Debt, Debt Journey

January 2020 $69,522 Debt Payoff Journey

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

It’s been 16 months so far into this $116,000 debt journey. We are more than half way done as of January 2020 as we paid $69,522 so far! There are a lot of factors that got my husband and I to this point. One day, we decided that enough was enough and set our goals to be debt free one day. This whole process is actually not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I had this preconceived notion that we were going to be sacrificing a great deal, it actually doesn’t feel like we have. There are plenty of factors that we’ve implemented to help us get to this point and will continue to use to reach our goal. I hope these tips can also help anyone else that wants to get out of debt too.

September of 2018 we had all this debt:

8 Credit Cards
1 Car Loan
2 Medical Loans
2 Student Loans
1 Personal Loan and 1 Personal Loan from family
Total $116,000

January 2020 we have:

1 Student Loan
1 Personal Loan from family
Total $46,478

We have a combined total income of about $120,000-$130,000 a year. Basically, we had almost a year’s salary worth of debt. How crazy is that? One day we decided to follow a plan to help get us out of debt because what we were doing definitely wasn’t working. Find out how we paid off $50,000 in the first 10 months of this journey.

Related: How To Get Out Of Debt With These 5 Tips

Tips To Get Out Of Debt

If you implement a few strategies, you can also be on your way to be debt free. It’s all about finding the right tools and tips to help save you money and manage it properly.

1 | Write down your list of debt

Create a list of your debt from the smallest balance on top of the list to the largest balance on the bottom of the list. It will give you an idea of what you’re working with. Don’t be discouraged when you see all the debt you have. You can get through this! If we muddled more than half way through $116,000 then you sure can too!

2 | Create a monthly budget

It which will help you take control of your finances and draw out your map to financial success. I use the Zero Based Budget which has been extremely successful in helping us manage our money. If you want to use an app that tracks your spending automatically then use Personal Capital which is also a free app.

Zero Based Budget MyFinancialHill

Related: How To Budget Your Money For Beginners

3 | Save for an Emergency Fund

Unless you’re a psychic, you will never know what tomorrow will bring. You don’t want to be stuck in a position where you spent all your extra money paying off debt while not having anything saved up during an emergency like a job loss, medical emergency, and more. It’s so important to save a good 2-6 month portion for emergencies before throwing every extra money you have at debt. You can still pay debt while saving for your emergency fund but make sure you don’t forget this category in your budget.

4 | Use the Snowball Method to pay off debt

Snowball Method to Pay Debt - How To Get Out Of Debt With These 5 Tips - MyFinancialHill

5 | Make extra money if you can

  • Put money into a high yield savings account to earn money passively
  • Work extra shifts or over time
  • Drive for UBER  or Lyft
  • Be a babysitter or caretaker on Care / Petsit on Rover
  • Sell your clothes/furniture/toys/electronics on Ebay, Mercari, Letgo, or Nextdoor
  • Take online surveys for money Get your $10 sign up bonus today with Swagbucks
  • Be a freelancer on Fiverr and sell your skills including being a graphic designer, virtual assistant, photo editing, writing/editing/proofreading content, marketing, programming, SEO optimization, programming, transcription, other social media services
  • Make money losing weight on HealthyWage and other apps like Dietbet and Stickk. People make hundreds to thousands of dollars by challenging themselves to lose weight which creates a financial incentive.
  • Rent out a room by charging a fee on Airbnb. That can easily bring in extra hundreds of dollars each month.

Check out other ways to make extra money every month

RELATED:EASY WAYS TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY EVERY MONTH

6 | Second guess your purchases

Before you buy anything from a $5 to $1,000 item, ask yourself if you really need it. We stopped spending money frivolously just by purchasing things we actually really need rather than want.

7 | Stop comparing your lives to others

Truth of the matter is you don’t have to spend tons of money on cars, travel, clothes, etc. to keep up with the Jones’. It’s your life and not theirs. Other people probably are up to their necks in debt trying to live lavishly so there is no point in trying to keep up with others. It’s best to focus on your financial goal and be content with what you have.

8 | Personal loans can help tremendously

As a matter of fact, we took one out years ago to move out of an expensive city. We used a portion of that loan to put away in our emergency fund, applied for a down payment on our home, and applied it for our debt. In a matter of 10 months, we also paid off that personal loan off too. Check to see if you qualify for one at Lending Club to help you consolidate debt.

9 | Find Savings

Food costs was huge expense for us. We spent almost $800-$1,000 a month on food. That included groceries and take out food. You’d be surprised when you track all your transactions and find out how much you’re actually spending. To cut costs on groceries I used Ibotta to get cash back when grocery shopping.

Cooking more at home will help prevent the need to buy take out food. Making large batches of food is easy with the Instant Pot like soups, stews, tender meat, and so much more. Using the Instant Pot will help you save time and money plus you can freeze any left overs.

I used Rakuten  to get cash back when booking travel, hotels, car rentals, online shopping and more.

If I was looking for spa treatment, oil change, restaurants, or activities, I went on Groupon to get the cheapest deals. At Groupon, get an extra 20% Off Local Plus An Extra 10% Off Travel. Use Code SAVE

Cut your cellphone bill in half by switching to Cricket Wireless, they even have free smartphones available. We pay $80 flat with all taxes included for 2 phones and unlimited data.

Get cheaper quotes by switching your insurance companies for the car, home, apartment, etc.

Do some DIY repair work for your home/condo/apartment by doing some research online and getting parts at Home Depot, or Lowes.

10 | Travel For Free

We didn’t want to sacrifice our travel while on this journey to pay off debt. We made it work by using travel card points to cover our travel expenses. By implementing the budgeting and snowball method, we quickly paid off all our consumer debt which in turn raised our credit scores. We qualified for travel cards that offer an equivalent of $500-$700 or more worth of points. We used those points to pay for our Carnival Cruise, Flight for Las Vegas, and so much more. Also, when we search for flights we use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights possible.

January 2020 Debt Payoff Progress

At the end of this month, we paid a total of $1,553 which consists of our snowball debt rollover amount. So far, we now have a total debt remaining balance of $46,478. We paid off $69,522 so far in 16 months out of $116,000 total debt. Slowly but surely, we’re chipping away!

It’s been a long year of 2019. 2020 is the start of a new year. I have a goal to achieve which is to be debt free by the end of this year! Making extra money, finding ways to save, sticking to a budget, while still having fun will get us there. I hope these tips will help you as well to get you started on your debt paying journey.

Are you ready to start your own debt free journey? Get started by grabbing this free Debt Thermometer and join us in the free 5-Day Debt Free Bootcamp to pay off $500 worth of debt in your first month.

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February 2020 $72,060 Debt Payoff Journey - MyFinancialHill
Debt, Debt Journey

February 2020 $72,060 Debt Payoff Journey

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

It’s been 17 months so far into this $116,000 debt journey. We are more than half way done as of February 2020 as we paid $72,060 so far! There are a lot of factors that got my husband and I to this point. One day, we decided that enough was enough and set our goals to be debt free one day. This whole process is actually not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I had this preconceived notion that we were going to be sacrificing a great deal, it actually doesn’t feel like we have. There are plenty of factors that we’ve implemented to help us get to this point and will continue to use to reach our goal. I hope these tips can also help anyone else that wants to get out of debt too.

September of 2018 we had all this debt:

8 Credit Cards
1 Car Loan
2 Medical Loans
2 Student Loans
1 Personal Loan and 1 Personal Loan from family
Total $116,000

February 2020 we have:

1 Student Loan
1 Personal Loan from family
Total $43,940

We have a combined total income of about $120,000-$130,000 a year. Basically, we had almost a year’s salary worth of debt. How crazy is that? One day we decided to follow a plan to help get us out of debt because what we were doing definitely wasn’t working. Find out how we paid off $50,000 in the first 10 months of this journey.

Related: How To Get Out Of Debt With These 5 Tips

Tips To Get Out Of Debt

If you implement a few strategies, you can also be on your way to be debt free. It’s all about finding the right tools and tips to help save you money and manage it properly.

1 | Write down your list of debt

Create a list of your debt from the smallest balance on top of the list to the largest balance on the bottom of the list. It will give you an idea of what you’re working with. Don’t be discouraged when you see all the debt you have. You can get through this! If we muddled more than half way through $116,000 then you sure can too!

2 | Create a monthly budget

It which will help you take control of your finances and draw out your map to financial success. I use the Zero Based Budget which has been extremely successful in helping us manage our money. If you want to use an app that tracks your spending automatically then use Personal Capital which is also a free app.

Zero Based Budget MyFinancialHill

Related: How To Budget Your Money For Beginners

3 | Save for an Emergency Fund

Unless you’re a psychic, you will never know what tomorrow will bring. You don’t want to be stuck in a position where you spent all your extra money paying off debt while not having anything saved up during an emergency like a job loss, medical emergency, and more. It’s so important to save a good 2-6 month portion for emergencies before throwing every extra money you have at debt. You can still pay debt while saving for your emergency fund but make sure you don’t forget this category in your budget.

4 | Use the Snowball Method to pay off debt

Snowball Method to Pay Debt - How To Get Out Of Debt With These 5 Tips - MyFinancialHill

5 | Make extra money if you can

  • Put money into a high yield savings account to earn money passively
  • Work extra shifts or over time
  • Drive for UBER  or Lyft
  • Be a babysitter or caretaker on Care / Petsit on Rover
  • Sell your clothes/furniture/toys/electronics on Ebay, Mercari, Letgo, or Nextdoor
  • Take online surveys for money Get your $10 sign up bonus today with Swagbucks
  • Be a freelancer on Fiverr and sell your skills including being a graphic designer, virtual assistant, photo editing, writing/editing/proofreading content, marketing, programming, SEO optimization, programming, transcription, other social media services
  • Make money losing weight on HealthyWage and other apps like Dietbet and Stickk. People make hundreds to thousands of dollars by challenging themselves to lose weight which creates a financial incentive.
  • Rent out a room by charging a fee on Airbnb. That can easily bring in extra hundreds of dollars each month.

Check out other ways to make extra money every month

RELATED:EASY WAYS TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY EVERY MONTH

6 | Second guess your purchases

Before you buy anything from a $5 to $1,000 item, ask yourself if you really need it. We stopped spending money frivolously just by purchasing things we actually really need rather than want.

