Money Saving Duo

Discovering how to live a glorious life on less

Duo Update

Three Lessons We’ve Learned While Paying Off Debt

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Like most people, Aaron and I didn’t know much about how to handle money when we first got married. Mind you, we were only twenty when we said ‘I do,’ but it took us a good portion of our twenties to even recognize that taking our finances seriously mattered.

Three Lessons Learned While Paying Off Debt

When our oldest turned 10, we really felt the need to get our acts together. Those ten years flew by and we knew the next eight would as well. When we had kids I knew that I wanted to provide some sort of financial nest egg for them once they headed off to college or into a career, but at this point in our lives, it wasn’t looking like that would be a realistic possibility.

So, we got to work. And through this process we’ve not only tackled a huge amount of debt, but we’ve learned quite a bit about ourselves as well. Looking back, here are just a few of the lessons we’ve learned along the way.

We really don’t need a whole lot of stuff. One of the biggest realizations we had early on in this process was that we didn’t need as much stuff as we were typically buying. When we started to look for ways to cut our spending, we began to realize that a grocery trip was never just a grocery trip. We’d shop at Meijer or Walmart and end up buying products outside the grocery aisles we didn’t even need, but would find at a great price.

Once we realized this, we stopped shopping at these locations for our weekly grocery trip and chose a store that primarily had only the groceries we needed. And we don’t really miss all that stuff that randomly filled our carts and our homes years ago.

Life is still enjoyable even when you’re frugal. Actually, it may be even more enjoyable! As we’ve spent less over the years, I’ve found myself more grateful for what I do have. We’ve also discovered that there are plenty of ways to enjoy your time together that don’t cost anything extra. That’s why we’re always trying to highlight free and fun activities for local families to participate in. It is possible to enjoy quality time together without spending a lot of cash.

Cooking tasty meals just takes practice. When Aaron and I first got married, I remember making him homemade goulash… and it was awful! He tried really hard to look happy with the meal, but the truth was, it was TERRIBLE! This resulted in us eating at restaurants way too often early in our marriage. But when we got serious about our finances, we realized that cooking meals that taste great at home just takes practice.

I feel much more comfortable in the kitchen then I did all those years ago and I think my family will agree that I make some pretty great tasting food now.

And if that’s not enough proof that I’ve learned to hold my own in the kitchen, you should probably know that I WON a cooking competition while competing against legit FOOD BLOGGERS just a couple of years ago! Seriously. Me!

Although becoming more frugal may seem like a total buzz-kill, we’ve found the opposite to be true. Its allowed us to get closer as a family, working together to creatively save money and have fun at the same time. Its also allowed us to be more grateful for what we have and enhance skills that we can be proud of.

Overall, this journey hasn’t just been one that has helped us live a more financially free life, but one that has led us to discover all sorts of wonderful surprises along the way.

What have you discovered if on a similar journey? Or what would you hope to see if you embarked on one?

Our Movie Adventure to the Crystal, MI Box Office Theater

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We love going to the movies, but by the time you buy tickets for the entire family, it can be a long term negotiation on what you can afford at the concession stand. As a result, we are always on the lookout for a great deal.

A friend tipped us off to the Crystal Box Office in Crystal, MI as a suggestion. An affordable, single screen theater in a small town we had never stopped in before. We checked the schedule and saw that they were playing Aquaman around New Years. The boys and I were ready for an adventure to someplace new, and we set off to check it out. 

I had no idea what to expect. Maybe a small screen and long lines. But we arrived to find a parking space right in front of the theater and no wait to purchase our tickets at the old style booth that opened to the outside sidewalk. The tickets were only $4 each!

Then we got inside and found a concession stand from a bygone era, filled with the fresh smells of popcorn and other treats. For $3 you could get a huge popcorn and fountain pop for a buck.

We had the theater almost to ourselves and got a perfect spot toward the middle. The sound was great and the screen large. While we were enjoying the film we didn’t even remember that we were at a smaller theater. 

The building is a bit dated and the facility shows a little wear and tear, but it also gives it an old school charm. I would recommend this stop to anyone in the Central Michigan area looking for a fun, new spot to catch a flick on a budget. Although, you’ll want to check ahead to see if they are playing the movie you want on their only screen. 

For the most up to date listings and more information, visit their facebook page at facebook.com/crystalboxoffice.

