Blogging Away Debt Blogging Away Debt follows real people on their journey to debt freedom — with tips on the debt snowball, budgeting, cutting expenses, and staying motivated.

by Hope

So if you will remember, due to my job lay off and being on the edge financially I committed to No Spend November. I have to admit, it has been a very pleasant month.  I did ALOT of cooking and really enjoyed every morning getting up and searching through my cookbooks to find new recipes to try out.  In fact today, I have a hearty vegetable soup going in the crockpot which will be perfect for this cold winter night!

But on the spending side…

We did GREAT with no spend November.  But I did cheat…exactly twice.  Once during the weekend of Little Gymnast meet.  At the end of the meet, we were both starving and while I did have dinner at home in the crockpot, I knew I couldn’t make the 3 hour drive without something so when we stopped to get gas, we each got a little snack…$13.59.  And then last night, the last night of the month, I just couldn’t resist a celebratory meal out for the kids and I to the tune of $42.  I immediately regretted this second one especially in light of how tight this next month will be, but boy it was good!

Otherwise, I stayed right on track with absolutely NO SPENDING!  Go me, go me!

Now, on the income side…

As I previously wrote, I have gotten a decent part time job which will start in January, but thus far have found no other work. However, I have been very blessed this week by two friends.  One had surgery and the little ones and I volunteered to go help her out for a few days while she was home recovering; she has a 10 month old and 2 year old at home.  It truly was a friend helping a friend.  Then I went to clean out my purse this weekend and there was an envelope in my purse with a check from them.  I called immediately and she said she knew I wouldn’t have taken it but they wanted to help me out.  I couldn’t help but cry.

And then another friend whose son is in three of my classes, unexpectedly paid me most of next semester’s tuition a month early.  What a blessing that was!

The kids and I had a great low key Thanksgiving.  We actually cooked a full meal including a turkey our neighbor gave us!  And better yet, we set up our 6 ft plastic table in the middle of the living room and ate together as a family…the first time we’ve sat together at a table in our tiny living space…and one of the things I miss the most.

So in a nutshell, my No Spend November went great!  And I am looking forward to Do Good December!

Hope

Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.

But life has a way of rewriting your plans.

A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.

Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.

Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.

She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.