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Food is expensive these days. With rising inflation, everyday items have become less affordable. Americans all over the country are having to revise and tighten their budgets, especially in the grocery category. Even though money may be tight, with some planning and creativity, and perhaps a nifty cookbook, you can still prepare great meals for your family without breaking the bank. Grocery shopping on a budget can seem daunting, but with the right resources, you can reduce your food spending and save some money. Grocery Shopping on a Budget: First, Learn To Cook Takeout might be eating away at your monthly food budget because you need to learn how to cook, or you don’t feel like you have time, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Cooking can be daunting for people who have never done it and feel like there’s not enough time in the day. Thankfully, the internet is full of cooking videos and blog posts, with recipes for every type of person. If you don’t know how to cook, let YouTube help you learn the basics. If you don’t feel like you have time to cook because you’re busy with work or kids, there are “quick and easy” recipes that take 30 minutes or less. Don’t blow your food budget on eating out every month; just put a little effort in and find the best meal types for your situation. Want to start meal planning? It’s easier than you think! Grab this free meal planner and shopping list and get your food budget under control! 1. Avoid Snack Packs It can be tempting to buy portion-controlled snack packs for your kids or yourself. They might seem like a healthy option, but you often pay more for the amount you’re getting, and they are only sometimes as healthy as they claim to be. Consider making your own “snack packs” at home using fresh fruits and veggies, nuts and dried berries, cheese, or whatever else you want to add. You can portion them into small Tupperware containers, so you still get the “portion-controlled” aspect. 2. Shop at Farmer’s Markets for Produce Consider shopping for fresh produce at your city’s local farmers’ market. Not only will you support local farmers, but their produce often has fewer pesticides and is significantly cheaper than that in most grocery stores. You can also make it a fun outing if you have kids. You can bring your dog, if you have one, and make it a family affair. The kids can help pick out their favorite fruits and veggies while taking advantage of the free samples most fruit stalls offer. 3. Sign Up for Grocery Store Emails If you want coupons sent directly to your inbox, sign up for your grocery store’s email newsletters. Stores will often send you printable coupons and grocery delivery or pickup offers. Make sure that you’re only using coupons for items that you need. Only some sales are good deals. The email newsletter could also inform you
Owning a home is a staple of the American dream. Economists and armchair financial advisors wax poetic about home ownership’s immense advantages over renting. However, … Read more
By Bryan Jepson, Guest Writer
Summer travel costs can rise fast once hotel rates, restaurant meals, gas, and attraction tickets start piling up. Many families want a break without coming home to a credit card bill that feels like a second vacation. The good news is that affordable summer travel still exists if you plan carefully and focus on simple … Read more
Hey everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather. It’s been a while since I posted an update. To be completely honest, blogging became much more difficult once I stopped posting every single week. There are always so many things to do around the house, and writing is much harder when I don’t stick to a strict schedule. Anyway, I promised to update my withdrawal plan, so here it is. This plan isn’t set in stone. We’ll constantly modify it to minimize taxes and respond to unforeseen circumstances. We will likely withdraw more in some years to cover “lumpy” expenses, like buying a new car. Life is full of surprises, and we’ll have to adapt as needed. Our early retirement withdrawal plan is flexible. Right now, we have almost $1 million combined in our taxable brokerage account and Treasury bonds. However, we also have changing family circumstances to navigate. Our parents are getting older and need more assistance. Because of this, we plan to move to California to be closer to Mrs. RB40’s family when our son finishes high school in 2029. As you’ll see below, this move is a massive factor in our financial timeline. (For context, I am 52.5 years old right now.) The Timeline: 2026 to 2049+ 2026 to 2028: The Early Years & Simplifying Real Estate 2026 is our first year of full retirement. Our active income will be minimal—probably around $5,000 from blogging and minor side gigs. Fortunately, Mrs. RB40 has a small pension of about $10,000 