The Benefits of Pinpointing Financial "Leaks" & Tightening Budgets

Once I set up our Mint.com account, it was clear to see where we had our financial leaks. For the last two years, I had made it a habit to bring my own lunch to work each day, but my husband had not. This was the first of a few different mistakes I could see that we were making. Another was the frequent trips to the convenience store and my unnecessary smaller purchases. I had cut my shopping sprees to Goodwill mostly out of our new budget, but now we had every single purchase under my close watch like a microscope.

I've learned so much about money and happiness over the last several months, and there's been some great perks to paying more attention to our debt. Here are some of my favorite changes that we've made since paying down the debt and saving up for the house.

• Eating more [vegan] meals at home
• Watching Netflix instead of going to the movies
• Investing my time into The Little Red Journal
• Removing negative energy from my life
• Deleting my Facebook account to achieve more mental peace
• Spending more quality time with my husband
• Relaxing more and having a peace of mind I've not had before
• Preparing for the arrival of our first child

So, what are some of my biggest tips to help you achieve your financial goals?

1. Track every single penny. I'm not even kidding when I say this. You should know exactly where every dollar is spent, and if you need to switch to only using a debit card, then do so. My parents refuse to get a debit card, but chances are you're in your 20s like me, and are willing to commit to using a debit card to track every transaction. If you have to use cash, then dutifully (and manually) add a transaction to your Mint.com account. I've occasionally had to do this, and it's super easy,

2. Identify the "financial" leaks. That's right! Once you start paying attention to every single transaction, then you'll immediately see which categories or budgets are really giving you problems. For us, it was my trips to Goodwill (when I wasn't donating, I was buying), and my husband's frequent trips to the convenience store. Our solutions to these budgets? I will buy him his Red Bull when I go to the grocery store. They cost double at the convenience store, so he is still able to keep his habit and I'm happy that he's saving half the cost that he'd otherwise be spending on them. I also stopped needlessly shopping and have put a halt on purchasing any additional items for my wardrobe.

3. Tighten the budgets accordingly. I refuse to cut one budget: our food budget. I overspend every single month on "eating out". Yep, once the baby gets here, I'm hoping that will force us to trim the budget, but hey, I know how it is. We all have a vice, and for us, that's food. Figure out where you can trim back (can you cut cable and switch to Netflix?), and then go from there. I closely monitor our bills and if I see even a $5 or $10 increase in the bill, I will call with no mercy. (I'm looking at you AT&T and Comcast!)

So, best of luck with all of your financial goals, and let me know how I can help. Feel free to drop me an email.

Ready to pay off your debt and find your financial freedom? Check out the posts below for inspiration!
How to Create a Monthly Budget—and Stick With it!
How We Saved $16,000 in Less Than 7 Months to Purchase Our First Home
How To Pay Off $17,000 of Student Loan Debt in Less Than 18 Months
Knocking Out Student Loans One at a Time
Finance 101: 7 Reasons Why I Love Mint.com
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.
Reality Check: The Evolution of Your [Financial] Goals

We Nearly Have Enough to Begin Our Househunting Adventure

After we paid off the student loan debt, we began to start saving up for a down payment on a house and the closing costs with it. I was stunned to learn that I would need to save at least $14,000 to purchase a home listed for $150,000, and only $7,500 of that would be going towards the list price. The other $6,500 would we used for "closing costs". So, as you can imagine, this is a huge amount of money to save up. especially if you have a short time frame.

We decided to "try" to begin our family during the summer and were very much shocked to find out we were extremely efficient in this venture. We went from "trying" to "expecting" in just three weeks time. If you know anything about me or my blog, you'll then know that I promptly began rearranging my budgets and punching numbers into a calculator to figure out how we would be able to make this all work. Due to a little snag with insurance, we paid for the birth of our child up front and needed to build our savings back up as we prepared to move out of the home we were renting and sharing with a family member.

I quickly began socking away more than 90% of my paycheck (while also being sure to invest in retirement, company stocks, and paying for insurance coverage), and we soon began to grow our savings slowly but surely. We're nearly ready to begin our house search with a fistful of cash, and will continue to save up after we've signed our 30-year mortgage to prepare for any little surprises that will inevitably come along with a newborn baby.

So, how did we do it? We budgeted so that we lived on an fine line of nearly being "broke" according to our savings while still maintaining a monthly savings of $2,600 each month, We lived ONLY on my husband's checks and still had to pay rent, bills, and two car payments each month with the occasional semi-annual bills like car insurance. And what tool did we use to accomplish this task, might you ask? My favorite budgeting tool that I've written about NUMEROUS times on this blog: MINT.COM.

Check out my older posts on how to use Mint.com to accomplish your savings goals or debt offs!

How To Pay Off $17,000 of Student Loan Debt in Less Than 18 Months

Why I Had to Trade in The Stratus for Kia Rio
Progress on Our Student Loans & How We'll be Debt-Free in 2014
Knocking Out Our Student Loans One at a Time
The Chair That Almost Blew Our Budget For The Month
Keeping Our Eyes on the [Financial] Prize
Finance 101: 7 Reasons Why I Love Mint.com
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.

