Jen, Author at The Happy Homeowner

DIY Tile Repair

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Jen

When I bought my condo in 2010, I scored a great deal because it was a foreclosure. And while I sold it for a hefty, six-figure profit three years later, I did put in a great deal of sweat equity … Continue reading →

10 Steps Towards Financial Security

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Jen

Given our current economic climate that’s riddled with uncertainty and anxiety, it’s necessary to take stock of where you lie on the financial security spectrum.Whether you have debt or not, you should have an awareness of what constitutes financial security, and you should know how your specific situation impacts your ability to attain this type of freedom.

By following the 10 steps towards financial security below, you’ll have a great shot at getting ahead in the financial game as well as making sure you’re setting yourself (and your family) up for future financial success.

Here’s a brief overview of what I consider a great start for covering your financial bases:

Track your spending!

Do you know how much of your money comes in and where/how it goes out? If not, develop a tracking system right. this. very. minute. It can be detailed like an Excel spreadsheet broken down by category, automatic like a Mint.com account, or elementary like a crayon on a napkin. Basically, it doesn’t matter how you track as long as you’re doing it!

Create a budget

Ahh yes, the dreaded budget. All joking aside, this is one handy little nugget in anyone’s quest for financial security. Keeping a budget helps you make plans and goals and stick to those plans/goals. A budget puts you in control of your money and, really, who doesn’t like the idea of that?

For a quick reminder of the power of a good budget, check out the video below:

Build an Emergency Fund

And keep it funded! 3-6 months of living expenses should be your bare minimum goal. Once you meet that, continue funding for at least 12 months of living expenses.

Pay off ALL consumer debt

Credit card balances, HELOCs, and personal loans are not for the financially secure, no matter how you slice it. If you want something, save for it. If you fell on hard times or have previously made poor spending decisions (as I once did), NOW is the time to remedy the situation.

Max out your 401K

Or at least contribute! She/he who pays herself/himself first now is the one who enjoys a financially stress-free retirement.

Open a Roth IRA

If you can take advantage of this type of retirement account, please do so. As in, please do so yesterday. Hopefully that statement helps to highlight the importance of having a Roth IRA.

Build in some “fun” money

Budgeting isn’t all about savings, debt payoff, and retirement–it’s also about having fun! Build in a small reserve to treat yourself–whether for vacations, shopping, dining, whatever is most important to you. Building in this cushion will help you stave off burnout and feel more satisfied with your progress.

Set goals

As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Set goals that work for you. They can be annual, monthly, hell, even daily! Set them and remind yourself of what they are.

Work your tail off to meet set goals

So you’ve set your goals, now what? Reach them; blow them out of the water! The satisfaction and motivation yielded from meeting your goals is a catalyst for future success–ride that wave!

Consider other steps

Obviously this list is not inclusive and will not fit everyone’s situations. Perhaps you want to open a 529, invest more, quit your job, pick up another job, or purchase investment properties. Perhaps you need to dial down your lifestyle. Or perhaps you need to fix some emotional wounds prior to being on-board with your finances. Whatever your own personal steps happen to be, define them and get to work. If you need a bit of help, there are plenty of financial resources you can seek out to help you gain momentum with your efforts.

Even if you can’t do all of this now, do what you can. You’ll be amazed at what immense progress you can make with just a little bit of effort!

What kinds of steps are you currently taking to ensure your own financial security?

How to Go to Grad School for Free Part One: Work for Your School

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Jen

HowToGoToGradSchoolForFree It’s been nearly two years since I posted about how I paid less than $500 for my Masters from Harvard.

When I published that post, I had merely hoped to inspire readers to figure out a creative way to cut their own education expenses. Little did I know that the post would go on to be picked up by CNN Money and become my most popular post ever–over 21,000 views and counting!

After realizing that perhaps I was on to something and coupling this awareness with recent research about how people are drowning in student loans, I’ve decided to write more about the specific ways anyone can reduce the amount they pay for their graduate studies.

