to be redeemed at their thrift shops. Don’t forget your local Buy Nothing Group too! So many of your local neighbors are cleaning out their clothes and purging while they are stuck at home, you’d be surprised what your neighbors are will to share with you.
  • If you are in need of healthcare, there are several options. Medicaid/Medi-cal may be available for some. If you have had a “life event” (job separation, birth of a child, death of a spouse, marriage, etc.) you can look for health insurance in your state’s Health Insurance Exchange. Here is a link to California’s Exchange. There are frequently lower rates or discounts for those with certain income limits.
  • If you or family members take prescription medicines, look into discount programs like Singlecare (which you can access via the Fetch Rewards App and earn cashback/points), or GoodRX. Some pharmacies have their own discount programs too. Make sure to ask the pharmacy staff. Another option is to ask your doctor for medication samples when you are visiting them. Many doctors have medication samples in their offices, and most doctors are willing to help you when you tell them you need assistance with medication costs.

 

 

 

Save Money on Online Purchases with Smarty!

Abby H.

If you are an online shopper (and at this point, who isn’t?), you know that searching online for coupon codes for each and every website can be daunting.

And did you know that Amazon isn’t always the best price? But do you really have the time (or energy) to comparison shop online? No.

That’s where Smarty comes in! It’s a Chrome Extension that combs the internet for coupon codes, discounts, and even comparison shops for you!

And it works on hundreds of websites including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Macy’s!

As a bonus: When you install the browser and refer your friends, you can earn cash back! So it’s a win-win! Everyone saves, and you get a little cash back to pad your wallet.

 

A Practical Guide to Setting A Budget (Part Two)

Abby H.1 Comment

In our last post, I talked about the basics of starting a budget (you can read it here).

We ended with… What happens if you spend more money than you bring home? Don’t feel bad, It happens more than you would think. Living in a credit-based world, it’s easy to swipe, swipe, swipe your card and have it seem like it’s not real money.

How do you stop spending willy nilly and start saving money?

First of all, I went through our family budget line by line looking for ways to cut down on costs. This will take a little work, but it’s worth the savings. Here are a few ways that you may be able to save.

  • Cell Phones- I called and negotiated a new contract, and they were able to give us a small discount ($15/month).
  • Auto/Home Insurance- Called our insurance carrier (it’s the same for both). We went through both policies, and were able to adjust our annual mileage to lower mileage, and adjust a few things with our homeowner’s insurance to save some money too. (About $50/year)
  • Gas & Electric (power company)-Because of the big kids’ diagnosis, we were able to qualify for a discount. SDG&E (Our utility provider) offers several discounts. You can learn more about our experience and how we saved money here.  We also take part in OhmConnect, and that saves us money and gives us cashback. You can learn more about OhmConnect here. We save about a thousand dollars a year between the programs SDG&E offers and using Ohmconnect.
  • Internet- We ended up changing internet providers to save money. I know that not everyone has this ability, but it’s worth a call to see if you can get a better deal. We don’t have cable or a home phone, so there are no bundling deals that can save our family money. ($5/month)
  • Cable- We don’t have it, but if you are thinking of cutting the cable, it’s not all static and bunny ears like in the old days. Between Apple TV (ours is really old and it works great), Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and over the air TV, we aren’t suffering. (No savings for us, but maybe some for you?)

Secondly, I take cash out for Groceries ($100/week), gas ($60/week), and fun money (funds for the kids and I to do something fun during the week- usually a snack or treat at the zoo, admission to a museum, or renting a Redbox movie. $40/week). When the money’s gone, it’s gone. For our budget/spending- this has been the game-changer. Due to quarantine/lockdown the only fun we could have was ordering take out or expensive trips to the craft supply store/Amazon to keep us entertained. Now that we have parameters for spending money, I am taking a harder look at groceries and meal planning and low-cost to no-cost ways to have fun with the kiddos.

