How To Stay Out Of Debt By Following These 3 Simple Tips

How To Stay Out Of Debt

Want to know some debt-free living tips? I have a few tips in this post that will help! Once you learn how debt sneaks up on you, you’ll be able to conquer the debt monster forever

I have a confession to make…

I have more debt than I’ve let on.

You see, this is how it happens because debt is so insidious.

It started with a For King and Country concert. My sister and mom wanted to go and so did I. My mom put the tickets to the concert on her credit and I said the infamous words…

“Thanks, I’ll pay you back”

Well about 6 or 7 I’ll pay you backs later and my mother kindly added up what I owed her and she said: “You owe me like $1100”.

Yikes!

So much for being debt free!

I mean that’s not a ton of debt but it’s nothing to sneeze at.

Those “I’ll pay you backs” really add up. They are so sneaky the way they just accumulate like that.

And I hate I mean loathe any form of debt so I’ve got to come up with a plan to pay her back (I think I owe my sister too! Boo hoo!)

And here I am thinking I’m debt-free. But I’m not and any debt is a dark thunderous cloud over my head stalking me at every turn.

No, I’m not being dramatic… ok maybe a little but it’s gotta go. And trust me it will go.

So we are definitely going to get into how I got out of debt but first let’s talk about financial freedom.Continue reading

5 Secrets To Improving Your Credit Score So You Can Always Get Approved

66 Delicious Items To Add To Your Trader Joe’s Shopping List (Plus Free Healthy Grocery List)

What up my fellow foodies?

I’m super excited because I’m just 4 days away for making my bi-annual pilgrimage to Trader Joe’s!

So if you’re looking for some new delish items to add to your Trader Joe’s shopping list, I gotchu.

Why do I only go 2 times (maybe 3 times) a year?

Because it’s really far. Imma need Trader Joe’s to open up a location where I live.

Trust me, ya’ll would do phenomenally here…but anywho.

Today, I’m going to share with what I plan to get at Trader Joe’s on my culinary voyage and a few things that I am doing to prepare for my trip.

I know it sounds crazy but when you only go there a few times a year, you have to make it count.

But wait a minute…did I hear someone ask what Trader Joe’s is?

If you’re a foodie and have not been to Trader Joe’s you have been deprived, seriously but I will let you know.

What Is Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joes is a grocery store that started in Pasadena, California in 1967.

It is now owned by Aldi Nord…yes this is the same Aldi that you have to deposit a quarter in order to use a cart.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to do that with Trader Joes.

No quarters required which is so great because I’m constantly forgetting to get mine. This is just one small thing that I love about Trader Joes. There’s so many!Continue reading

15 Motivational Fitness Goals Quotes To Get You Off The Couch & Get Fit

Fitness Goals Quotes

Feeling less than motivated to achieve your fitness goals? These 15 motivational fitness quotes are sure to inspire you to get moving and get fit. 

It’s so much easier said than done, isn’t it?

Phrases like Don’t quit, never give up are so inspiring when you are trying to lose weight and get in shape but then you see the couch and it looks so inviting.

And then you have a choice to make…

Couch or cardio?

Sitting or lifting?

Many times I have made the choice to sit instead of lift weights or to stretch on the couch instead of doing cardio.

Definitely no judgment from me.Continue reading

Stretch Mark At Home Remedies: 5 Awesome Products To Help You Reduce Their Appearance

Stretch Mark At-Home Remedies

Looking for some affordable stretch marks remedies that work? Then continue reading for some products that can help fight stretch marks that can be at your house in 2 days.

I’ve been on Instagram.

I’ve seen the hashtags and the memes.

I understand the need to embrace your tiger stripes, love marks, growth marks, or whatever else people want to call stretch marks.

I have grown to be more okay with my own but Imma keep it real with you…

I’d be more than okay if they were gone.

Like far more than okay. I’d be overjoyed even.

Because I don’t like them. There I said it 🙂.

I mean yes I can be content with them while they are here but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop looking for ☑️products like this amazing stretch mark cream to get rid of them in the meantime.

And if you’re reading this, I think it’s safe to say that you are with me in this fight against stretch marks.

Part of being as healthy as you can be is feeling confident in how you look (which is why I talk about beauty on this blog).

If you feel confident with your stretch marks then I think that’s great.

If you are more like me in that you know that stretch marks don’t define you or lessen who you are but you still wouldn’t mind making them less visible, then this post is for you.

