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Tax refunds are rolling in. With Americans getting on average more than $3,000 back this year. (Source.)

I personally am not a fan of big returns. I want to keep my money from my paycheck each month. Not give the government an interest-free loan. (Because they would charge YOU 4-7 % interest on a federal student loan!)

But if you are getting money back, why not be smart about where it goes.

No one is perfect at budgeting

Last week I wrote a blog post called "7 Things You Probably Forgot to Budget." I laid out, well, seven things you probably forgot to budget (hence the title).

Little did I know when I wrote that post I was being a big 'ole hypocrite. Let me fill you in...

45 Ways to start saving money now

Are you looking for ways to slash your budget and start saving cash? Here's a list of 45 PRACTICAL ways you can start saving money. We're not reinventing the wheel here, but I hope to inspire you to take control of your spending.

Looking ahead: 7 things you probably forgot to budget

Has this ever happened to you? You sit down and make your budget. It's perfect. It's gleaming. Every penny is accounted for and then your kid gets sick, you realize you need to change your oil and your third-grader got invited to two birthday parties. Yup. Been there. (Only my child is five.)

Today I wanted to talk about 7 things you probably forgot to budget. Because we all do this at some point.

Dealing with budgetary setbacks

Goals are important. Without them, it's really hard to anchor our time.

When we make a to-do list, that's a goal. When we set out to lose weight with a number in mind, that's a goal.

Why not deal with finance the same way?

Jason and I are currently working on some big savings goals. We decided in February of this year on a specific number we needed in our savings account and estimated how long it would take us to get there.

We've made great progress. But we've also had some setbacks.

Looking to move? Things to ask before renting a house

Here are a few things you might want to ask before signing a lease.

How to not give up when paying off debt

“I can’t do this anymore, I feel like I am running but not getting anywhere and I want to quit.” That’s what the message I got on Facebook read.

It wasn’t the first time I have gotten a comment or email from someone who was just at the end of their financial rope. I get hundreds of messages and comments each week from women who are frustrated, exhausted and they just want to give up.

Money and judgement: It's not up to us to determine how other spend their money

A few weeks ago I was watching a family YouTube channel. The video was all about what the couple got their kids for Christmas. It was a fun video and the family is just precious. I don't know why but I found myself reading the comments. I never do this because let's be honest the comments section is where discourse goes to die. (Except here. You guys are wonderful!)

The comments that kept popping up were "look at how much money you're wasting" or "your children are so spoiled."

6 good money habits to develop NOW

Are you looking to turn the money ship around in 2017? Who isn't? Even budgeting pros need to develop good habits sometimes. So let's talk about six money habits you can develop now.

Four reasons you can't stick to a budget

Each week I get countless Facebook or YouTube comments (and even emails) from people who say the same thing: "I try to budget but I just can't seem to stick to it."

I totally understand that. Like I said last week, no one is perfect at budgeting all the time. However, in my personal budget failure experiences, there seem to be a few things that pop up over and over again in failed budgets.

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Grocery store savings tips and tricks : How to save money at the supermarket

We all know to shop smart with a list, right? But grocery stores spend a lot of money figuring out the best ways to market to you and to make the grocery store as appealing of a place as possible so that you walk in and just throw your list over the shoulder and buy whatever looks pretty.

You don't need a 6-figure income to pay off debt

Hearing other people's debt free stories can be so inspiring. Listening to them share their journey can really give you a push in the right direction. However, sometimes those stories can be downright DISCOURAGING.

8 things to do with your tax refund.

Tax refunds are rolling in. With Americans getting on average more than $3,000 back this year. (Source.)

But if you are getting money back, why not be smart about where it goes.

Financially preparing for a baby

When I first found out I was pregnant with my oldest son I heard a lot of comments like "sleep while you can" or "it's going to go by so fast" or "be prepared to have no money."

And while it is true that babyhood goes by in the blink of an eye and that sleep is a commodity more precious than coffee or chocolate, the last one I have to disagree with.

