About Me

I am a writer, editor and musician in Austin, Texas, and I created this website about frugal living because it’s what I know!

My story

My journey to this little website adventure started when I was a carefree college student. I happily accepted free credit cards that companies handed out like candy and soon built up some pretty hefty balances. Imagine my surprise when I graduated and found I couldn’t pay those balances – even with a "real" job!

My wallet was sad, and I learned fast that just making minimum payments wasn’t going to get me anywhere. If I was ever going to get out of the hole I’d dug for myself, I was going to have to pay off the cards. So, I got busy.

I got extra jobs, cut back on my spending, set a budget that I lived by and eventually climbed out of that hole. It took commitment and time, but I did it! I felt a real sense of empowerment with each debt I paid off, and once above ground, I vowed never to get in that hole again. And I never have!

By the time my wallet was happy again, thrifty living had become a way of life. It was easy to spend (or not spend) wisely, because I’d developed good habits. Even when I got to the point that I was making good money at my job and could have afforded to live much more extravagantly, I didn’t.

I adopted a philosophy of living below my means, even when the economy was flying high and people were living large. Oh, I enjoyed vacations and lived comfortably, but I never spent more than I had or all that I could.

I saved for a rainy day and kept my expenses low. I saved up for big-ticket items and continued to look for deals anytime I could. It gave me a sense of control over my own destiny. And when the economy took a nosedive, I was prepared!

Sharing the wealth

As the economic downturn marched on, though, I realized that a lot of other people out there weren’t as ready as I was to manage the challenges of a tough economy. They didn’t have the tools and habits for frugal living that were second nature to me.

I realized that I had something to offer that could help a lot of people. I could marry my loves of writing and frugal living and share some of the tips I’ve learned over the years, as well as providing a forum for others to share their great ideas.

I started by writing a column on frugal living in Austin for Examiner.com. It was fun, and I enjoyed learning about all the cool things people could do for cheap in my awesome city, but I realized there was so much more I could share – things that people anywhere could use to take control of their lives.

But I’m no computer programmer! I had plenty to say, but how was I supposed to say it? I know some HTML, but what do I know about web hosting, net marketing, search engine optimization, blah, blah, blah. Answer: nothin’! And I wasn’t interested in learning all that – I just wanted to help people learn how to live more comfortably on less!

Well, luckily, I found a really great service that helped me build my site and didn’t require me to go back to school or pull my hair out: Site Build It! With Site Build It! (SBI!), they do all the complicated programming stuff, and I get to just do what I do best: write!

So, with the technical hurdles out of the way, I got to work on LaughingWallet.com! Not only has this site allowed me to share all of the things I’ve learned over the years about frugal living, but I’ve continued to learn.

I’m constantly learning new ways to save money and spend wisely, and Laughing Wallet gives me just the forum I’ve always wanted to share those tips and ideas (and hear yours)!

I’m really passionate about the idea that you can live within your means and still enjoy life to the fullest! I know, because I do! I hope the tips in Laughing Wallet help you to enjoy your life more, too – with less financial stress and more freedom.

Thank you for visiting Laughing Wallet and taking the time to learn about me and my site! If there’s a topic you’d like to see me cover on the site or something you’d like to share, please contact me.

Cheers for a bright future!

Suzanne

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