Life happens. Income changes. Your kid grows out of all their clothes at once. PG&E decides it’s time for a glow-up. And suddenly that budget you were so proud of is sitting in a crumpled pile next to your iced coffee and stress tears.

Let’s talk about what to do when your budget isn’t perfect—and why that’s still real progress.

Our Real-Life Reality Check (a.k.a. Construction Paychecks & Chaos)

If you’ve read any of my previous money mindset posts, you’ve seen that my husband was making some wild paychecks recently. I’m talking $4k–$5k per week. The catch? He was working 14 to 16-hour days, seven days a week. It wasn’t sustainable, and definitely not what we want for our family long-term.

Now that job’s wrapped up, and he’s moved to a new site. Fewer hours, five days a week—and way less overtime. We love this version of life more, hands down. But a $1,000–$2,000 drop in weekly income? Yeah… we felt that.

We’d been throwing a minimum of $800/week at our debt, and I was so proud of us for it. No wild spending sprees, no vacations we couldn’t afford—just good, consistent progress. But when those big checks stopped coming, reality hit. And budgeting with fluctuating income is a different beast entirely.

When Things Go Off-Track (But You’re Still Winning)

Right as J switched job sites, we also had a brand new monthly payment hit, truck tags due, and a very enthusiastic summer PG&E bill. 🤪 And I noticed I was getting a little too snack-happy in my grocery hauls (whoops).

But here’s the win: we still paid every bill. We didn’t add to our credit card debt. We even put a few hundred dollars toward one of our cards. No, it wasn’t the massive snowball momentum we had going. But it was forward motion. And that counts.

(Also shoutout to my Money Tracker spreadsheet for helping me see that money was even there to work with—because let’s be real, otherwise it would’ve disappeared into the snack fund.)

Preview of my Money Tracker:

The “Perfect Month” Myth I Had to Break Up With

I used to think I’d get serious about money once things felt easier:

• When overtime kicked in
• When the tax refund landed
• When I had the mental bandwidth

Spoiler alert: that day never came. And while old me would’ve buried my head in the sand and hoped for the best, this version of me grabbed the Money Tracker, mixed up some fizz, and made a plan.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. And that’s what matters.

What Actually Moves the Needle (Spoiler: It’s Not Perfection)

Here’s what’s changed our financial life way more than any flawless budget plan ever could:

⭐ Weekly Money Check-Ins

Even if it’s just writing numbers on a sticky note, this is where the magic happens. You can’t manage what you’re avoiding. (And if you want a shortcut, I’ve literally built a free Money Tracker for you—grab it, plug in your numbers and see where you’re at.)

⭐ Zero-Based Planning

Even if the income fluctuates, knowing where every dollar is going gives you options. And finding even $10 hiding in your budget can make a difference.

⭐ Paying Something

Even $5 matters. Some weeks I’ll tweak our gas or grocery spending just to put something toward debt. It’s not about the size—it’s about the habit. The moment you allow yourself to skip a week, you start allowing it more and more—trust me.. I’ve been there, done that.

⭐ Embracing the Fluctuations

Having irregular income is tough. But because we’ve spent the past couple years building smart habits and a small cushion, these hiccups don’t wreck us anymore. That’s freedom.

⭐ Tracking Without Shame

Listen, not every choice is going to be a gold star. We got a fishing boat this year… yep, with a personal loan. And it added to our debt. But the family memories? Worth it. Because I still look at our numbers every week. I knew what we could afford. That’s what intentional living looks like. Not perfect—intentional.

How to Budget During the Messy Months

• I keep a $1–2k cushion in our account at all times. That’s my version of “zero.”
• I pause savings temporarily to make sure I’m focusing on debt, because the less debt we have the less winter savings we actually need.
• I review our subscriptions and cut what we’re not using.
• I plan fewer trips to town to save on gas.
• And I let go of guilt for using that cushion when it’s needed. That’s what it’s for.

If You’re in the Middle of a Budget Spiral, Read This:

You are not behind.
Messy months still count.
Small payments are still progress.
You’re not failing if you’re aware and trying.
Progress over perfection. Always.
And if you need help? I’ve got you.

💻 Grab the Free Money Tracker

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start making small but mighty moves, download my free Money Tracker. It’s the exact spreadsheet I use every week to stay ahead of our finances—even when things feel messy.

