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From Frugal to Free
Frugal adventures on the road to financial freedom.

Author: Kathryn Vercillo

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Things I Upcycle Into Dog Toys

Posted on April 5, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Things I Upcycle Into Dog Toys

I always joke that my dog is in charge of the recyclables in my home. This started with my previous dog. She loved to wake up every morning and walk over to the recycling bin to see what fun stuff might be in there for her to chew up. So, I started paying close attention […]

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  • Frugal Tips

Ways to Use Essential Oils At Home

Posted on March 30, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Ways to Use Essential Oils At Home

Recently, I’ve been trying to use up all of the different items that I have at home before I purchase any more. In doing this, I realized that I have a lot of essential oils. So, I’ve been exploring different ways to use essential oils in my home. What Does It Mean to Spend Out? […]

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Favorite Frugal Living Quotes

Posted on March 22, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Favorite Frugal Living Quotes

I always find quotes inspirational. Sure, sometimes they’re a bit cheesy. However, sometimes they really stop me in my tracks and make me think about things with a fresh perspective. This can keep me on track with my goals and aligned with my values. So, with that in mind, here are some of my favorite […]

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  • Frugal Tips
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    • Personal Finance

5 Treats I Should Probably Stop Spending Money On

Posted on March 8, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
5 Treats I Should Probably Stop Spending Money On

I’m trying really hard to figure out how to lower my expenses. As I’ve explained before when sharing my budget with you, I typically tend to look at how to reduce my big expenses. For example, I spend a fortune on food, which I have been cutting back on. However, there are smaller treats that […]

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  • Personal Finance

How February’s Budget Went Awry And What I Did to Navigate It

Posted on March 1, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
How February's Budget Went Awry And What I Did to Navigate It

One month ago today, I shared with you my plan for February’s budget. Unfortunately, things went awry. Emergencies happen. That’s why it’s important to have an emergency fund as well as contingency plans for when financial plans don’t go as expected. What Went Right With February’s Budget Not everything went wild when it came to […]

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  • Frugal Tips

20 Tips for a Zero Waste Life

Posted on February 22, 2022February 3, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Zero Waste Life

Recently I’ve been reading Anita Vandyke’s book “A Zero Waste Life in Thirty Days.” It suggests that you can reduce your waste by 80% using the tips in the book. However, it also offers realistic alternatives for people who want to reduce waste but aren’t going to hit those zero waste levels quite, yet. Reducing […]

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Smart Financial Tips From Swedish Death Cleaning

Posted on February 8, 2022February 3, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Swedish Death Cleaning

I finally got a chance to sit down and read Margareta Magnusson’s book, “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” It’s been a few years since the book peaked in popularity. However, I had set it aside at the time and then time passed as time does. When I finally read it, I saw that […]

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  • Personal Finance

Budgeting: February 2022 Planned Expenses

Posted on February 1, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Budgeting: February 2022 Planned Expenses

I’ve taken many different approaches to budgeting over the years. Right now, I start the month by reviewing all of the previous month’s expenses. Then I look at what my planned expenses are for the coming month. I try to find areas where I can cut back on costs. Then I review my income and […]

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  • Frugal Tips

6 Easy-To-Make Odor Eliminators for Frugal Cleaning

Posted on January 25, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Easy-To-Make Odor Eliminators

There are quite a few unpleasant smells in our homes, aren’t there? From stinky feet to pet accidents, things get stinky at home. And because we have lots of fabrics in our homes (bedding, upholstery, etc.), those smells can definitely linger if we don’t clean them up quickly. Luckily, there are lots of great easy-to-make […]

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5 Risks of Lifestyle Inflation

Posted on January 11, 2022by Kathryn Vercillo
Risks of Lifestyle Inflation

You’re used to earning a specific amount of money. Then, something wonderful happens: you begin to earn more. Automatically, you begin to think of all of the things that you can now afford. For example, you can move into a bigger home, get a nicer car, and start taking fancier vacations. However, just because you […]

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Frugal’s Financial Guidelines

Start with these simple guidelines to save money and invest in your future:

  1. Write down own the top three reasons you want to save money. Post it as a reminder to keep on track with your goals.
  2. Learn to budget. Then do it, diligently.
  3. Cut costs. Reduce spending by 10% across all categories.
  4. Direct deposit 10% of every paycheck directly into savings. Build up an emergency savings fun with a minimum of $1000. Aim for six months of living expenses.
  5. Maximize retirement savings. Contribute as much as you can, especially if you have an employer-matching plan.
  6. Begin investing in small ways. Use apps to begin investing with just a tiny amount of money. Learn how it works.
  7. Build credit wisely. Use a credit card for monthly expenses. Pay it off on time every month.
  8. Learn to communicate about money. With everyone. The better you get at talking about money, the more you’ll set yourself up for financial success in all areas of your life.

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