Want to find out exactly what I use? I fully believe in sharing the wealth and want to see you succeed with your money. This page is dedicated to all things that I recommend, what worked for my family and what will work for yours!
The links that have a * next to them are affiliate links, meaning I will be compensated in some way if you sign up, buy, etc. I have personally used all products and services mentioned.
Save Money
*Ibotta –
I use this app ALL.THE.TIME because I despise couponing. Ibotta is a rebate app that gives you cash back on grocery/household items you’re already buying.
Simply open the app, find the store you’re going to, scan the bar code on the bottom of your receipt and DONE! Instant cash back. MIND. BLOWN. You can cash out through Paypal, Venmo or a gift card once you hit $20.
You can sign up here for the Ibotta app. Altogether my team on Ibotta has gotten back $1,089.63 in just a few short months. (most people have already gotten back $100+ in less than 2 months.) If you hate couponing but love saving money you NEED this in your life. On top of being one of the best money back apps ever, you even get an extra $10 dollars back on your first rebate when using my link because why not get free money?
*Ebates –
This is another cash back thingy, but for online shopping. If I’m not getting clothes, I typically only shop online. (Except when I go to Target – I can’t resist that dollar section.) Even before purchasing big items at Target, I order it online and pick it up in the store.
All you do is open up Ebates, search the online store/product and they’ll take you right to the website.
Their cash back goes by percentages, so you get back a certain percent of what you ordered after checking out.
If you’re an avid online shopper (who isn’t these days?!) this is what’s going to save you the big bucks. You can sign up here for Ebates. Oh yeah, and by using my link you get an extra $10 bucks for signing up. (They’re just handing you cash at this point, who would say no?!)
I get it, tech rules the world now. Wouldn’t it be soooo much easier if you could just have a budget on your phone? BAM! EveryDollar to the rescue!
This is one of the first budgets I started using when I realized I had a spending problem. It’s a free app that was created from Dave Ramsey and his financial team. It’s perfect for budgeting on your phone and helping you understand where you’re really spending your money.
I don’t use this app as much as when I first started budgeting, just because I like writing my budget down in my templates instead (totally old-fashioned.) But, it’s a great place to start! You can check out the EveryDollar app here.
You know those times when you read something and it just stuck with you basically changed your life? Total Money Makeover did this to me and I’m now a finance blogger. Thanks Dave Ramsey! I tell everyone I know about this book and how powerful it is.
There are so many stories he included of other families/couples in the same exact place that I was, and seeing how they got through it was so motivating.
I highly recommend anyone who feels lost and hopeless about their situation to read it. I can’t thank Dave Ramsey enough for helping my husband and I get on track and changing our life! You can find the Total Money Makeover book here.
If you’re anything like me and love control then you’ve got to get this planner! Like I mentioned above, I like to write everything down pen and paper. (That’s the control freak in me coming out!)
I created a whole Financial Planner that includes everything (literally everything) you need when it comes to keeping track of your money.
These are the exact templates that I use every day and can’t live without – you can snag the Ultimate Financial Planner over here.
I have a little secret for you …. It’s totally okay to check your credit score more than once every decade! And you definitely should!
Almost everyone still believes that you should only check your credit score once a year because it will ding your credit if you pull your credit report. While that is true in most cases, there are ways around it. CreditKarma.com is a free site that lets you login any time (you can do it multiple times a day if you’d like to be obsessive) and check your credit score.
They pull the credit score from TransUnion and Equifax so you get two different ones. And no, the score they provide is not always the exact same. But, in my experience it is pretty darn close. The one downside is they don’t provide a FICO score.
It’s so important to check your credit score regularly to make sure there aren’t any mistakes. You can check it out here at CreditKarma.com.
Make Money
Rev –
When I first started looking for ways to make extra money I found Rev.
They’re a transcription home-based company with tons of transcription jobs that you can choose. They have captioning positions available as well, but I liked the transcription the best. If you enjoy typing this is a great option. You can check out Rev here.
Blogging –
Starting a blog was one of the most challenging things for my perfectionist self to do. Although it was difficult, I knew I had solutions to financial problems and could help others. As I got more in to it I realized the potential to actually make extra money from doing something I loved. Why wouldn’t anyone jump at that opportunity?! I do make extra income from my blog every month, which is an amazing way to help build our savings!
Everyone has something significant to share with the world and to help others with. If you’re wanting to share your passions – but don’t know where to start – you can check out all the things I use for my blog below.
I use Bluehost for my domain and hosting service. I’ve used them for over 2 years and they’ve seriously been great! (I also really like the price.) Plus, they’re budget friendly at only $3.95 a month. You can check it out here to see all the details about Bluehost.
After setting up your domain and hosting service you have to find a theme. Think of your hosting as the junk closet nobody sees and your theme as the white, polished door holding it all in. Your theme is what people coming to your website will see.
When I first started I couldn’t find any themes that were decent priced (I’m all about keeping it in the budget). I went with a not so professional looking theme for a while until I found Coded Creative (cue the angels singing…). They were in an affordable price range while looking chic and professional.
Their themes could not have been any more easier to use for someone who is computer challenged. I’m still impressed with myself that I know how to publish posts, I’m sure this would be a cake walk for you! Enough of my praise, you can check out Coded Creative’s amazing themes here.
Having an email list is one of the most important things you need when beginning this venture. Those are your people and it will be your constant. Unlike social media who’s like that flaky friend that makes plans with you and ditches you at the last second. Social media has its part, but an email list is where it’s at.
I used a couple other email systems and I’ve found that Mailerlite is the most user friendly and again …. they have an awesome price! Owning a website is a business so you still have to think about your expenses.
You can check out Mailerlite here, and the best part is that you get a $20 dollar credit when using my link! There’s a couple months already paid for!