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

It’s certainly been a while since I posted a picture of the twins together. And as we prepare for Sea Cadet’s imminent departure at the end of July, I am cherishing every moment I have with them!

But what is even better is watching them grow in maturity in their relationships with others and with their money! And one lesson that has definitely stuck is that choose your priorities when it comes to spending your liquid cash. (They both live on a weekly cash budget for gas and spending money.)

And one thing that neither of them likes to spend money on is haircuts…especially when I will cut their hair for free. And no, I do not have formal training as a barber. Thank goodness, neither of them is picky.

And if you ever wondered if they were really identical twins, the pictures above with their fresh haircuts should prove it.

While we started out with a pretty complicated budget, it was just too much. So now we have settled onto a set amount of cash for their pockets every week out of the money they earn. This money is their spending money and gas money. They must stay within that amount.

All other monies are put into a shared Savings account. They pay their car insurance and cell phone bills out of that money. And we discuss any other purchases where they want to dip into this savings account.

This has really worked for them. And they both enjoy watching their savings account grow AND having money on hand when they want to spend money outside the norm. While I do not have a veto on their spending, I am able to guide them through the thinking process before it actually happens.

Feeling good about the future for my kids and their money. While it’s not perfect, we definitely seem to be moving in the right direction.

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.