Episode Overview

Podcast: Optimal Finance Daily
Host: Diania Merriam
Episode: #3409 - How We Began to Slash Our Budget
Guest Post by: Amanda Brownlow of Hello Brownlow
Date: January 3, 2026

In this episode, host Diania Merriam narrates Amanda Brownlow’s candid journey of transforming her family money habits after college. Brownlow shares specific steps she and her husband took to reduce their recurring expenses, slash their budget by nearly $1,000 a month, and create a more sustainable, mindful approach to family finances. The episode centers on breaking bad spending habits, conscious budgeting, and the sometimes surprising psychological hurdles (and wins) along the way.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Starting Point: Opposite Attitudes Toward Money

• Amanda’s confession: She had little experience budgeting or saving money, running her checking account “all the way down to zero every two weeks” as a college student – despite her parents being savvy with money (00:33).

• Her husband’s influence: He worked through college, fostering an appreciation for saving, in contrast to Amanda’s carefree spending.

  “My average checking account balance was below $100 and I ran that sucker all the way down to zero every two weeks. But I never overdrew my account.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (00:33)

2. Learning to Budget Together

• After moving to a larger city post-college, they experimented with Dave Ramsey's methods (at her uncle’s suggestion). While they didn’t follow his system religiously, they took away important lessons.

• The thrill of seeing saved money provided ongoing motivation.

  “The thrill of looking at how much money we were able to save made all of this worth it.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (01:56)

3. Specific Strategies to Cut Monthly Expenses

• Cutting Cable TV (02:16):

  • Dropped expensive cable (which was previously included in their rent) to save ~$100/month, replacing it with rabbit ears and Netflix.
  • Motivation: Realized they weren’t actually watching that much TV.

  • “When we made that cut, we really had to ask ourselves, do we really watch that much TV? The answer was no and it was gone.”
    — Amanda Brownlow (02:34)

• Switching Cell Phone Providers (03:00):

  • Moved from family plans to a joint, more affordable plan, saving about $50/month.
  • Early adopters, noting this was before industry incentives were popular.

• Buying a More Efficient Car (03:29):

  • Trading a gas-guzzler for a Nissan, with significant fuel savings despite the addition of a car payment.
  • Gas costs reduced by $20–$30/month.
  • Emphasized researching before upgrading vehicles purely for efficiency.

• Using Cash and the Envelope System (04:34):

  • Switched to a physical, tabbed cash envelope from Walmart as a way to control variable spending.

  • Result: Reduced “controllable expenses” (groceries, shopping, eating out, etc.) from $1,600 to under $1,000/month.

    “Cash is tangible and it’s harder for me to let go of than running my magic swipey card through the register.”
    — Amanda Brownlow (04:34)

• Negotiating with Service Providers (05:41):

  • Called providers (electric, cell phone, Internet, etc.) annually to ask for discounts or loyalty credits.

  • Achieved about $50/month additional savings by leveraging a history of on-time payment and loyalty.

  • Also adopted paperless billing for small discounts.

    “This is all my husband’s doing and not my own. He calls all of our service providers ... to see if he can get our bill lowered.”
    — Amanda Brownlow (05:41)

• Detailed Budgeting (06:13):

  • Adopted zero-based budgeting, tracking every cent of their paychecks.

  • Gained new insight into wasteful spending and drastically shifted their perspective.

    “It’s hard to put a number on how much money we’ve saved by doing this, but it’s definitely put spending in perspective.”
    — Amanda Brownlow (06:29)

• Couponing for Groceries (06:35):

  • Inspired by the "Extreme Couponing" show, Amanda began couponing aggressively, treating it almost like a part-time job.

  • Reduced grocery spend from $400/month to $200/month.

  • Focused on building a modest stockpile of essentials and cut impulse buys.

    “Our grocery bill went from $400 monthly to $200 monthly. ... Couponing takes a lot of practice to get it right, but the savings are worth it.”
    — Amanda Brownlow (07:01)

4. Psychological Shifts & Advice

• Emphasizes the process was a huge learning curve—adapting spending behaviors and being honest about habits.

• Encourages listeners to experiment and find the strategies that fit their own needs, not just copy-paste what worked for her.

  “I hope that some of these tips are helpful and get you to start thinking about the ways that you can slash your own budget.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (07:30)

Diania Merriam’s Commentary

On Finding Your “Deprivation” Line (09:58)

• Diania reinforces that while expense cutting is powerful, there's a point at which it can feel like deprivation, which may signal you’ve gone too far.

• She challenges listeners to interrogate the why behind feelings of deprivation, noting cultural and social pressures.

  “If you reduce your expenses to the point where it feels like deprivation and affects the quality of your life, you may have gone too far. The tricky part ... is to examine why it feels like deprivation.”
  — Diania Merriam (09:58)

• Diania shares her own anecdote about sticking with an Android phone despite social pressure to own an iPhone, suggesting that sometimes, “frugal” choices don’t really feel like sacrifices unless we let outside opinions sway us.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My average checking account balance was below $100 and I ran that sucker all the way down to zero every two weeks. But I never overdrew my account.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (00:33)

• “We switched to rabbit ears and Netflix. … The rabbit ears were a must even if they are super ugly.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (02:24)

• “We pay about $100 a month right now for a really great plan. This meant about $50 in savings every month.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (03:13)

• “We use a version of the Dave Ramsey envelope system that works best for us. … Maybe the best dollar I’ve spent.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (04:34)

• “He calls all of our service providers … to see if he can get our bill lowered.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (05:41)

• “It’s almost like a part time job. But the savings were tremendous.”
  — Amanda Brownlow (06:47)

• “If you reduce your expenses to the point where it feels like deprivation and affects the quality of your life, you may have gone too far.”
  — Diania Merriam (09:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:33: Amanda's “bad spending habits” and lack of budgeting skills
• 01:56: Post-college financial learning curve; dabbling in Dave Ramsey’s advice
• 02:16: Dropping cable in favor of cheaper alternatives
• 03:00: Switching cell phone providers for savings
• 03:29: Getting a more efficient car and its impact
• 04:34: Adopting the cash envelope budgeting system
• 05:41: Negotiating with service providers for discounts
• 06:13: Zero-based budgeting: tracking every cent
• 06:35: Extreme couponing and grocery expense overhaul
• 07:30: Amanda’s summary and encouragement to listeners
• 09:58: Diania’s commentary on the line between frugality and deprivation

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode is refreshingly candid, actionable, and optimistic, with an emphasis on personal experience over rigid rules. Amanda’s voice is relatable—often self-deprecating and honest—while Diania provides thoughtful meta-commentary, urging listeners to pursue financial optimization but not at the cost of their happiness. The episode is a roadmap for families aiming to cut expenses and a reminder to balance frugality with quality of life.