I graduated from dental school at 26 years old with $575,000 of student debt. That fact alone was mind-blowing enough to land me a podcast interview on Choose FI back in 2018. I then became the first interview with Travis Hornsby on Student Loan Planner Podcast. Since then, I have partnered with Student Loan Planner and Student Loan Advice to help young grads tackle their debt. Because the shocking reality is that big debt exists for almost every new-grad out there. Which is why this blog was originally born. I wanted to share my path towards financial freedom in the hopes of helping others maneuver past their student loans. I really hope it has helped thus far. Today, I decided to write a round-up post on everything I have done to get out of student debt. I’m sorry it has taken this long.
I chose a college that I could commute to for Undergrad. Even though I got into more prestigious schools, staying local was an intentional choice. I lived at home with my parents in order to save money on rent and food.
I finished Undergrad in 3 years. I was able to do this by taking more than 10 AP classes in high-school. These credited as college credits. My college classmates suggested I stay the fourth year to ‘get the full college experience’. I chose to graduate in three years so I could save on tuition and work full-time in my ‘fourth year’.
I moved in with my then-boyfriend, now-husband and two guy friends in order to save on rent during dental school. I lived near campus the first two years and was paying $1200 per month in rent. I asked to live with the boys in a city 30 minutes away to save money. My rent went down to $375 per month. After calculating in the gas, I ended up saving $600 per month the last two years of dental school. This equated to over $14,000!
We mastered our budget. I think budgeting is the most important life skill for financial well-being. It doesn’t matter how much you make, if you don’t know how to control spending. That’s why I wrote a Free Course on Mastering a Budget. We use You Need a Budget (YNAB) for our budgeting tool. It is my absolute favorite. I call YNAB our secret weapon. I recommend people create a budgeting tool that works for their needs. You can always try YNAB for free for 34 days.
I paid off all credit card debt within six months of graduating from dental school. If you have trouble paying off your credit card debts, you can always try The Credit Pros. They will help identify the most damaging and most helpful credit items, as well as provide advice and educational tools.
My husband and I got a roommate for the first five years of our marriage. Getting a roommate is the best way to save money on rent. In California, housing expenses are very high. By getting a roommate, we were able to save money to buy a home. Learn more about co-housing here.
We travel-hack in order to see the world. One of our top life priorities is to travel. We spent the first five years of our marriage traveling to 10 countries and over 10 states. We did that without paying for air-fare. Learn how to TRAVEL FOR FREE in this post.
I worked midnight shifts as an early morning baker. It eventually led me to open my own bakery. When that shut-down in 2020, I became the wholesale director of the previous bakery. I had no experience as a baker, shop owner, or salesperson. But I ended up doing those things simply because I asked to learn.
We placed all of our savings in a High Yield Savings Account with Marcus. A HYSA gives a higher interest rate than a savings account at a bank. When the pandemic caused a pause in student loan repayment, we held on to our money ‘in case of emergencies’ and stored it in a HYSA. It has grown with interest while the student loans are at 0% interest. It really catapulted our loan repayment journey forward! Sign up with my referral link to receive an additional 1.0% APY bump on the current listed APY for the first three months.
We invested money in I Bonds in order to beat inflation. On top of putting our savings in Marcus, we recently invested the maximum amount possible in I Bonds. Due to high inflation rates, I Bonds are currently at 9.6% APY until October 2022. This rate of return is unbeatable especially at a time when stocks are down. I really recommend I Bonds as a hedge against inflation. Learn more about it in this free email course.
I decluttered all my stuff and embraced minimalism in order to reduce spending. Here is a list of 100 things to declutter if you want to get started!
I started this blog! I learned a lot about blogging and how to turn my writing hobby into a side-hustle. It all started with taking the course Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I learned how to make passive income through my writing. I really love this course and have taken it over and over again. It’s a one time fee for life-time access. It is the most life-changing course I have ever taken and definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to start a blog.
I’ve done everything on this list to save as much money as possible. All the money I saved, I put towards my student loans!
I’ve done everything on this list to make money. Saving only gets one so far, so making money is also key.
I invest in personal growth and learning. I read at least two books a month. There is variety in the topics I choose. I never assume I know everything about a topic. Plus I have embraced fiction as a way to learn more about the self. You can check out the recent books I have read on GoodReads.
This summer, I switched my email platform for the blog from ConvertKit to Flodesk. I have been loving creating emails ever since! What once was a chore is now a fun activity for me. I look forward to creating pretty emails for my readers, without the stresses or hassle of complicated platforms. There are many pros to switching to Flodesk, and today I will share with you why I ultimately made the switch! I did it, and personally, I never want to go back.
But before we jump into email automation systems, perhaps you are just starting out your blog? Or you are considering whether blogging is for you? If that’s the case, check out these popular posts on my blog.
I am not a techy person and I did not get a degree in marketing. To be honest, when I started to create emails, I signed up for ConvertKit because it was recommended by another blogger. But I never got around to creating content. The ConvertKit platform was too technical for me. It was boring, designed mostly with code, and had complicated automation workflows that had me feeling lost. I spent a ton of time trying to figure it out, and never getting anywhere.
This year, I came across Flodesk. After being frustrated with my email experience, I decided to take a chance on Flodesk. I now love it! Flodesk took out the complicated stuff and made email creation easy. Pre-designed templates provide me with inspiring ideas. Customization is as easy as swapping out text and photographs. And making emails from scratch is also a breeze with the blocks that Flodesk provide.
Workflows Are Clear
Flodesk is a very visual platform. Workflows are clearly outlined by trigger labels. Each subscriber can be automatically assigned to an existing workflow. At the end of the series, they can then be subscribed to the next workflow. Automation is wonderful. All I have to do is select the number of days between each email drop. And on Flodesk, you can see the flow easily! In ConvertKit, I was always wondering where my subscribers were going and how to get them to the next email. Now I can focus on the CONTENT and send out beautiful emails without the headache of figuring out automation systems and workflows.
Flodesk is Cheaper
At the end of the day, Flodesk saved me money. To subscribe to Flodesk is only $39 a month (although it is $19 a month with my affiliate link here!) Unlike other platforms, Flodesk does not charge based on the number of subscribers you have. You can have an unlimited number of subscribers and still be charged the same fee. While ConvertKit is only $9 a month for a Creator Subscription, they charge $25 a month once you hit 1,000 subscribers. And the price only goes up from there.
Flodesk is a fairly new company, so of course, they are still growing and figuring a few kinks out. It is not as advanced as a more established platform such as ConvertKit, but to be honest, that’s what I like about it! It is simple and easy to use. Those with more experience may find Flodesk to be too elementary, and that’s totally okay! As always, I recommend choosing what works for you.
Personally, I have been enjoying using Flodesk, and I just wanted to share it with others who may be hoping to start a blog or an email list for their small business or company. I seriously think that Flodesk is the best email marketing platform for beginner bloggers who don’t know much about the technical side of marketing. You can always do a free trial to see how you like it.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I only share about companies that I truly believe in.