So if you’re ready let’s go.Continue reading

5 Deceptive Weight Loss Myths That Lead To Emotional Overeating

Weight Loss Myths That Lead To Emotional Eating

Having trouble losing weight? It could be because you believe these 5 weight loss myths. Keep reading to find out what they are.

What would it be like to go on a diet and actually lose weight and keep it off?

Unfortunately, many people have not experienced this because 95% of diets fail. However, you can be in that 5% of diets that don’t fail.

How, you ask?

Well, one of the biggest mistakes that people make is thinking that weight loss is just about your body.

This is simply false.

Sustainable weight loss is more about your mindset and mental & emotional state.

Think about it.

What is it that tells you to get up and workout and not sit all day?

Your mind.

What is it that tells you to eat a carrot and not a brownie?

Your mind.

We have to be mentally & emotionally prepared to lose weight if we want long term success. Continue reading

This Simple Money Saving Trick Can Save You Thousands Of Dollars Per Year!

Quick Money Saving Trick 

In today’s post, I’m going to share a quick money-saving tip that anyone can follow to start building wealth and moving towards financial freedom.

Is anybody else as slow as I am?

Come on raise your hands…

See I couldn’t figure out something.

Why am I not saving money like I used to?

I just didn’t feel like I was really cracking the whip on my money.

I want to be the boss of my money like a good Financial Peace University graduate should be.

So in this Quick Tip blog post (and by quick I mean one that doesn’t require my usual 2,000 words), I’m going to show you what I’m going to start doing to save more money.Continue reading

5 Delicious Weight Loss Smoothie Ideas To Reach Your Goal Weight

How To Make Smoothies For Weight Loss More Filling And Nutritious

 Raise your hand high if you’re typically still hungry after drinking a smoothie?

You can’t see me but my hand is raised so high right now, even as I’m typing. Not sure how I managed that 😀. Because I work a typical job (for now), I have to eat when I’m told.

So I eat breakfast at 6 am and I eat lunch at 12 pm. That’s a long time in between meals at least in my opinion.

As we are trying to get physically healthy, what we eat should be one of our top concerns. The idea of drinking smoothie is lovely but it’s not going to hold many people over until lunchtime, especially if lunch is 6 hours away.

Of course, snacks are an option and can be healthy but let’s be real here. Many of our snacks have enough calories to be considered meals. It’s a good idea to be quite judicious with our snacks.

Given all of this, I was delighted when I came across a video from Pickup Limes on YouTube that mentioned adding this to our smoothies to make them more filling. I’ll share what “this” is below.

Then I will share some more ways you can add protein and fiber to your smoothie to make them more filling.

Don’t have a way to make a smoothie? Definitely, check out the Nutribullet which is amazing.

This post contains affiliate links to products that will help you on your life journey. I get a commission if you buy from these links but I only recommend products that I have confidence in or use.

Continue reading

How To Set & Slay Your Healthy Weight Loss Goals For The New Year

Healthy Goals For Weight Loss

It’s January 17. More than half of January is already gone. There’s every indication that every other month will fly by just as fast.

And if you’re anything like me you’ve set New Year’s resolutions (although I tend to start working on them before New Years).

My question is what tangible steps have you taken so far to really make those resolutions a reality?

Will you be looking back a year from now saying “Man I wish  I had done xyz like I promised myself I would”?

Or

Will you be looking back saying “wow, I was determined and focused and I actually accomplished my goals like I said I would”?

I’m asking myself these questions just as much as you are.

I’ve set countless New Years’ resolutions and broken more of them than I care to admit.

So what can we do differently this year to actually make our resolutions stick?

I’m going to talk about how I plan to set healthy weight loss goals for the next year & more in today’s post so stay tuned. 

Continue reading

The 3 Weight Loss “Secrets” That Helped Me Lose 65 Pounds

How To Lose 65 Pounds

I’m going to give you some insight into how to lose 65 pounds based on my own experience.

Please stick around so you can learn some of the details of my weight loss journey. 

Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about. 

The “Secret” To Losing Weight

I don’t want to be the one to tell you this but it’s important that you know this.

There is no secret to losing weight.  No intermittent fasting or magic diet. No restricting my favorite foods or trips to the Mayo Clinic.

There is no magic bullet. No code to crack. I know we all wish there was an easier way to do it but it really boils down to this.

In its simplest most foundational form, weight loss is about eating healthier and moving more (ie exercise).

I wish that weight loss was somehow harder than that to understand because then we could justify why it’s so hard for us to do it but it really is that simple.Continue reading