budget talk
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News You Can Use
Welcome to a brand new feature on Budget Smart Girl for 2023. Every Friday I’ll share with you links to articles and videos that I think are worth checking out. The first one is from Marketwatch and if this is the year you want to start a rainy day fund or have extra money to put into a savings account, check out this article- https://www.marketwatch.com/picks/the-era-of-the-3-4-savings-account-has-finally-returned-so-here-are-7-actually-smart-ways-to-make-2023-the-year-you-save-far-more-01672775439? This next one comes from Yahoo Finance and yes, all these ideas about making your first million dollars are realistic and yes, doable- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/12-realistic-ways-first-1-190041168.html And finally, I love checking out videos on YouTube and one I found this week was from Frugal Fit Mom where…
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Happy Holidays
Here’s wishing you the happiest of this holiday season and to your success in 2023.
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Money Saving Tip-Save Seeds
One way to stretch a budget and be less wasteful is to make sure you use everything. I know you can’t eat all parts of fruits and vegetables but try saving seeds from things like tomatoes and peppers. Even try growing an avocado pit. I even have some apple seeds I’m going to give a try growing in the spring. Best thing you you don’t have to spend any more money because you’re sourcing it from something you’ve already paid for. I call that a win-win for budget smart people.
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Budget Minded Gift Ideas
Have you done all your holiday shopping yet? If you’re still looking, I’ve put together some ideas for you. These first ideas are items I found online and thought they were good buys, and a couple of them would be perfect for keeping a budget on track…yes, you could even pick up one for yourself too- Money Budget Binder I know everyone’s going to digital products but sometimes I like having a physical budget planner and I found this one on Etsy- https://www.etsy.com/listing/1355086439/a6-leather-notebook-binder-money-binder? 10K Money Saving Kit While I was on Etsy, I saw this money saving kit that can help you get to $10,000, great for that rainy day…
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Money Saving Tip-Let’s Get Baking
The holiday season means one thing, people bake more. Whether it be cookies or breads. Stores know this is prime baking time and hence put things like flour, sugar, butter etc. on sale to pull you into their store. If your budget allows, pick up a few extra items to keep in the freezer or pantry. Even make up some baked things like bread or brownies and store them in the freezer before prices go up again. The final thing you can do to take advantage of sales, is make homemade gifts. A stack of cookies tied with a pretty ribbon. Hot cocoa combined with a mug or a pair…
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Money Saving Tip-Black Friday, Make It Work For You
I have to admit I do look forward to Black Friday. During October and early November, I put off buying everyday things because I wait to see what deals I can get on Black Friday. Think about something you’ve been wanting to buy. One item I’m considering is an air fryer. One tip I’ve learned is not to assume just because a store or site has a ‘deal’ that it’s actually a good price. Check what they usually retail for and definitely compare sites. And as an entrepreneur, the thing I like most about Black Friday is lots of things I consider good investments for me go on sale. Things…
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Money Saving Tip-Thanksgiving
This week, it’s a money saving tip of a different sort. I saw this on MarketWatch and thought I’d share the link with you. Companies like Walmart and Aldi and more are rolling back prices or running promotions on Thanksgiving items. I’m sure other companies will follow this trend too. If your budget allows, why not stock up on a few items…great for pantry building, before the prices go up again. Canned foods are great to have on hand, think cans of pumpkin, mushroom soup, and evaporated milk. If you want to check out the whole article, here’s the link https://www.marketwatch.com/story/thanksgiving-deals-bag-free-turkeys-or-cheap-trimmings-from-aldi-bjs-shoprite-and-more-11667400099
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Money Saving Tip-Stock Up
The holidays are just around the corner which means lots of baking and cooking items will go on sale. Everything from flour to cranberries. It’s a great time to stock up and use this items throughout the year when prices go up. Stock your pantry, stock the freezer, and enjoy year round savings.
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Money Saving Tip-The Price Book
Do you know if the price of say a quart of milk has gone up in price? How about how much you paid for gas last month.? Or that hair color three months ago? Sometimes we have a vague idea that something’s gone up in price but to be sure, why not keep a price book. It doesn’t have to be fancy, something from the dollar store will do. Write down all the things you buy and include services and memberships and make a note of the current price. When you go to buy that same thing or service in say a month, check on the price. If it’s going…
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Money Saving Tip-Free Resource
The majority of cities, towns, suburbs, even rural areas have a library. It’s one of the best free resources you have so are you using it? Not only can you check out books, audiobooks etc. but lots of libraries have staff that know about all the resources in the local community. It could be free classes to learn a new skill or programs and grants to check out when times get tough. Have you checked out your local library?