The biggest push back I get when I talk about cutting costs and saving money is that it’s difficult. People fear the word ‘budget’ because they associate it with negative implications. As a writer of intentional living, I can tell you that is not true. The point of budgeting is not to deprive yourself of things that make you happy. Rather, it is a curation of activities that you choose to engage with in order to prioritize that which makes you happiest. Because of this, budgeting is a personal task. There are some things that may be easier for you and your family to cut out than others. I recommend you start there! Today, I want to share my top 10 easiest things to cut out of my budget.
But first, have you tried YNAB? YNAB stands for You Need a Budget. It is our favorite budgeting tool from day one! I recommend YNAB to all budgeters, and we still use it to save thousands of dollars each month! You can try YNAB for free using my affiliate link. We are so grateful to have an easy, user-friendly app that is convenient and always accessible! Now I’ll share the top ten easiest things I’ve cut out of my budget.
Top 10 Easiest Things I’ve Cut Out of My Budget
Alcohol
Shopping for clothes
Beauty Products
Personal Maintenance (manis, pedis, haircuts, etc.)
Certain groceries like snacks, bars, soft drinks
Paper towels (went fully green in 2018 and never looking back)
Fancy restaurants
Entertainment (Bowling, Movie Theatres, Theme Parks, etc.)
Cable TV
Buying books (yay for libraries!)
As you can see from my list, I can easily give up food, activities, and goods for myself. I wrote an ever-growing list a long time ago, but these ten were the easiest to let go by far. It’s been a while so I do have a caveat that some of my thoughts on the items on the ever-growing list have changed. But in exchange are other things current me won’t spend money on. Of course, everyone is different. There are things I would not sacrifice, such as good coffee and quality goods. That is totally okay! The point is not to deprive, but to thrive.
With current inflation at a high, I think we all need to practice what I’ve been preaching for the last five years. Which is, to flex our frugal muscles as best we can. We may be in it for the long-haul, but the better we are at managing spending, the more we can shoulder the weight of rising prices. If you’re new to the space, do check out my course, Mastering a Budget. It’s helped a lot of people get started!
Dog sitting is one of my favorite side hustles. There are many positive aspects to dog sitting that make it a great side gig. (I share my favorite pros, as well as cons, in this post below.) The best thing about dog sitting is that I get to hang out with cool canines and make decent additional income for it. Essentially, I get paid to do something I already love to do! In May of 2022, I made over $1k taking care of pets. I foresee the same revenue in June, which is already mostly booked. In this post, I share why I chose dog-sitting as a side-hustle and the pros and cons of dog-sitting. I also included a simple start-up guide at the end of this post which will walk you through how I created a profitable side-hustle from my love of animals with zero capital and zero experience.
Why I Chose Dog Sitting As a Side Hustle
Taking care of people and things has always been my strong suit, and pets are no different! I have always loved animals. In particular, I love how affectionate and loyal dogs are. Plus, I like to get to know their personalities. My parents currently have a 14-year old female yellow Labrador. As the child who always lived close by, the responsibility for taking care of her when my parents went on vacation usually fell on me. She was my inspiration for creating a business out of dog-sitting.
My First Dog Sitting Experience
It was the summer after graduating from dental school when I got my first booking. I had a three month gap between passing the national boards and getting my state license to practice dentistry, and I was hurting for money. I had moved back home for a month and was watching my parent’s dog while they went away for a week long vacation. One of my friends saw on Instagram that I was taking care of a dog and asked about his own. I offered to watch his dog for a week while he was away.
The dog’s name was Bixby. Bixby is an adopted dog who is cautious and defensive around humans. His owner was nervous to leave him alone for the first time, but he did really well with me and my dog. In fact, he was very loyal and loved to sit by my feet. Whenever I moved to a different chair, he would follow. I enjoyed watching him roll his back in the grass, although I always had to stop him from eating it.
I thought to myself, I could get used to walking dogs and watching over them while their families are away, especially dogs with special needs or who have difficulty socializing. There are many dogs who would not do well in a day care facility because of trauma or anxiety. There are also many dog owners who do not want to kennel their dogs for weeks at a time. I could provide love, attention and care, adopting these dogs as my own while their parents were away.
However, I did not start my dog sitting journey then. After a month, Mike and I moved in together, renting a live/work loft. We did not want to bother the landlord for permission to have pets. We did not buy our own place until two and a half years later. My dog sitting business began three years after I watched Bixby. A year into dog sitting, the world shut down. I didn’t take care of dogs for a year-and-a-half.
Flash forward to today. I rebuilt my dog sitting business, RMV Tail & Paws, after moving to a new neighborhood (our second home) six months ago. Last month, I made over $1k taking care of canines within our community. I care for each one as if they were mine and Mikey’s. Plus, I got to meet a lot of great, kind families along the way. It was an awesome way for me to integrate into our new neighborhood!
Side note: I believe in turning hobbies and passions into income-producing side hustles. I think that we all have certain talents and strengths that we can share with the world, and those talents and strengths show up in our hobbies and passions. Side-hustles built around things I love make it feel like I am not working at all, but also, end up being the most successful businesses. I have done many side-hustles, mostly in the early mornings when I am most creative and have the most energy. Check out these early morning side hustle ideas for inspiration!
Pros of Dog Sitting
There are many positive aspects to dog sitting. Here are a few of the reasons why I enjoy taking care of dogs!
I get the benefits of a dog’s company, love and affection. Mike and I view each pet as one of our own. We end up forming really great bonds with the dogs we watch, who in return gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. So many of our pets rush to the front door and get excited when they know they will stay with us. I really love that.
We get to meet our neighbors and make friends with people in our community. The pawrents of these pups have been really nice. They care about their dogs a lot, and we build relationships with them. It really helped us settle down in our new space.
I get to spend more time with my husband. Mike and I enjoy creating ‘vacation plans’ for the pets. It forces us to have a ‘stay-cation’ too. We try to plan a fun event every few days for the dog. Whether that’s a hike, a beach trip, or a dog park play date – it ends up being a great time for Mike and I to connect with the dog and each other. There are no phones on these outdoor activities and long walks.
The dogs get me outside. I have to walk them a few times a day, which is beneficial for me. I get some sun, listen to the birds, breathe fresh air, observe plants and wild life… pretty much absorb all the good things nature has to offer.
Dog sitting gets me up very early. It is one of the many early morning jobs I have taken up. I feed the cat and the dog at the same time at 5:30am. Then as the cat finishes up his food, I take the dog out on a walk. I love having a productive morning and this ensures that before I even make a cup of coffee, I do something that gives to others and to myself too. Walking is rejuvenating for the soul and one of my favorite things to do when I walk or meditate and observe my surroundings. I used to listen to podcasts when I walk dogs because it made me productive, but I have found productivity in the walk itself, too. This part of dog sitting had really improved my mental health.
