Frugal Friends Podcast

In case we all need a bit more motivation and encouragement to keep working towards our debt-free goals we're reminding ourselves of the top reasons to get out of debt and looking at some compelling statistics to help us realize this is possible!Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We imagine right now more than ever people are discouraged about their finances and trying to just get stable; not even thinking about becoming a millionaire! BUT we believe that when we shift our mindset to believe our financial situation can improve, things change! For this reason, we've invited Chris Hogan from Ramsey Solutions on the show to help us shift our mindset by debunking some common myths that may be holding you back from believing wealth is possible for you. Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We believe frugality is a means to an end, not the end itself. We all have our 'whys' for being frugal and for us a big reason is the room it provides for generosity. Join us as we explore ways to maximize our financial giving.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tis the season for purchasing new TV's, phones, tablets, and more but buying new and impulsively can cost a lot of money! On this episode we're talking about what to buy, when to buy new, and tips for saving on electronics.Click here for full show notes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've got one of our archived favs making another appearance! This conversation with Kristin about pairing down in our kitchens not only helps to free up brain space and reduce stress, but, you guessed it...it's frugal! Listen in for tips on how you can make your kitchen functional AND minimal!Sponsors:  Every year you have the best intentions about controlling your holiday spending and every year you forget something. That’s why Jen made this FREE Christmas planner to help you  record every cost and stay on budget this holiday season. This planner will help you keep track of your spending on family traditions, recipes, dinners and parties, gifts and more to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then use the 2021 planning chart to make sure you’re on track to saving the right amount next year! If this sounds like something you need head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/holiday to get your free planner.Debt Free Christmas Planner- all the essential people and things have gathered together to sponsor this show; the nurses, the grocery store clerks, the toilet paper, the bottled waters and so many more have united to say; ’you’re welcome, AND we’re tired’. The essentials: let’s keep valuing and being grateful for them!The essentials - Also check out these episodes related to kitchens and groceries!EP 70 - Grocery Store Sales CyclesEP 92 - Reducing Food Waste w/ Debt Kickin MomThis episode was also sponsored by Namecheap; the world’s 2nd largest domain registrar. Namecheap offers hundreds of domain extensions, from the traditional .com to country-specific, like .us, or profession-specific, like .design. We think it’s super important to own the domain name of your side business so Namecheap is offering Frugal Friends listeners 30% off any non-premium domain name for its first year of registration. Use code FRUGAL at checkoutWrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to frugalfriendspodcast@gmail.com. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The holiday season is upon us and one of the biggest pitfalls to blowing our budgets is impulse spending! On this episode we explore how stores, whether in person or online, prey upon our tendency make impulsive purchases and what we can do avoid these traps and not overspend! Sponsors:  Every year you have the best intentions about controlling your holiday spending and every year you forget something. That’s why Jen made this FREE Christmas planner to help you  record every cost and stay on budget this holiday season. This planner will help you keep track of your spending on family traditions, recipes, dinners and parties, gifts and more to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then use the 2021 planning chart to make sure you’re on track to saving the right amount next year! If this sounds like something you need head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/holiday to get your free planner.Debt Free Christmas Planner- - Looking for a year that won’t that won’t bring you widespread panic and global chaos? Try 2021. The holidays signal the end of the year. They actually feel like a year unto themselves so that means 2021 is just around the corner. We hope that brings you joy. 2021, We can’t make any promises but it’s probably going to be better than 2020. Maybe.2021 Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Square Up gives us a behind the scenes look at how companies capitalize on impulse shoppers.What Jen + Jill have to say: “impulse buying - not a pre-meditated purchase” Gamify shopping- don’t play the game, eliminate the temptation Give them a deal- stop buying things because they’re on sale! Emphasize self-care- find free ways to care for yourself Go beyond seasons greeting- businesses want to get more money out of you because it’s cheaper than finding a new customer. More from the Internet:This article from Moneyning provides us with 10 tips to avoid impulse spending over the holidays.Thank you Becky for sharing your bill about Bill Shakespeare!! Your local library program sounds amazing! Also we love libraries too :)BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billThis bill