The post Why You Don’t Need a “Perfect Month” to Be Successful With Money appeared first on Milk & Honey.

Today, I want to share how I finally started making real progress, one small habit at a time.

debt.

yuck.

Okay, if you’re new here, welcome to my Finance Journey.

We are getting out of the rat race, finding financial freedom, and slowly learning to steward our money well. We’re investing, we’re saving, we’re eating good food, and—one day soon—we’ll be traveling the world together as a family.

But first, we have to tackle that debt, friend.

Listen—your number? It can’t shock me. Because let me tell you, I became a credit card girly.

I turned 18, got approved for my very first credit card, and felt unstoppable.

Growing up, my mom never had credit cards. She could never get approved, and it always seemed like such a luxury—like something for the rich and famous.

So when I finally got approved, I felt on top of the world.

What did I do after that?

I got 17 more.

Yup, you read that right.

I opened up 17 credit cards.

So again, your number can’t scare me—because as you can probably imagine, my number is high.

But that’s okay.

Because we’re paying all of that off—one payment, one budget, one month at a time.

All the debt that makes you feel yuck.

First things first—you have to know where all your money is going.

It’s time to build a healthier relationship with your money. We’re going to treat it like any other relationship we value and want to grow.

We’re going to spend time with it, thank God for it, respect it, and take care of it.

By understanding it fully, we’ll know what’s leftover (if anything—some of us may need to fine-tune and redirect before we get the ball rolling).

To do this, we need to create a zero-based budget.

I don’t love the word budget, so I call mine my Money Tracker.

You can easily make one on a piece of paper each week—that’s actually how I started—or you can make it on Excel if you’d rather.

If you’d like, you can even use mine. Just drop your email below, and I’ll send it straight to you.

How to Use the Money Tracker

First, we’re going to list out all of our bills—and I mean all of them, even that little $.99 bill to Apple for extra storage.

I went through two months of bank statements and wrote down everything that came out regularly so I wouldn’t miss a thing.

Next, we’re going to add in our income.

All the money coming in for that pay period, even small amounts you might make from selling things, side jobs, or little extra gigs.

Now we’re going to subtract all of the bills from our income.

This includes all your regular, recurring bills—like your phone, internet, utilities.

If your power or gas bill fluctuates, just average it out (I like to round up a little, just to be safe).

We’re not done.

Whatever’s left after the bills are paid is what you’ll use to create your zero-based budget.

Zero-Based Budget

We’re going to take whatever is left, split it up, and give it a job.

Budget how much you’ll need for:

• food
• gas
• pet food
• diapers, wipes, etc.
• kids’ sports fees
• extra add-ons

Extras can be birthdays, holidays, or any unexpected expenses. I always build in a little buffer so if something pops up, we’re not stressed. If you don’t end up using it, you can tuck it away for next time.

Then, whatever is left becomes your debt money.

That’s the money you’ll use to start paying this stuff down.

I like to sit down with my Money Tracker once a week. It keeps me accountable, helps me stay on track, and if I overspend a little, I have time to course-correct.

Now, I do want to say something.

I can’t recommend having some kind of savings enough.

That amount is personal—some people feel good with $1,000, some might need more.

Having it means if an emergency comes up, you don’t have to turn around and rack the debt back up again.

Any “extra” I didn’t end up using, I put toward savings. It’s usually not a lot, but it’s something—and it feels good to see it grow.

If you haven’t read Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, I highly recommend it. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited right now. I don’t personally vibe with every part of it, but it’s an eye-opener, and it will definitely motivate you to take charge of your finances.

He explains debt, zero-based budgeting, and his “baby steps” in detail. You’ll get a feel for how you want your journey to look by reading it.

I got the book from my sister-in-law, passed it to my cousin, and she passed it to a friend—and all our journeys looked a little different.

So I’d encourage you to check it out if you’re ready to say goodbye to debt and start building freedom.

Well, now you have your handy-dandy Money Tracker ready to go.

Once you knock out your first debt, meet me here for the next step: the debt snowball method—so we can start picking up speed and finally be free of this mess.