In addition to that, I didn’t set up Apple Pay on my phone. I don’t have a credit card attached to the app store on my phone. I don’t have any credit cards set up on my Amazon Account, or my Target App, or any of the purchasing apps on my phone. If I want to buy something I have to either go to a store or sit down at my computer and enter my credit card/debit card information. Taking that extra step to purchase stuff really helps me think about what I am buying and how much I am spending.

And I’m always looking for ways to make a little extra money. Side Hustles are a real way to make money. You can invest as little or as much time as you want.

You can still have fun and live on a budget. Don’t feel like having takeout? Spend some of your fun money on a couple steaks and have a BBQ at home one week. Rent a movie on Amazon Prime, and add some dollar movie candy to your grocery list (or hit up Dollar Tree). Close the curtains/ blinds and throw some pillows and blankets on the living room floor. We call that “Movie theatre night” and the kids love it.

Living during a global pandemic you have to think outside of the box.

My next (and last) post about setting a practical budget will be ready tomorrow and it’s going to be a little more serious. What to do/where to turn when you need help with the basics: Food, Shelter, and Comfort. And what you should cut out if you are struggling. For those who are struggling right now, this is written with you in my mind and heart.

Costco Membership Deal!

Abby H.

Costco is one of my favorite places to stock up on essentials. If you haven’t been in a while, it’s time to mask up and head over!

Right now there is a great deal for new memberships! Purchase a Costco Membership Activation Certificate to join as a new member and receive a  Costco Shop Card.

  • Gold Star Members receive a $10 Costco Shop Card.
  • Gold Star Executive Members receive a $20 Costco Shop Card.

It’s as easy and 1,2,3!

  1. Purchase your Costco Membership Activation Certificate here.
  2. Receive your Costco Membership Activation Certificate by email.
  3. Bring your Costco Membership Activation Certificate to any U.S. or Puerto Rico Costco location to join as a new member.

Here are my top five Costco Bargains:

  1. Rotisserie Chicken
  2. Butter
  3. PBFit
  4. Kodiak Cake Flapjack Mix
  5. Krusteaz Pancake Mix
  6. (Bonus) Their Gas Stations frequently are .20-.30/galloncheaper than the “discount” stations.

11/16/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI wrote up the meal plan for this week last night and posted it on Instagram, but I was too pooped to sit down last night and write this post.

This weekend was busy (like all weekends):

  • Playmobil adventures
  • Lego Building
  • Barbie shenanigans
  • Drawing
  • Writing Practice
  • Shopping for new clothes because a little girl grew overnight

The past few weeks I’ve been cooking larger batches of recipes, and we’ve been relying a lot on them. This week will be a “refill” week for that. A big batch of meaty red sauce, a few batches of soup made directly to go in the freezer, and I’ll be making some mire poix bags up as well. I’ll be posting on Instagram for sure.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers/Fend for yo’ self
  • Monday:  Shakshuka, Salad, and Salad
  • Tuesday: Pasta with Meat Sauce, Salad, Garlic Bread
  • Wednesday: Veggie Nuggets, Fish Sticks, Veggie Fries, and Salad
  • Thursday: Breakfast (Most likely Pancakes, Eggs, and Fruit)
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

A Practical Guide to Setting A Budget (Part One)

Abby H.2 Comments

I’ve written about budgeting before, but now more than ever so many of us need to set up a budget that works. One that is easy to stick to. There are so many ways of doing a budget, so many styles- cash envelopes, bucket/different accounts, multiple debit cards for various budget items… It can be tricky. I’m going to be breaking down the household budget, and how it can be done, how to shave money off your household expenses, and save money without suffering or feeling like you are doomed to a life of instant ramen and tap water.

Recently I re-did the household budget after noticing that spending was…Outta Control. Here are a few things that helped me:

Track all of your outgoing expenses for three months. I made a list of all the bills, expenditures, etc., and went through the banking transactions online. Then I averaged them. Using the average for each, I plugged each one into a Google Sheets page.