7 | Stop comparing your lives to others

Truth of the matter is you don’t have to spend tons of money on cars, travel, clothes, etc. to keep up with the Jones’. It’s your life and not theirs. Other people probably are up to their necks in debt trying to live lavishly so there is no point in trying to keep up with others. It’s best to focus on your financial goal and be content with what you have.

8 | Personal loans can help tremendously

As a matter of fact, we took one out years ago to move out of an expensive city. We used a portion of that loan to put away in our emergency fund, applied for a down payment on our home, and applied it for our debt. In a matter of 10 months, we also paid off that personal loan off too. Check to see if you qualify for one at Credible to help you consolidate debt.

9 | Find Savings

Food costs was huge expense for us. We spent almost $800-$1,000 a month on food. That included groceries and take out food. You’d be surprised when you track all your transactions and find out how much you’re actually spending. To cut costs on groceries I used Ibotta to get cash back when grocery shopping.

Ibotta

Sign up for free and use the code YDIGCFJ get your $20 welcome bonus.

Cooking more at home will help prevent the need to buy take out food. Making large batches of food is easy with the Instant Pot like soups, stews, tender meat, and so much more. Using the Instant Pot will help you save time and money plus you can freeze any left overs.

I used Rakuten  to get cash back when booking travel, hotels, car rentals, online shopping and more.

Sign up today with Rakuten to get $10 in a welcome bonus and be on your way to start earning cash back for online purchases. Don’t miss out on FREE MONEY!

If I was looking for spa treatment, oil change, restaurants, or activities, I went on Groupon to get the cheapest deals.

Sign up for free here at Groupon to start getting your MEGA savings.

Cut your cellphone bill in half by switching to Cricket Wireless, they even have free smartphones available. We pay $80 flat with all taxes included for 2 phones and unlimited data.

Get cheaper quotes by switching your insurance companies for the car, home, apartment, etc.

Do some DIY repair work for your home/condo/apartment by doing some research online and getting parts at Home Depot, or Lowes.

Read More: 95 Best Money Saving Tips to Start Now

10 | Travel For Free

We didn’t want to sacrifice our travel while on this journey to pay off debt. We made it work by using travel card points to cover our travel expenses. By implementing the budgeting and snowball method, we quickly paid off all our consumer debt which in turn raised our credit scores. We qualified for travel cards that offer an equivalent of $500-$700 or more worth of points. We used those points to pay for our Carnival Cruise, Flight for Las Vegas, and so much more. Also, when we search for flights we use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights possible.

End of Month

At the end of this month, I found $867 in overage from budgeting. What gave us that overage was an increase of income from me working extra temporary jobs on my days off and from my husband getting a bonus. We then took that extra amount and combined it with our monthly debt snowball amount of $1669 to throw it at my student loan. We paid a total of $2,536 towards the student debt. We now have a total debt remaining balance of $43,940. We paid off $72,760 so far in 17 months. Slowly but surely, we’re chipping away!

Paying off debt doesn’t have to be the hardest thing in the world. Actually, I don’t think my life has changed all that dramatically. Once we got the ball rolling on paying off our debt our credit scores rose to the 800’s and now we qualify for awesome travel cards which we use to take trips and vacations. We don’t spend money unnecessarily and always try to find savings where we can and make extra money when we can. Some of these tips will help you keep some money in your pockets and pay off debt easily too.

Are you ready to start your own debt free journey? Get started by grabbing this free Debt Thermometer and join us in the free 5-Day Debt Free Bootcamp to pay off $500 worth of debt in your first month.


Read More
Money

60 Best Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Under $50

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Mother’s Day is coming up and what better way to show your love and appreciation for the person who’s raised you! Put a smile on your mom’s face by getting her something special. If you’re stuck and have no idea what to get her, don’t worry. You’ll see below 60 of the best Mother’s Day gift ideas to get her all for under $50. There are lots of unique gifts you can get her from all different categories ranging from jewelry, things for the home, spa related gifts, beauty products, things for the garden, and books. You’ll be sure to find her something she’ll adore for Mother’s Day.

JEWELRY

Get your mom some special jewelry she can wear that will remind her how loved she is. She will be sure to love these special jewelry pieces. They vary from essential oil bracelets, specially engraved or customized necklace to symbolize your family, and more!

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HOME

If your mom loves decor, get her something around the home that will remind her how special she is. 

[modula id=”1981″]

SPA

Pamper your mom with spa gifts so she can indulge in a little Rest & Relaxation at home. Have her wind down with some sweet smelling candles, beautiful flower soap, colorful and fun bath bombs, hand treatment, and more.

[modula id=”1994″]

 

BEAUTY

Treat your mom to some beauty products that will help keep her looking beautiful, healthy, and flawless. Keep her looking great with beautiful eye shadow, jade face roller, face masks and gold under eye treatment, facial exfoliator, hair curling iron, and more.

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GARDEN

Surprise your mom with outdoor gardening decorations to put a smile on her face. Does she have succulents? Use these cute and decorative pots for propagating succulents.

[modula id=”2019″]

BOOKS

Get your mom some books if she loves to read or color to remind her you’re thinking of her on Mother’s Day

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Show your mom some love on Mother’s Day, give her a hug, thank her for all those years she raised you to become the wonderful person that you are. Find her something special from this list of 60 best Mother’s Day gift ideas under $50 to make her smile on her day. You can still make your mom feel special without spending loads of cash. Would you like to find out some more money saving tips? Check out the post below.

Related: Best Money Saving Tips to Start Now

Please share the love by pinning below!


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15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
Lifestyle

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Do you love traveling but don't like spending tons of money to do so?

How would you like to discover 15 fun and cheap places to travel all over the US?

Some of the cities mentioned are hidden gems and some are big cities but there are still cheap things to do there.

Discover some fun and awesome activities that you can do without breaking the bank!

1 Orange Beach, Alabama

Photo from: Visittheusa.com

Orange Beach is definitely a hidden gem and is known for their white sand beaches and turquoise water along the Gulf Shore. If you want a laid back trip or vacation definitely head to Orange Beach. There are plenty of fun things to do there that are perfect for those looking for a fun and budget friendly trip.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Orange Beach, Alabama

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

There are numerous activities and places to visit in Orange Beach without it putting a strain on your wallet. You and your family can have a blast with tons of things to do in your itinerary.

Check out the cheapest rates for:

2 San Diego, California

Photo by Elizeu Dias

San Diego may be a city full of theme parks and million dollar homes but don't let that deter you from visiting. There are still a plethora of fun and cheap things to do in sunny San Diego!

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in San Diego

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

San Diego is a place that won’t strain your wallet but will keep you and your family entertained and will help you create beautiful memories. There are so many free or cheap things to do there and you may not even be able to cover them all during your trip. San Diego is a definite Must-Go place in the US. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

3 Washington, D.C.

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Photo by Michele Orallo

Don’t know where to plan your next trip? How about the nation’s capital? Put on your walking shoes and enjoy the gorgeous monuments, explore the museums, memorials, walk through beautiful cherry tree lined paths, and so much more. You may not be able to fit all your fun, free, and cheap activities on your trip. 

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Washington, D.C.:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

There are so many free and cheap things to do in Washington that it is sure to keep you and your family busy without breaking the bank. You may need a week to cover all these free and cheap things to do. Good luck!

Check out the cheapest rates for:

4 Fort Lauderdale, Florida

With miles and miles of gorgeous beaches, great restaurants, awesome art scene, and an abundance of free or cheap activities, Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone. There is no shortage of museums, parks, and beaches that will definitely keep you entertained while keeping more money in your pocket.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Fort Lauderdale, FL:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Fort Lauderdale seems to have it all from beaches, gardens, museums, art murals, activities along the water, and so much more. Plenty of things to do there when you’re on a budget. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

5 Las Vegas, Nevada

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Depending on where you live, the flights to Las Vegas can be surprisingly very affordable. Las Vegas is a definite must-go to place! The best part is that you don’t even need tons of money to have fun there. 

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Las Vegas:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Las Vegas will give you stimulation overload from all the night lights, live entertainment, shows, and so much more. There’s tons to do there without spending loads of money. It definitely is a place you need to visit if you want to have loads of fun without needing to spend to show for it. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

6 Savannah, Georgia

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Want to go where there’s some southern charm? Look no further, Savannah is where you want to go. The city is quaint and known for it’s antebellum style architecture and beautiful parks and cobble stone streets. There really is no other place quite like it. Plus it’s surrounded by water which will give you plenty of affordable activities to do by there.  

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Savannah:

  • Go on the Botanical tour 

  • See dolphins on a tour at Tybee Island 

  • While you’re there check out the beach, pier, and pavilion

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Savannah is rich in history, beautiful architecture, gorgeous parks, and a place to really experience southern style hospitality. Great place to go to if you want to take it easy and just take in all the sites.

Check out the cheapest rates for:

7 Miami Beach, Florida

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

When you think of Miami, you can’t help but imagine luxury cars, expensive restaurants, and a place to be flashy. Don’t let this idea deter you from visiting. Miami is lined with beautiful blue water beaches, warm weather, parks, art events, and has so much more to offer that will help you stay on budget while having loads of fun! 

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Miami:

  • Beaches of course!

  • Day trip from Miami to Key West Tours

  • Bayside Marketplace is an open air and waterfront shopping place where they have live music, entertainment, restaurants, bars, and more

  • Check out Lincoln Road Mall to people watch from street performers, models, people with snakes or birds around their necks, or even catch a bite to eat by pulling up a chair at the restaurants or getting some drinks at the bars 

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Miami sure will not disappoint from fun in the sun, checking out some art, eating delicious food, and so much more. You can definitely make it a memorable trip all while staying under budget.

Check out the cheapest rates for:

8 Gatlinburg, Tennessee

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Do you love being in the great outdoors? Well, Galinburg is the perfect place to visit. Relax, enjoy the outdoors, take in fresh mountain air, and experience The Smoky Mountains. The best part is that there are tons of activities to do that is free or on the cheap!

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Gatlinburg:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Gatlinsburg is an awesome place to go if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of reality. It will be a great and relaxing place to bring your family to for an experience of the Smoky Mountains.