Going to the Movies? Keep It Affordable With These Great Tips

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Who doesn’t love going to the theater? Watching a movie on the big screen is a whole lot of fun, but lets be real… it can be down right costly! Luckily, we’ve discovered a few ways to save big at the movies.

Scout out ticket prices before you go. We’ve recently discovered a few smaller theaters in our area that charge less than the larger theaters do. If you live in Mid-Michigan, you should bookmark these theater options:

Ideal Theater in Clare, MI – Tickets are $5 for each adult, $4 for each child 12 and under.

Crystal Box Office Theater in Crystal, MI – Tickets for the 7pm show are $5 each and only $3 for the 3:30 pm show. Concessions are also inexpensive – you can get a small soda and a small popcorn for only $3.25!

Check for special offers and discounts. Even the larger theaters typically have discount nights or special events where you can see movies at a lower price or in some cases, even for free.

Celebration Cinema, for example, offers a discounted movie every Sunday night and recently launched T.A.C.O Tuesdays (Tickets Are Cheap on Tuesdays). Both specials feature $6 ticket pricing. Celebration Cinema also features the FLICK Family Film Festival at select times throughout the year were kids 12 and under can go and see a movie for free.

NCG Cinemas, with a location in Midland, Alma and Lansing, also features discounted ticket pricing on Tuesdays. Reel Deal Tuesdays allow you to get discounted tickets and concessions. We’re told ticket prices are only $5 on Tuesday; however, couldn’t confirm this on their website.

Sign up for a reward program if its offered. Since Celebration Cinema is the theater in our town, we made sure to sign up for their rewards program. It didn’t cost us anything to sign up, but when we go to see movies we often receive special discounts on tickets or concessions. Sometimes we even get free concession items if we’ve garnered enough points. 

A couple of weeks ago, my youngest and I went to the movies and we received $4 off our tickets. Worth the free sign up if you ask me. NCG Cinemas also offer a customer rewards program.

Eat before you go to the show. We know how hard it can be to resist that buttery popcorn you smell as soon as you open the theater door, but if you’re looking for ways to keep movies affordable, eating at home before you go can be a great way to save a few extra dollars.

What are your favorite ways to save money at the movies? Share your top tips in the comments.

Our No Spend Weekend Adventures

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Every so often we decide to host a “no spend weekend.” The concept is rather simple – don’t spend any money on anything other than the essentials. But not every no spend weekend looks the same.

Our No Spend Weekend Adventures

After Aaron’s birthday weekend, we decided it might be wise to embrace what we affectionately refer to as our “No Spend Weekend” – a weekend where we don’t spend money on anything other than the essentials.

Typically, this means we still go grocery shopping for the week. Other than that though, we intentionally look for activities to enjoy at home that cost us nothing.

Although these weekend’s were a little challenging at first, we’ve come to really enjoy the opportunity they provide. Before the weekend we brainstorm ways to spend our time. This weekend our activities included:

An epic battle of Settler’s of Catan. The boys and I just learned how to play this game; although full disclosure, we’ve owned this game for a few years now. It took a little effort to learn how to play (thanks YouTube how-to videos!) but once we figured it out, we’ve found that its a game we all enjoy.

Settlers of Catan board

Finally hanging up artwork in our basement! We’ve had really good intentions to get all our artwork up on the walls of our basement, but it also happens to be an activity that is super easy to put on the back burner. We thought this weekend would be the perfect time to do this and it was.

Michigan Copper Image with Barn Wood frame
Isn’t this beautiful? This is one of the art pieces we hung up in our basement – we’re going for an adventures in Michigan theme.

Watching a movie we already own that we haven’t watched in awhile. Our family loves to have movie nights where we make popcorn and rent a movie to watch on the weekend. This weekend though we opted for a movie we already own but haven’t watched in awhile. Ben’s been reading Lord of the Rings so we thought it be fun to watch this movie together.

Have you ever implemented a “no spend weekend?” What are some of your favorite no-cost activities?

Our December 2018 Side Hustle Report

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Side hustle income is any income we receive from opportunities outside of our regular 9-to-5 jobs. Often its cash back or gift cards we receive through the apps we use. We also count affiliate income we receive through this blog as well. See how our side hustles performed in December 2018.

Our December 2018 Side Hustle Report

Our side hustle income was just okay this month; however, even the small amounts we earn and save make an impact on our overall budget. This month our side hustle income came to a sum total of $51 in December.

