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Sorting Expenses

June 9, 2025 Hi everyone! Welcome to our blog. We are so excited to share our journey of financial growth, removing the taboo around money talk and grow closer as a couple through this process. Our goal is to reduce our consumer debt and increase our savings over the next seven months! While winning the grand prize would be incredible, we are just as excited to learn together, work closely with our financial advisor and see how capable we are to sticking to our budget month over month. Prize money would definitely a bonus, but what we will gain, long term, from this experience is truly priceless.
We decided to apply for this season of Project Money in hopes we would be selected to participate! We knew we were okay with our money but were ready to be experts. We both have a decent income, of course there is always a want for more, but we realized the reason we always want more is because we were spending above our means. We never felt like we had an abundance of money each month. We always felt like the day we got paid, meant it would leave the account shortly after for bills, subscriptions, mortgage payments, venmos, etc. What we didn’t realize that we actually could deep dive into our monthly expenses, and by cutting back, analyzing our budget weekly, making changes, and working with our coach, Ashley, we CAN have an abundance of money. We knew that joining the challenge would motivate us to take control of our finances and achieve our goals.
Every other week, we will be writing in to share our weekly wins, the not-so pretty parts of the journey and hopefully share tips and things we learned that could help others in a similar journey. We are so excited to have support from Summit Credit Union and the amazing online community cheering us on! You might also be interested in We crunched the numbers on refinancing—what we found might surprise you. Is waiting the smarter move... No more December panic—Maddie & Emily track gift ideas year-round, shop sales early, and enjoy stress-free holidays... Emily & Maddie chose a lower deductible plan to gain financial stability, prep for family, and reduce surprise medical costs... Prime Days win: Maddie & Emily saved 45% by buying essentials, not impulses. Smart spending = real value, not just cart thrills... Maddie and Emily discuss how paying yourself first—automating savings and repurposing unused expenses—makes saving effortless and impactful... Maddie and Emily explore refinancing not to spend more, but to save smarter—turning lower payments into long-term financial progress... Emily and Maddie shift retirement funds from market risk to a stable IRA certificate, choosing peace of mind and steady growth over uncertainty... Emily and Maddie shifted their all-or-nothing mindset, embraced DIY, and built a patio on a budget—proving smart saving doesn’t mean losing progress... Emily and Maddie share how eating at home and saving “non-spent” money is helping them hit financial goals. A small mindset shift, big results...