The Rachel Cruze Show - Biggest Money Wasters and How to Avoid Them with Minimal Mom

Episode Date: June 27, 2022

Things are getting out of hand! Tune in to hear my thoughts on the new microchip payment option, how social media is lying to you (and taking your paycheck too), and 10 things you can declutter from your home today.   In this episode: ·      The Creepiest New Payment Method ·      The Top 10 Money Wasters in Our Houses with Minimal Mom ·     The Biggest Housing Trap You Should Be Avoiding   Helpful Resources: ·       The Minimal Mom on YouTube Christian Healthcare Ministries   Sponsors pay the producer of this show, The Lampo Group, LLC, advertising fees for mentioning their services or products during programming. Advertising fees are not based upon or otherwise tied to any product sale or business transacted between any consumer or sponsor. The following sponsors have paid for the programming you are viewing: Christian Healthcare Ministries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

decuttering and getting out of debt went side by side. And so being willing to go through that process, but understanding that it gets so much easier. Like, there's like this tipping point where you're like, I don't know, I don't know. And then you're like start to experience the benefits and you're like, this is so awesome. What else could I get rid of? You know? And so it gets so much easier. Hey guys. Welcome to this episode of the Rachel Cruz Show podcast. I'm so glad that you're here. So in this episode, we're going to talk about some big money wasters and how to avoid them. I'll talk about the unrealistic expectations social media is putting on us to have a glamorous dream home and why it's okay to have a normal house. Then you'll hear a conversation I had with Don from

Minimal Mom. We'll talk about decluttering and all the top money wasters in our home. But first, let's talk about a new way to pay for things. Okay, I'm not sure if you've heard about this, but when I heard, my jaw dropped. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about it. All right. Something is happening out there in the world regards to a new payment method. The conspiracy theorist in me is like, is anyone seeing this? Is anyone seeing this? It's kind of crazy, okay? And I thought maybe one day. Maybe one day something like this would happen. But it's happening today. Like, it is literally happening in our world. And I was shocked. I thought, oh my gosh, You know, because I go super conspiracy theorists on, like, political side and world domination side. And as a Christian, I have the Bible and Revelation. So I have this side.

And I'm like, oh, my gosh, what is happening? Is it happening? Because you know what it is, y'all? The microchip. Mm-hmm. The microchip to pay for stuff inside your body is here. It is here. Yep, according to the article, the British-Polish company.

wallet more is now selling microchips that is the size of a grain of rice for $300. So you get them implanted anywhere in your body and it's basically a digital wallet. So you don't have to carry anything around with you. Your IDs, your payment methods, everything is on this. So if companies, which companies now apparently all over the world, will take this method of payment, you just scan wherever you have it.

So it's just a crazy world that we live in, that technology can do that. It's crazy that we are here in this. time. And is there a small part of me that's like, oh my gosh, is anyone seeing this? Yes, for sure. But for the most part, that's what's happening. So here's my very logical, normal, sane, sober, Rachel, giving you advice when it comes to paying with a microchip. If you want to choose to do it, that is totally up to you. But the more further and further away we get to actually paying with things tangibly, our mind and our emotions associate that with not a lot of pain,

which means we tend to overspend. We don't think twice about what we're buying, all of that. So again, old school was cash, right? Or even a check. You had to, like, sit there and take time and write a check, right? All of that was so tangible. Then we went to cards and you swipe it, and then it became less emotional because you're like, oh, yeah.

I mean, I get to keep the card and I get what I'm paying for. all of that. Now with a chip, there's none of that. So you're just feeling, right, or it went to the phone. I guess that was the next edition. The phone, you, you know, you swipe your phone with Apple Pay. You feel nothing there. And then right there, right there in the wrist or the thumb or wherever you choose to put that grain of rice in your body. Just not a lot of emotion attached to that when it comes to paying for something. So remember, paying with cash, paying with a debit card, you're always going to spend less than any other payment method out there because you know you're spending your own money.

