Ditchin' Debt

I am sick and tired of living paycheck to paycheck and constantly having to think ahead of my expenses, which is why I’m on this journey. This month was yet another month I did the bill date shuffle. What’s the bill date shuffle you may ask? The bill date shuffle is when you have a payment due that will drain your bank account so you can’t pay another bill in full. We’ve all done it, I just gave it a fun name. But it’s time to break this vicious cycle of living paycheck to paycheck and doing the last dance of the bill date shuffle. Easier said than done. This isn’t the first blog post I talk about this, and probably won’t be the last. But writing these blog posts is a good reminder for me to THINK about what I am buying before I buy it. Now, we did have some off chance medical visits that required a $30 copay here and there, which isn’t totally our fault. Anything that is out of my control I’m not going to stress about. But buying breakfast at work or buying an unnecessary item, that...

It’s that time of year again, the time where people blindly choose what kind of health coverage they are going to have for the next year. Most people stick with the same plan as the year before, but that may not be the best option for you. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned throughout my 5 years of working for health insurance. Price Price is a big factor in what plan you are choosing. Your work will probably offer one or two plans to choose from. So if you have two plans one is going to be cheaper than the other (hopefully). Option A: The lower-priced plan is most likely going to have a higher deductible you need to meet before your health insurance pays anything extra. Option B: The higher-priced plan will most likely have a smaller deductible then the cheaper plan. This is where understanding your plan, and what kind of situation medically you’re in. Understanding the plans My rule of thumb when choosing a plan is to think about next year. Are you sick often?...

Becoming debt-free is not a stroll in the park. Saving money is difficult, working overtime gets old fast, and becoming debt free is a long journey. Here are some road blocks I've encountered during my journey of getting out of debt.  Budgeting isn’t easy or simple  I have been budgeting for about two months now and I still somehow come up barely affording anything. There are a lot of apps out there that help you put your bills into categories which is great to see. But budgeting is so much more than just writing down your monthly payments. Budgeting is choosing not to buy X because you’re saving money or not go to some movie that’s in theaters because the movie ticket just isn't worth it right now. Budgeting = Sacrificing spending for fun for saving funds Overtime is draining  I work about 8-10 hours of overtime a week (depending on if I want to work on Sunday or not). I try to spread it out so I don't get burned out. I work an hour each day except Thursday ...

Efficiently shopping for groceries has become easier as more resources become available to us. The internet has made it easy to compare prices without leaving the comfort of your favorite chair! Here are some easy ways to save money on grocery shopping and to help you stay on budget! If you don't have a budget check out my blog post  Here  to see how I budget! Plan what you're going to buy ahead of time. When it comes to grocery shopping, you MUST think ahead. We have all been there. You go to turn down the chip aisle and it feels like you haven't eaten in what feels like days. Then you impulse buy and end up with $200 worth of junk food. That’s why you should come to the grocery store with a game plan and some recipes in mind. The recipes don’t have to be set in stone, some of the items on your list may not be on sale that week. But if you go in with a plan and think ahead you will more than likely not overspend.  Shop around (look for those deals!)  Market ...