Jen Smith
Featured Contributor
Featured ContributorJen became passionate (borderline obsessed) with encouraging others to take control of their spending and get their finances under control after Jen and her husband paid off $78,000 of debt in 23 months.
Since getting out of debt Jen has become a best selling author on Amazon, and her writing has been featured in U.S. News and World Report, Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. She has also written for The Penny Hoarder, The Financial Diet, and MarketWatch. She’s also been nominated for best new personal finance podcasts as co-host of the Frugal Friends Podcast.
When Jen isn’t behind her computer she’s a new mom trying to figure out the whole parenting thing.
To learn more, connect with Jen on LinkedIn.
10 Tips to Negotiate Your Salary for a New Job
There is a right and a wrong way for how to negotiate salary offers. The more informed you are about how to negotiate your starting salary, the more likely you are to get what you’re asking for.
How to Prepare for (and Crush) a Job Interview
If you’re wondering how to prepare for an interview the right way, there are several things every hiring manager is looking for and a few ways you can genuinely impress them during your next interview.
Money Can’t Buy Happiness… Unless You Spend It on These Things
Making money has become the new currency of happiness. But money for the sake of having more still doesn’t produce the type of happiness that leads to long-term fulfillment. However, money can influence your happiness if you spend it on the right things.
I Stopped Spending Money for 30 Days. Here’s What Happened
I’ve never been good at moderation so even giving myself a little fun money meant I was going to overspend. I needed a complete detox from my debit card. So I stopped spending money completely for 30 days.
Six Reasons You Need an Estate Plan, Even in Your Thirties
An estate plan is a group of documents that lay out a plan for your family and assets should you become unable to manage them. It’s not just for rich people, either; everyone should have one, regardless of income.
Should Debt Be a Marriage Deal Breaker? How to Have the Debt Talk
Money and debt shouldn’t be taboo topics when you’re dating someone you want to marry. Knowing what you’re getting into can help you prepare and plan for what’s to come or help you identify red flags that could signal it’s time to leave.
How to Improve Your Finances Based on Your Enneagram Type
The Enneagram profiler helps you discover why you do what you do and how to make better choices. This makes it a useful tool in discovering why we spend money the way we do and how to improve our financial habits.
How One Woman Turned Her Financial Crisis Into a Successful Business
No matter what your salary is, you can still fall into the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. But there are lessons you can learn from others’ mistakes that might prevent you from falling into a similar situation. This woman shares her story in detail.
How to Get Your Spouse on Board with Paying Off Debt
Getting out of debt is hard, but it can be even harder when your spouse isn’t working with you. If you want to get your partner on board with paying off debt, there are several ways to approach the conversation to make it productive.
40 Best Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
Moms are some of the most selfless people on the planet. If you’re trying to find Mother’s Day gifts for the women in your life, there are plenty of great ideas for moms with every personality, life stage, and price range.