Celebrating Our Anniversary on a $60 Budget
Seven years married, two toddlers, one tight budget. Here's how Dan and I spent our anniversary for $60 and why I'd do it again.
Continue readingBuilding an Emergency Fund One Paycheck at a Time
How we built an emergency fund on a Bay Area budget with small automatic transfers every payday, plus our real month-by-month progress.
Continue readingOur Real Monthly Budget as a Family of Four in the Bay Area
Rent, childcare, groceries, the car and what's left over. Our actual monthly numbers as a family of four renting in Oakland, plus what we cut.
Continue readingKeeping a Duplex Cool in a Heat Wave Without Blasting the AC
Dan's an HVAC tech, so I asked him how renters can keep a small place cool in a heat wave. His answers were cheaper than I expected.
Continue readingHow I Carve Out 30 Minutes a Day for Myself
Not a spa day, just half an hour. Here's where I actually find 30 minutes for myself with 27-month-old twins and a part-time job.
Continue readingA Slow Saturday: Farmers Market, the Lake and Two Naps
No plans, no errands, just strawberries, geese at Lake Merritt, a double stroller and two naps. A gentle Saturday in Oakland with the twins.
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