Tip #2: Mascara

Boys, stop reading. This post is not for you (unless you are going to pass this along to all the girls you know, in which case, please keep reading). I don't remember where I learned this, so I cannot give credit where credit is due!

Tip #2 is simple & awesome! When your mascara starts running out, getting clumpy, & dried out DO NOT THROW IT AWAY & BUY A NEW ONE. Instead, put a few drops of saline in it. (Thankfully we happen to have this around because Michael wears contacts.) Shake it up, and WA-LA, it's like brand new mascara. You can do this about 3 times before the mascara is actually gone.

This won't save you thousands, but it will definitely put more $$$ back in your wallet!

Tip #1: The Envelope System

In his book, "Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money", Dave encourages the use of the envelope system (which he emphasizes that he didn't make up, but our grandparents did).



 Now I've heard of this before, but now we're finally going to start doing it. It is really going to help us stick to our budget. Basically, it's up to you what items in the budget you want to use this system for. For us, we're going to have separate envelopes for Food, Clothing, and Eating Out/Dates. Each month we'll put the budgeted amount into each envelope. When the money runs out, so do our shopping trips! For clothing, we have such a small amount budgeted that it really doesn't amount to any single item each month, but we will keep putting money into it each month until we're ready to purchase something. Same goes with Eating Out/Dates. If we don't go out as much, we can save it for bigger outings that we want to go on and then we won't have to feel guilty. It will be hard earned, saved money! This is also a great way to avoid arguments. You've already agreed on the budget, and if you only spend money from your envelope you'll never hear the words, "You seriously bought more clothes/shoes/food!?!?" again!

I am especially excited for the envelopes so I can save up money on clothes and not feel guilty to buy things (I'm in need of a long winter coat! I'm thinking of saving up and waiting until Spring when they go on sale!) This will also really help our grocery budget. I love cooking, but sometimes I think I can go overboard. I had no idea how much money I was spending on groceries until Michael did the math the other day - YIKES!

Pick what makes sense for you. Obviously putting cash into an envelope for the water bill doesn't make sense. For us, Food, Clothing, Eating Out/Dates will help us keep control of our money and will lead to less guilt & more fun!

Welcome to Frugal Living!

Before I explain the reason for this blog, let me start here:

I have always been one to love a good deal. I love the satisfaction of saving money and I enjoy the game of being frugal. Yes, the game. Call me crazy, but living frugally can be fun. Challenging? Yes, but that doesn't have to take away the fun.

Let me cut to the chase- starting in December, Michael & I have to start paying off his law school loans. After the initial shock (which really shouldn't have been a shock at all), we put our game faces on, ordered some books/materials from Dave Ramsey, and buckled down. 

I won't get into the nitty-gritty of our "action plan", but in general the game plan is to be as frugal as possible and throw all of our money at our debt (we're on baby step #2). I love researching cheaper ways to do things and finding tips on how to save money. Whether it means something as little as saving $10 over the span of a year, or cutting out something that could cost us thousands, every little item helps.

After many conversations with friends, I realize that most people my age and beyond are in similar situations. Seems like everyone is trying to live life cheaper and save money, but sometimes it gets frustrating when you don't know how to do that.

My goal: Post tips and ideas for saving money. This could cover a variety of things from food, recipes, cleaning, budgeting, etc. This will help keep me motivated and hold me accountable to continue exploring new ways to save, and will help give you ideas on practical things you can do. I AM NOT AN EXPERT. Please give me feedback, such as, "Umm Rachel, that idea will actually end up costing you a billion dollars a year.." or "Actually, it's cheaper if you..." Feel free to share your suggestions. I want to collect as many ideas as possible so I can come back to this blog and scroll through ideas when I'm feeling unmotivated.

Well, that's it! This will hopefully be the longest post I'll ever write. I will try and keep the rest short and sweet!

I'll leave you with a quote we love from Dave Ramsey, "Live like no one else now, so you can live like no one else later!"