Debt doesn’t get the final say over your story. Every small choice you make—every budget meeting, every payment, every moment you decide not to give up—is moving you closer to freedom. I’m cheering you on, and I’m so glad we’re in this together.

Ready to take control of your finances? Save this post so you’ve got it when you’re ready to start. 💪🏼

The post Step 1. No Debt appeared first on Milk & Honey.

I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted by the rat race.
Tired of working so hard to keep up with the Joneses—only to realize they’re probably in debt too.

Let’s just say, we didn’t exactly tiptoe into debt. We did a full-on cannonball.

How We Got Here

On paper, my husband has a great-paying job. In reality, over $3,500 of his paycheck disappears every month just to make the minimum payments on our debt. (Not household bills, not food, not gas—debt.) That’s more than $42,000 a year to basically rent our past mistakes. Iconic, right?

And honestly—was any of it worth it?
The car payment? Meh.
The name-brand shoes? Cute, but not that cute.
The random Amazon orders at 11 p.m.? Definitely not.

All those purchases we thought would make life easier? They’ve only made us feel stuck.

What We Want Instead

But here’s the thing—I want more.
More time with my husband instead of trading hours for interest payments.
More memories with our kids while they’re still little.
More freedom to travel, to give, to invest, to just breathe without feeling like the next bill will knock us down again.

I’m craving the simple life.
The one where money feels like a tool to build something beautiful—not something that controls us.

Our Plan For Financial Freedom

So—welcome to my finance journey.

We are paying off debt.
We are growing our savings.
We are investing—big and small.
We are truly learning to enjoy our money.
We are eating good food.
We are traveling the world and making memories as a family.
We are finding freedom.

That’s the plan.

I’ll be sharing every little detail here—step by step, mistake by mistake, victory by victory. Because you can’t fix what you’re afraid to look at, and we’re done pretending it’s not a problem.

If you’re sitting there nodding your head thinking, Same girl. Same.—you’re in good company.

It doesn’t matter what our friends think.
It doesn’t matter what our family thinks.
We’re not following their rules. We’re making our own.

Cheers to freedom. And to not having to decline collect calls all day. ♡

—S

[ Ready to start? Here’s Step 1: No Debt → ]

You can get my personal money tracker that I have spent years putting together—for free. Just go to the post linked above & you’ll find it there!

✨P.S. If you’d like to get little updates on our journey to financial freedom and some of my favorite tools for budgeting and paying off debt, you can join my email list here. No spam—just real life and a little encouragement.

Trying to steward your finances well? Pin this so you can revisit it when you need some peace and a plan.

The post My Finance Journey appeared first on Milk & Honey.

I want to talk about how I budget when income is all over the place—because even though things look good on paper right now, it hasn’t always been this way.

Right now, we’re in one of those seasons where my husband (J) is working like crazy—14 to 16 hour days, 6–7 days a week. For the month of May, he brought in $15,987. Wow W’re rich! lol no, we’re not.

And no, we didn’t buy a boat. We bought groceries. Again.

On paper? It looks like we’re rolling in money.
In reality? We’re planning like we’re broke.

Because this won’t last. It never does. His job is seasonal, and in a couple months, it’s very possible that he won’t work a single day. So if we don’t plan ahead now, we’ll feel it hard later.

And I don’t want to feel it later. I’ve felt it before—and I’d like to never go back.

The Trap of “Just Spend It”

When you’re bringing in more, it’s easy to feel like you can finally breathe. You want to reward yourself. Upgrade things. Grab dinner out. Redecorate.

We USED to spend that money like it wasn’t going anywhere. And that, folks, is how we ended up over $60k in debt at our lowest point. Summer money was spent like winter wasn’t coming—and then winter came in hot (and by hot, I mean freezing cold and full of panic).

I wanted to redecorate, replace every pot and pan we own even though they’re only a few years old, and I had almost convinced myself that I needed the newest Kindle Paperwhite because my current one just looked… tired.
Spoiler: my Kindle is actually fine. My bank account? She needed a nap more than my e-reader.

So this time, I took a breath.
I bought a $15 case for my old Kindle instead.
And I reminded myself:
I don’t need more stuff to dust off.
I don’t need things—I need margin.

One quote I saw recently really hit home:

“Small homes make wallets fatter, material possessions fewer, conversations easier, laughter louder, cleaning time shorter, and fun times longer.”

