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Shared Feb 11, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on February 11, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 pkg Strawberries – $1.49

1 2-lb pkg Red Grapes – $2.98

1 pkg Mushrooms – $1.29

1 3-ct pkg Green Peppers – $1.49, plus receive $0.25 rebate from Checkout 51 – $1.24

1 bag Brussel Sprouts – $1.29

1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49

1 pkg Radishes – $0.99

2 bags Chocolate Chips – $3.58

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $2.99

1 head Cauliflower – $2.29

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

1 bag Pepperoni (which somehow ended up in the fridge instead of on the table for the picture :)) – $2.19

1 2-lb bag shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $5.89

1 2-lb bag shredded Cheddar Cheese – $5.89

1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $2.49

1 bunch Bananas (2.54lb @ $0.44/lb) – $1.12

2 dozen Eggs – $2.30

1 38-oz jar Ketchup – $1.49

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 pkg Artisan Baby Lettuce – $1.99

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

2 gallons Whole Milk – $5.98

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89

1 pkg Fresh Ground Beef ($1.99/lb) – $6.22

1 box Rice Squares – $1.79

1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79

Total: $74.55

Harris Teeter

1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.97, plus receive $0.25 from Ibotta – $0.72 after rebate

1 Maruchan Bowl – $0.59, used $0.25/1 printable (doubled) – $0.09 after coupon

3 boxes Yakisoba Noodles – $1.35, used $1/3 Maruchan Yakisoba Products, exp. 3/31/17 (SS 01/22/17) – $0.35/3 after coupon (my husband LOVES the Yakisoba noodles and Maruchan bowls and brings them to work in his lunches. He will buy them at full price if I don’t buy them with coupons for him. :))

2 pkgs Nabisco Saltine Crackers – $3.79, used $0.75/2 Nabisco Cookie or Cracker Products, exp. 2/25/17 (SS 01/15/17) [3.5-oz.+] (doubled), plus receive $1.00/1 rebate from Checkout 51 – $1.29/2 after coupon and rebate

1 5-ct pkg Fresh Bagels – $0.97 (one-day sale)

1 loaf Sara Lee Bread – $1.99, used $0.55/1 Sara Lee Bread, exp. 3/11/17 (SS 01/08/17 R) (doubled), plus receive $0.25 from Ibotta – $0.64 after coupon and rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $4.05

Grocery Total for the Week – $78.60

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 3

Oatmeal x 2

Eggs, Toast, Strawberries x 2

Lunches

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Oranges, Carrot Sticks x 2

Macaroni and Cheese, Pepper Slices, Apples x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Fellowship Group Church Get-Together – I’m bringing Freezer-Friendly Barbequed Meatballs, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, and Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies

Individual-Sized Bagel Pepperoni Pizzas, Fruit Salad, Tossed Salad

Ham and Bean Soup (I still have ham in our freezer to use up), Skillet Cornbread

Tacos (I use ground venison from the freezer in place of hamburger for our taco meat), Roasted Garlic Cauliflower, Best Spanish Rice

Grilled Chicken, Tossed Salad, Baked Potatoes

Meat Potato Quiche, Fruit Salad, Green Beans

Leftovers

Shared Feb 10, 2017 comment

We Paid Cash: Moving From Kentucky to West Virginia

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 10, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Christina who blog at Youthful Homemaker

At the end of last year, my husband got hired for a new job — but we had to move for the job.

We had been focusing on getting out of debt, and only had $1,000 in the bank. That amount would be enough for a 350 mile move — including deposits on a home and utilities.

Then, while we were preparing to move, my husband was laid off from his current job, meaning we had to start his new job one month sooner.

We were not packed, we didn’t have enough money in savings to cover the moving expenses and our living expenses until the new job’s paychecks started coming in, and we knew we would have to be very careful with our money to make it while staying away from debt.

Here’s how we managed to pay cash for our big move!

1.We rented out our house.

The biggest, and some said craziest, thing we did was renting out two of our bedrooms and even our living room couches to total strangers. When Ian’s job situation changed, we needed money… fast!

When Ian was at work, I took a night after the kids were in bed and packed up two rooms, my office and my infant son Logan’s room. I moved Logan into our bedroom and within a few days we had one room rented, then the other, then the living room couches.

We ended up renting out to three people over the course of two months. Two men who both had come to our town for a new job and were looking for places for their families to live, and a young lady from New York. We made $665, which covered a lot of our expenses!

It was a fun experience, and we loved it!

2. We packed and moved everything ourselves.

We knew we needed to save in every area we could, so we got moving boxes free from the dollar store nearby and I packed every chance I got. I also compared rates for the moving van companies in town, which saved us at least $300.

We had family come help us pack everything into the moving van, and we unpacked everything ourselves into the new apartment. Not hiring movers saved us around $350.

3. We called in favors and cash back

I use reward programs like iBotta all the time as a part of my normal grocery shopping routine, usually for extra payments on our debt snowball. We used any restaurant gift cards for food when we were on the road to save on our food costs while we were on the road.

We also explained to the office staff at our new apartment complex and asked them if they had any good specials, they told us about their referral program and recommended that we list each other as the referring residents on our applications, so we both got $250 gift cards when we signed our lease!

Ultimately, we both did things that were really hard for us to do. Ian thought it was crazy to rent our house out to strangers, and I did everything I possibly could to save money in every area, as well as eating some humble pie by asking family for help.

We were so blessed to have the support of family and friends, but mostly we were glad we had been living frugally for months, so cutting back wasn’t as hard as it could have been!

Christina is the mother of two children, who loves sharing her debt-free journey and family life at her blog, Youthful Homemaker. Her favorite things are tea, graphic design, and making new friends.

Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.

Shared Feb 9, 2017 comment

Evidation: Get paid to be healthy!

Published: by crystal on February 9, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for super simple ways to earn a little extra cash passively? Sign up for the Evidation app!

Evidation App: A Simple Way to Earn Money!

Sign up for Evidation to get paid for being healthy! Just create an account, and you’ll earn points for every healthy activity you perform: taking steps, exercising, sleeping, logging water/food, etc. You can also earn bonus points for taking health surveys!

Evidation pairs with different health apps to help reward you for your healthy actions. Pair apps like MyFitnessPal, Runkepper, Fitbit, Apple Health, and more! You get to choose how much or how little you’d like to share.

I’ve been using this app for a few years, have a few apps connected, and earn about $20 per year without doing much of anything. It’s pretty much passive income and you can earn more if you take the quick surveys regularly!

You earn $10 for every 10,000 points earned. It’s not a ton of money, but every little bit adds up — especially when it’s passive like this, and you get rewarded for something you’d already be doing anyway!

Go here to get started with Evidation.

Shared Feb 8, 2017 comment

Heart String Art Tutorial

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 8, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for a really simple Valentine’s Craft Idea for a craft night, or to give as a gift, or to make to hang on your wall? Try your hand at Heart String Art!

Our Discipleship Group at church had a day-long retreat in the fall and we did this fun Heart String Art craft (a big thank you to Chandra for organizing it and supplying the idea and all of the necessary items to create it!).

It was so simple to make, a great group activity, and each person’s turned out different.

To make this, you’ll need a piece of wood, small nails, a hammer, yarn, and a heart template printed on paper. (There are a lot of different heart templates in different sizes available to print here.)

Place the heart template on your board where you’d like it. Some people did there’s off to the side, some did it at an angle, some people did theirs centered like I did mine.

Hammer nails evenly around the heart. Tear away the paper so only the nails are still on the board in a heart shape.

Cut a piece of string/yarn at least 5 yards long. Tie one end on a nail and then have fun creatively stringing it on the heart however you so desire. Have fun — there is no right or wrong way to do this!

Hammer a sawtooth picture hanger on the back and you’re done! I was so happy with how my finished heart looked!

Find more String Art Heart ideas here.