Today’s post is the first in my new series, How to Go to Grad School for Free. Stay tuned for more posts that will give you the tools and knowledge you need to make your own graduate education a FREE one!

How to Go to Grad School for Free

Whether it’s singling out one of the following tactics or combining a few ideas together, it is possible for you to go to grad school for free.

The key is to remain flexible and creative–these tuition hacks seem simple on the surface, but they require a decent amount of research, determination,and follow-through to ensure they continue to work best for your needs. Much like a budget isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it entity, you’ll need to work hard to make sure these ideas pay your way through school.

If you’re prepared to do the work, you can be handsomely rewarded in the form of a $0.00 tuition bill. Better yet, there are ways to get the school to pay YOU to attend! Stay tuned for a follow-up post for how to get your grad school to pay you to attend.

Part One: Work for Your School

Hands down, this is the single best way to reduce your tuition costs. Whether it’s a part-time or full-time job, you can score huge reductions in tuition bills if you just.get.into.the.system.

Get into the System

When I applied at Harvard, I didn’t know a single person working there. I simply submitted my resume into the online system for a handful of jobs I knew I was qualified for, and I followed-up with each and every lead that came my way. Luckily, I scored an interview for one of the positions and the rest is history…

If you’re lucky enough to know someone who works at the school you’d like to attend, ask them to search a few of the internal postings for jobs you’re interested in. At the same time, you should be trolling all online postings for the school like it’s, well, like it’s your job!

Be relentless in your pursuit to obtain a job at your dream school. Don’t overlook opportunities to apply for administrative roles and other entry-level positions! Remember that a school is still a business so there’s a need for employees in virtually all fields. Keep searching until something opens up that corresponds with your direct or applicable skills and experience.

Be a Patient Team Player

Of course, if you’re going to work full-time, you’ll have to accept the fact that it will take you longer to complete your degree. But if you’re patient, the rewards are incredible.

Negotiate time away with your new boss (most people in the academic setting are understanding of one’s desire to further their education) but be mindful of your team and department’s needs before choosing which classes you’ll enroll in for the semester.

Make sure that any courses you choose are approved by your supervisors and that everyone who needs to be is looped into any potential changes to your schedule. While these changes aren’t something that you should necessarily be highlighting in your interview, you should be upfront and honest with your boss as soon as possible.

Believe in the Benefits

Lest you think these tuition assistance programs have fallen by the wayside during these post-recession years, you might be surprised that schools, including Harvard, still offer incredible tuition benefits to their employees.

For instance, you were to ever be accepted at Harvard Business School, as a university employee, you would pay only 10% of the cost. That $180,000 price tab that most single students face? An employee would be looking at a mere $18K–for the same degree.

And while $18K is still nothing to sneeze at, if you combine this step with the future steps to be revealed later in the series, you’re on your way to that coveted $0.00 tuition bill.

Even if your school limits the amount of credits you can take depending on your employment classification, don’t forget that you can take classes year-round towards fulfilling your degree requirements. While you might be classified as a “non-traditional” student and take a bit longer than your peers, you’ll still gain the education and networking opportunities.

Some may argue that you’ll receive even more networking opportunities by being exposed to multiple groups of fellow classmates.

Stay Tuned for Part Two: Assistantships and Fellowships are Your Meal Ticket

How to Buy Superfoods on a Budget

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Jen

When it comes to food, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bona fide junk food junkie.

On any given day, it’s not uncommon to see me eating Goldfish crackers as part of my lunch and Nutella for dinner (by the spoonful of course). Cheese, crackers, chocolate…sour patch kids; it’s all part of my “diet.”

Luckily (ironically?), I also naturally gravitate towards fruits and veggies. A typical lunch, in addition to those beloved fishies, could include a spread of veggies and hummus, a salad, and/or salmon or other seafood. At least something is working for me in the nutrition department!