Check out the cheapest rates for:

9 San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is known for their rich history and it is a place where you can experience diverse culture. Don’t be intimidated by the saying “Everything is bigger and better in Texas”, definitely doesn’t mean you will be spending more cash here. There will still be plenty of things to do like enjoying the beautiful River Walk to exploring caves and down to experiencing the Hill Country of Texas all while on a tight budget.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in San Antonio:

  • Explore the River Walk of San Antonio where you can find a place to eat right by the water, watch boat rides, have a peaceful stroll, or shop

  • Explore some deep Texas history and learn more about The Alamo

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

San Antonio is full of history mixed with culture. Explore the Caverns, Museums, Art, Parks, and so much more. You’ll be able to do a lot of relaxing and exploring while being able to keep everything under budget.

Check out the cheapest rates for:

10 New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans AKA NOLA is the mega center where people celebrate Mardi Gras and party till dawn. There is so much more to New Orleans from the Cajun/Creole food, music to culture, historic landmarks, beautiful architecture, rich history and stories, among others. New Orleans offers so much to do and the great part is that you don’t need to break the bank to experience it all.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in New Orleans:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

New Orleans won’t disappoint if you’re looking to have a blast without spending loads of cash. There’s music everywhere, great food, relaxed vibe, beautiful architecture, and so much more. Definitely will be a trip worth remembering!

Check out the cheapest rates for:

11 Page, Arizona

Discover the natural beauty of mother nature’s work. Get a glimpse at awe-inspiring rock formations. Get your camera out to get some incredible photos that will give you an amazing backdrop unlike any other.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Page:

  • Do you love hiking? Then you need to head to Horseshoe Bend for some hiking with a spectacular view for a treat

  • Discover a rock formation that looks like a bridge called the Rainbow Bridge, plus you can do more hiking there too

  • Also, get some amazing star gazing views at night

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
  • Get a guided hike at the Antelope Canyon
    and don’t forget to bring your camera for amazing pictures of the natural carved sandstone in the canyon

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
  • Discover wilderness and get more incredible views of Canyons and Cliffs at Vermilion Cliffs National Park, you will be amazed by the breathtaking views

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
  • Need more water activities? Go to Lake Powell

  • Powell Museum

  • Water activities including watercrafts, kayaking, power boating, paddle boarding, jet skiing, wakeboarding, swimming, waterskiing, and fishing

Page is a place you want to be to get some awe-inspiring and unique photos. It’s a place to revel in mother nature’s work of art and explore the great outdoors. The best part is there are tons of places to visit in Page that won’t strain your wallet. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

12 San Francisco, California

When we think of San Francisco, we can’t help but think of Silicon Valley and how expensive it must be. Sure, it is a very expensive place to live in but don’t worry there are plenty of free or cheap things to do in this fun city. 

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in San Francisco:

  • Head to Alamo Square 

  • Did you ever watch the show Full House? Well, the Tanner family from the show had a home which were one of the iconic San Francisco’s Painted Ladies. Get a glimpse of the old Victorian style homes for a flash back into the past

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

San Francisco is a perfect getaway to enjoy the beaches, admire redwood trees, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, and so much more. The greatest thing is, you won't have to break the bank to enjoy your time there. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

13 Nashville, TN

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Who doesn’t love a little music? Visit Nashville to experience music galore along with the best southern food around. Nashville definitely won’t disappoint when it comes to having tons of fun without feeling the strain in your pockets.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Nashville:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Photo from Nashvilleneighborhoods

Nashville has so much music history, great place to go if you’re an avid country music lover. Just relax, stroll the parks and museums, and enjoy the live music all around. 

Check out the cheapest rates for:

14 Austin, Texas

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Ready for some fun and adventure? Austin is the place to go if you want it all from exploring mother nature, enjoying the live music scene, to eating some of the best food. There’s tons to do in Austin without needing to penny pinch.

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Nashville:

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill

Austin is a hip city where there’s an abundance of great live music, good food, and drinks. Not too far from downtown you can still experience the serenity of mother nature at its finest. You will surely have tons of fun without breaking the bank.  

Check out the cheapest rates for:

15 Los Angeles, California

Sure, Los Angeles may be home to the rich and famous but don’t let that stop you from visiting. Los Angeles offers so much to do with budget in mind as long as you know what to do and where to go. 

Fun and Cheap or Free Things to do in Los Angeles:

  • Don’t miss the incredible views and the iconic Hollywood Sign, all you need to do is go to the Griffith Observatory

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
  • Watch some improv at Asssscat

  • Visit Paramount Ranch to get a glimpse into the old Wild West, Hollywood’s movie set

  • Get your camera ready for the Urban Light exhibit

  • Check out awesome mind-bending architecture at The Disney Concert Hall

15 Fun and Cheap Places to Travel in the US - MyFinancialHill
  • Get those instagrammable shots at L.A.’s murals 

Los Angeles will be a memorable trip from experiencing all different cultures to checking out the museums, beaches, possibly spotting some celebrities, and so much more. You can still have tons of memorable fun without counting pennies.  

Check out the cheapest rates for:

Summary

There you have it, 15 amazing trips to take here in the US without breaking the bank. 

Taking a short trip or vacation doesn't have to cost too much. 

You can still have tons of fun and explore these cities while staying on budget. 

Hope you have fun on your next adventure. 

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Debt, Debt Journey

March 2020 $77,339 Debt Pay off Journey

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

It’s been 18 months since my husband and I first started our journey to pay off debt. When we first decided to get serious about paying off debt we had a total of $116,000! Mind you, our combined yearly income is $120,000-$130,000 gross. Basically, we had almost ONE YEAR’s worth of gross earnings worth of DEBT! It’s mind boggling how far in debt we were and we just didn’t want to face the reality of it all.

Read More: How to Get Out of Debt With These 5 Tips

September of 2018

September of 2018 is when we finally snapped out of it. Prior to this month, we tried to find ways to save money here and there also tried to pay off debt our own way. Months and months, years and years went by and our debt was piling up to our necks and we continued to turn a blind eye and just kept telling ourselves to keep using credit (because you can buy whatever you want and just pay the minimum). So obviously our way was not working. So September was a turning point for us. My husband had a co-worker who mentioned  Dave Ramsey and how she ended up paying off her house listening to him. We were inspired and got hooked. We also started listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast which also kept us motivated.

For those who are familiar with Dave Ramsey’s principle steps of paying off debt knows that there are something he teaches called the ‘Baby Steps’.

Photo: Everydollar.com Post: How to win with money in 7 easy baby steps

Are Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps In The Right Order?

So here’s the deal, we didn’t follow Dave Ramsey’s baby steps to the tee and still managed to pay off over $77K of debt in 18 months. I am SO glad we didn’t follow his steps because look at what happened these past few months- COVID-19!! Seriously, who the heck would’ve ever thought a pandemic would cause economic destruction resulting in millions of people not being able to work. Step 1 of the baby step is to have an emergency fund, which we had starting in September of 2018. Step 2 of the baby step is to pay off ALL DEBT besides the home. Then, the 3rd step is to save for 3-6 months worth of expenses for an addition to the emergency fund. Can you imagine if we listened to those steps and spent all our money paying off $116,000 off debt? We would’ve been stuck during this time with no 3-6 months of savings. This is where we deviated from his plan. We had a couple months expenses saved prior to starting this debt paying journey and just held on to that. Now, it serves as a cushion because currently I cannot work!

Save For Emergencies Before Throwing All Money At Debt

COVID-19 serves as a bleak reminder that we can NEVER predict the future! The most important lesson I have learned is that it is always better to be safe than sorry. The smartest thing you can do is to always save for emergencies. The savings can either be 2-6 months of expenses in case something unexpected happens because you just never really know what tomorrow will bring. When we first started the debt paying journey in September 2018, we had about 2-5 months worth of expenses put away in a high interest savings account just in case. So it was easy for us to start throwing money at our debt because we had the cushion to fall back on just in case either of us lost our jobs.

One thing that did help us tremendously was taking out a Personal Loan of over $20,000 a few years back. We used that money to move out of a really expensive city and get settled in the new area. That was actually the best thing that we did to help propel us forward to live better. We used part of the personal loan for moving costs and a year later we used half of it for a down payment of a house. We put about $10,000 down for a new home because we wanted a place to call our own. Read below on how you can save money from buying your first home, learn from our first time home buying mistakes!

Read more: Home Buying Tips to Save Thousands

The remainder of the personal loan was applied towards debt and also put away into a savings account where it accrues close to 2%. It’s actually nice seeing the account balance grow every month (totally passive). In a way, I am very thankful we took out a Personal Loan because we probably wouldn’t be at the place we are at today without it. The most important tip for starting your own debt paying journey is to not throw all your money at debt unless you have a decent emergency fund of 2-6 months!

Budget, Budget, Budget!

I couldn’t have paid off over $77K worth of debt had it not been for budgeting. I tried budgeting prior to the debt paying journey but never really got the hang of it. I never understood the concept. It’s actually really easy and I love budgeting now because it allows me to have control over my money.

Budgeting is very simple and I follow the zero based budgeting system. I’ll give you an example of a zero based budget.

Zero Based Budget MyFinancialHill
Husband Monthly Income$2,000Mortgage/Rent $1,200
Wife’s Monthly Income$2,000 Utilities, Food, Ins., Car, Pet, Savings, Debt, etc. $2,800
Total Income $4,000 Total Expenses $4,000

It’s a very simple concept to understand. Whatever income you have coming in each month, you must assign all the money towards your monthly expenses. Basically, at the end of each month you should be left with a zero balance (Income-Expenses). Don’t be alarmed, I don’t mean having a zero balance in your account, I mean having a zero balance on the budget plan.

Once you start budgeting, it will help you keep track of all your necessary and unnecessary expenses, it will also help you quickly discover why you may be living paycheck to paycheck and why all the money keeps disappearing.

Read more: How to Budget Your Money For Beginners

Budgeting is the most important aspect of this entire process, it will give you an idea of where all your money needs to go each month and help you keep track of it. Plus it will help curb all unnecessary spending. It will allow you to think twice before making a large purchase and help figure out if you have enough in your budget to cover those costs. It will also help you determine if you will have any extra money left over to throw at debt.

Confronting The Monster in The Closet

We couldn’t have taken the first steps to get out of debt without facing the reality of our financial circumstance. When we listed all our debt 18 months ago, we had a total of $116,000, ranging from 8 credit cards, 1 car loan, 2 medical loans, 2 student loans, and 2 personal loans. Now we only have 1 student loan and 1 family personal loan left to go.

