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Shared Oct 24, 2016 comment

How I Actually Became Content With Simplicity

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How I Actually Became Content With Simplicity

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

simplicity

Guest post from Sarah of The Jelly Jars

I never thought I would struggle with the desire for more clothes or a bigger house, the comparison trap with neighbors or friends, the belief that bigger is better.

You see, my husband and I had spent the last year living in a 900 sq. ft. apartment with three young children, we gave away 1/3 of our possessions, and I became an expert at living off of a bare-bones budget as he completed his graduate degree and worked part-time at a church.

If anything was going to teach me how to live simply, it was that year… or so I thought.

But there is a difference between living simply and being CONTENT with living simply.

What I noticed in myself is that as soon as we were able to move out, move into a single-family home and my husband started making a salary again, my old thought processes so easily returned. It’s like I had just put band-aids on the symptoms without actually working on my heart issue of needing, wanting, desiring more.

Here is how I am actually, truly, completely becoming content with simplicity:

1. I limit how much I shop in stores.

I have learned that when I actually go into stores (Hobby Lobby and Target are my biggest problem places!) I see things I want and think that I need. This either causes me to covet and become discontent with my actual life, or to make impulse purchases to fill a perceived need in my life and spend money unnecessarily.

Until I am able to go into Target and buy the one thing I actually need without throwing unnecessary items in my cart and have to explain a $100.00 surprise purchase to my husband, I buy my mascara off of Amazon.

2. I reorient my thinking through gratitude.

This is such a simple practice that has revolutionized my days. It is so easy to look at the things we wish we had — a bigger house, a bigger yard, different neighbors, a bigger paycheck.

If I dwell there though, I’m not living in my present moment, I’m only becoming more jealous and dissatisfied, frustrated with my perceived lack. If I push back against those thoughts though and instead point out what I can be grateful for, I’m no longer restless.

Instead of wishing for a different neighborhood, I see the neighbors I have on this street and how glad I am to live near them. Instead of wishing for a bigger house, I remind myself of our old apartment and how spacious this house is compared to that.

Gratitude changes everything!

3. We pay for items with cash.

Paying with cash gives me an objective barometer for spending.

Instead of pulling out the credit card and buying anything I want, cash limits me in the best way. It keeps me within my budget boundaries and I can’t argue with the envelope if there’s simply nothing more in it left to use.

4. We only keep what we actually need.

About every six months, we go through our house and evaluate if we actually need an item. I ask myself if it actually serves a purpose in the home or if it is valuable (either sentimentally or monetarily), and if it doesn’t do either of those, we donate it or put it in the garage-sale pile.

5. I engage with my people in real ways.

I pull my daughters onto my lap and we read a book or we find leaves in the front yard and trace them with sidewalk chalk or we make pancakes for dinner and I let them crack the eggs. We build a fort with sheets from the closet or we have a tea party or we bake cookies to hand out to neighbors.

I have found that as I dive deeper into relationships with my “right-now people”, my heart is full and is less inclined to need material possessions to fill any emptiness. Actually being in relationship with people in my right-now life fills my life more than any $10.00 shirt from Target ever could.

Rather than seeing simplicity as limiting, it is possible for simplicity to instead be a pathway to freedom.

As I look at life through the lens of gratitude, limit temptations I encounter, only keep what we need, and fill my life with relationships rather than possessions, little by little I am learning how to actually become content and it has changed everything.

Sarah Sandifer is a mama to three rambunctious little girls and is married to her college sweetheart who now serves as an Army Chaplain. She writes about grace and bravery and how it all helps us to become more deeply who we are over at The Jelly Jars.

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Shared Oct 22, 2016 comment

6 Ways to Teach Children Good Money Management

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6 Ways to Teach Children Good Money Management

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

money-management

Guest post from Sue of SueSundstrom.com:

As my husband and I transitioned from a dual income household (without children) to a single full time income after having children, we have adopted more frugal habits (out of necessity!), and have always avoided credit card debt.

We’re doing our best to instil these same habits into our children through what we teach them about money. Today, I’m sharing 6 ways we do this.

1. Alert them to media influences.

Children learn to want more by watching advertisements. The media has incredible influence.

When they were very little, my children watched their favourite shows on a children’s channel that didn’t have any adverts. During this period, the only time I had a challenge with ‘wants’ was when we were shopping together and they saw what they liked in the shops.

When my children got a little older, they switched to a TV channel geared towards primary school aged children, which did show advertisements in between shows. We noticed a significant increase in their desire for things as soon as they switched!

My husband and I talked to them about the subtle messages found in marketing and explained how some of the messages enticed them to buy.

By making them more aware, they became better critical thinkers and they no longer just blindly believe every message.

2. Be firm and don’t give in to instant gratification.

When we went to the supermarket, I would hardly ever give in to demands for toys and treats, and so they got used to not being able to buy a toy just because we went to the shop.

My typical response when I got a request from them was ‘Put it on your birthday list or Christmas list’. This helped them have a ‘cooling off’ period on things – often, later, what they wanted didn’t seem as important anymore and wouldn’t even make it on the ‘gift list’.

Teaching them to think twice before buying something has led to them adopting more of a ‘delayed gratification’ approach – now, on their own, they will often work out for themselves whether or not something is worth the cost. For example, we were at a theme park the other day and after my eldest son saw the cost of the ‘Fast queue pass’ option he said, ‘It’s not worth it – look how much it is, and it’s not even for most of the rides that we want to go on’.

This showed me that he had learned some restraint when it came to spending!

3. Teach the value of working for money and saving up.

Our children have generally had to save up themselves for bigger purchases, like a Playstation or their own tablet, because we wanted them to learn how to save and wait for something.

The hard work involved in saving for it means they appreciate and look after it better too, plus they learn the value of work.

I loved how our sons got really creative and made their own things to sell at the bottom of our driveway, including creating drawings and finding unused toys, books and DVDs to sell. Some kind neighbours bought from them (out of pity I think!) But they learned some valuable lessons of resourcefulness, creativity, persistence and courage – it took courage to stop passersby and ask them to buy from them. They were bolder than I would have been!

They also learned to create their own ‘marketing’ signs, like ‘Buy now!’ and ‘Sale’ or ‘Buy one get one free’.

Then they offered to do things around the house. My youngest son cleaned our car, they both folded clothes, and put aside birthday money. They learned to be patient and save up.

4. Help them be immune to the need to constantly ‘keep up’.

I don’t want my children to feel they MUST have the latest and greatest of every new iphone, technology, clothes or home decor fashion… so I made sure to try and to demonstrate to them that it’s really not important to me. Now, that is the attitude they have too.

My sons don’t care about having tons of clothes or lots of games and things to ‘keep up’ with others. Thankfully, they are still immune to it. Now, sometimes when I offer to buy them another shirt, they say, ‘Oh no thanks. I don’t need one’ !