Shared Feb 7, 2017 comment

3 Practical Ways We’re Teaching Our Kids About Money

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 7, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to instill wise financial management skills in your kids? Here are three practical ways we’re teaching our kids about money…

“When should we start teaching our kids about money?”

We hear this question a lot — from friends, from people I meet at conferences, and often from readers. Our response is always the same, “As soon as possible!”

My husband and I believe wholeheartedly that it’s never too early to start teaching your kids about money! The sooner they can learn the value of money and how to handle money, the sooner they can begin to develop a strong foundation for wise money management.

We started teaching all of our kids about money from the time they were about two. When they are old enough to not swallow money, they are old enough to learn about how to start using it well! 😉

My husband and I were blessed to come from homes where wise money management was modeled. And we are forever grateful to our parents and grandparents for the gift they gave us in this. We know that there’s no way that we would be in the financial position we are in if it were not for the foundation they gave us.

It’s our hope that we can pass on this same foundation to our kids, too. Which is why it’s so important to us to make teaching our kids about money a very important priority in our home.

Here are three practical ways we are teaching our kids about money:

1. We Talk About Our Own Money Choices

Since the time our kids have been toddlers, we’ve talked about money and the choices we’ve made when it comes to finances. We’ve started out in small ways and gradually shared more as they’ve asked more questions.

We’ve talked about why we live on a budget, why we save up and pay cash for things, why we wait to make purchases why we don’t use credit cards, why we don’t go into debt, why they are currently sharing a bedroom, and why we don’t have a mortgage.

In addition to talking about our money choices, we’ve also sought to model wise money management before our kids. They hear us talking about our budget together. They see us making sacrifices to pay for things. They watch us paying cash for things. They see us deciding not to buy something because it’s not a good enough deal.

I believe that it’s very important to teach through our words and through our life. Because often more is caught than taught.

This was definitely true for me. My parents taught me that money is a tool. In the hands of wise stewards, it can be put to good use and make a huge impact. In the hands of those who are unwise, it can be wasted and blown with nothing to show for it.

With their lives and checkbooks, they modeled the importance of being wise in how you use and manage money. It wasn’t about saving money for saving money’s sake, but so that you could use that money saved to impact and help other people. To invest in things that matter, to bless people, to donate to causes you believe in, and to give generously.

Seeing my parents’ sacrifices and creative commitment to living debt-free and how it put them in position to be able to give generously because they worked so hard to no longer have a house payment was a huge inspiration to my husband and me.

How to Teach Through Every Day Life

Recently, I took Kathrynne (12) and Silas (7) with me to Kroger. I had so much fun going through the aisles with them, showing them simple ways I save money at the store.

I shared with them that Jesse was in law school, we only had $17-$30 a week to spend on groceries, so I had to get very creative with menu-planning, shopping the markdowns, playing the Drugstore Game, and using coupons.

I told them how I would dumpster dive and search through the recycle bins for coupons. Between pairing the coupons and the markdowns, along with creativity, we were able to survive on a minimal budget.

We played The Markdown Game at the store — looking for the yellow markdown stickers and then, once we found them, deciding whether it was a really good deal or not. Teaching them that some deals aren’t as good as they seem and that it’s not a good deal if you don’t have the money for it is a fantastic way to connect the dots for them and increase the value of the dollar in their mind.

So we discussed our budget, and I helped them decide whether or not an item fit in our budget. We had so much fun doing this together — and we came away with some really great deals, too!

Near the end of the shopping trip, one of them said, “So when I go away to college, I can do this, too. I can afford to live and not go into debt.” Yes!

2. We Give Them Opportunities to Handle Money

We have our children start paying for things from a young age. In fact, from the time all our children were three or four years old, they had their own spending money that they had earned by doing chores and projects for us.

When we’re out shopping, they can bring their own spending money and spend it however they’d like (within reason!). This helps them learn valuable money management skills and also prevents the gimme attitude that can quickly pop up when out shopping.

If a child sees something they want and they ask me if we can buy it, my response is always, “Did you bring your money?”

I also love the real-life skills our children are learning from taking their items up to the register and paying for them themselves. They learn about counting change, interacting with sales clerks, and making sure they have enough money to pay for their items in the first place.

One of the greatest joys of paying our children for doing chores has been watching them become generous givers. We encourage them to set aside a portion of their money for giving and we regularly talk about the needs around the world.

We’ve been so proud to watch our children fund Operation Christmas Child boxes and buy goats and chickens and help fund a water project for those in other countries through Samaritan’s Purse. Truly, there has been nothing more rewarding as a parent than seeing our children want to follow our family’s mantra to “Live simply so others can simply live.”

3. We Let Them Make Money Mistakes

When our children to use their own spending money to buy things they want to purchase, we don’t give a whole lot of input or guidance — unless they ask us for it. Why?

Because we want them to learn how to think through the wisdom of purchases on their own. We won’t always be around to guide their purchases, so we want them to learn to think through what the best deal is and what the best use of their money is without a lot of prodding from us.

We also want them to make money mistakes. This might seem harsh, but we’d much rather have them make $3 mistakes now when they are little to hopefully prevent some $3,000 and $30,000 mistakes down the road.

They’ve learned a lot of lessons when they bought cheap items that were broken within a few days and they’ve learned that spending all your hard-earned money on some impulse purchase can often lead to regret. These instances have resulted in great discussions about how to carefully think through purchases and how to make sure you’re making the best use of your money.

How do you teach your children good money management skills? I’d love to hear!

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!

Shared Feb 6, 2017 comment

I Learned Contentment From Driving a Chevy Caprice

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 6, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

“I don’t ever want you to drive a car that someone else would covet.”

This was my dad’s mantra when it came to cars. And he did a great job of living it out.

Case in point: My first car was a gray Chevy Caprice. It had been my great grandpa’s car and we inherited it when he passed away.

I didn’t have the money to buy a car and had just gotten my license, so my dad designated the Caprice as my car.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was in great condition (my great grandpa had taken meticulous care of it) and had low mileage (my grandpa bought it new and had had it for a number of years but didn’t drive but within a 20-mile radius of his home).

We called it the “Gray Boat” — because that’s sort of what it looked like. It was a big car, it was gray, and it didn’t really fit young and petite me.

But it was a car, it had four wheels, it rarely ever had issues (I can only think of one time that I ended up stranded on the road with it — and that was because of a simple little issue with wiring!), and it was incredibly trustworthy for all the driving I did while I was in my late teens.

(I taught violin lessons to a number of different students and drove to their houses to teach, worked as a waitress, and worked as a mother’s helper and babysitter. So I spent a lot of my day driving from place to place!)

I learned so much by driving the Gray Boat and I truly believe that my dad’s desire to “give us cars that no one would covet” was one of the best things he could have done for me as a teenager. Here are three powerful lessons I learned:

1. It Taught Me to Worry Less About What Other People Think

When you drive a “clunker car”, you quickly have to check your pride at the curb. And honestly, if people judge me by the car I drive, they are not the kind of people I want to be close friends with.

Learning this lesson at an early age meant I went into marriage with a lot more freedom and a lot less need to feel I had to apologize about or give an explanation behind the cars I’ve driven or the frugal lifestyle choices we’ve made.

2. It Taught Me Gratitude For What I Have

My dad was kind to let me use the car as my own. Other than paying for my gas, he paid for any car repairs (or did them himself) and paid for my insurance. I’m grateful that he was generous to do this.

I drove that car with gratitude both to my dad and to my great grandpa. And it was a little way I felt a connection to my great grandpa even though he had passed away.

3. It Taught Me That Contentment Isn’t About Stuff

The biggest lesson I learned from driving that car was that you can be plenty fulfilled and happy while driving a car that isn’t all that eye-appealing. Contentment is a state of the heart that is unaffected by your outside circumstances. You can choose to be content even when you are driving an old car, wearing very used clothes, and eating lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Knowing this to the core of my being has been a huge gift to my life. It’s caused me to have so much more joy, to embrace life exactly where I am, and to make the most of right where I’ve been planted instead of wishing I could be in someone else’s shoes.

