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10 Best Things to Buy At Costco

When it comes to saving money on groceries, I swear by two things: meal planning and Costco! For families, you can save tremendously on your grocery budget by buying right and buying in bulk… and there’s no better place to do it than Costco. Just before the holidays, I asked my Instagram followers what the…

Budgeting for Disney World - Splurge at Contemporary

Budgeting for Disney World: 4 Sample Packages

Our trip to Disney World in October wasn’t just my kids’ first trip… it was mine too! And to be completely honest, before I started planning our trip, I honestly had NO IDEA what it would cost to even begin thinking about budgeting for Disney World. Two awesome things I learned from my Disney Vacation…

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

Over the last 100 years, women and money have come a long way. Learn about the history of women’s financial rights, the modern statistics associated with women and money, and why improving women’s financial literacy is Family Finance Mom’s #1 mission. While there’s endless discussion today of the gender wage gap, the reality is women’s…

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

After sharing my 20+ Favorite Finance Books for YOU… I got lots of requests to share a similar list of money books for kids. So I teamed up with my friend Lauren at Happily Ever Elephants to share just that! As the child of a kindergarten teacher, I grew up in a house full of…

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The Ultimate Guide to Finance for Baby’s First Year

Congratulations, your precious baby is finally here. Now the real fun begins! While you may have purchased everything on your baby registry list, there are many family legal and financial tasks you cannot actually begin until your baby arrives, and some come with significant time sensitivity. So even if you’ve been preparing for a baby financially…

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

What’s the Best Way to Invest Money (When You’re Just Getting Started)

When it comes to investing, many of you are coming with a completely blank slate. You want to know what you need to do to get started and what’s the best way to invest money. Learn about the types of account you need to access the markets, where I recommend you start, and what to…

10 Things to Know About A Stock (Before You Buy One)

When you talk about investing, the first thing everyone thinks about is buying stocks. There’s a lot more available out there when it comes to investing, but… Here’s a little Investing in Stocks 101, with the 10 things every person should know about a stock BEFORE you buy one. Whenever I talk about investing, I…

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

4 Simple Money Lessons All Kids Should Know

Family Organization Ideas

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With all the allergy excitement that happened 2 weeks ago, the most exciting GOOD news that happened that day got completely skipped over...⁣ *⁣ My 8 year old’s art teacher selected her piece for the town Art Show. A local framer framed all the pieces selected, and today he called to say it was ready for pick up!⁣ *⁣ Need some affordable wall decor? She made this at school with black construction paper, @elmersproducts glue, and oil pastels. She calls is “Alaskan Spring” 🏞⁣ *⁣ We also had our first of 3 visits to the allergist today for complete testing. For those following my journey as a new #allergymom, you can get the update in my stories today, including how to get 2 packs of epinephrine injectors at no cost! 💕⁣ ⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *

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There are lots of new Family Finance Moms around here - so just wanted to give everyone the lowdown on #FFMBookClub.⁣ *⁣ Because financial literacy is so important, and one of the best way to build your financial knowledge is through reading, last year, we started the Family Finance Mom Book Club. We read one book every quarter, and discuss it the last month of the quarter.⁣ *⁣ We are currently reading #EverydayMillionaires by @chrishogan360. You can join our book club discussions by simply following #FFMBookClub. Learn more about how it works, see all our past book club picks and submit your book recommendations for future club picks at the direct link in my bio.⁣ *⁣ Happy reading! 💕📖⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #bookclub #womenwhoread #readersofinsta #booklist #bookrecommendation #readingclub #financialeducation #financialliteracy #selfeducation #selfeducate #jimrohn #jimrohnquotes #debtfreecommunity #debtfree #debtfreeliving #debtfreedom #dfc #womenandmoney #womeninspiringwomen #womenhelpingwomen #womeninfinance #personalfinance #personalfinanceforwomen #familyfinance #familyfinances #ffmquotes #familyfinancemom