When you use debt, when you use a credit card, all those things, you start to lose reality a little bit that it's your money you're spending because you have this delayed response of when you have to pay for it. So just remember, the closer you are to your money and spending your own money, the less money statistically and what studies show that you will spend. So I want to know your thoughts in the comments below. Are you as crazy as me sometimes where your mind goes off in these crazy world

and you think, this is it, this is the end? This is the end. Leave the comments. I want to hear from you. And if you have a friend who loves a good conspiracy theory, send them this because they will very much appreciate it. I am pumped about today's episode because I am here with Don,

aka the minimal mom. Thanks for being here, Dawn. Oh, this is awesome. Thank you. I'm so, so excited to have a conversation because she talks all about the tips and the tricks when it comes to a minimalist lifestyle on her YouTube channel, podcast, social media, website, and so many of you know her and follow her. And so it's like the two worlds collide, I think, for a lot of people right now.

I know, it's been so great. So we're going to talk about decluttering and all that goes into that. But first on, I'm just curious, like what got you into this whole just minimalist journey? So we had four kids, ages four and under. I was a stay-at-home mom. And in my mind, I'm thinking, like, I'm living the dream, right? I have so many friends. They want to be stay-at-home moms.

Like, I get to stay home with my kids. But we were drowning in clutter. I was envious of Tom getting to go to work every day. And I was just like, why am I not enjoying this? And so I was listening to a podcast by Joshua Becker, very well-known minimalist. And he was like, did you know you don't have to have all of this stuff? And I'm like, I'm sorry, what? I'm like, no, Joshua.

I didn't know that. That's it right. And, like, he literally, that's all he said. I've gone back years later to listen to the podcast. I'm like, it must have been so, like, the way he said it must have been, like, so inspiring. And, like, no, he just said, did you know you don't have to have all this stuff? And so that was enough. I, like, started Googling minimalism.

There was, like, nothing out there about family minimalism. What year was this? So this would have been back in 2013, 14. So, like, the minimalist were out there. Great guys. But, like, I'm like, how many forks? Like, how many, you know, how much top of where do I keep, you know? And so I vowed, like, I'm like, if I get my house decluttered, I am going to, like, have a website something, and I'm going to show people how to declutter their house.

So over the course of the next year, we got rid of, like, 80% of our stuff. I just started with my stuff, the kid's stuff. I left Tom's stuff alone. And I just, like, kept going. And I'm like, if we were not using it, if I didn't know for sure we're going to use it, like, the next six months. Again, I had no real guidelines or parameters, but I'm like, I think this is how you would do it. And so we just kept going further and further. The only thing I regret now is that I didn't record that process because I'm like, well,

it was an experiment. I had no idea what was going to happen. And people often ask now, like, when did Tom come around? When did he get on board? It was quite a while in. But we went to move out of our townhouse and he was like taking totes out of the garage. He'd built all this lovely storage and there was all these totes, you know. And he goes to pull them down and he's like, they're empty.

And I'm like, I know because if I left the shelves in the garage open, you would to put more stuff on it. And it's like I needed like mentally, I, like, I needed that space to be filled still. So I didn't just like put other stuff up there or whatever. So it wasn't until then. And then it was still quite a few years after that he was like, let me do his clothes and things. So if your husband's not on board right away, like you do, you do what you can do, do the kid stuff. And like, it's just a matter of time. Okay. So people are hearing this and they're like, okay, this sounds great. I want this piece. I want, I want to be able to do it. So let's talk about decluttering. Yeah. Let's just.

