Jamerrill has a great post up sharing her once-a-month Walmart grocery shopping haul for a family of 9. If you have a large family, I think you’ll be inspired by her post.
2hr Cleaning Checklist
Classic View
Grid View
Gretchen’s $36 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Crystal kindly gifted us a free delivery from Blue Apron that included 3 meals. Our box arrived this last weekend and I will be using these meals this week. I’m super excited to try some meals that I wouldn’t normally make!
Aldi
2 dozen Large Eggs – $0.49 each
1 gallon Milk – $1.58
1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.49
1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies – $0.45
2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each
1 jar Pasta Sauce – $0.99
3 frozen Pizzas – $0.99 each
1 bag Shredded Cheese – $2.99
1 lb Butter – $2.68
1 pkg Green Peppers – $0.99
1 pkg Deli Turkey – $2.39
1 Cucumber – $0.49
1 pkg Cheese – $1.79
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.69
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.29
1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.79
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 Pineapple – $1.29
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 loaf Bread – $0.85
Total: $36.90
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Eggs & Toast x 4
Cereal x 2
Out to eat with our LifeGroup
Lunches
Turkey Sandwiches, Veggies
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrots, Cantaloupe x 2
Mac & Cheese, Spinach Salad
Cheese, Crackers, Veggies, Fruit x 2
Leftovers
Dinners
Spaghetti, Green Beans, Spinach Salad
Baked Chicken, Fruit Salad, Potatoes
Waffles, Eggs, Fruit Salad
Seared Steaks & Salsa Verde, Potatoes/Asparagus/Radishes, Biscuits (Blue Apron Meal)
Crispy Catfish, Spicy Vegetable Curry with Charred Lime (Blue Apron Meal)
Persian-Style Chicken & Crispy Rice, Summer Squash/Currants & Lemon Yogurt, Spinach Salad (Blue Apron Meal)
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Steamed Broccoli
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
What I’m Reading
This past week, I finished reading The Broken Way, DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety & Stop Panic Attacks, and More Than Just Making It.
The Broken Way really, really impacted me in a number of different ways. One of those was in the area of friendships. I wrote this as a result of how the book challenged me:
“We weren’t created to be loners; we were created for community.”
I’ve said this from stages and written it in posts. And yet, for years, I’ve worked incredibly hard to not inconvenience anyone around me, if I can dare help it.
I’ve gone way out of my way to avoid causing someone else to have to go out of their way.
I’ve struggled through many things privately and not shared them with those closest to me lest I add one more thing to their already-full plates.
I’ve put on a brave face and kept it together when I felt like my world was falling apart because the last thing I would want to do would be to be a burden to someone else.
But I’m slowly learning this is the road of loneliness and isolation.
If we want to develop authentic deep relationships, we have to spill out the vulnerable, broken parts of our soul and let other people in to the messy, hurting, raw spaces. And be a safe place for them to do the same.
It requires the willingness to inconvenience and be inconvenienced. It means we let others bear our burdens and we’re willing to bear theirs. It will result in disappointing others and in being disappointed ourselves.
But when we let others get close enough that our brokenness and messiness is on full display, they also get to see the most beautiful, intimate parts of our heart and soul, too.
And let me tell you, getting to experience that depth in relationship is so very worth being inconvenienced and inconveniencing others for.
Right now, I’m reading: A Secret Courage, Fragments That Remain, and Nothing to Prove.
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 45 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What I Reminded Myself Of This Week
This morning, I woke up before the rest of my family did and I immediately felt haunted by my inner critic.
“You haven’t made cookies with your kids in a long time!”
“You should make reading aloud with your kids more of a priority!”
“Your house isn’t as clean as it should be…”
And on and on it went. Until I said, “STOP! This is ridiculous!”
Sure, maybe I’m not doing what some other moms are doing. Maybe our house isn’t as clean as it could be. Maybe we’ve watched movies together instead of reading aloud the last few weeks. Maybe I’ve not prioritized cookie-baking.
Instead of letting my inner critic make me feel discouraged and defeated over what I’ve not done with my kids recently, I challenged myself to instead stop and celebrate the many, many beautiful moments and talks and adventures and laughs and fun we have had together recently.
And as I did that, I couldn’t believe how many I came up with! It made me smile and sigh a big sigh of relief to realize that while our lives might look different than others and I’m not prioritizing certain things right now, I AM prioritizing other things — like quality time with the kids, fun together, good conversations, and more time just hanging out and being together.
We can always find things to criticize about our life and our choices. And yes, there is always room for improvement. But beating ourselves up never accomplishes anything that ultimately helps anyone.
Let’s fire our inner critic and replace those thoughts with celebrating the good, the beautiful, and the memorable moments that are happening every day in our lives. Because they are there — if we will just stop to notice them!
(Family photo from Gallery By Laura)
We had a fun park date with friends one morning this past week where we explored, walk a trail, tried some geocaching, picnic lunch, and then went and got free Frosty’s at Wendy’s (the Preds scored 4 goals in their game this past week, so Wendy’s gave away Frosty’s in our area — no purchase required!)
And here’s a little peek into my never-dull life…
Some days, you just smile and hold on for dear life.
I was flat in bed sick as a dog on Wednesday. (Do dogs get sicker than humans? Is that why we say that?!? I don’t know. Regardless, I was sick as all get out and couldn’t keep anything down for hours! Yuck.)
We were supposed to leave to fly to Kansas for my brother’s graduation on Thursday morning. Only, I hadn’t moved from the bed for over 24 hours, so I told Jesse he was just going to have to go without me and maybe we could bump my flight to a day later since I was starting to feel human again.
So he showed up at the airport only to discover that the airline had only ticketed us for two of the five tickets we had bought. It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it meant they were able to bump ALL of our flights to an afternoon flight without charging me for changing my flight.
But it also meant I had 2 1/2 hours to get out of bed, get presentable, get packed, get some must-do business projects done, and get to the airport on Thursday afternoon.
Jesse had taken an Uber to the airport since we now only have one car (that’s a long OTHER story involving carpet beetles & the insurance company!) and he offered to take an Uber back home so that I wouldn’t have to drive to the airport in my recovering-from-sickness state. I was all, “No, you stay put! I’ve got this!”
Of course, I then proceeded to take a wrong turn and get royally stuck in standstill construction traffic. Which meant that I made it through security and to our gate with literally 4 minutes to spare before the doors closed!! That was WAY too close for my comfort!
But I made it in time! And I had Jesse take this picture of me during our layover in Dallas on Thursday afternoon because:
a) I was excited that I wanted to drink tea after having zero appetite for almost two days
b) I love this new shirt & these shoes I got from Zulily
c) I knew I needed to share this story online. (I’m sure all the dozens of people walking by were wondering what this crazy woman was doing posing right outside of gate C11!!)
So there you have it. Another day in my never dull life! 😉
Psst! Something I’ve Been Loving
So, Allison who is the creator of Get Your Pretty On gave me access to her Summer Wardrobe Style Challenge after she saw that I talked about the Style Challenge that was available as part of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.
You guys, I am 100% surprising myself by how much I am loving this. I thought it was a great idea, but I didn’t think it would work for me since I am picky about styles and colors and didn’t think that having someone else pick out outfits and give me outfit suggestions would really work.
But I’m finding it to be so inspiring — especially when you see the variations of the outfits that women are coming up with in the Facebook Group. I’ll likely be sharing more about this in the coming weeks once I’ve tried it more, but I just had to mention it here as something that I am loving this week.
Also, my outfit in the airport photo above was totally inspired by the style challenge. I think it’s going to help me feel so much more put-together and also challenge me outside of my usual wardrobe comfort zones. I will keep you posted!
{By the way, if you are interested in checking out the Summer Style Challenge, Allison gave me a coupon code for you all! Use coupon code MSM10 to get $10 off!}
The graduation was beautiful… unfortunately, I lost all of my photos that I took on my phone of it except this one that I had saved in a different place plus the one below of the kids. I was so sad as I had gotten some great photos. 🙁
We loved getting to be with family, to see friends from Kansas we’ve not seen in a long time, and to get to go to my brother’s graduation party, too.
What I’ve Been Pondering
This week, we got the call. The call that we’ve been anxiously waiting for for three weeks
We’d been praying about this so much and hoping for a certain answer.
It had looked like some things were lining up in such an amazing way and we were so excited for how this was all going to work out.
And then we got the call… and it was the exact opposite answer of everything we had hoped for.