5. Model spending within your budget

It’s fairly common for my son to lean over my shoulder and ask about what I’m doing when I’m filling in our budget on the computer. I

I am grateful to be able to use those moments to teach him the value of always knowing where your money is going and how much you have available as discretionary spending money.

6. Teach them about giving

Giving is another important part of money management.

My husband and I both support children in extreme poverty through Compassion International, and our boys know about these two children who have very little materially. They know that our contribution helps ensure these children get the opportunity to go to school, and to escape poverty.

We hope we are teaching our boys to be givers through our example — as well as how grateful they should be that they are wealthier than most of the world’s population.

When they are a little older we’d like to take them on a mission trip to visit children in disadvantaged situations. This will give them a perspective that will probably change their lives like nothing else could!

How about you?

What are your best tips to teach children good money management?

Sue Sundstrom is a coach and writer who is passionate about helping people fulfil their dreams. Get more tips and inspiration on how to live fully by visiting her blog.

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Shared Oct 22, 2016 comment

Brigette’s $64 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $64 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Aldi

(I had plans of buying more fruit and vegetables at Aldi, but they were out of almost everything.:( Some weeks are just like that, and you make the most out of what you ended up with!)

2 bags Tortilla Chips – $2.38

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99

1 bunch Bananas (2.33lb @ $0.44/lb) – $1.03

1 20-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.99

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.89

1 Cauliflower – $2.49

1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.69

1 Pomegranate – $0.69

1 8-oz pkg Cream Cheese – $1.29

1 pkg Chocolate Chips – $1.79

1 gallon Milk – $2.39

2 dozen Eggs – $1.50

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

1 2-lb bag Pears – $1.78 (somehow these didn’t make it on the receipt, so I didn’t actually get charged for these)

Total: $28.57

harris-teeter

Harris Teeter

5 boxes Kellogg’s cereal – $14.95 – received $5 off WYB 5 (store promotion), plus used $1/3 Harris Teeter evic, and $1/3 Kellogg’s Cereal, exp. 11/13/16 (RP 10/02/16 R) – $8.00/5 boxes after coupons and promotion ($1.60/box – NOT the greatest price, but cheaper than Aldi)

1 pouch Idahoan Loaded Potatoes – $1.15, used FREE catalina printout – FREE after coupon

2 Domino Fliptop Sugars – $3.78, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.78/2 after coupons

5 jars Barilla Pasta Sauce (B2G3) – $5.58, used 2 $0.75/2 Barilla Sauce, exp. 12/4/16 (RP 10/09/16) (doubled) – $2.58/5 after coupons

1 box Uncle Ben’s Rice – $0.99, used $0.50/1 catalina printout – FREE after coupon

1 box Colgate Toothpaste – $0.99 (used a raincheck), used $0.50/1 Colgate Toothpaste, exp. 10/29/16 (SS 10/16/16) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

10 8-oz bags assorted Shredded Cheese (B2G3) – $13.16

2 bags Stonefire Naan Pitas – $2.99, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupons

1 carton Earthbound Farms Organic Spring Mix – $2.00

1 carton Grape Tomatoes, reduced – $1.00

1 bag Gala Apples (3.33lbs @ $0.99/lb) – $3.30

3 tubs I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter – $3.00, used 2 $0.60/1 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Product, exp. 10/23/16 (RP 09/25/16 R) (doubled), plus $0.50/1 Harris Teeter evic – $0.10/3 after coupons (we normally only use real butter – but at this price, I will find something to do with this!)

1 can Kraft Parmesan Cheese – $3.00, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.75/1 Harris Teeter evic – $1.25 after coupons

2 pkgs La Band Tortillas – $1.98

1 64-oz carton Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk – $3.00, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.75/1 Harris Teeter evic – $0.75 after coupons

Total: $35.71

Grocery Total for the Week: $64.28

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 3, Scrambled Eggs and Toast (Veggie Omelettes for me) x 2, Oatmeal x 2

Lunches

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Fruit x 2

Lunch at the Park with Friends – I am bringing No-Bake Cookies

Build-Your-Own-Tossed Salad (using leftover Romaine from last week, fresh veggies, hard boiled eggs, shredded cheese, raisins, and nuts) x 2

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Lentil Soup, Corn Muffins with Honey Butter

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Green Beans, Apple Slices

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup, Fresh Veggie Plate, leftover Corn Muffins with Honey Butter

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Carrots, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes

Dinner with Friends – We’re having Tacos and I’m bringing tortillas, chips, and No-Bake cookies

Pizza (I normally make my own crust, but since I got Naan bread for free this week – we’ll be using that!)

Leftovers

Shared Oct 21, 2016 comment

Life Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Dance Through It

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Life Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Dance Through It

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

On afternoon, on our recent trip to South Africa, we drove to the Horn of Salvation After Care Program.

We were a number of days into the trip and I was beginning to feel the affects of the time difference, the long days, and the different-than-my-usual foods we’d eaten. My stomach was completely out of sorts, my head was pounding, and my body was worn out.

I just wanted to go back to the lodge and crawl in bed for a few hours. But we’d planned to go to visit this new After Care Program, so I tried to set aside how icky I was feeling and just focus on being fully present.

As we got out of the van and went to meet the leaders of this After Care Program — Pastor Robert and his very-pregnant wife, Mokgadi. They were beaming with joy and so thrilled to have us there.

I looked around for a building or tent or something where they would be running their program… and then I realized that the program for all the children in their community was being held at their small house and in the small yard area right behind their house. 

Mokgadi told us how she just loves investing in these children and teaching them to read — something that they often don’t learn at school because most teachers in this area do not have the skills to really educate children (they are more just “child-minding”, they told us).

Because of her efforts in this community, the educational levels of the kids of the community have gone up significantly and they now have a 95% pass rate — which is incredibly high for this area!

I also felt so inspired in just the first 15 minutes! Then we went to the back of their house to see the children and their After Care Program.

You guys. I was so humbled by what I saw. 

Here is a couple who doesn’t have much money, a woman who has her own children and is pregnant, and yet they are literally giving their lives away and throwing open the doors of their home to make a big difference in the lives of these children.

They don’t have much at all, but they are giving what they have. And it is making a huge impact.

It wasn’t just in test scores, though.

At the end of our visit, they said the kids wanted to dance for us. I figured that meant one dance or something… forgetting that this is South Africa and there’s really no such thing as one dance or one song. 🙂

Pretty soon, all the girls had changed into adorable grass skirts made out of recycled grocery sacks and bread bags. They brought out an old drum. They set up chairs for us. They circled around us.

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And then, underneath the hole-y tarp on the dusty South African ground in the middle of a community full of great poverty, these children BROUGHT IT.

They danced and they sang and they danced and they sang.

It was loud, it was lively, and it was L-I-F-E to my weary body.

Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Dance Through It

Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Dance Through It
Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Dance Through It

Their joy was contagious. I forgot all about how tired I felt, how my stomach was queasy, and how I just wanted to crawl in bed.

Instead, I was on the edge of my seat, soaking up the way these kids were celebrating and singing and dancing their hearts out.