I set my own schedule. I book my dog sitting days and dog walking days when I can, but not every time I am asked. I can always say no to a booking for whatever reason. It could be because I am too busy with my other jobs, I want some relaxation time for myself, or even because I don’t think the dog is a good fit with my lifestyle, home, family, or cat.
I set my own prices. I am able to call the shots when it comes to fees. I do charge extra for dogs who have special needs, or for additional services. I also charge extra for holidays and for inconveniences.
I get to go through my regular day without too much extra work. The thing with dog-sitting is that, aside from feeding them and walking them, it’s pretty much a regular day for us. I can work on my blog or bake in the kitchen. I can also do billing and accounting for the bakery, or enjoy a good book. Dog-sitting isn’t active work all the time.
Cons of Dog Sitting
As with anything, there are a few things to note about dog sitting. For example, I have to be more flexible with dogs around. Here are a few cons.
I have to be okay with messes in the house. I am a pretty neat and tidy person, and for the most part, most dogs have been okay. If a dog is especially messy or tends to break things, I offer to watch them at their house instead. Or I offer drop-in visits where I simple check-in on them, walk them, and feed them in their home.
Sometimes, there are accidents. Dogs can pee when they get excited or scared. Which means we have to roll up our Nordic rugs every time we have a dog over – just in case. It’s not too much of a hassle, but it is an inconvenience.
After every doggy stay, I have to clean the home. Kind of like AirBNB visitors, doggy visitors can leave a bit of a mess. The cleaning time if part of the job.
We have to be home more often. We don’t like to leave the dogs at home alone especially because their parents are already away. I am sure they miss them dearly, so we try to spend every moment with the dogs. With Mr. Debtist working from home, there is always someone here during the weekday. On weekends, we limit the errands we have to do.
We can’t schedule impromptu date nights or socializing events. This works out okay with me since I am a heavy planner. Planning ahead is actually how I am able to juggle all my side-hustles! (If planning is habit you want to take up, check out my top 5 favorite planners for productivity). However, there have been occasions where we were invited to something last minute and were not able to attend. One has to be okay with missing opportunities like that.
How I Built A Dog Sitting Business
I built a dog sitting business for FREE and built up my clientele on my own. It was quick, easy, and simple. Dog sitting was something I was able to get off the ground right away. I made profit with the first booking, and built up from there. I created this guide to walk people through how I built my dog sitting business from scratch with zero capital and zero experience. If you want to start making additional income taking care of pets, this download will definitely be useful for you. It contains tips and tricks I wish I had when I started on my journey! Within six months, I was successful and earning over $1k per month. I believe you can, too.
The Secret to Success
I think what made my dog sitting business successful is my dedication to the pets, as well as my excitement whenever I meet someone new. I care deeply about each one. Being genuinely passionate about your work show others that they can entrust you with their pets, which are like family members. As with all types of work, love what you do and it won’t feel like a means to earn money. It will legitimately make you feel happy and accomplished. Convince people of your own happiness and you will be successful at what you do.
Back in 2020, I wrote a post about celebrating our quarantine birthdays by collecting as many birthday freebies as possible. It started off as a request for Mike’s birthday. Since then, it’s definitely become a thing. I made fun of him for it at the time, but I secretly enjoy it. My birthday is in June. Which means, I recently signed up for as many freebies as I want. It took me about fifteen minutes, because I did a majority of the work last year. (Every club membership keeps giving back year after year). You kind of just build onto your repertoire of freebies, y’know?
Birthday freebies are a major giggle. Imagine zooming around town on your birthday month, just picking and choosing from a list of desserts, drinks, and food. I definitely recommend trying it – especially for the little ones!
There are hundreds of birthday freebies to be had out there, including local hidden gems. I only sign up for the ones I want to pick up. I don’t always get around to all of them, but at least the option is there. Had a bad day at work? Grab a freebie! Have a busy week? Pick up a freebie for dinner. Running late and couldn’t pack a lunch… you get the gist. Birthday freebies are a great pick-me-up and add a little extra support to make your birthday month more enjoyable. Here are a list of my favorites across the U.S.
The Best 2022 Birthday Freebies
Denny’s – Free Grand Slam on the birthday month
Chili’s – Free dessert for the birthday week plus free chips and salsa anytime you dine in
Red Robin – Free birthday burger
Sprinkles – Free cupcake, redeemable until the month after your birthday
Auntie Annie’s – Free pretzel, redeemable until two months after your birthday
Wetzel’s Pretzel’s – Free pretzel for downloading the app, and another free pretzel on your birthday
Baja Fresh – Free Burrito (with purchase of beverage) , valid until the month after your birthday
The Habit – Free Charburger, valid for two weeks
Jersey Mike’s – Free Sub and 22 oz. drink
Baskin Robbins – Free ice cream scoop or soft-serve, plus $3 off an ice-cream cake
Ben N Jerry – Free ice cream scoop, plus $3 off an ice-cream cake
Buffalo Wild Wings – Free birthday wings valid until end of the month
BJs – Free Pizookie for signing up for rewards and also for your birthday
Breugger’s Bagels – Free bagel with cream cheese for signing up and also on your birthday
Einstein Bagels – Free bagel egg sandwich with purchase on your birthday – usable for 14 days
Nothing Bundt Cakes – Free Bundtlet valid for one week
Buca Di Beppo – Free pasta after signing up and a $20 birthday gift voucher
Chipotle – Free chips and guacamole with $5 purchase
Cinnabon – Free Iced Coffee on your birthday and free BonBites for signing up (must download app)
Chick Fil A – Free ‘birthday surprise’ when you download the app
Cold Stone Creamery – BOGO coupon for your birthday and for signing-up.
A & W – Free root beer float for your birthday
Acapulco – Free entree on your birthday and free appetizer for signing up with entree purchase.
Del Taco – Free regular size premium shake
Dunkin Donuts – free beverage on your birthday
Edible Arrangements – Free 12-count chocolate dipped fruit box during birthday month as long as you’ve spent $29 in the past calendar year as a member
Godiva – free birthday chocolate
Hooters – 10 free boneless birthday wings
Ihop – Free shortstack pancakes on your birthday
Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut
Marie Calendar’s – ‘exclusive offer’ for your birthday and wedding anniversary – slice of pie and $5 off your check
Olive Garden – complimentary dessert on your birthday – no sign-up needed
On the Border – “special surprise” on your birthday plus free dessert with purchase of an entree
Pinkberry – Free yogurt if you download the app
Starbucks – Free beverage or food item as a member of Starbucks Rewards
PF Changs – Free dessert or appetizer on your birthday month
Applebees – Free dessert on your birthday when you dine-in, plus if you sign up for their EClub, you receive a coupon for a free entree
Benihana – Free $30 gift certificate redeemable any time during your birthday month
Corner Bakery Cafe – free baked good
El Pollo Loco – Free 2 piece chicken meal or a free chicken tostada salad
Yogurtland – free 3 oz yogurt if you sign up for their rewards
El Torito Grill – Free entree for your birthday plus a free appetizer when you sign-up for their EClub
Jamba Juice – Free smoothie
Johnny Rockets – Free hamburger when you purchase an entree and a drink
Panera Bread – Free pastry
I randomized it so that they aren’t presented in any particular order. To be honest, we usually pick places that are closest to us to save on gas money. I would not recommend driving far just to get a $5 freebie, especially considering the gas prices. You can make it more efficient by going on one endeavor and mapping out the best route to take in order to hit the most number of stops. I prefer to spread them out throughout the month. The best part is that Mike and I are two weeks apart, but our birthdays are in different months. So for some rewards, we overlap and we both get free food. For others, we do a back-to-back trip and split the treat.