The miracle we’d prayed for and hoped for didn’t happen.
The door was slammed shut — and I felt like I’d been punched hard in my gut.
What do you do when the thing you’d hoped and prayed for doesn’t happen? When the answer is no? When your hopes are dashed? When the door slams shut?
You can be angry and upset. Or, you can rest that God is working in this and His plan is different — and better! — than what you thought was the best plan.
We prayed for an answer and we got one. We prayed for clear direction and we got it.
So I will trust that the God who created the clouds and the sunsets, the God Who has been so faithful in the past, He is going before us in this.
His best is always THE best, even if it doesn’t make sense at the time. And I can trust that someday, I will look back and understand why. For now, I am choosing to rest in His goodness, trust His character, and choose hope!
What I’m Learning
One morning this past week, I was feeling really overwhelmed with this whole parenting job. One child in particular had been mouthing off and acting out and I just felt like nothing I was saying or doing was making an difference.
I texted a friend: “…Wondering if I’m just totally failing as a mom and wondering what on earth I am doing wrong and what do I need to change…”
This friend texted back: “…Both you and Jesse are perfectly made to be {this child’s} Mom and Dad. Let the love that God has given inside of you flow freely. Let {this child} see Jesus in your actions.”
It was such a simple encouragement: stop stressing over what I need to do or not do, what I need to change or not change. Stop beating myself up or fixating on how I may I have failed or worrying about whether this child’s heart is ever going to change.
Instead, camp on the truth that God has perfectly equipped me with everything I need to be the parent of the children He has given me and focus on loving my kids like Jesus loves them.
“Love them like Jesus loves them.” That became my mantra yesterday and it completely changed my attitude and approach.
I pulled this child aside and shared what God has been teaching about how much He loves me. I asked them how they feel loved and how I can make them feel more loved.
We sat and talked and shared our hearts. They shared how they felt hurt and misunderstood in certain situations and they felt like no one really got it. I was able to share situations in my life where I felt the same.
It was beautiful and it gave me a profound window into this child’s heart and soul. I would have missed this had I been fixated on just fixing the issue.
Jesus cares most about our hearts. He doesn’t care that we have all our ducks in a row, that we do all the right things, or that we get it all right.
He loves us in our brokenness. He died for us while we were yet sinners. He still loves us when we fail and make mistakes.
Lord, let me love my kids like You have loved me.
Shared Jun 10, 2017
comment
What I Learned About Meal Planning From The Most Frugal Family I Ever Met
What I Learned About Meal Planning From The Most Frugal Family I Ever Met
Guest post from Jane who blogs at Jane Saves
Last year, we bought a fixer-upper home from the most frugal family I’ve ever met. Our green Spanish mission-style house was built and paid for in all cash.
The owners then lived in the home from 1977, until they passed away. We purchased the home from their daughter who owned her own home, which she bought in cash too.
This family was not wealthy. They just knew how to pinch a penny before it was even cool.
When we bought the home, it was like walking out of a time machine into 1977. Wood paneling. Yellow bathrooms. Grasscloth wallpaper.
The original homeowners lived by the motto, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Which is why we were successful in flipping the house. Because they didn’t fix anything. Not one single thing. Because it wasn’t broken.
During our kitchen renovation, we uncovered a few items tucked down into drawers and hidden behind the original cabinetry. The best find was a meal plan from the 1970’s or 1980’s hand-written by the original homeowner, Sarah. (Sarah passed away in the late 80’s, so it was before then.)
I looked over her simple monthly meal plan again and again. Here are 8 things I learned from her penny-pinching ways.
1. You don’t have to meal plan on a Pinterest-worthy printable or calendar.
Sarah made her monthly meal plan on an old, used envelope. Now, if that isn’t frugal, I don’t know what is! This is proof that you don’t need a fancy form to plan meals for the month. As long as you have a piece of paper and a pen, you don’t have an excuse.
2. Plan your meals for the whole month.
I had never heard of monthly meal planning until I got on the debt-free train several years ago. The more I read about the most frugal way to meal plan, the more I heard people rave about monthly meal planning.
If the most frugal family I know made monthly meal plans three decades ago, there must be something to it.
3. Meal planning is not for people who only eat rice and beans.
When I first started meal planning, I thought I had to plan the cheapest meals possible.
As I started planning more and more, I realized that it’s about so much more than just the bottom line. Meal planning is about reducing stress during the late afternoon rush because you know exactly what to eat and when.
Even if you plan on eating out every night, writing it down on paper gets it out of your head so you can focus on other things.
If Sarah could take the time to write “Burger King” on her menu, you can too.
4. Balance expensive dinners out with go-to frugal favorites.
In between steak dinners and Ponderosa, Sarah sprinkled in simple and cheap dinners, like spaghetti, chicken noodle soup, hamburgers, pizza, and ravioli.
Sarah and her husband may have outgrown the beans-and-rice season of life, but they still knew the importance of saving when possible. It’s all about balance – saving and splurging, steak and spaghetti.
5. Don’t be afraid to eat the same meal a few nights in a row.
There’s no shame in eating a ham or roast several days in a row. In fact, I’ve never cooked a roast and not had leftovers.
The fact that Sarah went ahead and planned to eat the same food several days in a row showed that this wasn’t her first rodeo. She knew exactly what to cook and how long it would last. Because rule #1 to save money in the kitchen is don’t waste food.
6. Plan to be generous if your budget allows.
You’ll notice that she wrote “Bill Treats” (her husband) after dinner on October 10. Even though they were extremely frugal, they were generous enough to pick up dinner for family and friends. Being debt-free is beautiful because you can be generous. Even though they picked up the bill, you better believe they planned and budgeted for it.
7. Plan realistic dinners around your schedule.
I love that Sarah made a note on September 28, that she was going to have a yard sale and grab hamburgers for dinner. Yard sales are hard work. After a long day of sitting out in the sun, nobody has the energy to stand in front of the stove.
This is such an important lesson. There’s no point in scheduling “roast duck” on the menu for a night when all three kids have soccer practice. An experienced menu planner knows that if you don’t set realistic expectations, you will fail. It’s just that simple.
8. Meal planning doesn’t stop once you’re debt free.
Not only were the original homeowners debt-free, but they lived in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in our area and obviously had disposable income for eating out. Yet they still followed a meal plan.
Meal planning is the number one way to save money and everyone can benefit from it!
Do you want to start meal planning? Here’s a great resource from MoneySavingMom.com to help you get started!
Jane and her family were able to pay off $81,400 in consumer debt in a little over 2 years through a combination of good old-fashioned frugality and flipping a fixer upper. She blogs about saving money in creative ways at JaneSaves.com
My 10 Goals for 2017: June 9th Update
Welcome to my monthly post where I share an update on how I’m doing on my goals for 2017. I hope that this post inspires you in your own goal-setting journey!
It’s time for another goal update for 2017! May was a rougher month for us… it was the last month of school so there was a lot of extra stuff with end-of-the-year projects, we traveled more than usual, and we had some hard things happen personally that took a lot of time and effort and required a lot of emotional energy.
So I gave myself grace this month to just focus on making it through, investing in the most important things, and not stressing about the little things.
I’m sharing a recap of each of my goals + an update on how I’m doing on each of them below. (If there’s no update listed, I have no update to report. Hopefully I’ll have an update next month!)
Personal Goals
1. Run 3 miles in 30 minutes — I took up running again this year — as part of my fitness plan that my nutritionist put together for me. I’ve never been skilled in the running department, but I’ve started to really enjoy it and am wanting to push myself here and be able to easily run 3 miles in 30 minutes.
June 9th update: I’m on a more intentional running regimen — varying between easy runs, long runs, and weight training. My nutritionist is a runner so he is putting together a run training schedule for me each week!
This month, I’m continuing to average about 2.6 miles in 30 minutes. I didn’t have as much time to exercise with traveling, so I just gave myself grace to not try to increase my pace this month.
(I could push myself and do more, but my nutritionist is encouraging me to not push myself too hard, too fast and instead to slowly build up my endurance. So I’m trying to take my time and not get impatient. Because I know that slow and steady wins the race!)
2. Make it to Phase 4 of the nutrition plan — I’m currently working through a 4-phase custom nutritional plan with my nutritionist. I start in Phase 1 back at the end of August 2016. He thinks that at the rate I’m going and progressing, I’ll be able to start Phase 4 by mid-2017! And I guess that when I hit Phase 4, I’ll feel absolutely and utterly amazing!
