No matter what time of year of year it is, it's never too late to start making a financial plan. It's always a good idea to have a plan in place so you can tell your money exactly what to do so you can reach your financial goals. But, maybe you don't really know how to start? Here are some tips for bringing your financial plan into fruition.
Tips for Making a Financial Plan:
#1. Start with a budget for the year.
To begin, you should think about having a budget in mind. It doesn't need to be a set budget, but it helps if you have some numbers in mind. For example, say you plan on spending $400 a month on groceries. It doesn't have to be a set-in stone budget, but it does give you an idea or a goal to reach towards. You may adjust as needed. Now that you have created a budget for each major area in regards to your finances, the biggest obstacle will be to stick with it. đ
#2. Prioritize your bills and debt.
Most people have bills and/or some sort of debt. With the New Year on the horizon, you should prioritize your bills as much as possible. Also, seriously consider cutting down your debt. The less debt that you have, the more money you can put towards major saving goals.
#3. Know what your financial downfalls are.
Letâs be honest for a moment. Everyone has a financial downfall. Maybe yours is shopping. Whatever the financial downfall is, itâs important to know what it is, so you can avoid it. Everyoneâs financial downfall has the potential to get them in trouble, which is why keeping tabs on it can help your financial plan, instead of hurting it.
#4. Have money goals in mind.
Every year, it's smart to plan on having money goals. For 2016, my family had a âsavingsâ goal in mind. We wanted to save as much as possible so that we could put a large down payment on the house we bought. Maybe in your case, there is a certain amount of money that you'd like to save before 2018 hits. These financial goals help us to create a financial plan that makes sense.
#5. Donât let your financial plan become a distant memory.
Once you have put all this work into your financial plan, donât let it fall to the wayside. Keep on top of it! Put this financial plan into action, you wonât regret it.
#6. Keep records of your financial plan.
This year, you could plan on putting a financial plan binder together. Everything that has to do with your financial plan can go into a binder. The Budget Planner that I have available is a great way to help you to stay more organized and on target with your financial plan.
What tips do you have for someone trying to make a financial plan this year? Do you have any lofty financial goals that you'd like to hit?
Can you believe it is time to start thinking about holiday family photos already? The holidays are the perfect time to get family photos done, especially if you are considering photo greeting cards or other photo gifts. But how can you get amazing pictures without going broke? The great news is there are plenty of ways to save money on family holiday photos while still putting your best foot forward. Take a look below at 6 ways to save money on family holiday photos so you can be sure you get gorgeous photos at a great price.
1. Scour for coupons.
Chances are, you wonât have to scour at all! Newspapers are filled with photo studio coupons around the holiday season since studios know this is when customers are most active. Chances are you can find packages for as low as $20 with coupon for some of your favorite local studios.
2. Look for mini sessions.
If you want to use a private photographer, look for mini session deals. Many photographers offer mini sessions around the holidays which include a 30 minute session and 8-10 images. This is perfect for snagging a few shots that you can use in greeting cards and photo gifts! Ask local photographers in your area if they offer any mini sessions.
3. Head to Old Navy.
Why? Because they offer all sorts of color coordinated pieces for the whole family! Plus, during the holidays you can score these items for as much as 50% off. Choose a color theme of 3-4 colors and mix and match Old Navy clothing pieces for a picture perfect wardrobe.
4. Skip the extras.
Do you really need that photo keychain? Mousepad? Or fancy editing? Probably not. Skip all of these extras no matter how cute they are. Instead, stick to the basic prints and packages you are offered and bypass any additional photo perks which can hike up your price.
5. Ask a friend to take the photos.
Do you have a friend with a creative eye? Ask them to help you out. See if they will take a few family shots for you in exchange for a small fee or favor. Find a nice field or fireplace to gather around and take a beautiful shot. Use online photo editing (a program like PicMonkey is great) to make your photos pop! Then, just save and send them to your nearest photo lab for printing.
6. Check out Groupon.
Groupon is where I find a deal every year on portraits from Walmart. While Walmart definitely isn’t fancy, I’m still very happy with how our photos turn out! We also get a ton of photos with the package! Win!
As you can see there are many simple ways to get holiday family photos for less. Give these tips for getting holiday family photos for less a try and see what amazing results you can achieve.
I’d love to know how you save on family holiday photos each year. Let me know in the comments!