It is May 17, 2022, and the current market is down, down, down. This applies to both stocks and crypto. Putting money in the market can be scary for short-term holders (although it’s a sale for long-term holders!). Plus, buyers in the housing market are slowing down with interest rates at nearly 6%, double what it was for the past two years. Meanwhile, the inflation rate is up, with an April-to-April rate change of over 4%, which makes holding onto cash unideal. For those near retirement (5 years out or less) or those saving for shorter term goals and want their wealth to grow, there is a solution in I Bonds! I Bonds are low-risk, inflation-protected assets that are currently yielding a 9.6% annual return until October 2022. This makes I Bonds a great investment option right now. Here is what you need to know about I Bonds.
What You Need to Know About I Bonds
I Bonds are an inflation-protected asset. While inflation remains high, I Bonds will likely continue to see high interest rates. In November 2021, the I Bonds had a guaranteed 7% interest rate. Just this month, the interest rate bumped up to 9.6% and will remain at that rate until October 2022.
The I Bond interest rate is determined by a fixed rate and the inflation rate. Currently, the fixed rate is at 0%, and the inflation rate is at 4.3% for the next 6 months. This is how we get to 9.6% annual rate of return. The interest rate renews every 6 months. It will remain at 9.6% until October, when the rate will change. If inflation goes up, then the rate will go up, too.
I think everyone should be considering I Bonds right now. But before you buy, here are a few things to note.
Facts About I Bonds
You can invest $10k per person/entity per calendar year into I Bonds. I have also heard that you can invest an additional $5k in paper bonds directly from your tax return.
Per entity means if you own a business or a living trust, you can invest $10k in I Bonds on behalf of those entities as well.
The interest rate is redetermined every 6 months.
I bonds cannot be cashed for at least 12 months (1 year). Do not tie up money that you need in 6 months, for example. Do not tie up your emergency fund into an I Bond either. Look at it as a short-term investment. If you are looking to buy a house at a moment’s notice, I Bonds are not the option for you. However, if you wish to buy a house next year, then definitely consider it!
The life of the investment is 30 years. But the money can be pulled out any time after 12 months.
There are no penalties for pulling the money out before the 30 years are up if it has been in the I Bond for at least 5 years.
If the money is pulled out between years 1 and 5, you lose the interest gained from the last three months. This doesn’t sound terrible to me. For example, I can buy $10k in I bonds right now with the plan to pull it out in a year. I will gain 6 months of interest at 9.6% and 3 months of interest at the percent determined in November 2022. I can still beat the current market.
There is no state tax on I Bonds.
There is a federal tax on the gains, but one way it can be federal tax exempt is if you use the money from your I Bond to pay off higher education costs from a list of approved institutions, including paying off your student loans! However, there are requirements. For example, you cannot file married filing separately. Income requirements also apply. Single tax filers must have an adjusted gross income less than $94,550. Married tax filers must have an adjusted gross income less than $149,300. I would definitely check out the rules on this page.
Who Could Benefit from I Bonds
I Bonds can be a useful tool for multiple financial situations. Whether you are a college graduate looking to pay off student debt, a high school graduate just starting college, parents who want to start a college fund, a young couple saving up for a home, an almost retiree looking to earn in your last five years of working, or a short-term investor unhappy with the current state of the market – all of these people may want to consider I Bonds.
Trying to decide what to do with the rest of your cash? Why not consider a High Yield Savings Account? If you happen to choose to open a Marcus High Yield Savings Account using my referral link, you can receive an additional 0.20% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on your Online Savings Accounts for 3 months. Learn more about HYSA in my post below.
When it comes to keeping a low budget, one of the first questions I get asked is how I am able to do so and still eat healthy. Let’s face it. Healthier foods tend to be more expensive. Or at least, that’s how it appears. However, I have proven over the past five years that healthy eating can be achieved with a very low budget! Here I will share my secrets on how to eat healthy on a budget.
But first, have you created your budget? Do you struggle sticking to it? Check out my FREE course on how to create a budgeting tool that works for you and your family.
Healthy Foods Are Expensive is a Myth
Firstly, I would like to debunk the myth that healthy foods cost more money. There is a discerning factor that makes it so, and that is the availability of the foods you are buying. It is more accurate to say that convenient healthy foods are more expensive. Convenient foods include pre-made, pre-packaged, frozen, or bottled foods at the grocery store. It also includes foods that you buy when dining out or at a farmer’s market. Since healthy foods are increasingly popular, the companies that make them can charge more because there is a perceived value associated with them.
However, REAL healthy foods need only take up more time, not more money. The truth is, pre-packaged foods are less healthy than if you made them from scratch. Take any product in the grocery store and look at the ingredient label. If there are big, scientific words on there that you have trouble pronouncing, then I would wager it is less healthy than if you made that same product in your home kitchen.
The first time I noticed this was when I was making my own sourdough bread. Sourdough bread has three ingredients. Flour, Water, Salt. Even the starter that makes it rise is made of flour and water. Yet every ‘healthy’ sourdough bread at my grocery store had complicated, unpronounceable words on their labels that made me wary to eat it.
The second time I noticed this was when we nixed plastic from our home. We wanted to create less waste so we experimented with avoiding buying anything packaged in plastic when we went to the grocery store. If you’ve ever tried this yourself, you would know that the grocery store is an unfriendly place. By doing this we had to make our foods from scratch. We could not buy a majority of snacks (yay for healthy!), frozen foods (yay again!), most dairy products and pre-made sauces. Instead, we had to buy produce and make our own sauces from scratch.
Once we started doing this, I learned how few ingredients it really takes to make a product. I learned that 75% of the ingredients listed on a product label are unnecessary, which begs the question, ‘why do we ingest it?’ I learned the importance of sourcing good ingredients to create the foundation for healthy food. And most importantly, I learned that healthy food is not expensive. Only pre-made industrialized food is.
Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget
With that myth debunked, here are more than ten ways to eat healthy on a budget.
Avoid dining out.
This is our number one way to stay on a budget. A co-worker once told me that him and his wife spent $800 a month dining out. If you are shocked at that number, then you would be devastated to hear that some millennials I know spend over $1000 a month on dining out. If you want to be frugal, limit dining out to a minimum. The shocking truth is that making your own food from whole, simple ingredients is healthier than some ‘healthy’ restaurant items out there. And it will be a much cheaper, too!