I want to forever hold this moment of time in my memory. When — in the midst of so much poverty and need — there was celebration and hope.

We can all learn so much from these kids. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to dance through it.

Let’s stop waiting for perfect and start savoring and celebrating right where we are.

Shared Oct 20, 2016 comment

My 3 Favorite Everyday Hair Styles (in 10 minutes or less!)

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My 3 Favorite Everyday Hair Styles (in 10 minutes or less!)

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Sponsored post by Mirum Shopper.

So, you all know that I’ve said for a long time that I’m not much of a fashionista at all. However, this year, in an effort to not let myself live stifled by long-held mantras like, “I’m not a fashionista”, I’ve been challenging myself to try a lot of new things — like new clothes and styles and hair styles.

You know how I love quick and easy and simple. So when it comes to new hair styles, my biggest criteria is that it has to be something I can do in 10 minutes or less.

And I’m so excited to report that I’ve found a number of looks that I love that meet that “Must Take 10 Minutes or Less” criteria!

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Today, I wanted to share three of these looks with you, in case you’re looking for some new hair inspiration:

1. A Side Braid

This is a simple way to dress up any hair style. You can do a regular braid or a Dutch Braid.

I like to wear my hair like this when I have some waves or curls leftover from the day before (if I curled my hair). I just pin it back with two bobby pins on the side.

You can also pull it back into a pony tail or back into a messy bun like I have it here and here.

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2. A Classic Bun

I have fallen in love with this style. It’s so, so easy to do.

This works best on Day 3 or Day 4 hair. I use some dry shampoo to help give a little more texture and help it stay better (this is my favorite dry shampoo).

You can pull it straight back and up into a bun or do a side part and then a bun. I have both looks shown above.

I recommend using lots of bobby pins and hair spray (this is my favorite hair spray).

Want to see a video on how to do this look or want some great Messy Bun ideas? Watch this video here (I did Messy Bun #5 in the photos above).

My 3 Go-To Everyday Hair Looks

3. Straight & Sleek

I’m so excited that I’ve finally figured out how to get my hair really straight and sleek. And I love wearing my hair this way — and this is one of Jesse’s favorite ways for me to wear my hair! If you’re interested, I wrote a step-by-step tutorial on how I get my hair to look like this here.

Once I’ve straightened my hair, it only takes me a few minutes of running the straightener through my hair again every day over the next few days and it looks straight and sleek and stays all day long.

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A Textured Look Hair Tutorial

Walgreens asked me if I’d try out a textured look with their tutorial and recommended products. I actually can’t remember the last time I’ve tried to do a textured look, so it was fun to experiment and try this out.

Here’s what I did to get the textured look above (with thanks to Walgreens for the tutorial):

  1. First, I washed and conditioned my hair with the TRESemmé® Moisture Rich Shampoo and Conditioner. I especially loved the shampoo — it left my hair feeling so soft and silky.
  2. Then, I towel-dried my hair and prepped my hair for styling by applying Nexxus® Diametress Lavish Body Gel Spray.My 3 Go-To Everyday Hair Looks
  3. I blow-dried my hair a little and then put it in a few loose braids and let it air dry overnight.
  4. In the morning, I took out the braids and tousled my hair with my hands and put some Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo on my roots to give it a little bit more texture. This was so easy to use and I really liked how this dry shampoo worked.
  5. Then, I sprayed Nexxus® Comb Thru Touchable Hold Finishing Mist, added a side braid and pinned it back, and then used the Nume Curling Wand to add some wave.

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I was happy with the finished look. It’s definitely very different than how I usually wear my hair, but it was fun to try something new. Jesse wasn’t so sure when he first saw it, but he decided that it was growing on him. 🙂

When I went to record my Facebook Live this morning, people kept commenting on how amazing my hair looked. So even though I’m not sure that I love the look, a LOT of other people seemed to really, really like it.

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Want some more hair inspiration? Walgreens put together the Get Your Style Fix tutorial page. There are five different hair styles to choose from: Curls, Volume, Texture, Smooth, and Shine. Each style has easy to follow step-by-step instructions, plus a video tutorial!

Wondering what products to use? Walgreens also has product recommendations for each look on that page.

Plus, right now Walgreens is helping you save on these hair styling products! Through October 29th, you’ll get 3,000 Balance Reward Points when you purchase 3 Nexxus®, TRESemmé®, Dove or Suave® products.

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Would you like to win a $100 Walgreens Gift Card?

I have a $100 Walgreens gift cards to give away! To enter to win, head over to this post on my Facebook Page and leave a comment sharing what your fall style is going to be. I’ll choose a winner from the comments to win a $100 Walgreens gift card!

{This post is sponsored by Mirum Shopper Opinions. The giveaway portion is sponsored and provided by MoneySavingMom.com. Read my disclosure policy here.}

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

Click here to sign up!
Shared Oct 19, 2016 comment

National Consumer Panel: A testimonial from a 3-year panelist!

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National Consumer Panel: A testimonial from a 3-year panelist!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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Looking for creative ways to stretch your budget and earn a little extra? The National Consumer Panel (formerly known as Nielsen Home Scan) is accepting new applicants in many locations right now!

I loved this testimonial that reader Shannon sent in about her experience as a 3-year panelist:

“I have been an NCP panelist for 3 years.   You are asked to scan anything you purchase, using their handheld scanner.  For some smaller stores you need to enter the purchase price for each item and for other larger stores you do not need to enter prices.  Once all items are entered you enter the total bill amount and payment that was used.  It can be time consuming, depending on how much you buy.  It typically takes me no more than 30 minutes a week to scan in all my purchases.

I am at a platinum level (3 years), which means I earn 245 points every week I scan.  If you scan every week during a month, you earn 350 a month.  On your anniversary date you earn 1,000 points.  I also signed up to participate using my Amazon purchases, so once a month I download those and earn 1,000.  I do not always do surveys but there are probably 8-10 surveys a month I could answer, with each one usually earning 150 points.  Based on the above points, if I were to scan every week and do every survey offered (assuming 8 a month), in a year I would earn 12,740 points for weekly scans, 4,200 points for scanning each week, 12,000 points for submitting Amazon purchases, 1,000 on my anniversary date and doing 96 surveys would net me 14,400 points.  This would be a grand total of 44,340 points for the year.

When you first sign up for NCP, you earn 150 points a week.  I always purchase the Amazon gift cards with my points. A $25 gift card is 21,000 points and a $50 gift card is 41,000 points.   

They also have contests throughout the year where you can earn extra points.  NCP has great sweepstakes (although I have never won anything) and gives away weekly, monthly and quarterly cash prizes.”

You can go here to read another reader’s testimony about how she uses NCP to get AT&T discounts and earn Amazon gift cards!

Sign up here to get started with National Consumer Panel.

Shared Oct 18, 2016 comment

3 Important Lessons I Learned When I Was 34

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3 Important Lessons I Learned When I Was 34

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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This month, I turned 35. I’ve been reflecting on this year of my life the past week and realizing that so much has happened in the last year.

