Amy Boyington

Amy has been writing about saving money and finding deals for years, starting with her first blog, which she founded in 2004 to help busy moms balance life, work, and finances. But she’s also practiced what she’s preached. Throughout her years of single motherhood, Amy intentionally found ways to maximize her budget and cut spending to provide for her family while teaching her children about smart money management. Habits like meal planning, automatic savings transfers, and never shopping without a discount allowed Amy to grow her emergency fund, tackle credit card debt, and buy her first home without straining her finances. Amy enjoys sharing her money-saving expertise with other parents and caregivers, especially, to empower them to take control of their finances and build a healthy financial future for their families.

Amy’s Favorite Savings Hack

I’ll admit it: shopping online can be addictive. To curb mindless purchases and save money in the process, I’ll fill up my shopping cart with anything I want to buy. But if there’s anything in there I don’t need right away, I’ll use the “Save For Later" feature many retailers offer (you’ll usually need an account to use it). Then, I wait one week. If I still want anything I’ve saved, I’ll add it back to my cart and buy it. But, I often find that I can live without about 90% of the items I’ve saved.

Amy’s Favorite Brands

Chewy is the number-one go-to brand that I rave about to all pet owners I know. Aside from my human kids, I have three furry companions who rely on me for all their essentials. Chewy helps me stay fully stocked on everything from pet food to medications, always with incredible sales available to lower my total. Plus, their customer support is A+ — I dare you to find a better customer service team!

But I also have a few close honorable mentions:

• Book Outlet
• Kohl’s
• Michael’s
• Shutterfly
• Vitacost

Fun Fact About Amy

I absolutely love working out with virtual reality fitness apps (don’t knock them ‘til you’ve tried them!). You get to compete against other players, work out in settings you likely wouldn’t otherwise, listen to some great music, and get your sweat on, all from the comfort of your home. I’ve even had the opportunity to be a beta tester for one of my favorites, Supernatural.