Avoid pre-packaged foods.
Pre-packaged foods include chips, snacks, granola bars, frozen foods, sauces and dips, and anything already cooked and prepared. All of these foods will be priced higher. Think of it as a convenience fee. These foods will also have unnecessary ingredients that our bodies do not need. Have you ever eaten these things and not felt satiated? A lot of these foods contain empty carbs or are heavy in salt, both of which makes us want to eat more and buy more. And even though they are deemed healthy, if the ingredient label is complicated, I would just skip it. I prefer to control what I ingest anyway.
Avoid buying packaged snacks.
Have you noticed that the foods that call out to you at a grocery store are generally unhealthy snack items? When I was in college, I ingrained it into my mind that snacks are unnecessary. I did this to cut my spending to $25 a week. I convinced myself that snacks are a waste of money, because they are empty carbs that do not nourish my body. They taste good, sure. But instead of helping support me, it actually is bad for my health.
I always bring it back to health because, as a medical professional, I know how expensive medical treatments are. Eating unhealthy snacks today not only makes me spend money now, but also in the future when an unhealthy body may lead to more health problems, which require treatment. Even the snacks that claim they are healthy contain a long ingredient list with words I can’t pronounce.
As always, go back to the ingredient label. If there’s anything unnatural sounding on there, I would question how healthy the food really is. When it comes to snacking, I opt for whole foods such as nuts, fruits, or veggies with a home-made hummus dip.
Avoid plastic.
On the heels of the previous two sections, I just want to drive the moral of the story home. Avoid pre-packaged stuff. One of the ways to do that is to avoid buying any plastic when grocery shopping. It will cut out a lot of options. But it will also point you towards the more healthy food choices.
Mike and I get asked a lot how we are able to maintain our weights. This was back in our late twenties when we did not work out. We joked and said we followed a simple diet plan – it was called the ZERO-PLASTIC diet. Do you know that 80% of your physique is based on what you eat, and only 20% is based on your physical activities? We stayed skinny because we were avoiding plastic waste. Which meant we were forced to make our foods from scratch, without preservatives, high amounts of sugar or much salt!. Since my thirties, I have started to work out too, but I don’t really attribute my skinniness to that. It’s what we eat that counts!
We grew up consuming a lot of dairy. Our parents told us to drink milk for good bone health and growth. We ate cereal and grilled cheese, had milk with our cookies, and watched as our favorite celebrity doused their upper lip in ‘Got Milk?’ ads. However, we now know that dairy isn’t exactly good for our gut health. We are the only species that drinks another species’ milk. Our guts are not evolutionarily developed to process cow’s milk and it wasn’t until the Industrialized Revolution that we started to drink a lot of it. This explains why many of us feel discomfort, bloated, or gassy after having dairy. Some of us are lactose-intolerant altogether. Avoiding dairy is good news for your wallet as it is one of the most costly items you can buy at the market and it doesn’t even have a long shelf-life.
Less red meat, same protein.
Some red meats are more difficult for our guts to digest than others. I started to eat less meat in my 30’s after learning that red meat tends to stick around (up to 48 hours) after ingestion. I felt more energetic, lighter, and comfortable when I significantly reduced my meat diet.
However, meat has it’s important qualities too so we shouldn’t get rid of it all. The protein structure of meats provide necessary collagen which our bodies significantly make less of as we age. If you don’t want to eat meat, I would still suggest making broths from meat bones and carcass to drink. You’re skin will really thank you! Meat is also touted for being high in protein. Even if you eat less meat, I recommend eating the same amount of protein. Substitutes to red meat include fish, beans, legumes, tofu and eggs.
Personally, once I switched to these substitutes, I really did not crave much meat anymore. I found meat to be less flavorful than these other options. But also, these alternatives are way kinder to my bank account. Fish might be more expensive than meat, but I eat way less of it. Alternating with beans, legumes and tofu makes it worth it.
Opt for whole ingredients.
The more whole an ingredient is, the cheaper it will be. I learned this when I started baking bread and bought a mill for my bakery. The mill turns grain into flour. While I always thought flour was cheap, I realized how much cheaper it was to buy grain! Now, not everyone has a mill, but let’s take the example of tomatoes. Whole tomatoes are cheaper than canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, or tomato sauce. Whole heads of lettuce are cheaper than the pre-washed, pre-cut, pre-packaged tub. Dried beans are cheaper than canned beans. Well, you get the picture. In general, buying whole ingredients are cheaper, because you are not paying for the convenience of having it partly prepared.
Make foods from scratch.
Making foods from scratch can save you a lot of money. Once again, it’s that convenience fee you are paying for. I can make a loaf of gut-friendly, amazing sourdough bread for $1. This same loaf sells at a farmer’s market for $10! We can also make a tub of guacamole for $2.50, but a small serving of guac and chips at a restaurant costs $5-$8. Even spaghetti sauce is pricey! A jar of tomato sauce now runs for $5-$8. But for the same price, Mike and I can batch produce 8 jars of tomato sauce.
My favorite savings is on broth. We used to pay $5 for boxed broth, but now we just throw left over veggies, meats, and bones into water in our crockpot and let it simmer for 8 hours to get the most delicious and healthy broths!
Our plight to reduce plastic waste led us to the realization that the convenience really does comes at a premium. To our delight, we found that we have been eating better tasting and healthier foods simply by making foods from scratch!
Cook simple meals.
This one is for all the people out there looking to experiment and make fancy meals at home. While that is super fun (we love doing that too!), it is not necessarily sustainable. When I go online and look for recipes, I see a plethora of complicated, difficult, but pretty posts. I think that Instagram has changed the way we consume food, in that the image of food has taken center-stage.
Unfortunately, these same recipes require one-off ingredients, fancy garnishes, and a bit of decor. When did food get so… fashionable? Granted, we do make fancy meals on special occasions. But after doing this for a long time (I have been eating with a budget since my early 20’s!), my one advice is to keep it simple.
Food should be nourishing. It should energize us and help our bodies thrive during the day. It can taste good, sure, but it doesn’t have to be Michelin Star status. Foods are made to look good online because looking good sells people on making that particular recipe or dining at that restaurant. But in the home kitchen, it doesn’t really have to look that good.
I watch the way my mom prepares meals. This year, in fact, I have made it a point to learn one traditional Filipina recipe from my mom every month. Her recipes are memorized, and she does not look at cookbooks. The reason is because the ingredients are simple and few. The rightness of the recipe comes from taste. ‘Timpla‘ is a tagalog word that means ‘mixture’. She just bases the doneness of her cooking based on the taste of the ‘timpla‘. It’s such a common expression in cooking that she uses it as a verb sometimes too.