I drove that Gray Caprice up until marriage — when my husband and I bought his family’s old white mini van and that became my new mode of transportation! And I went into marriage a firm believer that Old Used Cars can be a blessing in disguise — to the tune of thousands of dollars in savings!

photo credit

Shared Feb 6, 2017 comment

Gretchen’s $50 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on February 6, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Sprouts

1 Cantaloupe – $0.98

1 Green Bell Pepper – $0.50

2.11 lbs Navel Oranges – $2.07

0.94 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.83

1 Sprouts Ketchup – $0.99, used $0.10/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.89 after rebate

1 Organic Valley Butter – $3.99 used $1.50/1 printable – $2.49 after coupon

1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks – $1.37

Total after rebate: $9.13

Dillons

1 can Campbell’s Soup – $1.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

1.61 lbs Bananas – $0.95, used $0.10/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.85 after rebate

2 Avocados – 2/$0.77

1 pkg Red Grapes – $1.97

1 Cucumber – $0.50, used $0.25/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.25 after rebate

3 Totinos Pizzas – $0.99 each, used $1/3 printable AND $1/3 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.32 each after coupon and rebate

1 bag Kroger Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – $7.99, used $1.50/1 e-coupon – $6.49 after coupon

1 pkg Nabisco Ritz Crackers – $1.88, used $1/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.88 after rebate

2 Kroger Cream Cheese – $1 each, used 2 $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.50 each after coupon

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.50, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon

1 Nestle Chocolate Chip Morsels – $2.50, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon

Total after coupons and rebate: $14.18

Aldi

1 gallon Milk – $2.18

2 Frozen Pizzas – $1.99 each

2 dozen Eggs – $0.67 each

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99

1 loaf Bread – $0.99, used $0.10/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.99 after rebate

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

1 Half & Half – $1.89

1 pkg Corn Chips – $0.99

1 Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29

1 pkg Frozen Broccoli – $1.19

Total after rebate: $17.82

Total for all grocery stores: $41.13

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal x 2

Eggs & Toast x 2

Fruit Smoothies & Pancakes x 2

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, Orange Juice

Lunches

Tossed Salad Bar

Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Applesauce, Sliced Green Peppers x 2

Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks

Fruit/Veggies/Crackers/Cheese

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Homemade Freezer Biscuits, Green Beans, Grapes

Build Your Own Haystacks

French Toast, Eggs, Cantaloupe

Venison Roast, Potatoes, Carrots

Chicken & Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Tossed Salad

Frozen Pizza, Chips & Dip, Brownies

Savory Crescent Chicken Pockets, Tossed Salad, Steamed Cauliflower

Shared Feb 5, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (it was a BIG week!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday 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.

Whew! It was a BIG week at our house! Here were a few of the highlights:

We met with the school advisor this past week about Kathrynne’s class choices for next year and got Kathrynne enrolled in lower division for next school year (Junior High! The school switches to a University Model in 7th grade so this is all new territory for us as parents! I can’t believe she’s 12!).
Kaitlynn had her pre-preliminary Moves in the Field testing for figure skating and she PASSED! She’s had three more tests before judges to pass and then she will officially be in the preliminary level. We set a big goal for her to be at at the Juvenile level by the end of the year! We’ll see!
Silas tried out for the traveling baseball team on Saturday and made it on the team! He was THRILLED! So it looks like there’s going to be a lot of baseball in our future! 😉
We got multiple offers on the rental house we put on the market a few weeks ago! So there’s a good chance we will have a buyer very soon!

I feel like my life has changed so much this past year — in such good ways. The kids are growing up and, with that, comes a lot of extra conversations, decisions, and outside activities and commitments.

I’m so grateful that we made so many changes work-wise and business-wise last year so that I have such a flexible work schedule that allows me to be available to go to most of their activities and be available for the conversations. I also have a whole new appreciation for moms of teenagers!

What I’m Loving

This week, I got to go on a field trip with Kindergarten and 1st grade to the Adventure Science Center. I’d never been there before and we had so much fun!

I was very impressed with all of the interactive exhibits, how much variety there was, and how the kids never got bored or ran out of things to do. That’s saying a lot since there were 15 really energetic kids on the field trip and we were at the Adventure Science Center from 9:15 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.!

Silas loved getting to try out the Moon Walk exhibit. (Watch a video of him trying out moon-walking here.)

A lot of life can feel like moonwalking. Where you try to go two feet and keep getting de-railed or knocked down or thrown a curveball. What’s the best solution? Hang on, don’t give up, and just keep going. And try to enjoy the ride, too!

This box came in the mail — how fun is it??

As I’ve mentioned before, I ADORE getting letters from readers, but this one was particularly meaningful to me because Amber sent me a beautiful card and told me how I had inspired her to try hand-lettering. After a lot of practice, she decided to use her newfound skill to make and sell these beautiful Christmas ornaments to help support her local community.

I was so touched that she’d take the time to write, but also that my blog had impacted her in this way! Go check out her beautiful Instagram page here for lots more hand-lettering inspiration.

We had a fancy dinner out on Saturday night (thanks to Jesse’s parents for the gift card!) then I made Jesse stand in the middle of the street and take a picture with me.

He thought it was a crazy idea and was like, “Why are you dragging me to the middle of the street for a picture??” And I was all, “It’s my Year of Yes! And I feel like saying Yes to something a little bit crazy tonight! So come on!”

And then we laughed and giggled as we ran out to get a picture while there was a lull in traffic.

Y’all. Why didn’t anyone tell that “living (a little) on the wild side” was this fun?!? I think this Year of Yes is going to be the best year yet!

What I’m Reading

This week, on the treadmill, I read: Mindspace: 30 Practices to Help You Let Go of Mental Clutter, Never Ending To Do List: One Hour Solution for Busy Parents, and Spend Your Days: How to Control Your Time (by Tsh Oxenreider).

I also finished Thirty Chic Days. This book came highly recommended by Carrie Willard and I was intrigued enough to buy a copy based upon her raving recommendation.

I was not familiar with the author or her works, but I really enjoyed this book. There’s nothing earth-shattering in it, but it really encouraged me to slow down and savor life more and look for ways to cultivate beauty in my every day life.

The author isn’t writing from a Christian perspective and she doesn’t have any children, but she gave lots of practical ideas, she inspires you with really doable and realistic suggestions, and she makes you feel like you actually can find ways to weave more beauty and inspiration into the dailyness of life.

If you’re interested in this book, you can see all of the titles of the chapters here. You can also check out the author’s YouTube channel here where she shares more from the book and even reads a few chapters. You can also subscribe to her email newsletter and you’ll get the first three chapters of her book for free.

This week, I’m reading: Answers to Prayer (an old Christian reprint), Be Real (a spiritually encouraging book), Hope in Front of Me (a story-driven book), and The Cozy Life (a book on life improvement).

I’m hoping to finish Hope in Front of Me, Be Real, and The Cozy Life this week. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 15 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}

What I’m Watching

In addition to watching another episode of Hunted and Timeless, we had a Church Movie Night on Friday night and watched Inside Out. The kids all get to wear their PJs and bring blankets and pillows and watch the movie on the big screen at church. There was pizza and popcorn and movie candy — and some of the church staff even dressed up as characters from the movie. 🙂

Life is so much richer and sweeter when you do it in community! And when you have a sense of humor and don’t take life too seriously!

I think the photo booth at the church movie night tonight was supposed to be for the kids, but that didn’t stop us adults from our Community Group from getting in on the fun.

We’re so grateful for these couples and the opportunity to do life with them. (We missed you, Paul & Amity!) And yes, I may have forgotten to match my facial expression to the mask I’m sporting! 😉

What I’m Listening To

This week, I listened to Chalene Johnson’s podcast on taking time off for vacation and it really made me think about ways to set up time I have planned off this year for success.

I also loved the Read to Lead podcast on How to Consistently Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. It challenged me on some of the things I’ve always thought about how to successfully face fear and step out and do things that scare you.

