It may sound cliché at a time like this to talk about self-care because that has been the biggest tip to help with overcoming the stresses in this season. Most may not consider the importance of such advice. However, I would like to add that self-care can help save money while still being effective and simple. Besides, the point of self-care is to reduce stress and saving money helps reduce stress as well – why not have double-up on the stress reduction?!?!

Consider what is your ideal activity for self-care. A massage. A nice shampoo and deep conditioning under the hair dryer. A beautiful mani and pedi. Curling up in a comfy chair with a blanket to read your favorite novel. Sipping warm tea while watching an amazing sunrise. Taking an afternoon long nap on a rainy day. Whatever your ideal activity is, consider ways to save money doing it or how it is already saving you money to help you relax even more.

My self-care activities include reading, writing in my journal, cooking (yes, this is something that helps me relax…LOL), spending quality time with my husband and/or son. Those are ways I save money. Now, I do like going to a salon or spa. However, there are seasons I cannot do those because I need to save money. I then invest in quality products for home use and practice those self-care activities at home. For example, I invested in Malibu C shampoo and conditioner for hard water because we have hard water, but I still wanted my hair to be healthy when doing at home hair care. High-quality product and it has helped my hair a lot! I still saved money while yet have quality salon products for home use.

The other investment is Rossi dipping powder kit. I recommend checking out their website but for you Amazon enthusiasts, they have some Rossi dip powders there too. I know a mani and pedi with any a gel or dip powder can add up if done regularly. Invest in your own to do at home and you save money while having quality and beautiful nails at home.

These are just a few items of self-care that can help you save money in the long. I would LOVE to hear how you do self-care while saving money too! Leave comments below.

Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash

I am no accountant. I am not a money expert. I am a woman who has lived 38 years of life and understand that if I do not manage money properly, I can end up in some bad situations. I have been asked by some people do I know how to budget. My answer is always yes because I do from a general life perspective. However, I will admit there are a lot of budgeting methods out there and that is why one method of budgeting does not fit all.

My budget method changed when I got married. Hold on, let me tell the real truth: I did not know how to budget until I got out college. I knew the concept of budgeting but to say I had a budget while in college would be a lie. I was single for about a year out of college and I began to budget then. My single life budget method changed once I got married. I had to take into account how my spending habits effects more than just myself. The way I budget for our household works because we are living peacefully and our debts are maintained to the point where they are being paid off.

Do I go by some overall percentage rule? No. Do I budget down to the last dollar where I get to $0? No. Some people need these types of methods to help them reach significant life goals. However, some people desire simple ideas when it comes to money management. I recommend doing a lot of research to see what works best for you. Read simple books; even old books. I took the time to read books like The Richest Man in Babylon and even the The Total Money Makeover. I also done Biblical studies on money management. What I recognize is the concept of implementing a budget is not difficult if you desire to overcome financial hardships. I know many people will argue they do not make enough to live the life they desire or possibly they do not make enough because of how much living cost. I understand those aspects because I have been in those situations. I have had to go through payday loans and maxed out credit cards because of unexpected situations. However, I learned some key concepts about budgeting that I now ensure I implement. Those key concepts are:

• Have an emergency savings. I am not going to tell you to have $500, $1000, or $6000. What I will tell you is to evaluate estimated costs for making it in case of the unexpected. For example, if you driving a luxury car, you'll want to ensure you have enough to cover major repairs. Definitely try to get something still within the factory warranty or invest in car maintenance insurance.
• Have an emergency credit card. I know some will disagree about having credit cards. It is not bad to have credit cards. It is bad when you continue to max out credit cards because you cannot control your spending habits. I have heard people have a major credit with a $5000 limit they do not use. It is just for emergencies only. This a good idea when it comes to home maintenance emergencies and even medical emergencies.
• Have an investment plan. If you do not have a job that offers 401(k) or something similar, look into starting an IRA, CD, or even a simple savings account with a good percentage rate, e.g. MySavingsDirect. We do an online savings account and a mix of low risk/high risk investments with a major investment company, e.g. Vanguard ETFs, Fundrise. We are not getting any younger so we are learning more about ensuring we have a stable retirement.