go right into it, because I want to know, like, what are the top 10 things that we can just, like, get rid of. Yeah, don't buy them, declutter them from your house today. We'll give you complete permission. And what's interesting, this list actually came about for not only, like, decluttering and not having to manage so much stuff, but also for getting out of debt. Because our journey of decluttering and getting out of debt went side by side. And decuttering caused me to look at the stuff so much differently in our house, and it made

getting out of debt easier. So I love, I know many say, like, these journey. and these merge. And so this list is like really born out of that union. I love that. I love that. All right. So let's talk about number one, kitchen, gadgets, and appliances. Yes. These things are designed to make our life easier. But most often, the cleanup is worse than the time it saves you, like the choppers and the blenders and the puriers and the whatever. I hear this all the time. It's like, the cleanup is too much so I never use it. Right. So feel free to declutter it. And also don't buy it again. Like next time you're watching it

infomercial and it's like, look at all that it does. Just say like, no, no, no. I don't need that. I don't need that. You fooled me before. I know better now. Don't buy it. Number two is miracle cleaners.

I love influencers, Instagrammers, all this. But darn it, don't they make everything look like a miracle product? Yes. Cleaners, face creams, hair products, whatever. Amen, amen, and amen. Yes, absolutely. I have a friend, she says,

the magic's in the motion, not the potion. And she was like, just use the stuff you have. Use the face creams you have. Use the cleaners you have. It's in the motion. It's the actually using it, doing it day in and day out. Not the potion or the miracle products. That's what it's going to be.

Yes. But you see it and you're like, oh, I need that. I need that. And then it comes with this two things and I need the brush to be able to buy the whole set. Yeah. And it's like a black cold. That's good. That's good.

That's convicting, Dawn. Yeah. Convicting. That's good. That's good. All right. Number three is kids, toys, books, and games. So we actually have to visit with John DeLone.

Dr. John Deloney too, and he nailed it. He was like, our kids just want us. They want time. They are drowning in stuff, but they are crying out for attention, but they don't actually know how to ask for it. So it's more like they're crabby, they're irritated. They don't play well. They're always coming and saying, like, Mom, I'm bored, right? Take away the stuff, and you are going to have the most happy, content, creative kids. It's so true, though. And it's crazy that as parents, because I have littles. And I'm like, it is so easy to be like, okay, the birthday's coming up, Christmas is coming up, or summer's coming up, let's get some new fun things. I mean, and it's just crap. It's crap. And it just ends up building up

and building up and building up. And so this is the place where I declutter. I will go through our playroom. And the kids can't see, because Amelia will see some little Sonic toy from like, and all of a sudden it's her favorite. Mom, no. I'm like, you literally did not know this existed until I just pulled it out. I was like, no. I know. It's, yes, it's all of it. But I'm like, we will go through with just trash bags. And we'll do, like, like, donates and send to goodwill, or some of it's just crap and it's just trash. It's broken and there's missing pieces. But I'm like, why?

Is it because we don't have the time we feel like? Because I look up all the time. Currently, right now, Don, I'm in. I'm like, I need to go home with trash bags and do our playroom. Because I'm like, it just, I'm like, where does it come from? And so for moms with little kids, why do you feel like it just continues to build up? Marketing and our own childhood and peer pressure. Marketing tells us kids are happiest when they have the coolest,

toy. Peer pressure, like, I was very worried when people came into our house when I got rid of so many kids' toys. Like, what are other people going to think? What are other moms going to say? What if we have a play date? They're like, they don't have any toys, you know? Oh, interesting. Pure pressure, our own childhood. I bought a dumb Barbie dream house because it was what I always wanted when I was a kid, right? Our girls never played with it. We ended up selling it on Marketplace again. So there's a lot of things that play into it. But if we'll realize that our kids are the happiest when they have very little. to manage to play with,

but that's when their creativity comes out. It's win-win. They're happy, we're happier, and it just makes motherhood so much more enjoyable. Yes. Oh, I'm into that, for sure. For sure. All right, well, kind of along those lines are craft supplies. So I always thought, like, if I want to have creative kids, then I need to have all of the craft supplies, right?