June 9th update: I started Phase 3 in February! This means I get to introduce back in quite a bit more foods and have more wiggle room as far as what I can and can’t eat (I can even eat one dessert every week now!). Plus, it means that I’ll be eating even more — which is crazy because I feel like I eat so much right now. 🙂
I love how my tastes have changed so much in the last few months. I crave healthy foods almost all the time and rarely have a desire to eat something that isn’t something nourishing. I even like celery now — a food I couldn’t stomach before!
I think one of the biggest things that has changed is that I’ve really made taking care of my health a top priority in my life. And the benefits and results of that are pretty amazing!
3. Read 48 books I already own — I didn’t read as much in 2016 nor did I set any reading goals because I let myself have a lot more time to rest, feel, think, process, sleep, and just slowly go through one or two books at time. I wanted to see what that felt like… and I realized it was good for a year, but now I’m anxious to get back to more reading and having a few books going at once! I decided to challenge myself this year to focus on reading books I already own.
So I picked 48 books — a stack of 12 books that were old Christian reprints, a stack of 12 books that were story driven, a stack of 12 books that were about improving your life, and a stack of 12 books to encourage me in my Christian walk. My plan is to try to read one from each stack each month.
June 9th update: See all 45 books and ebooks I’ve read in 2017 so far here! Yay! It feels so good to be back to reading again!
Here’s what I’ve read so far this year from books I already own:
January: Candles in the Dark, Grace Not Perfection, A Trip Around the Sun, and The Giver. Of those 4 books, The Giver definitely was the one that impacted me the most profoundly. I wrote more about it here.
February: Answers to Prayer, Hope in Front of Me, The Cozy Life, Be Real.
March: If, Lilac Girls, Just Do Something, Unashamed
April: Thou Givest, They Gather, A Gospel Primer, The Big Leap, 10% Happier
May: Power Through Prayer, The Broken Way, Hope Heals, DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety & Stop Panic Attacks
Marriage Goals
4. Go on a 4-day completely unplugged trip — Jesse and I went to Hawaii last year and it was downright incredible. I left my computer at home and didn’t get online or on social media the entire time. It was BLISS!! We walked for miles on the beach, I fell in love with the ocean, I read 10 books (!), we scouted out the cheapest food options (because the food is SO $$ there! But never fail, we found a Subway we could walk to a few miles away from our hotel!), and we just had so much fun together.
We’re planning to do the same sort of trip of this year, but we’re going somewhere different. We’re currently saving up and looking for deals so that we can do the trip for just a few hundred dollars like the Hawaii trip!
Family Goals
5. Go to South Africa as a family — Our kids have been begging to go back to South Africa and we’ve set a goal to make that happen this year. We’re hoping to find a great deal on tickets like we did last time during a timeframe that works for our friends in South Africa. The kids are already getting really anxious thinking about it (and of course, Jesse and I are, too!!)
June 9th update: So, after quite a bit of investigation and back and forth with our friends in South Africa, we don’t believe that it’s going to work out for us to go this year because the only window of time we have long enough to make it happen this summer (and allow time on either side of the trip to prepare and recover) is the one time when the families there can’t do it. Instead, we were planning a trip to London, but because of a few different things that have come up in the last month, we are thinking of actually doing a stateside road trip to visit some states we’ve never been to instead. It’s still up in the air for sure, but we should know for sure in the next two weeks!
Financial Goals
6. Sell our 3 rental houses in Kansas — So, we loved having rental houses and it’s been a great investment for us (we paid cash for them and have turned a profit on them pretty much every single month we’ve had them!), but we have decided that we’d like to sell them (and hopefully turn an additional profit when we sell them) and put that money into our house savings. Then, once we’ve purchased a house here, we’ll start saving to invest in local real estate.
June 9th update: We sold one of our houses and we got both of our other houses on the market this month! Hopefully we’ll have good news about them being sold very soon!
7. Save up to pay cash for a house here in TN — As I mentioned above, this is something we’ve been mulling over a lot this past year and thinking through and have decided to start saving aggressively for in 2017. By selling our rental houses, we should have at least 75% to 80% of the total amount saved… which will mean, we should be able to save the additional 20% to 25% needed this year if we are careful and strategic.
And yes, homes in this area are much more expensive than Kansas!! We could move about 30 minutes away and homes would go down significantly in price, but we love this area and we love being so close to our church, to the kids’ school, and to other places we go to on a weekly basis. We’ve also decided we’d like to buy something that would be our “forever home” and would give us enough space to have offices + bedrooms for each of the kids.
June 9th update: Since we sold one of our rental houses (see above), we are now at 40% of our savings goal!!! If we can sell the other two houses in the next 3-4 months + save all we can during that time period, we should be really, really close to our goal!!
**Not listed specifically, but very important to us: We decided to take a leap of faith and significantly increase our giving this year. We didn’t feel comfortable listing the details of that as a goal here publicly, but we wanted to acknowledge that this was happening. Because honestly, it’s our heartbeat and one of the main reasons I’m highly motivated to be strategic with what I do online — so that we can give generously to causes and people near and dear to our hearts.**
Business Goals
8. Release 2 online courses.
June 9th update: We are in the process of putting together not just two courses, but an entire SERIES of courses on blogging that we’ll be slowly launching over the next year. We launched our first mini-course in May and are working on finishing up the next course (a full course) that should release in a few weeks! Check out YourBloggingUniversity.com to see what other courses we have coming soon!
9. Start 2 new blogs — I shared more here about the big changes for this blog in 2017 — including two brand-new blogs I’m launching.
June 9th update: We officially launched YourBloggingMentor.com a few weeks ago and I am having so much fun teaching other bloggers over there! If you are interested in blogging or you know someone who is, I’d love for you to head on over and check out the site. I’d also love for you to follow me over on my Your Blogging Mentor Instagram where I’m sharing daily tips and advice for new bloggers.
Now, with all of the work involved with YourBloggingMentor.com, I decided that I needed to shelve the CrystalPaine.com idea for a little while. I don’t want to overload my plate or bite off more than I can chew. And I don’t want my team to be overextended, either. So I made an executive decision a few days ago for us to hold off on moving forward with my CrystalPaine.com idea until I feel like I have enough breathing room and margin to add something new.
In the mean time, if you’re not following me on my personal Instagram here, I’d love for you to follow me. I’ve been sharing a lot of personal stuff, heart stuff, and real-life stuff… and I’d love for you to check out my daily Instagram Stories, too, because there’s rarely a dull moment around here. 😉
10. Learn YouTube/iMovie — You can watch my recent YouTube videos here.
June 9th update: I’ve had fun editing and publishing YouTube videos and feel like I’ve made a lot of headway in learning tricks and strategies and what works.
I’ve been lax in editing YouTube videos the past few weeks because of travel and end-of-school stuff and life and launching YourBloggingMentor.com, but I did win a $1000 gift card to B&H for an affiliate promotion a few months ago with a company I worked with so I just used it today to buy a brand-new vlogging camera. Which means that I just might be inspired to do more with YouTube — especially since the video quality should be so much better if I’m not shooting with my phone!
How are YOU doing on your goals for 2017? Leave a comment and let us know!
Are you interested in becoming a virtual assistant?
I talk to so many moms who are looking for ways to earn money from home. Many try signing up with some kind of company like Plexus or Young Living or starting a blog. Those are great options and I know many people making a full-time income from them and loving doing so.
But one option that is very under-explored and few people seem to consider is becoming a virtual assistant. Many online (and offline) companies will hire virtual workers to help with a variety of projects for their site and there is always a big need out there for good virtual assistants.
In fact, most of the great virtual assistants I know are turning away jobs because there is so much opportunity and not enough time!
No matter what your skill set is, there’s a good chance there is a virtual assistant opportunity for you. For instance, here are some of the ways I currently use virtual assistants on my team:
- Graphic design, website design, website maintenance
- Customer service — trouble-shooting tech issues, issue refunds, answering customer questions
- Blog posts — Finding, vetting, and drafting posts, responding to comments, designing graphics for posts
- Facebook — Scheduling posts, responding to comments
- Facebook advertising — Setting up ads, watching and tracking the results
- Email — Answering questions from readers, keeping my email organized, fielding complaints, setting up email newsletters
- Advertising and marketing — Talking to potential advertisers, negotiating contracts, keeping all of the details straight for ad buys
- Product creation — helping me create course content, managing & running the details of a course launch, setting up all of the details for affiliates
And that’s just a very short list! There’s no way that I could do what I do without having a fantastic team of virtual assistants working for me. Some of them who started out as part-time contractors are now full-time employees, but they still work remotely!