Are you ready to confront the monster in the closet AKA debt. Get a pen/paper or type it out, whatever you prefer. Create a list of ALL YOUR DEBT from smallest balance to the largest balance on the bottom of the list. Now you know what you’re working with. Don’t be afraid when you see your total debt amount, it’s just a number. You can definitely pay down your debt too, but keep in mind that your journey will be a marathon, not a sprint unless you hit the lotto!

With the list on hand, you will target the first item on the list using the Snowball method. I’ve used this method to pay off over $77K of debt in 18 months so far and I’m still using it. It’s a very easy and motivating method that you can also try to tackle your debt. Read how you can use the snowball method to apply to your situation below.

Read more: How to Get Out of Debt with these 5 Tips

Now’s The Time to Start Finding Savings

For those of you are not able to work now because of COVID-19, it is a perfect time to look for ways to save in each and every category of your budget. Find ways to cut unnecessary food costs, shop for more affordable car insurance/renter’s insurance/home insurance, look for cheaper phone carriers, and more.

During this month, I found a major way to save on payments going out for the month. My student loan payment that must be paid is about $400. I called up my student loan provider and asked for a forbearance due to COVID-19 and being out of work. Basically, they are able to stop payments required on my account due to COVID-19 for 3-4 months and on top of that they are waiving all interest accrued for that duration. How awesome is that? Do you have student loans as well? Call them up and ask for a forbearance too, it will help free up some money for these rough months also it will save you so much of accrued interest during this time.

Read more:

95 Best Money Saving Tips to Start Now

Tips to Save Money on Your Phone Bill

Easy Ways to Save Money on Food and Groceries

Find Ways to Make Extra Money During COVID-19

Feb-March is when states slowly started implementing stay at home orders and businesses started closing down. Millions of Americans are now out of work. It may be difficult now but the government is rolling out help for citizens. There is the stimulus checks set to go out soon and also ramping up of unemployment benefits that may help make ends meet for people. However, what if you still need some extra money coming in while staying safe during these times?

The best way to make some extra money on the side would be to start selling items around the house. Do you have clothes, accessories, shoes, or electronics laying around the house collecting dust? Sell them to make some extra money. This way you can still earn some side cash without putting yourself at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 2020 Debt Payoff Progress

At the end of this month, I found $3,610 in overage from budgeting. Combining the $3,610 with our debt snowball rollover amount of $1,669 leaves us with $5,279. Where in the world did we get $3,610? It was both our combined tax return amount plus a temporary job assignment I took on one of my days off. Since we have our emergency fund in place, we throw every extra money we have at our remaining debt. We now have a total debt remaining balance of $38,661. We paid off $77,339 so far in 18 months. Slowly but surely, we’re chipping away! Key take away is before throwing all your money at debt, save for your emergency fund as well. Also, use your tax return wisely!

Are you ready to start your own debt free journey? Get started by grabbing this free Debt Thermometer and join us in the free 5-Day Debt Free Bootcamp to pay off $500 worth of debt in your first month.


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Money

How To Deal With Being Poor As A Teenager

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Let’s face it, being a teenager is hard. Especially when so many aspects of life is out of your control like your financial situation. There are ways to deal with financial circumstance and how you perceive it. We’ll dive a little deeper into how to deal with feeling poor as a teenager in this day and age.

Teenage life should be full of fun, building friendships, and socializing. Sometimes that may not be the case at all. Some teens may have very stressful lives filled with feeling insecure, inadequate, low self esteem, often times resulting from not having sufficient financial means. Sure people say all teens should focus on is school. But school is the place where many teens feel inadequate because they tend to compare themselves to their peers.

Growing up poor as a teenager could be one of life’s hardest things to endure. Your life and especially the financial situation you may be in is completely out of your control. If you want the best clothes, newest phone, makeup, or shoes, you most likely have to ask your parent/s. Depending on their financial status depends on whether you can get those items.

If you’re reading this and you are a teen who thinks you are “poor”, try not to be so hard on yourself! Most importantly, do not let material objects define you as a person. Stay strong because there will come a time where you will earn your own money and eventually lead the life you desire. Until then, there are ways you may be able to make some side money to buy certain things and to save! Let’s look at some ways that can help you deal with being poor as a teen.

Cover Your Basic Necessities

How to Deal With Being Poor as a Teen - MyFinancialHill
Photo by Eea Ikeda

First and foremost, you have to make sure that you have food and proper shelter. If you’re enrolled in school please talk to a school counselor or even a mentor. If you belong to a religious organization, reach out to any of the leaders. They will have information in regards to guiding you to the right people to help you with basic necessities like food and shelter.

If your family’s struggling to pay bills, put food on the plate, or keep up with rent/housing payments then reaching out for some help is the best solution. There’s a lot of programs out there that can definitely help you and your family out in times of need.

Jobs For Those Who Are Not Old Enough

If your household is struggling financially, the last thing you want to do is go to your folks to ask them for money. Sure, as a teen you should focus on school and playing with friends. If you ever find some spare time, why not make the most out of it? Make some cash!

If you’re at least 13, there’s small jobs you can do to earn some money. You can earn some bucks on Swagbucks, earn some money around the neighborhood, and even come up with a great idea for YouTube.

  • Take surveys online
    • Swagbucks – Minimum age is 13, you most likely will need your parent’s permission before joining. Get a $10 welcome bonus. You earn points by taking polls, surveys, watch videos, play games, complete daily goals, and by referring others. Those points convert to cash via PayPal or gift cards through Amazon, Walmart, Visa, iTunes, Starbucks, eBay, and more.
  • Babysitter
  • Dog Walker
  • Lawn Care
  • Clear out snow
  • Sell crafts you make
  • Sell lemonade/baked goods
  • Are you talented? Post a YouTube video of your talents (if underage, ask your parents to post it for you)

Find Ways To Save Money

There are little ways you can help your family without sacrificing your childhood. You and your family can get cash back when grocery shopping or online shopping.

Ibotta

With Ibotta, you get real cash back when you grocery shop or shop online. They have over 300 stores that participate with them. For example, do you or your family shop at places like Kroger, H-E-B, C-Town, Aldi, Foodtown, Randalls, SHOP ‘n SAVE, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart?

You and your family could be losing out on free cash back shopping at those places. Ibotta is really easy to use.

  • 1. Look for the store you plan to shop at.
  • 2. Scroll through the items you and your family plan to buy and add it to your list.
  • 3. Get your store receipt and scan it.
  • 4. Get money back!

Sign up for free at Ibotta and use the code YDIGCFJ to get your $20 welcome bonus

Checkout 51 Cash Back App

Checkout 51 is very similar to Ibotta. You and your family can get cash back from groceries and hygiene products. Just upload your receipt and redeem for cash once you hit $20. What’s great about Checkout 51 is that your family can get cash back at the gas pump too and they offer a digital Prescription Savings Card which can save up to 80% on medications.

Checkout 51 has multiple items that also allow manufacturer’s coupons as well.

Sign up for free and get your $5 bonus at Checkout 51 to start earning cash back the easy way.
Tip: Earn $2 when you upload your first receipt and $1 for each receipt three times after that which gives you a total of $5 bonus cash.

GetUpside Cash Back App

GetUpside is another easy cash back app to use. You can get money back on restaurants, groceries (Washington D.C. area), and gas.

Your family can earn cash back from getting gas and also from fast food places like Burger King, Popeyes, and more.

You can see savings as much as 35% at restaurants, 15% at grocery stores, and 25c/gal of gas.

It’s very easy to use, all you have to do is claim the offer presented, simply upload your receipt, and get cash back. Once you hit $15, you can get cash back via PayPal or reach $50 to get a cash payout.

Download GetUpside and use the promo code U5NBX to get $7 cash back on your first purchase

Fetch Rewards App

Fetch Rewards is another easy app you can use to earn cash back to redeem for gift cards or magazine subscriptions. You can certainly use the gift cards for yourself or give them out as presents during holidays and birthdays.

All you need to do is scan your receipts from most grocery stores, pharmacy, convenience store, and big retailers. You will then earn points which you can redeem for gift cards or magazine subscriptions.

Use the code 7JKFH when you sign up to Fetch Rewards and you’ll get 2,000 Fetch Points ($2.00 in points)
You can also refer others and earn 2,000 points ($2) yourself and your friend/family will earn 2,000 points ($2) as well.

Rakuten

If your family ever does any online shopping, then they could be missing out on free money.

Rakuten gets you money back via PayPal or gift cards when you shop online via their site. They have over 3,000 major stores listed on their site along with how much money back they’re offering.

Some of the stores they have listed are Kohl’s, Walmart, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, JCPenny, Target, and 3,000 others.

When you and your family buy something online, always go to Rakuten first to see if there’s any cash back offers. Then, click on “Shop Now” from Rakuten and you will be forwarded to the retailer’s site to shop as normal. After the purchase, you’ll get cash back to your Rakuten account.

Sign up today with Rakuten to get $10 in a welcome bonus and be on your way to start earning cash back for online purchases. Don’t miss out on FREE MONEY!

Groupon

Groupon is an awesome site that can get you and and your family some major savings. I’ve seen deals as much as 92% off.

For example, if you and your family wanted to enjoy a manicure day but can’t afford the high costs, checking out Groupon can help you all find some major deals in your local area.

Just the other day, I found a deal on Groupon for a women’s haircut at $9 which was 50% off. There are tons more.

Sign up for free here at Groupon to start getting your MEGA savings.

You and your family can save a lot of money by using the right apps and sites. Why not get cash back, it’s free money. The more savings you all find, the more you’ll have in your pockets. Plus, most of these apps and sites are offering you sign up bonuses which can get you over $40 in total. That’s not too bad just by doing what you all normally do.

Find out 95 more ways you and your family can save tons of money.

Read More: Best Money Saving Tips to Start Now

Where To Get Clothes For Cheap

How to Deal With Being Poor as a Teen - MyFinancialHill
Photo by Felipe Galvan

If you made some extra money doing any one of those jobs listed above then you can buy some extra clothes you think looks nice.

No, you don’t have to go straight to the mall and buy a $50 top or a pair of hundred dollar sneakers.

Check out thrift stores or low cost retailers! There are some great thrift stores out there that sell real designer clothing at a fraction of the cost. Some items may be worn and you can even find some that still have tags (never worn). You can easily find local thrift stores near you with a simple Google search or check some out online.