Some of the categories I had are:

  • Mortgage (This includes impounds for our Homeowners insurance and property taxes)
  • Gas/Electric*
  • Gift Fund
  • Transfer to Savings
  • Life Insurance
  • Auto Insurance
  • Hulu
  • Car payment
  • Kids 529
  • Netflix
  • YMCA
  • Internet
  • Credit Card Balances
  • Student Loan Payments
  • Water Bill*
  • Groceries*
  • Fun Money (stuff to do with kiddos/girls nights in/date nights)*
  • Gasoline*

Of all of these categories, the only ones that have any difference per month are the ones I indicated with an asterisk (*). For Gas/Electric and the water bill, I averaged the cost over three months and used that amount for the budget.

The categories I included above are what is in my budget, you may have other items that my family does not. Some of the expenses such as Health Insurance and retirement savings come out of paychecks, so for our family, they are not included in our budget. You may wish to add them to your budget if you pay them directly.

Cash for some Budget Line Items: For items such as groceries, fun money, and gasoline I visit the ATM each week and take out cash. I paperclip the money for each budget line item together, and keep them separate in my wallet. When the money is gone, no more spending.

Doing cash for those line items really helps me take a hard look at shopping for groceries (this is when cash back apps, couponing, and price per unit knowledge all come in handy), and making sure that I am getting the best deal on gas (I have the gasbuddy app, it’s very useful). Any unspent money gets rolled over to the next week.

Making the ends meet: It’s important when you are adding up all expenses that once you add them up, subtract that amount from the money you bring in (wages, side hustles, selling plasma, whatever). If you are spending more than you  and you should be left with some money leftover. If you come to a negative number… Bruh, we gotta talk.

For example (and this is just an example):

  • Total income (including side hustles): $5000
  • Total household budget per month: $4500
  • Total amount leftover: $500 This leftover amount can be kept in your main account for unforeseen expenses, or move it to savings, or pay down extra on reoccurring debts (like car payment, student loans, or credit cards).

Uh, so if your number comes back negative, like this example:

  • Total income (including side hustles): $4500
  • Total household budget per month: $4600
  • Total amount leftover: -$100

Yeah. Bad times, my friends. That means you need to cut $100 from your budget. My next post about budgeting will go over what and how you can cut from your budget without feeling like you are suffering or living hand to mouth. I promise nothing crazy or nothing that I would not do myself if needed. And you can expect that post tomorrow.

Not all all related to setting a budget, but when I was searching for Budget stock photos, this photo of fruit salad was tagged “budget”. And I love fruit salad, so I had to include it. 

Earn Even More Fetch Rewards Points with The New Fetch Debit Rewards Card!

Abby H.

 

 

 

 

If you use Fetch Rewards, check your email for this offer. If you are new to Fetch Rewards, click here to learn more about this awesome cash app and how you can earn rewards, such as Amazon gift cards just by doing your regular shopping and scanning in your receipts.

Fetch Pay card features include:

  • Earn Fetch Points for every dollar you spend with your new Fetch Pay card.
  • Use your card anywhere Mastercard® is accepted, and at over 55,000 nationwide, surcharge-free ATMs in the Allpoint Network.
  • Receive up to 10,000 bonus points when you start using your card, plus 100 bonus points on each purchase made in the first 30 days.**

Directly from the email, “To give you the easiest and best card experience, we’ve partnered with One. They provide the expertise and customer support to power the banking side of Fetch Pay. Plus, you’ll have access to all of One’s other awesome banking features.***”

I signed up because I’m willing to a guinea pig for all of you. I transferred $50 into my account, and my debit card will be here in about a week. I plan to use the card a few times and see how the point awarding goes. I’ll report back once the thirty days are over.

I’ve been using Fetch Rewards for about 3 years and I consistently earn $20/month, just by doing our regular shopping. Now that Fetch Rewards accepts virtually all receipts, even tris to the gas station earn rewards!

The best part of Fetch Rewards is that it is not store specific, which is great. If you havent’ signed up yet, Use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score Bonus Points (amounts vary from 1500-4000, depending on the current promotion they are running).   

Fine Print:

  • *This card is issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International.
  • **Up to 30 purchases
  • ***Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.

Cents of Style Fashion Friday- 11/13/20- HUGE Sweater Weather Collection Starting at $10!