We're Expecting and Due in February 2015

My husband and I have been planning, saving, and paying down debt like crazy since November 2012. Once we paid off Kendan's student debt in April 2014, we knew our next challenge would be saving up for a down payment on a house. I was hired on full-time in June, and found out I expecting one week later. We're beyond excited and are preparing for the arrival of our first baby in late February 2015.

I'm now twelve weeks pregnant and ready to shout it out on the blog. I am terrible at keeping secrets and we told our close friends and family when I was only a mere three and a half weeks pregnant. I waited until I was eight and a half weeks pregnant and could not longer disguise my growing belly at work to tell my coworkers.

Since finding out we're expecting, I've been amping up our savings. We're still living with a family member, so we're currently saving $3,000 a month for a down payment on a house. We still use Mint.com every day to track our spending, and we've even paid off the birth of our child in full already! I'm a big planner, so adding a little one to our family was no exception. My husband and I will be celebrating our ten-year anniversary of being together next week, and I never imagined I'd be where I am today ten years ago.

We're preparing for our biggest challenge yet and are keeping focused so we can have the best possible footing when our little one arrives. Here's a quick breakdown of our goals before our February deadline (the birth!) hits:

• Save up a total of $25,000 by the end of December. If things go according to plan and stay on track, we'll keep $10,000 in the savings for a nest egg and put down $15,000 for a house. 
• Stay true to our minimalism and only purchase the bare necessities for our child.
• Find a house that is within our budget and find a mortgage that we feel completely comfortable with.
• Move and unpack all of the boxes that have been sitting in my parent's garage for the last eight months since we moved back home. Donate anything we really don't need and keep our new home decluttered.

Some quick notes (for you and for me so I don't forget!)

• I'm still vegan. Yes, it's completely safe. I only have to up my protein intake (hello, beans!) during my third trimester. Otherwise, it's business as usual plus a few more snacks throughout the day to keep me satisfied (crackers, a handful of almonds, or a cup of vegan yogurt.)
• I'm seeing some wonderful midwives who are providing amazing care for my baby and I at the West Houston Birth Center.
• I haven't had any signs of morning sickness. I credit this to my plant-based diet, but maybe it's just pure luck. No clue, but it's great either way!
• I've had a few symptoms so far, with the most noticeable being more fatigue than usual. Sometimes I go to bed at 8:30 p.m., and other times I am fine staying up until 11:30 p.m.
• I believe I actually felt the baby "fluttering" around on August 5th. It was a Tuesday and as I was sitting at work, I began to feel a slight buzz and then what I can only describe as fluttering. Imagine taking two tips of your fingers and lightly tapping very quickly on the inside of your arm. That's what it felt like. It would do this on and off throughout the day for up to a minute at a time. I haven't felt it since, though.
• We heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time on July 28th during a prenatal visit. That was surreal and I just stared at my husband and smiled. I had no words.

I plan to continue sharing my story here about my vegan pregnancy, saving up for our house, and trying to stay minimalist while adhering to a very strict budget to accomplish it all. Thanks again for tuning in, and feel free to ask me questions!

Now, here's my growing belly:

My husband and I at seven weeks.

Seven and a half weeks. My herbivore tattoo is a goner!

Eight and a half weeks.

Nine and a half weeks.

Ten and a half weeks.

Eleven and a half weeks.

The Joys of Donating + Tips for Keeping Your Closet in Check

I've always loved donating and all that it stands for. For a quick recap, once upon a time, I used to make very little money for the first few years out of college. I didn't have much, so I couldn't spend much. I thought it was crazy how one of my jobs required a dress code of khakis and solid plain colors for a top. I didn't have either and I was only making $8 an hour. So off to Goodwill I went! I appreciated the low prices, high-quality, gently worn clothing. Yes, you do have to dig. But the time spent is well worth it. That's probably the ONLY con I can think of when it comes to shopping second-hand. Now, let's chat about the pros!

1. Amazing prices. I'm talking $4 for a shirt or $7 for jeans. Or what about $8 for a dress? I knew that Goodwill would be good for my wallet since I had to purchase clothing and didn't want to pay department store prices.

2. You're putting people to work. Someone has to sort the donations, and Goodwill puts people to work to build this skill sets and help them train to gain valuable experience. 

3. Fashionable clothing. I know you probably think of your great grandmother's blouse or an ugly sweater when you hear Goodwill, but trust me, if you dig, you WILL find the gold. Nearly everything in my closet is from Goodwill and I receive compliments every other day on the items I wear.

4. You can afford to recycle your clothing. After you're tired of a shirt that you've worn endlessly for six months, you can let it go if you're ready. Wearing something 15-20 times that cost only $4 is not something you'll fret over if you're ready for a new look.

A few tips for keeping your closet in check

1. Keep a one in, one out rule. Exactly as stated, if you bring an item into your closet, be ready to let something else go. 