Now, I do encourage individuals to include these concepts in their budget plan. The overall goal of having a budget is help meet your personal and/or family financial goals. The budget is not meant to control you; it is meant for you to maintain self-control. We must admit that money and tangible items do not belong to us. We are only stewards over what is only temporary possession or ownership. We are blessed to possess wonderful and beautiful items but we cannot become so attached that we forget what really matters in life. Discover the joy and peace that comes with having a budget. Find the right budget method for you and your household. Below I will share two budget spreadsheets that I have shared with those who asked for my help with budgeting. No charge for those documents. You do need Microsoft Excel or a similar application to use them. If you would like any help with budgeting, email me and we can communicate via email on how to build your personal budget.

--Photo by Katie Harp on Unsplash

Question: Do you want to have a budget plan? If so, what will help you stick with having a budget plan? Leave a comment below.

There is a lot happening in the world. I do mean A LOT! It is hard to focus on just one thing or a few things anymore. If we are not trying to avoid becoming sick with a potential deadly virus, we are trying to find another job or hope that our current organization will rehire to full staffing soon. Financial hardship is being felt all around for most. Even those who may be financially wealthy are starting to empathize with others who are not as financially wealthy. This is why I encourage many people, including myself, to strive at focusing on daily essentials.

The essentials are those overall items that helps to maintain a less stressful life. Stress is inevitable. Some may categorize stress between good and bad. Either way: stress will always be around. When we can focus on the essentials, we can help lessen the pressure that stress causes. From the financial prospective, money management can be stressful. Especially if none is coming in. During this pandemic, my husband was furloughed so we had to review our household budget and reorganize how we would manage our money. We took the time to not become angry with certain circumstances and actually see them as a blessing! For example, I still worked but our daycare closed. Luckily, my husband was able to watch our baby (who was just 3.5 months when all shut downs began) and we still maintained a peaceful home. He did sign up for unemployment but for our household, it was not comparable to what my husband was making before. That is not a complaint. His unemployment helped with paying the essential bills, e.g. utilities, food, etc.

The truth is: we knew what our essentials were because we had a household budget. I manage our household budget and while no one plans for a pandemic, I must say the financial stress of all this has not been overwhelming for our household. This is not to brag. I am sharing because I hope to offer some tips and encouragement to others to become more financially stable, accountable, and responsible. Become great stewards of what we temporarily have while still alive. Also, let me drop this truth bomb too: I am a Christian and strive to be a better Christian daily. I believe in tithing and I believe if you can manage to tithe the full 10% or more in this season, do so. I also believe if you cannot maintain that full 10% or more in this season, do NOT feel ashamed! Do NOT feel guilty! In fact, pray even the more in this season and seek God in ways that you never considered before. I do believe God has a unique message for every single person in this season. It could be that being the "top tither" was blocking you from receiving an important lesson from God. I am not saying the tithing was wrong. We just have to remember the intent or motive behind what we do. If we are tithing to be known as the best tither or the perfect record tither then that is the wrong motive.

Know what your essentials are. Do not overthink. Essentials are simple. As a woman who actually likes to budget (weird, I know...LOL), I strive to not overthink when it comes to money. I am grateful for all that God has given us! How He has sustained us in this season! I encourage anyone who does not know what their essentials are, take the time and figure it out. Essentials can change over time. When you are retired, you may not consider having 3 or 4 cars essential. Or living in a home with more than 2 bedrooms as essential. Do not be afraid to budget because the budget is what helps identify what is essential.

--The Personal Budget Lady

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Question: How are you focusing on the essentials during this season? If you had a budget, do you think it helped? If you did not have a budget, do you think it would have helped?