February Budget Tool Kit

Hey friends! 👋

Can you believe that the first month of 2025 is drawing to a close?

It seems like we blinked and it’s already over! 

This month, it’s more important than ever to create a spending plan since we’re doing our No-Spend Challenge in just a few days!

With that being said, we’ve got the deets on what to save for, what’s on sale, and all the yummy recipes we’re trying out this winter!

What to Include in February’s Spending Plan 📝

• Fitness equipment. 🏋🏻‍♂️ We all know January is our “New Year, New Me” era, but statistically only 6% of people stick to their resolutions. However, fitness is an important part of our physical & mental wellbeing, and all those treadmills leftover from January’s resolution extravaganza are going on sale bigtime. 

• Super Bowl Sunday. 🏈 I (Kim) can’t pretend to know anything that’s going on in the sports world, but I do know that Super Bowl parties are a lot of fun & can be expensive. Don’t forget to add the extra groceries to your list so that you can kick back and watch those commercials in style (& never run out of queso!).

• Valentine’s Day. 💐 It’s the season of love! Whether you’re partnered or single & ready for a self care day, it’s important to add those candies & flowers to your budget. 

• Extra IRA Contributions. 💼 If you didn’t max out your IRA last year, you can still make contributions. However, the deadline is coming up fast (tax day!), so it’s important to check the wiggle room in your budget and allocate it to your retirement fund if there’s capacity. And whatever you do, don’t forget to actually invest your contributions (like Jen did for a whole year! 👇🏼)

What’s on Sale in February 📢

Monday, February 17th is Presidents’ Day, and with the holiday comes big sales!

Remember to use our favorite tool, Rakuten, when ordering online, so that you can get cashback for purchases large & small! If you sign up now, you can get $30 cashback after making $30 in purchases on qualifying items. What a steal! **

🏷️ Big-ticket sale items 

• Mattresses. Late winter is one of the best times to buy new mattresses, and with doorbuster sales for Presidents’ Day, it might be time to retire that ol’ boxspring. 

• Appliances. This is the best time to buy large appliances. Think refrigerators, washers, driers, and ranges. 

• Gardening supplies. Spring is just around the corner (finally!) and that means gardening tools, mulch, and pots are going on sale. Our favorite strategy is to take stock of the supplies you have leftover from last spring, and then trade, borrow, or thrift the equipment you need! 

• Furniture. President’s Day sales. ‘Nuff said.

February’s Big Money Move: The No-Spend Challenge🏆

On Wednesday, we talked about what a NSC is, but if you want more info, Buy What You Love Without Going Broke has even more dets on how to implement! 

We’re excited to take the challenge with you, and to show our appreciation for the community, we thought we’d drop a few extra tricks for the NSC below 👇

• Define what you will spend money on. 💬 For some, it might be a healthy challenge to stretch their pantry, but for others it’s not realistic not to at least buy groceries, gas, etc. Decide what you’re allowed to buy before the challenge begins, so you don’t break your streak on day three. 

• Catch up on the backlog. ▶️ Everyone has a Netflix list a mile long. Consider binging shows you’ve never had time to watch, or read the rest of the series you started three years ago and never caught up on (guilty 🙋‍♀️). 

• Lastly, consider trying an activity to calm your nervous system, like yoga or meditation. These activities can regulate emotions, thoughts, and even breathing! Engaging in these exercises can help us pause before we make financial decisions. 🧘🏻

What to Cook 👩‍🍳

Some of our favorite greens are in season in February, like broccoli, brussel sprouts, and kale. Try these three recipes for some winter goodness! 

• Roasted Brussel Sprouts With Goat Cheese & Pomegranate (EatingWell)

• Broccoli Cheddar Soup (101 Recipes)

• Veggie Frittata Muffins (Love & Lemons)

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See for yourself

On Tuesday, Jen & Jill served the tea on traditional money advice, and it was piping hot! Check out: Debunking The 5 Worst Money Myths (Ep 480) now!

Ready to take on the No Spend Challenge? The Frugal Friends have our backs with today’s episode Tips for a Great No-Spend Month (Ep 481).

Tune in wherever you get podcasts and let us know what you thought of the episode over on our latest Instagram post!

Catch you later,
Kim

⭐️⭐️ P.S. Want to share all this goodness with your friends AND earn cool Frugal Friends merch?

**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.