Living that Debt Free Life

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How I Saved Money in April

Our goal this year is to completely pay off all of our non-mortgage debt. This goal is definitely a stretch goal, because I’m not sure if the numbers add up (in fact, actually, they don’t), but I have faith that we will make it with overtime, side hustles, and God’s blessings. Here’s a peek of what we did in April to reduce spending, increase income, and save money.

How I Saved Money in March

1. Zero-Based Budget. This is something I do every month and it is an absolute necessity (if you ask me) to winning with money and getting out of debt. It seriously revolutionized my life! Read all about my zero-based budgets here. And take a peek at my actual, real life budgets in my saved stories on Instagram.

You can also check out my new budget sheets which help keep me on track, where budgeting is concerned.

2. Intentional about Fuel for the Car. I always fill up on gasoline at Costco, which is by far the cheapest gas around. You can always use an app like Gas Buddy, to find the cheapest gas near you!

3. Tracked My Spending. This month, I used a new printable to record all my spending. (You can take a look at how I spent every penny in April in my April Budget Review.) Tracking your spending is SUCH a good way to curb spending because you are forced to write down everything you spend money on—and that act alone can cause you to second-guess the purchase long enough to avoid it altogether. Plus, it helps you stay on budget! Check out my new expense trackers in the shop! There are sheets with categories already pre-printed and also blank sheets so you can customize these sheets to your spending preferences.

4. Sixteen No Spend Days. I challenge myself to complete 15 No-Spend Days. Each month, I aim to complete at least 15 days of no-spending (essentials excluded), so that by the end of the year, I can say I went six months without frivolous spending. This month, I managed to hit 16 days of no-spend!

To get all the details of my No Spend Challenge, plus a free printable to help you master the challenge, check out this post!

5. Sold a Bunch of Home Decor on Facebook Marketplace. I cleaned out my hall closet and got rid of so much decor! I sold it all as a lot for $150, and that money went straight to the debt snowball!

6. Saved on Easter. Every year, we re-use the same plastic eggs, grass, and Easter basket. No need to re-buy those things every year. We also go to our church picnic Easter weekend. They always have an egg hunt and free refreshments, so it makes for an affordable afternoon of family fun.

What about You?

Did you try anything new in April to save money? I’d love to hear down in the comments below!

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And, to access all my “How I Saved” articles, just click here.