Book Review: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan The premise of this book is great. If you are the type of person that feels the need to manage 6 projects and assume that each project can take 40 hours a week of your time and that you … Continue reading Book Review: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Financial Independence (FI) Decisions: Cutting My 401(k)
Last week I wrote about discovering my personal WHY on Financial Independence (FI). I am working towards financial independence because I’m sick and tired of business leaders making less than smart decisions causing employees to pay the ultimate price through job eliminations, pay freezes, and reduction in benefits, then turn around and complain that they … Continue reading Financial Independence (FI) Decisions: Cutting My 401(k)
Top 7 Reasons For Going Paperless
Last week I had to go into a co-worker’s office to find and scan paperwork. I probably could have left notes all over their office in dust. I actually got to the point during one search to say if there is a thick film of dust than the papers they are looking for can’t be … Continue reading Top 7 Reasons For Going Paperless
Financial Independence: My Why
Over the years I have written about paying off debt, building an emergency fund, and decluttering/simplifying my life. And for those years I felt that I was missing the “why” in my story. Why do I want financial independence so badly? Why have I given up two and going on three years of shopping? Why … Continue reading Financial Independence: My Why
Why Politics and Personal Finance/Declutter Comments Don’t Work Together
Recently I have been noticing a lot more personal finance/declutter bloggers/podcasters commenting on politics. Some agree with my political point of view and some disagree with my political point of view. For those that are going political on their blogs/podcasts, you do you. I’m not going to be part of it. You may notice that … Continue reading Why Politics and Personal Finance/Declutter Comments Don’t Work Together
Moving my Emergency Fund
After listening and then pondering Episode 66 of the ChooseFI podcast, Big Ern got me thinking about my cash emergency fund. Big Ern outlined how to pay for an emergency in the event your emergency fund is not sitting under your mattress (essentially). Ok. Ok. He didn’t mentioned storing your cash under your mattress but … Continue reading Moving my Emergency Fund
Why You All Need Budgets
In my new role that I started in October, I am the official manager of financial planning and analysis. Basically I’m in charge of budgeting, forecasting, and solving problems with data. The hardest part about my job is seeing the frivolous spending while I see the bottom line get worse with each additional expense. Let’s … Continue reading Why You All Need Budgets
#Save21 Challenge
I don’t know about you but I just shredded my 2020 calendar. While 2020 was a challenging year, I am blessed to have found a new job with a raise, pay off my car, and move closer towards my retire early goals. Now that I own my car, I’m going to pivot and transition from … Continue reading #Save21 Challenge
How to Earn a Post Tax Raise in One Simple Step
I’m still checking my bank account every day to be sure that I really did pay my car loan off earlier this month. I’m shocked. I’m surprised. And I’m pretty sure this makes me a total badass! You know what I also got this month? A POST TAX RAISE. That’s right. See I was previously … Continue reading How to Earn a Post Tax Raise in One Simple Step
Why We Shop: Have You Met Diderot?
Recently I have been wondering why I haven’t been drawn to purchasing anything new. No new decorations for the house. No new kitchen appliances or gadgets. No new clothes or shoes. Nothing except for food and replacements to broken well used things. Then I heard about the Diderot Effect. A light bulb went off. When the French … Continue reading Why We Shop: Have You Met Diderot?