Sure, slow cookers are great for roasts and chili, but did you know they can do so much more? There are literally hundreds of dishes you can prepare in your slow cooker, and they arenât just for dinner either. Take a look at these 7 meals you may not have considered cooking in a slow cooker. So whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner you need to prep, you can put your slow cooker to work for you! Here are 7 ideas to get you started!
1. French toast bake.
Do you want to simplify breakfast? There are tons of recipes for slow cooker French toast. By combining a mixture of eggs, bread, water, and select spices, you can make your own French toast bake that is perfect for serving at breakfast on Sunday morning or any day of the week, really!
2. Taco casserole.
Did you ever think about preparing tacos in a slow cooker? Add your cooked ground beef, chopped veggies, cheese, and taco chips along with select seasonings and you have a taco casserole. This pairs well with a side salad and is a meal you will be happy to come home to.
3. Brownies.
Yes, you can make brownies and other cakes in your slow cooker! There are so many recipes out there that allow you to slow bake your dessert. Can you imagine how amazing your house will smell? Head to Pinterest where tons of slow cooker recipes for brownies and cake await you.
4. Biscuit/breakfast gravy.
Heading to a breakfast potluck or just want a nice Sunday breakfast? Consider preparing a breakfast or biscuit gravy in your slow cooker. You only need a few ingredients and in no time you have the perfect, creamy topping for biscuits, toast, and other breakfast items.
5. Cider/Hot chocolate.
Yes, you CAN prepare hot beverages in your slow cooker. This includes various kinds of fall cider as well as hot chocolate. Or my personal favourite, chai tea! Your slow cooker will make it easy to prepare these hot seasonal beverages in bulk, so you can easily serve a crowd!
6. Barbecue sauce.
Why not try making your own signature barbecue sauce? Your slow cooker is perfect for creating the best blend! Use a variety of ingredients and spices to create the perfect blend (ketchup, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, etc.) and see what you can create. Your slow cooker makes it easy for you to prepare your sauce in bulk which you can then can or freeze for later.
7. Baked fruit.
Try baking fruit such as apples or peaches in your slow cooker for a sweet breakfast or dessert. You can top them with sweet seasonings for the ultimate treat! If you havenât tried baked fruit, your slow cooker is the perfect way to experiment!
Are you ready to get creative with your slow cooker? Give one or all seven of these ideas a try. Need a recipe? The internet (especially Pinterest) is chock full of them. Give one a try!
I’d love to know what your favourite thing to make in the slow cooker is. Let me know in the comments below!
We all find ourselves in a pinch from time to time. Things get tough and we don’t have enough money to go around. When this happens you may find yourself looking at the pantry wondering how you will make a meal out of what is left so you can get through to pay day. You will be proud of yourself when you serve that meal knowing you did it with what you had in the pantry.
Here’s how to make a meal with what’s left in the pantry:
Strive for balance.
When it comes to tossing a meal together out of the blue, you want to look for ingredients to make a balanced and filling meal. This means you want to search for a protein, some fruit/veggies and a carbohydrate to create your meal. Canned meats or beans will give you a protein, while rice, pasta, and potatoes for your carbohydrate, are found in nearly any pantry.
Mix it together to have enough to fill you up.
If you find you do not have enough of something for a meal, you could try mixing two things together to make enough to feed your family. For example, you could mix rice and potatoes together in a casserole or add beans to ground beef to make tacos stretch further.
Give your meal a flavor boost.
When it comes to making a meal from very little, the best trick you can use is your spice cabinet. Adding flavor to your mystery dish can make the plainest foods feel like a gourmet meal. Some cooked pasta with butter, spices, and whatever protein and veggie you have in your fridge or pantry can become a new family favorite. When in doubt use garlic, basil, and oregano for a foolproof flavor combination.
Add a Carbohydrate.
Any bread in the house will do. It adds a filling element to your meal making it go further. If all else fails mix 2 cups flour, a pinch of salt, your favorite herbs (basil and oregano for the win again), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and enough milk or water to create a pancake-like batter. Fry up like a pancake and serve with butter for a filling side to any meal.
Put ramen noodles to good use.
Any college kid will tell you that ramen noodles can be made into a pretty tasty meal. Add some chopped veggies, a scrambled egg or leftover meat out of the fridge. While high in calories and salt the occasional pack won’t hurt you. Or you could omit the packet all together and add some teriyaki sauce.
