FRIENDS AND FINANCES FEATURING DELTA HOTEL JULIET
Welcome back to friends and finances my featured blogger series that introduces you to some amazing bloggers. The biggest reason I decided to start this new series, is because I believe in getting different perspectives on handling your finances. I also believe that the bloggers featured here each week have a lot to offer the world and deserve recognition. Some of the blogs featured will be other personal finance related blogs and others will not be. The reason I chose to include some other blogs that are not related to finance is simple, we all have a financial story no matter who we are. I believe money is not the only focus we should have when traveling our road to financial freedom, and I think discovering some fun blogs that share something different can be a welcomed break from over focusing on money. So today I welcome Holly from Delta Hotel Juliet
Hey y’all! My name is Holly and I am the face behind DeltaHotelJuliet. My husband and I are Americans living overseas and we just welcomed our first child into our little family. DHJ is a lifestyle blog with a little bit of everything under the sun. My topics range from DIY projects to natural living to travel and even some reviews in between.
1. How long have you been blogging?
I just passed my second anniversary of blogging on DeltaHotelJuliet. It’s been an incredible journey and it’s fun to see how much my writing has grown from my first post to now.
2. What has been your biggest money mistake?
My biggest money mistake is just making the minimum payment on my credit card. The interest on my card is a massive killer and not paying down the principle hurts my credit score a lot.
3. What is your best advice for recovering from or preventing this money mistake?
Get serious about your finances. Write down specifically what is getting charged to your credit card and plan out exactly how you’re going to tackle your debt. I like to write down game plans for each month so I already know what I’m going to do and feel in control of my money.
4. Favorite quote or money advice and who was the author?
I’m not sure who the author is, but it’s something I grew up hearing in church and at home: “Be sure to give back to God.” This isn’t just with finances. Depending on your season of life, you may not be able to do that and it’s okay. Your time, talents, and money are all welcomed currencies.
5. Favorite money or budgeting related book and author?
The Richest Man in Babylon is by far my favorite book on finances. It was written by George S. Clason in 1926 and despite that being nearly 100 years ago, it’s still relevant today. My husband and I are devout Catholics, so tithing is an important part of our personal finances. This book teaches about tithing through a fictional story.
6. Favorite money saving website?
I am a huge couponer, so www.coupons.com is my favorite website in regards to saving money. It’s super easy to find manufacturer coupons for products you use in your home and print them off. Always check your local grocery store’s policy in regards to coupons before planning your shopping trip. Each store has their own little weird rules and you don’t want to get surprised at the register.
7. Favorite money making app or website?
My absolute favorite website/app to use is Mint from Intuit. I have used this free service for years and it’s a God-sent. It helps keeps your really honest about financial decisions you’re making. You can be as specific or broad as you want in terms of budgeting and it helps you set up financial goals. My husband and I both have the app on our phones and agreed on when it will send us alerts. For example: if one of our accounts gets below a certain balance or we are close to exceeding a budget, we will get a notification on our phones.
8. Do you have an emergency fund or savings account?
Yes. My husband and I have different strategies when it comes to this, but we do have money set aside and we contribute to it every month. He’s very aggressive with money and focuses on investing it in stocks, rental properties, etc. I am more hesitant and like to have a certain amount set aside every money. We use both strategies to build our emergency fund and savings account.
9. What is your most successful strategy for saving money?
Honestly, Mint has been my best strategy. It’s given me a hard slap in the face about how I spend my money. I thought I was relatively conservative, but I realized that I was pretty irresponsible. Thankfully, I figured this out during my first year of college and that gave me time to fix my bad habits before I got married.
Twitter @mamajohnsen
Facebook @deltahoteljuliet
Pinterest @hollygramme
Instagram @deltahoteljuliet
Website URL www.deltahoteljuliet.com
I want to thank Holly for taking the time to be interviewed. Thank you for sharing your insight and financial tips with all of us today. Thank you everyone who took the time to read this post, please stop by her website when you have a chance and let her know Saving Joyfully sent you. See you next time here on friends and finances for another blogger Interview, and an introduction to another great blogger.