I wrote a post last year on 3 Important Things I Learned When I Was 33 and I found that post recently and read through it and was inspired to write another post about what I learned when I was 34.

1. I Am Stronger Than I Realized

“You’re not athletic.” I told myself this lie for years. I let it dictate my decisions. I let it stifle me from even trying dozens of things.

This year, I committed to stop letting the voices in my head and the lies I’ve believed about myself limit the choices that I make and be the labels that I wear.

So, I stopped saying, “I’m not athletic” and, at my husband’s crazy encouragement, I started a weight-lifting program.

I told myself I would stick with it for 6 weeks. I was sure I would hate it.

And I did… for the first 3 weeks. I dreaded it. I made up excuses to try to get out of it. I got overwhelmed at trying to learn how to do the exercises.

5 Things I Learned When I Was 34

Some days, I felt like I was going to throw up or pass out. Some days I cried during the workout. Most days, I got frustrated because it was so stinkin’ hard.

But for some reason — probably because I am about as stubborn as they come — I didn’t give up.

I kept showing up. I kept giving it my all — even when it felt like my all was pretty pathetic.

Little bit by little bit, I started actually liking it. I got a little stronger. I pushed myself a little harder. The exercises and proper form got a little easier. And I began to see muscles in places on my body that I’d never seen them before.

It’s now been almost eight months since I began this program and I have fallen madly in love with weight-lifting. For real.

Y’all. I’m here to tell you that I AM athletic and I am a whole lot stronger than I ever knew I was.

I’m also living proof that there’s so much freedom when you stop letting the voices in your head and the lies you believe about yourself limit the choices that you make and be the labels that you wear.

You are stronger than you think. You are braver than you know.

5 Things I Learned When I Was 34

This year, I also challenged myself outside my comfort zone by recording myself on live video on Periscope and Facebook Live, traveling to two new countries by myself, snow-boarding, hand-lettering, and indoor rock-climbing.

Here’s what I’m learning: I’m not going to love everything new I attempt, but challenging myself to get brave and just jump out and try — even when it scares me or I think I won’t like it or be good at it — has stretched me as a person and shown me that I’m stronger than I think I am.

Best of all, I’ve discovered a few things I absolutely love that I never thought I would and would have never known that I would fall in love with them had I not tried them and stuck with them for a few weeks (i.e. weight-lifting and live video).

I’ve missed out on a lot in life by sitting on the sidelines in the safe zone. I don’t want to camp out there anymore! There’s a world of excitement and thrill and color just waiting to be discovered… Right outside my comfort zone!

2. Life Has More Meaning When I’m Not Addicted to Productivity

Last year around this time, I hit business burnout in a bad, bad way. I was beyond tired.

I had lost my joy, my enthusiasm for running a business, and my inspiration for blogging.

In fact, for the first time in 10 years of running a business, I began seriously considering quitting. This idea was so appealing to me that we started a series of in-depth talks with a large company interested in buying MoneySavingMom.com.

I was so ready to walk away from it all. But instead, I decided to do something radical: I declared a Year Of Rest, and I said no to just about everything.

It wasn’t easy. Trust me. It was agonizing. It felt like I was walking away from everything I had worked so hard to build and I worried that I was making a huge mistake.

But I knew I couldn’t keep living like I had been living. It was sucking the life out of me and leaving me drained dry.

5 Things I Learned When I Was 34

I’ve spent the last 10 months untethering myself from being chained to a worth based on productivity, prying my hands off of my tight grip on trying to control so many things in my life, and stepping way back from my usual highly-driven, task-oriented focus.

I’ve shut out a lot of noise (unsubscribing from business email newsletters, unsubscribing from business podcasts and blogs, and cutting way back on the number of how-to and must-do types of books I usually read).

I’ve walked away from great opportunities. I’ve stopped trying to be on the cutting edge of running an online business. I’ve embraced smaller numbers, smaller opportunities, and a smaller team. I’ve walked away from a lot of things that I once held onto very tightly.

Saying no over and over and over again has given me space to figure out what’s really important to me, what really excites me, and what I really love. It’s freed me up to have clarity and focus and inspiration and energy like never before.screenshot-2016-10-18-14-23-43

I’ve slept more. I’ve laughed more. I’ve developed a few new deep friendships. I’ve tried new things (and I’ve surprised myself by loving some of them!) I’ve stopped obsessing so much over things I can’t change.

I’ve started wearing the color purple again. I’ve tried new foods, new styles, new drinks, and new experiences. I’ve gained a few pounds and not freaked out about it.

I’ve started volunteering at church in the children’s ministry. I’ve joined a women’s Discipleship Group at our church.

I’ve even given myself freedom to spend money on things “just because” — like discounted flowers and water balloons. I’ve become a lot more spontaneous. I’ve let myself sleep in without setting an alarm.

I loved deeper. I’ve trusted more wholeheartedly.

I’ve asked myself hard questions about the future. I’ve considered the why behind what I’m doing. I’ve let other people see the under-belly of who I really am without pretending. I’ve welcomed people into my messy.

When I chose “Rest” as my word this year, I had no idea just how much it would impact and transform my life!

5 Things I Learned When I Was 34

3. You Have to Feel the Pain to Heal the Pain

That said, here comes the real and raw stuff (because a beautiful journey also includes some pain and messiness, doesn’t it??)…

I’ve talked about the Year of Rest multiple times on the blog and on social media. So many people have commented with things like, “I’m sure that’s been amazing!” Or, “Are you feeling all rested and refreshed?” Or, “It must be so incredible.”

The truth is: It has been wonderful — but not at all in the way I was expecting. I was expecting a year of rest to be filled with more sleep, more time with my family, more fun, more reading, more time for things I love. And it has been that… and that’s been wonderful.

But what has completely caught me off guard is that it’s also been a year of ugly crying. I’m not a crier, usually. I can be the only one in a group to experience something deeply touching without ever shedding a tear. I’m known to be stoic and non-emotional.

That’s all changed this year, however. I’ve probably cried more tears than I have in all the past 20 years put together.
5 Things I Learned When I Was 34

As I’ve been weaning myself off my addiction to “hustle” and intentionally sought quietness and stillness in my life, I’ve struggled to figure out who I am without all of the noise, the accolades, and the accomplishing.

I’ve realized that the busyness was a bandage I tried to slap on. Instead of addressing deep wounds and aches and longings in my soul; I tried to medicate with productivity.

It felt good in the moment. It numbed the pain. It filled the empty spaces. And as long as I kept up the out-of-breath living, I didn’t have to confront the reality or deal with the broken parts of me I’d rather hide.

