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Shared May 7, 2016 comment

5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ my baby turned 7 this week!!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 7, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

1. Ice Cream & Learning to Live Life in Color

I took the kids to Sonic and almost didn’t get anything for myself (I rarely do when I take the kids for a treat.), but then I remembered #TheHappinessDare… And the fact that I’m working on not talking myself out of things I might love just because they seem like an unneeded spontaneous splurge (never mind the fact that it’s less than $3 and I had plenty of Blow Money left in my envelope from the past two months.)

So I ordered this Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Waffle Cone Sundae — much to the surprise of my entire family. And I loved every bite! I’m 34 years old and I feel like I’m finally figuring out what it feels like to live life in color!

2. If by Mark Batterson

I love Mark Batterson’s books and If is no exception. I’ve been underlining, re-reading sections, and sharing quotes with multiple people. I’m only 6 chapters in, but I think it’s going to prove to be an excellent read.

3. My Birthday Boy

This boy turned 7 this week!! For his Birthday Date with mom he chose to go walk around downtown Franklin, check out the new candy store, get crepes at one of my favorite coffee shops, and get ice cream.

Two things you may have picked up on: 1) he loves sweets (wonder where he could have gotten that from??) 2) he’s a huge KC Royals fan.

I love this boy, though it is weird to think that my baby is turning 7 and the season of “littles” is officially over. Even on the hard mothering days, I’m so grateful for the honor of being a #boymom.

Silas, you have captured my heart. I love that you still love to snuggle with me, that you say when you grow up and get married you’re going to live down the street from us, that you have such witty comebacks, that you are so scheduled and like to always have a plan, that you amaze us with your math skills, that you are so driven to excellence in baseball, that you have such a sweet heart toward your sisters, that you have endless energy, and that you learned how to read this year!!!

I can’t wait to see how God is going to use your life in powerful ways for His glory in the future. I love you, Si!!

4. Facebook Live

I’ve been testing out Facebook Live over the past few weeks and I’m starting to really, really like it. I don’t have plans to walk away from Periscope, but I’m loving learning a new live video platform — especially because it’s allowing me to connect with new people in a new way!

5. My Little Baseball Player

I’m SO proud of this boy for making the 6-year-old All Star Team! The All Star game was tonight and he gave it his all… Which means he’s now covered in dirt, sweat, and bruises. And he couldn’t be happier!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Shared May 7, 2016 comment

5 Lessons I Learned After Defaulting on My Student Loans

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 7, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Mary.

I see a lot of stories on MoneySavingMom.com about people who paid off their debt or bought a house debt-free. I applaud everyone who has been able to do that; but today, I want to touch on a subject not often brought up.

I am going to tell you about the time I defaulted on my student loans. It’s an embarrassing story, but one that I hope will help someone else in the same situation.

When I entered college, I never expected to accumulate a ton of student loan debt. However, since I was not considered an “independent student”, my parent’s income factored into my financial aid package. This lowered the amount of aid I qualified to receive — even though they were not in a position to help with my schooling.

Looking back, I should have taken a year off and worked full-time to cover the tuition, instead of taking out loans. Like many students, I didn’t think of the long term ramifications of my student loan debt. I wasn’t concerned with making payments while I was attending school, even though it would have saved me a fortune in interest! I was young and naïve. I thought that once I graduated, I could easily afford to pay it off in one or two years.

I didn’t expect to have such a difficult time finding a decent job. I didn’t expect to face divorce or to be a single mother.

While I tried to make my monthly payments, I wasn’t always able to — because feeding my daughter took priority. Within a few months of missing my payments, I was in default.

This SHOULD BE the part of the story where I tell you that I grew up and took care of it. But it’s not. Instead of dealing with the phone calls and letters, I ignored them. I let the letters pile up without opening them. I ignored it.

As I’m sure you can imagine, that didn’t work out so well for me. Now, looking back, here are a few lessons I learned from this situation:

Lesson # 1: Ignoring the Problem Doesn’t Fix It.

At that time, I was in the lowest financial situation that I’ve been in. My tax refund was going to help pull me out of the hole. Can you guess where this is going?

Lesson # 2: The Threats Are Real

I knew that there was something called an offset, but I never bothered to figure out exactly what that was. Again, I was young and immature.

That year, my federal income tax refund was offset (automatically taken from me) and sent to the Department of Education. That was a wake-up call for me. I did not want to take the chance of this happening again so I contacted the loan holders.

Lesson # 3: The Loan Holders Aren’t Scary

Surprisingly, they were very pleasant to talk to. I really have no idea as to why I was so afraid before. Just pick up the phone and dial.

Lesson # 4: There Are Programs That Can Help

Please, if you are having trouble making your monthly payments, don’t be afraid to contact your loan holders. There are so many programs that can lower your payments. I could’ve saved myself a lot of time, money, and stress if I would have just answered the phone when they started calling me.

Lesson # 5: Never Do That Again

After I learned how to get out of default, I promised myself that I would never get into that position again. I now monitor my accounts daily and try to pay extra on the interest. I look forward to the day that I am officially out of debt!

Have you ever defaulted on a loan payment? If so, what did you learn from that experience?

Mary blogs at Adventures In Frugal Land about saving money, earning money and spending money from a low income point of view. She is also the author of the ebook, “Poor Me: Practical Advice For Navigating Welfare”.

Shared May 6, 2016 comment

Why I Stopped Hustling, and Why I Wish I’d Done It Sooner

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 6, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

“Do you feel like the time you spent hustling was necessary to get where you are, or do you wish you hadn’t hustled so much?” – Dawn on Twitter

I’ve received this question from SO many people. Many of you have told me that you feel that you can’t afford to stop hustling, since you’re in the beginning stages of starting up a business or dream.

