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How to Survive a Layoff with Financial Freedom

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If you've been through a layoff, or are worried you might be facing one in the near future, then you know how stressful it is. It's especially difficult if you are the family benefits-holder. But it doesn't have to be this way. Early on in our marriage, we experienced two significant layoffs and never touched our savings. As a family, we prepare for emergencies knowing they happen when you least expect it. Simply put, we have an emergency fund (6 months of expenses saved). And we make lifestyle changes to adjust to the lack of income.  The Storm My husband was laid off in early 2019. The news arrived just before my son‘s 13th birthday. We had planned to go skiing and kept the trip as scheduled. The next day, en route to the mountains, with the layoff weighing on our minds, our neighbor called. A pipe had burst in our home. We turned around, dealt with the mess and arrived at our destination, albeit several hours late. One disaster after another but somehow we weathered the …

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7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School

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Summer is coming to an end and many kids are already back to school. Articles fill your feed with items to buy for back-to-school." But what if you handled it differently this year and saved money? Families want to start the year off right. Organizing your school supplies can be a great way to signal the transition from summer to school. Just keep a few things in mind before you shop. Advertising Works Advertising works because billions of marketing dollars make it happen! Ads lure you into buying 64 brand new crayons and all those cute IKEA desks you had to have during the pandemic. Let's be real for a minute.  June-scissors work in August, right?  Crayons and pencils might be scattered but still create art, correct?  Kids are productive in different spaces, so do NOT force them into a desk. (I learned this from a homework expert years ago.) Before the ads convince you to buy, take an inventory of your supplies and consider what you really …

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9 Ways to Shop Smarter for Clothing

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Do you have a closet full of clothing but nothing to wear? Have you tried shopping for new clothes only to find items unworn with the tags still on them? Or maybe you're holding on to things hoping you will fit into them again in the future. This is pretty common with the closets I declutter and organize. Learning to shop smarter is key. The very first closet I organized was my own. But it requires maintenance and good shopping habits to keep it that way. All my clothing fits in one closet. Every season and yes, socks and underwear too. Getting ready is a breeze because my entire wardrobe is in one place. And when the seasons change, I can transition to the appropriate clothing easily. I no longer drag bins of clothing up and down the stairs to perform the seasonal swap. This saves me two weekends a year. And my guest bedroom closet is ready for guests instead of filled with extra clothing. But this was not always the case, I've come a long way and learned to shop …

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