People can’t believe it when I tell them that we don’t have an official office and that most of the people on my team live in different states and time zones!
That is the beautiful thing about running an internet business. You can find the best of the best people and hire them — without having to ask them to relocate to your area!
Over the years, I’ve had people come and ask me how you become a virtual assistant. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all plan — especially because there are so many types of virtual assistants and there are so many different companies looking for virtual assistants. But if you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant, here are a few suggestions:
- Be a Self-Starter — Don’t wait for the opportunity to drop in your lap. Go out and teach yourself everything you can to be the best virtual assistant you can be in the area you believe you are most suited for.
- Volunteer Your Time — Is there a company you are interested in working for? Approach them and volunteer your time and services for the first 20 hours. You have to start somewhere and not only will this be great experience, there’s a chance that the company will hire you on after you’ve completed your 20 hours!
- Keep Your Rates Low — Many virtual assistants can charge upwards of $35 to $40 per hour. Which is fantastic for them, but that might be way out of reach of newer bloggers and online businesses. Start out by charging a really competitive rate like $12 to $15 per hour. As you gain more experience and the work opportunities pick up, then you can increase your rates.
- Be Incredibly Thorough — When someone will email me and offer their services or ask for a job, I quickly scan the email to see how attentive they are to detail. You would not believe how many times there will be glaring errors in an email from someone who says they are detail oriented or fantastic at customer service!
If you are looking for some hands-on help to guide you as you build your virtual assistant business, I highly recommend purchasing the Ultimate Work-at-Home Bundle. And it’s only available for the next few days!
This brand new bundle is a complete library of great eBooks and eResources on earning an income from home and you get the following GREAT resources on becoming a virtual assistant when you purchase it:
- E-Marketing Essentials for Virtual Assistants: How to Grow Your Business Online in Less Time and with Less Effort by Lisa Wells (value: $47)
- Rockin’ Virtual Assistants eCourse by David Murphy and Sadie Roach (value: $247)
- The Bootstrap VA: The Go-Getter’s Guide to Becoming a Virtual Assistant, Getting and Keeping Clients, and More! by Lisa Morosky (value: $9.99)
- VA Prep School by Lydia Senn (value: $45)
If you purchased each of these resources individually, you’d pay almost $350. But through worth Monday, June 12th, you can get all 4 of them + over 46 other work-at-home ebooks and courses for just $47!
That’s a fantastic deal! And that $47 investment will be one that could pay for itself over and over and over again — to the tune of thousands of dollars each year when you successfully launch your virtual assistant business!
Want to learn more? Read all about what you get in this amazing bundle offer—or just buy it now by clicking below!
P.S. This offer ends on Monday, June 12, 2017! Grab it while you can!
Shared Jun 6, 2017
comment
Motivate your kids to do chores with the Homey app + enter to win a FREE unlimited annual subscription!
Motivate your kids to do chores with the Homey app + enter to win a FREE unlimited annual subscription!
(Note: This post and giveaway were sponsored by Homey. Read our disclosure policy here.)
I believe that one of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is a strong work ethic.
I know it doesn’t feel like a gift when you are training and teaching and explaining and re-doing and inspecting their work over and over again when they are little.
I know it doesn’t feel like a gift when it takes 5 times as long for you to get anything done while they are working alongside you.
I know it doesn’t feel like a gift when they have bad attitudes and complain about having to work while their friends get to play.
I know it doesn’t feel like a gift when you are tired and worn out and it’d be so much easier and quicker for you to just do it yourself rather than having them help or do their chores.
But if you stick with it, someday they will be old enough to do all of the laundry for your family and you’ll just write it on their list and they will sort, wash, dry, fold, and put it away with zero help from you and with zero complaints from them because they just know it’s what is expected of them.
And (hopefully!) they’ll carry this same work ethic into the real world someday and it will take them far in life. Then, all those days, weeks, and months of effort and training will pay off in big dividends!
Mamas in the trenches: I know it’s tough. I know it feels like you aren’t making any headway and that your kids will never be old enough to do anything but make messes and need your help.
But the light is at the end of the tunnel… hang on and keep plodding forward. And you’ll have your own in-house laundry service before you know it! 😉
I’m so grateful that my parents taught me to work hard from a young age. Looking back, I realize how much doing chores as a child prepared me so well for being a wife, mom, and business owner!
That’s why I was excited when Homey asked me about doing a review of their new app that helps teach kids about money through completing chores and working toward goals.
I love that the Homey app not only encourages kids to develop a strong work ethic, but it teaches kids how money is earned, encourages long-term goal setting, instills real life financial skills, and connects the whole family with a fun approach to paid chores.
Here’s how the Homey app works:
1. Download the Homey app here for Android or iPhone. You can access its basic features for FREE, or you can opt to upgrade your account to premium for $3.99/month or $29.99 annually.
They even offer an unlimited feature for $6.99/month or $49.99 annually. {Scroll down to the bottom of this post for an opportunity to win a FREE year of the unlimited subscription!}
2. Set up your household and then a profile for each member within the app.
3. Decide on one device or multiple devices. If your kids are old enough to have their own mobile devices, you can have linked individual profiles on separate mobile devices. If your kids are younger, the individual profiles can all be shared on one family device. As the household creator, you also have the ability to set permissions and roles for each family member.
4. Set up chores for each child’s profile, and decide if the chores will be paid or unpaid. In our house, we have a system of paid chores and non-paid chores, so I LOVE this option!
:: You can choose to set a chore as a responsibility that is not paid to teach your child the importance of contributing to the family without getting paid.
:: If you choose to label a task as an extra paid chore, you’ll need to designate the amount of coins each chore is worth. Coins earned can be traded in for specified rewards within the app.
5. Set rewards for each child’s profile. Depending on your household system, there are options to set up a weekly allowance for chores, wishlist items (toys, screen time, etc.), or extra money.
Regardless, each reward requires a specified amount of coins that teaches children how to save up what they’ve earned from their hard work. Kids can even set up their own wishlists to practice setting long term goals for themselves.
6. Connect your children’s checking or savings bank accounts with the app, if so desired. Homey allows you to transfer the allowance or extra money earned directly to your child’s bank account.
I love this, because I think it’s SO important to teach kids real life financial skills at an early age, and I’d rather them make $3 mistakes now when they are little to hopefully prevent some $3,000 and $30,000 mistakes down the road.
7. Kids start doing chores, working towards their goals, and getting rewarded for their hard work through the Homey app! Each time a task is finished, they just take a photo of their progress or completion so that you know what got done at a glance. It’s that simple!
Go here to get started with the Homey app.
Win a FREE unlimited annual subscription to the Homey app!
The folks over at Homey decided to give away one FREE unlimited annual subscription to a one MoneySavingMom reader ($49.99 value) this week!
Just comment on this post about why you’d love to try the Homey app for your family. I will randomly pick one winner from all of the comments to win the annual subscription.
(In the meantime, you can go ahead and download the FREE version of Homey to explore its features. If you’re a winner, they’ll upgrade your account to the unlimited subscription for free when the giveaway ends!)
This giveaway will run through end of day on June 8, 2017.
Other Resources on Chores for Children:
- How to Get Your Kids to Help with Chores More Willingly
- Why We Pay Our Children for Doing Chores
- How to Get Kids to Stop Whining & Help With Chores
- Free Printable: Chore Ideas for Kids at Different Ages
How do you encourage and motivate children to do chores in your home? I’d love to hear!
Why You Might Need to Stop Trying to Get on a Budget
Are you one of those people who feels like you can never stick with a budget? That you have all of these grand plans to make and follow a budget, but that every time you try, it ends in a big ole heap of failure?
It’s possible that you have a self-discipline issue or that you have misplaced priorities. But maybe the reason your budget isn’t working is because you just can’t get over the negative connotations that a budget drums up for you.
For instance: It’s possible that you grew up in a family where a budget was used as a method of control and/or punishment. Or, perhaps you had a very strained relationship with your parents and they were firm believers in a budget, so the thought of budgeting brings back bad memories for you.
You may have been in an abusive relationship where the other person was very controlling about money, so the thought of trying to stick with a budget triggers all sorts of negative emotions and anxiety for you.
If you can relate to any of this, I want to encourage you to drop the word “budget” entirely from your vocabulary.
