This year’s getaway is to Vegas! We are taking our daughter and mom on a four day, three night trip. The room and airfare for the four of us is $1,100.00.

The car expenses were unplanned. Although we have an annual budget for car repairs, the unknown factor is when these repairs will occur. The same goes for travel. We can afford the furniture, or we wouldn’t have bought it. Dipped into the emergency fund this month!

Personally, I’m sick of the crap that’s filling my inbox telling me how to get wealthy. If the sender has not achieved financial independence, why should I listen to him or her?

Welcome to a new guest contributor, the Broke Bitch. She is a new college grad with a minimum wage job. Enjoy her irreverent tips for saving and spending. Caveat; Her ideas are her own and I bear no responsibility for their content!

There’s a plethora of writing about how more stuff leads to more work. Get something new, first figure out how it works, then maintain it, and finally, fix it when it breaks.

We shopped everywhere from the outlets, to the discount stores, to the mall, looking for high quality goods at reasonable prices. In this recently released video, I’m going to take you on a shopping trip, from the grocery to the mall and show you how it’s done.

“Never spend your money before you have earned it.” Thomas Jefferson Follow Jefferson’s advice, add in a bit of saving, and you are on the right path. Watch the video, consider the tips, pass them along to your friends, and help them become money smart!

“It’s learning how to negotiate to keep both sides happy – whether it’s for a multi-million dollar contract or just which show to watch on TV, that determines the quality and enjoyment of our lives.” Leigh Steinberg