Here’s the thing, though: While I do recognize that the many years spent hustling now allow me the ability to slow down and have a year of rest, I really wish I had learned to stop hustling much, much sooner in my blogging career.

I have always and will always be honest with my community here, but this topic is something I haven’t been ready to fully share about until now. Here’s the truth — the real, hard-to-admit truth in complete authenticity and transparency.

Last year was a very, very difficult year for me in so many ways. I remember about halfway through the year, my friend Casey Graham was in town and invited me to have coffee with him. He told me he wanted to pick my brain, but at the very beginning of us sitting down for coffee, he asked me a question that hit me like a ton of bricks…

“Crystal, what are you excited about right now?”

I sat there in silence for a really long time, and I finally replied, “Honestly, nothing. Right now in this season of my life, I am just putting one foot in front of the other. I don’t feel like I’m supposed to quit what I’m doing, but it’s very hard to keep going.”

I couldn’t get that question out of my mind for the next couple of months, but with everything being so busy and chaotic, I just kept pushing on — almost with a martyr-like mentality, as if this was my station in life that I had been called to regardless of the lack of joy I felt.

Then I had my surgery, and the recovery was much more challenging that I ever expected it to be. As I was sitting there in my post-surgery funk, I had zero motivation. I was so frustrated and kept beating myself up over how exhausted I was.

This all came to a head when I was at a speaking event for a MOPS conference in Indiana a few weeks later. I realized just how worn out I was when I was barely able to function or remain standing after my second talk at that event.

When I went to South Africa, I was able to get away from the hustle and was completely offline a lot of the time I was there. In those quiet moments far away from the life that had been wearing me down, God worked on my heart.

I got to a place where I decided I was ready to be done, to give it all up, and to walk away from everything. I felt like maybe it was what I was supposed to do, and I was very ready to do it.

We returned from the trip, and the next couple of weeks were crazy. I had a book to launch, which was very hard to push through. There were also some huge things that happened behind the scenes in the business — things that I can’t talk about for personal reason. For weeks and weeks, I could barely think about anything else. I couldn’t focus on the business, even on the day of my book launch.

God took all of this and used it to break me and get me to a place where I was ready to stop chasing and hustling — to that place where I was able to say, “God, it’s Yours.” Instead of putting my worth in my online presence, productivity, and business accomplishments, I had to learn how to rest in my identity in Christ.

I made a decision to step back and stop hustling, even if it meant completely walking away from all of it. Instead, we were able to make some major changes in the business that allowed me to take a year of rest, step back, stop hustling, and continue with my business without wearing myself out.

Are you hustling to the point of exhaustion? If so, here are some of my thoughts on choosing to stop hustling…

1. Hustling is exhausting.

It can ruin your health, and it can ruin your relationships. In the process of hustling, I lost all of my joy, excitement, and creativity. I let other people make me feel obligated to take my business to the next level, and I felt like a failure if I didn’t meet those expectations. I let all of those other voices dictate my business decisions — that ultimately affected all aspects of my personal life, as well.

I now realize that it’s okay to keep things smaller. I want to be okay with not growing — with impacting fewer people at a deeper level, and with having smaller numbers and not exhausting myself.

Instead of asking what will take our business to the next level and make more money, I am now learning to ask myself what is best for me and my family during this season.

2. Hustling does not equal productivity.

I realize now that I was doing SO much hustling that was just busy work — things that were using up my time and energy without producing any results or joy. I think busy work will look different for every person in every season. I encourage each of you to reflect on and decide for yourself which of your priorities are just busy work, and which are productive for you professionally and personally.

Busy work was keeping me from blogging, from my family, and from being able to take care of myself. I had to start saying NO on a regular basis, and it was a really hard thing to learn how to do.

Here are just a few of the many things I’ve been saying no to:

I’ve said no to almost every single interview and business opportunity I’ve been offered over the past few months. With every single request or opportunity that comes up, I ask myself if it will give me joy and impact the bottom line. I say no to 98% of the offers I receive. The few things I choose are well worth my time and energy, and I am super excited about something when I choose to say YES to it.

I said no to being CFO. I was feeling so weighed down by trying to manage all of the strategy and finances of the business. I was looking at the numbers every single month and having to be the one to carry all the weight of those numbers. I kept feeling like I needed to do it, because I was the only one who could do it the right way. I have now realized and accepted that this is simply not the case, and I have been able to delegate this responsibility. I feel so much freedom from this burden being lifted off of my shoulders.

I’ve said no helping promote other peoples’ products. This has probably been the hardest one for me. I have had to say no to a lot of dear, dear friends over the past few months, and it hasn’t been easy. I remember what it was like starting out in the beginning. I want to help my friends as they’re getting started and be a part of their exciting projects. As much as I want to help and be a blessing, I have realized that this is an area I have to learn to say no in more often. I have often overworked, overburdened, and exhausted myself in the process of trying to help every single person who is starting out and needs my help.

I’ve said no to much of the management of my team. I was managing too many people, and sending way too many e-mails. I had to step back and let some of the other people on my team help manage other projects, people, and situations. This has given me so much more freedom, time, and space to focus on other areas of my life and business.

With all of these changes and more, this year has already been so incredible. I feel my joy returning. I am enthusiastic and energetic about blogging, my body feels well-rested, my soul feels nourished, and I am enjoying being able to dwell in the quiet moments with myself and my family. Slowing down has been the best thing I’ve ever done.

I want all of you to learn from my mistakes, and I challenge you to try to stop the hustle from the very beginning.

