Frugal Friends Podcast

Food is often our biggest area of budget busts! The solution begins with our meal planning and how we go about grocery shopping. On this episode Ashtin gives us some simple and attainable tips for how we can meal plan effectively and save money on our groceries each week.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Simplifying and minimizing never go out of style! Listen in as we chat about the KonMari method, what we like, and the freedom we can find in identifying our own version of frugality and minimalism. Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eating healthy and saving money don't have to be competing goals! We're talking about how we can get the nutrition we need without overspending at the grocery store.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's another great interview! Listen in as Bola Sokunbi from Clever Girl Finance makes the daunting topic of investing approachable! For anyone who has been intimated by conversations about the stock market, this episode is for you!Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is a lot of information out there for middle-income earners regarding how to be wise with money, but what about for those of us who are living on a very low income? While there is ultimately no magic wand to make the pressures of financial difficulties disappear, we want to explore how those earning less might also achieve financial goals through frugality.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you like the idea of decluttering but find it difficult to get started? Sometimes we need to weave a little fun and creativity into this process to help us find motivation. On this episode we're exploring some unique ways to tidy up our living spaces. Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have lots of debt payoff stories highlighted on this podcast, and are particularly looking forward to sharing Lydia's story with you all! For those working off of low incomes, or single incomes we hope this interview is particularly inspiring and helps to break down barriers to achieving debt freedom!Click here for more show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We know becoming debt free is a worthwhile goal, and once we've bought in to the idea it's a quick jump to the question: 'how do I pay off this debt as quickly as possible?!' On this episode we're talking about some strategies and approaches that can help make big dents in our payoff journey.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There's many ways to approach budgeting, and finding a way that works for us that is also simple is our aim! We're revisiting a previous favorite episode to explore some minimal budgeting approaches - listen in!Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the Frugal Friends Holiday Special! We are thrilled to release this episode Christmas day 2020 and there's no better way to celebrate than by sharing YOUR best frugal tips. Listen in as callers share their favorite ways to practice frugality.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Perspective and our own internal narrative represents one of our biggest barriers to achieving financial goals. On this episode we are exploring some of the most common limiting beliefs and how to shift our mindset and thought patterns to see real progress along our frugal journey.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In case we all need a bit more motivation and encouragement to keep working towards our debt-free goals we're reminding ourselves of the top reasons to get out of debt and looking at some compelling statistics to help us realize this is possible!Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We imagine right now more than ever people are discouraged about their finances and trying to just get stable; not even thinking about becoming a millionaire! BUT we believe that when we shift our mindset to believe our financial situation can improve, things change! For this reason, we've invited Chris Hogan from Ramsey Solutions on the show to help us shift our mindset by debunking some common myths that may be holding you back from believing wealth is possible for you. Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We believe frugality is a means to an end, not the end itself. We all have our 'whys' for being frugal and for us a big reason is the room it provides for generosity. Join us as we explore ways to maximize our financial giving.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tis the season for purchasing new TV's, phones, tablets, and more but buying new and impulsively can cost a lot of money! On this episode we're talking about what to buy, when to buy new, and tips for saving on electronics.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've got one of our archived favs making another appearance! This conversation with Kristin about pairing down in our kitchens not only helps to free up brain space and reduce stress, but, you guessed it...it's frugal! Listen in for tips on how you can make your kitchen functional AND minimal!Sponsors: Every year you have the best intentions about controlling your holiday spending and every year you forget something. That’s why Jen made this FREE Christmas planner to help you record every cost and stay on budget this holiday season. This planner will help you keep track of your spending on family traditions, recipes, dinners and parties, gifts and more to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then use the 2021 planning chart to make sure you’re on track to saving the right amount next year! If this sounds like something you need head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/holiday to get your free planner.Debt Free Christmas Planner- all the essential people and things have gathered together to sponsor this show; the nurses, the grocery store clerks, the toilet paper, the bottled waters and so many more have united to say; ’you’re welcome, AND we’re tired’. The essentials: let’s keep valuing and being grateful for them!The essentials - Also check out these episodes related to kitchens and groceries!EP 70 - Grocery Store Sales CyclesEP 92 - Reducing Food Waste w/ Debt Kickin MomThis episode was also sponsored by Namecheap; the world’s 2nd largest domain registrar. Namecheap offers hundreds of domain extensions, from the traditional .com to country-specific, like .us, or profession-specific, like .design. We think it’s super important to own the domain name of your side business so Namecheap is offering Frugal Friends listeners 30% off any non-premium domain name for its first year of registration. Use code FRUGAL at checkoutWrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The holiday season is upon us and one of the biggest pitfalls to blowing our budgets is impulse spending! On this episode we explore how stores, whether in person or online, prey upon our tendency make impulsive purchases and what we can do avoid these traps and not overspend! Sponsors: Every year you have the best intentions about controlling your holiday spending and every year you forget something. That’s why Jen made this FREE Christmas planner to help you record every cost and stay on budget this holiday season. This planner will help you keep track of your spending on family traditions, recipes, dinners and parties, gifts and more to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then use the 2021 planning chart to make sure you’re on track to saving the right amount next year! If this sounds like something you need head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/holiday to get your free planner.Debt Free Christmas Planner- - Looking for a year that won’t that won’t bring you widespread panic and global chaos? Try 2021. The holidays signal the end of the year. They actually feel like a year unto themselves so that means 2021 is just around the corner. We hope that brings you joy. 2021, We can’t make any promises but it’s probably going to be better than 2020. Maybe.2021 Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Square Up gives us a behind the scenes look at how companies capitalize on impulse shoppers.What Jen + Jill have to say: “impulse buying - not a pre-meditated purchase” Gamify shopping- don’t play the game, eliminate the temptation Give them a deal- stop buying things because they’re on sale! Emphasize self-care- find free ways to care for yourself Go beyond seasons greeting- businesses want to get more money out of you because it’s cheaper than finding a new customer. More from the Internet:This article from Moneyning provides us with 10 tips to avoid impulse spending over the holidays.Thank you Becky for sharing your bill about Bill Shakespeare!! Your local library program sounds amazing! Also we love libraries too :)BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billThis bill was sponsored by : Shopping for insurance can seem like a daunting task, but Policygenius makes it easy and saves their home & auto customers an average of $1,127 a year. They do the hard work for you by finding the lowest quotes from over 30 top insurers. Head to Policygenius.com right now to get started and make sure you’re getting the best rates on your home and auto insurance.PolicyGeniusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether or not you have heard of the pink tax, we can nearly guarantee you've encountered it in some way! On this episode we take a broad look at what the pink tax is, the various products and services most susceptible, and how to avoid paying extra unnecessarily.Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Bankrate explains the pink tax and some common products and services that cost more for womenWhat Jen + Jill have to say: The pink tax is "a system of discriminatory pricing on products and services that is based on gender" and costs the average woman $1,300 a year while impacting all aspects of daily life from shopping to dry cleaning What can be done? :More from the InternetThis article from The Simple Dollar gives us a few key ways to avoid the pink tax.More from Jen + Jill: 1. Research the brands you purchase 2. Consider unisex products 3. Support companies ‘taking a stand’ 4. Be a part of eliminating the pink tax 5. Support legislation to stop the pink tax 6. Take advantage of credit card rewards - find ones that reward you for the things you purchase often Thank you Rachel from Kansas for sharing your hospital bill from your birth and how you called to correct an error and saved $2000!!BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a bill: An investing platform that makes investing in high-quality, high-potential real estate as easy as investing in mutual funds. Their team of real estate professionals carefully vets and actively manages all of their real estate projects. And makes it easy to track your portfolio’s performance and watch as properties across the country are acquired, improved, and operated via asset updates. So if you want to add real estate to your portfolio visit fundrise.com/frugal to get your first NINETY days of advisory fees waived and start building your better portfolio with Fundrise today!FundRiseLightning RoundPersonal Pink Tax Experiences - I certainly see how I save more money having a son - so many additional products are geared towards little girlsJen When working at a group home I was unable to take a teenage girl to the barber for a $10 haircut and instead had to take her to the salon for a $45 hair cutJill- Wrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Budgeting. We're never gonna stop talking about it. AND on this episode we have THE Jesse Mecham, creator and founder of the famous budgeting app 'You Need a Budget'. For those still wondering whether or not they actually need a budget, and for all the rest who benefit from more reminders and tips; listen in!Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Trying to calculate stuff but don’t have a calculator or app? Spreadsheets are here for you. Record all the stuff, have multiple sheets in one doc, and go crazy with those sums! be a lady in the streets but a freak in the spreadsheets.Budgeting with Spreadsheets: Notable Notes:We asked Jesse all about the 4 rules for successful budgeting: Give every dollar a job Consider the idea of trade offs (i.e. If i do this - I can’t do that) Recognize finite nature of your money and prioritize Budget based on your current money on hand Embrace your true expenses Look ahead to less frequent expenses Create sinking funds Roll with the punches Recognize that the future is not static Don’t anticipate perfection Change the plan as needed Recognize its a process Engage in high frequency of interaction with your budget Age your money Budget the money you already have Let your money ‘hang out a little’ Live ahead instead of behind BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Jesse for sharing your bill about your electricity bill of $16!!frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a bill: This Bill of the Week is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers online counseling and therapy services for individuals, couples, and teens. Just answer a few questions and they’ll assess your needs to match you with a licensed professional therapist that fits your needs and preferences. AND as a Frugal Friends listener you get 10% off your first month when you sign up at betterhelp.com/Frugal.BetterHelpLightning RoundOur latest budgeting flub and how we recovered took over costco run and didn't even know how much the total bill was!Jesse- not accurately estimating reno costs and timeline for fixing up the new houseJill- - forgot to adjust budget to reflect ebbs and flows of workJen Get more from Jesse and YNAB at:YouNeedabudget.comBONUS:Jesse's Book Recommendations:-The Wealthy Barber-Your Money or Your Life - Vicki Robin-See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever thought about living in an RV or trying the tiny house lifestyle, or even considered it short-term; this episode is for you! We're covering a lot of the basics regarding what should be considered before full-time RV-ing, where to park, and what to look for when purchasing an RV!Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. finding the lesser known, but far better solution. Like when the line for the restroom goes out the door and down the hall, but YOU remember that there was another bathroom on the 2nd floor. Or when your birthday falls on leap year so you’re a good 8 years younger than the rest of your friends. Loopholes; just makes sure they’re not illegal...Loopholes: Notable NotesWhat the Internet has to say:This article from Insider gives us a list of important things to consider about full-time RV-ingWhat Jen + Jill have to say: The bathrooms are tiny, it's true...but the water doesn't have to get cold 5-minutes into your shower! You can upgrade your water heater system! The cooktops and stoves are often tiny, but this is another thing you can upgrade if living in the RV full-time There is no privacy! You do hear everything inside, and depending on where you're parked, there may not be privacy once you walk out of your 'home'! More from the Internet:This article from A Small Life talks about the number one question that needs to be answered when living on wheels: where to park the RV?!More from Jen + Jill: If you have your own land with appropriate hook-ups or you plan to boon-dock; parking on your own property could be an option RV parks + mobile home communities (sometimes only seasonal) Tiny house community online has some great tips (see link in article) Jill's favorite option: backyard living (+traveling) RVshare.com RVparking.com Roadtrippers.com overnightRVparking.com Walmart Thank you Jacqueline from St. Louis for sharing your bill about both hitting your sisters car AND setting up recurring payments by check through paypal rather than paying feeBILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billPolicyGeniusJen- Shopping for insurance can seem like a daunting task, but Policygenius makes it easy and saves their home & auto customers an average of $1,127 a year. They find the lowest quotes from over 30 top insurers. So if you’re a homeowner, head to Policygenius.com right now to get started and make sure you’re getting the best rates on your home and auto insurancSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've talked about side hustles and selling our gently used items to bring in more cash and now we're introducing the idea of a side business! If this feels next level, it is. BUT we hope this episode helps give some sunlight and water to those seedling ideas that may be sprouting in your mind about putting your skills and talents to work in a way that benefits your budget big time!Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Or SAPTOS for short. Searching for a way to make money on the internet? Every article you read will without a doubt recommend online surveys! You’ll spend hours trying to take surveys you won’t qualify for and more hours taking surveys you’ll get paid pennies for. And you’ll learn nothing about yourself. At SAPTOS we urge you, If you see online surveys as a suggestion for how to make more money, close the tab immediately.Society Against People Taking Online Surveys. A future episode will be about negotiating raises, job hopping, and making more in the workplace.Today is about what mindset shifts do we need to make and what strategies can we use to make more money.Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Hack The Entrepreneur gives us the top tips for shifting our mindset to think like an entrepreneurWhat Jen + Jill have to say: Decisiveness Accountability Humility Confidence Resilience :More from the InternetThis article from Entrepreneur provides some unique ideas of ways to make the most of $100 from some of the top business leadersMore from Jen + Jill: Buy or flip - find out what it’s worth and best place to sell Test before you invest - test out your idea (ex of spending $100 on FB adds to see what the interest is) Don’t forget service“The best way to drum up business with a zero marketing budget is to service the crap out of existing clients.” Sell or service Utilize your expertise It’s never about the money Thank you Emily for sharing your bill with us about $6 packs of light bulbs that will also save you money on your electric bill!BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billThis Bill of the Week is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers online counseling and therapy services for individuals, couples, and teens. Just answer a few questions and they’ll assess your needs to match you with a licensed professional therapist that fits your needs and preferences. AND as a Frugal Friends listener you get 10% off your first month when you sign up at betterhelp.com/Frugal.Lightning RoundHow we started our side business ventures selling road side plants!Jill- - t-shirt businessJen - this podcasJill See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever bought something to make yourself feel better? Or splurged on something only to feel instant guilt afterward? We may not always realize it, but our spending habits are incredibly connected to our emotions; recognizing this can unlock some strategies for seeing the financial progress we desire! We're thrilled to share our conversation with Leslie about identifying our own emotional spending habits, how to curb them, and ways to engage in healthy spending patterns.Sponsors: B3 is Jen’s new course designed to help you stick to a budget in just one week. If you find yourself busting your budget every month then you’re definitely going to want to check it out. There are no money saving tips in here, just 5 strategies to think differently about budgeting so you can finally stick to it and do it long term. If you’ve tried budgeting and it just hasn’t worked for you then check out budgetbusterbootcamp.com to learn more and use the code FRIENDS to get 10% off!Budget Buster Bootcamp! whether you’re spending has gotten a little out of control OR maybe you’re being too loud at the store about how outrageous the prices are and your friend keeps shushing you - you gotta ‘reign it in’. Grab that situation by the reigns, and just pull it back a little.Reigning it in: Notable Notes:Leslie H. Tayne, Esq. is a New York debt settlement attorney with nearly 20 years’ experience in the practice area of consumer and business financial debt-related services. She is highly accomplished in negotiation and settlements, and has gone up against large national banks, credit unions, collection agencies and multiple creditor legal representatives. We're excited to share some of our top questions and learnings from our time with Leslie! What is emotional spending?Spending on items for emotionally charged reasons rather than out of necessity or intentionality How do you identify emotions that trigger spending?Track your spending! Pay attention to what is prompting spending and how you feel before, during, and after What are some alternatives to emotional spending?Identify healthy coping strategies for some of the common emotions that could lead to unnecessary spending How can you recover if you have made an emotional purchase? Being kind to self Write down what happened Decide how you want to move forward - perspective of learning from this experience Thank you Leslie for sharing your bill about your recurring purchases and how you negotiated EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.BILL OF THE WEEK - If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a bill We also want to thank Philo for sponsoring our Bill of the Week! Philo is live and on-demand TV for just $20 a month. It’s a great way to get 60+ popular channels and can save you hundreds a month on TV—it’s the most affordable way to watch at a time when everyone could use some entertainment in their life! Watch from your phone, laptop, tablet, or TV with Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Android TV; Philo is TV for everyone! Sign up today at philo.tv/frugal and you’ll get 25% off your first two months. Lightning Round: Find out the different types of emotional spending from this Bustle article.What type of emotional spender are you!?The Instant gratification spender(This is Jen and Leslie! target, aldi, etc.)Shop to escape Competitive spenderTrying to create a “new” youBuy & ReturnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We can often struggle to make big dents in our savings or debt payoff journey which leads to feelings of frustration and defeat. When the small spending changes aren't cutting it anymore, we might consider a no-spend challenge! We've explored doing this for a day, or a week, but on this episode we talk about challenging ourselves to not spend for an entire month! Join us as we explore how 'gamifying' finances can help us achieve the progress in our budgets we so desire! Sponsors: B3 is Jen’s new course designed to help you stick to a budget in just one week. If you find yourself busting your budget every month then you’re definitely going to want to check it out. There are no money saving tips in here, just 5 strategies to think differently