That’s the life I want. That’s the mindset I’m choosing.

💸 Current Budget at a Glance (aka: Here’s Where the Money Actually Went)

So while it might look like we’re rolling in it, here’s the real math behind our May madness:

• 💵 J’s May Income: $15,987
• 🧾 Bills: $6,300 (yes, somehow breathing now costs $1,500 a week)
• 💳 Debt Payoff: $4,958 (ouch—but progress!)
• 🐿️ Savings Set Aside: $2,634 ($150 is auto-transferred a week + weekly leftovers is there’s any magic left)
• 📅 Budget Check-In: Every Wednesday like clockwork. Coffee in hand, calculator nearby, chaos all around.

Basically: we’re not out here buying jet skis and kitchen remodels. We’re buying peace. Future freedom. And the ability to breathe a little easier when things slow down.

In just the past month, I’ve paid off three credit cards and saved us $200 a month in minimum payments. That’s peace money.

We also have a weekly rhythm: every Wednesday, I sit down and budget out what needs to be paid, what we can save, and what our goals are. That one habit has changed everything for me—it’s given structure to our chaos and helped me stay grounded even when the numbers fluctuate wildly.

How I Budget When Income Is All Over the Place

It’s easy to look at one high-income month and assume everything’s fine. But we’ve lived the slow months—the $800 months—and that’s why I’m so serious about budgeting now.

Here’s how we’re preparing:

• Automatic savings: $150/week goes straight into our high-yield savings account.
• Round-ups & transfers: I use Acorns for automatic roundups—it’s so easy to set up and you don’t even notice it all adding up. We have almost $2,000 in ours and that’s just CHANGE you guys. pennies. You can sign up here -> Acorns Investments
• Winter prep goal: We want $18,000 in savings by fall—that’s about 3 months of expenses. And with every credit card we pay off, that number drops.
• Small sacrifices now = peace later: I’m not buying the flashy new things. I’m learning to love and use what we already have. I’m skipping the dopamine purchases because I’ve got a bigger vision.

I’m not falling for the new, better, flashier things. I’m enjoying our older stuff, finding deals, and reminding myself that Target doesn’t love me back.

The Mindset That Changed Everything

There was a time I didn’t even want to open my bank app. I didn’t know what was going out or what was coming in. I just swiped and prayed.

If I couldn’t see the damage, maybe it wasn’t real. (Guess what—it was real. And it was charging interest.)

This is a dangerous game to play with your budget when income is all over the place, your job is seasonal, and no check is ever the same.

Now, I face it. I plan. I give every dollar a job.
Not because I’m perfect—but because I want peace.

This isn’t about how much you make. It’s about what you do with it.
And honestly?

“A man who makes $50k but spends $10k is more free than the man who makes $150k but spends $140k.”

Freedom doesn’t come from numbers. It comes from margin.
From choices.
From learning how to say “not yet” to the things you want now… so you can say “yes” to the life you want later.

It’s not about how much you make. It’s about what you keep, what you plan, and the peace you fight for along the way.

The post How I Budget When Income Is All Over the Place appeared first on Milk & Honey.

Let me just say this up front: we weren’t always serious about money.

In fact, we were real good at ignoring it. At one point, I think we had a credit card for every store we walked into. There was no “budget.” No plan. Just vibes and minimum payments.

We didn’t put money down on anything. We took on high interest rates because “we’d figure it out later.” Spoiler alert: later came, and it was stressful.

But we’re not there anymore.

Now? We’re rebuilding — on purpose. And I want to take you with me as we do it.

The Wake-Up Call (aka the “oh shoot” moment)

I wish I had one dramatic “this is it” movement where everything clicked. But the truth is–it was a slow burn.

A bunch of little things piled up:

• Feeling sick every time we checked our accounts.
• Wondering how we were still living paycheck to paycheck with a good income.
• Realizing that debt was stealing not just our money — but our peace.

I’d been reading books, learning praying, and storing it all away. And then one day, I stopped waiting to be “ready” and just… started. That was it. The turning point wasn’t perfect — it was intentional.

What Changed

Now every Wednesday (payday!), I sit down with a super simple Excel sheet I made. I plug in J’s paycheck, subtract our bills, and divvy up what’s left. It’s not fancy, but it’s functional.