I encourage you to focus on the few things that will make the biggest impact and bring you the most joy. I think it is so much better to have a smaller platform, earn less money, and have more joy than it is to have a great big platform, have a huge following, but have no joy in the process. We don’t have to buy into the lies that hustling will get us where we need to go.

photo credit: Jane_Johnson

Shared May 6, 2016 comment

4 Ways Teachers Can Earn Extra Money This Summer

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 6, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sarah of The Orthodox Mama:

The days are getting longer and warmer, the kids are getting restless, and teachers are beginning to dream of beach getaways. That can only mean one thing — summer vacation is nearly here!

I have been a middle school teacher for the past 10 years and absolutely love it. However, until I started teaching, I had no idea just how much teachers looked forward to summer vacation, too!

After nine and a half months of working overtime, teachers certainly deserve some relaxation!

If you are like me, though, you could also use some extra cash in your bank account. Summers can be a great time for teachers to earn a little (or a lot!) of money to help them reach their financial goals.

Here are 5 ways teachers can earn money over the summer:

1. Work for Your District

One of the best ways to earn extra money is to work extra hours at a job you already have. For teachers, this means seeking additional work within your own district.

Many schools offer summer school programs to provide enrichment or remediation for students over the vacation. These programs generally involve shorter hours (often just half a day), an hourly wage that beats most retail jobs, and an opportunity to interact with students in a different environment.

In addition, sometimes schools seek teachers to help develop curriculum or research best practices during the summer months.

You can also get creative. I have a friend who works for the district each summer painting classrooms. She works about four hours a day for five weeks and earns a great paycheck.

2. Tutor Privately

Teachers can also put their knowledge and skill set to work by offering private tutoring during the summer months. Many parents want their children to continue learning during the summer and will pay well for it!

I have been tutoring children for the past ten years. I have solicited clients on my own, worked for tutoring companies, and tutored through my school. In my experience, I have found the most success with upper-level math tutoring, SAT/ACT prep, and editing essays for college admissions.

If you are going to tutor in your home, I would recommend starting out with clients that you know. However, if you tutor in the evenings when a spouse can watch the children, you can meet a the local library or another neutral location.

Tutoring rates vary dramatically depending on the area (I’ve made anywhere from $14-$50 an hour), so do some research to see what is typical for your community. You can advertise through Facebook, Craigslist, or even through a flyer at the library.

3. Teachers Pay Teachers

If you are a teacher, you may have hundreds of dollars just sitting in your filing cabinet or on your computer. Teachers Pay Teachers is an online store that connects educators with products created by other educators. After all, wouldn’t you rather help out a fellow teacher than line the pockets of textbook companies?

Last year I began searching for ways to earn some passive income — money that could be gained for an indefinite period of time from a small amount of work done once. Teachers Pay Teachers perfectly fits this mold. I already had worksheets, quizzes, literature units, games, etc. that I had created over my years teaching middle school. I simply had to update/ revise them, add some graphics, and add them to my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I spent roughly 1-2 hours updating my material, and then it can earn money for years!

4. Run a Summer Day Care

Running a summer day care is an excellent way for teachers to earn some additional money. Working parents are always on the lookout for quality, affordable childcare, creating an almost endless demand for the service. In particular, parents of school-aged children who don’t have to find childcare during the school year will be looking for options during the summer months.

If you are considering starting your own daycare, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, you’ll need to research licensing laws in your state and become CPR and First Aid certified if you are not already.

Second, create a contract that clearly states your fee, your policies (what happens when you are sick, on vacation, or need to close for other reasons, etc?), and hours of business.

Next, decide on your method of advertisement. Will you use word of mouth, Craigslist, Facebook?

Finally, take a little time to determine the going rate in your area. You want to be competitive; however, you can also charge a bit more because you are a licensed teacher.

If you are a teacher trying to pay off debt, save up to buy a house, or trying to reach some other financial goal, be sure to take advantage of these summer months. With a little work, you can find a job that will help you reach those goals!

Sarah Wright is an Orthodox Christian, wife to The Philosopher, and mom to three little ones (6, 3, and 2). She is a full-time teacher and writes about faith, family, and frugal living over at The Orthodox Mama. In her free time she enjoys Mexican food, old movies, and curling up with a good book.

photo source

Shared May 6, 2016 comment

Brigette’s $57 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on May 6, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

After spending a frustrating amount of time trying to get my uncooperative computer to print coupons without success, I decided to postpone my Harris Teeter trip until this weekend. It wasn’t that great of a week there anyway! So I’m only posting my Aldi trip, which is by far the bulk of my grocery shopping this week. I will pull out a gallon of milk from the freezer to get us through until Saturday. Just giving you a full disclaimer here, because I will be spending a bit more than this on groceries this week. 🙂

Aldi

4 dozen Eggs – $2.76 (fantastic price!)

3 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $5.97

3-lb bag Yellow Onions – $1.29

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $1.29

1 bag Radishes – $0.99

1 carton Tomatoes – $1.49

1 3-lb bag Ground Beef Patties – $8.99 (these got put in the freezer immediately on returning home…and not taken out for the picture. Today was just not my day!)

1 pkg Pepperoni – $2.19

1 64-oz carton Almond Milk – $2.19

1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.69

1 64-oz carton Coconut Milk – $2.79

1 32-oz carton Half & Half – $1.89

1 bunch Bananas – $1.31

1 Pineapple – $1.89

1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $3.49

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.49

1 38-oz jar Ketchup – $1.49

1 8-oz Sliced Cheese – $1.79

1 8-oz block Swiss Cheese – $1.69

1 8-oz block Colby-Jack Cheese – $1.69

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.79

4 bags Hamburger/Hotdog Buns – $3.40

Also pictured: basket of fresh strawberries – a gift for my husband for Teacher Appreciation Week!