2. Consider what you love and wear often. See something you've only worn once in the last six months? Let it go.

3. Don't keep a shirt for memories. Make memories, but you don't need to keep your college shirt to remember the good times. It's ok to let things go, and it's great for you to detach from a material item. Live in the moment.

Here's my current closet. I often edit this weekly so I know I'm not hanging on to items that no longer fit well or are no longer something that is bringing joy (and color) into my life.

New Camera for the Hubby to Celebrate Student Debt Payoff

After paying off our student debt ($17,000 in less than 18 months!!), we began to start saving up for the next big goal: a down payment for a house. Aside from this, I knew my husband had been dreaming of a new camera for several years. We've never made the money we're now making after our move to Houston earlier this year. So dreaming about a camera was as far as we could get. Since we paid off the student debt, I figured we may as well celebrate with another big purchase. Our finances are in order and are shaping up quite nicely, so it couldn't hurt!

My husband recently looked at me while I was working on some content for The Little Red Journal and asked, "How did you get back into your blog?" I knew he was looking for some inspiration to get back into photography, and I wanted to help him just as much as I want to help and inspire all of you! I thought about it for a moment and said, "Well, you just have to figure out what is important to you and what brings you joy. Then, you just have to start somewhere."

I had no clue what I was doing when I first started this little blog. Now it's grown and I've really been going through some growing pains as far as where to take it next. However, my husband had been out of the photography game for a few years now since his nine year old camera had pretty much bit the dust. He was looking for his next spark, and I knew he needed the right tools to get him started. I quickly logged onto our Mint.com account and crunched some numbers to make sure we could pull it off. I told him to go ahead and check out some new cameras and tell me some numbers. He showed me some for $500 and $600, but I knew if we were considering that much, we may as well spend a few hundred more and get something he really loved.

He settled on a Pentax K5IIS with a 50 mm F/1.8 from BH Photo. They even tossed in a free 32GB memory card! So, all in all, he's super psyched and he's been taking TONS of photos with it. It's so fancy, it records video in HD (1080 dpi). What really sold me is that he said he can use it to take photos of our family (which we have yet to start). I quickly was swayed and told him to purchase it that night.

Lesson of the day: invest in your dreams and what makes you truly happy. 

How to Create a Monthly Budget—and Stick With it!

When we decided to pay off our student debt, I had no idea where to begin. I even Googled, "How to pay off debt". Then I realized, there is no secret to pay off debt. Here's some quick tips to get you started.

1. Create a Mint.com account and pull together all of your accounts. This is the easiest way to track your spending, and it will give you a head start by importing up to three months of history from your checking and savings account so you'll be able to have to clear picture the day you start. It's free and it's easy. I've written about it further here.

2. Document what you bring in each month. Whether it's just you or if you have a partner and a joint income, know how much you're really bringing home each month. I never really thought about this before, but it's an obvious driver in what you can do with your money. You have to know what your take home pay is. Again, Mint.com easily has a way to track this.

3. Start creating or documenting ALL of your monthly expenses. To give you an idea, I have the following categories that magically repopulate at the start of each month using (yep, you guessed it!) MINT.COM.

• Auto payment (two car loans... yuck!)
• EZTag tolls (I use the tollway for my daily commute)
• Gas & Fuel
• Internet
• Mobile Phone
• Netflix/Movies
• Roth IRA Contributions
• Convenience Store (I blog about this, but it's my husband's splurge budget)
• Food/Restaurants
• Groceries
• Rent
• Shopping (usually clothing)
• Transfer to Savings (this includes saving for a down payment on a house

4. Proceed to watch every transaction. Like a hawk. I'm not even kidding. Once you really start to pay attention to what you're spending, you'll be more likely to challenge yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I really need this? 
• Is this a necessity or a want?
• Do I have a budget for this? 
• Can I wait to buy it later? 

5. When it comes to big purchases, sleep on it. Not just for a night, but for weeks, if possible. My husband had been wanting a new camera for quite time (he jokes that it was five years), but the reality is, we talked about the purchase for weeks. Once we were finally ready to take a week's worth of pay and put it toward his camera, it wasn't a big deal at all. We knew we had planned for the purchase, and we had the money. Done!

Those are some quick tips, but feel free to comment below and share your own tips. Or, if you have a specific question, contact me via email using the button at the top right of the page!

Happy budgeting.

Looking for more info on debt? Check out the following posts:
Why I Had to Trade in The Stratus for Kia Rio
Progress on Our Student Loans & How We'll be Debt-Free in 2014
Knocking Out Our Student Loans One at a Time
The Chair That Almost Blew Our Budget For The Month
Keeping Our Eyes on the [Financial] Prize
Finance 101: 7 Reasons Why I Love Mint.com
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.

How To Pay Off $17,000 of Student Loan Debt in Less Than 18 Months

I have been waiting over a year and half for this day. Actually, maybe since I pulled my own student loan in November 2007. After paying off my student loan in 2009, I knew our next pile of student debt would be large. I wasn't yet married, so I wasn't super concerned at the time about my future husband's debt. There wasn't much I could do about it at the time, as I hadn't even landed a well-paying job (and wouldn't for several more years).