Cheese goes with nearly anything.
If youâre truly low on food but are lucky enough to have some cheese in the fridge, you can turn nearly anything into a cheesy filling casserole.
Need a little bit more help getting started with a meal idea? MyFridgeFoodis made just for people like you. Select the random things running around in your pantry and fridge, hit select and get instant inspiration.
I’d love to know some of your ideas for pulling together a meal with the bare minimum. Let me know in the comments!
I had the opportunity to attend a pre-grand opening event at a new Value Village that has opened in the area. Not only was it really fun to attend, they challenged me to see how far I could stretch $50. Challenge accepted!
Rather than buying whatever I fancied without any thought put into it, I thought it would be fun to put together a “capsule wardrobe” for fall. A capsule wardrobe is a very small collection of clothing that you love that changes with each season. This concept appeals to me because I often find myself going for the same pieces over and over again in my closet. And I’m quite fond of (trying) to be minimalistic. Perhaps you feel the same?
I rifled through the racks and pulled out anything I thought would work for me, being sure to pick out a good assortment of tops and bottoms. I didn’t find any shoes because I’ve got pretty small feet and the selection in my size wasn’t very abundant. (Like at most stores!) However, I do have shoes at home that will work. đ It was fun filling my basket to the brim!
I’ve been craving colour in my wardrobe lately so I was trying to pick out some good fall colours that I liked. Value Village didn’t disappoint in the colour department. I ended up with a bit of a theme. Cobalt/navy, beige/gold and plum for tops. Bottoms are a neutral denim.
As I mentioned, I was challenged to spend $50. I tried my best to stay within budget, but I went a bit over. Here’s the break down:
Beige H&M sequined top  $3.99
Cobalt blue Simons sweater  $7.99
Gold Banana Republic sweater $9.99
Navy Hollister ruffle top $7.99
Purple Old Navy tank $5.99
Cobalt button shirt (omitted from the tally because it’s from Amazon.ca)
London skinny jeans $7.99
Banana Republic denim skirt $11.99
Gap jeans (omitted from the tally because I owned them already)
TOTAL: $55.93
Here are some pieces that I already owned that I’m incorporating into my fall capsule wardrobe:
Accessories are generally a big part of capsule wardrobes, (I think, I’m no fashionista) but they’re honestly not really my thing. I wear my wedding rings all the time, but that’s it! However, I do have one accessory that I have been wearing because the baby likes it. It’s the hot pink teething necklace pictured below. I think it can go with all the colours I have in my wardrobe, except for the purple tank.
So now, if I were to add everything together that you see above, I spent under $130 for an entire wardrobe. (I’ve have to purchase other new things recently because I’m losing weight and everything was falling off of me đ )Â Not bad! Especially since everything was bought over a span of a few months.
Now, you may be wondering how to create a capsule wardrobe with stuff you own already. Here’s how:
Do a purge. Empty out your closet in it’s entirety and lay everything on your bed.
Sort each item into three piles: Keep (you love and regularly wear the item), Maybe (item may not fit quite right, sentimental…etc. Put it all in a bag then store away. If at the end of the season/year you don’t “rescue” anything from the bag, donate the bag.), Donate (self-explanatory).
Assess what you have left. These are the clothes you love and wear regularly. You should see your “style” pop out at you with what you have left.
Fill in the gaps. Perhaps you need a new pair of jeans. Or a black tank top. Shop for one item at a time and get them on sale. However, I recommend quality over price, within reason, especially since most items in a capsule wardrobe will be getting frequent use.
The amount of clothes you have in a capsule wardrobe depends on your personal needs/desires. I’ve seen some people stick to 50Â pieces, others with 37Â and others with less than that. Maybe you need two capsule wardrobes. One for work wear and one for weekends. Do what works for you.
Have you considered creating a capsule wardrobe for each season? I bet you already own quite a few pieces you could incorporate!
Disclaimer â This is a sponsored post brought to you by Value Village. Â All opinions are 100% my own.
Here’s a question that a reader of Simply Frugal would love some help with:
I am a single person, trying to live frugally. I have it down in every other area of my life, but when it comes to meal planning and buying food, I seem to waste a lot. How do you eat healthy and frugally when you are single?
Can you help her out with some awesome suggestions?