Abby H.

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

SweatersCents of Style is keeping us warm this winter with this week’s Fashion Friday! The BEST thing is this deal starts at only $10, there are $10 styles, $15 styles, and $20 styles! We have added the best of the best of 29 sweaters to this collection and we know your readers will be thrilled! Sizes range from S-3XL and pricing is starting at ONLY $10! Remember to use coupon code WARMKNITS.Favorite Tops

With so many choices, I’m not sure which ones to pick! I’ve already picked out a few to gift this upcoming holiday season.

Sweater

11/13/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

It’s Friday again! Time to score some freebies, pick up a few deals, and stay inside! It’s supposed to rain here this weekend and I am really excited. We need rain in Southern CA badly, and it’s a good excuse to have a lazy weekend and eat popcorn (and leftover Halloween candy).

Check out these sweet freebies and deals, and as always, if you find an amazing deal or freebie, please share it in the comments below.

Freebies:

Free Flow Alkaline Spring Water at Walmart
Free Butterball Turkey at Boost Mobile Stores
Free Charmin Mega Roll Extender
Free Kerastase Chronologiste Thermique Blow Dry Primer
Possible Free OXO Kitchen Products
Sephora – Free Milk Makeup, Sol de Janeiro or Briogeo Mini Set
Free Sample of Level Select CBD Sports Cream
Free Ritual of Namaste Cream & Serum Sample
Free Wood Fire Starters
Free Sample of Lab Series Age Rescue Face Lotion
Free Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Tint or Wet n Wild Lipgloss
Free Honest Beauty Products
Free Allegra K Women’s Clothing Items
Free Moose Tracks Nation Sticker
Free Sample of Yes Life CBD Oil & Hemp CBD Pain Relief Cream
Free Sample of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Free Subscription to Allure Magazine
Free Sample of Hit! Balm CBD Balm
Free Luxury Hair Care Products
Free ZenWTR at Select Stores
Free Subscription to Esquire Magazine
Free Sample of HEX Performance Laundry Detergent
Free Bantam Bagels Sample Kit
Free Avajar Facial Masks
Free Small Axe Movie Screening
Possible Free Step2 Toys
Free Sample of Michael Kors Wonderlust Sublime
Free Schär’s Greatest Hits Collection Sample Box
FREE Amora Premium Coffee & Mug
Free Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer
Free Superzero Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Free Jar of Barilla Vero Gusto Pasta Sauce
Free Biolyte Electrolyte Drink
Daily Goodie Box Sending Out 30-500 Every Day!
Free Lancome Lash Lifting & Volumizing Mascara

Deals:

AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat 2-Pack ONLY $8.11 (Reg. $14)
Save up to 50% on Matching Family Pajamas Now
Fisher-Price Disney Frozen Elsa’s Ice Palace ONLY $28.49
Muk Luks Women’s Comfort Boots ONLY $19.99 (Reg $65)
MUK LUKS Men’s Ethan Moccasin Slippers ONLY $21.99 (Reg $44)
Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver ONLY $17.49 (Reg $30)
3 Bottles of Crest Scope Mouthwash ONLY $6.97 + Free Shipping
Save an Extra 30% on Target Beauty Boxes Today Only
Echo Flex Plug-In Mini Smart Speaker ONLY $12.99 (Reg. $25)
Swing Set with Slide ONLY $69 Shipped (Reg $135)
Save up to 60% on Nature Made Vitamins + Free Shipping
Save $10 When You Spend $50 on Select LEGO Toys

Vons and Albertsons Shoppers: Check Your Accounts!

Abby H.

If you shop at Vons or Albertsons, you may have a freebie or high-value coupon waiting for you! Log on to your Vons account (either on vons.com or the Vons app), click the Items You Buy tab, and check for something good.

What you’ll get varies, but I got a $5/$5+ offer! Woo hoo! If you don’t find anything, click the Just4U button, and search FREE in the search bar. I’ve been seeing reports online of free pizza, candy, bread, even butter!

Talk Back: Please let me know what freebie or high-value coupon you scored!