about budgeting so you can finally stick to it and do it long term. If you’ve tried budgeting and it just hasn’t worked for you then check out budgetbusterbootcamp.com to learn more and use the code FRIENDS to get 10% off!Budget Buster Bootcamp! Sinking funds are essential to afford big purchases like a home, a vacation, or new windows like we’re getting right now after months and months of putting it off because seeing all that money leave your bank account is really sad. But the energy you waste with paper thin windows from the 50’s is also sad so like there’s no joy here. Spending all the money you saved. I hate to see you leave but I love to watch you lower my energy bill.Spending all the money you saved. We also want to thank Philo for sponsoring our Bill of the Week! Philo is live and on-demand TV for just $20 a month. It’s a great way to get 60+ popular channels and can save you hundreds a month on TV—it’s the most affordable way to watch at a time when everyone could use some entertainment in their life! Watch from your phone, laptop, tablet, or TV with Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Android TV; Philo is TV for everyone! Sign up today at philo.tv/frugal and you’ll get 25% off your first two months. Notable Notes:We're excited to share this episode from our archives. It was a much loved episode at the time, and we think it has some great reminders that are worth revisiting about how to do a no-spend month!Wrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've all been there; lending to friends and never seeing that money again, 'splitting the bill' when you only got a salad and a water, standing up in a wedding without realizing all the hidden costs. Whatever the situation, setting financial boundaries with friends and loved ones can be tough, but necessary! Today we talk identifying our financial boundary lines and how to draw them.Sponsors: B3 is my new mini course designed to help you stick to a budget in just one week. If you find yourself busting your budget every month then I made this course for you. There are no money saving tips in here, just 5 strategies to think differently about budgeting so you can finally stick to it and do it long term. If you’ve tried budgeting and it just hasn’t worked for you then check out budgetbusterbootcamp.com to learn more and use the code FRIENDS to get 10% off!Budget Buster Bootcamp! Yup, you’ve heard this sponsor before, and they’re back to remind us that ‘no’ is an acceptable answer AND a complete sentence.Saying NO: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This artcile from Holly Scherer dives into how to set healthy boundaries with your family What Jen + Jill have to say: What’s mine/what’s not mine - look at the situation simplistically How to identify our boundaries: Brene Brown defines it best as she describes boundaries are essentially “what’s okay and what’s not ok” More from the Internet:This article from Workable Wealth describes how we can set money boundaries with friends More from Jen + Jill: Identify the various types of 'financial frenemies' you're dealing with Have a strategy for supporting friends BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Ally for sharing your bill with us about duck bills!! frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billThis Bill of the Week is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers online counseling and therapy services for individuals, couples, and teens. Just answer a few questions and they’ll assess your needs to match you with a licensed professional therapist that fits your needs and preferences. AND as a Frugal Friends listener you get 10% off your first month when you sign up at betterhelp.com/Frugal. Lightning RoundOur financial boundary stories Jen- bridesmaid, bridal shower cost Jill - boating (speaking expectations), helping someone move Wrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As frugal folk, we're always interested in finding ways to save money and spend less - which is why we are thrilled to have Lisa Rowan on the show to talk about some lesser known 'hacks' to both save and earn money!Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.The Frugal Friends Workbook! Yeah they exist. You might’ve forgotten what it’s like to not have just virtual friends but real friends do exist. They’re the ones that help you move, bring you dinner when you have a baby, and go to the beach with you. Real life friends, get em.Real Friends! Notable Notes:We were thrilled to ask Lisa all. the. questions. here's our top favorites: You have 47 tips alone for curbing mindless spending, what are some of your favorites? Reconsider whether memberships are worth it Do a no spend challenge Hit the gym - it has so many benefits for your wellbeing AND keeps you from spending that time spending money! You have a chapter in your book called 'Get Debt Free' but there were a lot of great credit building hacks in there. What’s your favorite from this chapter? Consider a goodwill letter to creditors - it can make a serious difference Claim your missing money - go to your states directory and look up your name What are your favorite tips to earn more money Get a mentor! Look within your career to find an advocate to help you advance in your career Side hustles - survive anything for a season How about planning for the future?You can start a 529 plan for yourself! AND it's not restricted by the state you live in BILL OF THE WEEK - Thanks Lisa for sharing your bill about getting all your money back for a cancelled trip!frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundAreas where we’re currently cutting back on spending and how: Lisa - perishable food waste - finding ways to maximum fresh foods i.e. making one pot meals, salad ingredients I like and know I will eat Jill - cutting back on take out Jen - cutting back on fast food Get more from Lisa:lisarowan.comAND check our her book Money Hacks Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's no shocker that buying a home is a huge expense - which is why we are interested in ways to cut costs! On this episode we talk both buying and refinancing our homes and ways to save on both.Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.The Frugal Friends Workbook! Well we have a complicated sponsor today - but it’s quite fitting as we discuss home buying. Take stamps for example - what one would think costs 55cents and be used to mail a letter, when it comes to home buying this is nowhere near what the word ‘stamps’ mean! No no no - ‘stamps’ are hundreds of dollars, you never actually see them, nothing gets mailed anywhere as a result, but they are apparently necessary and there’s no circumventing them. High price tags on what should be low cost items: it’s all part of the home buying magic.Very High Price Tags on Seemingly Insignificant, low cost items: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from The Lenders Network lists off 7 ways to cut costs when buying a houseWhat Jen + Jill have to say: 1. Use an experienced LOCAL real estate agent 2. Get loan quotes from multiple lenders 4. Increase your credit score 5. Find a house that needs some work 6. Get the right type of mortgage loan 7. Purchase a home in the winter More from the Internet:This article from Mortgage Loan provides 6 ways to save when refinancing your mortgageMore from Jen + Jill: Pay closing costs and points up front Don’t take cash out - this type of refinance is more expensive Improve credit score Shop around Have history with your lender - you can stick with them! Prepare for an appraisal (make sure everything is in working order!) BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Louisa for sharing your transportation bill - not buying gas for 44 DAYS!!! Congrats! frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundOther ways to save Jen- home insurance: shop around, check for rates reductions that the home qualifies for or on work that needs to be done soon. Jill- calculate if you save more by not putting 20% down. PMI usually costs .5% to 1% of loan. Factor in cost of renting, etc. Jen- Monetize your home - rent out the guest room on Airbnb Jill- consider purchasing in a lower cost of living area Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you're married, in a serious relationship, or 'surveying the landscape' we could all use some refreshers on ways to enjoy time with our romantic interests in a frugal and affordable way! On this episode we're exploring some of the costs we don't always consider, as well as some fresh ideas for inexpensive dates.Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.The Frugal Friends Workbook! Wondering what to do for a low key date night at home? Start a TV Series. You’ll avoid the “what are we doing tonight?” question for at least a month! Avoid the cost of restaurants and the uncertainty of events by getting sucked into a TV series with 7+ seasons. You’ll have even more fun by choosing a series that has a spinoff! TV Series, because eventually you’re going to have to stop scrolling the Netflix homepage and just watch something.TV Series: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Chime outlines for us some of the hidden costs of dating we often don't plan for, but should!What Jen + Jill have to say: Beautifying yourself - link to make-up ep Transportation - link transport ep Time is money - and we give this up as we date our significant other! Intimate wear Dating apps Birth control :More from the InternetThis article from And Then We Saved gives a comprehensive list of 98 frugal and fun date ideas!More from Jen + Jill: Ummmm we all know movies at home are an option...so let's get to the good stuff.. Build something together Find the best happy hour - make apps your meal Play ping pong (or tennis lol) Teach each other something….but be warned! Book club/read to each other Work out together Outdoor activities- check Groupon Breakfast date Talk about your future- Plan your financial goals Wash your cars Thank you Sherri from novia scotia for sharing your amazing yatze computerized opponent named ‘Bill’!BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billALSO sponsored by Grammerly! A free Chrome extension that helps keep your writing grammatically correct and error free! We love using Grammarly Premium for its plagiarism detector and have found its other features to be very useful! Because Grammarly is a sponsor of the show you can get 20% off Grammarly Premium, which will 100% make you a better writer whether it’s for work or personal. Just go to Grammarly.com/frugal to get 20%.Lightning RoundOur best and worst dates Jill - BEST = french town, yard sales, wineries Jen- BEST = our first date was the best Jill - WORST = learning to drive manual Jen- WORST = vacation in Bali WrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Having and raising children can be expensive! And with so many different products and precautions vying for our money it can be tough to know where to spend and where to save. We're thrilled to have Chelsea Brennan, founder of Smart Money Mamas and former hedge fund investor to talk about the important pieces to consider when having kids and the items most parents don't think about, but should!Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.The Frugal Friends Workbook! that feeling you get when you see literally ANYTHING that is tiny and overwhelmingly adorable that you grit your teeth, clench your muscles, and say weird things that you would never ACTUALLY do but somehow feels right to say. Cute aggression: you either understand it completely or you are entirely concerned by it - there is no in-betweenCute Aggression - Notable Notes:We asked Chelsea all about her insights and top tips on raising babies frugally! Here's our highlights: What are some costs new mom think they need to spend money on but really aren’t necessary? Basically everything… :)For real though, set up the nursery later - most infants will sleep in your room for the first few months anyhow! Consider if the thing you are about to purchase will actually cause anxiety Beware of educational development marketing - they want your money - not to make your baby smarter What are some costs new parents might not think about but are legitimately important? Life insurance (for parents plan for 6-10x your salary) + Estate plan (particularly to name guardians) Trust and Will Haven Life Ladder Bestow (no exam necessary) Policy Genius Emergency Binder - by Smart Money Mama Baby emergency fund Consider night nurse/food delivery. etc. For the things we need, what are some ways to save money. Local buy nothing groups Borrow from friends FB marketplace Mom FB groups Thrift stores Consignment events What should new moms be prepared for as far as medical costs for delivery and baby well checks? ACA often covers baby well checks CALL INSURANCE provider to learn about coverage Understand what your deductible is Recognize possibility of paying deductible 2x Options - what they cover (small perks) Call hospital and get range of numbers Select an office that has a set price Consider birthing center (if healthy/non-complicated pregnancy) BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Chelsea for sharing about your bill for your sit to stand desk!rugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit fto leave us a billToday’s Bill is brought to you by See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So you've done the declutter and achieved a degree of minimalism and frugality that feels right for you...now what?? On this episode we talk all about what to do after the 'purge' and some sustainable and responsible ways to give, sell, or donate your used and unwanted things!Sponsors: The Frugal Friends Workbook is officially available! The Frugal Friends Workbook is a digital download with 6 week-long challenges that will help you improve your spending, declutter your life, become a better negotiator, have more money conversations with the people in your life, and more. The workbook can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups. Don’t have a partner or small group? No worries! If you purchase the workbook during launch week you will get access to a 6-week Facebook group where you can find others who’ve purchased the workbook and form your own groups. Jill and I will also be available to answer questions and guide you. If you’re listening in real time, August 14, this is the last day to get that bonus. Also the workbook is $34 but it’s also the last day we’re offering it at $24 so head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook and join the fun!The Frugal Friends Workbook! You know the kind :)Book of CD's: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from The Verge gives us tips on how to get rid of all the stuff we've decluttered from our homes...responsibly!What Jen + Jill have to say: Tech Check out manufacturing trade in deals (apple, android) Sell old stuff (ebay, FB marketplace) Declutrr gives quote on your tech (and may also take books, CDs, DVDs, legos) Swappa (charges buyer, not seller) Amazon has trade in program (payment in form of gift card) Charity Computers with a Cause World Computer Exchange Globetops So old no one wants it? Recycle - check with town/city for recycling center - check out earth911 for nearest recycling center LOL - give it to a museum????!! Books Sell Amazon, Abebooks, Powells (give ISBN, condition, mail in book, they sell and give you money) Textbooks - Chegg, bookbyte Give Better world books - list of dropsites Books for soldiers Libraries Clothing Sell: the real real - designer stuff Give to charity - charity navigator, guidestar givebackbox Everything else Ebay Freecycle, buy nothing groups, neighborhood app More from the Internet:This article from NBC News gives us some more ideas on how to get rid of items that we no longer need See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we share our minimalist approach to personal finance. This is certainly not comprehensive but if you’re just starting out these are the things to focus on before you get distracted by everything else in the personal finance ecosystem. Sponsors: TODAY is the day folks! The day you’ve been waiting for! The Frugal Friends Workbook is officially available! The Frugal Friends Workbook is a digital download with 6 week-long challenges that will help you improve your spending, declutter your life, become a better negotiator, have more money conversations with the people in your life, and more. The workbook can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups. Don’t have a partner or small group? No worries! If you purchase the workbook during launch week you will get access to a 6-week Facebook group where you can find others who’ve purchased the workbook and form your own groups. Jill and I will also be available to answer questions and guide you. You have to purchase by August 14 to get that bonus. And the workbook is $34 but for this week only it’s $24 so head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook and join the fun!The Frugal Friends Workbook! No further explanation needed. just thought we could all use a reminder. Being kind: minimal effort - great reward.Being Kind. ALSO sponsored by Grammerly! A free Chrome extension that helps keep your writing grammatically correct and error free! We love using Grammarly Premium for its plagiarism detector and have found its other features to be very useful! Because Grammarly is a sponsor of the show you can get 20% off Grammarly Premium, which will 100% make you a better writer whether it’s for work or personal. Just go to Grammarly.com/frugal to get 20%. Notable Notes:Now let's get into it; on every 7th episode we replay one of our most popular episodes that’s at least a year old and because we’ve spent so much time the past few weeks working on something special for you (a.k.a. the workbook!!), today is one of those episodes! ENJOY!Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Traveling and vacationing is very difficult right now with all that is going on in the world which is why we are very excited to talk with Danielle Desir from The Thought Card about ways we can enjoy the summer, experience new things, and get creative in safe and affordable ways! https://thoughtcard.com/ Sponsors: ! We are so excited to share this with you next week! We have designed this workbook to be six week-long challenges that will help you identify changes you can make to become more frugal long term. You can definitely do them on your own but the workbook is really designed to 8be done in pairs or small groups. And don’t worry if you don’t have a friend to go through it with because if you buy during launch week we will have a way for you to connect with other people who’ve also bought the workbook so you can set up some groups. It launches August 7th and if you want that buy now button in your inbox on launch day go to frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook.The Frugal Friends Workbook You may not be able to take that international trip you were planning this summer or go to that conference that is your one week a year you get to escape from your normal life and hang out with other people who understand youBrowsing the Internet! Notable Notes:We asked Danielle her top tips for frugal vacations, especially in the age of COVID and travel limitations:For people who want to take a break but can’t or just don’t want to leave the house, what are your recommendations for frugal staycations?-hiking-walking/running-check out local restaurants2. How about local travel? How can we save on safe activities and other stuff?-consider whats within a few hours-check regulations3. What about road trips? Any advice for safe and affordable road trips?-identify your comfort level-check state requirements-viatur.com - travel offers-travelzoo - every Wednesday they post top 20 deals-gate1 travel-tripadvisor-use pinterest as search engine4. How can we get financially prepared for travel in the future?-define comfort level-check credit card if not getting money backBILL OF THE WEEK - Thank your Danielle for sharing your bill about dropping a bill you don’t need anymore! AND saving for backyard weddingfrugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundOur upcoming travel plans, how we've had to alter them due to covid, and what we're doing to save on them. Danielle - traveling local Jill - MOVING! Jen - an 'early adopter' and went on a quick trip to Nashville Where people can find more about you Blog Podcast: The Thought Card IG, FB, twitter Book: “Traveling With a Full Time Job” We also want to thank Danielle for sharing about WOC Podcasters; a community of content creators. AND for providing us with a list of her current favs: Freelance Friday - Latasha James School of Ambition - Dielle Charon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever been curious about what it would be like to pair down your clothing essentials, this one's for you! While there are all sorts of definitions and guidelines out there for how to achieve a 'capsule' or minimalist wardrobe, we are providing the foundational tips and principles to create a closet that is simple and beloved.Sponsors: The Frugal Friends Workbook! We are so excited to share this with you in two short weeks! We’ve always worked to promote healthy conversations about money and those don’t have to start with telling people how much debt you have and what your 401k is invested in. So The Frugal Friends Workbook helps you do that with challenges and questions designed to help you open up about money but also change some habits. It launches August 7th and if you want that buy now button in your inbox on launch day go to frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook.Jen- Less is more - when it comes to garlic knots, pasta, and doughnuts this couldn’t be further from the truth - BUT our sponsor wants us to know that sometimes having less of something provides space for more of something else - kinda like less complaining leads to more joy. Less is more - only true for some things in life.Jill- Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Be More With Less gives us 3 foundational tips for building our own capsule wardrobe.What Jen + Jill have to say: 1. See 2. Sort 3. Choose More from the Internet:This article from The Blissful Mind provides us with a list of the top 10 capsule wardrobe essentialsMore from Jen + Jill: Choose a color palette. It's ok to like black/grey/white, but you can also make it colorful! We love their definition of a capsule wardrobe: "A small collection of useful clothing that you love” - now how great does that sound?! BILL OF THE WEEK - This week's bill is brought to us by EveryPlate; America's best value meal delivery kit! We tried it and agree that the food is fantastic, affordable, and super convenient! EveryPlate’s recipes come with everything already pre-measured so we don’t buy a whole bunch of stuff at the grocery store that will just go to waste. And every meal comes together in about 30 minutes – definitely faster than a trip to the grocery store or starting a meal from scratch. You can get 3 weeks of EveryPlate meals for only $2.99 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code FRUGAL3 at checkout. Thank you so much Chanelle for submitting your bill of the week well done on negotiating your rent! We are amazed!frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundWhat you always wear, what you never wear (but people say should be in a capsule) Jen- yes: athletic wear, no: heels, jewlery Jill- yes: cardigan and scarf (doesnt matter the season); no: jewelry (sunglasses???) Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all experience transitions in our lives; some foreseen, others unforeseen and while these changes impact our whole personhood, we want to explore how to sustain financially through these stressful shifts. From divorce to job change, today we're talking about what we should be focusing on to come out the other side aimed at financial well-being!Sponsors: Our show has always been about coming together around a shared desire to save more, consume less, and do great things financially and we have been working our hearts out to bring you something that helps you do that better and it’s called The Frugal Friends Workbook. We worked too hard on the inside to come up with a better name. The Frugal Friends Workbook can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups. It’s 6 week-long challenges that will help you become more frugal in various aspects of your life. It launches August 7th and you will be hearing more about it in the weeks to come.The Frugal Friends Workbook! Specifically the great Instagram post I saw that said you have every right to give em a plot twist. Plot twists: What the Internet has to say:This article from Forbes lists out some important steps to take specifically when walking through a divorce, but we find these tips helpful for all sorts of transitions we may face!What Jen + Jill have to say: Update accounts Build a “post divorce team” - financial advisor, therapist, vocational counselor (FRUGALLY!) Develop a financial plan More from the Internet:This article, again from Forbes, lists out how we can think about and be prepared for a career change.More from Jen + Jill: Understand your costs & Cut expenses Make sure new career can cover your costs Save! Take your time (stick with ‘old’ profession as you learn the new one) Thank you Erica from NJ for sharing your bill about PAYING OFF 2 credit card! Congrats!BILL OF THE WEEK - Sponsored by Grammerly! A free Chrome extension that helps keep your writing grammatically correct and error free! We love using Grammarly Premium for its plagiarism detector and have found its other features to be very useful! Because Grammarly is a sponsor of the show you can get 20% off Grammarly Premium, which will 100% make you a better writer whether it’s for work or personal. Just go to Grammarly.com/frugal to get 20%.frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundHow we navigated big life changes Jill - current move to FLORIDA Jen- Career change from acupuncturist to writer to freelancer Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Despite how important budgeting is for our frugal lifestyles, we often skip over this step or struggle to find a method that works well for us. For this reason (and many others) we are over the moon to share our conversation with THE Rachel Cruze about her budgeting tips and the ways we can tailor our budgets to make sense for our lives and circumstances!Sponsors: As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor, here are 2 ways you can support us. 1st is to buy a discounted gift card from Raise. Raise sells gift cards at a discounted price to all kinds of places. Find a store you’d shop at anyways and you can save money right off the top by using a discounted gift card to purchase it! When you use our referral link: frugalfriendspodcast.com/raise you’ll get $5 to spend and we will too! 2nd is to sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. If you do this you will get $10 bonus cash back and so will we. YOUR AD HERE: when you experience something awful so that others don’t have to, or you learn a new lesson the painfully hard way so that others can pick it up easily. Kinda like taking a soccer ball to the face at recess. Taking one for the team; it’s not pleasant, but the rest of us are grateful.Taking One for the Team: Notable Notes:We were honored to ask Rachel Cruze all about her budgeting tips and ways to tailor our budgets to work for us! How can someone who busts their budget every month safeguard themself to stop spending out of control? How about for the opposite person who just wants to hoard money and that’s keeping them from reaching financial goals? How can someone make the cash envelope or clip system work if they don’t like carrying cash? What should someone do after they break their budget, like they get an unexpected bill or they go into Target for one thing and come out with 12? !BILL OF THE WEEK - Thanks Rachel for sharing with us your tip about spending less at target than expectedfrugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundOur most recent budgeting flop and how we recovered. Rachel- food! Recovered by spending less in other areas Jen- newspaper subscription :/ Jill- thankfully not doing much right now; but FOOD - always food! That pendulum swings and I get real tired of figuring out meals everyday. I do best in the radical middle (some meals at home, some take out - or a mixture i.e. CFA chicken on my own salad) Website, ShowRachel Cruze daveramsey.com/hopeGiving away 14 day free trial of financial peace Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are starting in on our summertime listener requests today with a show all about making the most of your outdoor space, no matter how big or small, as inexpensively as possible.Sponsors: We love you guys. You are the third most important reason we keep doing this podcast behind liking each other and the money. And if you would like to support the show head to FrugalFriendsPodcast.com/support to find free and inexpensive ways you can help us big time with little effort!Listeners like you: Want to get your neighbor to mow their overgrown lawn? Send neighbor kids to knock on their door with a lawn mower various days throughout the week. The neighbor kids will either make some money mowing the lawn or the neighbor will eventually be shamed into doing it themself. Neighbor shame, if you care more about your neighborhood looking nice than actually being nice. Neighbor shame: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Budget Dumpster gives us some great ideas for making our yards look great on a budgetWhat Jen + Jill have to say: Vertical Garden - consider this approach if short on space AND can be inexpensive to make if using recycled materials (i.e bottles, containers) Utilize Color - consider how you use paint; if you have ‘mismatched’ planters but prefer a more clean look - paint it! Look for plant swaps in your area Plant useful! FORM AND FUNCTION Rosemary - fleas+ticks Peppermint - ants, spiders mosquitoes Basil - mosquitoes + house flies Lavender (the cadillac of plants!)- moths, fleas, flies, mosquitos Ground cover - natural perennial ground cover (i.e. sedum, creeping periwinkle, violets, pansies, snow glories, moss flox) Incorporate inexpensive lighting, fire pit, seating Compost instead of mulch, free mulch from tree companies Save old tires from the dump More from the Internet:This article from An Oregon Cottage gives us a list of the top 10 plants to grow that give us a great return on our moneyMore from Jen + Jill: Herbs - easy to grow, not bothered by pests, grow in mediocre soilBASIL - freezes well, also PESTO! Squash - super high yield at peak (veggie noodles, breads, stir fry..)*important to pay attention to your climate and the varieties and types of fruits/veggies that can be grown in your area Lettuce and greens - hearty and fast grower Hot peppers - we love salsa! BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Amanda for sharing your utility bill that you dropped by $13frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billLightning RoundHow we do/will maintain our lawns Jill Personally most concerned about decreasing maintenance - plan to have little to no grass in backyard Plant usefully - I like flowers, but I also REALLY like food - veggies will be priority Plan to live life outdoors quite often - creating oasis (with my own hands) will save money on labor and hopefully in other areas in the long run Propogate my own - from my own yard/garden AND others - considering this before I buy any plants! Jen- I kill everything so I don’t have a garden. We compost and use well water to water our lawn. Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some say money can't buy happiness, but what if it can? Today we're talking 'happy money principles' and ways to align your dollars with your values and use money as a resource to experience greater intentionality with your spending.Sponsors: As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor here’s how you can financially support us without giving us your money. 1st is to buy a discounted gift card from Raise. Raise sells gift cards at a discounted price to all kinds of places. Find a store you’d shop at anyways and you can save money right off the top by using a discounted gift card to purchase it! When you use our referral link: frugalfriendspodcast.com/raise you’ll get $5 to spend and we will too! Sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. When you spend $25 through rakuten you earn $10 CASH MONEY! So that’s one way you can help us without spending any money beyond what you’ve already budgeted for. YOUR AD HERE: it’s what makes me happy and it’s what repels cavities. Chewing gum, it’s a win-win.Chewing Gum: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Forbes provides us with 5 principles of happy moneyWhat Jen + Jill have to say: 1. Buy experiences- “research shows that material things turn out to provide less happiness than experiential purchases.” 2. Make it a treat- “When something is always available people are less inclined to appreciate it. Look for ways to turn your favorite things into a treat again. This may mean cutting back on them for a while.” #absencemakestheheartgrowfonder 3. Buy time- “outsource your dreaded tasks in order to have more time to follow your passions. If money is an issue, consider outsourcing things like cleaning the house so you can work more and earn more money to pay for the house being cleaned.” 4. Pay now, consume later- “By paying up front and delaying consumption, you can buy more happiness even as you spend less money. Because delaying consumption allows spenders to reap the pleasures of anticipation without the buzzkill of reality, vacations provide the most happiness before they occur.”Provides something to look forward #hope 5. Invest in others- “Research has shown that spending money on others provides a bigger happiness boost than spending money on yourself.” More from the InternetThis article from INC provides us with some top tips for 'happy spending'More from Jen + Jill 1. Spend it on extra time- hire a housekeeper, virtual assistant, splurge for grocery delivery 2. Spend it on a great experience- just because physical things last longer doesn’t mean they bring happiness for a longer period of time. When creating your budget, prioritize at least 1 experience each month. 