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Do you shop around to get the best deal before you buy something? How expensive does something have to be before you consider it worth it to do so?⁣ *⁣ We are in the market for a "big boy bed" for this not so little guy. Despite the fact that he is nearly as tall as his sister's were at the age of 6, he is still in a toddler bed 🙈... mostly because we were using it as a carrot to motivate him to 💩in the potty.⁣ *⁣ He's accomplished his goal - and now we have to deliver. He's got a coupon for a bed from Santa he is dying to cash in. I still get sticker shock when I shop for furniture - especially for kids' stuff. He is so much more destructive than his sister's, that we are hesitant to spend a lot but also want durability to stand up to his energy.⁣ *⁣ I scoped out @ikea, @jordansfurniture and @ashleyfurniturehomestores - and it all seems expensive, but leaning towards the #Ikea Hemnes Daybed. Any recommendations on mattresses for kids? At this point, I'm willing to pay if it means he will stop waking up 2-3x a night!

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Today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr.⁣ *⁣ My 6 year old came home on Friday quoting his famous "I have a dream" speech. The parts most people remember are the end - his dreams for his children's future, "to live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."⁣ *⁣ I'm ashamed to say before yesterday, I had never read the speech in its entirety. It is incredible to me how many of his words sadly still ring as true today as they did nearly 60 years ago. No surprise, his words on economic opportunity rang most loudly in my ears. And while he spoke out on behalf of people of color, today they hold true for them, as well as people of all different minority groups, genders, education and income levels. ⁣ *⁣ But it doesn't have to be. I believe economic equality is available to all willing to work hard and achieve it. The goal of @familyfinancemom is to challenge, educate, inform and improve the financial education and literacy of women and families everywhere to make that possible.⁣ *⁣ Have you ever read his whole speech? What's your favorite line?

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Team work makes the dream work around here.⁣ *⁣ I quickly found the easiest way to keep three kids from making a mess faster than I can clean it up? Involve them in the clean up. My 4 yo actually jumps at a chance to run the vacuum!⁣ *⁣ A study run by Harvard for more than 75 years has identified two things people need to be happy and successful in life:⁣ ❤ Love⁣ 👩🏻‍🏭 Work Ethic⁣ And the consensus for the best way to teach kids work ethic? Letting them pitch in alongside you around the house!⁣ *⁣ Do your kids have chores in your house? Last summer, we also started allowance with my older two - I’m working on a blog post about how it’s working and how we do it in our home. What questions or experiences do you have about allowances for kids?⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *⁣ *⁣ #allowance #chores #choresforkids #preschooler #thebigkidyears #kidsandmoney #kidsmoney #kidsfinancialliteracy #financialliteracy #financialeducation #financialliteracyforkids #finlit #dfc #debtfree #debtfreecommunity #debtfreeliving #moneymindset #financialfreedom #raisingmytribe #momofthree #honestmothering #simplymotherhood #financialindependence #generationalwealth #familyfinance #familyfinances #personalfinance #homeeconomist #resetmyspace #familyfinancemom

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We talk a lot about planning around here... meal plans to save on groceries. Budgets - which are essentially a plan for your money every month. And the first time I talked about meal plans in my stories, one of you messaged me to say you thought everyone who meal planned was making pot roast and dessert every night - not my 'fancy' mac and cheese and chicken nuggets 😘⁣ *⁣ I don't want any of you to make this mistake - as a financial analyst, we used to call it "paralysis by analysis" - where you delay doing ANYTHING because you over think it or are afraid of doing it right or not getting it perfect.⁣ *⁣ This is me giving you permission to just get it started. In whatever shape, form, notebook, scrap of paper you've got. A plan, whether for your meals for the week, your trip to the grocery store, your budget for the month, your future savings goals, for anything, is literally as simple as just giving it some thought ahead of actually taking action, and writing it down.⁣ *⁣ That's it! What does your planning look like? (And if you'd like a template for your meal plan, you can find one at the link in my bio!)