When we got married in October 2010, I jokingly said I couldn't wait to marry into $16,000 worth of debt. A couple of years later I would discover I was mistaken. My husband's debt totaled over $24,000! This slight miscalculation startled us once we realized we had more on our plate than we knew about. We paid down $5,000 immediately with the help of a family gift, and then faced $19,000 head on. We had six months until we had to begin paying, so we paid $500 in interest so it wouldn't be tacked on, and promptly avoided any further thought to the debt.

Fast forward to November 2012, and there we were, paying ONLY the minimum (roughly $184 a month, some of which was being applied to interest only). If anyone reading this has debt, which we all inevitably seem to have, then you'll know paying the minimum doesn't really do too much to your principle. Most of the "payment" goes towards your interest on the loan, and you'll be right on track to paying that loan off in ten or so years. I definitely just assumed we would be doing this, as we weren't making much money to even pay for other things outside of food and shelter.

After watching Adam Baker's Sell Your Crap, Pay Off Your Debt, and Do What You Love video, I cried and then told my husband we are going to be debt-free and pay off the remaining $17,000 in student debt. SOON. And here we are, a year and a half later. Student debt-free. So, how did we do it? BUDGETING. Lots and lots of budgeting. And lots of talking. Communication was a huge reason that we no longer have to EVER make a payment to MyFedLoan ever again. I've written several posts on this already, and I've listed them below for you if you'd like to read the full journey.

Why I Had to Trade in The Stratus for Kia Rio
Progress on Our Student Loans & How We'll be Debt-Free in 2014
Knocking Out Our Student Loans One at a Time
The Chair That Almost Blew Our Budget For The Month
Keeping Our Eyes on the [Financial] Prize
Finance 101: 7 Reasons Why I Love Mint.com
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.

If you have ANY questions about paying off debt on a small budget, please let me know. I love to hear from my readers, and I'd like to help! If you have any questions on budgeting, ask away. 

Here's some quick tidbits of info on the topic, based on our experience of paying off $17,000 in less than a year and a half.

1. Talk openly and honestly about your debt. Always keep an open line of communication about money with your spouse or significant other. Hidden purchases cause unnecessary drama. As a rule, we check in with each other for anything that's not in the budget or purchases that are $30 and up. Yes, I said $30! (As I typed this sentence, my husband asked me if we would have a budget to upgrade our phones later this year. I love him!!!)

2. Consider one checking account. We truly live on a shoestring budget and we found that having two separate accounts was a bit of an overkill for us. With minimum balances and virtually no transparency, we discussed combining our accounts. After we combined our money, it only took another six months for me to start tracking our spending using Mint.com and that's when we realized we needed to make a change.

3. Don't avoid having fun every once in a while. When paying down debt, keep some fun money and budget for a few luxuries. By no means did we completely lock down ALL purchases or eat rice and beans for months. We still went out to eat, visited the movie theater, and treated ourselves every once in a while.

4. Start on your smallest debts first. I listened to Dave Ramsey before we paid down our debt, but his advice always played in the back of mind: pay off your smallest debts first and use the snowball effect in your favor. This will keep you motivated and on track. After we paid off each student loan, we celebrated in some way.

5. Celebrate your success with family and friends. I regularly kept our family and friends up to date on all of our progress. I didn't do this to brag, but more so to be held accountable for my promises to myself and to keep me motivated and excited about paying down this debt. You never know who you may inspire.

6. Pay what you can, when you can. There's no rule as to how much you have to pay. I set a goal to be student debt-free before my 27th birthday, and I've accomplished that goal with 8 days to spare! Even just setting a goal for each loan would be good.

7. If you can afford to pay more, do it! Our minimum was $180ish, and I challenged ourselves to pay $300 the month we began to really focus on our debt. The next month, I paid $500 on the loans, and I didn't really feel a pinch. I was now watching our money like a hawk and we were getting the hang of it. Then we bumped it to $1,000, just for shits and giggles. After a few months, we were up to $1,200 a month! Without even really missing that money!

8. Learn to accept one ridiculous budget, and just go with it. We have a budget labeled "Convenience Store". After I really started to pay attention to our money, I noticed that there were SEVERAL transactions for only a few dollars at a time every other day at convenience stores. My husband was making trips to grab a drink or chips and didn't realize he was racking up charges as much as he was. He's tried to cut back, but whatever! It's in the budget, so I know to expect it each month. Old habits die hard.

9. Know your priorities and pay down your debt accordingly. I'm not saying to put ALL of your "extra" money towards the debt. You need to save for retirement, pay for your child's daycare, and put food on the table. I know! Just take a good hard look at your budget and figure out where you can shuffle. I used to wander the aisles of Target aimlessly looking to purchase something when I was bored. I was raised to shop, and that was a tough habit to break, but paying down debt is well worth it.

