You remember the days when money wasn’t a problem. Okay, well, less of a problem. Back then, you could eat out a few times a week without thinking of it. You easily saved up for that new dress or shirt you always wanted. You consistently managed to pay the… Read More

Wait, how is it Christmastime already? you ask the calendar in front of you. While you’re looking forward to the Christmas celebrations, you’re also overwhelmed with anxiety. Christmas is expensive. With all the gifts and décor and parties, your bank account quickly drains down to zero. You’re worried… Read More

You pull into your driveway, turn off the car, and lower your head onto the steering wheel. You dread getting out of the car. At least on the way home, you could zone out and listen to music. Walking up your driveway and seeing the shutters that need to be… Read More

“Hey, want to grab a bite to eat tomorrow night?” These words often send me into spirals of dread during times of financial hardship. There have been times when even spending $3 to get ice cream with friends caused a well of anxiety to spring up in me. Read More

You wonder why you even bother building a budget. Because every month—without fail—something breaks or the electric bill runs high or a forgotten bill comes in the mail. You’d almost find it funny if it wasn’t so frustrating. Besides all the surprise expenses, simply living keeps getting… Read More

You pinch every penny. It feels like you’re even pinching half pennies. Before payday, you think of all the extra money you’ll finally have to pay off bills and invest in your savings account. But it seems like the minute the money hits your account, it disappears without… Read More

On my 13th birthday, I saved up enough money to buy myself a treasure I always wanted: a (microscopic) diamond ring. The day I bought my ring, I woke up early, carefully applied blue eye shadow to match my baby blue dress, and showered myself in my mother’s perfume. Read More

You pull into the driveway, turn off the engine, and sit there—frozen. You don’t want to move. You dread opening the mailbox to see more bills. You hate the thought of going inside and seeing your leaky fridge you can’t afford to fix. You don’t want to look at… Read More

Notice: Your Account Has Been Overdrawn. When you opened your email, these were the words you were dreading you’d see. And there they are, right in front of you. Your chest tightening, you will yourself to open the email and assess the overdraw fee. It’s staggering. You… Read More

You remember the days when things were simpler. And cheaper. When you were a kid, you were content to play with a hula-hoop and silly putty. Now kids can’t seem to live without expensive video games, iPads, and smartphones. You used to be able to go grocery shopping without… Read More