The title of this article is blunt on purpose. We all make excuses, and many people will keep doing so until they recognize that those explanations are simply excuses. Think back to the last time you said, “That won’t work for me because…” and inserted a reason. As a personal finance professional, I hear countless … Read more

Hello! Today I’m sharing a helpful blog post from my friend Jeff about how he used his tax refund. Jeff started his career at a private wealth management firm and now runs DollarSprout.com. If you’re looking for practical tips on making and saving extra money, that’s a great place to check out his latest content! … Read more

This article is sponsored by Midland States Bank. The information provided is for educational purposes only. Please verify current rates, fees, and terms directly with each institution. Community banks are increasingly popular among Illinois residents seeking personalized attention and local expertise for managing their financial lives. Comparing options carefully will help you find the best … Read more

Shortly after we began RVing, we fell in love with the lifestyle and decided we eventually wanted to switch to full-time RVing. We delayed the change until 2016 because of a few unresolved issues. Even though we only returned home for a total of three weeks during a seven-month stretch, we couldn’t claim to be … Read more

Looking to learn how to become a sleep consultant? Here’s a clear guide to finding pediatric sleep consultant jobs and building a work-from-home practice. Sleep is essential for a child’s growth, development, and overall wellbeing — and for parents’ health and sanity too. Yet many families struggle to establish healthy sleep routines for infants and … Read more

One of our current financial priorities is saving for a down payment on our next house. That goal has prompted a closer look at exactly how much we should save. With our first home purchase we didn’t put 20% down and ended up paying private mortgage insurance (PMI)—a lesson we won’t repeat. For our next … Read more

Happy Monday everyone! It’s already March and I still can’t believe how quickly this year is passing. Life continues to feel better each day, and I’m excited to share a lengthy update covering income, goals, and progress—thanks for sticking with this whale of a post. In February I earned $5,983 in extra income after expenses. … Read more

Welcome to the September business income report, where I share how much I earned online last month. Here’s the monthly update and a breakdown of how the business performed. If you’re new to Making Sense of Cents, you may wonder why I publish monthly income reports. If you’re familiar, feel free to skip ahead. This … Read more

Welcome to the August income report, where I share how I made money online last month. Here’s an update on my progress and a breakdown of earnings. If you’re new, you might wonder why I publish these monthly income reports. If you’ve seen them before, feel free to skip ahead. This began as an extra … Read more