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How often do you make it out with your girlfriends? Is your budget an obstacle? Meet my Girls Night IN kit...⁣ *⁣ A few years back, my mom friends and I decided we could save a lot of money (and not get kicked out of the restaurant at 10pm), by taking turns hosting each other in our homes.⁣ *⁣ We wait until kids go to bed, we each bring a snack and our beverage of choice. Sometimes we play party games, but mostly we just vent, support each other, and share our motherhood and marriage struggles and wins.⁣ *⁣ Our group text is affectionately named Mommy Mafia (and I scored the custom wine tumbler in our white elephant exchange last month). But everyone needs a group like this in your life... and don’t let money be an obstacle to moral support and friendship.⁣ *⁣ It costs me about $20 for a bottle of wine and a snack to share every time we get together... because it’s not about where we go or what we do - it’s about who we’re with 💕⁣ *⁣ So, who are you inviting to Girls’ Night In?⁣ ⁣ #girlsnightin #momsnight #momsnightout #momsnightin #momsnightoff #momfriends #momfriendsarethebestfriends #spendless #moneysavingtips #savemore #savemoneylivebetter #savingmoney #dfc #debtfree #debtfreeliving #debtfreedom #personalfinance #familyfinances #familyfinance #financialfreedom #livingonabudget #womenandmoney #womeninfinance #moneyblogger #financeblogger #personalfinances #frugalmom #ohheymama #honestmom #familyfinancemom

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I've said it here before, and I'll say it again... time is money. And while you can side hustle and work hard to make more money, you can't make more hours in a day.⁣ *⁣ We all get the same 24 hours - and it's up to you how you use them. Last year, I finaly had all 3 kids in school at least part time... I felt like I'd reached the holy grail of motherhood and I'd finally have time to get all the things done.⁣ *⁣ Instead, I found myself accomplishing less than ever, as I lost my sacred nap time productivity block and found my time sucked into chauffering kids between schools and activities, and squeezing errands in when I could.⁣ *⁣ My system of a kitchen white board calendar and a paper planner were no longer cutting it. Then, last summer, I found @artfulagenda. Learn more about how I use it to create my weekly block schedule to maximize my days and make it all happen at the link in my bio!⁣ ⁣ #artfulagenda #organizedlife #stayorganized #organizedhome #organizeme #getorganized #digitalplanner #digitalplanning #momlifehacks #raisingmytribe #stayathomemom #busymama #momhack #timeismoney #timefreedom #financialfreedom ⁣ #personalfinance #debtfree #dfc #debtfreeliving #workfromhomemom #womenandmoney #womeninfinance #womeninspiringwomen #familyfinances #financialgoals #financialeducation #financialliteracy #ffmquotes #familyfinancemom

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I promise to return to regularly scheduled programming around here, but just wanted to thank all of you for your love, support, prayers and most especially your knowledge over the last few days as I navigate my new role as #allergymom. I've gotten so many invaluable tips and thanks for sharing our very scary anaphylactic reaction story from last week in my stories - I've made it a highlight, along with all your tips and suggestions, so you can share it and any fellow new #allergymoms can learn from it too. * I also wanted to address 2 of the most common questions I've been asked: 💉𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗽𝗶 𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲? Unfortunately, you have to be prescribed an epi pen - and you likely won't be unless you have exhibited symptoms of a life threatening reaction. They are also very expensive ($350 before insurance). Recently, there have been shortages, but new generics and alternatives (Auvi-Q) are making this life-saving medication available more affordably to all who need it. 💉𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲? I am quickly learning the world of allergies and allergy testing is somewhat an evolving and imperfect science. An allergic reaction is actually an immune response - in the case of food allergies, your body reacts to a protein as though it were a virus needing to be attacked. You often don't have a reaction the first time you are exposed - but once your immune system sees that food for the first time, it then develops antibodies against it, and the next time you eat it, attacks - hence the allergic reaction. Until your blood carries those antibodies, you are likely to get a false negative. Because of this, doctors are unlikely to test you for allergens until you demonstrate symptoms. However, if your child has had immediate reactions - hives, rash, swollen lips, itchy mouth, or even latent ones, like eczema - you should absolutely raise it with your doctor. * We are learning more everyday, because with knowledge comes power and less to fear and be anxious about.