3. Spend it with someone you care aboutBUT SPEND WITHIN YOUR MEANS 4. Spend it on someone else - 'tis better to give than to receive BILL OF THE WEEK - Thanks Olivia for sharing about your $2 bill that you used to FILL UP the gas tank on your scooter! frugalfriendspodcastIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes our budgets, financial goals, and lifestyles don't fit into a nice neat box; we find that our approach needs to be individualized and create space for freedom! This is why we are excited to share one of our top most listened to episodes with Merilee from Easy Budget; tune in (again!) to hear about how she modifies the baby steps to fit her needs!Sponsors: As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor here’s how you can financially support us without giving us your money.YOUR AD HERE.1st is to buy a discounted gift card from Raise. Raise sells gift cards at a discounted price to all kinds of places. Find a store you’d shop at anyways and you can save money right off the top by using a discounted gift card to purchase it! When you use our referral link: frugalfriendspodcast.com/raise you’ll get $5 to spend and we will too!Sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. When you spend $25 through rakuten you earn $10 CASH MONEY! So that’s one way you can help us without spending any money beyond what you’ve already budgeted for. The psychological concept that refers to how strongly you believe you have control over the situations and experiences that affect your life. People with a strong internal locus of control have greater confidence in their ability to make change through their own actions and often have higher self-esteem. An internal locus of control, focus on what you can control and create your own path, don’t wait for others to create it for you.Internal Locus of control:Notable Notes:We got to ask Merilee all of the questions! She shares more about their debt free journey and how they have made this process work for them. When and how did your debt free journey start? Tell us about the ways you and your husband approach money differently, and what struggles have you faced during it? How are you modifying the baby steps and are you happy with those modifications?Merilee's modifactions: Still contributing to 401k Bought a house during baby step 2 Maintain a bigger emergency fund How do you stay motivated? Questions - Thanks Merilee for sharing your favorite bill and your love for amazon prime!! (Here's the link to the Tinkle Razor for anyone interested ;))BILL OF THE WEEKIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a bill More from Merilee What are your recommendations for side hustles for stay at home moms? Nanny - find gigs where you can bring your own children or watch others’ children in your home Find stay at home work - such as appraisals Consider selling items on Etsy Ask around! Be creative! Tell us about your debt snowball calculator?Find Merilee's awesome creations HERE Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We talk a lot about paying off debt and most of the time that debt includes student loans but what about just not getting into student loan debt? Is that even possible? We think, now more than ever, it is. College is changing and today we’re talking about how you can adapt and graduate college without debt.Sponsors: : As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor here’s how you can financially support us without giving us your money. 1st is to buy a discounted gift card from Raise. Raise sells gift cards at a discounted price to all kinds of places. Find a store you’d shop at anyways and you can save money right off the top by using a discounted gift card to purchase it! When you use our referral link: frugalfriendspodcast.com/raise you’ll get $5 to spend and we will too! Sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. When you spend $25 through rakuten you earn $10 CASH MONEY! So that’s one way you can help us without spending any money beyond what you’ve already budgeted for. YOUR AD HERE Seniors: We want to thank all the recently graduated seniors for sponsoring this show - you pooled together your dimes and nickels and really came through for us! BUT TODAY we want to celebrate YOU! Congratulations on your hard work and effort and completing an important chapter of your lives - whether you just finished high school or college you had many more obstacles than most in the final stretch of your race. We see you! Thanks for the sponsorship ;) Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Good Call gives us 4 ways to get our college degree without taking on loans or going into debt!What Jen + Jill have to day: Find money (grants, scholarships, military funding, crowd funding, employee tuition reimbursement) Lower tuition costs (AP classes/dual enrollment in H.S., maximize classes taken each semester, community college!) Make money - look for flexible, reasonable hours, desired experience Reduce expenses - (car, rent, food, books) More from the Internet:This article from Learn provides a list of 10 reasons to consider attending college online!More from Jen + Jill: No wake up fees Lower tuition No commute! No lost wages (i.e. maximizes time - all time on school can go to graded assignments - more time to work) Potential lower tuition - Thank you Kelly for sharing your bill with us about how you saved money on your menstrual cycleBILL OF THE WEEKIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning Round Biggest waste of money in college and where we’re glad we saved: Jen- Not using my full scholarship Jill- going out of state - living on campus Jen- Living off campus Jill- books savings and school online Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you make your stuff last longer? Along with reducing and reusing - prolonging the life of our things can save us money, build life skills, and increase contentment! Listen in as we talk about some of the ways you can take better care of what you already have so you can spend on what you want and need.Sponsors: As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor here’s how you can financially support us without giving us your money. Sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. When you spend $25 through Rackuten you earn $10 CASH MONEY! So that’s one way you can help us without spending any money beyond what you’ve already budgeted for.YOUR AD HERE: : 5 time Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, comedian, and author. June is June Carter Cash month here on Frugal friends Podcast because duh its June and duh her last name is Cash. Take time this month to listen to a few of our JCC favorites including it aint me babe, jackson, and A Good Man. And emulate your own inner June this month as you kick butt and take names with your cash.June Carter Cash Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Martha Stewart gives us a list of 12 items we should repair before we replace!What Jen + Jill have to say: “fix it first” mentality Lamps Favorite sweater (AND ALL CLOTHING!) Rugs and carpet Ceramics Handbags- buy nice products that can be repaired Scuffed furniture- salt + heat take out water rings! More from the Internet:This article from This Old House gives us a great list (one to earmark for the future) of 23 things you can actually fix yourself!More from Jen + Jill: Learn a lot about how things work! Lots of plumbing stuff - leaky faucet, uneven water stream (calcium build-up) Sticking door Vacuum What's not a DIY fix - Thank you Brittany for sharing about your PAID apartment bills!BILL OF THE WEEKIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a bill - Top 2 things we take care of so they last longer (and how)Lightning Round outdoor furniture (bring cushions inside each night; wash yearly - bought the kind that can come off for this reason!) Clothing - line dry and sew repairs Bonus: anytime I do a painting project/refurbish something I paint a clear coat overtop which makes the finish last longer and more resistant to chips See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paying off debt is hard enough, not to mention when you live in an expensive area! Reaching financial goals can feel insurmountable when living expenses are astronomical which is why we're excited to hear from Emma on today's episode talking about how she paid off $46,000 of student loans while living in CA.Sponsors: As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor, here are 2 ways you can support us. 1st is to buy a discounted gift card from Raise. Raise sells gift cards at a discounted price to all kinds of places. Find a store you’d shop at anyways and you can save money right off the top by using a discounted gift card to purchase it! When you use our referral link: frugalfriendspodcast.com/raise you’ll get $5 to spend and we will too! 2nd is to sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. Once you spend $25 you get a $10 bonus! YOUR AD HERE: : a little imagination and thinking outside the box goes a long way - this is true when it comes to caring for your kids for the 9,732nd day IN A ROW annnddd for paying off debt in seemingly impossible situations. Creativity: using our imagination to make debt disappear :)Creativity Notable Notes:We are so thrilled to ask Emma all the questions about how she paid off debt while living in an expensive area; here's some of our favorites: What was your debt, how much did you pay off and how long did it take you? Where were you living while paying it off and what unique challenges did you face because of the cost of living? What strategies did you use to overcome these challenges? Is there anything you’d do differently or advice you have for people currently in this? - thanks Emma for sharing your bill - cousin Bill; not a fan of his picking on you, but so glad to know a guy named bill!BILL OF THE WEEK If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning RoundDebt in the Time of Covid: How can people paying off debt pivot and still stay on track to reach their goals? Emma- assess safety of job and family’s position with money - stock money towards debt to high-yield savings Jen- mentality give self permission to slow down (you’re not a failure, circumstances may dictate) Jill- cut expenses, sell stuff, downsize (#tinyliving) Get more from Emma at her blog, Nurse FernWrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once we've sorted through our closets, toy bins, junk drawers, and garages and sold or donated what is not needed; and after we've learned to be content with less stuff and make room for what we want from life - what comes next? How do we maintain what we've worked so hard to achieve? Today we talk about how to continually be aimed at minimalism and some of the lifestyle shifts and changes that will help keep us in the minimalist lifestyle we desire!Sponsors: . As if it wasn’t hard enough to source our own sponsors, now the world has fallen apart and there are no ad budgets for podcasts. While we look for our next sponsor there are two ways you can financially support us without giving us your money. 1st: sign up for Personal Capital using our referral link, frugalfriendspodcast.com/pcap. Personal Capital is a free app that allows you to monitor and track all your financial accounts from one place. It’s awesome and again, totally free. When you use our link to sign up and connect 401k, 403b, IRA, 529, or any investment account with at least $1,000 you’ll get a $20 Amazon gift card and so will we. Our referral link is frugalfriendspodcast.com/pcap 2nd is to sign up for Rakuten and spend $25 at any online store they offer cash back at. Sign up at frugalfriendspodcast.com/rakuten and download the chrome extension to see every time Rakuten offers cash back at a store. If you do this before June 30th you will get $30 bonus cash back and so will we. Normally it’s $10. Those are the ways you can help us without spending any money beyond what you’ve already budgeted for. YOUR AD HERE ! Today is Kai’s first birthday! We’ve kept him alive for a full year and I am impressed. I’ve been dreaming about throwing him a first birthday since before he was born because let’s be honest, a 1st birthday isn’t for the kid, it’s for the parents. I bought space decorations because people on Facebook looked at me weird for asking if I could have their decorations. 