So you see, cooking simple meals not only limits the number of ingredients you have to buy, but also the stress involved with cooking. My favorite things to cook are meals that don’t need much editing of natural ingredients. I also like to toss together things (quite literally) in a bowl or pot. I like stews left on to simmer, or veggies that I throw into the ovens for long periods of time. It lets me get other things done while dinner cooks.
Volunteer at a farm or subscribe to a farm.
I have the privilege of living in a community with a few community farms. The residents can volunteer to work at the farms as often as they want (up to four days a week!) and each time they do, they can opt to harvest food. I try to volunteer once a week and gather the seasonal produce from there in order to cut our grocery bill. Each week, I harvest about 10 pounds of produce. I know this is not available to everyone but there are farms all around. Prior to working at our community farm, we were subscribed to receiving a farm box for $25 a week. We received local seasonal fruits and veggies and used that instead to cook with. There have been some weeks where all we needed to buy was the protein.
Create a list before going to the grocery store.
Have you ever gone to the groceries to buy a handful of things only to walk out with a full cart? This is most likely because you did not have a dedicated list. The grocery store is like any other store. Sometimes, it gets you to shop. I like to go in with a list so that I remain focused during my shopping. I know exactly what I need and go directly to the aisles that contain those needs. This way, I avoid meandering down rows that contain foods I might also want. My trick to avoiding extra is to get the shopping done, and then get out of there.
Never shop hungry.
My final advice is my most important. Never shop hungry. If I shop hungry, I spend more and will usually gravitate towards the salty, sugary, ‘yummy’ addictive foods. It’s amazing how much hunger can trigger our survival mode in our brains. This is a part of our evolution and is difficult to overcome. If you think about it, food has only been readily available in large quantities to our species for maybe 100 years. Our parents and grandparents still went through times of not having enough food for the family. Evolutionarily speaking, we still have a strong instinct to grab the saltiest, sugariest foods when we feel hungry. So eat something before doing your groceries.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
As you already may know, I am a firm believer in using credit cards to catapult you towards financial freedom. That sentence may seem counter-intuitive at first, but credit cards give you a massive money advantage. Trust me when I say the rich know all about it! This does not promote using credit cards haphazardly, but rather, strategically. There is a technique, and it involves using the benefits, perks, and rewards earned from credit card usage. We use credit cards to increase our credit scores, build our wealth on borrowed money with higher returns, and travel for free. Since I don’t want you to fall into the trap of spending more by opening credit cards, I created a post about ways to meet credit card minimum spend to earn sign up bonus points without spending MORE MONEY.
If you want to save this post for later, go ahead and pin the image to your Pinterest so you can refer back to this time and time again!
I recently promoted a Southwest credit card on Instagram because they were awarding a companion pass for a year just by signing up. Southwest is our favorite airline, simply because SW guarantees us free flights through Companion Pass. One of us always has the credit card, and we alternate turns in order to maximize the benefits. We only need one card holder at a time, and since the card requires a 2 year break before receiving the bonus again, this allows us to replenish our award eligibility.
On the topic of using credit cards to travel for free, the best way to utilize them is by hitting the sign-up bonus. Sign-up bonuses for credit cards are usually a big chunk of points that you can earn, simply by spending a certain amount within the first few months of opening the card. However, as a frugal, minimalist blogger, I think it quite important to stress the following message:
New credit cards should not be used as an excuse to consume unnecessary goods. This is not how the rich get rich. You must use credit cards to grow wealth, not diminish it. Once again, let me reiterate: this is a post about how to meet your credit card’s minimum spend in order to earn the sign up bonus faster WITHOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY.
Without further ado…
Pay Your Rent or Mortgage
On the rare occasion that you can use a credit card to pay your rent or mortgage, I would highly recommend doing so. This recurring monthly fee is typically the biggest spending in all budgets and if you live in California like we do, your payment could catapult you towards the minimum spend. If you have a landlord that you’ve been renting from for a long time, perhaps call them and request that you pay with a credit card. They may be willing to work with you. You will never know unless you ASK. Unfortunately, mortgage companies are a bit tougher. It’s either they accept it or they don’t, in my experience. No worries, as there are plenty of other ways to meet minimum spend.
Pay Student Loans
Student loans are EXPENSIVE. Trust me, I would know. I graduated with $575,000 of student debt at age 26. My student loan repayment journey is what started this blog! Typically, student loan payments occur once a month. Some private lenders may allow you to pay off your debt with a credit card. If you want to get rid of your debt as fast as possible, you can also make additional payments to your loans in order to hit your minimum spend. This tactic works for those who wish to pay off their debt aggressively. I do not recommend paying extra if you are on one of the repayment plans.
Prepay Utilities & Phone Bills
Bills for utilities or your phone, are normally billed monthly. You should pay these bills with your new credit card! However, there is an added secret to getting more from these bills. You can technically overpay these companies when you make a payment online. If you know you are staying with the same cell-phone carrier for another six months, why not pay off the full six months? You’re future self will thank you, and you’ll hit your sign-up bonus faster.
Caveat:Only pay what you are sure you will use. If you pay the entire minimum spend to your utilities company and you move, then that’s no good. Some people will argue they will just get a refund of their overpayment, but the refund could mess with your sign-up bonus reward. Figuring all that out can be a massive headache, so I would rather hit the minimum spend with something else to avoid it if you aren’t sure about the long-term plan for your utilities or phone bill.
Insurance is another great example! It is a recurring monthly fee, but you can pay it off early. More easy to predict than your utilities, you know when the start and end date of a calendar year is for insurance. What you can do is just pay off the rest of the calendar year and then you won’t have to worry about it. This is a big category as you have many pre-pay opportunities.
For our particular situation, we have:
health insurance
dental insurance
vision insurance
malpractice insurance
disability insurance
life insurance
auto insurance
home mortgage insurance.
On top of this, some people have pet insurance, or even travel insurance. Prepay a few of them to hit your minimum spend. Alternatively, follow my next advice.
Entertainment and Streaming Services
If you are signing up for a membership or a subscription that gives an option for monthly billing versus yearly billing, why not opt for yearly billing?
While Netflix and Spotify don’t allow for this option, streaming services such as Disney Plus and Hulu allows their subscribers to pay for the annual fee in one go!
In the blogging world, a lot of my platforms, social media apps and website costs have the option of being paid monthly or yearly. I choose yearly since we are always travel hacking. It helps us go through minimum spend requirements, quicker.
In the cases of Netflix and Spotify, you can still use your credit card to pay for these on a monthly basis until you hit that minimum spend. Definitely do!
Gym Memberships
In line with the previous section, perhaps you can prepay your gym membership? Maybe you can ask your gym if they have a yearly fee, which might even give you a discount. Smaller gyms have more flexibility too, and they may prefer that you pay upfront since it secures your loyalty to them. Some people buy class passes. Why not buy a bundle of 5 classes instead of paying as you go? The good news is that yearly subscriptions and memberships can sometimes be cheaper, in the long run.
