Jen Smith

Thoughts and Feelings on the Start of our Last Month in Debt

We are officially in our last month of being in student loan debt. I thought this month would never come, but here it is. How I’m feeling about being almost debt-free. I’m not good at writing about feelings. If I take the time to write something I want it to help people, not give them an inside look at what’s going on inside my brain. But I see a lot of posts about people “in debt” and “debt free” but not many about being “almost out of debt.” We're one month away from completing the journey of paying off $78,000…

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9 Ways to Customize a No-Spend Challenge to Kick Start Your Financial Goals

Completing a No Spend Challenge can do more for your finances than keep a few dollars in your bank account. Which of these 9 ways to do a No Spend Challenge is right for your financial goals? We’re on the cusp of paying off $78,000 of debt in less than two years. I’ve incorporated No Spend Months a few times over the course of our journey, usually after a big budget flop. I’m really bad at moderation. I’m very all-or-nothing, which has made it easier to commit to paying off our student loans but also makes me a horrible budgeter.…

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11 Get-Togethers That are Better Than Going Out

Sustaining your debt payoff momentum can be difficult and isolating. Since I’m all about journey over destination, here are 11 get-togethers that can bring friends to you and not affect your budget. 1. Game Night Games are the gifts that keep on giving. They’re reusable (as long as you can keep track of the pieces) and always a new experience. Everyone has a copy of Monopoly but oh my friend, games have evolved since we were kids. Some games we love that are good for groups big and small are Saboteur, Catan, and Munchkin. You’ll be arguing about game playing…

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Aldi Grand Opening and What to Expect From Aldi’s Redesign

Aldi has announced the opening of 2500 more stores through 2022 and one of those stores is down the street from me. Have a peek at Aldi’s new design and all the perks that come from visiting opening week! Do I love anything more than Aldi? Other than my husband, probably not. So when developers broke ground on what was to be a new Aldi less than 5 minutes from my new house, I was excited, to say the least. I’ve been waiting forever to share with you the awesomeness that is the new Aldi and they did not disappoint!…

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What Financial Health Means to Me

June 27, 2017
Jen Smith
Modern Frugality

I go to strip clubs once a month. Yep. On the second Friday of every month, I go out with a group of ladies who bring gifts, baked goods, and prayer to dancers in strip clubs. It’s not a Friday-night activity for everyone but I feel like it’s a small thing I can do to make the world a little lighter for a few people. The women I’ve met over four years of doing this are all vastly different. Some come from a long line of women objectified by men. Some haven’t told their families what they do. Some can’t…

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My EyeBuyDirect Review – Affordable Glasses for Everyone

This is my EyeBuyDirect review after wearing a pair of their frames for one year. Read until the end for an EyeBuyDirect coupon and tips for getting your frames right the first time. After wearing eyeglasses for over 20 years not only do I feel very old, I also feel like I know a thing or two about glasses. I’ve bought countless frames in-store and switched to buying glasses online in 2012. I’m frugal to my core so I don’t buy a lot of frames. I want the pair I buy to look cool, be of great quality, and not…

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What I've Learned In 9 Months Of Blogging

11 Things I’ve learned in 9 Months of Blogging

Blogging is a wild ride amiright? I’ve only been Saving with Spunk for nine months but I can’t remember a time without it. Every three months I do a recap of what I’ve learned to share with fellow bloggers and to keep myself accountable. These have been some of my most popular posts so I’m sure after I do my one-year recap I’ll continue to keep you all updated with income reports (even if they’re really tiny!) I got off to a running start with my blog. I was growing rapidly, creating good relationships with bloggers and companies, and I started…

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How to Find Affordable Acupuncture Near You

As a licensed acupuncturist and personal finance writer, sometimes I'm given confused looks as the two seemingly don't coordinate. But as many of you will know who read my blog and hang out with me on Facebook Live, acupuncture school is how I racked up all my debt and the primary way we paid it off. So when I had the opportunity to write about affordable acupuncture when I was interning at The Penny Hoarder it was my two worlds perfectly colliding. I've been practicing for about five years and have seen acupuncture work wonders in people. When people ask me…

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Why Vulnerability is the Key to Financial Health

Whether you have money in the bank or no penny to your name, if you're committed to being vulnerable you will have good financial health. I kept my debt and indulgent spending in the dark for a long time. The shame and guilt of my financial mess overwhelmed me to the point of anxiety. So I hid it for years. I listened to Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University when I was halfway through college. I had no clue about budgeting, credit, and debt until that course. Unfortunately, I had $25,000 in debt and another $25,000 to go. I wasn’t ready to…

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Countdown to Student Loan Freedom – 120 Days to go

We’re putting 59% of our total income toward achieving student loan freedom. Want to see the budget we’re using and how we’re spending the other 41%? You’re in luck. When I say we paid off $53,000 of student loan debt in a year people are flabbergasted. They think it’s awesome but they always have an excuse as to why they can’t do it. “My loans are three times as much as yours.” “I have a kid, I can’t work any extra hours.” “I literally can’t think about my loans, it gives me anxiety.” We don’t have lucrative jobs, we didn’t…

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