10. Once you've accomplished your goals, prepare for your next one! I'm already dead-set on our next goal. We're saving for a down payment on a house. STARTING TODAY! We just paid off all of our student debt ($17,000!), so now we can begin to focus on another goal. And guess what? It's only going to take me about 5.8 months, because the money is already budgeted. I'm taking the $2,400 that I was paying during the last four weeks of our loan payoff and socking that away to the tune of $600/week for a down payment. Once something is budgeted for, you know to expect it each month.

And, as always, please send me an email if you're looking for inspiration, have any questions, or want to share your own accomplishments for paying off debt! I'd love to hear your story or help you get out of debt, too. Happy budgeting!

Additional resources:
I'm Fine Thanks (Documentary)
Mint.com | Review
Man Vs. Debt | Adam Baker

Our Other "New" Car & Why We Bought It

Only a few weeks into living in the Houston, Texas area, my husband was rear ended. I won't go into the details, but basically, it wasn't his fault, and were now stuck with a totaled 2000 Honda Civic. He was completely fine, no major injuries or even minor, so we're lucky for that! I can't even describe the amount of sadness my husband felt after his wreck; he LOVED that car. It had over 220k miles on it, and it was 14 years old. He had only had it for about 4 years or so, but it would have probably lasted us a while longer.

After two weeks of waiting and driving around a rental car, we finally received our check from the insurance ($4,000), which we then used as a down payment for the next one. We also used our tax refund ($2,000), so we had a total of $6,000 to put down on a car. As soon as we arrived home from the accident, he began looking for another car on Craigslist. I have definitely sold things on Craigslist before, but when it comes to buying a car, I get a little nervous and would rather have a warranty and guarantee of a dealership.

I know there's pros and cons to both sides—dealerships can offer more of a warranty; Craigslist offers better pricing. After much discussion (and I'm talking like two weeks of discussions...), we settled on going with a dealership. That was only half of the battle. Next, we figured out what kind of car he wanted.

He had been looking at some pricey Volkswagon GTIs, and I was nervous about taking on more debt. However, we've been slashing our debt like crazy with big payments (and lots of budgeting), so I wasn't so worried. My rationale: The way we pay down debt (upwards of $1,200+ a month), a car that cost an extra few grand would only equal a few more months of payments. We ended up settling on a 2010 VW GTI that is really nice with low miles for a little over $16k. With the $6k we put down, we only owe roughly $10k, which we plan on paying off in about two years or less, as money allows. Without further ado, here's all the pics.

Why I Had to Trade in The Stratus for Kia Rio

This post is long overdue (by over four months!!!). While I've been settling in to my new job, I have finally been able to wrap my head around my new life and all of the exciting developments. A little over four months ago, I was driving through a parking lot in my 2001 Dodge Stratus, my first car, and the only car I had known for 11 long years. As my car creaked and groaned, people darted out of the way and looked terrified by the noises that were coming from my direction.

I knew I needed a new car. We had been paying down the student loan debt for months at this point, and a "new" car was in the back of my mind, although not something I had planned on purchasing anytime soon. All of my babysitting cash was deposited every week directly into my savings account and I had been tucking the money away for months. I also set up an auto-deposit from my checking into my savings for $50 every two weeks. Over the months, it added up, and I finally had upwards of 5,000 in my savings account.

Skipping ahead so I don't bore anyone with the details, I ended up with a 2012 Kia Rio hatchback which had 34,000. I traded in my old Stratus for $750 off the "new" car, and put $4,000 down. I regret it now, but at the time, I went ahead and purchased the maintenance plan and warranty for up to 100k miles. The car payment is set at $307 per month for 36 months. Once we pay off the student loans (which will be April 10th), I'll then shift my focus to this car loan and my husband's car loan (more on that later!).

After four months of driving my "new" car, I have to admit that I'm pleased with my purchase. Sure, it has more bells and whistles than I really need, but this car will be paid off within the next twelve months. That's right—I'll own this car soon enough! We're on track to be student debt-free in three weeks, and then we'll have $1,200+ freed up for other debt. At the moment, we're currently paying $600 each week towards those student loans to get rid of them.

I was slightly sad about letting my Stratus go, but this car is a long-term investment that will be completely paid off and way more reliable that my Stratus! And now, some pics to commemorate the event.

The "new" car, a 2012 Kia Rio hatchback.

The keys to the heart of my Stratus.

The last photo of my Stratus. RIP. I'm sure it was crushed, as it was no longer fit to drive!

Our zombie family and my brother's band, American Fangs.

Progress on Our Student Loans & How We'll be Debt-Free in 2014

It's no surprise to my close friends and family that we've been aggressively attacking our student loan debt in full-force. If you're wondering how aggressive, it's now to the tune of $1,200 a month. We've now got a pulse on our budget that we keep a close eye on. By no means are we super insanely strict with our spending (we do LOVE to go out and eat some awesome vegan food here in Austin), but we know that we have a few payments to make each month to ensure we're on track.