Yes, you read that right!
Now, before you think I’m advocating that you just go on a spending spree and stop thinking about managing your money well, that’s not what I’m referring to at all.
Instead, I’m referring to a complete change in your mindset and approach to how you manage your money.
When I posted that We Need to Have an Honest Conversation About Budgeting, I got this great comment from Jennifer:
Personally, I do think of a “budget” as a constraint (also negative) so why not think of it as a “money plan” instead? -Jennifer
I loved this comment! If budgeting is a negative word for you, stop using the word altogether and start calling it a money plan. Because ultimately, it’s not what you call it that matters; it’s how you execute on it!
There are many people who will never go on a diet because the very word conjures up negative things for them. I know that one of my friends who had an eating disorder cannot diet because it causes her to become obsessive about food in a very unhealthy way.
However, this doesn’t meant that she doesn’t eat well or take care of herself. But she doesn’t go on a restrictive diet plan that tells her what she can’t eat.
It can be the same for your money. Instead of trying to force yourself to “budget” if that word makes you think of bondage and misery, create a plan for your money that gives you the freedom to know what you CAN spend.
Focus on what you GET to do as part of having a plan for your money. For example:
- You will not have to worry about how you are going to pay your bills.
- You will be setting aside money for retirement and life insurance.
- You will have wiggle room to do some fun things.
- You will have the ability to give to causes you believe in.
Do you see how just changing your mindset from a “budget that restricts your life” to a “money plan that enhances your life” can make such a difference?
I’d Love Your Feedback!
This is something I’ve been mulling over ever since I wrote this post. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and feedback on this, if you’re willing to share: Does a budget feel restrictive to you? If so, why? What are your biggest reasons for not sticking with a budget? Does the word “budget” stir up negative connotations for you?
Gretchen’s $51 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Dillons
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.29
1 Ken’s Salad Dressing – $1.99, used $0.75/1 printable AND $0.75/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.49 after coupon and rebate
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
5 Kellogg’s Cereals – $1.99 each, used $3/5 printable – $1.39 each after coupon
1 bag Kroger Shredded Cheese – $3.49, used $0.80/1 e-coupon – $2.69 after coupon
1 box Larabars – $3.39, used $0.75/1 printable AND $1/1 SavingStar rebate AND $0.75/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.99 after coupon and rebates
1 Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Pasta Sauce – $1.19
Used $0.25 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebate: $14.34
Aldi
1 gallon Milk – $1.78
1 lb Butter – $2.68
3 cartons Strawberries – $0.99 each
1 Half & Half – $1.79
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.49
1 Tortillas – $0.99
2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each
1 Grape Jelly – $1.39
3 dozen Eggs – $0.46 each
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.69
1 pkg Frozen Tilapia Fillets – $3.39
1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.79
1 pkg Spinach – $1.49
1 Cucumber – $0.59
1 loaf Bread – $0.85
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29
1 pkg Fresh Asparagus – $1.69
2 cans Cream Soup – $0.49 each
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 bag Red Grapes – $1.98
Total: $37.18
Total for both stores: $51.52
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 2
Toast, Eggs, Spinach x 4
Oatmeal & Fruit
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Grapes x 2
Cheese Quesadillas, Sliced Veggies
Crackers, Cheese, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Mac & Cheese, Fruit
Waffles, Eggs, Fruit
Grilled Chicken & Tilapia, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Spaghetti, Steamed Asparagus, Biscuits
Baked Chicken, Rice, Cantaloupe
Soft Taco Bar, Steamed Peas
Date night
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
What I’m Reading
I can’t recommend this book, Hope Heals, highly enough if you’re feeling overwhelmed and discouraged with life. It’s the beautiful story of learning to live again, in spite of great loss.
Many people had recommended it to me and now I see why. I literally did not put it down once I had started it.
Right now, I’m reading: The Broken Way, DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety & Stop Panic Attacks, More Than Just Making It (pre-release copy), and A Secret Courage.
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 42 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What I’m Learning
Some people can go-go-go & function great! And then there are people like me… I can go-go-go for 3-4 days at a time, but then I need at least 1-2 days to recharge.
If I go full blast for more than 4 days without a break, I get irritable, grumpy, and (often) sick.
So, after a really full week with late nights at the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Knoxville last week, I took Sunday and Monday completely off. I went to bed early, slept in, stayed in my comfy pants, didn’t go anywhere, didn’t put on makeup, didn’t do live video, we had super easy meals, and I spent a lot of time just hanging out with my family and reading.
I used to be frustrated that I didn’t have the same capacity that many people do. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the way God has wired me.
It keeps me from overloading my schedule. It reminds me to pace myself and make space in my life to rest and recharge. And it encourages me to intentional in what I say yes to.
Space, breathing room, permission to rest & recharge… it’s a beautiful thing!
What I’m Working On
“What do you do when you feel frustrated, stressed out, and short-tempered?” A reader asked this recently.
Um, the honest answer is that I sometimes (much more often than I would like!) give in to the feelings and snap at people I love. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is.
A better response — the one that I am working on and working toward — is to slow down, step back, and stop and ask, “Why am I feeling this way? Where is this coming from?”
Those two simple questions of why and where can make such a big difference. They allow me to get to the root of the problem instead of just sitting in the leaves of stress.
It might be too much on my plate (and I need to cut myself some slack), it might be that I’m tired (and I need to prioritize sleep), it might be that I’m frustrated about a circumstance outside my control (and I need to give myself some grace), it might be hormones (and I just need to recognize this), or it might be a thousand other reasons.
Whatever it is, when I stop and ask why and where, I’m much more likely to make some headway in calming down than just continuing to ride the stress spiral down.
Other things that help me: stopping to pray and ask God to love through me, taking a Mommy Time Out (even just for 5 minutes!), getting outside (a change of scenery can do wonders!), turning on music (in my earbuds, for a bit, if need be), texting or talking to a friend (and being really vulnerable and honest).
What I Reminded Myself Of This Week
Kathrynne and I flew to Iowa on Thursday for me to speak at the Iowa Homeschool Conference on Friday and Saturday.
I woke up Friday morning feeling unsettled and inadequate. You see, every time I prepare to go on stage, I battle my lifelong insecurities.
Here’s what I wrote that morning:
“Do I really have anything to offer?”
“What if no one comes to my sessions?”
“What if my talks fall flat?”
“Will the conference organizers regret asking me to come speak?”
And on and on those voices in my head can go. Around and around in pointless circles, accomplishing nothing other than making me focus on myself and waste time worrying.
I was reminded of this quote I read from Ann Voskamp. And my heart breathed a big sigh of relief.
I don’t have to stress over trying to be exactly what I think the audience might want me to be. I don’t have to waste time wondering whether I’ll be funny enough, engaging enough, practical enough…
God is just asking me to show up as me. To be fully authentic, fully present, to focus on serving those He brings into my path, to love and give and pour myself out.
And that’s what He’s calling you to do today, too. Show up fully as the beautiful person He has made you to be. Live with your arms open wide. Give yourself away. Love like today might be your last day.
Voices in my head, you can book it. I have a mission to do today and I don’t need you to get in my way!
What I’m So Thankful For This Week
She was born during Jesse’s second year of law school. We were flat broke, we’d only been married for two years, we were 23 and 24 and just finding our way, and most people would say that it was the worst timing ever for having a baby.
Sure, it was hard many days as we were some of the only people in our law school friend group who had a baby. Yes, she was a SUPER fussy baby for the first 6 months and a really poor sleeper for the first 18 months.
But this girl has been one of the greatest blessings we could have ever imagined. She not only helped us grow up really quickly, she gave us some much-needed perspective and joy in the throes of law school life.
And now, at 12, I look at her and am so grateful we didn’t wait to start a family until it was “wise” or we were “financially ready”… because she continues to bring so much joy and life into our lives.
Also, no one tell her that she’s not supposed to think her mom is cool. Because I’ve heard that’s a thing with teens but she has yet to get the memo. In fact, she told me the other day, “I love it when you hang out with my friends. It’s like you’re one of us. And they all think you are cool!”
Moms of littles: I know that life probably feels overwhelming, exhausting, and stressful right now. You might wonder if you should have waited to have kids until the timing was better.
I just want to encourage you: focus on the blessings, keep loving and nurturing and teaching your little kiddos, and some day soon, you’ll wake up with a 12 year old who is not only really amazing and a huge help to you, but who you also absolutely love hanging out with!