1st birthdays, I will give anyone these decorations when I’m done with them.1st Birthdays Our Other Minimalism Episodes: Ep 32 with Joshua Becker author of Ep 32 with Joshua Becker author of Ep 89 with Desirae Endres host of the Minimalish podcast Ep 99 on contentment, gratitude and flexible minimalism.Ep 32 with Joshua Becker author of 'The More of Less'Ep 89 with Desirae Endres host of the Minimalish podcast Ep 99 on contentment, gratitude and flexible minimalismNotable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Becoming Minimalist describes ways to keep the minimalism momentum going!What Jen+Jill have to say: Continue to explore new opportunities + intentional living so as to not fall into old patterns Take better care of your things Volunteer! Start a blog Give Start a daily habit More from the Internet:This article from See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all have to put our money somewhere, but how do we decide the best banking solutions? On this episode we explore whether an online bank is right for you, if credit unions live up to all the hype, and if you do choose multiple accounts how you should organize your money in them. We'll also go through our recommendations for the best banks with no or low fees!Sponsors: is a mobile bank with an awesome user interface, no overdraft fees and no minimum balance requirements. Its app has a free built in budgeting tool, that gives you purchase notifications, and insight to your spending. Premium users can even break up their savings account into different pods which is super helpful if you’re saving for multiple things at once. And when you set up direct deposit you can get paid up to two days early! So, if you’re looking for another bank account to hold your emergency fund or something big you’re saving for then you’re definitely gonna want to try Current because we’re giving $10 to the first 10 people who sign up using our promo code "FRUGALFRIENDS” for each episode. That’s FRUGALFRIENDS, all one word.Current: that feeling of slight awkwardness and uncertainty about what’s happening next. Sort of how talking about things I am not an expert on makes me feel! Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted to have said ‘do something everyday that scares you’ well - for some of us that’s talking about and/or learning about intricate financial details so you can check that box for the day. Being uncomfortable: it’s less scary when you have your friends with you!Being Uncomfortable: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article comes from Credit Karma and outlines what you need to look for when choosing a bankWhat Jen + Jill have to say:Consider the following:What is your current financial situation?What are your current banking habits?What do you anticipate your future needs to be?Put your money in one of the following:Traditional, brick and mortar bank: great for getting lots of financial products, interact with tellers, great for depositing cash, access to ATM'sOnline Bank: many of the same products as traditional banks, not as easy to deposit cash, free ATM use (sometimes internationally), often offer high yield savings/checking accountsCredit Union: non-profit, member-owned organizations, lots of financial productsPay attention to: Make sure the bank is either FDIC or NCUA insured! If it's not insured you are at risk of losing that money. Insurance rates; check out the APY rates Minimum balances, services fees, overdraft fees, etc. ATM fees ATM location More from the Internet:This article is from The Balance and provides a list of the best no-fee checking accounts for 2020More from Jen + Jill:What makes for a good checking account: minimal fees deposit insurance easy access to cash mobile deposit online bill pay Recommended Banks: Ally - high yield savings and checking, don't need high balance to get good APY Discover - can earn cash back rewards with debit card Radius - also provides rewards for debit card use Simple - has a great (free!) app for budgeting and money management Schwabb - unlimited rebates on ATM fees, high yield investor checking account (great for traveling internationally) &See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paying off debt is a daunting task no matter what stage of life, however the older we get the more insurmountable it can feel! For this reason we are thrilled to have Bobbi Olsen on the show to share her story of beginning her debt-payoff journey in her 40's and all that she learned along the way! It's never too late (or too early!) to pay off debt!Sponsors: is a mobile bank with an awesome user interface, no overdraft fees and no minimum balance requirements. Its app has a free built in budgeting tool, that gives you purchase notifications, and insight to your spending. Premium users can even break up their savings account into different pods which is super helpful if you’re saving for multiple things at once. And when you set up direct deposit you can get paid up to two days early! So, if you’re looking for another bank account to hold your emergency fund or something big you’re saving for then you’re definitely gonna want to try Current because we’re giving $10 to the first 10 people who sign up using our promo code "FRUGALFRIENDS” for each episode. That’s FRUGALFRIENDS, all one word.Current: Not just a multi level marketing company or the name of a carnival themed horror movie. It’s the age I’m turning tomorrow! And the age Jill will be turning in just a few months! In 31 years we’ve experienced Brittany spears and Justin Timberlake wearing matching denim outfits, that door in the titanic movie that was definitely big enough for two people, and a global pandemic. 31. Too old for tik tok, not old enough to watch the Hallmark Movie channel.31: Notable Notes:We asked Bobbi all about her debt pay off journey! What motivated you to start your debt payoff journey and were you discouraged at all by your age? What kind of debt payoff difficulties did you encounter that were unique to being in your forties and how did you tackle them? What did you do to pay off your debt? What are you doing now that could've never been possible while living in debt? - Thank you Bobbi for sharing your bill with us!BILL OF THE WEEK If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning Round:Our favorite budgeting apps/ methods Bobbi- YNAB (You Need A Budget) Jill- Google spreadsheets - you know I'm old school!! Jen- Everydollar Get more from Bobbi at Centsable Chat podcast and blogWrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's our most popular episode and we're digging it up out of the archives! Check it out to see where we started 2 years and get back to the basics!Sponsors:A mobile bank with an awesome user interface, no overdraft fees and no minimum balance requirements. If you’re looking for another bank account to hold your emergency fund or something big you’re saving for, try Current because we’re giving $10 to the first 10 people who sign up using our promo code FRUGALFRIENDS for each episode. Current: here to remind us of the days when we couldn’t actually choose what we watched. Before the days of netflix and hulu there was “basic cable” - come come, gather round the fire while I tell you about ancient days when a television (these were like phones, tablets, and laptops only with large protrusions off the back filled with stuff that can never be thrown away)...a television... had access to approximately 3 ‘channels’ with 1 show playing non-stop. The likelihood of seeing the same episode of the same show more than once was 2,000%. Oh it was fun and it was awful all at once, but we didn’t know any different - we called them reruns - and we ate our hot dogs and mac and cheese in blissful ignorance while the 5th airing of Family Matters ‘good cop, bad cop’ episode played. Reruns - it’s what’s about to happen to you, so grab a hot dog and settle in.Reruns:Notable Notes:1: 4 Pillars - Categories to anticipate with Frugal Friends podcast episodes Clothing/Shopping Bills/Utilities Transportation Housing What the internet has to say 2: Frugalwoods ArticleMrs. Frugalwoods (a.k.a. Liz Thames) identifies 19 reasons why frugality is the best - and the frugal friends agree!What Jen and Jill have to say: Frugality helps you identify your true priorities Frugality builds community Frugality means you'll never be bored Frugality leads to gratitude and joy 3: Millennial Money ArticleGrant went from a frugal guy who amassed $1M to flippantly spending over $200K in one year. In short; the spending didn’t make him feel better.What Jen and Jill have to say: Frugality is about spending wisely Frugality is about the journey, not the destination It is never too late to 'course correct' 4: BILL OF THE WEEK Introduction of the most anticipated, interactive segment! Leave us a voicemail with your BILL OF THE WEEK at: 570-995-1540 5: Tenets of Frugality The Law of Diminishing Returns (i.e. at some point you're wasting your time) Frugality allows you to discover what you truly value ( i.e. if frugality keeps you from what you love it’s cheapness) Frugality is good for the environment (i.e. you can’t buy your way to green) Frugality refines your taste and style (i.e. you can have better things when you buy used and you’ll eventually stop buying those souvenir t-shirts you’ll never wear) Frugality allows you more time to increase your income (i.e. the best way to not spend money is to spend time making it!) Frugality will not make you rich (i.e. sorry, not sorry) Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During difficult financial times it can be tough to make ends meet, and while finding ways to earn extra income is great, this is not always feasible! On today's episode we tackle how to cover our expenses without pushing ourselves to get another side hustle!Sponsors: Current:A mobile bank with an awesome user interface, no overdraft fees and no minimum balance requirements. If you’re looking for another bank account to hold your emergency fund or something big you’re saving for then you’re definitely gonna want to try Current because we’re giving $10 to the first 10 people who sign up using our promo code: for each episode.FRUGALFRIENDS Y’all ever gone to a blog, downloaded a free template and find out the creator has a course? But it’s like, $400, no thank you. Or you find one that’s $30 and you buy it and you already knew all that info? Online courses that don’t cost a lot and actually help people are here to solve that problem. Ya know how we know they're affordable? Because I’d actually pay it and I don’t buy stuff. Ya know how we know they help people? People tried it and said so. Online courses that don’t cost a lot and actually help people, because some stuff you can find for free on the internet, and some stuff you can’t.Online courses that don’t cost a lot and actually help people: Notable Notes -What the Internet has to say:Check out this article from Don't Waste Your Money to get 5 tips for getting back on your feet after a financial disasterWhat Jen + Jill have to say: Know what you OWN and what you OWE - sometimes making ends meet is as simple as moving some things around in your budget. Drain the emotion from your decisions- stop impulsive and treat yo self type spending, stop saying “i deserve this” to things that cost money and start saying it to financial security and prosperity. Take clear eyed and bold action- don’t sit and wallow, don’t play the victim - this may require more intentionality than ever before and we may be talking about doing more than cutting out your AM latte! Build a support team- you can’t do this on your own. More from the Internet:This article from Moolanomy provides 10 tips for making ends meet with a limited budgetMore from Jen + Jill: 1. Fine tune your budget - you may feel there’s no wiggle room - but look again! 