Knocking Out Our Student Loans One at a Time

My parents definitely raised me right in that they provided me with $200 in a checking account when I was only 13 years old. Dad handed me my checkbook and taught me how to balance my account when I made small purchases. My brother and I always worked hard around the house and while we didn't earn an allowance, we did receive the occasional treats or new shirt. Aside from shopping trips with my mom and grandma, I later realized that I didn't need lots of things to be happy. Hence my adventures in to minimalism!

The Chair That Almost Blew Our Budget For The Month

A couple of weeks ago, my mom told me about this super cute chair that she found in Kirkland's. She knew I would love it and texted me immediately with a couple of photos. The price was $149, and it did match my couch perfectly with its colorful fabric in a mustard yellow tone. She called the store in San Marcos, which was the closest one to me, and they confirmed they had two in stock. I did think is was incredibly cute and I really wanted it. The problem was that I really didn't need it. I told mom, "That's not really in our budget for the month!"

I spent all weekend thinking about that chair. I had baked over 150 cookies and brownies for an Austin Bakes for West fundraiser that Friday night, and didn't have time to go to the Kirkland's in San Marcos. I kept busy all day Saturday working on The Little Red Journal site, and I worked some more the next morning. I  really didn't want to crack, because this is kind of my weakness. Before we had a budget, I would buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. This isn't that easy anymore. We're paying $1,000 a month on my husband's student loans, and a $150 purchase can definitely toss a tight budget off kilter. 

After meeting up with some friends for lunch, I was headed to the bookstore to pick up a copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad for a friend who's interested in eating more vegan meals. Before I arrived at the bookstore, I made a last-minute decision and turned into the parking lot for HomeGoods. I sighed heavily, and grabbed my purse to head in to the store. I knew I shouldn't be there. I hate to compare this to a serious addiction like drugs or alcohol, but I definitely felt jittery walking in there. I knew this wouldn't fit in to the budget and I had worked so hard to get rid of so many things lately while embracing minimalism. 

I took a look around, checked out the furniture, but didn't see anything that I loved as much as I did that chair mom had told me about. I shrugged my shoulders and hauled ass out of the there. If I hadn't left immediately, I would have found some small thing to look at and convince myself that I needed it. Once I had my first "real job" about five years ago, this would be a frequent event for me. Even growing up, I still remember piling into the car with my mom and grandma and heading for the mall. We didn't really need anything, but it was something that I learned to do to pass the time. (Bored? Go shopping!) So even though I didn't purchase anything that day, it is still very much something that I battle with. 

For now, our budget was safe. I'm sharing this with all of you because even though it is easy for me to donate, it's tough for me to stop spending. Don't get me wrong -- I haven't purchased anything like that in a long, long time, but I almost cracked and did. Walking out of that store felt amazing and I headed to the bookstore next. After picking up the book, I headed to my friend's house and noticed she was cleaning out her garage. I left her house and realized that I also should be cleaning out a few more things from our apartment. 

I've been so happy letting things go, and need to remind myself why I'm doing this. It's not a contest to see how little I can live with, but a true restructuring of our finances to work towards the goals we have in mind. That's why I found myself searching for "minimalist parenting" blogs when I arrived back at our apartment, even though we don't have a kid yet. I'm doing this now so that we can become parents sooner rather than later. And it's all a part of our bigger plan to pay off the debt and start living the life we really want. Don't use the "I deserve it," phrase, because what I deserve more than a chair is some peace of mind in our finances and think about growing our family.

The Infamous Chair

New Focus on The Blog & Why It's Changed

A few months ago, I had been taking a couple of extended breaks from The Little Red Journal. I've been quite busy moving, switching jobs, and trying to settle in to these adjustments. That's not my excuse, though. I was getting a little burned out on writing about veganism. I turned to my husband and said, "You know, I feel like I know everything I could possibly want to know about being vegan." I think there was a slight sigh of relief from him, and he probably knew that I wouldn't be asking him to watch yet another vegan documentary.

I wrote a blog post where I expressed this burned out feeling and tossed together all 45 posts up to the point that dealt with my journey into veganism. After writing that, I felt better, and realized that although being vegan is now a huge part of my life, it's definitely led me into another direction that I never really expected it to. After nine months as a vegan, I started to think about about other ways I could improve my life. I watched Adam Baker's TED talk and decided that we should pay off the remaining student loan debt that we have.

Despite having no experience at all with budgeting, I set to work creating one with the help of Mint.com. This was something that I was really staring to care deeply about. Instead of shrugging off a purchase as an "I deserve it" impulse buy, I began to really stop and think, "Do I need this?!" I found a love for minimalism and donated even more than usual to help purge some unnecessary items from our live. Then I really started getting serious about the finances. We've paid $1,000 every month since January on the student loans and are on track to be out of debt in June 2014.

If you're a regular reader (and I thank you for that!), then you're probably thinking, "I knew all of this!" If you're new, welcome, and I'd like to let you know that this has all impacted me, as well as this blog, heavily. The Little Red Journal began as a place where I could write freely and serve as a virtual diary of sorts about my life. I used it whenever I had the time, and in the beginning, I was posting sporadically. Once I went vegan, it was a place for me to seek refuge when many people were not supportive of what I was doing. There were plenty who were behind me since day one, and if you're reading this, you're probably one of them.

