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Find the information, motivation, and tools you need to get control of your finances and win with money.
7 Easy Meal Prep Recipes For Dinner
Having a weekly meal plan and scheduling time for meal prepping can make a huge difference, especially for busy professionals and families. If you are looking for delicious meals to add to your dinner plans, these seven meal prep recipes will surely make your life easier. But, before we get into the meat and potatoes…
Budget Categories To Organize Your Personal Budget
At its basic level, budgeting is a two-step process. First, you estimate your income and your expenses. Second, you make a plan on how to spend or save that money. The more detailed your plan is, the better the results you will get with your money. That’s why it’s crucial to establish budget categories to…
Check it out! Budget Categories To Organize Your Personal Budget
How To Set Goals And Create A Life You Love (Free Printable Worksheet)
At the beginning of every year, goal-setting is always a trending topic. We all have been there, promising ourselves we will really lose weight, pay off debt, or change jobs this time around. But why is it that most people quit on their goals and settle for a life that they don’t love? In this…
Check it out! How To Set Goals And Create A Life You Love (Free Printable Worksheet)
How To Use A Monthly Budget Planner To Manage Your Money
There are many ways to budget your money. Some people use spreadsheets, and others use apps. But I believe that the best way to manage your money is using a monthly budget planner. Why is budgeting on a book or notepad better than electronically? For a simple reason. Writing down your income and expenses will…
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How To Use The Cash Envelope System To Budget
The cash envelope system is one of the most effective strategies you can implement to organize your finances. Although many people will argue that using cash envelopes is not convenient or practical, it is the most effective way to stick to your budget and save money. You will significantly benefit from the cash envelope system…
How To Declutter Your Life One Week At A Time
Who is ready to make 2021 the best year ever? As we are still dealing with the pandemic, I think it is essential to focus on what we can control to make 2021 a year we would like to remember. One of my priorities is to get rid of distractions, burdens, and stuff keeping me…
Meal Planning For A Month Made Easy [With Pictures]
Mom, what’s for dinner? I used to dread that question so bad until I learned how to meal planning for a month. And let’s be honest, having the responsibility of feeding your family every day is draining! As a working mom, I have struggled with finding the time and energy for dinner to be an…
Check it out! Meal Planning For A Month Made Easy [With Pictures]
How To Make Lasagna
If you are looking for a hearty dish that’s easy to prepare yet a bit sophisticated, look no further. I used to think that lasagna was difficult to make. But this favorite Italian dish is quite simple, especially if you don’t cook the pasta before making it, saving you a bunch of time and clean…
Monthly Budget Meal Plan | October 2020 Spending
Wow! I cannot believe that I have not updated you on my monthly budget meal plan since February 2020. I had all the intentions to do it, and then, Coronavirus happened. In mid-March, our world was turned upside down by a pandemic that we are still trying to recover from. As I look back at…
Check it out! Monthly Budget Meal Plan | October 2020 Spending
5 Easy Steps To Build Your Own Foolproof Financial Plan
More than ever, it is crucial to have a sound financial plan to achieve your money goals. Unfortunately, regardless of income, most people don’t make a financial plan. Instead, they go through life worrying about paying bills and having enough money to buy a house, pay for their children’s college, or retire. Regardless of where…
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Money Stress And Financial Anxiety | How To Prevent It
The coronavirus pandemic has increased awareness on a huge issue that many Americans deal with daily, money stress and financial anxiety. Now, more than ever, most people are stressed due to the possibility of a layoff, a salary reduction, or growing debt. To help you navigate these feelings, let’s tackle five common causes of money…
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15 Great Financial Goals In Life
When you look back at the last ten years, do you feel you have made financial progress? Or could your situation be better? Many of us go through life wishing it could be better. However, we lack a plan to move in the right direction. This list of 15 great financial goals in life will…
Bad Money Advice During The Coronavirus Crisis
With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down normal business operations, there has been no shortage of financial experts showing up in the news telling people how to face a layoff. To my dismay, I have watched many of them in national television share really bad money advice, especially encouraging people to get into more debt. If…
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What To Do If You Lose Your Job During The Coronavirus Crisis
The loss of a job is a horrible experience that I do not wish on anybody. It immediately alters your finances, relationships, and identity. Although I have never lost a job myself, I have experienced first hand the overwhelming effects of unemployment. To help you navigate a layoff, especially with the coronavirus pandemic, I want…
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Positive Outcomes Of The Coronavirus Pandemic
At first, I was hesitant to write this article, afraid of backlash. But I feel strongly about discussing the other side of the story, the positive outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic. There are many silver linings we should not ignore amidst this crisis. But, before I get into them, let’s establish what is tragic and…
Tax Debt Relief: How To Resolve Debt With The IRS
There are two people you should never owe money to, your mother-in-law and Uncle Sam. We’ll discuss family debt in a different post, but if you owe taxes to the IRS, you must make it a top priority to pay them back. The IRS has the power to impose hefty fines and garnish your wages…
Check it out! Tax Debt Relief: How To Resolve Debt With The IRS
How To Budget If You Get Laid Off During The Coronavirus Crisis
With the Coronavirus crisis affecting pretty much every business in America, many of us are wondering if we’ll still have our jobs tomorrow. Instead of letting uncertainty take over our lives, let’s take a proactive stand by learning how to budget if you get laid off. Many people believe that if you lose your job,…
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Should We Pull Our Money Out Of Banks?