Breaking it down, $25 came from our cash back apps, we received a $10 Amazon gift card after completing a review of one of the services we use to manage our finances; another $9 resulted from our affiliate programs, and $7 in gift card rewards came from some of the game-based apps we use.

One of the game-based apps I play is Pop Quiz and if you like trivia, you might like this app too. You’ll earn perk points for each trivia game you play and can redeem the points for rewards like gift cards and cash. You don’t necessarily earn points quickly on this game (it usually takes me a few months to earn a $5 gift card)and the ads are a bit obnoxious, but it can be a fun and free way to earn gift cards and cash. Sign up with referral code “54bf34a5” and you can play with me and I’ll get a bonus too.

To put this dollar amount into perspective, this is approximately the amount we set aside for clothes, or if you prefer to think in terms of food, a little less than half of one week’s grocery budget.

Our December side hustles all have one main feature in common – they all require very little work on our end. We spend a few minutes each day checking into our apps and viola! Cash back and gift cards received.

For January we have a few more work-intensive side hustles on our agenda and expect to hit our 2019 monthly side hustle goal of at least $200 a month in side hustle income. We’ll be sure to share our results with you next month.

Do you have a way to make money on the side? We’re always looking for ways to make extra money to pay off our debt faster. Share your favorite side hustles below! We’d love to hear all about them.

Chicago for the Weekend? Save Money with Our Top City Travel Tips

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The city can be expensive. Before you plan your next adventure, consider implementing some of our money saving tips that helped us save over $800 on our latest weekend trip to Chicago.

saving money in chicago

Our family loves to visit Chicago. It takes us about four hours to drive there, but it is always worth the trip. From deep dish pizza to some of the best museums and attractions in the country, its one of our favorite cities.

But when we travel, we always look for ways to save as much money as we can. This trip alone would have easily cost over $800, but we were able to save that and catch many of the best attractions for free on our weekend trip.

We thought these tips may come in handy for others looking to visit Chicago for the weekend.

Three money saving travel tips from the Money Saving Duo!

Utilize credit card reward points to score free hotel stays. Aaron and I are IHG reward members and we use our IGH Chase credit card on everyday purchases like groceries and gas to redeem points. These points can, in turn, be used to redeem free hotel stays. Members also receive a free hotel stay each year they are members.

We advise that you consider a rewards credit card only if your everyday expenses are consistent and you can pay the card off each month to avoid fees. There have been times in our past when we wouldn’t have trusted ourselves with a credit card for points. It can be tempting to carry a balance forward at the end of the month. But we’ve been diligent to pay the card down to zero at every paycheck and treat every charge as if it were coming from our checking account.

Pack snacks and breakfast items in case your hotel doesn’t have free breakfast. Ideally, we try to choose hotels that offer a free breakfast to maximize our savings; however, that isn’t always an option. For example, the Intercontinental Hotel we stayed at on the Magnificent Mile did not offer a complimentary breakfast, so we packed our own and combined it with some of our leftovers from dinner the night before.

Pro tip: If you have an IHG membership like us, the Holiday Inn Express always offers a complimentary breakfast, while a traditional Holiday Inn often does not.

Take advantage of reciprocal memberships. If you’ve ever wanted to explore the museums or zoos in a city you visit, consider purchasing a membership at your local museum or zoo first. We purchased a family membership to the Aldon B. Dow Museum of Science & Art in Midland, MI, which not only gets us into this museum, but into many museums across the country at no additional cost or at a reduced rate.

In Chicago, our reciprocal membership got us into the Field Museum and the Museum of Science & Industry for free! Check with the membership desk at your local zoo or museum for details.

Be willing to walk. Parking can be expensive in the city, so if you are able to walk you can save quite a bit of money. We often find that if we’re willing to travel a few extra blocks from wherever we are trying to go, the price of parking is often lower.

Use a Parking App to find cheaper rates. Another great way to save money in the city? Use a parking app that pinpoints parking fees so you can choose the lowest rate as close to your destination as you can. The app we use is called BestParking, but depending on where you are traveling, some apps may work better than others. Garages use the app to attract drivers for remaining spots. You can often pay a fraction of the rate listed on the building.

Do you love to travel? What are some of your favorite ways to save money while visiting destinations across the globe?