10 Things I've Bought That Save Me Money, part 1

I recently began my debt-free journey after lots of subtle and not so subtle nudging from two of my great friends, Erin and Sera. I've been miserable for quite some time about my situation with an insane amount of debt that I could not seem to get out from under. My despair really kept me from being able to see things clearly and I really appreciate these two ladies pushing me to begin budgeting and open my eyes to the fact that there was a little bit of wiggle room, which is all I needed to get started!

So on to reading The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey, and binge watching financial vloggers on YouTube and I was a woman on a mission. This post is inspired by a series by a few of my favorite vloggers. So here goes...

1. The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey
This book has really transformed my life and the way I view money. I grew up with a mom that was frugal and always debt conscious, but like many people, she believed in needing to build up your credit and in the great myth of "good debt." Well an amazing education borrowed with "good debt" and a major recession later, I'm now 6 figures in the hole! Thanks to Dave, I now have I plan that I am hitting with gazelle intensity and am rewriting my family tree.

2. SavvyCents Wallet
As part of my money makeover, I began using the envelope system. I didn't want to physically carry around all of the envelopes, so Sera turned me on to this awesome product. The wallet has accordion style sections that you label and put your cash in and is super cute to boot. Once the money is gone, it's gone!!!

3. Reusable Coffee Mug
I am a true caffeine addict. I cannot live my life without my two cups of coffee in the morning and sometimes another in the afternoon to pull me through. I also happen to work in a building with a Starbucks...yes, you read that right! I don't even have to go out in the horrible weather to get my java fix. As you can imagine two-three cups a day, Monday-Friday really adds up! This was a $5 investment that saves me $25-$30 PER WEEK!! Yes, that's right, I was previously spending $1,500 a year on coffee. It makes me sick to even think about it now.

4. BJ's Wholesale Club Membership
I am very fortunate to live in an apartment with LOTS to storage and therefore I can buy in bulk. I share a yearly membership with my mother and for $20 a year, I am able to save tons on grocery and personal/household items that I can buy in bulk. One thing that I will caution here is that it is very important to still view the unit prices on items. There are definitely certain things that are not a bargain to buy, and I will still stock up on things when they are on super sale at the regular grocery store.

5. Manicure/Pedicure Tools
I'm a super girly girl and must always be perfectly manicured. Living in one of the most expensive areas in the country, however, these costs can add up to the tune of about $90 per month. A $30 investment in a few tools and I have saved thousands of dollars over the past few years. Don't get me wrong, I still get the professional mani/pedi for a special occasion like a wedding, but it is definitely only done as a treat now, instead of my once weekly trip to the nail spa.

Stop by same time next week for the remainder of the list! Or before then to see what other things I've been up to, of course.

hello there

Welcome to Live.Love.Meep. This will be a place where I recount the regular, and not so regular, happenings in my life. It is also really a way for me to stay accountable to myself and where I am now in this crazy life. I will be talking a lot about my running/weight loss journey. I will be discussing my debt free journey using the Dave Ramsey approach. I will also be discussing my journey back to having a strong relationship with my Lord and Savior and leading a fuller life.

At times this blog will be sad... happy... full of hope... full of despair... inspire one person... or offend many people, but it will always be real. This is me uncensored. I hope you enjoy the journey.