What If I Opt Out of Shipping
What happens if I opt out of shipping? I’m to the point that I would rather go without or actually go into a physical store than to keep submitting what seems to be an endless stream of lost package claims because one shipping carrier can’t seem to get it together. Let me quickly point out … Continue reading What If I Opt Out of Shipping
2021 Theme and Goal
After paying off my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek in 24.5 months (predicted this back in January) and finding a new job this year, I decided that 2020 is over. My themes for 2020 were SLOW and CREATE. I wanted to live more slowly, to give myself space to relax and be, and opt out of the … Continue reading 2021 Theme and Goal
I Own my Car
More details to come but I couldn’t wait for this major announcement:
November 2020 No Spend Update
It’s getting hot in here! My debt pay off is on fire! Every extra dollar not spent on necessities or allocated to savings is going right towards my car! November 1st Total Cash: $2,845.52 High Yield Savings Account: $3,001.53 Mutual Fund: $2,694.69 Current Car Debt: $5,840.46 Current Student Loan Debt: $45,644.12 November has been a … Continue reading November 2020 No Spend Update
Routines: Why You Need Them
Ever hear the phase “creature of habit?” Well us humans at all ages and life stages need routines. The level and intensity of your routine is up to you but we all need routines. Today I wanted to share my morning and nighttime routine to keep me organized, on time, and feeling energized. But first … Continue reading Routines: Why You Need Them
No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
Today’s post is to give you permission to say no. To say you have had enough. To walk away from a dumpster fire. 2020 has been hard enough and if you live in America, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. If you think that your creepy uncle or psycho aunt got nicer, think again. Today I’m giving you … Continue reading No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 4 Veggies/Sides
WELCOME BACK to my Eating Great Food on a Budget series! This article is going to focus on all things veggies and sides. If you are looking to eat on a budget, filling your plate with less expensive veggies is key. Plus if you are hosting a party it is a lot cheaper and easier … Continue reading Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 4 Veggies/Sides
Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 3 Pasta
WELCOME BACK to my Eating Great Food on a Budget series! This article is going to focus on all things pasta. Pasta dishes are overall cheap but cheap doesn’t have to be tasteless or crappy. If you tried my pulled pork from Part 1 or Mammy’s Italian Check from Part 2, you know that flavor … Continue reading Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 3 Pasta
Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 2: Chicken
Today I want to go through some of my go-to crowd pleasing favorites that I literally always have the stuff on hand to make. You will notice that these recipes are for chicken. Chicken is cheap. I’m trying to spend responsibly on food. We eat a lot of chicken. But if you hate chicken, don’t … Continue reading Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 2: Chicken
Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 1
Recently a wonderful person on Instagram asked me about how to manage a budget with respect to groceries and if I had any blog posts about the topic. Before I looked back in the archives, I listed a couple ways we keep the grocery bill reasonable in the DM. As I mentioned after reading the … Continue reading Eating Great Food on a Budget: Part 1
Book Review: Books I loved in October
As I mentioned on my October 2020 No Spend recap article, October was a whirlwind of a month. Rather than trying to go back in time, I’m starting November fresh. Here are the books that I read in October that I loved. If the book sucked, I noted it as such. Booty Bones (Sarah Booth Delaney … Continue reading Book Review: Books I loved in October
October 2020 No Spend
It’s been a while since I wrote a blog post. October was a whirlwind of activity. I set my 2020 professional theme as Create. Create meant to me to create the job I always wanted. Do the work that I love and kick the stuff that does not excite me to the curb. Back on … Continue reading October 2020 No Spend
Book Review: The Good Stuff by Emily Ley
The Good Stuff: Embracing a Sweet, Simple Life by Emily Ley Ever need a reminder to get you back on track? Well Emily Ley delivered the reminder on embracing the simply path with so much compassion and kindness that I didn’t realize she also gave me a swift kick in the ass at the same … Continue reading Book Review: The Good Stuff by Emily Ley
Book Review: Eat and Run by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman
Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek, Steve Friedman I loved Scott’s other book about attempting to set a new fastest known time record on the Appalachian Trail. If I’m going to be honest, this book fell short of my expectations. Maybe because I find vegans to be annoying at … Continue reading Book Review: Eat and Run by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman
Book Review: Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series by Carolyn Haines
Clearly the Sarah Booth Delaney series is binge worthy because I wrapped up three books in less than two weeks. In typical Carolyn Haines fashion, she sucks you in and shocks you with who did it. After reading over 10 of her books, I thought I would be able to figure it out. But nope! … Continue reading Book Review: Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series by Carolyn Haines
