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I met my best friend the other day for a cup of coffee.  During our conversation, she confided that she was having trouble saving and wanted to know if I had any recommendations for her.  Here are my top pieces of advice for my best friend. Create a Simple Budget It's really hard to try to save when you don't know what you spend. But I recognize that setting up a budget can be intimidating.  Start simple. I set up a spreadsheet listing out all of my major expenses: mortgage, car insurance, student loans, daycare, utilities, food, gas, etc.  In the next column, list the expected or budgeted amount. I like to round up to the nearest 10.  In the final column, I do some homework and list the actual amount spent.  This gives me a rough idea where my money is going every month  I understand that a lot of people break down their spending in more detail, but for me it was too overwhelming to scrutinize every detail. I totaled up the budgeted amount and th...

A lot of people comment that they are surprised when I shop at a dollar store.  Isn't that a bunch of crap?  And while yes, there can be a lot of junky quality items, I have found a surprising number of items that I can use to make my life easier and save a lot of money along the way.  Here are some of my favorites: Party Items Any time we have a party, I'm at the dollar store.  Birthday parties, showers, graduations, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Halloween, Christmas, you name it.  It's my go to spot for plates, plastic silverware, napkins, plastic table covers, cups, etc.  They also have a variety of serving dishes and serving cutlery that is perfect for one time use (or wash and use again).  I also love the serving dishes when I go to family or a friend's house and need to bring something.  Then, I can leave the dish behind without needing it retur ned or worry about it breaking.  Also, don't forget the decorations.  Your fa...