If you‘re a mom who struggles with anger and frustration with your kids, you have to check out Lisa-Jo’s Temper Toolkit. I’ve been going through it this week and, I don’t say this very often, but I can‘t recommend this course highly enough.

It’s SO well worth every penny! And it’s exactly what I need right now. Check it out here.

I love Lisa-Jo’s premise in the course: TEMPER is not an incurable disease but a treatable condition.

Yes, yes, yes! That gives me so much hope!

Moms, we don’t need more guilt, do we? What we need are the tools to help get us through.

That’s why Lisa-Jo created the Temper Toolkit — a collection of all her practical strategies, honest stories, and Biblical resources from one mom to another to help you take control of your temper BEFORE you lose it.

She has packaged up everything she’s learned over the last decade of parenting, and what she teaches at her workshops so that you can put it into practice in your own homes.

Here are the topics she covers in her 7-video course:

1. The one thing you can stop feeling guilty about right now
2. Discovering the roots of our anger
3. The one simple scheduling trick to help you tame your temper
4. What to do when parenting feels like a hostage negotiation crisis
5. Why having a bad day doesn’t make you a bad mom
6. What to do when your temper has nothing to do with being angry
7. So you lost your temper, what comes next?

I told you it was good! I need every single one of these lessons right now as it’s been a somewhat rough parenting patch the past month. So I’m just eating up Lisa-Jo’s every word!

If you can relate to any of my temper issues, you need to check out this course! And it’s just $29 through Monday (February 6, 2017). Go check it out here.

What I’m Thinking About

This might not look like much is going on here. But this picture speaks volumes.

I was sitting here reading my Bible and planning my day earlier this week while Jesse was patiently going over math problems with Kaitlynn. I was reminded yet again how blessed I am to be married to a man who invests in our kids, who is my true partner in every sense of the word, and who is so much better at explaining math than I am!

Showing love to your spouse doesn’t always look like red roses and romance. Often, it’s demonstrating it in the dailyness of life — like overseeing homework and helping with math problems!

If you’re married, look for ways to say “I love you” in the way you live your life today.

In Case You Missed It

My Posts This Week:

My YouTube Videos This Week:

What are YOU loving, reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about? I’d love to hear!

Shared Feb 4, 2017 comment

Whole30 on a Budget!

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 4, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sara of SK Bell:

If you hang around the internet much, it seems that people everywhere are attempting the a Whole30 challenge and seeing amazing results. Clearer skin, better sleep, reversal of serious health issues, eliminating expensive medications… and in many cases, impressive weight loss.

Whole30 has so many amazing benefits… why wouldn’t you want to try it? (Aside from the whole giving-up-your-favorite-junk-food thing!)

Well, it’s expensive. Like, really expensive.

I’m currently enjoying my third Whole30 attempt (the first two were failures, but we don’t have to talk about that…) and I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on the financial side of things this time around. Here are a few of my tips to do a Whole30 on a budget:

1. Plan ahead.

This one speaks for itself but is incredibly important. Go to the store knowing what you’re going to prepare each night.

2. Price shop.

With three children under four years old, hitting more than one grocery store is a little bit frustrating. I’ve given this up and picked it back up more times than I can count!

Sometimes the time isn’t worth it to me, but I have to admit that buying my groceries from two or three different stores tends to make a world of difference price-wise.

When I opt not to shop at more than one store, I try to keep my grocery list somewhat flexible so I can price shop inside the store. If a cut of stew meat on clearance costs less than the ground beef I had planned to buy, I’m probably the lady in the corner re-writing a portion of my list while sighing “no, we’re not buying that today. Please put that back.”

3. Remember the Dirty Dozen.

In a perfect world, your Whole30 would include all-organic, cage-free, free-range, grass-fed, and maybe even homegrown. I say do as much of that as you can… but don’t beat yourself up about what you can’t!

Keep the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists in mind when you’re buying your produce. Remember that conventional produce is always healthier than organic junk food.

4. Use frozen foods.

Frozen fruits and veggies can sometimes be far less expensive than their fresh versions. Of course, you’ll want fresh for some recipes… but certain meals work great with frozen produce.

I love making a Whole30-friendly Zuppa Toscana, for example, with frozen spinach or kale instead of fresh. I prefer that texture.

5. Stock up on eggs.

Eggs are without a doubt your least expensive protein source during a Whole30. Hardboiled! Deviled, with paleo mayo! Scrambled! Fried! Poached! Overeasy! Omelets! Frittatas! Quiches!

I think if you switch them up enough, you’re less likely to get so sick of them.

6. Buy your meats in bulk.

Whether you’re buying from the butcher, from the all-organic health food store, or from your regular grocery store: figure out the most inexpensive way to get the meat you’re looking for!

7. Don’t assume coupons are out.

For starters, you can always use your coupons to buy the non-food items on your list — soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent — but there are occasionally coupons for Whole30-friendly items if you look for them.

Some paleo blogs have offers for free Primal Mayo and coconut oils on their sidebars. Mambo Sprouts occasionally has coupons you can use, and loading coupons to your online accounts at Natural Grocers and whatever Kroger store is in your area can also sometimes result in a discounted item or two.

8. DIY.

I’m kind of obsessed with cauliflower “rice” during a Whole30. Even my husband, who is not a big veggie eater, loves cauli-rice. Every time he heads into a town with a Trader Joe’s, I have him pick up a bag or two of their pre-riced cauliflower to make my life easier. Once in awhile it’s on a great sale, but most of the time it would have been cheaper to buy a head of cauliflower elsewhere and make it myself.

If you have a food processor, cauli-rice is available to you with just a few pulses. If you don’t just use a cheese grater.

Pre-cut fruits or veggies, pre-made meatballs, and pre-made broth are other examples of things that save time but are almost always a little more expensive.

9. Make double batches.

Take a page out of the Money Saving Mom handbook and whip up some double batches with that meat you bought in bulk… or, if you’re like me, you can divide that meat up into a few different dishes and save yourself time and money, an obvious double win.

Ground beef becomes pre-made burger patties, browned meat for taco salads, and meatballs for albondigas soup or for serving with sautéed veggies.

Chicken gets divided up to serve with fajita seasonings over cauli-rice, over a salad, or cooked in coconut aminos for a stir-fry.

Ground turkey gets turned into chili, and then into Italian turkey sausage for stuffed mushrooms or that Zuppa I love so much.

If you have a friend or family member interested in doing a Whole30 alongside you, talk about swapping meals! Each of you can make a double batch of something and trade.

I haven’t even finished a Whole30 yet and I’ve already seen amazing results. If you’ve been toying with the idea, please, GO FOR IT! You will be so thankful you did! I think you can do it fairly inexpensively if you plan ahead and follow the suggestions above. Good luck!

SK Bell is a Jesus-loving wife, mama, author, and chocolate-addicted traveler. You can find her blog at www.skbellblog.blogspot.com and you can find her Whole30 successes, failures, and recipes using the Instagram hashtag #skbellwhole30

photo source

Do you want to take better control of your grocery budget? If so, you’ll want to read my newest eBook, 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget!

This eBook will give you all the tips, tricks, and practical advice you need to create a grocery budget tailored to your family’s needs that you can actually STICK to (because that’s the key!)

In this eBook, you’ll learn:

How to create a grocery budget that fits your family’s needs and your finances!
New systems to help you keep track of what you spend at the store!
How to actually stick with your new budget and save money for years to come!
Ways to save up to $50 off your grocery bill THIS WEEK by using the 10 simple strategies outlined in this eBook!

Read to get started? Just use the form below to sign up!