Kathrynne and I had so much fun on the speaking trip to Iowa. (If you follow me on Insta Stories, you already got to see lots of behind-the-scenes videos already of my trip! I love getting to share real-time peeks into our life there!)
It was Kathrynne’s first time to visit Iowa and I hadn’t been there in a long time, so I had forgotten how beautiful it was. Plus, we loved that it reminded us a lot of our home state of Kansas!
I spoke three times and gave one keynote session and two breakout sessions. I spoke on: Raising Kingdom-Minded Kids, Saying Goodbye to Survival Mode, and Unleashing Your Best You.
The attendees were so incredibly warm and receptive and kind. I hadn’t spoken at a homeschool conference in almost two years and I haven’t spoken much at all in the last year, so I wasn’t sure how it would feel to be back on the “speaking circuit” again.
I realized that speaking is kind of like riding a bike for me… once you’ve practiced it enough, you just get back up there and do it again. But I did forget how tiring it was! I love to stay and talk to every last person and really get to hear your stories and do what I can to encourage each person. But once it’s over with, I always feel like I’ve given every last drop and then I’m ready to crash into bed!
We did make time for a little fun — including attempting to play corn hole. With a big emphasis on the word attempt, for me. You can see video proof here. 😉
Another highlight of the conference: I got to briefly see my friend, Abigail. I haven’t seen her since my wedding 14 years ago!!!
What I’m Pondering
One day recently, one of my kids was disrespectful toward me. I told them that if that happened again, I would have to take away a certain big privilege.
Unfortunately, the next morning, they were disrespectful again. I calmly reminded them of what I had said the night before and told them they had lost the certain big privilege.
They were devastated. And it broke my heart to have to take something away that was so near and dear to them.
It was an opportunity for me to lean in close and let this child know how much I loved them and how sad I was that they wouldn’t get that certain big privilege.
The rest of that day, they had such a softened, changed heart and we had a wonderful day together.
When I woke up the next morning, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to give that certain big privilege back to the child. This is not usually at all how I would roll, but I couldn’t shake this idea. I talked to Jesse, I thought about it, I prayed about it, and felt like it was the right thing.
So I went back to the child and told them that I was going to give them back that certain big privilege again. They looked at me dumbfounded: “But I don’t deserve it, Mom!”
“I know you don’t,” I quietly responded, “But I woke up this morning and felt like that’s what God wanted me to do. I think He wants you to know how much He loves you.”
My child’s face was still overcome with shock, still reeling from how they didn’t deserve this… and then they said to me, “That’s GRACE.”
My throat felt tight and my eyes welled with tears. GRACE. Sometimes we forget just how much grace God has heaped upon us. But in that moment, with my child, both of us got a very tangible reminder of just how much we are loved.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
6 Money-Savers for Boy-Moms
Guest post from Alicia of Turquoise Grace:
So, you thought only girls were expensive to raise?
So did I!
I have always been told, and honestly always thought, that raising girls was where it hurts your wallet the most. However, as a mom of three (soon to be four!) boys, I’m here to tell you this is not necessarily the case.
First off, I love being a boy-mom. They are fun, energetic, and so, so sweet. I have a very special bond with all three of them, and it warms my heart so much.
But, yes. Boys are expensive, too!
Raising children in general is definitely not cheap, but I was caught off guard with the realization that boys in particular bring with them their own special type of expenses. Between eating habits (especially the older they get), clothing they rip through, sports and extracurricular activities, it can really add up.
So here are a few things I have learned in an effort to save money on raising these precious boys…
1.Shop in bulk as much as possible.
I have tried many a time to limit snacks and curb eating habits, but it never lasts for long. The fact of the matter is – boys love to eat. And the older they get this only becomes more true.
That’s why shopping in bulk not only saves us so much money since we are able to buy lots of the same thing (hello milk, bread and cereal, anyone?) but it also makes life much more convenient.
If I plan carefully, I can usually get away with bulk shopping every other week. This often means less trips to the store, less temptation to buy, and overall less money spent. Win-win!
2. Utilize hand-me-downs.
Having multiple boys has a unique benefit – assuming the clothes make it that long, each subsequent child can wear the older child’s clothing.
For each of my babies, this has been a lifesaver. I have hardly had to buy any baby or toddler clothing, supplies, strollers, and more due to the fact that we already had everything we needed.
We were able to save some serious cash just by previously saving what we already owned!
3. Repair ripped jeans, shoes, or other clothing items when possible.
If your boys are anything like mine, there’s a good chance they most likely don’t have any pants withOUT holes!
To remedy this, you can always try to patch the knees or reinforce knees with patches underneath to give them an extra sturdy layer of protection.
In the past, I have also re-sewn torn off Velcro buckles on otherwise usable shoes just to get more life out of them.
4. Participate in free outdoor activities.
Extra-curricular activities can really add up cost-wise. And when you’re already living on a tight budget, you may not have the extra cash laying around to shell out for multiple league fees every season for multiple boys. (I am already wondering how we’re going to handle this when all FOUR of our boys are playing sports at the same time!)
Better yet, especially for younger boys, take advantage of any free activities. Check your newspaper listings, community Facebook groups, and your local library for fun, free activities to do with your boys that can simultaneously entertain and wear them out!
5. Don’t bother investing in the expensive toys just yet.
Why spend a bajillion dollars on the latest gadget or trendy toy when you know your toddler is going to enjoy the wrapping paper, bow, and cardboard box just as much, if not more, than the toy itself?
My son just recently turned 2 and we held a small family birthday party for him. We did purchase two small toys for him, but his favorite toy? Yes, it was the $1 light up ball his Great-Grandma got him. Lesson learned!
6. Make your own snacks from scratch.
With a little extra effort, you can save tons of money by making your own snacks for your hungry boys!
My boys love any type of homemade granola balls. And I love them, too! They are healthy, filling, and easily made with ingredients you most likely already have. They are also inexpensive and quick to throw together.
I also love making homemade bread in my bread machine. It’s very cheap and easy to make, I always have all the ingredients, but most of all – it keeps them full!
Now obviously these tips aren’t just for moms of boys – I am sure they can also apply to raising girls, too. But if you have a boy in the house, I am certain a few of these points can save you a little money, both now and in the long run!
What are some things you do to save money raising your kiddos?
Meet Alicia. Jesus Follower, wife to an amazing guy, and boy-mom of three (almost four!). She’s also a coffee lover, avid reader, chocolate addict, and self-proclaimed health enthusiast. Alicia’s single most greatest passion is raising Godly men. She blogs at Turquoise Grace, where she offers practical tips, solutions, and encouragement for moms regarding all things raising boys.
Shared Jun 3, 2017
comment
Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
3 dozen large Eggs – $2.17
1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks (@ $0.69/lb) – $3.37
1 bottle Extra Virgin Olive Oil – $3.49
1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99
1 Artisan Lettuce – $1.99
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99
2 pkgs Broccoli Crowns – $2.78
1 Cauliflower – $2.29
2 Baby Carrots – $1.98
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 16-oz pkg Asparagus – $1.79
1 8-oz pkg Mushrooms – $1.29
1 8oz carton Blueberries – $1.99
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89
1 carton Strawberries – $1.29
1 bag frozen Peas – $0.95
1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.49
1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79
1 box Honey Nut Oats – $1.39
1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $2.19
2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.98
1 Seedless Watermelon – $2.99
Total: $47.57
Harris Teeter
10 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $13.16
1 4-pk Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt – $3.50
1 bag Apples, reduced – $1.00
4 pkgs Blackberries – $3.52
5 pkgs Pop-Secret Popcorn – $5.98 (Yes, I know we should really just make our own popcorn – and we usually do. But we also like microwave popcorn, and it’s quick and easy, and I don’t mind buying it on occasion for a treat!)
2 4-lb bags Sugar – $1.75 (We already have plenty of sugar, but this was a good price. I won’t need to buy sugar for a very. long. time!)