was sponsored by : Shopping for insurance can seem like a daunting task, but Policygenius makes it easy and saves their home & auto customers an average of $1,127 a year. They do the hard work for you by finding the lowest quotes from over 30 top insurers. Head to Policygenius.com right now to get started and make sure you’re getting the best rates on your home and auto insurance.PolicyGeniusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether or not you have heard of the pink tax, we can nearly guarantee you've encountered it in some way! On this episode we take a broad look at what the pink tax is, the various products and services most susceptible, and how to avoid paying extra unnecessarily.Sponsors: Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Bankrate explains the pink tax and some common products and services that cost more for womenWhat Jen + Jill have to say: The pink tax is "a system of discriminatory pricing on products and services that is based on gender" and costs the average woman $1,300 a year while impacting all aspects of daily life from shopping to dry cleaning What can be done? :More from the InternetThis article from The Simple Dollar gives us a few key ways to avoid the pink tax.More from Jen + Jill: 1. Research the brands you purchase 2. Consider unisex products 3. Support companies ‘taking a stand’ 4. Be a part of eliminating the pink tax 5. Support legislation to stop the pink tax 6. Take advantage of credit card rewards - find ones that reward you for the things you purchase often Thank you Rachel from Kansas for sharing your hospital bill from your birth and how you called to correct an error and saved $2000!!BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a bill: An investing platform that makes investing in high-quality, high-potential real estate as easy as investing in mutual funds. Their team of real estate professionals carefully vets and actively manages all of their real estate projects. And makes it easy to track your portfolio’s performance and watch as properties across the country are acquired, improved, and operated via asset updates. So if you want to add real estate to your portfolio visit fundrise.com/frugal to get your first NINETY days of advisory fees waived and start building your better portfolio with Fundrise today!FundRiseLightning RoundPersonal Pink Tax Experiences - I certainly see how I save more money having a son - so many additional products are geared towards little girlsJen When working at a group home I was unable to take a teenage girl to the barber for a $10 haircut and instead had to take her to the salon for a $45 hair cutJill- Wrap-up:Thanks so much for listening! Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to frugalfriendspodcast@gmail.com. AND share our most recent episode on social for a chance to win a copy of the Frugal Friends Workbook!Thanks for listening! See you next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Budgeting. We're never gonna stop talking about it. AND on this episode we have THE Jesse Mecham, creator and founder of the famous budgeting app 'You Need a Budget'. For those still wondering whether or not they actually need a budget, and for all the rest who benefit from more reminders and tips; listen in!Sponsors:  Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Trying to calculate stuff but don’t have a calculator or app? Spreadsheets are here for you. Record all the stuff, have multiple sheets in one doc, and go crazy with those sums! be a lady in the streets but a freak in the spreadsheets.Budgeting with Spreadsheets: Notable Notes:We asked Jesse all about the 4 rules for successful budgeting: Give every dollar a job Consider the idea of trade offs (i.e. If i do this - I can’t do that) Recognize finite nature of your money and prioritize Budget based on your current money on hand Embrace your true expenses Look ahead to less frequent expenses Create sinking funds Roll with the punches Recognize that the future is not static Don’t anticipate perfection Change the plan as needed Recognize its a process Engage in high frequency of interaction with your budget Age your money  Budget the money you already have Let your money ‘hang out a little’ Live ahead instead of behind BILL OF THE WEEK - Thank you Jesse for sharing your bill about your electricity bill of $16!!frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a bill: This Bill of the Week is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers online counseling and therapy services for individuals, couples, and teens. Just answer a few questions and they’ll  assess your needs to match you with a licensed professional therapist that fits your needs and preferences. AND as a Frugal Friends listener you get 10% off your first month when you sign up at betterhelp.com/Frugal.BetterHelpLightning RoundOur latest budgeting flub and how we recovered took over costco run and didn't even know how much the total bill was!Jesse- not accurately estimating reno costs and timeline for fixing up the new houseJill- - forgot to adjust budget to reflect ebbs and flows of workJen Get more from Jesse and YNAB at:YouNeedabudget.comBONUS:Jesse's Book Recommendations:-The Wealthy Barber-Your Money or Your Life - Vicki Robin-See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever thought about living in an RV or trying the tiny house lifestyle, or even considered it short-term; this episode is for you! We're covering a lot of the basics regarding what should be considered before full-time RV-ing, where to park, and what to look for when purchasing an RV!Sponsors:  Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. finding the lesser known, but far better solution. Like when the line for the restroom goes out the door and down the hall, but YOU remember that there was another bathroom on the 2nd floor. Or when your birthday falls on leap year so you’re a good 8 years younger than the rest of your friends. Loopholes; just makes sure they’re not illegal...Loopholes: Notable NotesWhat the Internet has to say:This article from Insider gives us a list of important things to consider about full-time RV-ingWhat Jen + Jill have to say: The bathrooms are tiny, it's true...but the water doesn't have to get cold 5-minutes into your shower! You can upgrade your water heater system! The cooktops and stoves are often tiny, but this is another thing you can upgrade if living in the RV full-time There is no privacy! You do hear everything inside, and depending on where you're parked, there may not be privacy once you walk out of your 'home'! More from the Internet:This article from A Small Life talks about the number one question that needs to be answered when living on wheels: where to park the RV?!More from Jen + Jill: If you have your own land with appropriate hook-ups or you plan to boon-dock; parking on your own property could be an option  RV parks + mobile home communities (sometimes only seasonal) Tiny house community online has some great tips (see link in article) Jill's favorite option: backyard living (+traveling) RVshare.com RVparking.com Roadtrippers.com overnightRVparking.com Walmart Thank you Jacqueline from St. Louis for sharing your bill about both hitting your sisters car AND setting up recurring payments by check through paypal rather than paying feeBILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill If you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billPolicyGeniusJen- Shopping for insurance can seem like a daunting task, but Policygenius makes it easy and saves their home & auto customers an average of $1,127 a year. They find the lowest quotes from over 30 top insurers. So if you’re a homeowner, head to Policygenius.com right now to get started and make sure you’re getting the best rates on your home and auto insurancSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've talked about side hustles and selling our gently used items to bring in more cash and now we're introducing the idea of a side business! If this feels next level, it is. BUT we hope this episode helps give some sunlight and water to those seedling ideas that may be sprouting in your mind about putting your skills and talents to work in a way that benefits your budget big time!Sponsors:  Whether you’re new to budgeting or trying to reach a big financial goal and need something to motivate you, you’ll enjoy The Frugal Friends Workbook. It’s a digital workbook with 6 week-long challenges that will help you save money, simplify your life, improve money conversations, and more. It’s over 60 pages and can be completed on your own but it’s created to be gone through in pairs or small groups that’s why every purchase comes with two downloads so you can share or split the cost. Head to Frugalfriendspodcast.com/workbook to learn more and use the code TACOBELL all one word to get $10 off the regular price.Frugal Friends Workbook. Or SAPTOS for short. Searching for a way to make money on the internet? Every article you read will without a doubt recommend online surveys! You’ll spend hours trying to take surveys you won’t qualify for and more hours taking surveys you’ll get paid pennies for. And you’ll learn nothing about yourself. At SAPTOS we urge you, If you see online surveys as a suggestion for how to make more money, close the tab immediately.Society Against People Taking Online Surveys. A future episode will be about negotiating raises, job hopping, and making more in the workplace.Today is about what mindset shifts do we need to make and what strategies can we use to make more money.Notable Notes:What the Internet has to say:This article from Hack The Entrepreneur gives us the top tips for shifting our mindset to think like an entrepreneurWhat Jen + Jill have to say: Decisiveness  Accountability  Humility Confidence Resilience  :More from the InternetThis article from Entrepreneur provides some unique ideas of ways to make the most of $100 from some of the top business leadersMore from Jen + Jill: Buy or flip - find out what it’s worth and best place to sell Test before you invest - test out your idea (ex of spending $100 on FB adds to see what the interest is) Don’t forget service“The best way to drum up business with a zero marketing budget is to service the crap out of existing clients.” Sell or service Utilize your expertise It’s never about the money Thank you Emily for sharing your bill with us about $6 packs of light bulbs that will also save you money on your electric bill!BILL OF THE WEEK - frugalfriendspodcast.com/billIf you want to submit your bill of the week visit to leave us a billThis Bill of the Week is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers online counseling and therapy services for individuals, couples, and teens. Just answer a few questions and they’ll  assess your needs to match you with a licensed professional therapist that fits your needs and preferences. AND as a Frugal Friends listener you get 10% off your first month when you sign up at betterhelp.com/Frugal.Lightning RoundHow we started our side business ventures selling road side plants!Jill- - t-shirt businessJen - this podcasJill See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.