January 2021-A Time To Reflect and Reset

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Holly

The start of a new year is always a good time to reflect and reset things. We’ve just wrapped up one hot mess of a year. Unfortunately the first week, at least in the US, has also been a bit of a dumpster fire. Always the optimist, I’m hopeful it settles down soon though. And let’s go ahead and get this disclaimer out of the way…no political comments on my blog or they will be deleted…don’t care what side of the fence you’re on. This blog is about positivity and progress.

So…now that we got that little bit of housekeeping out of the way. What am I reflecting on and resetting for January? Continue reading →

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2021…a Brand New Year…Thank Goodness!

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Holly

2021 New Year's

I have never been so excited about a brand new year. That’s an impressive statement from me because New Year’s Eve/Day is my favorite time of year. 2020 was rough for so many reasons, including some health issues, lost loved ones, and financial struggles. 

I’m optimistic that 2021 is going to be a better year. Some big things on the personal front for us is that Michael is moving to Indiana for a new job opportunity and Nick is set to graduate from WKU in May. Work will hopefully slow down a bit if I can make it through my crazy busy January and I will be able to devote some serious time to my goals. So here’s what I plan to accomplish in 2021… Continue reading →

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2020 Is Almost Over

Posted on December 30, 2020 by Holly

 

beach scene 2020

Almost a year ago I posted that 2020 was almost here. I was excited then. I’m going to make a wild assumption that none of us were prepared for the hot mess that 2020 became. 

The Bad

2020 was rough on us. It disrupted my work schedule for awhile and I’m still not caught back up. Nick was laid off from his job. Michael’s college graduation ceremony was postponed and then cancelled. We still can’t eat inside some of our favorite restaurants. You have to wear a mask inside every store and we’re restricted on visiting friends and family like we used to.

Here’s the good news.

The financial impact to our immediate family was minimal. None of my close friends or family have gotten sick with this horrible virus either. I’m extremely grateful for both of these things and they definitely put the other minor inconveniences into perspective. My heart aches for everyone who has lost someone to this illness or lost their jobs/businesses as a result of shut-downs.

I think we’re all ready for 2020 to end and praying that 2021 is a little kinder/gentler on us. So in the midst of all this chaos, how do you think I fared with my 2020 Resolutions? Yep, my resolutions went as well as the rest of 2020. Let’s do a quick breakdown, shall we? Continue reading →

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Am I A Minimalist?

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Holly

Minimalist room

So, like most people, I’ve spent a lot more time at home in the last 8 months than I usually do. I bet I’m not the only one that’s looked around my house and thought, I’m really tired of all this dark furniture and I could really use a new comforter and why on earth did I ever get rid of my beloved Papasan chair from my teenage years?? And wouldn’t it be really nice if I could just win even a smaller Powerball prize so that I could get rid of the horrible 1970’s goldenrod yellow terrible bathroom tile? Continue reading →

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My Winter Bucket List

Posted on November 1, 2020 by Holly

Photo by fotografierende from Pexels

2020 is surely going to go down as one of the craziest years ever for the majority of people.  It’s hard to believe it’s already November 1st, which means that we’re less than 8 weeks away from Christmas and less than 9 weeks away from 2021. This has been both the shortest and longest year for me somehow. It just seems very confusing because so many milestone events have been cancelled (college graduations, 4th of July, Derby, fall festivals, pools) that it doesn’t seem like it should be the end of the year already. Continue reading →

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Not In A Rut But Definitely Stuck

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Holly

Photo by Polina Kovaleva from Pexels

Do you ever feel like you’re stuck? Feel like you’re not making any progress at all? That’s how I’ve been feeling lately. I thought maybe I was just in a rut but that’s not it. It’s not that I’m stuck in a boring routine that I can’t escape from or don’t know what I want to do next. It’s worse then that. 

Earlier this year I suddenly became an empty-nester. Well, that’s not true, it was a 20+ year process of my kids growing up. So….not that sudden. Regardless, it was a bit jarring to me. I’m that parent that tried really hard to talk my kids into staying home a bit longer. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. Continue reading →

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Celebrating Christmas When Funds Are Tight

Posted on October 10, 2020 by Holly

Photo by Pew Nguyen from Pexels

2020 has been the craziest year ever, has it not? It seems like we’ve been dealing with restrictions forever and yet the year is still flying by for me. We are just shy of 11 weeks away from Christmas. Are you ready? More specifically, is your budget ready?

I tend to over spend every year for Christmas. If I had to guess, I’m not the only one. This year might be even tougher for many, especially if Covid restrictions have affected your income. Our family was fortunate because our income didn’t really take a hit but we did have some extra healthcare costs and we’re about to start paying on Michael’s student loans. I’m looking to make Christmas as frugal as possible this year for those reasons. Here are 5 steps to take to help keep your budget in tact for the holiday season. Continue reading →

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Philo vs Sling Streaming Services

Posted on October 3, 2020 by Holly

TV remote

Photo by Ian Panelo from Pexels

You guys know that I’m all about frugal living. I’m constantly looking for ways to cut my expenses. One expense that I realized was really getting out of hand a few years ago was our cable/internet bill. If you know me at all though, you also know I really like watching television. I may or may not have an HGTV and Hallmark channel addiction.

Just shy of 4 years ago I decided to bite the bullet and cut the cable cord in our house. We were paying $182 a month for our internet, a very basic cable package, and Netflix. That’s craziness. See me earlier post if you’re interested in “cutting the cord” like we did.

Today I want to compare my experiences with two lesser known streaming services: Sling and Philo. Continue reading →

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Separate or Joint Finances?

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Holly

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

I started this blog years ago as mostly an accountability journal for myself.  Writing has been a therapeutic outlet for me for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved reading blogs so I thought I’d try my hand at creating my own. HollyGainsSomeSense is primarily geared at helping people working with a small budget, especially single parents. I also throw in some semi-tiny home living tips, and advice on discovering your second half life/dreams when your kids grow up and move on.

Separate or Combined Finances?

Today’s post will be a bit different as I pose a question to my readers. How do you manage the finances in your household? I know this blog is geared primarily at single-income families but I know some of my readers are married or have significant others. Does one person handle the finances in your home or is it a joint effort? One bank account for those of you that are a couple or do you have separate accounts? Continue reading →

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2020 and the Second Half

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Holly

Covid mask

So we’re way into the second half of 2020. Let’s be serious, did ANYONE forecast what a crazy, crazy year this would be? The Covid-19 pandemic, killer hornets, Australia burned, protests all over the country….I’ll stop here because that’s enough craziness to prove my point.

Covid-19 Update 

I think it’s safe to say that COVID-19 alone has changed life as we know it for nearly everyone. Even if you or your family and friends have been fortunate enough to avoid contracting the illness, there have been disruptions to our normal life routines. Masks are required in public places for the majority of us. Major events have been cancelled or postponed for the first time. Homeschooling or distance learning has become a common occurrence for many from kindergarten to the college level. Many people are now working from home for the first time, as well.
Continue reading →

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