September 2020 No Spend
September 1st Total Cash: $9,288.12 Liquid Investments: $3,000.39 (3 Month CD – Matures 9/30) Savings Goal: $15,000.00 Money Left to Save: $2,711.49 Current Car Debt: $12,058.32 Current Student Loan Debt: $46,010.21 Last month I planned to pay an extra $750 on my student loans starting this month. Well, I paid extra on debt but I … Continue reading September 2020 No Spend
High Yield Savings Account: Emergency Fund
Last week I posted a huge announcement on the Beautiful.Minimal.Millennial Instagram account. It’s really huge. Like make the biggest extra payment ever in my life HUGE! Well that just happened last night. Mr. BMM and I were on a walk talking about finances and paying down debt. He made a suggestion on the order that … Continue reading High Yield Savings Account: Emergency Fund
Questioning What is Essential
What a year 2020! I mean 2020 started off on a high note and quickly became a dumpster fire of all dumpster fires. I think you can relate. We quickly determined what was essential vs. what really was great to have or do but wasn’t exactly essential. For me personally, I use to have a … Continue reading Questioning What is Essential
Best Planner for 2021
I don’t know about you but I’m ready for 2021. With the new year comes a new paper planner. Maybe I’m a unicorn of a millennial because I still use a paper planner but I don’t care. Each year I search the stores and the internet for the PERFECT PAPER PLANNER. I’m talking it gets … Continue reading Best Planner for 2021
Freedom of Screen Time Limits
When my phone smashed to smithereens last month, I decided to switch teams and order an iPhone. One of the main reasons was the customizing that could be easily done with an iPhone rather than searching for an android app to do the same thing. App Limits: I limit myself to 15 minutes of Instagram … Continue reading Freedom of Screen Time Limits
How Many Forks Do I Have?
It’s really interesting to sit back and observe humans. We all seem to be focused on being the best runner, the best employee, the best partner, the best minimalist, the best blah blah blah. We will search the internet for definitions and how to’s and tips/tricks in order to be the best. We act like … Continue reading How Many Forks Do I Have?
31 Day Declutter Challenge
If you have read any of my posts, you know I love to declutter, remove the excess, and pay off debt. I also love to listen to decuttering/organizing/debt pay off podcasts and read books on the same topics. There are a lot of decluttering challenges out there. Most of them focus on the stuff. The … Continue reading 31 Day Declutter Challenge
Budget Monday
Mondays can be rough. First day of the work week. First day back from the weekend. Monday. Ugg. Emails. Meetings. To do’s. OMG. But for me it’s Budget Monday! I love Budget Monday! I love my budget! So what happens on Budget Monday? Every single Monday morning I open up our excel budget and review … Continue reading Budget Monday
Quit Saying You are Too Tired or Too Busy
Americans seem to think the busier the better. They wear the badge of busy like it’s some type of high honor. The “I’m so tired” and “I’m so busy” are their go to responses to practically everything. Want to go for a walk? No, I’m so tired. Want to meet up for coffee? No, I’m … Continue reading Quit Saying You are Too Tired or Too Busy
Book Review: Wishbones (Sarah Booth Delaney #8) by Carolyn Haines
I still can’t remember how I came to love this series but I LOVE IT! The books within the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery series can stand alone but work so well with each other. I have been in the mood for some cozy mystery book reading and Wishbones delivered. Some readers did not care for … Continue reading Book Review: Wishbones (Sarah Booth Delaney #8) by Carolyn Haines
Nesting this Fall
Recently I have had this intense sense to declutter, clean, re-organize, and turn our house upside down. These feelings usually happen with the change of season. Typically my seasons follow the astronomical seasons or equinoxes, which all started with a roof top fall equinox guided meditation. Around each equinox I also smudge sage. It marks … Continue reading Nesting this Fall
Itching for a Smaller Capsule Wardrobe
Maintaining two capsule wardrobes seem to be taking a toll mentally. I periodically bring up this topic about what to do with my clothes during this new normal state. Here is the reality. It’s late August and I went into the office one time in five and a half months. I probably wore a dress … Continue reading Itching for a Smaller Capsule Wardrobe
Book Review: Country Living Tiny Homes by Country Living
Country Living Tiny Homes: Living Big in Small Spaces by Country Living Five star for this tiny little gem. Country Living Tiny Homes showcased homes ranging between 1,400 and 100 square feet. This book is set up with a chapter dedicated to a single home. I enjoyed seeing the creative designs for both storage and … Continue reading Book Review: Country Living Tiny Homes by Country Living
August 2020 No Spend Recap
August 1st Total Cash: $7,312.84 Liquid Investments: $3,000.57 (3 Month CD) Savings Goal: $15,000.00 Money Left to Save: $4,686.59 Current Car Debt: $12,232.04 Current Student Loan Debt: $46,251.38 August started with high hopes with going back to the salon part time and working Saturdays. I really missed the creative part of being a hair stylist. … Continue reading August 2020 No Spend Recap
How Much Does it Cost to Eat Per Day?