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Shared Feb 4, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $86 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on February 4, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 32-oz box Macaroni – $1.45

3 heads Cauliflower – $6.57

1 Pineapple – $1.89

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $2.99

1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.95

1 10-lb bag Potatoes – $0.99 (unadvertised special!!), plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $0.74 after rebate

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.25

2 boxes Crisp Rice – $2.78

1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79

1 canister Quick Oats – $2.39

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

1 32-oz carton Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.49

1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.99

Fresh Garlic – $0.79

1 16-oz bag Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.49

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $2.29

1 bag Nacho Tortilla Chips – $1.09

1 can Whipping Cream – $2.99

1 Cucumber – $0.39

1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.49

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89

1 loaf Bread – $0.85

1 carton Strawberries – $2.49

1 bunch Bananas (3.35lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.47

3 dozen Large Eggs – $3.15

1 2-lb bag Grapes – $3.79

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

Total after Rebate: $63.89

Harris Teeter

I bag Frozen Okra – $1.50

2 bottles Frank’s Sauce – $2.99, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupons

3 boxes Old El Paso Bold Stand-N-Stuff Taco Kit – $5.98, used 3 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $1.48/3 after coupons

3 cans Well, Yes! Soup – $4.48, used 3 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $1.48/3 after coupons

2 Domino Flip Top Brown Sugar – $3.78, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.78/2 after coupons

1 5-lb bag Pillsbury Bread Flour – $3.39

1 jar Pompeian Balsamic Vinegar – $3.69

1 bag RiceWorks – $1.84, used $1.00/1 Riceworks – 12-4-16 SS; Includes 5.5 oz or larger (exp. 03/31/17) – $0.84 after coupon

1 bag Arnold Sandwich Thins – $1.99, used $0.55/1 Arnold Bread Thin Rolls Product – 1-1-17 SS; DND (exp 04/01/17) (doubled) – $0.89 after coupon

1 bag Apples, reduced – $1.00

1 Quaker Real Medleys – $1.25, receive $1.00 back from Checkout 51 – $0.25 after rebate

2 64-oz cartons Minute Maid Orange Juice – $5.00, used 2 $0.55/1 printable (doubled) – $2.80/2 after coupons

2 cartons Dean’s Ranch Dip – $1.99, used $1.00/2 printable – $0.99/2 after coupon

1 bag Red Robin Onion Rings – $2.00, used $0.75/1 Red Robin Seasoned Fries or Onion Rings, exp. 4/17/17 (SS 01/22/17 R) (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon

1 bag Nathan’s Crinkle Cut Fries – $2.00, used $0.75/1 Nathan’s Jumbo Crinkle Cut Fries or Onion Rings, exp. 4/17/17 (SS 01/22/17 R) (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon

1 box Farm Rich Mozzarella Cheese Sticks – $3.42, used $1.00/1 Farm Rich Items – 1-22-17 SS; Includes 9.5 oz or Larger Only (exp 03/02/17) – $2.42 after coupon

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $22.51

Grocery Total for the Week: $86.40

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 2

Oatmeal with Fruit x 3

Bran Muffins, Hard Boiled Eggs x 2

Lunches

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Grapes, Green Beans x 2

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches,

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Grilled Chicken, Soft Italian Breadsticks, Relish Plate with Ranch Dip, Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit Salad (company for dinner)

Super Bowl Snack Dinner: Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks with Marinara Sauce, Soft Pretzels, Onion Rings, Fruit Salad, Fresh Veggies with Dip, S’Mores Bars

Taco Salad, Roasted Cauliflower, Sliced Apples

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles, Soft Italian Breadsticks

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, Tossed Salad, Roasted Carrots

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup (except I’ll be using ham from the freezer in place of the ground beef), Easy Whole Wheat Bread, Pineapple

Leftovers

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!

Shared Feb 3, 2017 comment

Fast & Frugal Valentine’s Day Lunch

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 3, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for a fast and frugal Valentine’s Lunch idea? Here’s a simple twist on peanut butter and jelly — and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry or fridge!

Okay, so let me just make it clear: I am not the quintessential Pinterest Mom.

I love moms who find all these adorable ideas on Pinterest and follow through with them and actually, you know, make them. As for me, I don’t search on Pinterest all that often. But when I do, I rarely see an idea and go, “Oh yes! I MUST do that stat.”

Nope. Truth be told, I’m the one who sees a really adorable idea and goes, “That would take way too much time!”

I’m practical. I’m efficient. And I’m all about getting life done.

Which can be a good thing and a bad thing.

It’s a good thing when it means that our home stays pretty organized all the time. I’m pretty good at following through with commitments. I don’t usually forget stuff. And I can get a lot done in a day by most people’s standards.

But on the flip side, it means that I run from things that look like they are overly-detail-oriented, require meticulous attention, would take an incredible amount of time, or just look overly complicated.

And by overly complicated, I mean any recipe or project that requires more than 15 minutes of my time. Yes, I may have a really low “complication” threshold! 😉

So this idea for a Valentine’s Lunch is one that is will not win any Most Pinterest Mom Ever awards, but it’s a way that even super simple non-Pinterest moms like me can do something fun for their kids for Valentine’s day!

And I wanted to share it with those of you who are like me and are looking for easy, cheap, and no-frills ideas that will still get your kids excited and will demonstrate to them how much you love them!

I picked up a heart-shaped cookie cutter at Target for $0.99 and then used bread, peanut butter, jelly, cucumbers, and cheese we already had on hand.

All of the ingredients can be purchased really inexpensively at ALDI — or you might already have them on hand!

I made the Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches and then cut them into heart shapes. You could make these ahead of time and freeze them if you wanted to pack them in your child’s lunch on Valentine’s Day.

(See my Freezer-Friendly Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich recipe for more details on how to freeze PB&J. Yes, some of you might laugh that I posted a recipe for that. But so many people begged for it, so I did! 😉

It’s exactly like what you would expect for PB&J sandwiches — with the exception of remembering to spread peanut butter on both slices of bread and then put the jelly on top of the peanut butter. Otherwise, if the jelly touches the bread, when you freeze and then defrost it, it can seep through the bread and make it soggy.)

I then cut some cheese into slices and cut those slices into hearts. If you had a little heart cookie cutter, this would be even quicker and the finished result would look prettier.

But alas, I don’t have a tiny heart cookie cutter, so I just made do with a knife. Silas came over to see what I was working on and got SO excited, “You made the cheese into hearts!! Hearts, mama!”

He thought it was SO cool! Let’s just hope he doesn’t discover these Bento Box lunches on Pinterest. Otherwise, my hand-shaped cheese hearts aren’t going to seem quite as thrilling or original! 😉

Then, I cut the cucumbers into slices and shaped them into hearts, too. This was a little more work than the cheese and the end result wasn’t very artistic. But once again, Silas was excited about cucumber hearts.

I had some cute twine that I picked up at the Target Dollar Spot that I used to wrap the sandwich and tie it into a bow. Which made it look a lot fancier than just a typical PB&J.

And there you have it! A super simple, cheap Valentine’s lunch idea — that totally fit my 15-minutes-or-less project criteria!

Best of all, Silas asked if he could please, please, please eat one plate right away for a snack (yes, a sandwich, and cheese, and cucumbers is a snack. And he’s 7! There may be a reason we raised our grocery budget!) and then he begged to take the second plate to school for lunch the next day.

He thought he was so cool bringing his early Valentine’s Day lunch — made with love by mom! And it made my heart happy to know that a little bit of effort could make his day in such a big way!

What are your favorite simple and cheap ideas for Valentine’s Day foods? Any special traditions you have at your house? I’d love to hear!

Shared Feb 2, 2017 comment

Is it worth it to pay for a cleaning service?

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 2, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Have you ever wondered if it was really worth it to pay for a cleaning service? In today’s post I answer that question plus give you some pointers on how to find a great cleaning service.

Wow! You all blew me away with your comments and encouragement on my post last week on Why We Hired a House Cleaner.

Many of you asked if I could write a followup post on how to find a good cleaning service. So, in this post, I wanted to answer some of your questions about that and share some things we considered when adding this expense to our budget…

How Much It Costs

Cleaning services vary depending upon the size of your house, how often you have them come, and how long it takes them to clean. Some services charge by the hour while some services charge a flat fee.

