Jessica's Top 10 Products to Help You Stay on Budget

I have always been pretty bad at sticking with planners, but ever since I have tried the Clever Fox, I have been obsessed. 

I really love how it not only break out your daily and weekly to-do list and priorities, but it also has a section to list out your goals for the year by categories like health, relationships, and career. 

To top it off, they also include cute stickers to help you stay motivated. My favorite part about it is that it asks you to rate your wins for the week. It helps me get into a more positive mindset!

As much as you want to cut back and save on your financial journey, it is still important to focus on self-care. Those salon appointments can really add up, so I started to learn to DIY my pricey gel and dip manicure bi-weekly. 

This light is super lightweight and doesn't take up too much space, so it's easy to store away when you're done with it. I find that it works best using the 60-second setting so your polish doesn't chip and lasts longer. My favorite part is that you don't need to move your hands around for it to reset like other LED lamps.

If you are overwhelmed by investing for retirement, this book breaks it all down for you. The message of the book is to essentially keep it simple and invest as much as you can in low-cost index funds. That's exactly the investing strategy that I have taken on.

Some of the main topics it covers include what index funds are and how they work, and the benefits of passively managed funds over actively managed funds. It will also walk you through how to invest in passive index funds and which ones they recommend.

Ramit does a great job providing actionable tips in a very humorous way to help get you on track with your finances. He walks you through great topics like optimizing your credit card spending, saving on banking fees, breaking down different types of investment accounts, focusing on conscious spending, and many more great topics.

This is great for someone who wants to get on track with their finances from a non-judgemental and realistic perspective. It's also an excellent option to start to help you build a great financial foundation.

I'm a big fan of all of Clever Fox's products. They don't just focus on short-term goals but long term goals as well. This budget planner in particular helps you set long-term financial goals, then helps you figure out what actions you need to take to reach those goals. 

Once your longer-term goals are set, it walks you through a detailed tracker of your specific savings goals and specific debt payoff goals. At the end of each month, it has a budget review page that has you write down what went well and what you can improve on. 

Having this in writing forces you to better understand how you can continue to tweak your budget each month to better reach your long-term goals; and having it focused more on long-term goals and tactics to get there really helps you stay motivated each month.

One of my biggest expense categories each month is groceries, and I have always struggled with spending less on produce. I loved getting fresh produce, but it was really hurting my budget when I had to toss out food that had gone bad too soon. 

I fell in love with these FreshWorks containers because they keep your produce fresh longer and, therefore, help you avoid having to toss out groceries. Through special technology, these containers regulate the airflow of oxygen and carbon dioxide to make sure they stay fresh longer. These are also BPA-free, so they are safe for kids.

I found myself having to throw out food before it was actually done caused a ton of waste and lost money as well. On my financial journey, I have looked for ways to both save money and live more sustainably, and this product helps me do both. 

It is extremely easy to use - all you have to do is flip the product upside-down and insert it into the bottle emptier. This works on both food and beauty products, so you can always get your money's worth.

I can't start my day without a fresh cup of coffee, and those daily trips to my local coffee shop were really not good for my budget. So, I went on a hunt for a high-quality coffee brewer that would hit the spot. 

With this cold brew maker, you can let the coffee brew for 24 hours and it really tastes just as good as Starbucks! You can cut the brewing time to 12 hours for a less strong taste, but I prefer it strong. It's durable but also has a sleek design, so it still looks nice when it is left out.

Your energy bill can really add up, so I try to find simple ways to cut back. By switching to these bulbs, I have saved a significant amount on my energy bill per month. The bright white color of the bulbs gives all of the walls and decor in your home a crisp feel. 

At this affordable price, it makes sustainability available to most people! These lights are very high-quality and should last you for up to 10 years, so you'll save on switching out bulbs each year. I have had these for a few years, and they haven't gone bad or depreciated the quality at all.

I used to go through so many plastic bags when I packed my lunch for work. I just hated the financial and environmental waste they produced, so I wanted a more reusable option. When I found these reusable bags, I was so excited to get rid of these pesky disposable bags! 

I've tried a few different brands, but I love this one specifically because the bags are very durable BPA-free. They're clear and still have a similar look to single-use plastic bags, so you can see what is inside.