It's Wednesday! It's time to discuss debt, but I'm going to start out with a little confession. Then I would love to hear your experience and insight on debt! Confession Waking up early has never been a talent of mine. I would rather stay up late working on a project than wake up early to get it done. I really want to be an early-riser. So many of the amazing, inspiring, wise, productive, people I admire get up early. They say that those early morning hours are their most ... read more
Evolution of a Budget
Before explaining our recent change in budgeting that I mentioned in our last income report, I want to give a short overview of our budgeting history and background. Later this month I will go into detail about the specifics of our budgeting system. Growing up, I don't recall ever learning any concrete budgeting skills, though I was born with a frugal gene and the sense not to spend more than I earned. Over the years, my understanding and implementation of budgeting has evolved. Our ... read more
Setting Prices in your Etsy Shop– Earning on Etsy Series, Part 4
We've discussed the Etsy basics, market research, and setting up your shop. You’re almost ready to start listing items to sell, but first we need to talk about pricing. We do want to make money, after all! Pricing can be tricky. Despite what anyone tells you, there is no perfect formula to calculate the prices your should charge. We will look at a few ways to figure your prices, then you can decide what works best for your situation. I'll also share some tips on shipping and other pricing ... read more
Exercising Our Debt Muscles
We've all heard the saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I am a firm believer that challenges and difficulties in life, both those that we create for ourselves and those that are thrust upon us, can be turned to our good. We can learn and grow from our trials. Just as in weight training, where increased resistance builds muscle strength, the opposition we face in daily life can fortify our character. We can choose to learn from trials and allow them to strengthen ... read more
February 2014 Debt Repayment Progress Report
Debt Repayment Both last month and this month we have had an expected low debt payment. Starting in March, payments will increase substantially! We have changed from a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants budgeting system to a living-on-last-month's-income system. It's really exciting! So essentially, in January and February we have paid and set money aside for a month and a half's expenses each month. You can read all about living on last month's income in this new post. . I am really excited ... read more
Setting up Your Etsy Shop– Earning on Etsy Series, Part 3
If you’re just joining us, take a look at Part 1: Etsy basics and Part 2: Market Research. Now we are ready to set up shop! If you don't already have an Etsy account, it's high time you get one! It's free! If you sign up through my link you can get your first 40 listings free. You'll be asked the usual questions (name, email, password, username, etc) and then you'll verify your email address. Opening Your Shop To open a shop, click sell (on the top left of your screen), then open shop. ... read more
Should I Dip into Retirement or Borrow Money for School?– A Reader Question
I'm doing something a little different in today's Wednesday Debt Discussion by fielding a reader's debt-related question. Since many of us are experienced in this arena (that's nicer to say than "deep in debt"), I thought it would be helpful to let everyone give some input. Here's the question: I'm in school for my undergraduate degree. My wife stays home with our two children. We live simply, but I don't think we're going to make it through school without needing to borrow some funds. We ... read more
Making Fruit Leather from Applesauce
My mother-in-law makes fruit leather for her grandchildren for Christmas each year and has the process down to a science. Here is her step-by-step method for making and packaging delicious fruit leather. You can make fruit leather out of any pureed fruit. We make our own homemade applesauce, so it's a convenient (and delicious) choice for us. Applesauce also makes a nice base if you want to add in other fruits and berries. Not only is applesauce a great consistency, it is also less ... read more
Market Research for your Etsy Shop– Earning on Etsy Series, Part 2
Welcome back for Part 2 of my Earning on Etsy series. Now that you know the basics of Etsy and have thought about what you want to sell, it’s time to do a little market research. You can find out a lot about what sells (and what doesn't) and for how much by doing a little detective work on Etsy. Just for the record, I don't have any sort of degree in Etsy-market-research-ology. I will show you what has worked well for me. Feel free to share your own advice and experience in the comments! ... read more
Are you in Debt Denial?
Most people don’t talk about debt openly, but it’s no secret that it’s a serious and widespread problem. You can’t tell by looking at a person whether or not he has massive credit card debit. Even those you know well may have suffocating student loan payments. Most people keep personal finances personal. Between the private nature of debt and the “stuck” feelings associated with it, debt becomes a prime candidate for denial. “Maybe if I just ignore it, it will go away.” You might be in ... read more
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