All Posts

66 posts

Bills & Budget

I still owe $5,100 on my student loan. Why we kept paying the minimum for now, and the numbers that could change our minds.

Small-Town Living

An hour east on 36, a river walk, the old downtown and one good ice cream cone. How we kept a day trip cheap and still fun.

The House Fund

The Silverado needed a water pump and a timing chain part in the middle of July. The emergency fund covered it, which is the whole point.

Insurance

Small add-ons on the car policy, a few dollars each. Which ones made sense for two paid-off vehicles and which ones didn't.

Extra Income

Two cats, one elderly beagle and a neighbor's chickens. What we charge, what we learned and why Moose is not invited.

Insurance

A spring night in the bathroom with a hound and a weather radio. What we checked in our policies afterward and what's in the bag.

Groceries & Meals

I scanned every receipt for twelve months. The real total, the time it took and whether I'm keeping it up.

Extra Income

From $35 to $40 a yard and from six yards to nine. How Tyler told his customers, who stayed and what a full season looks like now.

Insurance

No kids yet, a house on the way and a husband who works around heavy machinery. How we picked an amount and a term length.

Small-Town Living

Starter homes around here run $120,000 to $170,000. What we've seen listed, what sold fast and what the old houses hide.