Total:$57.55

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Scrambled Eggs and Homemade Freezer Biscuits x 2

Cereal x 3

Oatmeal and Strawberries x 2

Lunches

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Carrots x 2

Peanut Butter/Banana Tortilla Wraps, Peppers

Fried Eggs on Toast, Oranges, Peppers

Leftovers x 3

Dinner

Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Chicken on the Grill (We are hosting a End-of-the-School Year Party. We’re providing the meat, buns, condiments and drinks. Others are bringing the sides and dessert.)

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Pineapple, Roasted Carrots

Pepperoni Rolls, Tossed Salad, Broccoli

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, Apples

Taco Salad, Fruit Salad

Leftovers x 2

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Click here to sign up!

Shared May 5, 2016 comment

My husband’s brilliant idea for getting us to drink more water…

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 5, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I just had to share my husband’s brilliant idea for getting us all to drink more water. He came up with this all on his own, went and found a jar at Kohls to use (Amazon has a similar jar available), and has been making new flavored water combinations for us every day.

This is working SO well… And it makes me kind of feel like I’m staying at a high-end resort every time I get a glass of water!

If you’re looking for Flavored Water Recipes, check out this post for lots of ideas and suggestions. I think my favorites so far are lemons, limes, and oranges. We want to try out using some fresh herbs, too, and are hoping to do that soon!

Have you tried Flavored Water before? If so, what are your favorite combinations?

P.S. Silas was working on making hard boiled eggs when I took this photo… I thought you’d appreciate the open cupboard and real-life in the background. Because trust me, just because we have fancy water, it doesn’t mean the house cleans itself or that we don’t have plenty of real-life going on around here!! 🙂

Shared May 5, 2016 comment

How Little Habits Can Change Your Life (+ 2 habits that have made a big difference for me!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 5, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

One of the most life-transforming principles I’ve learned over the years is that discipline begets discipline. When I am disciplined in one area, that resolve spills over into other areas. Or, to put it another way, when I choose to live my life on purpose, it jumpstarts success in multiple areas.

For instance, purposefully getting up early in the mornings has set so many other good habits in motion. I have more time to pray and study the Bible. I have more time to exercise. I have more time to get a head start on the day before my kids wake up. Purposefully making one consistent habit change has slowly lead to amazing transformation in many areas of my life.

In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg challenges you to focus your efforts on those habits that are going to give you the biggest bang for your buck. That is, zero in your efforts and energies on purposeful changes that are going to spill over into other areas of your life.

He calls these “keystone habits” — those that have a positive trickle down effect on all other areas. Keystone habits influence how we work, eat, play, live, spend, and communicate. Keystone habits start a process that, over time, transform everything.

For example, I have two keystone habits I incorporate into my evening routine each night:

1. I spend one-on-one devotional and conversation time with each of my kids for 10 minutes every night. It’s an opportunity for my kids to know they have my complete attention. I want to hear my kids’ hearts, know their struggles, and listen to them. This habit has a trickle down effect for the next day. It fills up my kids’ love tanks and helps them feel secure, and it affects so many areas of their lives. It will also have a lifelong impact on my children.

2. I take my vitamins each night before bed. So many times, I get tired and want to skip this. When I make it a priority, though, I sleep better and feel so much better on a daily basis.

I encourage you to reflect and think about what your keystone habits are. If you commit to stick to one or two of these habits over a period of time, I can almost guarantee you’ll see big changes in your life as a whole — just by beginning with a simple habit!

I created this Live Your Life On Purpose Mug as a reminder to myself and to others that we have the power to change our lives when we approach each day with purpose — one small habit at a time. It won’t happen over night, but you’ll be encouraged when you start seeing the results from taking baby steps towards a more intentional life!

This mug serves as a reminder to me to live each day with intention. To take those baby steps in the right direction. To keep making wise decisions — even on days when its hard. To remember the why behind what I’m doing. To not give up when the going gets tough. Because it does matter, it makes a difference, and it will be worth it.

Get The “Live Your Life On Purpose” Mug For Just $11.25!

I have some really exciting news! Through May 9, you can get the Live Your Life On Purpose Mug for just $11.25! No coupon code is required. Just add it to your cart at the sale price. You can order as many as you’d like at this price — maybe consider getting a few as gifts for friends who need the reminder, too?

Please note: this mug is handwash only and is not dishwasher safe. As always, shipping is free with any order over $50 from our store.

Get the Live Your Life On Purpose Mug for just $11.25 here.

Psst! Did you see all of the other fun products included in our brand-new line of inspirational products with Glory Haus that recently launched!? The line is called “Intentional Life by Crystal Paine” and is available in a number of boutique stores nationwide, as well as online.

I’m SO excited! I had so much fun working on these products — and each was designed specifically as a reminder of powerful, life-impacting truths that have helped to shape and transform my life.

Shared May 4, 2016 comment

My Completely Honest Rocky Mountain Oils Review + Get 10% Off!

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 4, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for reviews of Rocky Mountain Oils or wondering if they’re worth trying? I’ve fallen in love with this brand of quality essential oils!! (And be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a coupon code!)

Be sure to read about why I’ll never sell essential oils. And you can see all my other honest product reviews here.

{This post is sponsored by Rocky Mountain Oils and contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Read our disclosure policy here.}

My Experience With Essential Oils

As you’ve probably heard me mention many times in the past, I love using essential oils. I love using them for cleaning, for diffusing, for helping me feel more calm, to help me feel more energetic, for aches and pains, and for warding off sickness.

I don’t sell them and I’m not brand loyal, because I like various oils from different brands. It’s fun to be able to pick and choose my favorites from among many brands — because there are so many great brands out there!

When Rocky Mountain Oils contacted me about trying out some of their essential oils, I was super excited to try out a new brand of oils — especially one that I had already heard great things about. For the past few months, we’ve been trying out a number of different oils from them and I have to say that I’ve been super impressed with this company and feel like I can wholeheartedly endorse them.