I’d say that a going rate is somewhere around $20-$25 per hour, based upon what I’ve heard from people in different parts of the country. But of course, that can depend upon many factors.

We have had cleaners both at our home in Kansas and at our home in Tennessee. In Kansas, we paid $125 per week and we went with a cleaning company (The Maids) that has franchises all over the U.S. They brought in a team of 4-5 people and cleaned our home in 1.5 to 2 hours.

In Tennessee, we are using a really small local-owned company that only has 2-3 teams and they usually send 3-4 people to our home each week and clean it in about 1.5 to 2 hours, sometimes a little longer. We pay $100 per week.

In both cases, they deep clean the bathrooms, vacuum/mop all the floors, dust all surfaces (tables, light fixtures, ceiling fans, etc.), clean all of the mirrors & glass, vacuum and clean the furniture, clean all the kitchen countertops and kitchen table and chairs, clean the stovetop, clean out the microwave, collect & take out the trash, strip the beds and re-make them, and probably other things I’m not thinking of right now!

Basically, for $100 per week, our entire house gets a thorough cleaning by a team of professionals who do a really detailed job!

Where to Find Good Cleaners

Not all cleaning companies are created alike, sadly. I can say with certainty that we are spoiled with really, really good cleaning companies — and we had to search to find them!

When we were first considering hiring on regular cleaners, we interviewed a few different companies and told them what was important to us. Then, we’d have them do a test cleaning.

Unfortunately, some of the companies were not thorough at all. Or, it would be hit and miss. One week, they’d do a great job. The next week, it’d be a different team of people and they’d do a really lackluster job.

I say all of this to be upfront and honest with you that finding a great cleaning company is going to take some effort. But don’t give up after one try! Some suggestions on where to find cleaners:

Ask your friends. If you have friends who use a cleaning service, ask them details about their service. Are they detailed and thorough? Are your friends happy with the job they do? This is how we found our cleaning service in TN! And we’ve since referred them to multiple friends!

Ask on a local board/site. If you are a part of any local sites — such as Facebook Groups or Mom’s Groups — ask on there for recommendations.

Look online. If you don’t know anyone who uses a cleaning service you’re interested in, go search online for reviews. Check their social media to see what people are saying about them, look on Yelp, etc.

Check Groupon. We’ve had mixed results from buying Groupons for cleaning services, but it’s an inexpensive way to test it out and see what you think of having cleaners and what you think of a particular service.

Hire a detail-oriented friend who loves to clean. Have a friend who loves cleaning, is really thorough, and is someone who is looking for some extra work? Consider hiring her! I’d start out with asking her to just help for a short time period to see if it’s a good fit for both of you before you make it a long-term thing.

How to Vet Potential Cleaners

Once you’ve found some possible cleaning companies, then it’s time to vet them to see if they are a good fit. Here’s what I would suggest:

1. Call & Do An Initial “Interview”. Call the company and talk to them. See how professional they are on the phone, how quickly they return phone calls, and how thorough they are in the answers they give you about their services. If they are unprofessional from the get-go, there’s a good chance they will not be a company you want to work with.

Some companies will come out and meet with you, explain their services, let you know details on what they offer, and talk to you more about your cleaning needs. If the company offers this, jump on it as it’s a great way to get a better feel for the company and their level of professionalism and attention to detail.

2. Have Them Do a Test-Cleaning. If you are impressed with your initial interaction with a company, book them to do a one-time cleaning. Ask if they have any new customer specials they are running or see if you can get a discount for being a first-time customer. It never hurts to ask!

3. Stay Home While They Clean. For the first few times, do not have them come and clean while you are gone! I repeat, do not have them come clean while you are gone! This is not only smart because you know nothing about this company or who is in your home, plus it’s helpful to get a feel for who will be cleaning your home, should you decide to hire them to regularly clean.

4. Inspect Everything When They Leave. As soon as they leave, go through and inspect every single room. Look to see if there’s anything they missed, anything they left out, or anything that was left undone. This will give you a good idea whether they are a company you are interested in having come in regularly or whether you need to vet another company.

We’re super picky, so it’s taken us time in both houses (KS and TN) to find a crew that was incredibly dependable, reliable, fast, and really thorough. But both times, we found one after 3-5 tries. And it’s the best. Thing. Ever. Seriously.

Having a clean house is really important to me but I just can’t do it all! So it’s one of many areas where I delegate so that I have a life and sanity!

Should You Hire Cleaners?

First off, my advice is to ask yourself, “Why am I wanting to hire cleaners?” Start off with the why.

For us, it started out because I was working full-time hours, Jesse had his law firm, we had three young kids, and I wanted to have a clean house and my sanity. I knew that something had to give.

Jesse and I did the math and realized that in less than one hours’ time, I could easily make what it would cost to pay for cleaners every week. And they would save me at least 5 hours’ time. So for less than the cost of one hour of me working, I could save five hours each week!

When you consider it in light of that, it was a really good return in our investment! I am always looking for ways to maximize both our time and money — and this really made sense for our family. And it has continued to make sense for us.

However, if our situation changed and our income was drastically reduced, we know that having cleaners would be one of the very first things to go. They allow me more breathing room in our week and help me have more joy in my life because our home stays cleaner. They are a luxury, not a need. I try to always remember this and never get too attached to having them!

Your family is very different than our family and your situation is very different than our situation, so I can’t say what would work for you. But I can suggest some questions for you to ask yourself:

Can you afford cleaners in your current budget? If not, can you tweak some things around so that you could have them come occasionally? If not, then I’d say that you shouldn’t even consider it right now.

If you can afford cleaners, would hiring them relieve a lot off your plate or would it stress you out more? For some women, having people come in and clean their house is actually more stressful than stress-relieving. You know yourself and what works for you. If you’re not sure, try it for a week or two and see how it feels. Does it work and bless your family or is it just stress-inducing?

Is a clean house the most pressing thing in your life right now? For some women, having a house that isn’t really clean isn’t stress-inducing. Instead, it’s the food prep that’s causing stress or the laundry or the kids’ activities or a growing business. Maybe you need to look at streamlining your outside activities or hiring a mother’s helper to help with laundry or food prep or hiring a virtual assistant to help with your business.

What could you outsource so you could be more present for what matters most and pour your time into what brings you the most life? If you’re in a season where you have more wiggle room in your budget, are there things you can outsource instead of cleaning that would give you a better return on your investment?

Do you have too much on your plate and you just need to say “no” more? If you don’t have the wiggle room in your budget to hire a cleaning service, perhaps you need to “buy” yourself more wiggle room in your schedule by just saying “no” to some of the commitments and activities that are sucking your time and your life.

Ultimately, it comes down to deciding what is right for your family and your budget in your season of life! Remember this: there are always options. Your schedule is not the boss of you. Your calendar commitments are not the boss of you. And you don’t have to feel any bit of guilt if you can’t “do it all!”

Choose what is best for you and your family — even if it looks very different than what other families are choosing!

Shared Feb 1, 2017 comment

My 10 Goals for 2017: February 1st Update

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 1, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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 February 1, 2017 which means it’s time for my first goal update for 2017. I’ll be 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.

February 1st update: I started in on an more intentional running regimen — varying between easy runs, long runs, progressive runs, and HIIT workouts + intentional warm-up and cool down. My nutritionist is a runner so he is putting together a run training schedule for me each week!

This month, I’m averaging about 2.2 miles in 30 minutes. 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!

February 1st update: I started Phase 3 two weeks ago!!!! 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. 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.

February 1st update: I’m so excited because I read 11 books and ebooks in January (see all 11 books and ebooks I read here)! Yay! It feels so good to be back to reading again!

The 4 books I read from my shelf from the 48 books I picked were: 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.

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!!)

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.

February 1st update: Our renters moved out in one of our rental houses this month, so we just got the house put up on the market! I’ll keep you posted.

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. We currently have around 15% of the total amount we’d like to save set aside in our house savings fund. By selling our rental houses, we should have about 75% of the total amount saved… which will mean, we should be able to save the additional 25% needed this year if we 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.