One day last week Mr. BMM and I were talking about expenses. He commented how expensive it must be to eat a Strongman diet. I asked him what he thought we spent per month on food, snacks, toilet paper, etc. He ever so sweetly thought we spent $300 a month. I kindly responded that we … Continue reading How Much Does it Cost to Eat Per Day?
Book Review: America’s Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides
Is it possible to grocery shop only once a month and spend $350 for a family of seven? Before you look at your current grocery budget, it is important to note that the $350 in 2007 equals $458.19 in 2020. “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 30.91% higher in 2020 versus 2007 (a … Continue reading Book Review: America’s Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides
Homemade Chocolate Energy Bars
I have been mentioning these bars in a couple posts recently and let’s just say I have to share the recipe. It can be vegan but it is grain free and gluten free. Blend for about 10-15 seconds: 1 cup cashews (I like raw but you can certainly try different types) 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds … Continue reading Homemade Chocolate Energy Bars
Decluttering During Quarantine
Two years ago I KonMari‘d my things before it was cool. Yet I am still finding things that do not spark joy or get much use. During our state shut down or when the rules of engagement continue to change or when I just don’t feel like driving to the donation center, I needed to … Continue reading Decluttering During Quarantine
Book Review: Little House Living by Merissa A. Alink
Little House Living: The Make-Your-Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self-Sufficient Lifeby Merissa A. Alink Not sure about you, but I enjoy reading books where the author is totally honest. You know the one that show you a glimpse into their not to perfect life. We are are only eight and a half months … Continue reading Book Review: Little House Living by Merissa A. Alink
The Day My Ninja Started Smoking
In January 2019 our Ninja started to smoke. January 2019 also happened to be my first month of my 2019 No Spend year. After a couple more days of using the Ninja the smoky smell disappeared. Then a couple months later the blade to make individual smoothies broke. That piece got replaced very quickly. Sometimes … Continue reading The Day My Ninja Started Smoking
Mr. BMM Learns to Cut Hair
Have you ever received a terrible haircut and had to have someone help you fix it? I have received so many unwanted mullets and terrible hair cuts that I lost track of the numbers and people responsible. I mean how on earth does it happen when I specifically state I want it a little shorter … Continue reading Mr. BMM Learns to Cut Hair
Book Review: Overkill by Paul A. Offit
Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit, M.D. Personally, I felt that the pandemic caused people to just accept information without question. I watched information change rapidly simply over masking. At one time we were told do not wear a mask unless you are sick, then it was mask daily but … Continue reading Book Review: Overkill by Paul A. Offit
FREE: Yoga – It’s Totally Possible
I absolutely love yoga. I feel stronger yet more flexible, calmer still with a side of sassy, and more at peace when I start my day with yoga. My yoga journey started back around 2002 when I picked up the MTV Yoga DVD featuring a member of The Real World show. That class helped me … Continue reading FREE: Yoga – It’s Totally Possible
Living Small for U.S. Standards
I remember seeing these homes that had more space, more bedrooms, more closets, more bathrooms, and more yard space. And I wanted one of them until reality set it. All of these homes needed new carpet and a fresh coat of paint throughout the house. The kitchens and bathrooms were stuck in the 1960s. Some … Continue reading Living Small for U.S. Standards
Book Review: Home Sweet Maison by Danielle Postel-Vinay
Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home by Danielle Postel-Vinay I am a huge fan of books from other countries that focus on a single topic or subject. I enjoyed Cosy from England, Ichigo Ichie from Japan, Making Memories, Hygge, and Lykee from Denmark, Sisu from Finland, and Lagom from Sweden just … Continue reading Book Review: Home Sweet Maison by Danielle Postel-Vinay
