Good morning!
April showers have finally bloomed into May flowers, and with it comes the May Budget Toolkit!
Which includes our very own Mobile-Optimized Spending Planner! If you wanna tackle May’s budget the Frugal Friends way, take advantage of our 50% OFF flash sale (ends April 30). This spreadsheet (compatible with Google Sheets) has everything you need to get organized and stay on track with your spending. Plus it’s beautiful and easy to use on your phone.
What to Include in May’s Spending Plan 📝
-
Mother’s Day (May 11). Do you have a special mom in your life? Whether it’s a relative, a friend, or a spouse, set aside a small amount ahead of time to celebrate them. Bottomless mimosas for two? 🥂
-
Garage Sales. Out with the old, in with the new! All of that spring cleaning we did in March & April is coming to fruition. Keep an eye on your local sales for household items that might need to be replaced 👀
-
Gardening/flower shopping. We know it’s time for a refresh, and that it’s important to add curb appeal & enjoy sunshine ☀️ this month. Just remember to utilize your resources like seed libraries, & plant swaps to keep the costs low.
-
Summer vacation. Shore up those sinking funds so you can spend your vacay relaxin’ instead of stressin’. Our favorite tip? Plan out the excursions up front rather than going with the flow. A little bit of planning can save you hundreds $$$.
What’s on Sale in May 💸
-
OUR SPENDING PLANNER!! Can you tell we’re excited about it? We’re giving you early access to our mobile-optimized Spending Planner before it officially drops for the public on April 28th! Use it to level up your spending plan, get your sinking funds in order, and finally cut those bills you don’t need. This 50% off ⚡flash sale⚡ is live now through April 30th, so grab yours here before everyone else.
-
Furniture. Memorial Day is one of three furniture blowout sales that occur yearly. (Memorial Day, Labor Day, & Black Friday). If that recliner is looking a bit shabby, or your couch has claw marks (courtesy of a fur baby), consider visiting your local furniture store the week before Memorial Day to scope out deals.
-
Grills. Summer is around the corner! Grills have gone ⬇️ in price to prepare for the busy season! We’ve already done the research for you, and have a curated list of ideal grills here.
May’s Big Money Move 👩🍳
Annual Investment Check Up & Rebalancing
Now that we’re done with our IRA contributions from last year, it’s important to check on our investments & reallocate depending on the season of life we’re in.
Though we’re in a time of slower growth, it doesn’t mean we stop contributing! Consider the following:
-
How far away am I from retirement? If you are 10+ years from retirement, no knee-jerk reactions please!
-
How close am I to maxing out my retirement contributions?
-
Have I recently freed money (from paying off debt, windfall, etc.) that can go toward my investments?
What to Cook? 👩🏻🍳
Last month, the overwhelming majority of you said that lemon & citrus were your favorite spring flavors! We’re honoring that by sharing our favorite recipes below:
-
🥗 Citrus Salad with Honey & Vanilla (The Mediterranean Dish)
-
🍣 Lemon Butter Garlic Salmon (Cafe Delites)
-
🍋 Easy Lemon Bars (Spend With Pennies)
Sunday’s episode was a gamechanger for teachers, healthcare workers, and others with inflexible salaries. Listen to: How Teachers Can Increase Income (Not Just Side Hustles!) on Youtube now.
Let’s be real–how often do you go to the mall to shop? Online shopping makes up a large portion of commerce, but it’s hard to know how to save! Tuesday’s episode breaks down: How to Save Money on Online Shopping (Ep 504) and provides tangible tips for those that prefer to shop from their bed 🛏️
Today’s episode is all about having FUN! Being frugal doesn’t mean boring–it’s possible to strike a balance between our desires & spending plan. Listen to episode: How to Save Money on Entertainment (Ep 505) for ideas 💡 on how to fulfill our higher needs (without breaking the bank!).
Tune in wherever you get podcasts and let us know what you thought of the episode over on our latest Instagram post!
Catch ya later,
Kim
⭐️⭐️ P.S. Want to share all this goodness with your friends AND earn cool Frugal Friends merch?
**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.