You shift, like, some, yeah. Yeah. You shift away from, like, technology and all the toys. Right, right, right. So I better have, like, this, you know, robust craft room. And as adults, we do that. that too, right? We collect all the stuff. But again, our kids are most creative if we give them things from the recycling and masking tape. The things they come up with just out of that,

like if you really want to see your kids' imaginations come to life, take away the stuff. Now, if you love managing that kind of stuff, that's fine. For me, I hated it. And our kids never did crafts because it just made such a mess. Yes. And it's just like the marker caps. You know, you get a pack of like 300 markers. And I'm like, how many blues are in the world? And I'm like, We don't need this money. We don't need this money. I feel that. All right. So next is holiday decor. I mean, gosh, you go to Target dollar spot. You go to Hobby Lobby and home goods and all those. And it's like every season, my home needs to be decorated, every room to every season, right? And so, again, I started realizing that that is lots of inventory that I have to manage, but it's also extra money out of our budget that we didn't really have.

And so when I gave my self-permission to put, like, one sign on the door, I didn't. each holiday or whatever. I couldn't believe how much more peace was in our house because I wasn't trying to keep up with all of the different holidays. That's so, it's so true. I'm not a big holiday decorator, but I know people are. But yeah, you walk in and I'm like, man, and I do,

I think this, I'm like, they're so intentional about the season that we are in. Spring is everywhere. And man, it feels like spring in here because you see it all and you know Easter's here. And I don't look down on people like that. But I do think like, oh, wow, that was like a part of my brain that I just don't use.

Yes. So it's one that it's decluttered don't. Yeah, good. Okay. The cruise is check on that one. We're good with that. All right. How about clothes that don't fit right now?

So especially when we were getting out of debt, you know, you go to Target, you go to clearance track, you're like, okay, it's only $4. It's a little snug. I'll lose a little weight. It'll be great. I'll be so glad that I have it. And I have this whole closet of things that, man, if I would just lose five or 10 pounds, I would have a really awesome wardrobe that doesn't.

come and now I have all these clothes and nothing actually fits. And I know, especially when we're trying to get out of debt, like it can be hard to invest a little bit more into good pieces. And so that's where I love going to secondhand stores, thrift stores, marketplace, eBay, whatever, you know, find a few good places. But I had to make the rule for myself because I'm so frugal. Like, if it does not fit here right now today, it will not go home with me. That's so smart. And I feel like, especially even after pregnancies for me, I'm like, and I just kept, yes, and you kind of, and I still do. I'm like, I still have stuff. You know what I mean? and I'm like, oh, back and forth, back and forth.

And it feels like the closet, I'm guilty on it. And then we feel really negative when we go to our closet. Right? It's just like tauntiness, reminding us. You're not good with your money. You make impulsive decisions. You shouldn't about, why?

Why did you do that again? Yes. Why haven't you lost the way? And so it's like, get it out. Just screaming at you. Yes. Let it go. I love that.

So good. All right, baby toys and gear. So I think the things that are the most of on the planet, are kids toys, baby stuff, baby clothes. Yes. Barrow it from a friend. Every baby is different, right? One loved to be in the carrier.

One loved the pack and play. One hated it and screamed every time I put them in it, right? So, especially if you're trying to get out of debt right now, borrow this stuff. And then if you like it, you're like, this is a good fit for our baby. Find a really cheap one on marketplace. Right? So test it out, borrow it. Everyone has tons of it to lend.

I found moms were like, you want to borrow this? Yeah, take it because they feel guilty because they bought all this stuff. So they're more than happy to lend it to you. Talk about marketing too. I'm like, you enter into this world. And I'm like, in everything. Everything you could imagine. Even more these days, like my sister-in-law,

she just had her baby, her first one. And, I mean, Charles is two. Between the span of two years, what they've come up with in the world. And I'm like, some of it is brilliant. I'm like, okay, I could use that. But most of them, like, it's a baby. It's fine. And it's such a short season.