Popular Online Thrift Stores

You can also find stylish and name brand clothes with huge discounts at the following retail stores. You’ll get way more for your money compared to shopping at the mall.

Popular Low Cost Retail Stores

  • Ross Stores
  • Kohl’s
  • TJ Maxx
  • Marshall’s

Where To Get Nice Cellphones For Free

Being a teen is all about fitting in. There are ways to do that without needing to spend tons of money. If your family is strapped for cash and can’t afford to get you a nice cellphone, look into Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile, or Metro by T-Mobile.

Affordable Cell Phone Carriers to Look Into:

  • Cricket Wireless
    • Unlimited talk, text, internet – 1 line $55 and 2 lines $80
  • Boost Mobile
    • Unlimited talk, text, internet – 1 line $45 drops to $35 a month after 6 months and 2 lines $80
  • Metro by T-Mobile
    • Unlimited talk, text, internet – 1 line $55 and 2 lines $80

These cellphone carriers have ridiculously cheap cell phone plans with no hidden costs plus they offer a wide array of super nice cellphones for free! Ask your parent/s to look into these companies.

Changing Your Mindset

How to Deal With Being Poor as a Teen - MyFinancialHill
Photo by Peter Fogden

The most important aspect of who you are is your mind!

Don’t let your current situation get you down! Your financial situation of not being able to get all the things you want now doesn’t mean that you will live that life forever. Remember, it’s only temporary.

Most importantly, who you are today does not predict who you will be tomorrow. You will change, your circumstances will change, ultimately you will live your own life as an adult in a few more years.

“Who you are today does not predict who you will be tomorrow”

One thing to keep in mind is to change your mentality. Very important!

Don’t compare yourself to others and what they have. That kind of thinking leads to money problems later on in life. That is why most Americans are in debt. Now, that is something you don’t want.

An example of having debt is when people borrow money from banks and credit cards to get what they want and don’t really need. Having a lot of debt leads to money problems. It’s important to understand how to properly handle money. It is called budgeting and you are never to young to understand how to properly handle money so that you can learn how to be smart when you actually get money coming in.

Related: How To Budget Your Money For Beginners

Budgeting will teach you how to properly spend your money. Let’s say you made $200 babysitting, you can plan to spend $100 on nice clothes at less expensive retailers and thrift stores and plan to save the other $100 in a savings account. Learning how to properly spend your money wisely will help you tremendously in your life whether it be as a teen or in your adult life.

Change Your Future

As mentioned before, your current money situation does not define who you are as a person. You must look towards the future and take steps to be the person who you want to be. Let’s look at a few famous people who changed their life paths and reached financial success. I’m sure you will know who these people are, they grew up in poor households yet became millionaires and billionaires. If they can do it, so can you!

Oprah Winfrey

Estimated net worth 2.9 billion

I’m sure you know who she is! Well, she was raised from humble beginnings. She grew up without having running water or electricity as stated in an interview with Barbara Walters. She didn’t let that stop her, she pursued her dreams to work in radio and television. Now, according to Business Insider, she has an estimated net worth of 2.9 billion! She is a prime example of someone who didn’t let her past define who she was going to be in the future.

“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work”

Oprah Winfrey

Jan Koum

Estimate net worth 9.1 billion

Jan Koum was born in Ukraine and moved to California when he was 16. He and his mother lived in government housing. He swept floors at a store to make enough money to get by. He later taught himself computer skills and ultimately co-founded WhatsApp which is the world’s most popular messaging service. Facebook later bought the messaging service for $22 billion in 2014.

Celine Dion

Estimate net worth 37.5 million

Celine Dion was one in 14 children. Her family struggled to support her and all her siblings. Growing up, she said there were 3 or 4 siblings who had to sleep in the same bed. She didn’t let her situation define her. She chose to go after her passion of singing. She was the artist behind her top songs “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic and “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”. She is now estimated to have a net worth of 37.5 million.

Howard Schultz

Estimated net worth 3 billion

Howard Schultz was 3 years old when his family moved into a public housing project in Brooklyn, NY. His family struggled with money due to his father getting injured and being laid off without any benefits. Howard says he worked and obtained loans just to get through school and even sold his blood for cash to get by. After college, he worked at jobs and eventually got linked to Starbucks where he took charge in the 1980s and launched the brand into the world’s most recognized coffee shop. Now his net worth is at 3 billion.

Takeaway

Let these famous people be your role models and help you to aspire to achieve your goals. Whatever those aspirations may be whether it is a talk show host, entrepreneur, singer, tech creator, and more. There are no limits to what you can achieve.

Don’t let your current situation hold you back from achieving your dreams. What you have in your possessions doesn’t define who you are inside. Sure, things may seem difficult but know that it won’t stay that way forever.

If you’re concerned about money at the moment, you can make some money even if you’re 13 years old. Also, learning how to save money can keep more in your pockets. It’ll be one of your greatest skills growing up to be an adult.

Most importantly, always think of your future. Dream of where you want to be as an adult and take the small steps to get there. Overall, try to enjoy being a teen. Have fun with your friends and family, enjoy all the great happy moments. Once you grow up, you’ll actually miss those days a lot.


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Lifestyle

5 Essential Products For A Happy And Healthy Dog That Saves Money

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Taking care of dogs is not a small task to take on. Over 15 years of raising dogs, I’ve come across 5 essential products for raising a happy and healthy dog that will save you money by keeping your dogs out of the vets office. Just like humans, our furry friends have needs too! They need love, proper hygiene, medication when they get sick, toys, and treats. Our pets are a part of the family and they deserve to be taken care of properly just like one of our own. 

Related: Best Money Saving Tips To Start Now

5 Essential Products For A Happy And Healthy Dog

Do you love your dogs? Do you want them to be happy and healthy as possible? There are a few products I’ve discovered over the years of raising dogs that has helped tremendously with keeping them from getting sick with infections and ultimately avoiding unnecessary vet visits. Dogs experience ailments which may include ear infections, gum disease/dental infections, diarrhea and upset stomach. Check out these top products that I can truly attest to and hopefully will help keep your pups from getting sick too. In addition, I’ve added two of both my dog’s favorite treat and toy as a recommendation that keeps my dogs happy, hope your dog’s will love too!

1| Ear Cleaning Product For Prevention Of Dog Ear Infections

Ear Cleaner For Dogs - Essential For A Happy and Healthy Pet - My Financial Hill
Photo By Karsten Winegeart

Raising dogs is a rewarding experience. They’re so loyal and will always be by your side no matter what.

The tricky part is, we have to be a mind reader when it comes to taking care of them.

Since they can’t speak or tell you what’s wrong, we have to figure out if they’re uncomfortable or in pain. It’s about picking up on certain behaviors which tell us that something’s just not right.

For example, does your dog ever shake their head or scratch their ears a lot?

It can usually mean there’s something going on with their ears, maybe a possible ear infection or irritated ears.

A lot of dogs have big floppy ears and sometimes air doesn’t circulate well through them, which leaves it a breeding ground for bacteria build up.

Just like how we all have to clean our ears, dog’s need their ears cleaned too.

My dog used to get ear infections and irritations a lot. Once I started using Vet’s Best Ear Care Kit after her grooming, she never had ear issues ever again.

What I like about Vet’s Best Ear Cleaner is that it contains natural ingredients like chamomile, clove oil, tea tree oil, and aloe vera to help soothe and fight bacteria in the ears. It’s also alcohol-free which helps prevent stinging.

This $10 kit lasts well over a year and probably saved me hundreds in vet bills! I have to say that Vet’s Best Ear Cleaner Kit has been one of the most essential products that help keep my dog’s healthy.

Vet’s Best Ear Cleaner Kit $10.49

How I use Vet’s Best Ear Cleaner:

  • Trim ear hair with small blunted scissors 
  • Take out a few or several q-tips 
  • Take a q-tip at a time and apply the “Ear Wash” liquid directly on the q-tip
  • Gently clean the part of pet’s ear that can visibly be seen (careful not to bring q-tip too far in to the canal)
  • Keep repeating last step until q-tip is clean and not filled with wax/dark debris
  • You can also take a paper towel or towel and apply the “Ear Wash” solution to wipe down inner ear if there is too much debris to clean
  • After the ear is cleaned of debris, take a q-tip and apply a very small amount of the “Ear Dry” solution on to the q-tip
  • Carefully, apply it gently along the outer wall of ear canal (careful not to bring q-tip too far in to the canal)
  • After a few days to one week, check the pet’s ears
  • Repeat the process if there is build up again

Another important tip to keep in mind is to not let water go into your dog’s ears. It can result in irritation or infections if it’s not dried properly.

When cleaning your dog’s ears, just use the Vet’s Best Ear Cleaner. There’s no need to wash inside your dog’s ears.

If your dog has irritated ears, use the ear cleaner after you groom them according to the directions. If it doesn’t resolve after a few days then it’s probably best to bring the dog in to the Vet to have it checked out.

2| Dog Toothpaste For Prevention Of Gum Disease

Toothpaste For Dogs - Essential For A Happy and Healthy Pet - My Financial Hill
Photo by Lucian Dachman

Did you know that dogs can develop gum disease too? Just like people, dogs also secrete minerals in their saliva and eventually form into tartar which adheres to their teeth. The bacteria and tartar can eventually lead to gum disease and dental infections. Gum disease and dental infections can be very painful conditions where dogs and people alike eventually lose teeth and bone in the mouth. That’s why even for people it is recommended to brush at least twice a day and to floss daily. 

So let’s be real here, I’m not talking about trying to floss and brush your dog’s teeth after every meal. Realistically, people have a hard time even doing that for themselves. At least try to aim for once a day teeth brushing for your dogs. Your pockets will thank you in the long run. Dental treatment for dogs can run from hundreds to thousands of dollars! 

My co-worker recently had a dog go through with 14 teeth extractions and dental cleaning and it costed her well over $1,200. On top of all that, the poor dog was very sick and in tremendous pain because his body was trying to fight off the dental infections which persisted for who knows how long.

Moral of this story is to prevent dental disease, suffering of your dog, and save lots of $$$ by brushing your dog’s teeth at home every day.