I realized that instead of dealing with the pain and hurt and hard situations of life over the past number of years, I’d stuffed them down deep, pretended they didn’t exist, and heaped on more busyness to distract myself.
screenshot-2016-10-18-14-21-29

As I’ve asked myself, “What does my soul need?” I’ve realized that self-care in this season has been me allowing myself to cry. Allowing myself space to really feel. To acknowledge the pain. To open up with safe friends in safe spaces about how much my heart feels broken by situations in my past.

Self-care has meant letting other people see the under-belly of who I really am. It’s meant welcoming people into the authentic messiness and rawness and not apologizing.

It’s been ugly and real… and oh so healing for me! Allowing myself the space and permission to feel, the permission to acknowledge the pain, and welcoming people in to see that I’m a broken, hot mess some days, has made me so much stronger, happier, and healthier than I’ve been in, well, probably ever.

3 Things I Learned When I Was 34

Would You Do Me a Birthday Favor?

If you’re usually a quiet reader here, I’d LOVE it if you “de-lurked” and left a comment on this post introducing yourself. Hearing from my readers is one of my favorite things, so if you have a moment, I’d love to hear a little about you — where you’re from, how long you’ve been reading here, and anything else about you/your family that you’d like to share. Thanks SO much!

Shared Oct 17, 2016 comment

Gretchen’s $46 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

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Gretchen’s $46 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

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Dillons

2 Kroger Pizzas – $1 each

1 Belvita Breakfast Biscuits – $2.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 pkg Spaghetti – $0.77

1 bag Kroger Tortilla Chips – $1, used $0.10/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.90 after rebate

1 bag Kroger Shredded Cheese (16 oz) – $3.47, used $0.65/1 e-coupon – $2.82 after coupon

1 can Hunts Spaghetti Sauce – $1

1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $1.25

2 Quaker Life Cereal – $1.47 each, used $1.10/2 e-coupon AND $1/2 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.42 each after coupon and rebate

1 Romaine Lettuce $0.99

2 lbs Bananas – $1.18, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.93 after rebate

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.50

1 Kroger Cream Cheese – $1.25

Total after coupons and rebate: $14.25

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Aldi

2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99

1 gallon Milk – $2.58

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

1 bag Potatoes – $2.49

1 dozen Eggs – $0.99

1 loaf Bread – $0.99, used $0.10/1 Mobisave rebate – $0.89 after rebate

1 bag Spinach – $1.79

1 Celery – $1.29

1 lb Butter – $2.69

1 bag Navel Oranges – $1.99

1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.49

1 bag Red Grapes – $1.98

1 Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29

1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99

2 Cucumbers – $0.59 each

Total after rebate: $31.69

Total for both stores: $46.24

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal x 3

Toast, Eggs, Juice x 3

Oatmeal

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly on Rice Cakes, Carrot Sticks, Grapes x 2

Tossed Salad Bar

Baked Potatoes, Cottage Cheese

Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies

Fish Sticks, Oranges, Cucumber Slices

Leftovers

Dinners

Brown Bag Burritos (from freezer), Chips & Salsa, Tossed Salad

Spaghetti, Biscuits, Green Beans

Savory Crescent Chicken Pockets, Tossed Salad

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup, Homemade Bread, Sliced Veggies

Grilled Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Spinach Salad

Leftovers

Shared Oct 15, 2016 comment

Do you have a bad case of the “if only’s”??

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Do you have a bad case of the “if only’s”??

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Do you have a bad case of the "if only's"?

Not too long ago, I finished Mark Batterson’s book: If: Trading Your If Only Regrets for God’s What If Possibilities.

Mark shared this very simple yet substantially valuable quote that he says deeply challenged his perspective: “If every day were a good day, there would be no good days.”

Wow! Think about that for a minute. Isn’t that a great perspective?

It’s so easy to fill our days with “if only” thoughts and regrets that cause us to be discontent.

“If only I had more money …”

“If only I had a better body …” 

“If only I had a bigger house/a better car/a bigger yard…”  

“If only we didn’t have food allergies…”

“If only I had more time…”

“If only my marriage was like hers…”

“If only we could find a way to increase our income…” 

In the book, Mark says:

“If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you were more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you’re better off than 5 hundred million people in the world.”

He went on to share more about how even our bad days usually cannot compare to those of the rest of the world. The truth is that many of us don’t truly know what a bad day is.

Take a second and think about it.

If you have more than a meal’s worth of food in your fridge, clothes to wear, and a soft place to sleep, then you are 75% richer than the rest of the world.

If you can read this article, then you are more blessed than 2 billion people in the world that are unable to read.

If you have money to spare, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

No matter what your life circumstances are, I can guarantee you that someone else would love to be in your shoes.

Remember: You can’t choose your circumstances, but you can choose your attitude in life.

Choose well today.

Shared Oct 15, 2016 comment

Brigette’s $79 Grocery Shopping Trip, Zaycon Order, and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $79 Grocery Shopping Trip, Zaycon Order, and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m excited and oh-so-ready to get back into regular meal-planning, grocery shopping, and couponing after spending the last few months slightly less organized! Lots and lots of travelling, health issues and sickness have made a regular schedule almost impossible, but I *think* I see the light at the end of the tunnel – and I’m ready to try again. 🙂

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Zaycon 

I absolutely love Zaycon! I buy all of our boneless, skinless chicken breasts there, and have always been very pleased. I’ve also been happy with Zaycon‘s ground beef, and I am planning on trying their whole chickens (new!), as well as boneless chicken thighs when they are offered in my area soon (Have any of you tried either of these yet?). It’s much easier than grocery shopping as it is quick, and I never even have to get out of my car! It does take some work once I get home to bag and freeze the meat since it comes fresh and in large quantities – but at this price, for this quality – I can do a little packaging work! 🙂

40lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts @ $1.69/lb – $67.60 (no tax either, people! I know some of you are used to always paying tax on food. :))

Total: $67.60, but I used referral credit, so my total was FREE!

aldi

Aldi

2 loaves Bread – $1.70

2 heads Cauliflower – $4.98

3 dozen Eggs – $2.25

1 3-lb bag Gala Apples – $2.99

1 5-lb bag Jasmine Rice – $4.89

2 2-lb bags Shredded Cheese – $11.78

1 pkg fresh Chicken Drumsticks (@ $0.69/lb) – $3.57

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

3 pkgs Baby Carrots – $2.98

1 2-lb bag Red Grapes – $1.98

1 20-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.99

1 bag Nacho Chips – $1.19

2 cans Diced Tomatoes – $0.98

1 Spaghetti Squash – $1.49

1 Butternut Squash – $1.49

1 large Smoked Ham – $9.33 (I will use this for several different meals over the next few weeks – what I don’t use this week I will freeze)

1 bunch Bananas (2.37 @ $0.44/lb) – $1.04

1 container Old Fashioned Oats – $2.39

1 container Quick Oats – $2.39

1 Artisan Lettuce – $1.99

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

3 16-oz containers Egg Whites – $5.97

1 gallon Milk – $1.99

Total: $72.33

harris-teeter

Harris Teeter

1 32-oz container Simply Pure Coffee Creamer -$2.00, used $0.55/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.55/1 Harris Teeter evic – $0.35 after coupons

