The Spendthrift Sister Stories

My journey into frugality began long, long ago. The second daughter of a single mom, I learned early on what the word “budget” really meant. At 15, I had my very first after school job and by college, I had two....by my late 20’s through my early 30’s, I had three or four. Growing up, I worked every second I had and yet I still felt I was on a constant depressing merry-go-round of financial woes. I was always that broke friend, no matter how many hours I put in or how well I actually got paid. I wish I could tell you that now at 38 things are drastically different and ramen is never on the dinner menu but unfortunately that’s not true. The older you get, the more demanding life is. At least I can rest easy knowing I’m solo in this struggle...meaning, I have zero mouths to feed except for mine and my fiancé’s. But then again, he too contributes to this household so I’m not really feeding him. Instead, we’re merely both just bringing equal amounts of food to the table and I’m grateful I can only imagine the extra stress children can bring versus experiencing it firsthand. Seriously. We’re also getting married this year so the wish to rebuild that ‘nest egg’ after we moved became, “We put in what we can, when we can and pray nothing insane happens along the way.” It’s been a slow process but I’m nowhere near where I was a year ago and am persistent with moving forward. One foot in front of the other. Penny pinching doesn’t mean being cheap. In fact, most broke folks I know are actually the most giving people-while those with the deeper pockets come up with every excuse not to ‘come up’ off that cash. So, let’s be clear going into this blog.... It won’t interest you if you a) want to be a cheap asshat or b) want to be a cheap asshat. (A Poor Woman’s Rant) -Tip your servers 20%, most people on welfare aren’t ripping off the system and watching your money is fine just don’t be greedy when you have everything while others have little to none. *by the way, before I get any emails from people who have money arguing that they shouldn’t have to support those who don’t...that’s a long and complex conversation with many variables so let’s just avoid it all together and save us both the grief. No, this blog is a personal opinion and purely based on the things I feel are of good value and worthy of sharing because I have experienced them. Beauty hacks, entertainment, travel, food....it’s all here...or will be once this ball/blog starts rolling. And since I’m getting hitched in no less than three months, I’m starting there: How To Save Where You Can And Not Give Up On The Wedding You Want And Bride You Want To Be. Stay Tuned, folks. I got a ton of tips but to ensure you don’t go away feeling empty...here’s your first free tip that actually works! I’ve done it twice now and I rate it with an A. It could potentially save you a nice little chunk on the list of wedding expenses. Not to mention, it’s healthier than the alternative. Thrifty Tip One: for all those brides who want a bright smile on their wedding day....I do 🙋🏻‍♀️....I do. All you need: baking soda, lemon, and three minutes. Cut a piece of the lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add baking soda until it turns into a paste. Put on your teeth and let sit for three minutes. Rinse, brush your teeth, go on with your day. Do this at least 3 times a week until you get the results you want. Don’t go crazy though. Your teeth are beautiful, especially when you smile and so are you! More importantly, you are real person and your partner loves you not your chompers and your guests...welllllll....they could care less about your grill shade. Honestly all they care about are the free booze, a stellar music selection, and the delicious array of belly filling food. Scratch the expensive dental visits and splurge on something else. Especially when lemon, baking soda and three minutes works like a charm.