Toothpaste

SENTRY Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste

Toothbrush/Finger Brushes

Toothbrush Kit

How To Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

  • Secure your pet in between your arms so they don’t get to escape. 
  • Introduce the toothpaste to your dog by placing a very small amount on the toothbrush and give them a little taste. They may like the poultry flavor of Petrodex.
  • Next, hold one side of their cheek open and gently use a toothbrush to brush from their molars forward, repeating on the opposite side.
  • Don’t forget their front teeth and canines! 
  • For my furry dogs, I use a baby’s toothbrush for the sides of their teeth and use the rubber finger brush for their front teeth. Don’t forget the inside parts of their teeth too, especially the lower teeth! 
  • You will find what method works best for you and your pet.
  • If your dog doesn’t let you get far with brushing their teeth it’s okay. Try again the next day. 
  • Sometimes it may take many tries to finally get them used to the brushing. 
  • Now my dogs come right up to me every night when it’s time to get their teeth brushed. 
  • Remember to also praise your pets so they associate teeth brushing with a positive tasty experience!

Keeping your pet’s teeth clean will ultimately keep them free of any dental issues caused from gum disease. They can live long lives with dental free problems. Ultimately, this can also save you tons of money by not needing to get their teeth cleaned all the time and also putting their health at risk by putting them to sleep in the process. 

Teeth brushing is important but if your pet already has severe dental tartar, red swollen gums, and bad breath please bring them to the vet to get them professionally checked and cleaned. The tooth brushing is a preventative measure and not a 100% cure all treatment for dental gum disease in dogs. 

3| Best Dog Product For Diarrhea Treatment

Anti-Diarrhea Treatment For Dogs - Essential For A Happy and Healthy Pet - My Financial Hill
Photo By Charles Deluvio

Has your dog ever had diarrhea before? Pretty sure it has. Sometimes it often resolves on its own which is great news. What if it doesn’t and your dog has diarrhea all over your house? 

Yes, this has happened to me plenty of times. I have small dogs that are kept in the home. Unfortunately, when they have accidents they can’t hold, it turns into a smelly nightmare all over the house!

When feeding dogs treats and transitioning different foods, sometimes their stomachs may be too sensitive or unable to handle the food change. I have even had both of my dogs have diarrhea at the same time which lasted more than a week!

I was desperate to try something over the counter before spending hundreds to bring both my dogs to the vet. That’s where Well & Good Dog Anti-Diarrhea Liquid came to the rescue.

Well & Good Dog Anti-Diarrhea Liquid

This product is amazing. I followed the instructions and gave it to both my dogs right before meals for 3 days. By the end of the third day, no more diarrhea accidents! It was a miracle. I ultimately saved hundreds of dollars. The key is to administer it diligently and follow the dosage requirements according to the dog’s weight. Also, evaluate what gave the dog an upset stomach in the first place

Oral Syringe and Dispenser

I have used this medicine on 3 other occasions and it has worked like a charm. If you followed instructions for this medicine and your doggy is still experiencing symptoms then definitely bring it to the vet. 

FYI: If Amazon doesn’t have this product, get it at HERE at Petco! It’ll be good to have this on hand just in case your dogs gets an upset stomach. 

4| Best Toy To Keep Your Dog Happy

Dog Toy - Essential For A Happy and Healthy Pet - My Financial Hill
Photo By Kara Eads

Are you looking for something to keep your dog busy? Look no further, this interactive dog toy/treat dispenser will keep your dog plenty busy and happy! My house is literally filled with numerous dog toys but there is one that my dog is obsessed with! 

StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy


This toy also functions like a puzzle. There’s two compartments which hold treats/kibble. It gets dispensed by the toy being knocked around. You can also control how hard you want your dog to work at to get the treat by adjusting the size of the dispenser holes. My dog gets very obsessed with this toy and it keeps him busy for a long time. 

5| Best Natural Dog Treat For Happy Dogs

Have you ever looked at the ingredients of dog treats? There are so many artificial additives and preservatives added to most of them. Some ingredients have even been linked to cancer. I try to give my dogs the most natural treats and dog food I can find. That’s why I recommend Freeze Dried Liver Treats.

Stewart Pro-Treat, Freeze Dried Dog Treats, Grain Free, USA Made

What I love about this treat is that it only has 1 ingredient that consists of 100% pure beef liver, that’s it! No artificial flavors, additives, or preservatives. Plus it’s processed in the USA! Your dog’s will love these treats just like mine does. 

Takeaway

Being a dog owner is a great experience and it comes with a lot of responsibility. Dog’s need a lot of care from their teeth to their tummies. They need play time and delicious treats every once in a while.

Over 15+ years of being a dog owner, these products came in handy for keeping my pets happy and healthy. I hope these products and tips can do the same for your pets.


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Lifestyle

Cruise To Mexico On A Budget Spent Only $200 For Everything

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Going on a cruise can be a lot of fun. You set sail, enjoy the beautiful ocean views, island hop, explore different places, and just have a blast! But of course, cruises aren’t free or are they? Sure, going on a cruise can cost you a lot of money. But, there’s ways to enjoy a cruise to Mexico even if you’re on a budget.

We actually got our cruise fully paid for with credit card points. Find out tips and tricks on how you can get your free cruise too. 

Related: A FREE 5 NIGHT CRUISE WITH CREDIT CARD POINTS

We used our credit card points to pay for all costs of a 5 night Carnival Cruise to Mexico. The total cost for the cruise came about to be almost $1,000. We were able to apply our credit card points to cover the full $1,000. This meant that we got a FREE 5 night cruise trip!

Just because we got a free cruise trip didn’t mean we planned on blowing a lot of money on the trip. We only ended up spending $200 for the full 5 night cruise which went to two different islands.

If you’re planning to go on one, there’s a few tips that I’ll share so that you can also have a blast without breaking the bank.

1 Save on Beverages

If you have never been on a cruise, be warned that you will be bombarded with drinks (alcohol, sodas, coffee) everywhere! The downside is, it’s not free! You’re going to have to pay for every single drink and it can really add up.

To save money on drinks, you’ve got to be prepared.

Cruise lines may usually offer a drink package which allow you to drink cocktails, coffee, sodas, all at a cost. It can be about $50 per person/day. That can easily tack on $250 per person for a 5 day cruise trip.

If possible, skip the drink package.

What you can do instead is bring your own wine or soda on board.

Drinks To Bring On Carnival

  • 1 750 ml bottle of wine per person
  • 12 sealed cans per person
  • Cannot bring on water

Different cruise lines have their own set of rules regarding what you can bring on ship. It’s important to check their rules before deciding to bring your own drinks on board. The last thing you want to happen is have it confiscated.

For Carnival, we skipped the drink package and brought on 2 of our wine bottles and a case of soda. Since, we couldn’t bring water, we ordered some to the room.

Avoid The Corkage Fee

One thing to keep in mind when bringing your own wine is how to avoid the annoying “Corkage Fee”.

Whatever you do, don’t bring your wine bottle to dinner at one of the cruise ship’s main formal dining halls. They’re going to charge you a fee. It can be anywhere from $14-$15.

What you can do instead is, bring the wine to any of their informal dining options so they won’t charge you.

Check For Drink Specials

When you’re on the ship, you’ll most likely get an itinerary booklet. It’s going to have all the day’s events, specials, entertainment, and more. Check it out, it’s going to have some great things in there.

Some days, they’ll even have specials for drinks.

For example, one day Carnival was running a special on beers for 50%. Instead of a $6 beer, we got them for $3. You can save the most on drinks if you find those specials.

Cost: $15 for beers

Overall, you can save hundreds by bringing your own wine, avoiding the corkage fee, and looking for deals on drinks.

2 Free Dining

Another way you can end up spending money when you don’t have to is by paying for dining at one of the specialty restaurants.

Why spend money on the food when there’s tons of free dining options?

Remember when I mentioned the little itinerary booklet with all the specials, deals, and events? It’s also a good reference tool to find out which restaurants cost money.

If you want to save some money, make sure you avoid the restaurants that charge you.

On Carnival, there were so many free dining options to choose from.

  • Main Dining Room
  • Lido Restaurant (Buffet)
  • Pizza Pirate – Open 24 hours, fresh pizza
  • Guy’s Burger Joint – Customized burgers
  • Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que – BBQ
  • Bluelguana Cantina – Mexican food
  • Fresh Creations – Salad bar
  • Pasta Bella – Pastas
  • Swirls – 24/7 Frozen yogurt
  • Carnival Delie – Deli sandwiches
  • SeaDogs – Hot dogs
  • Off The Grill – Burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, chicken tenders, and fries
  • Room Service – A lot of free items to choose from like, continental breakfast, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and more.

There were so many free dining options to choose from, we didn’t have time to eat at all the restaurants.

3 Free Events

The itinerary on Carnival Cruise Line was ridiculous, in a good way! Literally every hour, there’s always something going on. You definitely won’t be bored.

If you’re not careful, this is another way you can easily spend money. They have a lot of free events/shows/and entertainment. Some of the events do cost money so just be careful.

Some events that could cost money is the poker, whiskey tasting, spa treatments, and so much more.

We avoided all the events that had a charge except one which was Bingo. We paid $15 for 3 tickets and ended up winning $5 back from a free scratcher they gave out.

Tip: If you want to play Bingo, wait till later on in the trip because the prize amount will increase significantly

Overall, all the events were enjoyable. There were comedy shows, evening performances, trivia, and more. We had so much fun! Carnival’s entertainment was awesome!

Cost: $15 on Bingo for 3 tickets

4 Land Ho’-Day 1 on Land

Once you hit land, you’re probably going to explore the island. Again, you could end up spending a lot if you book tons of excursions.

Instead of booking those expensive packages, explore the island on your own. Go on an adventure.

You’d be surprised how much fun you could have!

Rent a Scooter in Cozumel, Mexico

Our first stop was Cozumel, Mexico. We rented a motorized scooter and paid $35 for the rental and insurance all included. We also negotiated with the renter, we could’ve easily spent double had we not haggled.

Cost: $35 for scooter rental

Man and Woman Riding Around in Scooter Cozumel Cruise to Mexico On a Budget - My Financial Hill

Riding around in the scooter was so much fun!

If you’re ever in Cozumel, try it out.

When you get off the dock, there will be a line of businesses along the street that rent scooters. Talk to a few of the vendors and find the best deal. That’s the good part about Mexico, you’ll get far with haggling.

