Welcome.

Mindfully Spent is about managing finances, time, and more in pursuit of meaning. It chronicles my journey to use money and moments for things I truly love.

Save money. Pay off debt. Simplify. Do the unimaginable big things that you want with your life. Look back on your dollars and days and find they were Mindfully Spent.

All tagged budget tools

Feb 3

Feb 3 Our 2018 Financial Resolutions: Strengthening our finances, building community.

Melanie Harding

Meaning, Money

The roll into a new year brings with it time for reflection and resolution. By the time January comes to an end, many people have left those resolutions in the dust. Here's how we did on 2017's goals and where we're turning our focus in 2018.

Apr 27

Apr 27 Want a better budget? Best be brutally honest.

Melanie Harding

Money

Setting up a successful budget has demanded time and again that we exercise an exceptional level of honesty and an unflinching ability to look truth in the eye. This post describes four ways that honesty was essential to aggressively paying down debt and finding a budget that works.

Apr 11

Apr 11 Good Fundamentals: The sports advice that helped me save money.

Melanie Harding

Money

Post-game analysis isn't just for sports. Coach Jim Valvano once said, “Failure and rejection are only the first steps to succeeding.” This is not just true in basketball. We can apply it just as rigorously to grocery budgets, time management, fitness, creative work, or professional goals.

Mar 21

Mar 21 Money can't fill a hole.

Melanie Harding

Wellbeing, Money, Meaning, Time

Money can't fill a hole. Neither can distractions. Building a fulfilling life requires us to tackle the hard stuff and seek out more than the quick thrill of shallow experiences. (Also, some crazy interesting stuff on Signalling Theory and how it impacts our shopping habits!)

Feb 13

Feb 13 Can we fix it? Yes! How to save for home repairs.

Melanie Harding

Money

The fact that we could not afford any household emergencies used to be a source of overwhelming stress. Here's the savings plan that is giving us greater peace of mind. Plus, two tools you can use to create a customized home repair savings plan!