They're in each thing, right? All the clothes we get and never wear it. And once you're done with it, and that's what we've done, I've given our stuff away. Because I'm like, number one, we don't need it. and you're like, it is nice stuff, and they use it, like you said, for like just like a short period of time, and you can clean it up, and then it's like brand new again. So that's great.

That's such good advice. All right. How about storage containers? So you don't need more storage containers. Everyone has enough storage containers in their house right now. So as you de clutter, don't be tempted to get different ones or cuter ones or matching ones. If you want to, like, when you're down the road further and out of debt and all that, go back and get cute ones, that's fine.

But just use the stuff that you have right now. Really, the problem is probably that you need to declutter and not organize more. So really challenge yourself to use the stuff that you already have. Okay. And you mean like the stuff like when you open a drawer and it's all organized. Or more like rubber made containers, bins, baskets, you know. All of that. Yeah.

Because you do, now that you're saying that, I'm like, yeah, you do keep stuff. Like I would get like a gift and it comes in like a fun little. And I'm like, I'll use that one day. Yeah. And then it goes in the closet and never seen it again. Yep. It's good. All right.

How about food that's on sale? So obviously our grocery budget is a big place where we can save money, you know, be really intentional. But I found that when I would buy certain foods that were on sale or clearance or try and stock up, if it wasn't something that I normally cook with on a regular basis, that was the stuff that got shoved to the back of the pantry. And then I'm never using it. It's going bad before I get a chance to use it. And so I found that the best way for me to stay in budget with groceries is just to have a very predictable inventory of groceries to get the same things over and over and really put the blinders on when there's stuff that's

on sale, on clearance, because I ended up just throwing it away a lot of times. Yes, but we're drawn to that idea. We're like, oh, it's a good price. It's a good price. And we think it's the way to save money, yeah. Yes, yeah. And then you end up with stuff in your house you don't use, and spending money you really didn't need to spend in the first place. That's good. I know. I always tell myself, I'm like, just because it's a good deal. Does not mean it's a good deal for you, Rachel.

Yes. Walk away. Because it's tempting. It's tempting. And number 10 is workout shoes, clothes, and equipment. So how often, especially, around New Year's, we're like, okay, I got to get new shoes, I got to get new workout clothes, whatever, and then I am going to start working out, right? Yep. And so the best thing we can do is to develop the habit first and then reward ourselves with the new shoes and the new clothes.

So start the walking habit and then buy new walking shoes. You probably have a pair of shoes you can use right now to start the habit. Yes. We were just talking about this at work a few days ago. So my team and one person was like, yeah, I wanted to train for a marathon. So I bought new shoes. because I knew it was going to feel great, and it was going to make me work out and make me run.

And they didn't. And yeah, you think it's going to be this match. Back to miracle products, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You think it's like going to change you. No, it is still you. It is still you. It is still you in the shoes, in the shoes.

It's just with more guilt then, right? Because how guilty do you feel when you see that new workout stuff? Oh, yeah, 100%. Oh, and stuff can be so expensive, especially if you go brand name and all of that, the logo and all, and you're like, oh, yeah, you're spending a lot. You're spending a lot. Okay, that's good stuff.

Good stuff. Okay, so I think of stuff. fear people have, or maybe it's just me, when I do go through and have like my moment, because I have that like three times a year. Yeah, like rage for... Yeah, I do. I'm like, that is 100% me. Yeah. Is I'm like, oh, shoot, I threw something away or gave it away that I actually needed. Yeah. Are there things that you, just through your experience, to be like, this is stuff to get rid of, those 10 things, but also like, here are things that you may want to get rid of, but you shouldn't. There's so little, right? I mean, as long as you're not getting rid of, like, the clothes you wear every