Once you get your scooter, the vendor can give you a map or directions to get around Cozumel. It’s really not hard at all. It was actually pretty safe too. There’s a separate pathway for scooters far from the main road which makes riding around much safer and very scenic.

We zipped around Cozumel, ate at a local restaurant, bought some souvenirs, went snorkeling in Playa Palancar (Beach), and headed back to the ship in the late afternoon.

Cost: $24 consisting of $10 for Tacos, $10 for sunglasses and $4 magnets at a local store

Go On Your Own Snorkeling Expedition

You don’t have to pay for a snorkeling expedition, you can just do it yourself. Plus, a lot of the paid expeditions will bring everyone to the same beach which makes it really crowded. You can easily go off on your own adventure and find different beaches in Cozumel that’s not as packed.

When we got to Playa Palancar, we whipped out our own snorkeling gear and checked out the fishes/lobsters in the water. We had our own snorkeling expedition!

You can basically have your own snorkeling fun for free.

One thing to keep in mind is, if you’re on the beach you will most likely have to pay for beach chairs and umbrellas.

We paid a fee of $10 to rent chairs and a shared umbrella. We didn’t mind since we got to stay out of the sun and leave our belongings on the chairs. 

Cost: $10 Rental Beach Chairs and Umbrella 

Skip The Beach Umbrella and Chair Fee

So, of course you could always save that $10 and skip the beach chair and umbrella. Or you could get it for free!

After a couple of hours of snorkeling, we decided to eat at the restaurant that sat right on the beach. They were offering free beach chairs and an umbrella if you ordered something from them.

We ended up ordering a fajita platter and soda for a little snack before we headed back to the ship.

Cost: $15 Fajita Platter and Soda

Tip: If you plan on eating by the beach, check to see if they offer free beach chairs and umbrellas. That way, you don’t have to pay unnecessarily.

Check Out The Small Shops Along The Road

Drinking Coconut By The Beach Cruise to Mexico On a Budget - My Financial Hill

On the way back to the cruise port, we stopped by a coconut stand on the side of the road to get a coconut drink! It was the best coconut drink I ever had. The gentleman made it fresh on the spot! 

Cost: $6 Coconut drink with rum added (Regular coconut drink $3)

There were a few shops along the road from Playa Palancar going back to the ship.

They sold things from beautiful hand woven blankets, clothes, souvenirs, and fresh coconut drinks. It’s definitely worth checking out.

5 Day 2 on Land

If you’re on a 4-5 night cruise, chances are you’ll be stopping off at more than 1 port.

Our second stop in Mexico was Progreso.

We did so much in Cozumel that we wanted to just take it easy in Progreso.

Take a Free Shuttle To The Beach

Two Beach Chairs With Umbrella By Progreso Beach Cruise to Mexico On a Budget - My Financial Hill

When you get off the ship, there will be free shuttles available to take you to the nearest beach called Playa Puerto Progreso.

Once you get off the free shuttle, all you need to do is walk 5 minutes to the beach. It’s very close by.

The beach of Progreso is actually very laid back. It wasn’t really crowded, the water was a warm turquoise color, the sand was nice and soft, overall it was a nice beach.

Get Free Beach Chairs and Umbrella

Just like most beach areas, those chairs and umbrella’s aren’t free.

Walk along the beach and try to haggle with different vendors to see what they offer.

Some may offer free beach chairs and an umbrella if you order from their restaurant. That’s what we did.

The great part is, you don’t have to step foot into the restaurant. It’s close by the beach so the waiter will come to you, take your order, and bring you food / drinks. It’s actually very nice to hang out right on the beach and enjoy some delicious fried fish and drinks.

Overall, we did splurge a little bit at this particular place because we wanted to enjoy our scrumptious fried fish by the water and drinks. We ended up spending $50, $20 for the fish dish, $20 for drinks, and $10 went towards tip and tax. Overall, I don’t regret it since it was our last land day before going back on the cruise ship. 

Cost: $50 Lunch/Drinks on the beach

After our beach day we were headed back towards the shuttle and went through the market. We picked up 2 magnets for $5 for souvenirs. 

Cost: $5 for Souvenirs

Once we got back on the cruise ship, we enjoyed one more day of being on the cruise ship since we were sailing back to our home port. It was sad to have the trip come to an end. 

6 Debarkation 

If you ever go on any Carnival cruise trip, be prepared to have a lot of fun. The best part about cruises are that you can have a great time without spending a lot of money.

Don’t fall into the trap thinking that a few dollars spent here and there isn’t much. It can really add up.

Once your trip comes to an end, you’re going to get an overall bill for everything you purchased while on the cruise.

If you were mindful and didn’t overspend, then the total shouldn’t be shocking.

Ours came out to under $1,000, which we paid for fully using credit card points. We also ended up spending $200 cash in total for a 5 night cruise, which isn’t too shabby I’d say.

One thing I need to mention is try saving some money for your cabin steward. They do such an amazing job and getting your room nice and clean all day, it seems. They definitely deserve a nice tip. We tipped our steward $25, however I think he deserved much more than that. I’m going to have to increase my budget for our next steward.

Cost: $25 Tip for cabin steward

Total Spent:

  • $15 for beers
  • $15 on Bingo for 3 tickets
  • $35 for scooter rental
  • $24 consisting of $10 for Tacos, $10 for sunglasses and $4 magnets at a local store
  • $10 Rental Beach Chairs and Umbrella 
  • $15 Fajita Platter and Soda
  • $6 Coconut drink with rum added (Regular coconut drink $3)
  • $50 Lunch/drinks on the beach
  • $5 for Souvenirs
  • $25 Tip for cabin steward
  • TOTAL $200

Budget Friendly Cruise Tips:

  • Bring your own case of sodas/wine and purchase the cruise’s water package 
  • Avoid the corkage fee by avoiding bringing your own wine to formal dining areas
  • Avoid purchasing the cruise line’s drink package, it can tack on additional $280-$300 per person
  • Check out their drink special discounts (We purchased beers at 50% off on the cruise ship when they advertised)
  • Try their no-fee dining options
  • Stick with their no-fee activities (There are tons of them)
  • If you want to try playing bingo, wait till their jackpot gets higher (usually towards the end of the trip)
  • Try to avoid booking the excursions and go for your own adventure
  • Sodas and other beverages can quickly add up, bring your own bottled water especially when on land. 
  • When purchasing anything in Mexico, try to negotiate, a lot of the vendors will haggle with you
  • Try not to buy too many souvenirs (Do you really need to buy all your co-workers, friends, family something? It can really add up)

Takeaway

If you’re looking to go on a nice cruise, it doesn’t have to put a strain on your finances. Even you could get a free cruise, or even spend minimally while still being able to have tons of fun.

What’s the point in life if you can’t enjoy it. You can still go on great trips and vacations but being budget conscious can help you save more money for your next adventures.


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Money

How To Budget Your Money For Beginners

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

Do you work hard for your money only to find that at the end of the month, you have no idea where it all went? What that means is you don’t have control over your money. But how come you don’t control your money? I mean, you or your household busts your butt to earn money right? Well, if you don’t have a system in place, then it’s hard to keep track of how you spend your hard earned cash. I’ll show you how to budget your money that even beginners can do. 

What Is A Budget?

To put things simply, a budget is a plan you set on how to spend your money over a certain period of time.

For instance, you can create a monthly budget which tracks your income and all your planned expenses for the month.

Sure, you can create a weekly or yearly budget. I really recommend sticking with a monthly budget. It’s not too time consuming as a weekly one or too lax in case of the yearly budget.

What Is The Purpose of a Budget?

A budget helps you take control over your money.

Don’t be scared off by this concept. You’ll be surprised, budgeting can really help get your financial situation in shape.

Also, just because you budget doesn’t mean you have to cut all the things you want out. No, not at all!

You can still buy the things you want, go on trips, and still have fun while getting your finances right. It’s all in the planning.

Why Budgeting Matters

So, budgeting helps you take the reigns of your finances. But, why does that matter?

Are you struggling financially? Have debt? Can’t seem to save a penny? Live paycheck to paycheck? Can’t afford that nice vacation? Working so hard but don’t feel like you have anything to show for it? Over drafting on payments? Always getting hit with late charges on bills? The list goes on and on.

Having a budgeting plan will help you to finally see what you can do with your money. Think of a budget as a way to help you:

  • See Exactly Where Your Money is Going
  • Pay Down Debt
  • Save Money
  • Have Money to Invest For Your Retirement
  • Start Keeping Track of Bills
  • Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
  • Buy The Things You Want
  • Take That Nice Vacation
  • Saves You Stress From Finances

Budgeting matters because it gives you the reigns over your financial life. You get to control how to spend your hard earned money. Don’t you want to be in control?

Zero Based Budget

There’s a lot of budgeting systems out there. The one that I prefer to use is called a Zero Based Budgeting system.

Zero Based Budgeting is my favorite because it’s very simple to understand and implement.

Basically, all you do is take your monthly income amount and plan all your expenses for the month.

For example, let’s say your household brought in $4,000 for the month. You’ll take that amount and start planning to set spending amounts for categories like rent/mortgage, utilites, food, etc. See example below. You pretty much want to make sure that you’ve planned every single dollar towards a spending category.

Zero Based Budget MyFinancialHill

The whole idea behind this budgeting method is that you’ll do your best not to go over your set budget amounts. It’s super easy.

You can easily do this with a pen and paper.

Jot down your income and on one side go ahead and think of all your spending categories for your household.

Budget Items

When creating your budget, it’s important to list as many budgeting categories as you can.

List all your monthly expenses along with savings, and future expenses.

For example, start by listing all your necessary expenses for the month which may include:

  • Mortgage/rent
  • Electric, water, gas
  • Phone
  • Cable/internet
  • Car loan/insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Medical payments
  • Debt payments

Then you can add budget items for your savings fund which can be:

  • Emergency fund (3-6 month worth of expenses)
  • Cushion (1-2 month worth of expenses)
  • Retirement account

Next you can add items for future expenses which can include:

  • Kid’s braces
  • Furniture
  • Vacation
  • School tuition
  • Car maintenance

Every month, you can plan to set aside some money for each of budget line item within your own customized budget.

Keeping Tabs on Your Budget

Now that you’ve created your budget, it’s super important to keep track of all your budget items.

For instance, if you planned to set aside $500 a month for food and groceries, how will you know if you’ve spent more than $500 or less than $500?