Pay Ahead for Future Travel Expenses
When we get a new credit card, we look ahead and plan for future travel. Usually, we use our credit card rewards to buy flights. Only once have we opened a hotel card and found it worth it. Marriott was the only hotel that awarded decent points to its card holders. I have this Marriott Bonvoy BOLD and Mikey has this Marriot Bonvoy BOUNDLESS Card. It also helps that we have relatives who work for the chain and can get us a family discount.
That being said, unless we have Marriott points, we opt for AirBNB which historically has been cheaper than booking with hotels, although it is becoming less so. We pre-pay in full any AirBNBs we need for future trips. We also pay in full any excursions or bookings we may have. By planning ahead, we get these payments out of the way and we can budget in real-time for our upcoming trip.
Side note: You should always use your credit cards for travel. Most of them award significantly higher returns for travel expenses – sometimes up to 3X the points per $1 spent.
Reimbursable Business Travel Expenses
My dad travels a lot for business. Many years ago, he started asking his company if he could pay for his travel expenses and if they can reimburse him, instead of him using the company card. For the most part, they said yes! This means he could accrue points on his credit card without spending more money. This works especially well if you work for a smaller company or hold a higher up position.
These are the things you can get reimbused for:
Flights
Hotels
Food
Transportation and Gas
Conference Rooms
Event Costs
Travel Insurance
A small warning: Sometimes, reimbursements from your company may take a while. Make sure you can shoulder the spending and pay off your credit card in full at the end of the month to make this tactic worth it. Also, make sure your company will pay you back! Keep a log of all company spending, as well as receipts for proof.
Pay for a Wedding
Do you have a wedding coming up? It doesn’t matter if it’s your own wedding or someone else’s wedding that you are a part of. Credit cards are great for paying for weddings. I actually wish we knew about travel hacking before we got married. Alas, I did not learn about it until 6 months into our marriage, so we payed for flights to New Zealand and hotels with our hard-earned post-tax dollars. Womp womp.
But by sharing it would our friends, we have helped them honeymoon in Japan FOR FREE (flights and hotels covered) by using credit cards to pay for their wedding! And the wedding payments gave them that boost for hitting minimum spends on multiple credit cards. Because there were two of them, they were able to skirt around Chase’s 5/24 rule by divvying up the credit cards they applied for.
If you are simply attending a wedding, you can still get a lot out of it! I wish I didn’t have to say this, but the truth is, weddings are costly! And when you are part of the party or even a guest to a wedding, you don’t really have much say (unless you opt out of it entirely, which I have done).
Things you can pay for in an upcoming wedding include:
For the guest
Bachelor/Bachelorette Party and Trip Expenses
Bridal Shower Party or Trip Expenses
Engagement Party Expenses
Gifts for any of the three previously mentioned events, or the wedding itself
Bridesmaid Dresses or Groomsman Tux
Any accessories you need for wedding day
Hairstylist, Manicurist or Cosmetologist Fees
Limos or Transportation Expenses
For the couple
Venue
Food
Bartenders and Alcohol
Cake
DJ
Photographer
Videographer
Flowers
Decorations
Party Planner
Pay for the holidays
Every year, we apply for credit cards at the end of October so that we receive them in the mail mid-November. We do this because we know the holidays are coming up. We easily hit minimum spends in this way because I am always the one hosting Friendsgiving. Occasionally, I pitch it for my mom’s Thanksgiving dinner, too. I am also the one in charge of buying gifts for everyone in December. And there are plenty of opportunities to contribute a dessert plate, or gift in kindness during the holidays. If you know you spend a lot during the holidays, then definitely time your minimum spends accordingly.
If you wish to spend less on holidays, here are a few blog posts I’ve published around that.
In line with the previous section, use your new credit card to pay for gifts. While I am not an advocate for big and extravagant gifts, the truth of the matter is that gift giving is my love language. And for the most part, I choose gift ideas for someone’s next birthday ahead of time. I’ll hear them casually mention something they wish they had or want to buy, and I’ll jot it down in my Apple Notes for safe-keeping.
If you already know what you want to buy a friend for their next birthday, why not buy it early? I mean, with the current rate of inflation, your dollar will buy more today than it will tomorrow anyway! And while minimalists will gape at me for wanting to stash thingsand take up space for an extra few months, it does make your life simpler since it prevents scrambling and last-minute shopping closer to that birthdate. Alternatively, for the anti-consumerist in you, these consumable gift ideas still require a bit of spending anyway.
This probably should have been higher up on the list because of the frequency of this spending, but I decided to put it a bit lower since the previous examples involved higher numbers. But now that we’re here…
Everyone spends money on groceries. In fact, most families don’t spend enough money on groceries! They dine out way too often!! But that’s neither here nor there. Regardless of your preferred habits, groceries are a great way to hit minimum spend. I like to go up and down the grocery aisle and stock up on non-perishable items that happen to be on sale. I also like to plan ahead and buy house cleaning items that I know we will run out of eventually. Even bathroom necessities like soap, shampoo, and conditioner are great options.
Once again, for the minimalists gawking at me – when I say buy in multiples, I mean not one. I also mean, not a hundred. Great arguments for buying a little extra include:
Less stress when your current one runs out, leading to a simpler life.
Less money in general, as buying in bulk usually means a discounted price (please check to make sure it IS cheaper. Some stores charge more for bulk, which makes no sense).
Buying extra means less trips to the grocery store, which means less gas, if you have a gas vehicle. Considering gas prices, you should really buy for a few weeks at a time.
If you need ideas on what to buy, here are my favorite items to buy in order to hit minimum spend:
Rice
Pasta
Beans
Oats
Quinoa
Lentils
Flour
Cornmeal
Sugars
Baking Powder and Baking Soda
Oil and Vinegar
Honey
Yeast
Soy Sauce
Maple Syrup
Spices and Herbs
Bouillon cubes in place of refridgerated broths
Canned fish – I love sardines and tuna
Canned vegetables (or my preferred option: pickled vegetables)
Nuts and Seeds
Granola
Protein Bars
Soup
Shelf-stable milks (Non-dairy options can last for months in a pantry, such as oatmilk)
Okay, so if you dine out a lot, then this is an opportunity for you to put a dent in that minimum spend. But that does not mean spending more than what is customary! It does not give you a reason to add a glass of wine or a decadent dessert to the tab. But I do have some tricks up my sleeve.
I try to keep in touch with friends and family and one of the ways we do that is by grabbing a meal. While I prefer to cook for them and to hang out at home, dining out once in a while lowers the barrier to staying connected. Meaning, it eliminates the added stress that cooking and cleaning can create, which allows for more spontaneous get-togethers.
It would be odd to say that I have a rotation of friends and family with a semi-scheduled frequency of hanging out, but I sort of do. In order to meet that frequency, I invite my friends and family to dinner around times when we have minimum spends. I ask them if I could pay for the bill (even explaining that we do this travel hacking thing in life), and request that they pay for their portion via Venmo. I have never had anyone deny us. Actually, what it did was inspire our friends to start asking of us the same thing, and we were then happy to help them hit their minimum spends!