Here’s what we’ve done differently:

• We stopped applying for credit cards.
• We set up a system to track actual savings not just vibes).
• We committed to throwing $200/week at our debt.
• We got honest about where we’re at.
• And we created a weekly rhythm that finally works.

We still eat good food. I didn’t sell the air fryer. We’re not living off rice and beans (though we do love a good bean burrito night). This isn’t about deprivation–it’s about direction.

Why I’m Sharing This

There’s no shame here — just real life.

If you’re in the middle of your own financial chaos, I want you to know you’re not behind. You’re not a failure. You’re not broken. You’re just ready for a reset.

That’s why I’m sharing something new on the blog — a monthly “Real Numbers” series. I’ll share our actual debt totals, how we’re chipping away at it, and what’s working. You’ll get honest updates, encouragement, and free tools to help you do it too.

Speaking of tools…

Want the Budget Sheet I Use Every Week?

You can grab the same printable I use here at the kitchen table:

Download the Weekly Budget Worksheet (link coming soon!)

It’s clean, simple, and totally doable — even if you’ve never budgeted before. I’ll also have a digital version soon for anyone who wants to use it on their phone or computer!

Final Thought

If you’re overwhelmed, under pressure, or just plain tired of feeling like there’s never enough — I see you. I’m you.

Let’s stop chasing and start changing. You don’t need to overhaul your whole life in a week. Just make the next right step. That’s all I’m doing — one week at a time.

Welcome to the rebuilding era. Let’s do this together. ♡

The post How We Got Serious About Paying Off Debt (Without Selling Everything We Own) appeared first on Milk & Honey.

I craved a life where I could slow down enough to hear God’s voice… where peace replaced pressure, and where my kids could grow up with more of Jesus, not just more stuff. That’s when the real shift began for our family.

Our Turning Point

We found ourselves deep in financial stress – maxed out credit cards, an overwhelming tax bill, and always more month than money. We didn’t have a financial foundation or guidance growing up, and it hit me one day: something isn’t working – I have to learn a better way. That’s when I started studying budgeting, money management, and eventually, debt freedom. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the way.

Around the same time, I started using a wellness brand that highlighted something called the “European Ingredient Policy.” I was curious what that meant… and what I discovered shocked me. The U.S. allows thousands of harmful ingredients in everyday products – things we were using on our kids, on our skin, and in our home. That sent me down a rabbit hole of research, labels, and stress. I finally took a deep breath and told myself that I was capable of slow, intentional changes toward non-toxic living. So we’re not perfect yet, we try to shoot for an 80/20 lifestyle — and sometimes we weigh a little too heavy on the 20. But we are getting better and better, at our own pace.

And then, there was the spiritual side of it all.

I was exhausted from the hustle – not just physically, but spiritually. The constant busyness, pressure, comparison. I didn’t want that life anymore. I didn’t want my worth tied to how much I got done or how much money we made. I didn’t want to raise my kids in a home full of noise, but lacking in peace. I wanted Jesus to be at the center, not an afterthought. I wanted my kids to know Him, not just hear about Him.

What We’re Moving Toward

This isn’t just about finances or clean ingredients or even slowing down. It’s about wholeness – about creating a home that’s anchored in faith, stewarded with wisdom, and filled with peace.

Here’s what we’re working toward:

• A life that’s slower, simpler, and more spirit-led
• Financial freedom and wisdom so we can live generously and peacefully
• A home where our kids feel safe, loved, and deeply connected to God
• A lifestyle that prioritizes health – physical, emotional, and spiritual – in a non-toxic way

Why I’m Writing This Blog

I created Milk & Honey to share this journey – not as someone who’s figured it all out, but as someone learning and growing and trying to honor God in the messy middle.

Whether you’re here for budgeting tips, clean living ideas, faith encouragement, or just some honest talk about motherhood – I’m so glad you’re here. I hope this space reminds you that you’re not alone… and that its okay to want something different.

You can build a life of purpose, peace, and freedom – one prayer, one choice, one step at a time.

Thanks for being here, friend. Let’s build something beautiful – together.

– S

The post Why We’re Choosing a Simpler, Faith-Filled Life appeared first on Milk & Honey.