I realized that I get the same questions over and over again about who I recommend for certain things, or what products I use. To make it easier, I figured I’d share them here.
My goal with Bubbling Brook Budgets is to help you crush your debt and live life well. Products that are featured here are only chosen if I believe that they help me in that mission.
Some products here I am an affiliate with, which means that I make a commission or earn a referral fee if you choose to sign up and/or make a purchase. While there are products and services featured here that have no affiliate partnership, it should always be assumed that any link on bubblingbrookbudgets.com is an affiliate link, as we constantly seek to create partnerships with products and companies that we believe will be helpful.
Scroll to see my recommendations for:
Saving Money | Earn Extra Money | Budgeting | Family | Home Business/Blogging
Saving Money
Republic Wireless: They have unlimited cell plans for as low as $15 a month. Yes, you read that right. If they’re available in your area, given them a try! You can do a coverage check here, and check out their super cheap cell phone plans here.
Ebates: With them, you earn free CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. All you do is go to their site, click on a store that you want to shop through (they have TONS of stores such as Amazon, Kohls, Lands End, etc.), and shop just like how you normally would. When you sign up for Ebates through my referral link, you get an extra $10 cash back! *Pro Tip: Shop through them for great deals on Lands End backpacks for the kids, or the famous Lands End Iron Knee pants!
eMeals: This is the meal planning service Dave Ramsey recommends. For a small fee, they’ll even send your meal plan’s shopping list over to a local store (like WalMart!) and have your groceries ready for pick-up. Click here for a 14-day free trial offer.
Earn Extra Money
Swagbucks: A simple way to earn a little extra money from home by using their site instead of Google for searching. You can also do surveys and a few other things to earn points, which you use to purchase gift cards from them. Swagbucks is what we used to earn Amazon gift cards and pay for Christmas gifts one year.
Shopper’s Voice: You can do this while the kids are watching TV, while you’re in line at the grocery store, or whenever you have a free minute. You won’t get rich doing this, but you may be able to pay for your next meal out with your earnings! One popular site for surveys is Shopper’s Voice. They give you cash, coupons, samples, and more when you complete shopping surveys.
Blogging: This is how I make good money from home while being a stay-at-home mom, and I love it. If you’d like to learn more, read my post about How to Start a Blog. It’s actually quite easy to get started! Keep researching afterwards and learning how to do new things, one thing at a time. You’ll keep getting better, and your income will increase each month.
Budgeting
Total Money Makeover: This book by Dave Ramsey has had a huge impact on our life. We’ve worked our way through his seven baby steps and I can’t say enough good things about his program. Read about it here.
The Average Family’s Guide To Financial Freedom: This little known book is a gem, and possibly one of my best-kept budgeting secrets. I stumbled upon it awhile back; it’s not in print anymore, but you can still find used copies for sale on Amazon.
Mvelopes: This is the online budgeting program we personally use and LOVE. In fact, we purchased a lifetime membership several years ago when they offered it to us. It’s like a virtual cash envelope system, and it syncs with your bank accounts. Here’s my full Mvelopes review, or you can click here for a free 30 day trial of Mvelopes.
Personal Capital: Personal Capital is much more detailed than Mvelopes, and is more centered on helping you with your investing rather than your budgeting. You can track your net worth, cash flow, investments, retirement planning, and more. Personal Capital pretty much picks up where Mvelopes has left off. They even offer a free version of their services. Check them out here.
SoFi Loans: I’ve not personally used them since we’re debt free, but I’ve heard so many good things about them! If getting a loan is unavoidable for you, or you need to refinance student loans, be sure to check them out. You can apply on SoFi’s website (<–this link will also get you $100 cash bonus when your loan is funded) by setting up a simple account and then entering information about your education, employment, and income. Read our SoFi loans review here.
Family/Home
Covenant Eyes: Like the Proverbs 31 Woman, I’m the gatekeeper of my home. I don’t want porn or anything inappropriate coming in under my watch; I have a husband and two boys to look out for! Covenant Eyes is great for internet accountability and preventing smut from making it’s way to their computers and electronic devices. You can click here to find out more about them and get a free trial offer.
The Talk: For some of us, talking to our kids about the “birds and bees” can be terrifying. If that’s you, you NEED to have your own copy of this 7-lesson study. Find out more about The Talk in my article How To Talk To Your Kids About Sex.
Time With God Toolkit: If you crave more from your time with God, you’ll love the 31-Day Time With God Toolkit. It’s also a great tool for studying the bible with your children. It’s over 60 pages, with room for writing about what you read that day, and a habit tracker to check off when you’re done. Check it out here.
Home Business / Blogging
InMotion Hosting: If you’re looking to start a high quality WordPress blog for cheap, then choosing InMotion Hosting for your hosting needs may be your answer. They’re one of the best privately held web hosting companies, have excellent customer service, and you can start your own blog with them for only $5 month! I’ve used them for a few years now, and if you sign up using my link, you’ll get your domain for free. I really like them! Read How To Start A WordPress Blog With InMotion Hosting.
ConvertKit: ConvertKit is a MUST if you have a blog or want to collect email addresses of your customers. It is a way for readers to subscribe to your blog posts and your newsletters, and for you to send them emails. I like this better than others I’ve used because of their tracking and statistics. I like to see the numbers! Plus it’s simple to use. Use my link to get a free 14 day trial.
Tailwind: This is a relatively newer tool that I’ve been using, but so far I love it. It allows you to schedule your Pinterest pins and look at the analytics related to that so that you can see what is working and what is not. Plus, they’re an approved partner with Pinterest, and I think Pinterest may give an extra boost to pins that are scheduled through their partners. You just might see an increase in traffic to your blog or web site! You can use my referral link to get 30 days free and try it out.
Facebook Page Strategies Course: This is an amazing course taught by Facebook expert Rachel Miller of Moolah Media. I took it and highly recommend it! Rachel is engaging and a great teacher, and you also get access to a private Facebook group that’s super helpful. My page grew leaps and bounds while I was in her class. The thing is, though, that she only opens the class a couple times a year. You can get on her waitlist and be notified of the next class here.
