The intentional (and unintentional) reasons for my shift to spending — I started this blog by sharing advice on how to be frugal, save money, do things affordably, and still enjoy life to the fullest. I still pride myself in having these qualities. …

Question Authority. — I remember when I was maybe ten years old and we were packing up for a family vacation. My parents told me to put my packed suitcase in the playroom. I remember thinking that was strange, as we’d never piled them up there before. But I didn’t question it. We…

After a 5 month Medium hiatus. — It’s been a bit. This break from writing on Medium wasn’t intentional. Writing for fun simply became less of a priority over other things in my life. And that’s okay. Life happens. Priorities naturally ebb and flow as the days go by. …

As humans we get stuck in the patterns we unconsciously create and it takes dedicated, conscious work, to change those patterns — Life is nothing but a series of habits. Life is Nothing But a Series of Habits It’s all about making them work for youtipsbytrudy.medium.com As humans we get stuck in the patterns we unconsciously create and it takes dedicated, conscious work, to change those patterns.

There’s a lot I wish I knew, but I would absolutely never go back — I bought a house three years ago, this month. I was 22 years old and I was thrilled. I’m still thrilled, but I’ve learned a lot since then. Let’s not sugar coat it- being a homeowner is a lot of work. I get why people rent for so long. There’s…

How I learned to enjoy socializing with friends without eating past fullness — So, you’ve mastered the art of not overeating at home. If you haven’t, I share my tips on that here. 3 Ways I Stopped Overeating These 3 things helped me shed 15 pounds, feel healthier, and feel more balancedmedium.com But, every time you get food outside of the house, you find yourself leaving the restaurant stuffed. Many restaurants, at least in the United States, offer large portions which are…

A little effort each day makes a world of difference in your sanity and productivity — Have you seen the people who crochet temperature blankets? They correspond different temperatures to a color and then use the average temperature of their city each day to know which color to crochet next. By the end of the year, they have a colorful blanket which corresponds to the weather…

Stop overlooking organization as a way to improve your financial health — I’ve always been a frugal person (thanks mom and dad), but as I entered adulthood the reality of just how quickly money can leave your bank account hit my like a shockwave. At 25, I’m still a full-time student working on my PhD, but I’m also a homeowner, a landlord…

These 3 things helped me shed 15 pounds, feel healthier, and feel more balanced — Overeating is a common prohibiter to weight loss. You can exercise all you want, but if you are eating too many calories, you won’t see the progress you want to see. The problem is, overeating is so easy for so many people. Food is delicious, its enjoyable, its sociable, and…