FRIENDS AND FINANCES FEATURING LEMON BLESSINGS

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 Sarah from Lemonblessings.com

What is the goal of your blog?

My blog, Lemon Blessings, offers practical and uplifting tools and strategies to help families simplify their everyday lives, with a focus on the topics of budgeting, savings, debt payoff, and goal setting. My goal is to give families a fresh outlook on these topics that often cause stress and frustration, with the hope that they will be able to create positive change in their own lives.

1. How long have you been blogging?

I have been blogging as Lemon Blessings since December 2017.

2. What has been your biggest money mistake?

Using credit cards. I couldn’t wait to be old enough to have my own credit card, and it was so easy to apply. I was under the impression it was magic money that I could use for anything I wanted, so I did and it didn’t turn out well. Within three years I had multiple maxed out cards, and had defaulted on two store credit cards. It took a long time to get my financial situation under control again, and an even longer time for the credit mistakes I’d made to disappear from my credit report.

3. What is your best advice for recovering from or preventing this money mistake?

Stay away from credit if at all possible. If I could go back and do it over again, I would live with the cash available to me, and not place anything on credit. Once you are in it though, the only way to get out is to create a plan to pay them off and get those accounts closed.

4. Favorite quote or money advice and who was the author?

“Living with intention means saying no to the things that aren’t important to us so that we can say yes to what matters most.” – Crystal Paine

5. Favorite money or budgeting related book and author?

Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By (Cary Siegel)

6. Favorite money-saving website?

My favorite money-saving (budgeting) website is EveryDollar. It’s an easy-to-use app/website combination and has allowed me to put money away in “funds” without actually having to set up new savings accounts to keep track of it. Additionally, it’s automated from month to month, so I really don’t have to give it much thought except to place all of my expenses in the correct categories. I also love the EveryDollarblog. It’s fun to read and has great tips for everyday families.

7. Favorite money-making app or website?

I love using the On the Go Survey app. It’s not the biggest money-making app out there, but I make 10-15 dollars per month on it and that is reimbursed in Amazon cards, which I use to purchase cat food. Its quick, easy and I can use it when I have time (which isn’t very often).

8. Do you have an emergency fund or savings account?

Both, and I can’t stress how important an emergency fund is to the success of a budget. My husband and I always make our worst financial decisions when we don’t have an emergency fund.

9. What is your most successful strategy for saving money?

Goal setting. When you have a goal in mind and a place to achieve it, you are much more likely to stick with your savings plan. Making yearly goals, monthly goals, and weekly goals for our finances has allowed us to put money aside for the things that matter the most to us long-term, including vacations, large purchases, and retirement plans.

Twitter:https://www.twitter.com/sarahlbrumley/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lemonblessings/

Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/lemonblessings/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemonblessings/

Google+:https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SarahBrumley

Website URL:https://lemonblessings.com

I want to thank Sarah for taking the time to be interviewed. Thank you for sharing your insight and financial advice 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.