1 64-oz carton Silk Almond Milk – $3.00, used $0.55/1 Silk Milk – 5-14-17 RP; Includes 1/2 gal or Larger Only (exp. 07/14/17) (doubled) – $1.90 after coupon
Total: $30.81
Weekly Grocery Total: $78.38
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3 (yogurt for me)
Oatmeal with Fruit x 2
Smoothies, Hard Boiled Eggs, Blackberry Muffins x 2
Lunches
Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar, Fruit x 2
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Fruit, Carrots x 2
Lunch at a Friend’s House
Fried Egg Sandwiches, Cucumbers, Fruit
Leftovers
Dinners
Turkey Gravy over Rice (using leftover cooked turkey from the freezer), Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Oven Fried Chicken (using drumsticks only), Mashed Potatoes, Watermelon, Asparagus
Pizza (I’ll make one cheese one and the other with veggies), Tossed Salad
Taco Salad (using ground venison), Spanish Rice, Peas
Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Fruit Salad
Hamburgers on the Grill (I bought extra ground beef last week and froze it), Watermelon, Grilled Cauliflower, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes
Leftovers
How I Made More Than a Full-Time Income from Blogging in March
Thinking of Starting a Blog? Over the years, I’ve received many requests from folks for help on how to start a blog and how to make money blogging. That’s why I put together this comprehensive guide on How to Make Money Blogging with updated information and links.
It includes step-by-step help on how to set up your blog, get started, and make money from blogging. Go here to learn how to make money blogging and get started today! You can also sign up for my free cheat sheet: 10 Ways to Make $100 With Your Blog.
In 2005, I discovered this thing called “blogging” and decided to try it out. I was a brand-new mom at the time, had recently quit working as a nanny, and was hopeful I could make enough on the side through online ventures to be able to replace my income and be able to stay home.
My husband was in law school and we were living on a beans and rice budget, trying to stay out of debt. We never, ever dreamed that my little blog idea would grow into what it has become.
In all honesty, when I started MoneySavingMom.com, I remember telling people that I hoped to make a side income from it. I never could have imagined that by the end of 2008, I’d be making full-time income from blogging!
And in all my wildest and craziest dreaming, I never would have envisioned that this blog would allow my husband to come home full-time, would provide the means for us to support ministries we love dearly (in the US, in the Dominican Republic, and in South Africa), and would enable us to provide incomes for our small (but amazing!) team.
How I Make a Full-Time Income from Blogging
Over the years, I’ve heard the question again and again and again: How do you actually MAKE money blogging?? People seem intrigued by the idea that our family actually makes a really good income from this blog and other related online ventures.
In these monthly posts, I want to give you a comprehensive and detailed look at our different income streams and expense streams to give you a better idea of what’s working, what’s not working, and how I actually make money blogging.
I always find these posts fascinating and inspiring when I read them from other bloggers. It helps me to learn the real nitty-gritty details of what is and isn’t working, how bloggers are diversifying their income, and what they are experimenting with.
Some bloggers share these types of posts and include specific numbers of exactly how much they make every month. I’ve opted not to do that because I feel like sometimes people can get hung up on numbers and miss the bigger picture.
Instead, I want share detailed percentages of our income and expenses — not only will this give you a very accurate picture of our earnings, but it will be something that is relatable, no matter the size of your blog or the income you make.
My hope is that these detailed reports not only help give you a better picture of how I make money blogging, but I hope they inspire you with new ideas on how you can increase your income or improve as a blogger or online entrepreneur.
Ready for the numbers? Here’s our income and expenses report for the month of March:
March Income
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. All of the products listed below are products and services we’ve used before. If you have any questions about any of the income or expenses, you can leave a comment and we’ll do our best to reply.
All Revenue Streams
- Affiliate advertising (See a detailed breakdown of all affiliates we earned income from below.) — 53%
- Sponsored Posts — 29%
- Banner ads (We mostly work with AdThrive and Media.net. Erin lists more ad companies here.) — 12%
- Digital products (Sales of Make Over Your Mornings, Make Over Your Evenings, and Make Over Your Year) — 4%
- Royalties — 2%
Want more information and ideas for making money from blogging? Sign up for my FREE cheat sheet: 10 Ways to Make $100 From Blogging.
Affiliate Revenue Streams Detailed Breakdown
Want to know more how affiliate programs work? Be sure to check out my post on How to Make Money Blogging.
- Amazon Digital Services — 26%
- Humorous Homemaking Affiliate — 15%
- Other (Survey Sampling International, LLC, DiscountMags.com, 23 Publishing, SecureN1 Transactions, Escalate Network, CotterWeb Enterprises, The Selling Family, Topcashback, LinkShare, Ultimate Bundles, and more) — 10%
- ShareASale — 8%
- Dixon Agency — 7%
- Surprise Ride — 6%
- Ultimate Bundles Marketing, Inc — 6%
- Impact Radius — 6%
- Commission Junction — 4%
- Dedicated Media, Inc. — 3%
- Bluehost — 3%
- Plant Therapy — 3%
- Swagbucks Affiliate — 2%
- My Savings, Inc. — 2%
March Expenses
- Payroll expenses — 44%
- Retirement — 20%
- Web-based tools (InfusionSoft, Feedblitz, GoDaddy, Dropbox, Harvest, etc.) — 8%
- Subcontracted services — 6%
- Computer, hosting, Internet expenses — 6%
- Other (Office space rent, PayPal fees, shipping/postage fees, merchant account fees, bank service charges, utilities, travel expenses, wifi, etc.) — 5%
- Health insurance — 4%
- Professional fees (for our CPA, payroll management, etc.) — 4%
- Advertising and Promotion — 3%
Percentage of Income Versus Expenses
Recent Experiments
1. The Homemaking How-To Course + Facebook Group
You’ll notice the payment listed from Humorous Homemaking above. That was from promoting Stacy’s Homemaking How To course.
We did something different in promoting this course and it turned out to be a smashing success! I offered a Facebook Group and we all went through the course together. People were super excited about it and I loved going through the course with a number of you in the Facebook Group.
I’m hoping to take what I learned from running this promotion to implement it into other promotions in the future. Stay tuned!
2. Your Blogging Mentor
Okay, so the biggest development from this past month was that we officially launched Your Blogging Mentor + our first blogging course. The response has far exceeded what we’d hoped for and I am loving getting to share all sorts of lessons and tips related to blogging through that new blog + the Your Blogging Mentor Facebook Page and Your Blogging Mentor Instagram Page.
3. Instagram Stories
Oh friends! I have fallen in LOVE, total LOVE, with Instagram Stories. Not only is it fun to get to share behind-the-scenes videos and photos from my day and to let me sort of quirky personality shine on my personal Instagram, but I’m also loving getting to share daily pep talks and tips for bloggers over on the Your Blogging Mentor Instagram.
This Month’s Featured Question
This month’s featured question is from Rebecca, one of our readers at YourBloggingMentor.com:
I was recently encouraged to share my blog on social media. I’ve been writing there for months but have not wanted to share it for two reasons. First, I am terrified because social media is basically a stomping grounds for offenses. The person that encouraged me to share it helped me see past this first one.
Second, I have kept it private for the reason that this is real life and my posts are irregular. Now I feel the day I’ve dreaded has come and honestly feel God has asked me to take this step. And even though I am still terrified and still have days and maybe weeks I don’t post, I’m ready to step forward.
What would your advice be for someone in my position? How do you “introduce” a blog on social media?
This is a fantastic question, and one that many new bloggers face. While posting regularly is important, sometimes you have to work up to that. Here is the advice I offered to Rebecca on how to start your public social media profiles for your blog (even if you aren’t posting regularly … yet!):
Do you feel like what you have to share would bless and impact others? If so, then by not sharing it, you’re not stewarding what God has given you to share, right?
Also remember that you have something valuable and important to share — something others need to hear. Let this fuel your passion and motivate you to post. The world needs your voice.
Starting from this frame of mind really helps me. It’s not about me; it’s about blessing and helping and inspiring other people — and using the gifts and skills God has given me to impact others.
Now, that said, I’d recommend setting up separate social media for your blog and sharing new blog posts there. I know this is more work, but here’s why I think it’s important to have separate social media for your blog: It allows those who really want to read what you have to share to follow you and for you to freely share your posts there — without having to worry that you are annoying people who don’t really want to follow your blog or be notified when you have new blog posts up.
You don’t have to set up all the different forms of social media (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). Just pick one to start out with and focus on that. I’d suggest picking the one that you either feel the most comfortable with or the one that makes the most sense for the audience you are seeking to reach.
Then, once you have set up the separate social media, invite those who follow you on social media to come follow you over on your blog-specific social media platform(s). Let them know why you’re setting it up, what they can expect, and why you’d love for them to follow you.
You can occasionally mention your blog on your personal social media posts — when you have a post you’re really excited about or when you’re launching a new product or have something else to share that you think everyone who knows you personally would love to find out about. However, I recommend doing this sparingly… say no more than once a month or every other month.