annually. More importantly, her retirement plan includes group health insurance coverage. We pay the same premium amount as we did when she was working, and it’s deducted directly from her pension. This is huge. Not having to worry about the ACA marketplace or healthcare costs gives us a lot of breathing room. Estimated Annual Expenses: ~$75,000 Active Income + Pension: ~$15,000 Passive Income (Dividends/Interest): ~$20,000 The Gap: We need to cover a shortfall of about $40,000. The Solution: Since we are moving to California in a few years, I am winding down our Portland rental real estate. We recently put our rental condo on the market. Once sold, it should generate roughly $150,000 after fees and taxes. This cash pool, combined with our other income streams, will fund the next 2 to 3 years of living expenses. Our Housing Adjustments: Currently, we live in a duplex and rent out the upstairs unit. However, I’ve asked our tenant to move out in 2027. RB40Jr is a teenager now and needs more space. One bathroom doesn’t cut it anymore. Mrs. RB40 also wants more room since she is home full-time. We will use the next few years to live comfortably in the whole property while fixing it up to get it ready for sale. It’s a big win that we resisted upsizing for 15 years. Most families expand their housing when they have kids. Note on a lumpy expense: I may purchase a new car
A vibrant assortment of vegetables cooking on a barbecue grill, perfect for summer gatherings.Image Source: Pexels The arrival of warm weather means it is finally time to fire up the grill for neighborhood gatherings. However, high meat prices and food inflation can make hosting a summer party feel very expensive. You do not have to spend a fortune to provide a delicious meal for your friends and family. Strategic planning and smart shopping allow you […]
Most estate planning conversations begin with questions about transferring wealth efficiently. Families want to know who inherits retirement accounts, whether a trust is necessary, how to avoid probate, and whether estate taxes will become a problem. Those are all legitimate concerns, but they are rarely what causes the greatest stress when a crisis actually unfolds. The breakdowns that destabilize families are usually operational. A surviving spouse suddenly cannot access accounts. Bills stop getting paid because everything […]
Old-fashioned frugal living is not about being cheap or missing out on life, but it is about using what you already have in a smarter and more thoughtful way. People in the past did not rely on constant shopping or quick fixes, they learned how to stretch every dollar and penny as far as possible. […]
Looking to revitalize your hair without breaking the bank? DIY hair oils are a fantastic way to nourish your locks naturally, and the best part is, you can whip them up at home with budget-friendly ingredients! In this guide, we’ve rounded up 10 easy and effective recipes that cater to various hair types, so you can customize your own blend and enjoy salon-quality results right in your kitchen. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(609); }); Rosemary Infused […]
How one woman saved $30,000, quit her job, and traveled the world for a year (then never stopped). Quitting your job to travel the world sounds unrealistic to many people. Maybe even irresponsible. But…for long-term traveler and creator Kesi Irvin from Kesi To and Fro, taking a career break to see the world felt necessary. […] The post How To Plan a Round the World Trip Step-by-Step with Kesi Irvin appeared first on The Thought […]
Most financial planning questions don’t start with pricing, but at some point, they tend to land there. If you’re considering working with a financial planner in Seattle, the conversation usually shifts to: What does this actually cost—and what am I paying for? Let’s walk through it together: What you’re paying How pricing works And how to think about the value behind it What Does “Fee-Only Financial Planner” Actually Mean? At its core, fee-only means: Your […]
I used to think that the purpose of budgeting was to get your spending as close as possible to what you predicted you would spend when you set your budget amounts at some earlier point, maybe a month, or even a year, in advance. No wonder so many people hate budgeting! That sounds like an impossible task! Allowing your budget to be flexible is the key to success! It’s okay to pivot mid-month when you […]
It can be challenging to sort through the huge list of budgeting apps to find which might work best for you and your family. In this Simplifi vs. Monarch Money review, we’ll examine two of the best budgeting apps available and present their benefits and downsides. While both Simplifi and Monarch Money are great choices, there’s probably one that you’ll prefer based on its unique features. Let’s look at each and see if we can […]