single day, the pots and pans use every single day. I mean, I look back and we've decluttered thousands of items. There's one camera charger and one pair of black pants that afterwards I was like, oh, shoot, I could have used that. But again, we're talking about like $40 worth of stuff. And so I think we just have to be able to give ourselves a little bit of grace and say like, you know what, there is the possibility, like if I'm really serious about decluttering my house, there is the possibility I could make a mistake. There is something I could get rid of. But as long as it's not, you know, under $100 or whatever, it's. the benefits are so much more worth it than trying to predict and imagine what it is that I'm

going to use in the future. That's so true. And we live in the world we live in. So you can get anything. You can get something if you really do need it. No, that's so great. Okay. So when it comes to just minimalism in general, kind of going back to that idea, like,

what do you think is the hardest part of living that lifestyle? I think it's the initial getting going of just the fear of making a mistake, kind of like you are saying. Yes, yes. Because you actually don't know. in the beginning because everything the world is telling us is you need more and you need this and your kids need this. And so we've grown up.

No one taught us how to, you know, how much inventory to keep, right? And so we're really having to like pioneer new territory and figure this out for ourselves and there's actually not a ton of support around that. And so it's being willing to just keep going, start with the easier things, you know, like clothes, kitchen, to keep going through. And what happens is you gain confidence as you go, right? So I talk about like the onion method or going in layers. So if you go to your kitchen today, you're not going to go all out on your kitchen.

You're going to do a layer, right? You're going to get rid of that stuff you're clearly not using. And then the next time you come to your kitchen, you're going to go a little further, right? And so you're building confidence. And so for most of us, we couldn't just get a dumpster and schedule a pickup from Goodwill and be like one weekend, I'm in a decoder my whole house because you gain confidence as you go. Right. And so being willing to go through that process, but understanding that it gets so much easier.

There's like this tipping point where you're like, I don't know, I don't know. And then you're like start to experience the benefits. And you're like, this is so awesome. What else could I get rid of? You know? And so it gets so much easier. So great, Don. Thank you so much for coming on.

This is like, it's been so huge, you guys. And I hope you do hear that message of that your stuff. It doesn't define you. It's not who you are. It's not what brings you joy. And again, stuff is not wrong or bad. Yes. Let's be wise and intentional with not only the stuff we have,

but things we're going to buy. And definitely don't go into debt for that stuff. For the crap we don't need. Oh, I could go on a whole rant. A full rant on. Okay, so where can everyone find you? Because I know people will be looking out. We spend most time on YouTube, so The Minimal Mom, but also on Instagram.

And my website is The Minimal Mom.com. Awesome. Okay, so one question I always ask my guests before they leave is what is one thing with money that you're doing that's creating a life that you love? Oh, man. We're just so intentional now. So we've just, we shared recently on our YouTube channel that we bought some land and we're moving in houses to set up as rentals.

And so, I mean, being here, this is just like, wow, we have worked the program, the system, and it's like, it's life-changing. It changes everything. And so, yeah, it's fun to be dreaming in that direction now and something we've always wanted to do and to see that come to life. That's awesome. Congratulations. So fun.

All right, you guys, make sure to check out everything. Dawn is talking about over on her YouTube channel, The Minimal Mom, and really let this inspire you guys because really it will bring you peace in your life, but also help you with your money. All right. Let's talk about the housing market right now. So it's crazy, but actually there's kind of been this, not decline, but settling in, I think, because mortgage rates are up and all of it. So this is just, it's an insane time to live, you guys, when you think about everything going on in our world, in our economy, it's just a bizarre time.