Highly Recommended Blogging Resources
- How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup
- Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook by Abby Lawson
- Brilliant Pin Promotion Course by Beth Anne Schwamberger
- FB Brilliance: The Ads Course for Business Builders
Want to Start Your Own Blog?
I’m here to help! Check out my comprehensive guide on How to Make Money Blogging with updated information and links. It includes step-by-step help on how to set up your blog, best practices for blogging, and all the details on how to make money from blogging.
Also, be sure to sign up for my free Cheat Sheet: 10 Ways to Make $100 With Your Blog.
Previous Income Reports
See all Previous Income Reports here.
More Posts on Blogging
-
- Help! I Want to Start a Blog, But Isn’t the Market Already Saturated?
- Help! I Want to Start a Blog, But I Can’t Figure Out What I Should Blog About!
- The 3 Most Important Things You Should Do After You Start a Blog
- Why I Think You Should Break the “Blogging Rules”
- 5 Questions to Ask When You Feel Like Quitting Your Blog
How I Manage to Only Wash My Hair Once a Week
If you follow me on Instagram and have watched my recent Instastories, you may have seen where I talked about seeing how long I could go without washing my hair.
Now, let me be clear, I’m not talking about trying to put off hygiene or walking around with dirty, smelly hair. Those of you who know me well know that I am kind of a clean freak. I mean, I’m the person who can’t stand to not shower or shave her legs every. single. day.
However, when it comes to washing my hair, I’m all about skipping as many days as possible while still having hair that looks decently clean, isn’t all greasy, and smells clean.
Some of you who have short hair are probably laughing that I’d think about skipping days washing my hair. I mean, it probably only takes you a few minutes to wash and dry your hair and you are good to go.
Because let’s face it: When you have as thick and long of hair as I do, it’s a process to wash and blow dry it. In fact, it usually takes me a good 25 minutes from start to finish to wash and blow dry it and then a little bit more time to style it.
Since I really have no desire to spend 25 minutes washing and drying my hair multiple times per week, I’ve gotten creative and found ways to go at least 4-6+ days between washing my hair.
Many of you have reached out to me and asked how on earth I manage to only wash my hair every 4-6 days, so I figured some of you might be interested in an entire post dedicated to answering this question. If you’re not interested in these types of details of my life, well, you can scroll right on past! 😉
Here are my top 7 tips for washing your hair less often (please note: these are just what work for ME. My hair and your hair are very different, so I can’t guarantee that these will work for you):
1. Don’t Wash Your Hair as Often
I’ve found this to be true and have heard this from multiple people: you can train your hair to be less greasy, just by washing it less. For real.
At first, this is hard. You’ll want to start by just slowly testing this out. Pick a week when you aren’t really going anywhere or can wear a ball cap and wait an extra day to wash your hair. The next week, do the same. By the 3rd or 4th week, you should notice that your hair is less greasy.
2. Don’t Use as Much Hair Product
Many hair products can cause your hair to be greasier and need to be washed more often. Try weaning yourself off of using as much hair product slowly and see if it makes a difference.
I usually only use a little leave-in conditioner and a little hair oil after I wash my hair. And then, on some days, I’ll use a little bit of hairspray. Any time I use a lot of hair product (such as when I have my hair in a formal updo or something), I notice that my hair is much greasier.
3. Don’t Touch Your Hair
If you have a hairstyle that requires you to be touching your hair (moving your bangs out of your face, etc.), it’s going to be a lot more oily because of the oil from your hands.
If possible, don’t touch your hair — move your bangs over to the slide, run your fingers through your hair, etc. as this will make it oily and mean that you’ll need to wash it more often.
This is one reason I love wearing it up… because then you just don’t touch your hair once it is fixed! 🙂
4. Wear Your Hair Up
I usually wear my hair down on days 1-3 and then I’ll wear it up (or wear a hat) on days 4-6. I’ve found that it’s much easier to get your hair up in a bun or a blob if it has a little grease and texture to it — which it usually will have a lot more of a few days after you wash it.
Need some ideas for ways to wear your hair up? Watch this video here (I did Messy Bun #5 in the photos above). I also love the braid updo look here and do something similar to that sometimes when I’m feeling fancy.
5. Wear a Hat
I told you how I’ve become a big fan of hats. They are especially great for when your hair is a little greasy but it doesn’t quite need to be washed yet. You can just braid it over to the side or do a side ponytail or do a low messy bun and then put on the hat.
People will probably compliment you on how cute you look all day long — and you can just smile and giggle over the fact that it took you all of one minute and meant that you didn’t have to wash your hair yet again! 🙂
6. Use Dry Shampoo
I actually don’t use dry shampoo that often, but it comes in handy on days when you workout and have sweat more or you probably really do need to wash your hair but you don’t have time.
I just sprinkle it on at the roots and then comb or brush it out. Dry shampoo is also great for adding some texture to your hair if you’re struggling to get it to go up in a messy bun.
7. Wear It Up When You Work Out
The biggest question I get about only washing my hair every 4-6 days is, “How on earth do you not have to wash your hair after working out??”
I do get really sweaty on certain work out days (especially my long run days). I try to plan those for the day I need to wash my hair since if my entire head of hair is dripping with sweat, it really needs to be washed.
However, on most days — when I’m just doing weight-lifting or shorter runs — I just wear my hair up and then let it air dry or blow dry it a little after working out and I’m good to go. On some days, if I’ve sweat more than usual, I’ll use a little dry shampoo, too.
Washing Your Hair Less Saves You Time & Money
It saves time. Time that I can invest in other things — like money-saving or money-making endeavors, or just being with my family or other more important things that rinsing and lathering my hair! Not only do I spend less time washing it, but I spend less time fixing it since I’ve found it’s so much easier to fix second day hair or third day hair or, gulp, sixth day hair, than it is to fix hair the day you wash it.
It saves money. It means less water used for showers, less shampoo used, less conditioner used, fewer hair products used, fewer electricity used for the blow dryer. (Okay, so if you’re looking for money-saving tactics, probably skipping washing your hair is not going to save you hundreds of dollars per year, but it will definitely save you at least some money!)
Do you skip days between washing your hair? I’d love to know!
Gretchen’s $61 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Aldi
3 Frozen Pizzas – $0.99 each
1 dozen Eggs – $0.58
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
3 pkgs Strawberries – $0.99 each
1 gallon Milk – $1.68 (not pictured)
1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies – $0.45
1 lb Butter – $2.40
1 Applesauce – $1.89
1 Vegetable Oil – $1.85
1 Half & Half – $1.79
1 Honey – $4.99
1 pkg White Tortilla Chips – $1.19
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 Cucumber – $0.59
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup – $0.49
1 bag Shredded Cheese – $2.99
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.29
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29
1 pkg Deli Meat – $2.39
1 loaf Bread – $0.85
1 pkg Cheese – $1.79
1 pkg Sweet Corn – $0.99
Total: $37.91
Dillons
2 Moms Best Cereal – $1.67 each
1 Nestea Lemon Tea – $1.49, used Free mailer coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Ketchup – $1.49
1 pkg Kroger Flour – $1.79
2 Yoplait Go-Gurts – $1.67 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.17 each after coupon
1 pkg Kroger Frozen Green Beans – $1
1.58 lbs Bananas – $0.93
1 International Delight One-Touch Latte – $3.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Pineapple – $0.99
1 Kroger Sour Cream – $1
1 Kroger Powdered Sugar – $1.79
1 Sandwich Bros Breakfast Sandwiches – $3.99, used Free mailer coupon AND $0.25 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate
1 Garlic Salt – $1
1 pkg Ball Park Franks – $0.99
3 lbs Ground Beef – $7.47
Used $0.25 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebates: $23.63
Total for both stores: $61.54
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Toast & Eggs x 3
Cereal x 2
Oatmeal
Free Krispy Kreme Donuts with friends (for national donut day!)
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks x 2
Turkey Sandwiches, Fruit Salad
Lunch with family
Cheese, Crackers, Turkey Meat, Fruit, Veggies
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
BBQ Meatballs, Green Beans, Butterhorn Rolls
Pizza from Papa Johns (We’re having company for dinner and they are bringing the pizza!)
Dinner with Life Group (It’s a “Bring Your Own Meat” dinner so we’re bringing chicken and hot dogs to grill.)
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Chips, Fruit Salad
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Spinach Salad
Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Salad
Leftovers