Tip: Do you struggle with anxiety? Try mixing a few drops of each of these oils with a little coconut oil and rubbing them on the bottom of your feet at night. I love this blend of oils!

Why I Love Rocky Mountain Oils

If you’re looking for really honest reviews of Rocky Mountain Oils, I’m here to tell you I’ve really grown to love this brand of essential oils! And here’s why…

1. They Offer High-Quality Oils

Rocky Mountain Oils, founded in 2004, is a leading non-MLM purveyor of 100% pure, natural and authentic essential oils, expertly crafted blends and nutritional products.

Their mission is to improve the quality of life for each customer by delivering only the best premium essential oils and proprietary blends on the market, which is rooted in their S.A.A.F.E. Promise. All of their oils are 100% pure, are tested for purity and potency by a third party lab, and are free of synthetics and fillers.

2. They Have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Rocky Mountain Oils also offers a 100% Guaranteed Satisfaction of Quality. They give you 90 days to use a product, and you can receive a full refund if you’re not 100% satisfied — even if the bottle has been opened or used. I love that! I’ve also been very impressed with their customer service.

3. They Offer Great Prices

Since they are a direct-to-consumer company, they are able to provide pure essential oils and supplements at a value-rich price. There are zero start-up fees or minimum purchases, and their pricing averages 50% less than that of many other essential oil companies. They also offer free shipping on all orders!

My Favorite Rocky Mountain Oils

My Top 2 Favorite Oils So Far:

Immune Strength – This blend supports a healthy Immune System. The spicy scent is so great for the diffuser. In fact, we loved how it smelled so much that we went through a whole bottle in just a few weeks.
Tummy Rub – This is a blend of popular oils used to assist the digestive system. Oh my goodness! This stuff WORKS! Both Jesse and I have used it multiple times over the past month when our stomach has felt queasy or upset. And every time, within 15 minutes of rubbing it on our stomachs, we felt worlds better.

Some of their other bestselling essential oil blends include:

Breathe Ease – The top blend for supporting the respiratory system.
Purify – An amazing synergy that helps neutralize bad odor. Can be diffused to keep the home smelling fresh, or added to homemade cleaning products.
Feminine Aid – Their popular blend used to assist in hormone regulation. Oils in this synergy have properties that support the endocrine system. Can be used by both male and females!
Relieve Me – One of their top blends for assisting with muscle aches and pains.
Lavender (Hungary) – Lavender is regarded as one of the top 10 oils anyone should have. Hungarian Lavender has a sweeter scent that customers prefer over the Bulgarian Lavender, which has an herbaceous scent.
Sacred Frankincense – Sourced from Oman, this variety of Frankincense is a must have for customers looking to get the best quality of Frankincense available on the market.

Rocky Mountain Oils Coupon Code

Want to try these oils at a discount?

Use coupon code 10%OFF at checkout to get 10% off your entire purchase!

Go here to shop the entire Rocky Mountain Oils Collection.

Have you ever tried these oils? I’d love to hear your reviews of Rocky Mountain Oils in the comments, if so!

Shared May 4, 2016 comment

We Paid Cash: A Swing Set

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 4, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Lena

9 years ago (when our oldest child was only 16 month old), we purchased a used swing set from a friend of a friend. We knew it was something that she could grow into and would get lots of use out of, as well as her 3 siblings who followed in the next few years.

It was worth the great price, but the swing set was definitely starting to show its wear. It was starting to rot and wobbled so much that it made me nervous when all our kids were on it.

We decided to look into purchasing a new, stronger set. However, after lots of research and shopping I couldn’t find a pre-made set with everything that we wanted for less than $2,000 — and we were not willing to spend that much!

As a family, we decided to start saving for this large purchase — and here’s what we did:

We put all our loose change and $1 bills in a jar. When it was full we would each take a guess at how much was in it before taking it to the bank.
We had a rummage sale and set all of that money aside for the play set
We took our time and shopped around for the best deal.
We built our own to save money.

Once we had the money, we did some more shopping and finally found a hardware and instruction kit at a big box home improvement store. We decided to purchase the kit online by using a discounted gift card (purchased from GiftCardZen.com), a cash back rewards program, and the store’s free shipping offer for a total cost of $145.

Another home improvement store regularly has an 11% off everything sale, and that was where we went to purchase all of our lumber and screws.

It took us about a week to build the play set with much of it getting done in the evenings after supper. Our four kids helped us measure, cut, and screw everything together during that time. Then I stained the whole thing and we were ready to enjoy it!

It’s a comfort to me knowing that this play set is SO much stronger than the previous one — I know that it will last us a good long time.

In the end, the whole thing cost us just under $700, with a little over $300 of that being saved in our change jar!

The kids were proud knowing that they had played a big part in saving for, and building the set — and we were thrilled at how much we were able to save by being willing to take the time and effort to build it ourselves.

Lena lives in a small town with her husband of 11 years and four children, whom she homeschools. They’ve been debt-free for 3 years and loving it! They love to share their story and encourage others who are seeking financial freedom.

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

Shared May 3, 2016 comment

I finished 10 books last week (yes, for real!) + my top 3 favorites

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 3, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As you may have noticed, I’ve not read as much as I usually do this year. And many of you have wondered where my book posts have been and have asked me to please write more about what I’ve been ready.

The truth is, I just haven’t been reading as much. I’m still reading a little every day — but that means I’ve only been finishing a few books per month, if that.

Some of my lack of reading as much has been because life has been full of a lot of other good things and building real-life relationships, some because I’ve been really allowing myself to savor just a few books instead of reading multiple books at the same time (like I usually do), and some is because I’ve been challenging myself to explore and try new things this year.

