Meet a Reader | Stephanie the Midwest Librarian

Today we’re meeting a reader who hails from the Midwest, but not for long. Keep reading to learn about her interesting future plans for leaving the Midwest!

1. Tell us a little about yourself

I am a law library consultant and I have been a librarian in so many different types of libraries: public, archives, military, academic, and law firm. I live in the Midwest with my husband of 33 years.

We have three daughters, ages 27, 22 and 17. I have a very spoiled rescue dog and my youngest has a ball python that I have as little to do with as possible!

2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?

I discovered the blog in the mid-2010s when I was trying to keep myself on the frugal track.

Kristen’s children were itty bitty back then! I was drawn to her positivity, clear writing style and her pictures.

3. How did you get interested in saving money?

I am not genetically a saver. It is a struggle for me.

I didn’t grow up in a frugal household, as far as I know. My parents never talked with us about their finances and my mother’s favorite hobby was shopping. I am always interested in saving money, but I tend to talk myself into spending. My husband is much more inclined to save than I am.

4. What’s the “why” behind your money-saving efforts?

In mid-2026 (yes, we are counting down), my husband and I will sell the house and 95% of our belongings and become “digital nomads” – working from wherever we are (we both have remote jobs). We blog about this journey at WeekByeWeek.com.

We hatched this plan last year and ever since, I think about everything I consider bringing into the house in terms of what will happen to it when we transition.

It has really allowed me to resist that old temptation to buy things that aren’t consumable because it will just add to the amount of stuff I’m going to have to get rid of in a few years!

5. What’s your best frugal win?

My office desk.

I bought it for $50 from someone who was moving on Facebook Marketplace. It was midcentury modern and very heavy! After some research I discovered it was worth significantly more than I paid for it and sold it four years later for $2000!

I also have to plug the library for those who are avid readers. I read on my mother’s old Kindle and borrow e-books from my library. Your public library has e-books, audiobooks, electronic magazines, language software, genealogy databases and so much more!

I suspect I’m preaching to the choir with this group, but I would be professionally remiss if I didn’t say it!

6. What’s an embarrassing money mistake you’ve made?

I have so many. I’ll start with student loans.

So. Many. Student. Loans. I have two master’s degrees and a doctorate (from my past life in academia) and will likely be paying student loans until I die.

I also bought a brand-new car in the early 2000s and promptly totaled it a year later (I was fine). I discovered the meaning of “upside down” in loan terms pretty quickly.

And, of course, all of the credit cards I had to work so hard to pay off. If I had a time machine and could talk to younger me, I would have some stern words for her!

7. What’s one thing you splurge on?

Travel.

We travel for one to two weeks twice a year – scoping out new destinations we may want to spend a few months in down the road.

Travel planning is what keeps us going through the long Midwest winters!

8. What’s one thing you aren’t remotely tempted to splurge on?

Trendy clothing.

I have discovered my style is classic, so I gravitate toward clothes that could have been worn two decades ago or two decades from now. I have been working to pare down my wardrobe even more recently. Working remotely has really helped since I don’t need “work clothes” much anymore.

9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?

Put it toward travel or home renovations.

10. What’s the easiest/hardest part of being frugal?

The easiest is that I am a homebody by choice, so staying in and playing board games instead of going out and spending money is an easy choice for me.

The hardest is when I fixate on something I want and try to talk myself out of buying it. Amazon makes it too easy to satisfy purchase whims.

11. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?

My city has great culture and restaurants with a pretty low cost of living. There are great parks and walking trails and our climate is usually mild enough to be outdoors most of the year.

Professional sports teams are big here but it is easy to watch the games on tv, so we stay in and watch football and baseball a good portion of the year.

What single action or decision has saved you the most money over your life?

The decision to have my husband stay home for sixteen years to raise our children saved us so much in childcare fees.

Do you have any tips for frugal travel or vacations?

Ditch the resorts and stay in smaller towns. Rent an Airbnb with a kitchen and troll the markets for local foods.

Don’t overbook yourself with excursions. Our favorite days have been the ones without a destination where we explore what is around us. We always find hidden gems!

Did you ever receive any financial education in school or from your parents?

My dad taught me to budget (in Excel on an old Apple computer – I still use Excel for my budget to this day). Everything else I learned from Dave Ramsey, who I follow in some ways but not in others (I am a BIG fan of travel rewards credit cards!).

What is something you wish more people knew?

That many times you don’t have to pay for airline tickets.

We use rewards credit cards for every household expense we can and have rarely paid for airline tickets. (Make sure you pay the whole balance every month or you negate any rewards with interest payments!)

Which is your favorite type of post at the Frugal Girl and why?

The rehab posts are really fun to see. I also really like the thankful posts. They remind me to find those things throughout the day to be thankful for.

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Whoa, Stephanie, I am so impressed with the plan you and your hubby have hatched. I love it! I have considered doing something like that down the road when I have enough experience to be a travel nurse, so I’m gonna peep in on your journey as you launch.

I’m assuming your youngest will be going to college after graduation next spring, so is that how you’ll be in a position where you can sell your house? Is she taking the python with her to college??

Does it make you at all nervous to think about not having a home base? I kind of think if I do travel nursing, I’d still maintain a home apartment/house somewhere, mainly because I’m not getting rid of my piano. Ha.

Will you be car-less after this move? Or will you hang on to one?

Also I have to add that I’m super impressed at the tiny size of your clothing collection.

Ok readers, the floor is yours! Leave your questions/comments for Stephanie.

Also, don’t forget to check out her blog at Week By Week.