budget Archives - Bare Feet on the Dashboard

04
Oct
2015

Frugal Living: Tips for a Happy Halloween on a Budget

Life on a budget means making choices about spending, even when it comes to holidays. Without a plan, holidays and special days can become total budget busters. Did you know that in 2014, Americans spent an estimated $7.4 BILLION on Halloween. With only about 67% of the country celebrating the holiday, that number becomes even scarier. I love celebrating Halloween with my little monsters, and with a little planning and a few smart choices we can have a happy Halloween on a budget. Today I’m sharing my favorite tips for saving money on costumes, treats, decorations, and party supplies so you can have a spooky celebration that doesn’t bust your budget.

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08
Sep
2015

Hunting for Baby Deals at Sam’s Club + $50 Sam’s Club Gift Card Giveaway

categories: baby, deals, shopping

Buying in bulk can save time and money, and Sam’s Club is the place to go for savings on everything from groceries to toiletries. Did you know Sam’s Club also has tons of great baby deals for parents and caregivers? September is Baby Month at Sam’s Club, so there will be special savings all month long. Disposable diapers, wipes, laundry detergent, snacks, formula, books, toys, and baby gear can all be found at Sam’s Club. If shopping at a warehouse store intimidates or stresses you, don’t let it. Everything was easy to find and the whole experience was great. Read on to find out more about shopping for baby needs and enter to win a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club for your shopping trip.

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07
Sep
2015

Real Home Inspiration: DIY Closet Bunkbed in Shared Bedroom and Playroom {Guest Post}

categories: baby, decorating, diy, kids

For the next installation in our Real Home Inspiration Series, my friend Kimie from Kimie Pruessner Photography is telling you all about her amazing shared kids’ room and playroom with a DIY closet bunkbed. When I first saw it, I thought it was the coolest and most practical space. She turned the closet in to a bunk bed, leaving all the floor space for play. This series is all about real homes and real people with creative and inspiring but lived in, unstaged spaces. I’ll turn it over to Kimie. Enjoy!

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19
Jul
2015

Seven Simple Tips for Family Travel on a Budget

categories: family, travel

Family travel can seem out of reach when you are living on a budget, but it doesn’t have to be. With planning and strategy, we are able to have incredible adventures with our family without busting our budget. Today I’m sharing seven simple tips we’ve learned over the last few years living in financial freedom and finding space in the budget for travel. Before I start, let me say that we put travel on hold while we paid off all of our debt and created an emergency fund. While I believe travel is an important part of our lives, it is a luxury. Though we live debt free, we are on a teacher & part time blogger/non-profit salary, so we aren’t exactly rolling in the dough. If we can do it, so can you.

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21
Apr
2015

Three Practical Tips for Dressing Kids on a Budget

categories: baby, budget, fashion, kids

Kids are a blessing and a gift to parents and family, but they can be expensive. There are so many ways to save money on your child’s wardrobe to help you make it through these fast growing years without breaking the bank. How many times have we had a child outgrow an outfit before they even get a chance to wear it? Very rarely do my kids actually get to wear something until it is worn out. They grow too fast! Spending a ton of money on kids’ clothes just doesn’t make sense when you are on a tight budget, but there are ways to dress your kids well without spending a ton.

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29
Mar
2015

How to Protect Your Marriage from One of the Most Common Causes of Divorce

categories: financial freedom, marriage, our financial story

No one gets married thinking about divorce, but we know it happens to so many couples. If we could figure out what causes it, would we try to avoid it? OF COURSE WE WOULD. We’re not dumb. There it is in black and white, on every list of the most common causes of divorce: money and financial issues. Here’s the thing – it isn’t a lack of money that makes the list. It’s the issues that come from not being on the same page financially with your spouse – not seeing eye to eye about money. Maybe one spouse is a spender while the other is a saver, or one insists on controlling every aspect of the finances without letting the other have a say. What is comes down to is that if you aren’t on the same page, with the same vision of your financial future as your spouse, there will be issues. So, how do you get on the same page?

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01
Mar
2015

Getting Rid of Cable without Losing TV Entertainment ~ Fabulously Frugal

categories: frugal, our financial story

We got rid of cable television over two years, and quite honestly we don’t miss it. We were paying over $100 a month for so many channels we could never watch. When we sat down and looked at our budget we knew something had to give so that I could quit my job and stay home with the kids. Cable was first on the chopping block. We found three easy ways to keep our tv entertainment while cutting cable, and I’m sharing them with you today as part of the Fabulously Frugal Link Party. Link up your latest frugal post below and hop around to visit the others to find so many great ideas.

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22
Feb
2015

Five Ways to Start a Mini Emergency Fund {Fabulously Frugal}

categories: budget, financial freedom, frugal

There was a time when I thought I would never be able to save $1000 for a mini emergency fund. Now I can’t imagine life without it, as well as our big emergency fund (6 months worth of expenses). If you want to set aside for emergencies, but the idea of saving $1000 is intimidating or seems impossible I’m here to help. Emergencies will come, and you don’t want to be in a panic when they arrive. Having an amount set aside that you only touch for emergencies can really give you peac of mind. Before you start to pay off debt or invest, you need to have money set aside for emergencies.

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20
Feb
2015

Why Should I Spend Money on Essential Oils?

categories: essential oils, green living

Why did I spend money on essential oils? If you follow me on Facebook you’ll know that I’ve been asking lots of questions about essential oils, and after months of research finally decided to buy in a few weeks ago. Quality essential oils aren’t cheap, and we are on a tight budget. It took quite a while for me to decide to take the plunge, so today I’m sharing why I decided to spend money on essential oils. I’m joining with my fellow Oil Explorers as part of the Skeptic’s Guide to Essential Oils series. Each of us is tackling a different topic that we’ve wrestled with in a very real, raw series perfect for those of us who are intrigued but still a little skeptical about this whole oil craze.

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15
Feb
2015

Five Free Field Trips for Kids Under 5 + Fabulously Frugal

categories: frugal, kids, play

Sometimes you just need to get the kids out of the house, right?! With 2 little ones, cabin fever set in with this winter weather and our usual neighborhood walks and nature hikes become slightly less appealing. We have to get creative to get the kids out and doing something fun without the budget taking a hit. Here are five of our favorite free field trips for kids under 5 to give you some inspiration and get you out of the house. Bonus: If you are a blogger, link up your latest frugal post to the Fabulously Frugal Link Party at the bottom of this page. You can find more of our frugal living ideas here, and our fun for preschool kids here.

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Tag: budget