image: Kelly Sikkema
Welcome to my personal finance blog — created for people who feel overwhelmed by money. Here you’ll find simple money-saving tips, to help you budget, save, and breathe easier.
Blog posts
- How to Fix Your Budget After a Bad Month (Simple Steps to Reset Without Shame)Last month, my budget didn’t just “slip.”It collapsed. Bills piled up, spending spiraled, and every time I thought about opening my banking app, my chest tightened. I told myself… Read more: How to Fix Your Budget After a Bad Month (Simple Steps to Reset Without Shame)
- What to Do on Payday When Money Is Tight (The First 7 Steps)When your paycheck hits, it should feel like a small sigh of relief — but if you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, payday often brings a different kind of anxiety. You open… Read more: What to Do on Payday When Money Is Tight (The First 7 Steps)
- 🌧️ When Money Keeps You Up at Night: How to Calm Your Mind (Even If Nothing Is “Fixed” Yet)If you’ve ever stared at the ceiling at 2 a.m. while replaying every bill, every mistake, every “I should’ve done better”… you’re not alone.Money anxiety hits hardest at night,… Read more: 🌧️ When Money Keeps You Up at Night: How to Calm Your Mind (Even If Nothing Is “Fixed” Yet)
- Money Anxiety: Why Your Brain Panics Over Small Expenses (and How to Calm It Down)There’s a special kind of stress that comes from opening your banking app and realizing a small €13 subscription you forgot about just got pulled from your account —… Read more: Money Anxiety: Why Your Brain Panics Over Small Expenses (and How to Calm It Down)
- How to Budget When Your Income Is Irregular (And Stop Feeling Stressed Every Month)Let’s be honest: budgeting when your income isn’t consistent feels like trying to nail jelly to the wall. One month, you feel on top of the world; the next,… Read more: How to Budget When Your Income Is Irregular (And Stop Feeling Stressed Every Month)
- How to Start Budgeting When You Feel Overwhelmed (Simple Steps for Exhausted People)If you’re struggling to pay bills, avoiding your banking app, or constantly thinking “I can’t deal with my money right now,” then this post is for you. Because here’s… Read more: How to Start Budgeting When You Feel Overwhelmed (Simple Steps for Exhausted People)
- 3 Quick Budget Fixes You Can Do Today (Even If You’re Burned Out)Do you ever feel like your money is running you instead of the other way around? Like you’re so burned out, even opening your bank app feels impossible? You’re… Read more: 3 Quick Budget Fixes You Can Do Today (Even If You’re Burned Out)
- 50 Low-Income Money-Saving Tips That Actually Make a DifferenceIf you’re living paycheck to paycheck, constantly stressed about bills, or feel like you’re drowning financially no matter how hard you try — please know this: You’re not failing.… Read more: 50 Low-Income Money-Saving Tips That Actually Make a Difference
- How to Stop Avoiding Your Finances (Gentle Steps for When You’re Scared to Look)Let me guess:Your chest tightens when you think about checking your bank account.You tell yourself, “I’ll look tomorrow,” but tomorrow keeps moving.And meanwhile, the fear grows. If this is… Read more: How to Stop Avoiding Your Finances (Gentle Steps for When You’re Scared to Look)
- How to Fix Your Budget After a Bad Month (Simple Steps to Reset Without Shame)We don’t talk about it enough: sometimes you have a month where everything goes wrong.A surprise bill. Too many takeout meals. A moment of emotional spending that felt good… Read more: How to Fix Your Budget After a Bad Month (Simple Steps to Reset Without Shame)
- How to Save $500 a Month (Even When Money Feels Tight)If you’re reading this, you might feel like you’ll never get ahead financially. Maybe you’re burned out from juggling bills, you’ve got nothing leftover at the end of the… Read more: How to Save $500 a Month (Even When Money Feels Tight)
- Financial Reset — How to Take Control of Your Money in 7 Days (Without Overwhelm)💬 Introduction If your finances feel messy or out of control, a financial reset might be exactly what you need.You don’t have to rebuild your entire life overnight —… Read more: Financial Reset — How to Take Control of Your Money in 7 Days (Without Overwhelm)
- Money Anxiety at Night — 5 Ways to Calm Your Mind Before Bed💬 Introduction If you’ve ever stared at the ceiling worrying about bills or your bank balance, you’ve felt money anxiety at night.It’s that quiet panic that shows up just… Read more: Money Anxiety at Night — 5 Ways to Calm Your Mind Before Bed
- Why You Can’t Stick to a Budget — and How to Finally Make It Work (Even If You’ve Failed Before)💬 Introduction You’ve tried budgeting before.Maybe more than once.You download the apps, make the spreadsheet, and promise yourself this time will be different. But a few weeks later, life… Read more: Why You Can’t Stick to a Budget — and How to Finally Make It Work (Even If You’ve Failed Before)
- Side Hustle vs. Budget Cuts: Which Works Better When You’re Stuck?When you’re broke, stressed, and staring at numbers that don’t add up — the advice always seems to split in two:“Make more money.”or“Cut back harder.” That’s the classic side… Read more: Side Hustle vs. Budget Cuts: Which Works Better When You’re Stuck?