But on vacation this past week, I finished 10 books in 4 days (it’s amazing how much reading I had time for when I was unplugged!) and I remembered how much I love reading and how much I’ve missed it. As a result, I decided to cut back on a few more of my online work hours to make more time for reading.

I’ve already cut back on work time a lot this year, but being completely offline and unplugged for 4 days inspired me to see if I can cut back even more — especially if it means I can fit in more reading time by doing so!

Of the books I read last week, here were my top 3 favorites:

Scary Close — I loved getting to spend time with Don and Betsy on the Israel and Italy trip and Don referenced this book a few times so I knew I had to read it. I ended up really loving it and being inspired by it. If you struggle with authenticity in relationships and trusting people, I think you’ll find it inspiring.

The Happiness Dare — As a result of reading this book, I’ve been taking The Happiness Dare — and wow! It’s been SO good to go through my days looking for the happy.

Savoring Slow — This book resonated with me so much in my Year of Rest. I’m going to be scoping through it over the next week and would love for you to join me!

Here’s my book stack I chose for this week! I’m really excited about these titles as they’ve come highly recommended to me by different people. {We’ll see how many I get through this week! I am going to limit myself to just reading two at a time and not starting a new book until I’ve finished another book.}

My Current Book Stack:

What are YOU reading right now? Any great book recommendations for me?

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

Click here to download!

Shared May 2, 2016 comment

I almost missed out on this amazing opportunity!!!

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Flash Sale Alert! This Bundle is Back For 2 Days Only (June 1-2, 2016)! If you missed it when it was available before, this is your very last chance to get it!

On Saturday, when Jesse and I got back into town and were all unpacked, I had a chance to download a copy of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle. Oh my goodness! I was kicking myself that I hadn’t downloaded it before our trip so I could have enjoyed reading all of the amazing ebooks and going through some of the courses while we were gone!

This Homemaking Bundle is a goldmine of great resources (over 93 ebooks & ecourses + bonuses!) — and tomorrow is the VERY LAST day you can get it!

To be honest, I hadn’t really paid close attention to it since we were busy with prepping for our trip. In fact, I hadn’t even looked at the salespage or looked to see what all was in the Bundle.

So I was SO glad I took the time on Saturday to download a bunch of the resources and sign up for the courses, because I would have missed out on all of these amazing resources — that are at an amazing price through midnight tonight.

Maybe you are like me and you’ve been busy and haven’t really paid attention to the Homemaking Bundle Sale thinking it wasn’t for you or feeling like you didn’t really have time to investigate whether it was a good deal. Or, maybe you’ve been thinking about getting it but you’re on the fence as to whether it’s worth the investment.

(If you are not in a financial place to purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, will you do me a huge favor and just skip this post? The last thing I want to do is to encourage you to buy something that you can’t afford.)

For the rest of you, I wanted to share 9 reasons why I absolutely LOVED the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle — and why I think it’s very worth the price ($29.97):

Reason #1: When You Purchase, You Get a FREE Year-Long Subscription to RightNow Media

RightNow Media is, according to Matt Chandler, the “Netflix of Christian Bible Study.” There are over 10,000 sermons, Bible studies, conference presentations, interviews, and much more from many speakers whom I just LOVE — like Francis Chan, David Platt, Mark Batterson, Jen Hatmaker, and many, many more!

But that’s not all, the RightNow Media Kids section offers unlimited access to an enormous library of entertaining and educational Bible-based content just for kids. There are What’s in the Bible? videos, VeggieTale movies, Adventures in Odyssey movies, and so much more!

A subscription to RightNow Media is usually only available through a local church (because the costs are so expensive — up to $699 per month for larger churches!), so if your local church doesn’t offer this, getting a year-long subscription to RightNow Media is a HUGE bonus of downloading the Homemaking Bundle.

Note: In order to access this bonus, after you purchase the Homemaking Bundle, login to the portal and go to the Bonus section and sign up for the free subscription to MollyGreen.com. You’ll get access to RightNow Media as part of signing up for that bonus!

Reason #2: When You Purchase, You’ll Get FREE Access to the Cozy Minimalist Mom Course

I already sung the praises of The Nester and this course, but I couldn’t help mention it again! 🙂 This course is so simple, but it’s packed with helpful advice and wise encouragement. I especially love that it’s coming from a mom who has three boys and who has survived and lived to tell about it.

This course has 10 videos that teach her Core Concepts (and I promise, so much of it will be stuff that you’ve not read in other Organized Home type books!) + 10 videos with a young mom. It’s a very balanced course that offers practical perspective no matter what ages or stages your children are at.

The course is self-paced and you’ll get access to all the videos and projects as soon as you sign up for it. This course itself usually retails for $29 — the price of the entire bundle!

Reason #3: When You Purchase, You Get to Choose a FREE Craftsy Class of Your Choice

I feel like there’s so much value in constantly learned and growing as a person. I don’t ever want to become stagnant. And that’s why I’m always trying new things, reading new books, and attempting to learn new skills.

When you purchase the Homemaking Bundle, you get a FREE Craftsy Class of your choice — up to a $40 value! There are 24 difference classes to choose from on topics like: Cake Decorating, Food & Cooking, Gardening, Knitting, Slip Covers, Photography, Sewing, and more.

With the Craftsy class, you can learn a new skill or improve in a skill you already know — from the comfort of your own home on your own time table. You might end up turning this skill into a part-time business or just use it as a way to bless others or refuel your own tank. The cost of one of these courses is usually $40 — $10 more than the cost of this entire bundle!

4. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Access to Beautiful Coloring Pages

You know I love me some adult coloring! So I was really excited when I found out that there are 3 different downloadable adult coloring books included as part of the Homemaking Bundle.