**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 number one reasons I blog and have a business — so that we can give generously to causes and people near and dear to our hearts.**

Business Goals

8. Release 2 courses — We have plans in the works for me to release two full-fledged courses on two different topics. More coming on that in the next 3-6 months!

9. Start 2 new blogs — I shared more here about the big changes that are coming to the blog in 2017 — including two brand-new blogs I’m launching late March or early April!

February 1st update: We are hard at work behind the scenes getting CrystalPaine.com and YourBloggingMentor.com set up. I’m so excited about the designs and can’t wait to unveil them soon!

10. Learn YouTube/iMovie — I already told you about this goal! You can follow me on YouTube if you want to watch me learn! ?

February 1st 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 have a long way to go, but I’m having so much fun! I also decided that publishing a video 5 days per week (what I was initially planning) is too much for my schedule. Instead, I’m shooting for 2 videos per week. That seems to be a good pace for me! You can watch my recent YouTube videos here.

2 Habits I’m Working on Developing

I decided to choose two very specific habits I want to work on in 2017. Both of these are ones that will make a big impact on our home and family for me to be consistent with. I’m using the habit tracker at the back of my new Brilliant Life Planner to keep tabs on my daily progress on these.

Be offline from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day. (This is one way I’m saying “yes” to my family this year. Aiming to have a more compartmentalized day — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. = Work Time, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. = Unplugged Family Time — is making a huge, positive change for our family and for my sanity and productivity and I’m so grateful and excited.
I hit this goal 19 times in January and hope to do this even more consistently in February!
Go to bed before 11 p.m. (My actual bedtime is 9:30 p.m. so I can get in a good 7-8 hours of sleep and still wake up by 5:30 a.m. But I’m giving myself a little wiggle room for the occasional later night or for weekends. ?) I didn’t do this perfectly in January, but I’m celebrating that I hit the goal 16 nights! And I’m hoping that I’ll be even more on target in February!

How are YOU doing on your goals for 2017? Leave a comment and let us know!

Shared Jan 29, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on January 29, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday 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 Celebrating

A year ago, this girl was incredibly socially awkward. And it broke my heart. She has such a beautiful heart to serve and pour into others and to see her be so anxious and clam up almost any time she was with kids her age just about did me in — especially because she was then the one who got picked on, overlooked, and/or made fun of.

We had many a long talk over her social anxiety and how she felt so lonely and left out. We tried putting her different social situations to give her opportunities to grow and learn to reach out and build genuine relationships, but each time, it ended in tears, stress, and fear over having to face kids her age again.

She began avoiding kids her age as much as she could. We saw her closing up more and more and felt at a loss to know how to help her break out of her fear and anxiety. We prayed. We encouraged her with new ideas. We kept trying new approaches.

Nothing worked.

One day, as I was crying out to God for wisdom, I felt this strong nudge that the best decision would be to put her in school instead of homeschooling. It felt like a crazy idea as I always assumed we would homeschool through high school.

I loved homeschooling and couldn’t really bear the thought of giving it up. But I told Jesse this “bizarre” idea and he looked at me and said, “I can’t believe it! I’ve been feeling the exact same way!!”

With much prayer, many tears, and much research, we made the decision to put her in a small Classical School. She was devastated when we broke the news to her. And my mama heart was torn up in pieces knowing how terrifying it was for her.

But she did it. She showed up scared. Knowing how intense her social anxiety was, I knew the insane amount of bravery it required.

And she kept showing up. On Friday, as we celebrated her birthday date together, she told me, “I can’t believe how much I’ve changed this year! I actually have friends. Real friends. And they are coming over to my house to hang out with me tomorrow! I can’t believe it! I had no idea that facing my fears & going to school would mean I would I gain so many friends!”

God is so good. So good. (Shared with Kathrynne’s permission.)

What I’m Watching

This week, I watched my friend Lisa-Jo’s Scream-Free Mornings video. There was a lot of great material packed into the short video. And the PDF download that came with it was GOLD. Go sign up for this free video and PDF here.

By the way, Lisa-Jo has a brand-new course coming out with tools and tactics for moms who struggle with their temper. I cannot WAIT to go through it because I always need wise advice and encouragement in this area. As I’ve told you before, I have struggled with yelling at my kids.

It’s something I wish I didn’t struggle with. I wish I could be the mom who could say, “I never yell at my kids!” But that’s not me. I’m the girl, instead, who has struggled with anger ever since I was a child.

It’s one of the things I wish I could hide and pretend didn’t exist. But it’s also something that has caused me to need Jesus so much, to have opportunities to humble myself and ask for forgiveness when I fail, and to look for resources to help me tame my temper.

Which is why I’m so thrilled that Lisa-Jo has put this video course together. I will be eating up her every word! (Sign up for the free video and you’ll be notified when her course is live in a few days!)

This week, we discovered the new show Hunted and we loved the first two episodes. It’s about 16 people who attempt to go off the grid while being hunted as “they attempt the nearly impossible task of disappearing in today’s vast digital world as highly skilled investigators combine state-of-the-art tracking methods with traditional tactics to pursue and catch them.”

Jesse and I watched the first episode and enjoyed it so much that we had the kids watch both episodes with us. So far, there has been very little language and it’s been a great show for us to watch together as a family.

{Note: This show might be really scary or inappropriate for some children, depending upon their personalities and sensitivities. As always, I encourage parents to watch shows first, if you have any doubt whether it’s something that would be appropriate for your own children as all children have different sensitivity levels. Our kids happen to love shows like this, so we’re hoping that the season continues to be family-friendly and appropriate!}

We also watched the newest episode of Timeless. I’ve surprised myself by really enjoying this show! Note: This show is definitely on the PG-13 level based upon the content and language.

Also, a note on Poldark: We decided not to continue watching it past Season 2, Episode 7 after some warnings from you all. We looked at the reviews and we don’t see that any sort of redemptive story came in Season 2, so it just didn’t seem worth continuing. I was so sad, because I loved the show. But it’s not worth watching if it’s just going to get darker and there’s no redemption.

I still wholeheartedly love Poldark Season 1 and would recommend it. Note: This is not a show we’ve let our kids watch because of some of the content and topics.

What I’m Listening To

I loved the Sorta Awesome Show with guest host Meredith Schwartz of Penelope Loves Lists. Even though I’m not a total Penelope as she described on the show, more and more I’ve come to realize that I’m someone who tends to be naturally organized.

I don’t have to work really hard to set up systems to keep my home organized or clutter-free or to keep my work and life organized. It’s honestly something that I just do because, well, I’ve always just thought, “Isn’t it just easier to be organized?”

Over the years, I’ve come to learn that not everyone is the same way. Not everyone sees the messes or the clutter like I do and some people have to work at it a lot harder.

Understanding the way that I’m wired and the way that others are wired helps me to have more grace for myself (Telling myself things like, “It’s okay to let the dishes sit in the sink every once in awhile! You’re not failing when you do that!”) and more grace for others (Telling myself things like, “They aren’t trying to be difficult or lazy. They just have a different personality and different priorities than you! And there’s a lot you can learn from them!”)

I really enjoyed this episode of the Sorta Awesome show because I resonated with so much of it and I realized that I’m more relaxed about being organized than some people are and I can celebrate exactly how God has made me, but I can also work on those parts of my personality that need some fine-tuning! 🙂

What I’m Reading

I finished Megyn Kelly’s book, Settle for More, this past week and really, really enjoyed it. There is quite a bit of strong language in it and there were parts I didn’t agree with, but I thought it was well-written and very thought-provoking.

I know that this is a year when people are very divided politically and I’m almost scared to even admit I loved this book — lest someone assume I’m siding with a particular person or party by saying that. Please know that that’s not what this book was about.

If you haven’t read it and you’re at all interested in politics or journalism or how a woman in a high profile position is balancing work and family or topics related to feminism and women’s rights, I think that you’ll find this book interesting and insightful — even if you heartily disagree with it.