As part of my quest to live a more healthy, balanced life, I’m starting to –slowly– overhaul my eating habits so that I’m fueling my training better, enjoying better sleep, and generally feeling more energized throughout the day.

Research about Superfoods

For an education nerd like me, whenever I make significant life changes, I like to read and research as much as I can about my various options. Lately, my nutrition research has been filled with articles and online clips touting the benefits of superfoods.

Ever the curious distance runner, I wanted to learn more about these nutritional powerhouses, but I also wanted to figure out how I could fit them in the budget because most of the time when I find these types of articles, they always lead to an outrageous grocery tab (after which I promptly stop buying the “amazing” things because they’re such a drain to my bank account!).

Definition of Superfood

The commonly accepted definition of ‘superfood’ is one that is nutrition-heavy; a food that has a particularly large number of benefits for your overall health and well-being.

From blueberries and sweet potatoes to lentils and kale, there are plenty of options to ensure you’re getting your vitamin’s worth.

But what about getting your money’s worth? How is it possible to buy superfoods without busting the budget?

How I Buy Superfoods on a Budget

With amount of running and other physical activity I do, I could easily have the grocery bill of a small village if I’m not careful. I might eat slowly, but I just.keep.eating. When it’s in front of me, it will be eaten. Thankfully, all those miles create a bit of an inferno in my stomach and it’s generally burned off….haha!

Some of these tips extend way beyond purchasing superfoods–no matter what you’re shopping for, they are easy ways to keep your wallet in check the next time you’re in the grocery store:

Create a List…and Stick to it

I once took a trip to Trader Joe’s…while hungry….with headphones in my ears…without a list. I bet you can guess how that ended! When the cashier said the total, I honestly thought I’d mistakenly gone to Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods instead.

From that day forward, I have never stepped foot in a grocery store without a shopping list. It may sound silly, but even if I’m only stopping in for something quick like milk, I still enter that as a list in an app on my phone. The rule is that if it’s not on the list, it doesn’t go in the cart. Or my belly (I sometimes eat while shopping then take the empty containers to the cashier to pay for them…hehe).

Adding this simple step to my shopping trips has been the difference between staying within budget and literally eating myself out of house and home.

Buy In-Season and Generic

Another no-brainer, but buying produce that’s in-season will save you a boatload. Even better if it’s from local farms and producers!

Buying generic is also another change I’ve made as there’s really no difference between some of the supplements and pre-packaged superfood goodies. Obviously, make sure to check the labels to ensure that the ingredients are in fact the same as there can be serious disparities in quality. But overall, you’re usually good to go by purchasing the value brands.

Avoid the Fads

Have you ever noticed that when a particular food is labeled as a ‘superfood’ or the next ‘miracle’ food that its price rises with the hype? If you haven’t, start taking note of the various prices while you’re shopping so you’ll know a baseline amount for your favorite foods.

I tend to stick to what I know and what I like, but I will admit that I sometimes do try what I’ve read about. The difference is that I’ll try it months after reading about it–after the hype has typically worn off and prices have bottomed back to where they’re supposed to be.

Go for Nutritional Gold

While a lot of what goes into my cart includes standard-yet-good-for-you foods like bananas, kale, sweet potatoes, black beans, and oats, I also make sure to spend my money on foods that are incredible sources of nutrition–ones that can often stand on their own when it comes to breaking down their benefits.

The list of superfoods that I’m willing to spend my hard-earned money on includes wheatgrass, seaweed, royal jelly, Chlorella (another algae in powder form that I mix into smoothies), and chia seeds.

As for what I won’t bother with, those are Spirulina (another type of algae powder) because it costs upwards of $40 (!!!) per pound and I can get the same benefits from eating romaine lettuce, pomegranate juice (packed with sugar and calories and is insanely expensive!), and acai berries because by the time they make it here to the States, they’ve been super processed and overpriced.

The Happy Homeowner

Living a Healthy, Balanced Life One Cent at a Time…

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