And Then We Saved | Page 7 of 100 | Saving Where We Can, So We Can Spend Where We Want.

Month Two Totals: In the Spending Fast Trenches

This post is by Chelsea who is currently doing a Spending Fast®.

My second month of being on a Spending Fast has come to an end and I must admit that I am thankful. During the first month I was all like, “Woo, look at me! I’m saving money and being awesome.” This month has been more like, “Ugh, I really want to buy nail polish and chocolate and wine and this whole not spending thing sucks.”

I know that by writing about my journey through And Then We Saved and on my personal site, I have been able to stick with my commitment. It is so tempting to cheat and buy something small every once in a while, but knowing I will have to report back on my progress has helped tremendously. I am an extremist by nature and often get pumped up about doing things and then burn out almost immediately. I jumped into the Spending Fast with the notion that I was unstoppable and could do anything. After eating cold soup (no microwave at work) and cracker sandwiches for lunch, the idea of being on a Spending Fast has become a reality. I am so grateful to receive motivation and encouragement from all the readers who share similar experiences. It’s comforting to know I am not alone.

All that being said, it’ s time to report my month two totals. Drum roll please…

My Month Two Spending Fast Totals…

19 comments
posted on: March 26, 2013
in Savings Total, Spending Fast

tagged // getting out of debt, how to change your life, how to do a spending fast, how to get out of debt, how to get out of debt quick, paying debt, personal finance, spending fast, Spending Fast Totals

Is Being Cheap the Key to Living Your Dream Life?

There are a few memorable TV shows that come to mind when thinking of the word cheap skate. Think of Seinfeld’s George Costanza who always tried to get everyone else to pay for his lunch at the diner and famously ordered the cheap-o wedding invitations with the toxic envelope glue. Even junior audiences have Mr. Krabs who wouldn’t let a penny hit the floor without rushing to the scene.

While we may laugh about these funny TV personalities or mock their cheapness, there is some financial logic behind their extreme frugal personalities, and it makes me wonder, “Is being cheap the key to living your dream life?” And, if it’s not THE KEY permanently, is being a cheap skate at least temporarily the key?

I think so.

How Being Cheap Is The Key To Living Your Dream Life…

15 comments
posted on: March 25, 2013
in Goals, Paying Off Debt

tagged // being cheap, how to change your life, how to control your money, how to get out of debt, how to have your dream life, how to think about money differently, live your dream

The Perfect Party Favor for Pennies

Just because you live on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t party like a rock star. Well, at least your party favors will scream fabulous while your wallet will pat you on the back(side). With a few tips, creativity, and a pinch of glitter you can create posh party favors for literally pennies. I’ll teach you the party favor basics and how to create these little goodie bags for $0.57 a piece (gasp!). So buckle your seat belts because it’s about to get crafty!

Tip 1: Sometimes the best way to wow guests with a gift is by taking something ordinary, like a mini brown lunch sack, and transforming it to something unexpected. For this first little party favor, painter’s tape and craft paint make out hard-core.

Supplies

Mini Lunch bags: $2.00 for 12 or $0.17 each bag

Paint: $0.97 for a bottle or $0.04 each bag

Painter’s tape: $2.00 for a roll or $0.08 each bag

Yarn: $2.5o for roll or $0.10 each bag (used for bag accessories)

Paper: $0.50 for one piece or $0.02 each bag (used for bag accessories)

Glue: $2.50 for container or $0.10 each bag (used for bag accessories)

Glitter: $1.50 for container or $0.06 each bag (used for bag accessories)

Total cost per bag: $0.57!

How to Make the Perfect Party Favor for Pennies…

6 comments
posted on: March 24, 2013
in DIY, Social

tagged // cheap parties, cheap party favors, cheap party ideas, diy gift, DIY party favors, inexpensive things to make for parties, kids party ideas, party, party favors, party gifts

PARTY DOWN! New York City Weekend for Under $100

Hello! I’m Lauren, a young producer living in Los Angeles, and I’m thrilled to be a new contributor here! This column, PARTY DOWN, will feature ways to save while having fun. Having worked through my own debt, I know how easy it is to feel like you can’t do anything or go anywhere or buy anything special while saving. But with a little resourcefulness, I found that I could have a more creative life than ever. Part of why I love And Then We Saved is its emphasis on living well while saving. So PARTY DOWN will include roundups of parties, trips, and everyday adventures, all under the price tag of $100 (so it’s in line with Anna’s Spending Diet limit for “non-needs”). To begin, I was inspired by my recent trip to New York….

How To Have a NY WEEKEND UNDER 100 DOLLARS…

20 comments
posted on: March 22, 2013
in Things To Do, Travel Cheap

tagged // bic city trip under $100, cheap hostel, cheap vacation ideas, city vacation, free museum, free parks, how to save money while in new york, how to travel cheaply, new york, new york city weekend, NY, party down, things to do in new york city, what to do in new york city

“How We Got Out of Over $147,000 in Debt!”

Recently, I interviewed Jackie Beck who is the founder of The Debt Myth and creator of Pay Off Debt (an iPhone app that’s helped tens of thousands of people use the debt snowball method) Jackie and her husband paid off over $147,00o in debt and she is now dedicated to helping people get out of debt and really learn to love their financial life. That sounds pretty good to me! Here’s how they did it…

A Q&A With Jackie Beck- “How We Got Out of Over $147,000 in Debt!”…

16 comments
posted on: March 21, 2013
in Guest Interviews, Paying Off Debt

tagged // apps to help you get out of debt, how to change your life, how to get out of debt, how to pay off debt, jackie beck, over 100k in debt, snowball method, the debt myth

Writing For Babble & ATWS on BlogLovin’!

Hey y’all, It’s starting to warm up outside and I LOVE it. Is it warming up for you too? I just wanted to put up a quickie post to let you know that I’ve started doing some guest writing over at Babble! I’m super excited about it and hope you can come over to check out some of the posts I’m writing over there. There is a link in the sidebar there that goes straight to my posts but here are some I think you might like:

Also! Since Google Reader is shutting down on July 1st I’d love if you would consider following ATWS over on BlogLovin’. I like how it keeps the sites lookin’ pretty;)

xo! Anna

6 comments
posted on: March 20, 2013
in Personal

tagged // and then we saved on bloglovin, anna newell jones on babble, babble, bloglovin, google reader shutting down, how to write for babble, what is babble