My focus has since shifted, and I want to talk about a few topics seriously, and without reservation. Obviously, I will still talk about veganism, as I am passionate about this and know that this is a great place to share all of my info here. I'd also like to talk about my financial goals and minimalism efforts here. An important thing that I've learned over the last year or two is that I don't have to live by anyone else's script, and it's time to create my own. I have no interest in living the life I had always dreamed about and now realize that I'm heading onto another path. I hope you all will continue to take interest in this new direction of The Little Red Journal, and I'm more than excited to share all of these new adventures with you.

Keeping Our Eyes on the [Financial] Prize

For the last several months and with the help of the budgeting tools on Mint.com, Kendan and I have aggressively been paying $1,000 a month on his student loan debt. We're now at roughly $13,000 dollars (quite a ways down from the $24k where we started), and we're beginning to dream about the day we'll soon be debt-free. At the pace that we're going, we'll be debt-free in about a year, or 13 more months. I'm hoping that we can pay it off sooner, but for now, that's all we can comfortably muster each month.

This all started when I found a TED talk by Adam Baker. We watched this video together which was focused on "What does freedom mean to you?", and afterwards, I looked at my husband and said, "Freedom to me is no debt and living within our means for a happier, more fulfilled life!" I think we were on to something, and each day we talk about this debt. It's at the forefront of everything we do, every decision that we make, and we have our eyes on the prize.

While we are extremely lucky and fortunate to have had very little debt compared to others, we treat it with pure seriousness and want it to be gone as soon as possible. So, what's keeping us in line and focused on our goal of paying off that debt? Another goal! We still aren't 100% sure what we'll do at the end of these 13 remaining months, but we have two ideas. One I like to think it a goal that benefits us both and the other is a pat on my husband's back.

Between our two choices, we have an idea to take the honeymoon we were too poor to afford two and half years ago, or selecting a moped for my husband. Either are really good choices, and we probably will end up doing both at some point. I'm thinking a visit to Yellowstone would be fabulous as a road trip where we could really "rough it" and take our dog with us for a week or two. The moped option is still well within our means, and would provide a fun alternative to a drive in the car for our short commute to work each day.

The main point is that we're looking forward to one of those two as a congratulations for meeting our financial goal and really setting us up for our future. From there, we'll begin to see where we are and start discussing our other goals, one of which is a new means of transportation for myself. My old Status that I've had since turning 15 years old just isn't going to last me another five years, I'm afraid. We're saving for my next car right now, but we'll tackle one reward at a time.

Keep in mind that you have to stay focused on your debts and why you are wanting to pay them off. It's not just to get rid of that number, but to lift a huge burden off of your shoulders and start focusing on the fun stuff.

How Minimalism Made Moving Day Less Painful

I know it's been far too long since I have blogged. Since my last post, I have left my previous job that I held for nearly a year and half, started a new career in the marketing field, and have been packing up my apartment for a move on Saturday. Life has been busy and full of emotions lately! Leaving my old job was emotionally tolling on me and I felt like I was breaking up with everyone in the company. Starting my new position has been scary, fun, detail-oriented, and I am settling in quite nicely.

When I began looking for a new position, I wasn't sure what I'd be looking for. I knew I wanted to write, so I went into marketing and have been exercising my writing skills every day. When I applied for the job, I couldn't believe where it was located. I now work two doors down from my husband. It's weird running into him in the corridor and I'm not used to seeing him throughout my work day, but it's been great to run out for lunch together and enjoy a nice vegan sandwich. 

A couple of months ago, we started thinking about where we wanted to move. We love living in Austin, but the rent keeps creeping up. The Southwest Austin area has really grown in the last few years and we've been down here since 2009. I knew I wanted to stay down here but wasn't really sure how we would be able to find an apartment that was within our budget. If you've been keeping up with me, then you'll know that we have been aggressively paying down my husband's student loans and we knew we had to keep the budget tight on our new apartment. 

Luckily, I was able to find an apartment that is two miles west of where we currently live, nestled in the little suburb of Oak Hill, and only half of a mile away from where we both work. I couldn't be more thrilled to move and have been anticipating the packing part for some time now. I had been collecting free boxes from Spec's for weeks now, and also been filling a few to take to Goodwill. Tonight, just one full day before we start loading up a moving truck, I'm 99.9% done packing and we hardly have 40 small boxes of things. 

Now I know that sounds like it is too much, but I promise this is 1/3 of what we used to own! I had a bit of a shopping problem a couple of years ago and had no regard for the health of my bank account. If I wanted something, I would tell myself that I deserved it! (Why, I have no idea!) Since I watched Adam Baker's TED Talk, I realized that I don't need to bury myself in debt and more crap. I can proudly say we've been paying $1,000 per month for the last three months on the student loan debt and are projected to be completely out of debt in less than a year and a half.

