In the journey toward financial freedom, celebrating wins, no matter how small, can be a game-changer. Acknowledging your progress and rewarding yourself along the way not only boosts morale but also keeps you motivated to continue on your path to financial success. The best part? Celebrating your financial wins doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are 50 affordable and even free ways to reward yourself for achieving your goals: At-Home Celebrations Host a DIY Spa Day: Treat yourself to a relaxing spa experience at home with a bubble bath and a face mask. Cook a Special Meal: Try out a new re ..read more

Staring at a massive debt balance can feel really overwhelming.  Debt usually balloons over time,  so it is vital to pay it off as soon as possible. If you’ve ever contemplated reducing your debt load, you might have come across two popular strategies: The Debt Snowball and its sibling the Debt Avalanche.  But which one is the real champ for your wallet? Some finance experts argue that one strategy is better than another but the truth is, you can’t go wrong with either (as long as you’re slaying your debt!) Understanding the Basics First things first, both methods almost exactly ..read more

The eternal struggle of balancing college dreams with financial realities just got a whole lot easier, thanks to a little loophole in the latest FAFSA update. The much-anticipated changes brought by the FAFSA Simplification Act have become a reality. That’s right – the U.S. Department of Education recently unveiled the 2024-25 FAFSA (aka Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and it’s bringing some game-changing updates with it. What’s the Scoop? In the past, there was a catch to having a grandparent 529. Withdrawals from these accounts were factored into FAFSA, potentially lowering a stud ..read more

Managing your bills can be overwhelming. You’ve gotta keep track of each bill, when it’s due and how much must be paid. And if you have a lot of bills, that can be very stressful. But if you struggle to stay on top of your bills, automating bill pay is one possible solution. One of the great benefits of online banking is auto bill paying. With auto bill payment, your bills are paid automatically on a preset date each month and your checking account, debit or credit card can be used as the payment source. I get it, it’s definitely comforting to know your bills will be handled each month with a ..read more

Technology has come a long way but with all of these advancements, there’s the downside of vulnerability. And that vulnerability is exactly what people who are up to no good are counting on to take advantage. So we must do what we can to protect ourselves and our money. Most credit card companies offer some sort of credit score and basic identity theft service. This service provides you with an updated credit score, usually once a month, and will alert you to any suspicious activity related to your social security number and other personal information like your phone number or address. We ..read more

This post contains affiliate links. No matter where you are on your financial journey, by now I’m sure you know that there’s a lot to learn about money. And when it comes to your money, it’s not necessarily the things you don’t know (though this is important too) but rather the incorrect things you believe, that cause many of the real challenges in life.  I’m talking about money beliefs. What we believe about money as a result of what we’ve been told or even how we were raised. Unfortunately, a lot of what we’ve believed about money isn’t true and all it takes is a few errors in your thin ..read more

Overspending is a big challenge for many of us. Our eyes get a little big for our wallets, and we give in to impulse. It’s actually like overeating. It’s the result of short-term thinking without giving the consequences full consideration before making the decision to do it. And if you think about it, spending money is kinda like a drug…a quick way to feel better. I know firsthand how challenging getting in control of your overspending can be, so I’ve rounded up 8 ways to help you keep your unnecessary spending in check: 1. Spend According to Your Budget You do have a budget right? R ..read more

Valentine’s Day is an occasion to show others that you care by giving gifts from the heart. I mean who wouldn’t want to give their loved one everything their heart desires? However, that’s just not feasible or necessary, and many store-bought gifts costs way too much, especially if you’re on a tight budget. The good news is you can have a great Valentine’s Day without spending a lot of money! Here are 5 money-saving gift ideas for Valentine’s Day: 1. Celebrate Early There’s no rule that says you can’t celebrate early. Valentine’s Day might officially fall on February 14th, but why not consider ..read more

This post contains affiliate links. The How Money Works team reached out to me a couple of months ago about checking out their book How Money Works: Stop Being a SUCKER. I had never heard of this book before and was looking for a new personal finance book to read but what can I say, it was the title for me. The title definitely sold it. I started reading it shortly after it arrived and the first thing I noticed was the community of characters introduced at the beginning. I found these characters to be like you and me or people we know which helped to set a relatable tone that’s carried throug ..read more

This post contains affiliate links. Whether you’re a household of 1 or 5, one can easily get carried away when shopping in the grocery store, which can make sticking to your grocery budget a challenge. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we spend an average of $7,700 on groceries every year, and an average of 41 minutes in the grocery store each visit. There are many ways to save time and money when it comes to grocery shopping, like shopping your pantry first, being on a cash budget, and ultimately sticking to a list of things you actually need. However, we’re human and it c ..read more