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Groceries are a HUGE money suck for families. Let's be honest, you go to the grocery store in a rush and probably hungry. You start adding things to your cart. Next thing you know, you're checking out and wondering why your weekly groceries are somehow hundreds of dollars. 

Finding ways to reduce your grocery expenses can free up a LOT of room in your budget, which can then be channeled into debt payoff or investing.

Let's break down some ideas:


1. MEAL PLANNING
- Honestly this is fundamental. If you don't know what you're going to eat, you don't know what you need to buy. If you're not one to want to sit down and craft a meal plan, check out $5 meal plan. It's a service that will provide you meal plans for $5/month and then auto create a grocery list based on the plan. I've used it and felt it saved me a lot of time.

2. REVIEW WHERE YOU ARE ...

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If you have a desire to start your own business, the first thing I would say is JUST DO IT. The process can be scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Even if it doesn't become your full time job, it can help you diversify your income. 

Here is a brief overview of the basic steps of the process:
1. Choose a name for your business
- Make sure the name isn't already registered as another business in your state, or is trademarked. This can be done with a simple internet search. I would also check that the domain name is available at this time if you are dead set on one for your website. 

2. Legally form the company
- I formed an LLC in Indiana. Which type of company to form is beyond the scope of this post (lots of tax implications), but consider reading a book like LLC for Dummies. I did, and it helped a lot. You will need to file p...

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How do you prep financially for a major purchase - like a car, pool, trip-of-a-lifetime, etc? We are in the midst of a major kitchen and dining room remodel, which is our big purchase this year, so this is fresh on my mind. 

ADVANCE PLANNING IS KEY.

The only way to pay for ANYTHING is in cash. Utilizing a loan, payment plan, or credit card is digging yourself into a hole you will have to crawl out of later, with interest. The only way to pay cash for a major expense is to plan WELL in advance.

HERE IS HOW WE PAID FOR OUR REMODEL IN CASH:
1. DETERMINE THE TOTAL COST OF YOUR PURCHASE
- For us, that meant getting approximate quotes on the various aspects of the remodel well in advance. If you're buying a car, determine the average price of the car you want. Be warned though, the process of looking before you buy can get tempting. Don't jump the g...

One of the things that this pandemic has shown us with certainty is that nothing is certain. People have lost jobs, businesses, commissions, etc with little to no notice. You may have not been financially prepared this time around, but you can use this as a learning experience and motivation to be better prepared in the future. 

An emergency fund is the key to financial security in an uncertain world.

This is one of those paramount "must haves" to protect you and your family. Determining how much you need and where to put it is fairly simple. The hard part is accumulating the money, and then having the self discipline not to touch it unless there is a TRUE emergency.


LET'S TALK THROUGH IT...
1. HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?
- Take a look at your budget and calculate your monthly expenses. This includes all bills and essentials like food and household items. I wouldn't include entertainment or shopping "extras" in this. Take this amount times 6 (some say 3, but I like the extra cushion). Let's say y...