Mind On Your Money Has Moved!

Mind On Your Money has a new home: https://www.mindonyourmoney.us

Money Myth: Investing Is Hard

There are lots of ways to invest and you don't even have to dress like this to do it. Your retirement plan, your basic savings account, and rainy day fund are all investments (but not your beanie babies).

Budgeting With An Irregular Income

Whether you work in a tip-based or a hustle-based profession, unpredictable income is a pain in the butt. Should you still budget? Can you still budget? Of course! It's so easy to get stuck in a cycle of paying off your debt when you're flush and relying on credit cards when you're broke. A budget will help you with that. But first, you have to get real.

Not that real

Menu Monday

I AM SO HAPPY THERE IS AN ALDI BY ME NOW. Shopping here in LA has been a challenge, with me going to three stores to stay under budget. It wasn't that big of a deal, but now that's it's over omg I am so excited. My first trip there was the day after we got back from a weekend away. We had no food, I had no plan, and I was hungry. All the big shopping no-no's. I bought whatever I remembered buying in Pittsburgh along with 3 bottles of wine, and a venus fly trap. And I still spent $30 less than usual! All hail Aldi. 

Weekend Quickie

Challenge yourself to a No Spend Saturday. Do it, I dare you. 

Earn $10 In 5 Minutes

There was a time in my life when I couponed hard. Free toothpaste for days! A couch built from boxes of 25 cent kitty litter! An avalanche of granola bars every time you opened the cabinet! I had it all. Then...I don't know. My priorities certainly haven't shifted, but maybe my time is more valuable now? Also, I started shopping at Aldi and they don't take coupons. Whatever happened, it happened.

If you are interested in saving money but don't want to pore over a Sunday paper, what are you supposed to do? There's gotta be a better way.

Get Your Plan Together

Hands down, my most popular post so far is Menu Planning Basics. Are you a planner? You should be! You will save money and time, you won't stress about what to cook during the dinner rush hour, and you'll waste less food. You can do this.

To see a full list of every menu plan I've made, CLICK HERE. There are tons of cute planners and shopping lists on my Pinterest Page, check them out! You will not regret it. 

Money Myth: Buying In Bulk

He take his time, he counts it out, I weigh it out, that's real money - Pusha T, "Mercy"

Buying in bulk is always cheaper, right? Maybe, maybe not. The real answer lies in the unit price. Bigger isn't always better. Just compare the unit price and see how it adds up then get the product that is the better value. At my local grocer, buying a large tub of yogurt is actually $1 more than buy the equivalent in small containers. Who knew?

Menu Monday

A few months ago I started to lift weights. In addition to my usual exercise routine, I now do 45 minutes of strength training 4 days per week. And let me tell you, on days when I really go hard, I would kill a man just to smell the curly fries on his breath. For the first time in many, many years I am craving meat. Up until now just the *thought* of eggs made me gag and now I eat at least 2 hard boiled eggs a day. Since we eat a plant-based diet, most of my protein comes from dairy and beans. 

How can I put this delicately...eating enough beans to satisfy my new protein needs and hundreds of squats do not mix. I don't belong to a sexy LA gym, but I would like to show my face at the YMCA again. So this week I am exploring different protein sources besides the musical fruit that I love so much. 

Come with me on this toot-free journey!

First Of The Month

Sunday is always a good day to sit down and set your plans for the week. This Sunday is also May 1st, so it's a doubly good day to get your life in order. Take a look at your calendar for the month and get it together. Make note of any upcoming expenses, like birthday gifts, car inspections, etc. Most importantly: take a look at your budget and make adjustments. A quick check-in with fresh eyes can help avoid financial mishaps this month. 

In the past few weeks we've had a few things come up (for better and worse) that require a few budget tweaks. Here's my new and improved budget for the month of May: 

Weekend Quickie

Get Rich Quick(ish)!

Getting rich quick is a myth. Building wealth over time is attainable. It might not be as sexy and as in-your-face as rich, but wealthy is pretty good, too. Also, I'll let you in on a little secret: Not everyone is as well off as they'd like you to believe. I know! Shocking! You can bet your fake Louie bag on it. 

Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is coming up and you better get all the ladies in your life a gift. Here are a few ideas that won't break the bank:

Common Money Mistakes - Couples Edition

Talking about your finances is tough, I get it. Money symbolizes different things to different people and can be a touchy subject. Like any other hot-button issue, it's best to just get it out there and deal with it. No one can read your mind! If you've ever dealt with a loved-one's money troubles you know how awkward it all can be. But, it's not the end of the world!

Weekend Quickie

Financial Spring Cleaning, Part 2

Where we last off, you were just finishing up your budget. Which you totally have, right? Of course you do!  Now comes the not-so-hard part of the steps to tidying up your finances. Sadly, NKOTB did not ever make a follow up jam to Step By Step, so I'll have to improvise with different (but just as effective) motivational images. Here we go, part 2:

Common Money Mistakes

Oops, you did it again.

Mistakes happen, that's a fact of life. Adulting means you have to fix them. But how? Here's how:

Money Mistake: You have no idea where your money goes.

How do you fix it? Make a budget! It is the most basic thing you can do and will open your eyes to all the ways you are pissing money away. Check out my post on budgeting basics HERE! If you get through your transactions and see that you've spend $100 this month on drinks out with friends, but $0 on paying down your credit card debt then it will become really real. Invite your friends over for some BYOB and Netflix then immediately make a payment to your credit card. You'll be glad you did!

Money Mistake: Not having an emergency fund.

How do you fix it? Save a chunk of money! $500-$1000 is usually enough to save your butt if something unexpected happens. Aim to have 6 months of expenses saved in case of a dire emergency. Start saving and don't stop until you hit your goal. How much can you save? I don't know, but you should. Look at your budget and see what you can trim to save a bit of cash, then stash it away for a rainy day.

Money Mistake: Spending on things you could get for free.

How do you fix it? Go to the library! Music, books, magazines, printing services, classes, book clubs, arts programs, volunteer opportunities, and snacks all await you at your local library. Get on their website and poke around, you're sure to find something you like. Attend a clothing swap (or organize one with friends)! Borrow a tool from a friend instead of buying one. Shop your closet. Go for a walk in the park instead of the mall. Go to the museum on a free day. Do something besides eating out at restaurants when you go out with friends. There are lots of free options, and if you're broke you need to find them.

Your mistakes don't define you, how you rebound does. Who do you want to be? Pick a Britney, bitch.

Spring Clean Your Finances, Part 1

When spring rolls around it's easy to feel motivated by all the fresh air, sunshine, and birds chirping. Yard work, deep cleaning, packing away your winter clothes - it all just feels so good. There's a feeling on the first nice day of the year when it's warm enough to put the car windows down, you need sunglasses, and everything feels fresh and possible. I bet the Germans have a word for that, they seem to have one for everything. Feelingudagin? Probably not, but I'm no language expert, so maybe? 

Menu Monday

I declare this the week of the carbohydrate. 

Spaghetti, muffins, ramen, ravioli, hash browns, dumplings, pierogi, or just buttered egg noodles. I will take it any way you can give it to me. For a long time carbs got a really bad rap, and that's not fair! Just like anything else, if eaten in moderation they're not going to make you fat or spike your blood sugar. On days when we eat pasta for dinner I'll serve yogurt for breakfast and a salad for lunch. 

Weekend Quickie

Get it together.