1 Kind Granola Bar – $1.25, used $0.75/1 catalina coupon (doubled) – FREE after coupon

1 box Tiny Toast Cereal – $2.50, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00 after coupon

1 jar Prego – $1.98, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $0.98 after coupon

1 box Zing Stevia packets – $1.99, used $1.50/1 Born Sweet Zing Stevia Sweetener, exp. 11/13/16 (RP 08/28/16) – $0.49 after coupon

1 jar Kraft Parmesan Cheese – $3.50, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $2.00 after coupon

1 24-oz container Cottage Cheese (B1G1) – $1.74

1 box Pillsbury Toaster Strudel – $1.67, used $0.50/1 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Pastries, exp. 10/29/16 (SS 08/07/16) (doubled), plus receive $0.50 back from Checkout 51 – $0.17 after coupons

1 1-lb pkg Land O’Frost  Deli Meat – $3.97, used $0.75/1 Land O’Frost Premium Bistro Favorites or Canadian Bacon, exp. 10/16/16 (SS 08/28/16) (doubled) – $2.47 after coupon

Total after coupons and rebate: $9.20

Weekly Grocery Total: $79.33

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Homemade Granola x 2, Cereal or Oatmeal x 3, Toast, Eggs and Fruit x 2, Toaster Strudels and Eggs (Saturday morning treat :))

Lunches

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrots, Apples x 2

Build-Your-Own-Tossed-Salad x 2 (Lettuce, Assorted Fresh Veggies, Hard Boiled Eggs, Shredded Cheese, Nuts, Raisins, Deli Meat, etc.)

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Meat Potato Quiche (using chopped deli meat), Roasted Cauliflower, Apple Spice Muffins

Pancakes, Eggs (My 9-yr old plans and makes dinner once a week now, so this is what she chose.)

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Sauteed Zucchini, Leftover Apple Spice Muffins

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Carrots, Baked Potatoes, Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

Ham and Bean Soup, Buttermilk Cornbread

Oven Fried Chicken, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes

Leftovers

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

Click here to download!
LOVE this heartfelt post from a mother who recently traveled to South Africa!
Shared Oct 14, 2016 comment

What My Trip To South Africa Taught Me About Motherhood (by Rachel)

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What My Trip To South Africa Taught Me About Motherhood (by Rachel)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

LOVE this heartfelt post from a mother who recently traveled to South Africa!

Guest post from Rachel, a member of the group that recently traveled with me to South Africa

The first time that I saw Gogo, I was standing with my back against a crude brick wall, leaning into a pocket of shade under the hot African sun.

I heard her before I saw her. “Oh, thank you, Jesus! Oh, Jesus!” she was calling. And when she came around the corner, her wrinkled hands were clasped, her face tilted up toward heaven in praise.

She was wearing a navy stocking cap, a brown sweater, and long skirt—and she reached out to each of us American visitors as if we were her family, squeezing our hands and whispering her thanks to God that we had come.

gogo

“Gogo” means Granny in Setswana, and, truly, this woman is a grandmother to everyone she meets. Her heart is full of love, Spirit, and nurturing—in essence, motherhood. Being near her, I thought, “This is why I came to Africa. I came here to meet Gogo.”

When I applied to go on the South African advocacy trip with Crystal, I was searching for a deeper understanding of motherhood. I couldn’t have put it into those specific words at the time—but now that I’m home, I can see more clearly what I was yearning for before I left.

I have always loved connecting with people in deep ways. I was a counselor at a camp for persons with disabilities throughout high school and college, spending long summer days in the mountains of Colorado with amazing campers who taught me about courage and endurance in the face of physical and mental challenges.

After I got married, my husband and I spent a semester living in an orphanage in El Salvador, planning scavenger hunts, playing rowdy games of Uno, and reading bedtime stories to children whom we grew to love like family.

When we returned to the States, I taught high school English for five years—a challenging career that I loved—while my husband went to school to become a pediatric dentist. Every summer we went back to El Salvador for a week or two to see the kids that we love.

noahs-newborns

And then in 2011, we adopted our son, Noah, and my life as a stay-at-home mother began.

After all of my experience with children, teaching, and service, I thought that the transition to motherhood would be easy. Famous last words, right?

I knew that it was a blessing to be able to stay home with Noah, but after years of connecting with people on a deep level, I felt lonely and unfulfilled much of the time. My baby cried a lot; my husband was in residency and we lived in a crummy apartment near the hospital without many other young moms around; and I missed getting to laugh with and learn from my students and colleagues every day.

I felt a bit trapped—not so much by my circumstances as by the dichotomy in my heart: I knew that my role as a mother was the most impactful role I would ever have, and yet I yearned for more.

Five years have passed, and we have since added another baby to our family, a spunky little girl named Sally. I have settled into my role as a mother much more, and I love spending time with my two little miracles. I have found meaningful work that I can do from home—I write for a motherhood website called Power of Moms—and I teach the teenage girls at church and reach out to friends and family as much as I can.

family-photo

My life is so good and so full. And yet, at times I still feel that pull in my heart—the desire to learn more, impact more, give more.

I decided to apply to go to South Africa because I knew that I would meet people like Gogo. I knew I would gain new perspective and come home with more clarity, peace, purpose, and drive.

I wish I could write a book about the incredible mothers that I met when I was there—because that’s what it would take, a book! Meeting these mothers, hearing their stories, and witnessing the unique and powerful contributions that they are making within their spheres of influence—it filled my soul.

I realized that I can do hard things. I can and should make sacrifices to extend my love beyond my own family to others who need “mothering.” I can teach my children to see a need in our community and the world and do something about it. I can involve them and bring them along.

While raising her kids, Gogo worked at a soup kitchen and started several preschools for vulnerable children in her community. In recent years, her grown daughter Elizabeth has followed in her mother’s footsteps and started a “drop-in centre” out of Gogo’s one-room house. It started with 18 children, and it has now grown to 180!  

What began in Gogo’s tiny house has expanded. They’ve been able to receive government funding, build a small preschool next door, and hire a staff of dedicated teachers and caregivers. Vulnerable kids from the community come to Gogo’s house every morning to receive a bowl of vitamin-fortified porridge, and then they come after school to receive a snack, help with homework, and instruction in singing and sports. It’s like a Boys and Girls Club—Africa style!

happy-kids

boys

It has become a family affair, with Gogo as the loving matriarch, Elizabeth as the powerhouse director, and even Elizabeth’s sons as administrators and cooks. Three generations of givers.

gogos-family

Truly, this family has been transformed because of Gogo’s example —this family, and an entire community of children.

After spending a day at the “drop-in centre”—witnessing the hope in the children’s eyes, hearing their singing and joyful laughter—my American friends and I gathered around Gogo as she sat in a lawn chair in the shade, reading her Bible. She hugged each of us and took us by the hands, looking into our faces and thanking us for coming. I will never forget the feeling of her wrinkled hands, leathery from a lifetime of loving and serving. With tears in her eyes, she read scripture to us and then said simply, “I cry because I am rich.”

gogos-hands

I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity that I had to go to South Africa to learn from this hero-mother and many others like her.  