Skipping the Holidays Minimalist Style

At the end of the holidays, I was reminded of why I chose to start my minimalist journey. Not only have I saved a few hundred dollars this season, but I also have looked at the holidays in a new light. I saw many gifts being exchanged and I understand why people were giving them, but I enjoy seeing people unwrap things they will actually use. I often hear, "So-and-so is hard to shop for!"

I've been carefully watching our budget the last month and we're trying to save up for a car. Mine is on the fritz and near the end of its life, I'm afraid. After ten years of owning the same car (and thousands of dollars in repairs over the years), I have come to terms that it is not the amazing dream car I thought it once was when I drove it at 16. This is why we skipped the holiday season shopping. No, not because I'm a "Scrooge" as my mom liked to say when I visited, but because we are trying to get serious about our financial goals, including paying down major chunks of my husband's student loans.

Since most family members knew that I have been striving towards a minimalist lifestyle recently, most opted not to give me anything and some only gave me super practical gifts, which I was thankful for. I clearly explained the reasons why we weren't participating so no one felt offended, and I think it's amazing when I see all the ads and sales that were before, during and after the holidays. All of the sales and deals bring people into the stores to buy things they don't really need!

Even my favorite new site (mint.com) sent out an email recently that suggested to add a goal to pay off holiday spending. It seems silly, but it's a sad fact that many people head straight into the red just for the sake of not looking like a Scrooge. I always hated debt so the thought of me spending money we don't have hasn't really appealed to me. I've been so careful in the last month and really become aware of where my money is spent. We had a rocky start, but you have to begin somewhere and we're looking forward to paying down our debt.

I cherish memories and moments with family members and friends more than a random gift. The whole minimalist lifestyle has really impacted what comes in to my house and what goes out of my checking account. It's about being happier, working towards a goal of being debt-free and removing objects from my life that are becoming burdensome. I feel the strides I made in just a few short months have really paid off, and that's exactly why we stood firm on maximizing our family time while keeping our financial goals in mind this holiday season.

Looking to embrace a minimalist lifestyle? Check out my posts below!
Cutting the Clutter: The 5 C's to More Happiness
5 Lessons I've Learned by Decluttering
Top 5 Reasons for Cutting the Clutter
Cutting the Clutter: Kitchen Revamp
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.
Embracing a Minimalist Lifestyle

Reality Check: The Evolution of Your Goals

If you asked me over four years ago at my college graduation what my goals were, I would probably have said the following:

1. Work at a magazine.
2. Make $30,000 during my first year in the workforce.
3. Marry my boyfriend of four years.
4. Settle into a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house.
5. Have a kid by my 25th birthday. (Hint: I'm nearing my 26th birthday and still childless!)

Who did I think I was?! Considering I had just earned a degree in journalism, had only four months of experience with my college student newspaper, no clear understanding of the job market and that we were about to experience the worst economic downturn since I was old enough to pay attention to the news, all of my "dreams" were unattainable and unrealistic to say the least! Since then, I have checked off goals one and three and severely rearranged and added some to the list since then. So where am I now?

1. Tag team my husband's student loans and pay them off in the next three years.
2. Live simply and with {much} less stuff. Bonus: this goal saves time and money!
3. Write and write until I no longer have anything else of value to say. (Ha, believe me, I have plenty!)
4. After crossing off dream numero uno, begin to entertain the idea of having a child.
5. Harness my passions and creativity to be utilized for a stimulating and rewarding career path.

Not only are my newest set of dreams much more defined, but they seem more in reach and realistic. Most people don't agree with my approach to parenthood and I've heard plenty of pieces of advice along the lines of "If you wait until you have money, you'll never have kids!" Oh, having money is not the problem! Paying off our student loan debt is. Many disregard debt as a roadblock and charge away whatever they want on their credit cards. We're fortunate that we didn't amass credit card debt over the years and I am proud to say we never carry a balance for more than a few days.

However, the real problem is budgeting to make my top dream come true. I just discovered mint.com and my jaw dropped when I realized how much we spent on food last month. Don't get me wrong: eating vegan is NOT expensive. Dining out too much and heading out for lunch everyday is. Once I figured out where the money was spent, we quickly discussed how we can change it. We've been eating at home much more often and cooking meals the night before for lunch the next day.

The point is, dreams are not easy to make a reality. I don't doubt that I will accomplish all of these and I think of myself as a hard working and dedicated human being that can do just about anything if I put my mind to it. Even the whole vegan thing seems like no big deal when you're facing other lifestyle changes. I figure if I can go vegan overnight, why not pay off the student loan debt in a few years? I'd rather not be paying on something twenty years from now.

Here's my advice: make a list of your goals and really evaluate them. It's ok if they change monthly or yearly. I always have goals and challenge myself to reach them before I'd ideally like to. When we push ourselves, amazing things happen. Our health can improve, our careers can get a boost and our attitudes can be shifted. Don't let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn't do. This is your life and you have to live it. Only you can push yourself to make your dreams your reality.