I already printed out some of the pages and am excited to start coloring them!

5. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Access to Tsh Oxenreider’s Upstream Field Guide Course

I’m pumped about this because I’d been wanting to go through Tsh’s course! I love Tsh’s blog and have learned a lot from her over the years. I guess it was a good thing that I waited, because it meant I got a GREAT deal on her course — as in, it’s part of this bundle!

Here’s the information on the course:

If you feel overwhelmed by all the messages about how you should live your life, then join me as we paddle upstream to calmer, deeper waters.

It’s time to leave behind our culture’s expectations and find out who you are, and what your purpose is. It’s time to pick up your paddle.

Wherever you’re coming from in life, you have an inner map to guide you on your best path. It’s meant to give you courage, determination, hope, and a strategy. It makes paddling upstream a whole lot easier. Let’s unearth that map.

I already signed up for the course and started in on the first lesson and am very impressed with it, as I was sure I would be!

This course is usually $59, but you can get the Upstream Field Guide course + the entire Homemaking Bundle for just $29 — through the end of today only!

6. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Fantastic Work-At-Home Resources!

I receive many emails from women wanting to find a way to earn an income from home. I also receive many emails from moms who have a home business and are struggling with figuring out how to juggle everything.

The good news? This course has ebooks to help you with both. I’m especially excited about Abby Lawson’s book, Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a blog or you have a blog and you want to figure out how to make it more successful, you MUST read this book. It’s one of the best books on blogging I’ve ever read!

These resources may be some of the most valuable resources in the whole bundle. Why? Because they might teach you ways to earn 5-10 times what you spent on the bundle — every. single. month. Now that’s what I call a good return on your investment!

7. It Will Save You Money on Gifts For Others

One of my very favorite things about the Homemaking Bundle is that you are allowed to gift any resources or bonuses you don’t plan on using or reading. Yes, you read that right! So if you only are interested in 10 of the ebooks, 2 of the courses, and 2 of the bonuses, you can give all the others away!

You could use these as gifts for a friend’s birthday or an upcoming special occasion. You could split them up as gifts for multiple friends. Or, you could just share them as a way to bless someone who is interested in healthy living.

The bonuses would especially make great gifts! When you purchase the bundle, you’ll get a FREE $15 Credit to Hope Ink PLUS 2 FREE 8×10 Art Prints and a FREE Mrs. Meyer’s gift set from Grove Collaborative — both items that would make great gifts!

If you used three of the bonuses/ebooks as gifts for friends for upcoming occasions, that could pay for the cost of the bundle itself — because you wouldn’t need to spend any money (but the cost of shipping) on gifts for those three occasions!

8. You’ll Get FREE Motivated Moms Chore Planner + a Sweet Life Planner

If you love printable planners or are looking for a really great chore/household planner, you are in for a treat! When you purchase the Homemaking Bundle, you’ll get access to both the Motivated Moms Chore Planner + the Sweet Life Planner.

I’ve used and loved the Motivated Moms Planner in the past and wholeheartedly recommend it if you’re looking for a planner that will tell you exactly what you should do on what days and make it very simple to keep your home and life in order!

9. It’s a Risk-Free Purchase With a Money-Back Guarantee!

If you are still sitting on the fence right now wondering whether or not you should take the plunge and buy the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, here’s why you should: it’s a risk-free purchase.

That’s right! There’s a 100% money-back guarantee on it for up to 30 days! So if you purchase it and then decide it’s not as helpful as you’d hoped or that it’s not worth the price you paid, you can get a full refund — no questions asked.

So what are you waiting for?

Through tomorrow at midnight only, you can get all of these items listed + much more (93 different ebooks, courses, and printables total + some cool bonuses) for just $29.97 total! This huge library of resources has something for pretty much everyone! It covers homemaking, mothering, DIY-ing, your marriage, organizing, budgeting, making money from home, plus much more!

Ready to purchase? Just click below…

Want to learn more? Read more about this amazing bundle here.

P.S. Remember, this offer ends tonight (June 2, 2016) at midnight! Get it while you can!

(Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

Shared May 2, 2016 comment

9 Traits of Highly Frugal People

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Erin of The No Drama Mama

There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be “frugal”.

Many people have the misconceptions that frugal people are “poor” or “cheap”. Of course, frugal people CAN be poor and/or cheap, but they can often be very generous — and even well off!

And in my opinion, the difference between HIGHLY frugal people and others is that they don’t announce it to the world. While others may think frugal people have a love or lack of money, what they actually have is RESPECT for it.

Here are 9 character traits of highly frugal people:

1. They Persevere in Hard Times

It’s not that frugal people live worry-free lives, it’s that they know how to pick themselves up and keep moving forward instead of getting mired down by their current financial situations.

When we lost two cars in the same week, I was worried for a few minutes, but my thoughts immediately shifted to, “What’s the next step?”

Life is going to throw curveballs without warning so we’ve got to have our catcher’s mitt on all the time. Highly frugal people know it makes no sense to dwell on our current situation when we need to get busy finding a solution and moving forward.

2. They Have Thick Skin

Even though I’m a sensitive person by nature, I truly have a thick skin when it comes to other people’s opinion or perception of my family’s finances. My husband was shocked when an acquaintance indicated that he thought we were in financial need.

Highly frugal people are used to people thinking they are poor or cheap when in actuality, highly frugal people are often in a better financial situation than most of their peers.

3. They Care About the Little Things

While friends may scoff about using coupons or returning our soda bottles to the store, highly frugal people know that the little things matter. It’s not about saving pennies, it’s about respecting all the little ways we can use our money wisely to pursue our larger financial goals.