I’m of the opinion that we should read things from differing viewpoints to help sharpen our beliefs, expand our thinking, and know what people who are very different than us believe. This is one reason why I’ve chosen that one of my main news sources for right now is actually from a much different side of the aisle than I would typically be on — because I don’t want to just listen to people who think like me tell me their opinion or viewpoint about current events and issues.

I want to know what people who come from very different backgrounds and belief systems think, too, and how they came to those beliefs. Not so I can bash them, but so I can seek to understand.

Anyway, all that to say, while I think Megyn Kelly and I would probably land very differently on many issues, I really was inspired by reading this book and hearing more about her life and her core values and principles.

I also read Everyday Wellness by Nina Nelson (it looks like it’s no longer available anywhere online — I got the download as part of one of the Ultimate Bundles – this book looks like it’s similar to the ebook, but it’s no longer in print) and Chaos to Clutter-Free.

How I’m Getting in More Reading Time

I’ve been upping my running time in the past two weeks, which means I can get in some reading while running on the treadmill! I’m thrilled about that because it means I can start going through all these ebooks I’ve gotten as part of the Ultimate Bundles!

This week, I’m planning to read some of the Conquer Your Clutter Bundle ebooks:

Mindspace: 30 Practices to Help You Let Go of Mental Clutter

Never Ending To Do List: One Hour Solution for Busy Parents

The Ultimate Guide to Freezer Cooking

Spend Your Days: How to Control Your Time (by Tsh Oxenreider)

Have you gotten your Conquer Your Clutter bundle yet? If not, go check it out here. It’s on available through January 30, 2017 and it’s packed with lots of great resources to help you get your home and life in order.

This week, I’m reading: Answers to Prayer (an old Christian reprint), Be Real (a spiritually encouraging book), Hope in Front of Me (a story-driven book), and Thirty Chic Days (a book on life improvement).

I’m hoping to finish Hope in Front of Me, Be Real, and Thirty Chic Days this week plus the ebooks listed above. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 11 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}

What I’m Thinking About

You know what I recently realized? I rarely accept compliments. I almost always make some excuse or give some explanation as to why I’m not really worthy of receiving that compliment.

For instance, someone will say, “I love your hair today!” And I’ll respond, “Oh this look? Ha! I need to wash my hair so badly! I just threw it into this real quick today because I was frustrated with it!”

Or, someone will say, “I love your outfit!” And I’ll say something like, “Really?? Um, I was rushing out the door and just grabbed something! I don’t really like it!” Or a thousand other similar variations.

You want to know the person I’m the worst at this with? My husband. I pretty much always excuse or invalidate his compliment by my response. It’s sad, but true.

Why do I do this? Why do I try to convince people by my responses that their kind compliment wasn’t valid? Why do I try to explain away or justify or excuse or put down myself?

If someone were to give me a gift, I wouldn’t try to explain to them why it was a bad gift or not appropriate for me. That would be rude! But yet, when you think of it, a compliment is a gift, too.

So I’m committed to stop excusing and invalidating others’ kind words and instead start responding with a simple, “Thank you!” When someone is kind enough to give me a compliment, I want to be genuinely grateful for their graciousness. Especially when it’s a compliment from my husband!

Have you ever done this before? Do you have any insight as to why I might do this? I’m still processing it myself and would love your input if this is something you struggle with, too. (The inspiration for this came from the book, The Year of Yes.)

In Case You Missed It (my posts from this past week):

What are YOU celebrating, reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about? I’d love to hear!

Shared Jan 28, 2017 comment

5 Ways We Save on Propane

Published: by Crystal Paine on January 28, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Ruth:

I live in Michigan and heating is our biggest utility expense… particularly because we live in the country and use propane. Our stove, furnace, and hot water heater all run off of propane, and as you can imagine, refilling our 500 gallon tank is pricey!

Our propane bill has been very stressful for us over the years –our propane provider has a minimum fill requirement of 250 gallons, the prices weren’t always good, so we tried to wait as long as we possibly could to fill our tank, and we still ended up spending serious money for each fill.

Now, thanks to some modifications, we not only save money on propane, but we don’t stress over paying the large bill.

Here’s some of the modifications that we made:

1. We now have a written budget every month.

We have two savings accounts, one is designated as our Emergency Fund and one is our Irregular Expense Fund. Each month, a designated contribution is put into our Irregular Expense Fund. By looking at propane usage from prior years, we are able to make an educated guess on an appropriate monthly amount to save.

Now when we need to fill up the propane tank, we just do it and don’t need to worry about how to pay for it. We transfer the money from our Irregular Savings Fund to our checking account and use our debit card for the fill.

2. We switched propane companies.

Not all propane companies are equal… and after one particularly cold winter, we chose a new company that better met our needs.

Our new company offers a price protection plan called a “Price Cap” program. We pay $50 to be enrolled for this program, and we then have a written guarantee that our price will not exceed a certain point. If the actual price per gallon is below our capped price, we pay the actual price.

Our capped price is a little over $1.50 per gallon this season, but I just filled up and paid only $1.40 per gallon.

Their price protection secret was that they bought large amounts of propane inexpensively during the off season and stored it for later use in off site storage.

We’ve found that picking a company with simple common sense ways of controlling the price saves our money and lowers our stress level greatly.

3. We watch prices.

We try to fill up when the prices are good, rather than when we need propane. Pricing is best in the summer, and this past summer, prices got down around $1 per gallon. We went ahead and filled up then, which lasted for several months.

4. We seal up air leaks, when we can.

We noticed cold air was leaking through the front door, so we purchased cheap weather stripping and were able to drastically decrease the cold air coming in. It might not sound like much, but it can add up to big savings.

5. We use a programmable thermostat.

The temperature automatically lowers when we leave the house and while we’re sleeping — saving a significant amount of propane (and money!)

Heating is a large expense for those of us who live in the Northern part of the country. But thankfully, there are ways to make it more manageable.

Ruth is a homeschooling mom of 3 kids, ages 10, 7, and 4.

photo source

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Grocery Total for the Week – $78.60

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

1.We rented out our house.

2. We packed and moved everything ourselves.

3. We called in favors and cash back

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1. We Talk About Our Own Money Choices

How to Teach Through Every Day Life

2. We Give Them Opportunities to Handle Money

3. We Let Them Make Money Mistakes

How do you teach your children good money management skills? I’d love to hear!

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1. It Taught Me to Worry Less About What Other People Think

2. It Taught Me Gratitude For What I Have

3. It Taught Me That Contentment Isn’t About Stuff

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Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

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What I’m Loving

What I’m Reading

What I’m Watching

What I’m Listening To

What I’m Thinking About

In Case You Missed It

What are YOU loving, reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about? I’d love to hear!

Well, it’s expensive. Like, really expensive.

1. Plan ahead.

2. Price shop.

3. Remember the Dirty Dozen.

4. Use frozen foods.

5. Stock up on eggs.

6. Buy your meats in bulk.

7. Don’t assume coupons are out.

8. DIY.

9. Make double batches.

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Aldi

Harris Teeter

Grocery Total for the Week: $86.40

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

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What are your favorite simple and cheap ideas for Valentine’s Day foods? Any special traditions you have at your house? I’d love to hear!

How Much It Costs

Where to Find Good Cleaners

How to Vet Potential Cleaners

Should You Hire Cleaners?

Personal Goals

Marriage Goals

Family Goals

Financial Goals

Business Goals

2 Habits I’m Working on Developing

How are YOU doing on your goals for 2017? Leave a comment and let us know!

What I’m Celebrating

What I’m Watching

What I’m Listening To

What I’m Reading

How I’m Getting in More Reading Time

What I’m Thinking About

In Case You Missed It (my posts from this past week):

What are YOU celebrating, reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about? I’d love to hear!

1. We now have a written budget every month.

2. We switched propane companies.

3. We watch prices.

4. We seal up air leaks, when we can.

5. We use a programmable thermostat.