And so the housing market continues to be a point of conversation for people that I talk to, whether it's via social media or on the Ramsey Show or even with my own friends and family, it is a constant conversation because it is so difficult to be. buy a house right now. I mean, it is, they are so expensive, it seems like, and there are so many offers going out and you're outbidding people and you're paying more than maybe what you wanted to. I mean, it's just, it is nuts. And so there was this interesting stat that I saw that nationwide, there are only about 250,000 homes currently for sale that are considered affordable for households between $75,000 and $100,000 annual income. And that's a really sharp decline because before,

the pandemic, there were over 656,000 homes available in that price range. So basically, you know, you can see it is just more difficult in general. And so I think part of figuring out, okay, what house we want to live in, what can we afford is still a really important conversation. It's easy to get our emotions all wound up and be like, oh my gosh, well, I have to buy this house or I want to buy a house now, so I'm going to rush in and do something. And the problem with this kind of rushing or feeling like this is the only time I can buy, and I have to make a bigger offer because someone else is and they're going to get this house and it's this, oh, it's like this race, is it really limits your options and it does not allow you to have

patience. And when you are urgent in something, especially a purchase, a big purchase, like a house, you can make mistakes mathematically when it comes to your money. And so if you're at a point that you're like, oh, my gosh, oh, and you're feeling that tension, you are not alone. that is happening everywhere. But I'm here to just remind you to take a breath and relax. And if there is not a home for you to buy in a price range that is reasonable for you, and we say around Ramsey to put down at least 10 to 20 percent down on a house and get a 15-year fixed rate mortgage,

and your mortgage payment should be no more than 25 percent of your take-home pay. And again, I will even admit, yeah, that's a very conservative, approach, especially with numbers flying around of what we're seeing today. But I would say, just take a deep breath because math is still going to be the truth. And this is what's going to be happening even after all this craziness has settled down. So I don't want you stuck in a situation that you're like, oh my gosh, why did we do that? Because so much of your paycheck is going to a mortgage right now when you are still in debt and don't have an emergency fund and you're just not in a place to buy a house. So again, my encouragement is if you can be content,

where you are, be content. And you may even look to say, okay, do we look at a different location? Because even in Nashville, I know, you know, closer to the city, it's going to be more and more expensive. But the further out you go, if you drive 25 miles one way or the other, the prices, depending on the direction, start to go down. And so whether it's just being content where you are, maybe choosing a different location,

or having a different standard for what kind of house you're going to buy. And this is a hard one because your heart is set on a certain, you know, look of a house or the way it's designed or whatever it is. And listen, maybe your expectations have to go down. Because if you're like me, half the houses you see are more than almost all the houses I see on Instagram as I'm just flipping it through. I'm like, they're all beautiful. Like they're all so beautiful and they're all well put together. They're all well designed. Like even the interior, you know, all their furnishings are just perfect.

Their kitchens are unbelievable. Like you just go through. you're like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, my gosh. And it feels like that is normal. Where the truth is, no, that's not normal. That's not normal. No, it's not. It's not. And yes, black and white is beautiful. And we like very, you know, calming colors, neutrals, right? All of that. And you can have all of that. Yes. But maybe the house that you have to buy doesn't have all of that right now. And that's okay. Because not every house will. And still a house is going to be a great place for you to be with your family or if it's just you. Whatever the case may be,

You can have a wonderful life and have a kitchen that doesn't have white cabinets or nice countertops. Even though I know you may want it, there may be just a level of your expectations and standards that let's just lower because there are just normal-looking houses out there. There really are. I was thinking back for Winston and I, the very first place we lived was this condo in Knoxville, Tennessee. And I read the kitchen, it was like literally a tomato red color, was the paint color. Like, when I say red, it was like so. bright, so red, and it was like an L-shaped kind of kitchen. So you kind of like walk in and you just turn and there it is. I mean, it was, yeah, it was a condo, so it was smaller. And we made it work.

And it was so funny because at the time I was like, and this is kind of before Instagram was big and social media was like what it is today. It was great. We were just excited to have a place. And we're like, oh, this is so great. And of course, that's paint. I'm like, we can paint later if we want. We never ended up painting. We kept that terrible red for as long as we lived there. But overall, I'm like, oh, it was fine. But if that, if Rachel 12 years ago was Rachel today with Instagram, I think I would have been so discontent because I'd be like, oh, my gosh, look at all these other kitchens that are so beautiful and spacious.