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Last weekend, y’all weighed in and chose the #FFMBookClub for Q1 2020: #EverydayMillionaires by @chrishogan360. * It is the culmination of the largest study of millionaires in the US ever conducted, telling real life stories of millionaires, along with the summary statistics about millionaires as a whole... millionaires don’t necessarily make more than the rest of us, nor did most inherit their wealth. They do however 🐷 Think differently 🐷 Believe they control their destiny 🐷 Spend less 🐷 And no surprise, save more! * And since I purchased my copy directly from @daveramsey, I got a copy of all the survey data too, and will be sharing insights from it during our discussion in March! * As a reminder, you can find all our book club posts by following #FFMBookClub. We read one book every 3 months, so you have til March to finish this one before we start talking about it! Plenty of time to get on that library waitlist too 😘 * Happy reading! 💕📖

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Routine can be a double-edged sword... it can be your best friend when it comes to saving money if it includes things like meal planning, packing your lunch, and taking your cofee to go every morning.⁣ *⁣ But it can also be your financial enemy if spending money becomes so engrained in your routine that you don't even think about it anymore. I was reminded of how expensive my routine used to be this week. Dunkin sent me a beverage for my birthday on the Dunkin app... the same app that first woke me up to just how much I was spending on coffee every week.⁣ *⁣ When my oldest started kindergarten, I would drive her, and then had 30 minutes to kill before dropping her sister at preschool. Perfect time to take a trip through the Dunkin drive thru... I got the app to pay with my phone and collect rewards points. And suddenly, the $2 and change charge daily I was pretty much ignoring before, was now a $50 app recharge - and the frequency with which it was happening was a HUGE wake up call!⁣ *⁣ So, take a step back. Mentally walk through your daily and weekly routines - where has spending become so automated you've been blinded to the real cost overtime? This morning, I cashed in on my birthday coffee... see my stories for how my coffee at home is saving me more than just money.

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I finally did make it to @Costco last week, after my first attempt arriving with no wallet or membership card in my post-holiday haze.⁣ *⁣ I ended up $10 over budget this trip - I was trying out some new things you all recommended as your favorites (like salmon burgers!)... and I'm also leaning more and more towards ditching paper plates. They are now almost $20 - not to mention the poistive impact it would make on the environment.⁣ *⁣ I've also tallied up ALL your Costco favorites you sent me before the holidays (more than 300 recommendations) to determine your best buys at Costco. You can catch the list of the 10 best buys at the link in my bio. Don't miss the details on why we upgrade to Executive Membership, and how we make it pay for itself every year!⁣ *⁣ The top favorite? It was recommended far and away more than any other item or even whole categories of items... can you guess what it was???

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January is a month of temptation.⁣ *⁣ Every hour, I feel like another sale email hits my inbox. I just got one from my *favorite* store with a 40 off discount code... my fingers itch to just look. And because my birthday is this month, I always used to justify it because "it's my birthday."⁣ *⁣ But this year, I remind myself⁣ 🐷I have everything I need⁣ 🐷I have more than I need⁣ 🐷A sale doesn't save you any money - you are still spending money⁣ *⁣ So I'll channel that finger itch to click UNSUBSCRIBE... and I'll just be over here with my nose in an ebook, checked out for free from the library, for the rest of the #contentmentchallenge.

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Your Favorite Posts

10 Best Things to Buy At Costco

Budgeting for Disney World: 4 Sample Packages

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

The Ultimate Guide to Finance for Baby’s First Year

Busy Mom Money Tips

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

What’s the Best Way to Invest Money (When You’re Just Getting Started)

10 Things to Know About A Stock (Before You Buy One)

Teaching Kids About Money

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

4 Simple Money Lessons All Kids Should Know

Family Organization Ideas

Budgeting Your Time to Maximize Your Mom Schedule

How to Protect Your Children: 10 Things to Know About Will vs Estate Planning

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