Hi there, I’m Ruth!

I’m a blogger, speaker entrepreneur, product creator, mom to two beautiful girls, wife to my wonderful husband of ten years, a New York Times bestselling author, and most importantly, an imperfect child of a loving and gracious God who lifted me out of a life of depression and despair.  My greatest passion is my family and working to craft a life filled with joy and purpose.

I started writing Living Well Spending Less in 2010 because my spending habits had become so out-of-control that my marriage was in big trouble.  I desperately needed to find a way to hold myself accountable, and writing about my challenges with living well on a budget really helped.

Spending wildly wasn’t something I did intentionally, but the more I tried to fill my inner void with stuff, the more unsatisfied I felt.

But now, years later, I have come to some important realizations.  First, I’ve realized that I actually like saving money.  Sticking to a budget forces me to tap into a creativity I never knew existed, and it is surprisingly fun and satisfying.

Second, and even more importantly, my own definition of what “Living Well” means has changed.  I’ve realized that all those things I thought I wanted and needed don’t really mean anything in the grand scheme of things, and a life well lived is not so much about what we have as who we are.

If this is your first time visiting, I’d love for you to get to know me better.  If you’ve got lots of time, start by reading my depression story, and then read why I took my kids’ toys away or  why I make my bed every day.  That will pretty much bring you up to speed with where I’ve been, who I am, and how I tick.