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I am Lydia. I am a lot of things, Jesus lover, a wife, Mama, writer, consumer of too much coffee, small business owner and reluctant domestic. (A very reluctant domestic.) 

How did we get here? 

I started this blog in 2012 under the name Five4Five Meals. I had this idea that I would create a frugal recipe blog for families looking to save money. 

For years Jason and I had thought of living debt free as a fun "what if?" We loved talking about it, but like many people we weren't actually interested in doing the work. That was until we became parents. 

But all of that changed when we became parents. At that point my husband and I became fully committed to getting out of debt

That recipe blog grew into a diary of how we were committed to a life of near extreme frugality. 

We have learned that you can live a limitless life on a limited budget. 

You can give generously, live fully and enjoy spontaneity and still live well below your means. 

A few facts about Frugal Debt Free Life: 

I had the idea for this blog before my son was born. I wanted a place where a person could find a frugal, fast, family-friendly meal. 

We live on a budget and we are saving for bigger life goals. I want to share what I've learned along the way. 

I feel like there is something here for everyone. 

You can find a delicious recipe, a great video tutorial and maybe a little encouragement.  There is also some great free stuff here. So stick around! 

A few posts to get you started: 

How we paid off $36,000 in two years on one income 

Five things we DON'T spend money on 

Stop living paycheck to paycheck 

Little things we do to save $10,000 a year 

Let's connect:

You can connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Also, Twitter. And of course you can always subscribe for our weekly newsletter. It is loaded with great content and freebies.


A few facts about us: 

I started dating Jason when we were in college. And we got married on November 12, 2005. 

I spent the first few years of my marriage working as a newspaper reporter before we welcomed our sweet son the day before our sixth wedding anniversary.  

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He is the light of our lives. 

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In May 2013 we welcomed another baby boy and we were thrilled. 

I love Jesus and I would have nothing without God's grace, mercy and faithfulness. 

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