2. Stick with the basics 4. Downsize your life - you may not even realize how much stuff you have! 5. Don’t utilize credit 6. Shop outside the box - farmers markets, dollar stores, thrift stores for essentials 10. Plan for the big picture - Thanks so much for sharing your bill of the week! We're so encouraged to hear of how beneficial your monthly bill to 'financial gym' and getting a 'financial trainer' has beenBILL OF THE WEEKIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning Round -How to spend your stimulus check: Your 4 walls: food, housing, utilities, Netflix Emergency fund: $500 to $15,000 High interest debt Give it away: neighbors, local charities, local businesses Wrap-Up -Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listeningSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's our most listener requested episode AND our 2 year podcast celebration! You all asked the questions, and Travis and Eric answered! It's certainly not 'content heavy' but it is fun!Sponsors: An awesome mobile app jam packed with features that make managing your money easier. With a high-yield checking account offering 1.6% APY, and direct access to their financial coaches; Empower is an obvious choice in mobile apps! For more info about Empower, visit: empower.me/FRUGAL and use offer code FRUGAL to get a $5 bonus when you reach your savings goalEmpower: In any whole - there is always a better half. This is true about sandwiches, bananas, shirts, and marriages. Today you will meet our better halves and then you will know the right way to eat a banana.The Better Half: Notable Notes:You asked, our husbands answered! Stacey- Our love stories & how we met? Mona: Do you feel accurately represented on the podcast? Jocelyn: We want to hear all about Eric’s cars+Travis’ amazing hair! ALSO, do you have any friends named bill? Who sings the BOTW song?? It’s so catchy! Leslie: How do you balance what you + your spouse think is important to spend $ on? Patricia: what’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of frugality? Virginia: what was the most challenging part of becoming frugal (or along the frugal journey?) Adrienne: Has your idea of style changed since being frugal? Jay: what financial goals to you have for yourselves? Caroline: how do you guys handle the fame of your wives?:) BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Travis and Eric for sharing your bills with us!If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning RoundBest Frugal Tips Travis - find someone who can align with financial approach Eric - research your purchases; learn what something is worth and how to get good deals! Wrap Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Decreasing our consumption, decreases our spending, which increases our savings AND creates sustainable practices! Sounds good right?! But how do we do this practically...and frugally?? On this episode we explore attainable ways to decrease our waste in an effort to live more frugally and steward our resources well. Sponsors: An awesome mobile app jam packed with features that make managing your money easier. With a high-yield checking account offering 1.6% APY, and direct access to their financial coaches; Empower is an obvious choice in mobile apps! For more info about Empower, visit: empower.me/FRUGAL and use offer code FRUGAL to get a $5 bonus when you reach your savings goalEmpower: Every April we celebrate the planet we live on and it’s environment. This year we celebrate the 50th official Earth Day by posting eco-friendly quotes, heartfelt posts on Facebook, and going to a free event with a folk band. Whatever you choose to do, remember that you only have one earth so take care of it because it takes longer to get to mars than we originally thought.Earth Day! Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Hestia Speaks provides tips for sustainable living on budgetWhat Jen + Jill have to say: Glass jars - perfectly reusable! You don't need to buy new! Simplify your meals - don’t spend on all the oils and fancy ingredientsBase your meals around 3 veggies instead of 5! When you DO buy new...spend on high quality Grow indoor herbs Make a meal plan Simplify your use of non-food products Choose secondhand firstfrugalfriendspodcast.com/thredup Host a swap party More from the InternetThis article from Going Zero Waste describes 12 things you can STOP buying when you decrease your waste and consumptionMore from Jen + Jill: The average American spends almost $5,000 on products that are thrown away! #1-3 AHHHHH #4. Aluminum foil #6. Trash bags #8. Disposable water bottles #9. Conventional cleanersAmerican family spends on cleaning supplies. Anywhere from $300-800 a year - Thanks Andy Hill from Marriage, Kids, and Money podcast! We love your bill about kids summer camps ;)BILL OF THE WEEKIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning RoundOur Favorite Frugal Zero-Waste Swaps Jill- water filter (and reusable bottle) + food creativity (i’m no pro but I have a few tricks up my sleeve :)) Jen- glass containers Jill- learn simple sewing skillz (I’ve saved plenty of clothing, purses, blankets, etc. by doing my own mending) Jen- convenience food Wrap Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to [email protected]. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!See ya next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do we respond when money is tight or when we reach a point of financial crisis? This can bring feelings of anxiety and overwhelm to any person especially when it seems we don't have enough to cover the essentials. On this episode we hope to reduce the panic financial upheaval can bring and discuss some tangible ways to care for ourselves and our budgets when things aren't going 'according to plan'.Sponsors: An awesome mobile app jam packed with features that make managing your money easier. With a high-yield checking account offering 1.6% APY, and direct access to their financial coaches; Empower is an obvious choice in mobile apps! For more info about Empower, visit: empower.me/FRUGAL and use offer code FRUGAL to get a $5 bonus when you reach your savings goalEmpower: that feeling when you can barely make ends meet and you are wringing out that dollar for all it’s worth - sometimes our financial situation can feel like a tight squeeze; but our sponsor wants to remind us that this term can also refer to the best most warmest hug from our loved one. So when you’re looking at your budget wondering how you’re gonna pay your bills don’t think of it like a snake coiling around you causing anxiety and panic; think of it like a warm hug coming from your finances. Tight squeeze - when feeling constricted is a good thingTight Squeeze: Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Investopedia highlights a few simple ways we can prepare for a financial crisisWhat Jen+Jill have to say: 1. Maximize liquid cash 2. Make a budget: know how much you have coming in/going out each month (helps ID how much you should have in emergency fund) 3. Prepare to Minimize Your Monthly Bills 5. Take stock of ‘non-cash’ assets and maximize value (i.e. utilize points, gift cards, extra food in house, 8. Look for ways to earn extra cash 10. Keep up with routine maintenance More from the Internet:This article from Very Well Mind gives tangible tips on ways to manage our stress and emotions during financially stressful timesMore from Jen+Jill: Remain calm Ask for help- friends and family, financial planner Reframe the situation - watch the internal narrative and find ways to shift perspective Pushing through the difficulty and identifying ‘kindness’ to invest emotional time and energy into Take a break - strike the middle ground between ruminating/obsessing and abdicating/avoiding Ask for help- find a mental health professional, especially if your stress, overwhelm, or feelings of anxiety are inhibiting daily activitiesUse this code for a discount for online therapy Thank you Jess for saving us with your bill about ALL the Bill's who have contributed to making St. Pete Florida so great!BILL OF THE WEEK - If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning Round: What we’re doing to prepare Jen- longer and simpler meal plans Jill- NOT PANICKING!! cooking at home more Jen- taking extra work Jill- re-evaluating budget; spending only on essentials - now’s not the time for extra luxuries :) Wrap-Up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to frugalfriSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Where does all our money go? It can often seem like we've cut back on spending but somehow we're not 'crushin it' like we thought we would! We quickly learn that our budget's don't work well on autopilot. Thankfully we have Alyssa from Mixed Up Money to share with us some tips on how to increase our level of intentionality with our finances so we can see the results we want!Sponsors: An awesome mobile app jam packed with features that make managing your money easier. With a high-yield checking account offering 1.6% APY, and direct access to their financial coaches; Empower is an obvious choice in mobile apps! For more info about Empower, visit: empower.me/FRUGAL and use offer code FRUGAL to get a $5 bonus when you reach your savings goalEmpower: The sleek athletic dog breed and star of Disney’s 101 dalmatians. These dogs are intelligent, playful, and typically non-agressive. They’re patient and generally good with children as well. That’s why it’s reasonable to keep 101 of them as pets. We had 2 dalmatians growing up. One was sapphire because she had blue eyes and the other was choca because she had chocolate brown spots.Dalmatians: Notable Notes:Alyssa gave us some background about herself AND her top 4 tips for being more intentional with your finances. We're excited to share these tips with you!Create a goal that is specific and achievable Track your spendingSave money each weekReflect on behaviors and habits- Thanks for sharing your bill with us Alyssa! BILL OF THE WEEK If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a billLightning RoundWhy we value putting pencil to paper with our finances: Alyssa - accountability; opportunity to look at bad AND celebrate success Jen - like the tangible; breeds intentionality Jill - enjoy walking through a process Get more from Alyssa at MIxed Up Money! AND... Check out Alyssa's 100 day financial goal journal that comes out April 7, 2020 Follow on IG @mixedupmoney See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do we keep up motivation and effort with the ebbs and flows of our financial journey? Once we know how to budget, cut spending, pay down debt, and increase savings the challenge can become how to maintain these practices over years! On this episode we're talking all about tips for motivation + focus to keep us working towards our goals and maybe even have some fun along the way!Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.