How we decided to prioritize our debt pay off

As you may already know my husband and I became debt free in February of 2014. And I get a LOT of questions on how we did it. A LOT of questions.

It's no secret that we are huge fans of Dave Ramsey. But I cannot totally say that we stuck to the baby steps 100 percent of the time. However, I just want to add the disclaimer, that I think he's right. I think his advice is spot on and he has helped millions of people. Listen to what he has to see and then apply it in a way that works in your real life.

In fact, we were in the middle of Financial Peace University when we paid off our debt. So I know his system works.

5 tips to make saving money a habit

We are nearing the end of our No Spend Month. While we have had a few hiccups, I am pleased to say that our family not only met our savings goal for the month, we exceeded it by $200!

This has really helped motivate us as we work toward some future savings goals.

It's also been a reminder that saving money can be a habit and not a chore. It has become almost second nature to us and while we're not always perfect at it I am proud of the progress we have made.

16 money mistakes to STOP making in 2016

Hang around, this year I am going to be motivating you on your own debt free journey. But first I wanted to share 16 money mistakes we ALL should stop making in 2016.

And some of these apply to me. Just because we are a frugal family who insists on paying cash for everything doesn't mean we don't make money mistakes. We do. LOTS of them. But here are 16 things I think we could all benefit from if we just stop doing them.

You don't need a 6-figure income to pay off debt

How to make your first budget

Let's be 100 percent truthful here. The word budget doesn't exactly conjure up warm and sunny thoughts. It sounds boring. There, I said it. It just sounds boring.

I think the idea of living on a restrictive budget that is going to limit fun just makes people NOT do it. But actually a budget is freeing.

First you have to get started. It doesn't have to be a complicated process.

Grab a piece of paper a calculator and a pencil.

What to do when you're late on your bills

Last week I got a heart-breaking email from a reader:

We are behind on everything. We are drowning in debt and our monthly expenses seem to be going up. I really don't know how much longer we can make it. Help!

Where is your money going?

Yesterday we kicked off "30 Days to Get Started." This week we are focusing on getting out of debt. Yesterday we discussed f acing your debt number head on.

If you followed yesterday's lesson and you sat down and wrote out every piece of debt you had, that number might be a little overwhelming.

Today we are going to talk about tracking where your everyday dollars are going.

Having a list of where your money is going, of where your spending your hard earned cash, is like a black and white picture of your priorities.

What's the very first step in getting out of debt?

I remember the day (or night actually) I got fed up and decided it was time to get out of debt once and for all. I was heavily pregnant lying in bed reading a book and I felt Ryals kick.

Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was emotion, maybe it was hormones but I started weeping. I realized that if we continued in our current financial state we would always be in debt.

How do I talk to my spouse about budgeting?

Marriage can be tough. Just ask any married person. If you're straddling to communicate with your spouse about money it can make things more difficult, more tense, more troubling.

I get this question a lot: How do I get my husband to budget? Or how do I get on the same page with my spouse?

Recently I sat down and talked to Jason about his thoughts on getting a couple to think in sync when it comes to finances.

Build a budget with the EveryDollar Budget App

It can be hard to build a budget and it can be even harder to stick to one. I know, I've been there.

But part of paying off debt or building toward savings goals is learning to live on a budget.

You just have to suck it up and do it.

My husband is a pen and paper person when it comes to making our budget. He likes to see all the numbers all at once.

I need immediate results, meaning I need to track my expenses as they happen. If I carry receipts around chances are they will get thrown away. And while I think cash envelopes are fantastic, I would just rather use my debit card.

Staying motivated when paying off debt

Let's face it. It can be really hard to stay motivated while paying off debt. You're working hard, you're trucking away and there are times when it feels like the balance will never reach zero.

But hold fast. You can do this and I am going to share with you a few ways to stay motivated.

Get out of Debt

Frugal Debt Free Life

Money Monday:

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