In my last Get Money Crazy Blog we talked about the basic steps for financial freedom and living a financially stress free life! If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend you do! Out of all of Dave Ramsey’s baby steps for financial freedom we discovered the most difficult step was paying off debt. I’d like to take some time today to point out how this looks in our lives. This does not mean you have to add these to your plans because everyone’s life looks different. But, it does mean you should consider. :)
Tithing
Before I go into the things we got rid of, I want to touch on the one thing we did not and will not stop. Tithing. Now, not everyone goes to church and that’s ok. Tithing can look different to you. For us, we tithe to our local church because we support what they’re doing for our children and in our community. That money goes to many places. For you, it may be that every month you give money to a single parent for diapers. Or, you give to that foster child program you support. However this looks to you, do NOT let this part go. Tithe means one tenth of your income. But, if you know you can’t do this and feel comfortable, then pick what you feel is right for your family. Every little bit can help someone. Giving not only grows your heart, but it also teaches your children to put others before themselves.
This may sound silly, but you wouldn’t believe the amount of money I was spending on soap! I didn’t want to buy the cheap shampoo and conditioner, and I didn’t want to use bar soap. However, if you stop and add up the amount you spend on these items, you will realize it’s not necessary and actually pretty dumb. You don’t have to get the cheapest of the cheap though. There are many options for decent shampoo and conditioner. I like buying in bulk, so going to Amazon and buying this Kirkland brand is a great way to save money, and the product is awesome!
I also decided to change to bar soap. They last so much longer than body wash does. It’s crazy cheap and if you get goat milk soap, it’s so amazing for your skin! We absolutely love it, and I hear it’s easy to make your own too. Maybe I can get Cassie to write a blog on making goat milk soap. ;)
Cook at home
I’m not going to lie, this one sucks! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good home cooked meal. But to be honest I’m sick of picking meals, getting the recipe, shopping for the groceries, and then having to cook it! However, eating out is going to cost you so much more, and it will take you on the longer road to financial freedom. You don’t have to cut it out completely though. It’s like dieting. If you say you will never eat unhealthy food again, you will fail. Same goes for cutting out restaurants completely. One day you will be in a hurry and need to grab something quick for the kids. It will happen. To control this, set a budget for eating out. Add a certain amount of money to your restaurant envelope, and once it’s gone, you’re done for that month. We like to plan days to go out to eat. This will give you something to look forward to, and it will also help you find deals! I like to look for coupons, promo codes online, and kids eat free nights!
For great deals and gift ideas especially leading up to the holidays, check out The Mom Loop Deals on Facebook where we post all the deals we can find on everyday and unique items!
I hope you have taken some time to look at your finances and have seen where you can make some changes. If not, I promise you the freedom and peace it will bring is worth everything you will sacrifice along the way. You will not be disappointed.
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