Orderly Athens

Clean and simple just the way I like it! 👌🏻 But really, did you know visual clutter can actually cause anxiety? It’s been studied and proven! Clutter can increase levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone 🤯

Pets are part of the family so they need their own space for things too! Try grouping like things together in a bin or container— one for grooming, medicine, clothing and treats. You’ll never be searching through everything for monthly heart-worm medicine or a brush again! The best part, this is sustainable too! Throw them right back in their bin when you’re done! 👍🏻

“Fewer than 4 in 10 Americans have enough money set aside to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense...”

This is shocking, but I am not surprised! We used to be there. Living paycheck to paycheck with no savings. If any unexpected expenses came our way we would’ve just used our credit card that had 22% interest 😩

Having an emergency fund is so important! If you need to start small, then do so. $500 is better than $0!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/financial-emergency-savings-americans-cover/?fbclid=IwAR0gCE83iL0YrJIZNGhA1Y8fUUzV459g6KG5uzjG3LCZwNX9qw8TahNun3o

Most Americans couldn't cover a $1,000 financial emergency, survey finds Poll shows that fewer than 40% have that amount set aside for a medical bill, car repair or other unexpected costs.

How’s No Spend January going? We’re doing pretty good over here as long as alcohol counts as a necessity during these times 😅😅😅😅😅😅

#2021

This laundry “nook” has made a complete 180! Yay for pretty AND functional! Swipe to see the before! 😳

I’ll admit, this tip requires some extra effort. However, if you struggle with impulse buying or sticking to your budget, the reward is worth the extra trip to the bank!

The cash envelope system has been around for a while. You can even buy wallets that have dividers for the different categories (but don’t because ) 😜

In general, they are a great way to track how much money you have in each budget category for the month. If you’re always going over budget in certain areas (most likely food+entertainment 🙃)- then take cash out for the amount you’ve budgeted for and stick it in an envelope. Once the money is gone, that’s it- it’s gone! This will really help curb your habit of overspending!

“Well how do I know how much cash to get out?”

Look at your last 3 bank statements. What do you typically spend at the grocery store monthly/weekly? When it was just Justin and I, we spent about $400 a month/$100 a week on groceries. Now with Ruby Ann we spend $500 a month. I’m sure we could spend less and we could for sure spend more- but this number works great in our budget.

I’ve had a lot of questions about the for January! Here are the rules we’re playing by. But honestly, make your own rules! The purpose of this challenge is to help you become aware of your spending habits AND to save money of course! You can also make exceptions for things that have been planned way in advanced like a birthday present. For us, Justin is going on a hunting trip later this month that has been planned and budgeted for so we are not considering that in our no spend challenge. Someone also asked if they can start over because they messed up the first couple of days- Yes!! Please do!

It's Day 4 of the !!!!

So I am the spender in our marriage (which might be a surprise to you or maybe not 🤣) It's true though. I HAVE to do Kroger clicklist or get Modern Concrete to go to the store so I don't spend more money than planned. If I do have to go into the store, I have to give myself a pep talk, about sticking to the list 😅. I would say this "buy" far is my biggest struggle when it comes to our budget- impulse spending.

With all that being said, meal planning + curbside pick-up has helped me SOOO much. Every week I sit down, take inventory of what we have, and plan out meals for the week. After I know what we're eating, I write down the ingredients needed from the store.
I also include staples like coffee, milk, breakfast items and snacks. Then, I place my order and go pick it up!

Some people might say, "But it costs $4.95 for the service!" Well you can bet your bottom dollar if I walk into that store without a plan, I am going to spend more than $4.95 extra!

I like to set financial goals as a family, but I also like to set personal ones too. This past year I’ve become very aware of how much time I spend on social media mindlessly scrolling. Such a waste of precious time! This year I want to focus on reading books for pleasure and being more productive during the day. I’d also like to contribute more financially so we can meet our financial goals. What are your personal goals for 2021?

“Peer pressure is a great thing when it helps you accomplish your goals instead of distracting you from them”

Think about it... those influencers receive commissions on the things they “recommend”. How many times have you bought something because a social media influencer recommended it or gave you a 15% off code?? 🙋🏼‍♀️ Me. I’m guilty of this.

Something else to think about.. Do following those accounts bring you joy? Or are you constantly comparing your life to theirs/wishing you had what they had? 😩 Ouch. Yup we all do it.

I will tell you this, if you follow debt free community accounts and hashtags and fill your feed with people who are working to pay off debt — it will motivate you to keep going.

What are your financial goals for 2021? We have some pretty big goals. Will it be easy? No, definitely not. But if we focus on being intentional with our money and increasing our income while decreasing our expenses, I think it definitely is in the realm of possibility! We are also *possibly* making a huge life change this year to help us reach our goals faster— but you’ll just have to wait to hear about that later 😬
#2021