And that's what I want. I want this. I don't want plastic knobs. I want beautiful brass pools on all of my cabinets, right? I mean, you have something to compare it to. So that's one reason I'm like, oh, with social media, it's this place where it's so easy to compare because you're seeing, God, who knows? who out there, and you don't even know who they are. The kitchen you're looking at on

Instagram that you want, they may have like a terrible marriage and not be barely, be able to make their mortgage payment. I don't know. And so you just want to be able to say, okay, good for them, but what your standard is and what's realistic for you and your family is what's important. Do not let those things influence you. But it's hard. I hear you. It's so, so hard. But it's really important, especially when it comes to buying a home, you guys, because this is one of the largest financial purchases you will ever make in your lifetime. and I want it to be a blessing for you, not a curse. But it's difficult, and I know that living unless isn't always easy,

especially in this economy, good luck out there. And remember, be wise, be wise when it comes to buying a home. It's the largest, probably the largest financial purchase you will make in your lifetime is when it comes to your home. So be smart, don't let emotions take over. Maybe you move locations, and maybe your standard goes down a little bit because there are normal houses out there. So yep, normalizing.

Normal houses, you guys. Yes, it's normal. It is normal. If you saw my playroom right now with my kids, it would look like a McDonald's Sonic, Chick-fil-A, Target, and Goodwill, like, threw up everywhere. Like, the plastic stuff that is scattered all over my playroom right now from all the little toys and trinkets, it kills me.

But I'm like, you know what? I'm not going to stress about it. I'm not going to stress about it. This is normal. normal. God bless. God bless. And let's celebrate the normal houses. Okay. One thing that I am loving right now and one thing that I have learned. Let me say that. I'm going to put these two together because they kind of go together. So I learned that through my Instacart membership, because yes, I got Instacart during COVID and I haven't let it go. Okay. There are Sundays.

You just got to get the groceries delivered. And I'm living like no one else. So now I can live and like no one else. And so I will splurge on that for sure every now and then. But through that membership, I can order from places that I'm not a member, aka Sam's. So I have a membership to Costco. I do not have a membership to Sam's. And I don't know if it was a glitch in the system. I don't know if I'm paying more. I don't really know what's happening. But I can order from Sam's Club. So I did, which was fabulous. So I learned that I can do that. But what I'm loving through Sam's Club is their hot dogs. Okay?

I am telling you this summer of 22, do yourself a favor and go and buy, not like the hot hot dogs. Don't go to Sam's and get a cooked hot dog. Like go get the hot dogs that are in the refrigerated section, and it has to be the Sam's Club brand, okay? And the Sam's Club brand is called a Members Mark, I'm pretty sure. and these hot dogs, I am telling you, how can I explain this? Because I did not have a hot dog for years, like since I was a child, okay?

And then once you have kids, hot dogs become part of your rhythm of dinners. Like, you just do hot dogs more. So if you don't have kids out there, you probably have not eaten a hot dog maybe in a long time. But I'm telling you how this cooks on the grill. It's like it has the perfect consistency of like the, like, the, like, it's like it, It, how do I explain this without? I can't. I'm not going to be able to.

I'm not going to be able to. Without, without, without. Yeah, I can't. I can't. It's just really good. Just cook it on the grill and you're going to know what I mean and you're going to say, Rachel, I'm so glad that you shared that information. Oh, man.

I cannot describe it to you with audio. So you're going to have to experience it for yourself, people. Do yourself a favor, and you are welcome ahead of time. You are welcome ahead of time. All right, Dawn, I want to thank her so much for being on and being a guest on the podcast. And thank you guys so much for listening. And if you have not hit that follow button, make sure to hit that so that you can be subscribed to the podcast.

And if the spirit leads, you can leave a review. And as always, make sure to take control of your money and create a life you love. Thank you.