This is why you’ll have to keep track of what you’ve spent for the month.

Then you can compare what you’ve actually spent to what you originally planned to spend for your budget items.

It’ll be a good idea to aim to stay within your budgeted amounts.

Evaluating Your Budget

At the end of the month, you’re going to see how you did overall.

Did you overspend in your budget or did you have a lot of money left over?

This will help you determine which budget line items to change and which ones you should leave alone.

For instance, did you plan to spend $600 on food but only spent $300? Then you can easily change your budget amount for food to $300 going forward.

If you’ve overspent on certain budget line items then you may have to make adjustments to accommodate the higher amount for the next month’s budget.

Overall, your budget is not set in stone and you can definitely customize it as you go along. But the whole point is to always make sure you’re trying to stay close to the budget.

Takeaway

Overall, budgeting can really change your life. It’ll help you see things you’re spending money on unnecessarily. It can also help you find tons of savings.

Once you set up your initial budget, it should be easy peazy from there. All you have to do is check in on your budget once or twice a month.

I highly recommend budgeting to help stay on track of your finances. It’s been so important in our debt payoff journey. We’ve paid off over $100,000 in 24 months and I accredit that to keeping a proper budget and saving money.

Do you need some more guidance when it comes to budgeting? I walk you through from A to Z and show you exactly how to create, set up, and use a budget monthly with one of my printables which is editable and does calculations for you. It’s part of My Financial Hill Budgeting Kit which also comes with tons of other resources that can help you finally take control of your money and get out of debt.

Grab the My Financial Hill Budgeting Kit

You can also get started by grabbing your free Debt Thermometer and join us in the free 5-Day Debt Free Bootcamp which will help you knock out your first $500 worth of debt within the first month.

 


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How Buying A Used Car Can Save You Thousands | Money Saving Tips
Money

Buying a Car Used Can Save You Thousands

We partner with some awesome companies that offer products which can help our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive a commission at absolutely no additional cost to you! Please see my Policy & Disclosure page for full details. 

B uying a car used can save you thousands! Who doesn’t want that brand spanking new car? You’ll be shocked to see how much money you can save by making the choice to buy a used car instead.

One thing you’ve got to keep in mind is that a car is considered an asset that loses value over time for the most part. Well, that’s unless you have one of those super rare beauty’s that you never drive around. Realistically, the average person buys regular cars that typically lose it’s value and that’s called depreciation.

How much does a car depreciate over time? 

Did you know that your brand new car starts to lose value as soon as you drive it off the lot! According to Car Fax, it’ll most likely lose 10% of it’s value during the first month as you happily drive it off the lot!

It’ll continue to depreciate and after the first 12 months the value will drop by 20%. It’ll keep losing it’s value year after year by 10%.

Think twice before deciding to buy a new car.

You can find used cars in excellent condition with much of the depreciation already taken place so you can get it at a fraction of the original cost. Check out Edmunds to check your car appraisal and to look for used cars.

First Year – New car can lose 20% to 30% of it’s value

By the Fifth Year – New car can lose as much as 60% of it’s original sticker price

How will car depreciation affect me?

Let’s look at a scenario with our fictional character Joe who landed a good paying job out of college. He’s a bachelor and living the prime of his life. Joe always wanted a smoking hot mustang so one day he went out and decided to get one.

First Scenario – Joe Got a New Car

Joe went to a dealership and found a nice looking one mustang for $40,000. It seemed like a lot of money but he figured if he finances it, he can certainly afford the monthly payments  He saved a couple thousand already so he put that money towards his down payment, financing fees, taxes, etc. 

Fast forward up to 5 years later, Joe met his wife and now is happily married. Joe’s wife Kate also has a small car. They’ve been managing just fine with two small vehicles. One day, Joe and Kate decide to have children. It turns out Kate is pregnant with twins and about to give birth in a few months! They decide that their two small cars just won’t cut it especially with twins on the way.

Joe and Kate decide that they need a new car preferably a much larger minivan or SUV. Joe finally paid off his mustang. He loves his car but they need a new vehicle plus some cash to start his new family.

JOE’S 2014 MUSTANG$40,000
4.21% FINANCING INTEREST$4,427
FINANCING FEES, TAXES, DOCUMENTATION, ETC.$1,800
TOTAL PAID IN 5 YEARS – 2019$46,227

Since Joe and Kate needed a new car, they decided to get a trade in value estimate for both their cars. Kate’s car had a trade in value of $1,800 and Joe’s car had a value of $16,000. Unfortunately, they both decided to sacrifice Joe’s beloved mustang due to the higher trade in value. Let’s calculate how much Joe lost in 5 years once he trades in his new car.

TOTAL JOE PAID FOR HIS MUSTANG + INTEREST + FEES$46,227
TRADE IN VALUE IN 2019$16,000
TOTAL LOSS IN 5 YEARS-$30,227

Can you believe that Joe lost roughly $30K in 5 years? That’s an equivalent of throwing $6,045 a year down the trash just to drive the new car. Now, let’s see how Joe’s situation turns out if he bought a used car instead.

Second Scenario – Joe Got a Used Car

What if Joe first bought a used mustang and ended up trading that in? For instance, let’s say Joe bought a used mustang for $18,000 with 65,000 miles on it instead of the brand new one for $40,000. 5 years later when it came time to trade in that car, how much would he lose with the used car vs. the new car?

JOE’S USED MUSTANG WITH 65,000 MILES (ALL FEES INC.)$18,000
TRADE IN VALUE AFTER 5 YEARS OF USE WITH 130,000 MILES$11,000
TOTAL LOSS IN 5 YEARS-$7,000

Ultimately, Joe would save roughly $23,000 if he buys a used car rather than a new car. Depreciation is REAL and it hits hard, especially with new vehicles.

TOTAL LOSS IN 5 YEARS – JOE’S NEW MUSTANG$30,227
TOTAL LOSS IN 5 YEARS – JOE’S USED MUSTANG $7,000
TOTAL SAVED IF JOE BUYS THE USED MUSTANG$23,000

Saving $23,000 in 5 years sounds pretty good to me. That money can easily go towards getting out of debt, savings, or retirement accounts. It’s easy to lose track of how much we’re TRULY spending when buying new cars over used cars.

Another aspect to keep in mind when buying new cars are financing fees. Let’s be real here, a majority of people do not have $25,000-$60,000 lying around. Most people will have to finance their new cars.

Not only do you have to pay a hefty amount for a new car, there’s interest tacked on for financing plus loan fees. This can tack on thousands of dollars more to owning a new car.

Do you want to find out how much your car would be appraised for? Go to Edmunds-Appraisal Tool to find out how much it’s worth if you’re deciding on selling it.

Financing Burden

Financing a car whether it’s new or used can significantly add on more costs to owning a car. When taking out a loan for a car, there are certain major factors to consider.

  • Loan origination fees
  • Interest rates from 2%-15.24% (even higher)
  • Need full coverage car insurance

Who doesn’t want a nice and brand new car? Are the extra factors of depreciation and financing all worth it in the long run? I don’t think so!

I had a co-worker who financed a brand new Nissan Maxima. She was paying $500-$600 a month for the car and an extra $350 every month for the full coverage insurance. That is almost a whopping $1,000 a month! Just for a car that’s depreciating in value! 

You can be wasting a lot of extra money on unnecessary costs when financing a car. The best choice would be to buy a used car in full so that way, you can avoid all the extra fees that comes along with financing.

Is Buying a Used Car Worth It?

Buying A Car Used Can Save You Thousands - My Financial Hill

When we look at Joe’s comparison from buying a new car vs. a used car. He would save an upwards of $23,000 in 5 years if he were to choose the used mustang. That’s a lot of money I’d say. New cars can depreciate nearly 60% after 5 years.

Not only can you use a lot more money from depreciation, you can waste even more by financing a car.

Buying a fully paid for used car is the way to go!

Buying used doesn’t mean you have to get a broken down car. There are TONS of used cars out there that are in perfectly excellent condition and much more affordable. When I bought my used car for $14,000, it was 2010 and already had about 40,000 miles on it. Yes, I financed it because I had no choice at the time. Now it’s fully paid off now and I will not finance another vehicle. My used car is still running great! In the 5 years I had the car all I did were oil changes, 2 new tires, and a tune up. That’s it!

Another great part about buying a used car is that although it will depreciate over time, the majority of the decrease in value already took place. So by the time you buy it, the price should be a lot more reasonable with all the depreciation that’s taken place. You could get more bang for your buck.

What to Consider When Buying Used

When buying used cars, there are other precautions that can be taken to make sure that you will not end up with a lemon. 

When purchasing your used car at a dealership, most of the time they will provide you with a carfax report. You can also have the used car inspected prior to purchase. Most often, test driving will also be allowed.

Also, if you go to a reputable used car dealership, they will fix any minor repairs that you uncover in the allotted time frame. One thing to keep in mind when it comes down to the actual purchase of the car is that you can do quick research on the make and model of the car on Kelley Blue Book. If the dealership marked up the price significantly, there is room to negotiate if you can find comparable prices of what the car should actually cost. 

Buying a used car from a private seller will in most cases be sold as is and they will not fix anything for you once you drive it off. However, the price of the used car will usually be less than dealerships. 

Buying a used car from a dealership may offer you better protections than buying from a private seller.

Takeaway

Most of us rely on cars. It helps us get to work, grocery shopping, picking up the kids, run errands, and so much more. A car can be a blessing or a financial burden.

Don’t let buying a car seep more money out your pockets when you don’t have to.

Buying a used car over a new one can save you thousands. Plus, it may be better to avoid financing any car. If you can, save up and pay for the car in cash. There’s lots of reliable used cars out there which can last you 10+ years.

And remember, money saved is money earned. Don’t give other people/companies/banks your hard earned money when it’s avoidable.

If you found this tip about saving money on cars useful, check out my other money saving tip posts.

95 Best Money Saving Tips to Start Now

How we Saved Over $500 a Month on Food and Drinks

Home Buying Tips to Save Thousands

How we Saved Over $60 a Month on Our Cellphone Bill

How We Paid Off $50,000 Within 10 Months

Did you know that getting out of debt can also be saving you hundreds of extra dollars a month. We’ve knocked out over $100,000 in 24 months using these tips from the free 5-Day Debt Free Bootcamp. Start your debt free journey with this free Debt Thermometer to begin.


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