Since coming home, I have felt a deep desire to continue helping in South Africa through fundraising efforts for the amazing projects there, as well as to find ways to invest right here in my community—and bring my children along with me.

I don’t know exactly what those efforts will look like yet, but I am grateful to have been a part of a trip that opened my heart to the everlasting impact of mothers. I know that I, and hopefully my children, will never be the same.

love

Rachel Nielson loves birthday surprises, summer sunsets, and a handsome man named Ryan. She taught high school English for five years before deciding to be a stay-at-home mom to their son, Noah Atticus, who was born in August of 2011. His little sister, Sally Grace, arrived in July of 2014. Rachel and Ryan consider both of their babies to be miracles, as Noah is adopted and Sally was conceived through IVF. When Rachel is not caring for the littles or picking up the house for the 100th time, she writes  about motherhood, infertility, adoption, grief, and eating disorders at Power of Moms. Nothing gives her more satisfaction than capturing in words the deepest feelings of her heart.

Shared Oct 13, 2016 comment

This Week’s $74.06 ALDI Grocery Shopping Trip

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This Week’s $74.06 ALDI Grocery Shopping Trip

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Jesse was so kind to go grocery shopping for us again this week as I had another very full week.(See our menu plan for this week here.) He spent $74.06 at ALDI. (Have you read my Open Letter to ALDI?)

Our Grocery Budget

We currently budget $125 per week for groceries for our family of 5. This does not include eating out once a week (we budget separately for that).

We also get some of our expensive groceries and personal products (such as makeup) via Amazon using credit earned from Swagbucks + we get the majority of our household products (cleaners, toothpaste, detergent, etc.) via credit earned from Grove.

We only spent $74.06, which leaves me wiggle room to buy more markdowns at Kroger if I have time to swing by there later this week to see if they have some great markdowns. If I don’t have time or they don’t have good markdowns, I’ll roll over the extra $$ to next week.

This Week's $74 ALDI Shopping Trip

Here’s what we bought:

ALDI Shopping Trip

  • 2 cans pineapple chunks — $0.99 each
  • 3 bags frozen broccoli — $1.19 each
  • Bread — $1.39
  • 4 boxes mac & cheese — $0.33 each
  • 2 cans cream of chicken soup — $0.89 each
  • 3 packages cheddar cheese — $1.89 each
  • Organic brown rice — $2.99
  • 1 bag Fuji apples — $3.89
  • 2 bags frozen chicken breasts — $5.99 each
  • 1 box Cinnamon Squares (not pictured) — $1.39
  • 2 packages of strawberries — $2.49
  • 2 packages of Mini Babybels — $2.79
  • Brown sugar — $1.29
  • Butter — $2.89
  • Honey Nut Cheerios (not pictured) — $2.69
  • 2 packages of Cream cheese — $1.29 each
  • String cheese — $2.79
  • Tortillas — $1.29
  • 1 bag Granny Smith apples — $2.99
  • Ketchup — $1.49
  • Strawberry preserves — $1.79
  • Natural Peanut Butter — $1.49
  • Frozen Sweet corn — $0.95
  • Granny Smith Apples — $2.99
  • Cocoa Puff Cereal — $1.39
  • Total with tax — $74.06 (Plus, don’t forget that when you shop at ALDI — or any grocery store — you can upload your receipt to Yaarlo & earned a little cashback for doing so. If you haven’t signed up with Yaarlo, use my coupon code MONEYSAVINGMOM when you sign up to earn more.)

This Week’s Menu Plan

Interested in what we’re eating this week? You can see our menu plan for this week here. I plan our menu based upon what we already have on hand, so I didn’t have to buy every single item needed to make everything on our menu.

How to Be a Meal-Planning Mama

Struggling with menu planning? Check out this post on How to Be a Meal Planning Mama.

Shared Oct 12, 2016 comment

How Going to South Africa Impacted Me (by Kimberly)

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How Going to South Africa Impacted Me (by Kimberly)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

group-photo

Guest post from Kimberly, a member of the group that recently traveled with me to South Africa

Many years ago a friend suggested I read MoneySavingMom.com. She said Crystal wrote about things that I was experiencing at the time, and thought I might benefit from reading her posts. I visited her blog that evening and was hooked.

The money-saving suggestions were very helpful, but it was her honesty about her daily struggles, challenges, and victories with her family that kept me reading. I was especially interested in the posts about her involvement in South Africa.

I could feel her passion for the people she met, and it was almost contagious. I thought it would be amazing to somehow become involved with a program like she wrote about, but I had no idea I would become involved with that specific program eventually.

Why I Went to South Africa

For years I have been feeling unsettled and praying that God would present me with an opportunity to be His hands and feet — something that would combine my love for travel and my love for serving others. One afternoon I was reading through my e-mails and read about the opportunity to apply to travel to South Africa with Crystal to learn about the program that was taking place and the amazing people involved.

This trip was presented as an advocacy trip, rather than a mission trip. They were looking for people seeking an opportunity to come alongside the local leaders and form a lifelong partnership with these communities. I applied that very afternoon. I knew this was the opportunity for which I had been praying.

How I Was Impacted By Going to South Africa

Since returning from South Africa I have had a number of people ask me why I went and what impacted me the most. Those are really great questions, but to be honest, it’s hard to put into words.

It has taken me a bit of time to put my thoughts down on paper, while being fully aware that I cannot possibly do justice to the awe-inspiring people I met and the work they are doing there.

I can best sum up my 10 days in South Africa as being the most humbling, heartbreaking, and joy-filled experience I have ever had.

whole-group

Meeting the local leaders who have beautiful hearts of compassion and service was wonderful. Seeing all of the children playing and laughing and loving our presence there was heartwarming. Seeing the efforts people are putting in to raise money, build community centers and schools, plant gardens, instruct school teachers, and gather food was truly amazing.

At the same time, I saw families struggling to provide for their families, people living without access to water and electricity, shells of buildings in various stages of development due to lack of funds, and centers being robbed of water tanks and other supplies because people are desperate to survive.

I pray I never forget the people I met and the things I saw.

What Stood Out Most to Me About the Trip

Several events stood out for me while I was in South Africa.

One word that came up repeatedly was “obedience.” The obedience of the members of Take Action Ministry (the local group who arranged everything for us) who saw a need and moved to fill that need.

The obedience of the advocates who left jobs and families in order to travel to South Africa for 10 days. The obedience of Crystal and Jesse who have given so graciously to the operating needs of Take Action. The obedience of others living locally (whether from the U.S. or South Africa) who devote themselves daily to serving the communities we visited. Each person felt a call to go, and each person went in obedience.

