Kitty & Kevin

In the world of personal finance, there are two loud voices on the subject of saving for retirement while paying off debt.

Some say to wait to save until your debt is paid off. And others say you should be saving for retirement while paying off your debt. I'm a strong believer that you cannot afford not to save for your retirement until your debt is paid off.

Here are a few reasons:

Free Money!! Many employers match money that is saved for retirement. If your employer matches 50% or 100% of the money saved, I cannot say enough how important it is to contribute the max amount your employer will match. If you were told, "if you put $100 in a savings account, I will give you $100 extra"...wouldn't you do it?? What better option is there for your money than getting free money?? Especially when the money is all YOURS, you get to do whatever you want with it in retirement. I know you may be paying 8% interest on your loans (or 25% interest on your credit card) you're stil…

Just a few more days left in our No-Spend Month! This week has been great actually. I didn't feel like we were cutting back on anything, as it has started to become our new norm.


We found a class at our local nursery on plants that my sister and I enjoyed going to. She loves plants, I think they are pretty and kill them so I can't have any...so really it was more for her than for me.




I scheduled a number of additional photo sessions, taking full advantage of the beautiful weather we had this weekend.

I sold a few more items and cleaned house even more than before. I was able to organize our spare bedroom and crafts, along with the studio. I baked cookies, as did Kevin (two separate batches on the same day...because that is just how we work) and cooked more than I normally do when it isn't a no spend month. When my sister and her family came by last minute, we scrounged up a smattering of "Breakfast for dinner" of eggs, bacon, pancakes and hash browns. All things w…

This month has been all about trying to find ways to still be entertained, and yet not spend money. That isn't always easy in January in Nebraska (because it is so cold!!) Here are a few that we've tried this month:

Pick a Movie theme and rent from the library. We decided to go with classic musicals. You'd be shocked what the libraries have to offer. We find lots of amazing movies, often newly released or older ones you can't find anymore.

Cook more. I particularly hate cooking because of all the time it takes. However, we found that cooking was a fun activity to do when you are trying not to spend extra money.

Follow your local library on Facebook. I know I've already mentioned libraries, but they have TONS of fun things to do for kids, often story time or crafts. Most don't care if you are a member or not, so try other libraries in your area as well.

Reconnect with friends. Whether it is phone calls, having people over for a chat...use the extra time to reconnect…

Our "No-Spend" month is going strong, and here is a recap of week three!

We've been getting a bit more creative with our meals lately. Like googling substitutes for ingredients we didn't otherwise have. Kevin made some delicious pancakes with applesauce in lieu of the eggs we were missing, so no complaints there!

I've been using the library more and with some extra time this month, I've been able to read more books. (I am even joining a book club!)  Kevin and I are spending a lot more quality time together as well. Kevin and Lorelai took a trip to the zoo this week, as we have a tendency not to use our pass in the winter months as often as the summer.


Speaking of books, we did a book drop at our favorite store, Half Price Books, where we got over $21 for books, and used some of that to pick up 3 new books for Lorelai (and still walked about with $13). I made a deal with Kevin, that whatever we got for those books, we would use for more...so we wouldn't cou…

Kevin and I LOVE Southwest. The last 2 years we have flown for free just by using our Southwest miles from signing up for a credit card.

Southwest is having their extra credit card deal right now, where you get 50,000 points for signing up (rather than the usual 40,000). We have found flights to Denver for as little as 1,300 points, but often you can find them for as little as 5,000 to put that in perspective! If you play your cards right, you can take a number of flights just on your bonus points!
Use this link to sign up and get  you 50,000 points!

Unlike many financial gurus, we actually use credit cards on a regular basis. We believe that if you pay them off each week (rather than month) it functions like a debit card, but gives you the perks of a credit card. Each week sounds like a lot of work, but with mobile apps, its actually incredibly easy. It also gives you other perks/protections like rental car protection that we have used (yes, I have gotten in an accident with a rental c…

Week two has come and gone, and we are still plugging ahead with our "No-Spend Month!"

Even though we aren't spending money, we've had a wonderful week! If it were not for the no-spend month, I'm not sure if Kevin and I would have had the amazing experience to check out the Kaneko exhibit on Light. This was the coolest free art exhibit, and Lorelai loved it!






Lorelai used her crayons for the first time to color with dad. She wasn't too interested in them yet, but we are excited for her to use them more in the future! We've been enjoying a little extra time at home, especially since it is has been pretty chilly lately.
I'm finding I have a lot more time to cook, and just hang out. This is due to a lot of things, like January being the slowest of all photography months for clients and my new found freedom of not having night classes. I even made some "freezer burritos" for breakfast this week! Since I rarely ever cook, this month has been all ab…

Did you know this is National Financial Wellness Month? No? Well,  me neither. However, on that note after finding out about this month's theme, I was inspired to write 8 ways to raise your financial awareness (and financial stability) in 5 minutes.

Each of these suggestions take about 5 minutes (or less), and are great way to increase your overall financial health!

1. Check Your Credit Report. I cannot say enough how important this is to do each year. It helps to makes sure that everything is on the up-and-up. It allows you to catch mistakes financial institutions make, and keeps you aware of what your financial wellness looks like. You can read how to do that here.

2. Check Your Spouse's Credit Report (with your spouse present). Your spouse's credit report is just as important as yours, because if you have married and sharing your finances, each will have equal weight when you need it. And if your spouse's indentity is stolen, it will likely affect your score too since…