Two questions are keeping Americans awake today. Number one, do we have enough toilet paper at home? And number two, should we pull our money out of banks? Ok, I am joking about the first one, but in times of crisis, a little sarcasm can be relieving. Now, in all seriousness, should you freak out…
How Much To Spend On Groceries Per Month
Figuring out how much to spend on groceries is tricky. Setting a realistic budget will depend on factors such as your income, family size, city of residence, diet preferences, whether you have pets or not, etc. A good range is to spend between five to ten percent of your income on groceries. As a working…
Coronavirus And Your Finances: 10 Steps To Reduce Financial Stress
What started as a health scare over the Coronavirus has turned into an unprecedented health and financial crisis. The state of emergency caused by Covid-19 feels surreal to me, like the type of story that we only see in movies. And as we face many unknowns, I would like to encourage you to stay focused…
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Our Family Grocery Expenses For February 2020
Hello everyone! I am super excited to share with you our family grocery expenses for February 2020. One of my big financial goals is to save money on groceries since, after our mortgage, this is our most significant family expense. The progress of my big goal to save money on groceries has been astonishing to…
Should You Teach Your Teenagers To Never Get In Debt?
Let me ask you something. Is it irresponsible to teach your teenagers to never get in debt? The other day I was talking about how I am teaching my kids, who are 13 and 15 years of age, that they do not need credit cards or finance cars to do life. But one person told…
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Get out of debt faster! Join the Debt Freedom Challenge now!
Hello everyone. My name is Yezmin Thomas. I’m a journalist, a financial coach, and also the host of the Smart Finances Podcast. Today I am here to share with you a massive goal of mine. I am on a mission to end financial suffering in America! I know. I know. You’re going to tell me,…
Check it out! Get out of debt faster! Join the Debt Freedom Challenge now!
Money Can Buy Happiness; this Is How.
I don’t understand why this phrase is thrown around all the time. “Money cannot buy happiness.” It’s said almost like money is a bad thing. Why have we believed that lie? Last I checked, an ice cream cone is around $2. Our mortgage costs money. Tickets to get into Disney World cost a lot of…
How To Balance Your Credit Card Purchases, Cash Purchases, And Your Debt.
The other day I was asked a great question. How do I find a balance between my credit card purchases, my cash purchases, and my debt? I remember about 15 years ago when I was just getting started using credit cards, applying for an American Express card. When it showed up in the mailbox, I…
Check it out! How To Balance Your Credit Card Purchases, Cash Purchases, And Your Debt.
How To Uplevel Your Finances And Pursue Your Daydreams
Can you afford to quit your job today to pursue your daydreams? I am seriously asking you if you could walk into your boss’s office tomorrow and put your two weeks’ notice. Why? All for the sake of pursuing work and a lifestyle that is more satisfying to you. Maybe you want to make a career…
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The Smart Dollar Challenge
Can $1 buy your financial freedom? We’ll get to that in a minute, but before let’s get caught up! For the last six weeks, I have been working day and night, like a madwoman, on a new project that has me fired up. I am incredibly proud and excited to share this with you because…
My Financial Rock Bottom Story
What is it like to hit rock bottom, financially speaking? I had my infamous moment in the midst of the 2008 Recession. In this episode, I tell you all about it; the fear, the same, the pain, the loneliness. But I also learned why I had to live through this dark time in my life.…
When “Life Gets In The Way”, Really?
Do you find yourself saying things like “life got in the way, and I couldn’t get to…?” I used to feel like that, too, until I realized that by thinking that way, I was not only making myself a victim of my circumstances. But most importantly, I understood that I was wasting a huge opportunity…
Intro To Smart Finances Podcast
Hello everyone! I am back with season two of my podcast. Like all good things evolve and change, my podcast has too. I am calling this season “Smart Finances”, and I am dedicating this show to all the hard-working and high achieving moms who are struggling to figure out how to stop stressing about life…