How to live with less & get more

07/28/26 - Tuesday

July 28, 2026

 

Hey friends,

We’ve got something really exciting to share with you all. For years we've heard the same thing from Frugal Friends listeners:

"I don't want another budget...
I want to stop feeling guilty every time I spend money."

Well, hold on to your butts because that's exactly why we built Spend Smart.

This isn't another budgeting app.

It's a guided program that helps you:

✔ Stop impulse spending
✔ Understand why you overspend
✔ Spot manipulative marketing before it works
✔ Feel confident saying YES to the things you actually love

Instead of tracking every dollar forever...

You'll learn how to change the way you make spending decisions.

Inside you'll get:

  • 36 bite-sized video lessons

  • Weekly challenges

  • Spending reflections

  • Daily exercises

  • Tools to build healthier habits that actually last

No guilt-tripping.

No shaming your purchases.

No perfection required.

Just intentional spending.

🎉 Through August 7, Spend Smart is 20% off.

If you've ever said...

"I make enough money...so why does it disappear?"

This was made for you.

🎧 On the Pod: How to Live with Less and Get More Out of Life

Here’s the quick version: While most psychologists studied mental health disorders, Abraham Maslow wanted to understand how to achieve a healthy mental state. And he felt that came down to 5 “cups” that we need to fill to be mentally healthy.

But those cups, while all needed, are not needed equally, thus the hierarchy. We cannot fill a higher cup until the previous cup is at least mostly filled. Those cups are:

  • Physiological needs → food, shelter, sleep, safety

  • Security needs → financial stability, health, predictability

  • Love and belonging → friendship, family, community

  • Esteem → confidence, accomplishment, feeling valued

  • Self-actualization → purpose, growth, creativity, fulfillment

The tricky part is that consumer culture constantly tries to convince us we can buy our way to those higher needs.

And sometimes we can support them with money! But often, we overspend trying to solve emotional needs with physical purchases that don’t fully satisfy them.

That’s why living with “less” isn’t about white-knuckling your way through deprivation. It’s about getting more intentional so your spending actually supports the life you want instead of distracting you from it.

🗣️ The Best Value Purchase You'll Make This Year

You already know how to spot a good deal — so here's one worth acting on. Learning a new language is one of those rare investments that pays off every single time you travel, connect, or simply want to challenge your mind. And with Babbel, it's more affordable than you think.

Built by 150+ linguists, the Babbel Method focuses on real-world conversations you can actually use — just 10 minutes a day. No classroom, no pressure, no wasted time. Just steady progress that stacks up faster than you'd expect. You could be speaking out loud in as little as 3 weeks.

Right now, save up to 55% on Babbel and make the one purchase your future well-traveled self will thank you for. **

Also, if you missed it, Friday we re-ran one of our favorite episodes from a few years ago: Underconsumption Core 101.

It’s a fun companion listen to this week’s main episode if you’re trying to consume more intentionally without turning your life into a punishment.

And don’t forget to check out the Spend Smart App! It’s truly like having us in your pocket in real time when you’re making spending decisions.

Warmest,
Jen + Jill

**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.