Another thing I witnessed that truly warmed my heart was seeing the raw emotion each advocate felt while on this trip. I am a crier, so I fully expected that I would be overwhelmed with emotion during this trip. I wasn’t prepared for the beauty of seeing others experience these emotions, as well.

I saw men openly cry and talk about how they were impacted by what they were seeing. I saw leaders overcome with gratitude for all they had been given and for the sacrifices we made to travel to meet them. I met local leaders who were in tears both because of what had been accomplished thus far, as well as what is left to be done.

We arrived as a group of strangers and left as a group of friends that went through a heart- and life-changing experience together.

individual-pic

Before I left, I had three people pull me aside and tell me that God was not done with me in South Africa. And to be honest, I feel this too. I feel like I have a role to fulfill there — whether it is through advocating for people with disabilities, helping prepare teachers to work with children in the community centers, or working with the families.

I am not clear yet what exactly my purpose is, but I am more than excited to find out. The thought of returning to South Africa fills me with great joy and I would love to take my children with me. What a fabulous life lesson for them!

Kimberly is currently staying at home with and homeschooling her three active, beautiful children. Caleb is 11, Karin is 8, and Braelyn is 6. She is also mom to several angel babies that she will be reunited with one day. She has been married to her husband, Dale, for 13 years and they currently live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Her background is in Special Education for people with a wide range of disabilities. She has had the distinct honor of teaching both in the United States, as well as in North Africa (Peace Corps) and Honduras (Christian Blind Mission).

P.S. If you missed Kathy’s post about her experience going on this trip, read it here. 

Shared Oct 12, 2016 comment

Gretchen’s $9.66 Target Shopping Trip

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Gretchen’s $9.66 Target Shopping Trip

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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Target Shopping Trip

Transaction #1

2 Suave Men’s Shampoo – $2.94 each (There are $1/1 coupons from the 9/25 RedPlum insert to make this a better deal but I did not have any.)

2 Suave Kid’s Bodywash – $1.89 each

Buy 4, Get $5 Target Gift card 

Total: $9.66, Received $5 Target gift card

Transaction #2

1 Enjoy Life Cookies – $3.99
Used 25% off Cartwheel coupon
And used $1/1 printable
And used $1.50/1 Checkout 51 rebate
And used $2/1 Ibotta rebate
Free plus overage after coupons and rebate

1 Fiber One Cheesecake Bars – $2
Used $0.75/1 printable
And used $0.50/1 Checkout 51 rebate
$0.75 after coupon and rebate

2 cans Muir Glen Tomato Paste – $1.04 each
Used 25% off Cartwheel coupon
And used 2 $0.50/1 printable
And used $0.50/1 SavingStar.com rebate
$0.03 each after coupons 

1 box Betty Crocker Brownie Mix – $1
Used 20% off Cartwheel coupon
And used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate
$0.30 after coupon and rebate

2 Kidfresh Frozen Fish Sticks – $3.99 each
Used 40% off Cartwheel coupon
And used 2 $1/1 printable
And used $1/2 Ibotta rebate
$0.89 each after coupons and rebate

3 Chobani Simply 100 Yogurts – $1.09 each
Used 35% off Cartwheel coupon
And used $1/3 Ibotta rebate
$0.37 each after coupon and rebate 

1 Organic Valley String Cheese – $3.59
Used 25% off Cartwheel coupon
And used $1.50/1 printable
$1.20 after coupons

Used $5 Target gift card from Transaction #1

Total after coupons, rebates and gift card: Free

Total for both transactions before coupons, rebates and gift card: $33.57

Total for both transactions after coupons, rebates and gift card: $9.66

Make full-time money as a blogger!
Shared Oct 11, 2016 comment

This Month’s Blog/Business Income Report (August)

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This Month’s Blog/Business Income Report (August)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Learn how to earn money as a blogger!

 

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!

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 this would grow into what it has become. In all honesty, when I started MoneySavingMom.com, I remember telling people that I planned to update the blog three times per week and 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.

Learn how to earn money as a blogger!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.

For a few months now, I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a comprehensive post on 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. 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 August 2016:

August 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.

How I Make a Full-Time Income Blogging

All Revenue Streams

Interested in signing up with companies that will pay you to write underwritten or sponsored posts? Check out Erin’s post here for a long list of companies that will pay you to write posts.

How I Make a Full-Time Income Online

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. 

How I Make a Full-Time Income BloggingAugust Expenses

  • Charitable contributions — 24.61%
  • Payroll expenses — 22.58%
  • Subcontracted services — 8.27%
  • Travel expenses — 7.59%
  • Web-based tools (InfusionSoft*, Feedblitz, GoDaddy, Dropbox, Harvest, etc.) — 7.43%
  • Facebook ads & other promotion-related expenses — 7.04%
  • Computer, hosting, Internet expenses — 6.17%
  • Partner & affiliate payments (Sign up for our affiliate program for our products here.) — 4%
  • Health insurance — 3.6%
  • Professional fees (for our CPA, payroll management, etc.) — 2.54%
  • Misc. expenses (PayPal fees, shipping/postage, merchant account fees, bank service charges, utilities, etc.) — 6.19%

*We use InfusionSoft & Feedblitz for our email newsletters. If I had to do it over again, I would go with ConvertKit as I have heard so many good things about this program from friends who use it… and it’s much less expensive and user-friendly!

How I Make a Full-Time Income Blogging

Percentage of Income Versus Expenses

I try to shoot for a 60/40 difference in income versus expense. We don’t always hit that, but that’s my goal! As you can see, we were pretty close to that range — which I was happy with!

Recent Experiments

Facebook Live Videos — I started trying out Facebook Live on an almost-daily basis in the last 3 months and we’ve seen incredible results from it. Not only is it a great way to increase the engagement on our Facebook page and build a more personal relationship with people, but it allows me to personally talk about the current deals and promotions and link to them right there in the comments on the Facebook Live post.

People love being able to click right through and go check out the deal or post I was talking about. Plus, it makes the deals more interesting than just a blog post. We’ve found that it has made a big difference in our affiliate sale conversions and gives a much more personal feel to my Facebook page. It also allows people to connect with me personally — which I love! You can see all of my recent Facebook Live videos here. 

Link in Profile — I also recently changed out my Instagram profile link to be a Link in Profile link. This service costs $10 per month and allows me to link pictures directly to affiliate links or posts on my blog.

We’ve found that this is not only something very helpful to readers as they can click through and find the direct links for multiple pictures, but it’s been a lot more effective in our affiliate marketing. We rarely use Instagram to promote something, but when we do, we’ve noticed a big uptick in affiliate sales and a more long-tail affect. You can see my Link in Profile page here to see how it works.

Highly Recommended Blogging Resources

Make Money Blogging

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, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign up for my FREE 5-day course on How I Make a Full-Time Income From Home. This video course will give you an inside peek into my blogging and business journey, will share lots of inspiration and hard lessons I’ve learned in the process, and will encourage you with ideas on how you can make a part-time or full-time income from home, too.

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