- How to Finally Feel Calm About Money (Even If You’re Broke and Burned Out)If you’ve ever felt your heart race just looking at your bank balance, you’re not alone.For years, I used to wake up at 3 a.m. doing mental math —… Read more: How to Finally Feel Calm About Money (Even If You’re Broke and Burned Out)
- How to Stop Overspending (Even When You Feel Out of Control)You’re Not “Bad with Money” — You’re Just Human If you’ve ever stood in a checkout line thinking, “I really shouldn’t buy this,” but bought it anyway…You’re not alone.… Read more: How to Stop Overspending (Even When You Feel Out of Control)
- How to Budget When You’re Emotionally Drained (Simple Steps That Actually Work)Because sometimes it’s not the math — it’s the exhaustion. I remember the night I gave up on my budget. I was sitting at my kitchen table, staring at… Read more: How to Budget When You’re Emotionally Drained (Simple Steps That Actually Work)
- How to Recover From Financial Burnout and Rebuild Your Money ConfidenceMoney stress doesn’t just live in your bank account — it lives in your body.The headaches. The tight chest. The sleepless nights wondering if you’ll make it to payday.… Read more: How to Recover From Financial Burnout and Rebuild Your Money Confidence
- How to Budget When Every Dollar Already Has a JobIf you’ve ever opened your bank app, sighed, and thought, “There’s nothing left to budget — it’s all already gone,” you’re not alone.When money is tight, the idea of… Read more: How to Budget When Every Dollar Already Has a Job
- I Was Always Broke Until I Did This One Thing with My Budget (No, It’s Not Cutting Coffee)If you’re constantly stressed about money — always wondering where it went, why it’s never enough, and how you’ll make it to next payday — I see you. I… Read more: I Was Always Broke Until I Did This One Thing with My Budget (No, It’s Not Cutting Coffee)
- 🌱 You’re in the Planting Season — Not the Harvest (Why Your Finances Feel Slow, and Why That’s Okay)This Is for You — The One Quietly Trying to Fix Your Finances If you’ve been trying to save, budget, or dig yourself out of money stress — and… Read more: 🌱 You’re in the Planting Season — Not the Harvest (Why Your Finances Feel Slow, and Why That’s Okay)
- How to Break the Impulse Spending Habit (Without Feeling Deprived)Because your money deserves peace — and so do you. Have you ever walked into a store for “just one thing”… and walked out with a bag full of… Read more: How to Break the Impulse Spending Habit (Without Feeling Deprived)
- The Real Cost of Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How I Escaped It)There was a time when I’d open my banking app and feel that sharp punch in the gut.💸 $16.92 until payday.I wasn’t broke because I was reckless — I… Read more: The Real Cost of Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How I Escaped It)
- The 50/30/20 Budget Rule: Does It Work When You’re Broke?The 50/30/20 Budget Rule: Does It Work When You’re Broke? If you’ve ever Googled “how to budget,” chances are you’ve come across the 50/30/20 rule. It sounds simple, maybe… Read more: The 50/30/20 Budget Rule: Does It Work When You’re Broke?
- Why You Are Not Bad with Money — You Are Just Burned OutIntroduction Feeling overwhelmed by your finances doesn’t mean you’re bad with money. In fact, many people struggling with budgeting, saving, or earning more are not failing—they’re simply burned out.… Read more: Why You Are Not Bad with Money — You Are Just Burned Out
- How to Save $1,000 in 90 Days — Even on a Low Income (My Real Challenge)Let’s be honest — when I first thought about trying to save $1,000 in just 90 days, I immediately thought: “This probably won’t work.” Not because I’m lazy. Not… Read more: How to Save $1,000 in 90 Days — Even on a Low Income (My Real Challenge)
- Financial Self-Care: 7 Habits That Reduce Stress Around MoneyFeeling constantly anxious about your finances? You’re not alone — and you’re not doing anything wrong. Money stress is something almost everyone experiences at some point, especially when you’re… Read more: Financial Self-Care: 7 Habits That Reduce Stress Around Money
- How to Budget When You’re Broke: A Simple Guide to Taking Control of Your MoneyFeeling broke and overwhelmed by money? Learn how to create a budget even when you have little to no income. This step-by-step guide will help you stop living paycheck… Read more: How to Budget When You’re Broke: A Simple Guide to Taking Control of Your Money