Nowadays, our friends and family rotate around who pays for the bill, depending on who has a minimum spend requirement to meet. You can definitely do this with a group of people in an organized way, allowing for your credit score to go back up while someone else benefits from travel hacking. Better yet, you can use the points accrued in your group to take a trip TOGETHER, allowing for more bonding time!
By the way, dining out includes everything from a 4-course meal for two, to that daily coffee you order at your local shop. No purchase is too small when it comes to hitting these minimum spends!
Gas
Here’s another one and it’s something many of us still use! Charge it, it you will reach your minimum spend faster … especially during this hike in prices (yikes!). At the gas station, we also fill up propane tanks for our Ooni Pizza Oven. Maybe fill up multiple propane tanks while you’re there, to save you the trip.
Store Gift Cards
This is probably a good time to insert gift cards. Gift cards are a super powerful tactic, and one of my travel-hacking best-kept secrets. Gift cards are an extra fast way to easily meet your minimum spend. Here is why.
There are certain stores that I am sure your household continually returns to. For us, our favorite grocery stores are Whole Foods and Sprouts. Occasionally, the Stater Bros in the same plaza as my work office offers convenience. We have certain gas stations that we go too, primarily, the ones closest to our homes. And we will frequently swing by Walmart or Target.
Likewise, there are certain restaurants that you visit more frequently than others. In the case of Mike’s family, they have ten favorite restaurants that they pretty much alternate through. They don’t stray much from HopDoddy, Marie Calendar’s, Chilli’s, The Habit, In’N’Out, and PF Chang’s. So I know that gift cards to these places will eventually be used!
Therein lies the ultimate hack. Buying gift cards to these stores means you can reach your minimum spend, without buying the actual STUFF right now. Gift cards usually don’t have expiration dates, which means you can stash them for later. Plus, big monetary amounts can be placed on gift cards, sometimes in the hundreds! They are also, well, giftable.
Here are a list of gift card options that you are sure to use everyday:
A word on inflation. Currently, the inflation rate is up the wazoo at a whopping 7.9% in February 2022, and I believe it’s here to stay (at least for a while). This means that a dollar today may be worth more than a dollar a week from now. That being said, there is an argument during times of inflation to buy things in bulk/ahead of time. For example, compare the cost of a box of cereal today to what it was just a few months ago. If you didn’t notice, our California price for a box of wheat went up by $2 in the last 6 months.It isn’t just gas prices that has sky-rocketed. Groceries, fast food, car prices, and personal care services have increased. Food for thought, I suppose…
House Maintenance and Repairs
If you’re a home-owner, then you know all about this section. You can choose to wait until something breaks down to repair it, or you can be pro-active with house maintenance. If you know the roof needs replacement but it still hasn’t caused issues, maybe now is the time to address it? Or you have a leaky sink that you don’t have the time to tinker with. Go ahead and call the plumber. A majority of us like to ignore these repairs until we absolutely have to address them, but having a credit card that needs spending is a great time to be pro-active, especially when being pro-active can avoid more expensive costs in the future.
Home Renovations or Upgrades
If you were planning to renovate your home, I would highly recommend opening a credit card right before you do so. Same goes for if you are planning to move, or to upgrade anything in your house. Furniture, as well as everyday house items, can speed up hitting your minimum spend requirement. Contractors will typically accept credit cards, and you can use your credit card at home decor stores and department stores. Of course, new credit cards should not be used as an excuse to elevate your home.
Car Maintenance and Repairs
I take my car in regularly for its check-ups. But there are also maintenance things that I can pay for early. For example, if I notice my tires are getting thin, I replace them before they pop. I check for tire pressure and tread depth. If I notice a light on my dash, I bring it in for evaluation and address the issue. And I change my windshield wipers once a year. Since I have an older car, I also have to keep up with the brake lights, the coolant, and the battery. I actually keep a spare brake light in my trunk, after learning how to change it myself.
Kid’s Activities
If you have kids, it is possible that they are signed up for sports and activities. You can always pay for these programs ahead of time. For example, if you want to sign up your child for a sport next season, why not sign-up early? You can also buy necessary activity items early too. This includes sports gear, sports goods, musical instruments, art supplies and more. Lastly, if you have a Team Mom, ask to pay ahead for your portion of the participation trophies and the end-of-the-year party. Or better yet, volunteer to be the Team Mom and pay for all of these things and get reimbursed by the other parents later on.
Your Resell Business
If you have read my post about Ways to Earn Extra Income Through Side-Hustles, then you already know that Poshmark or other reselling platforms have been proven to be viable businesses for some people. I, myself, have a friend who buys things and resells them on Poshmark. She goes to thrift stores and searches for things that she knows she can flip. It’s a hobby for her, but also, one that makes her money. If you are thinking of adding reselling to your side-hustle resume, then you can use your finds to hit the minimum spend. Just be careful not to bite off more than you can chew – advice for anyone looking to get into the reselling business.
Downpayment on a New Car
If you’ve been looking to buy a new car, make sure to open your credit card right before. You may be able to make a down-payment (as much as $5,000) with your credit card. But please call the car company first and make sure that they accept credit as a form of down-payment. Of course, only do this if you were already planning to buy a car…
Purchasing New Tech
I was 31 years old when I decided to buy tech for the first time. Until then, I was using hand-me-down work laptops from my dad or unwanted cell phones from Mike or my parents. They were always so slow, sometimes shut-down randomly, and for two years I built a blog on a permanently flickering screen. I am pretty much my eyes received permanent damage.
But when I decided to upgrade both my laptop and my cell phone, I planned ahead and opened a credit card. I decided to do both at the same time, which is what’s so great about optional spending. I waited until my credit card arrived in the mail, timed with Cyber Monday deals, and met my minimum spend in one day.
Charitable Donations
Some of you may make yearly charitable donations. There is certainly a tax benefit for doing so, plus you can contribute to a worthy cause. Feel free to charge it whenever possible! Make all your charitable donations early when you need to hit a minimum spend.
Ask for Help from Friends and Family
There was one instance wherein Mike and I bit off more than we can chew. It was 2018 and we had just discovered the concept of travel hacking. In true fashion, I signed us up for multiple credit cards. After a month or so, I realized that simultaneously opening multiple cards made it a bit difficult to hit the minimum spend. So I reached out to my parents and asked if there was anything I could prepay for them so that I could meet our minimum spending. All they had to do was Venmo me back.
It was actually quite easy and by opening up that avenue to friends and family, I have found that more of them ask the same of me. I am more than happy to help them out in return. As I mentioned in the dining out section, we kind of have a roulette going as to who would pay for what. By doing so, we are helping each other optimize our paths to financial independence. That’s friend goals right there!
Hopefully you enjoyed my tips and tricks on hitting credit card minimum spends. Please share any tips you have with the community in the comments below!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
