Now that October is in the books, we have only two months left in our 2019 Debt Smash-athon. I don't know about each of you, but we still have big things to accomplish before the year is over. We have a stretch goal for where we want to get our mortgage principal by the end of the year. We're still a ways off, but we're giving it our all. For those who are new here, in 2019 we're having a Debt Smash-athon! Everyone is invited to participate by reporting how much you paid in debt each ... read more
Monthly Grocery Shopping– November 2019
November's grocery haul was a little different than normal. Usually I shop according to what we're running low on in the fridge and pantry, but this shopping trip included some convenience foods we usually don't buy. I made an exception since we have a baby that's due in a week. We still have some homemade freezer meals that I made a couple of months ago, but I'm not having another big freezer meal session before the baby comes because I have a big project that I'm working on right ... read more
Real Family Budget Update– October 2019
October's budget was a doozie! If you read my last post, you know what I'm talking about. We had $1,000 of unplanned spending thanks to California's new strategy for fire prevention. For 7 days of the month we were without electricity (and cell phones and internet). Since these Public Safety Power Shutoffs are supposed to be the new normal for the next 10 years, and especially because most Airbnb guests won't appreciate being in the dark during their stay, and even more especially because ... read more
Preparing for a Power Outage– Money-Saving Tips for Public Safety Power Shutoffs
If you live in California, then you probably know all too well what a Public Safety Power Shutoff is. Maybe you're among the millions that have already experienced one or more power shutoffs in October alone. It's no secret that these planned power outages are annoying and inconvenient, but if you're not super careful they can be quite costly, too! Between eating out, losing food in your fridge and freezer, missing work, running generators (with gas at $4/gallon), and buying extra data for ... read more
How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree
Fall is in the air and pumpkin recipes are everywhere! I love eating pumpkin all year long, but in the fall the rest of the world (well, at least the country) joins me. Do you know what makes pumpkin recipes even better? Making your own pumpkin puree! Seriously. If you've never tried making homemade pumpkin puree, then make this year your time to give it a try! You'll be so glad you did. Making your own pumpkin puree is better for your body and your budget. When you make ... read more
Debt Smash-athon SEPTEMBER Progress Report
Great job smashing debt in September! As a group, our numbers were higher than they ever have been! Several of you had some enormous payments toward your debt! Two people sold houses and put the proceeds toward debt. One person started a debt free journey with a hefty sum that had been set aside for a home purchase. Those huge numbers don't make the small numbers any less significant. We are all on our own journey. Every payment toward debt, each contribution to retirement, and each ... read more
The Calculator That Gets You Out of Debt Faster
If you've already started on your debt-free journey, then you probably have a target debt-free date in mind. Maybe you're hoping to pay off your student loans before your 35th birthday or pay off your enormous credit card balance before next Christmas. Your goal date can really motivate you to make sacrifices and do hard things to achieve debt freedom. What if in addition to setting a magical date you also knew how every additional payment brought that date closer? What if you could ... read more
Monthly Grocery Shopping– October 2019
We started out the month of October with a pretty standard grocery haul for our family. I plan my grocery shopping a little different than many people. I don't shop according to specific recipes I plan to cook in a month. We cook our food from scratch using standard ingredients that we keep in our fridge, freezer, and pantry. While there are some things we get every month without fail (like milk), there are other ingredients we buy every other month or every few months. Before I go grocery ... read more
Real Family Budget Update– September 2019
It has officially been six years since I started sharing our real family budget online. Every month for the past six years I've shared our income, spending, saving, and goals. The accountability that comes with this is HUGE. It really has kept us on track to pay off debt and reach our goals over the years. Thank you to each of you who have been following and cheering us along over the years. Your support means so much to our family! Even those of you who are following along quietly, ... read more
Yes, You Need Insurance to be an Airbnb Host
A year ago Stephanie and I switched our above-the-garage rental apartment property from a traditional long-term rental to shorter Airbnb rentals. Preparing for the change, we did exhaustive research into the question of homeowners' insurance. Would our homeowner's policy still work with Airbnb? Could we get a supplemental policy? What was covered by Airbnb's own insurance and host guarantee programs? The short answer is that as an Airbnb host, you do need additional insurance. Hosting with ... read more
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