While others may not understand how small savings can add up to financial success, highly frugal people know that when you watch the ounces, the pounds take care of themselves.

4. They Have Multiple Plans

Highly frugal people have budgets, debt repayment plans, and goals written down. They always have their eye on the bigger picture and like to track their progress.

5. They Learn From Their Financial Mistakes

It’s not that highly frugal people haven’t made financial mistakes, it’s that they vow never to make the same mistake twice.

While others may be steadily racking up debt, highly frugal people are cutting up their cards, reading books on personal finance, and finding side jobs to pay off their debt. They remember the stress and burden it causes and use it as motivation to never let themselves be in that situation again.

6.They Wait for What They Want

Whether it’s waiting to buy a house, a car, or even new clothes, highly frugal people don’t just run out and purchase what they need the instant they need it. Instead they wait, save, shop around, and analyze all the options.

When my husband and I decided to have a third child, we knew we’d need another bedroom so we started saving to renovate our house. We also purchased some of the materials two years before we started any of the renovation that would turn our basement into our new master bedroom. We were able to pay all cash and incur no debt simply by waiting a little longer for what we wanted.

7. They Are Willing To Stand Out

While some are splurging for the latest and greatest cell phone, highly frugal people are rocking their phone with a pre-paid plan from three years ago. If you’re extremely frugal you might not even have a cell phone at all (GASP!).

I have personally been mocked by young children for not having a cell phone, but since I work from home I know people can call me on my landline or simply wait to talk to me if I’m out. I would rather use that money to pursue our goal of becoming debt-free.

8. They Find Inspiration in the Past

My grandmother is still the biggest influence in my life, years after her passing. She taught me so many valuable life skills and is the biggest inspiration for my frugal lifestyle.

While the rest of society is pursuing newer and “better” methods of doing things, highly frugal people are finding inspiration from past generations. We’re learning to sew, grow our own food, use things up, and upcycle our outdated things, all in an effort to save money for the things that are truly important to us.

9. They Are Vigilant of Spending

I think of myself as the warden of our family finances, nothing goes in or out of our bank account without me knowing about it. I know what bills are scheduled to come out, and I check our account online every single day.

Highly frugal people don’t like to overdraw accounts or be blindsided by unexpected expenses. Being vigilant and having a budget isn’t the prison some people think it is. It actually gives you the freedom to decide when and where to use your money.

If you’re a highly frugal person, you’re in good company. There are many successful frugal people living all around you… because there’s a good chance they don’t live in mansions, they might live in YOUR neighborhood.

Erin Johnson a.k.a. The No Drama Mama can be found writing about faith, family and frugal living on her blog The No Drama Mama when she’s not caring for her three adorable kiddos. This “tell it like it is” mama has NO time for drama, so forget your perfect parenting techniques and follow her on Facebook or Twitter for her delightfully imperfect parenting wins and fails. Her work can also be found on Mamapedia, Worshipful Living, and Hudson Valley Parent magazine.

Shared May 2, 2016 comment

Because I need the reminder…

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A little note I stuck on my Time Blocked To Do List today. Because I need the reminder.

In the midst of the mundane and the messy, we can so easily forget the truth: God is good. All the time.

And that’s a reason for choosing joy. For wringing the happy out of ordinary days. For smiling.

We don’t always have a choice when it comes to our life circumstances and situations, but we always have a choice when it comes to our response and our attitude.

Choose joy. Choose happy. Choose to smile. God’s goodness is all around us — if we’ll take the time to stop and notice.

From If: Trading Your If Only Regrets for God’s What If Possibilities.

Shared Apr 30, 2016 comment

I’m BACK (and yes, I fell madly in love with the ocean!!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 30, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m back! And I just have to say: Our 4-day, kid-free, completely unplugged trip was EPIC. Beyond epic, truthfully!

It was the first time we’ve been away from the kids for more than 24 hours in more than 3 years and it was the first time I’ve been completely unplugged for 4 days in, well, YEARS!

We swam, we biked, we walked miles and miles on the beach, we enjoyed amazing food, we had deep discussions and heart-to-heart conversations, we laughed until we cried, we teased each other, we talked about hard stuff, we got sunburned, we sat quietly together and soaked up the beauty, we read by the pool, we tried local restaurants, and we decided we need to do this at least once a year.

Also, what surprised me the most was how much I fell madly in love with the beach and the ocean. I’ve not really been to the beach in years and because this trip was kid-free and because I didn’t have any responsibilities and because I was completely unplugged, I got to just savor the ocean. And oh my goodness, I couldn’t get enough of it.

I wanted to sit by it. I wanted to wade in it. I wanted to watch it. I wanted to walk the beach. And as soon as we got home, I realized how much I missed it.

Now I’m trying to convince Jesse that we need to set a goal to buy a rental house somewhere near the beach that we can rent out part of the month and then drive to and stay in for part of the month. Never mind the fact that our next goal was to save up to buy a house here in the Nashville area… I’m all like: let’s just skip ahead of that and save up for property near the beach. 🙂

Needless to say, the trip was a success — and we’re already looking forward to when we can make something like this happen again. I think we’ll make it a standing goal for each year from here on out!

A HUGE thank you to our very good friend and employee, Brian, who insisted we go on this trip and who insisted that he watch our kids while we were gone. And a BIG thank you to Meg who took over running the blog, social media, and my email inbox while I was gone. You both are the best!

Shared Apr 29, 2016 comment

5 Principles We Follow That Make a Big Difference in Our Home & Family

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 29, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This was originally published in April 2015.

My husband and I have been married for over 13 years and in those years, I’ve learned and grown a lot.

The first seven years of our marriage were especially hard. We survived the last semester of undergrad, infertility, law school, then three babies in five years, multiple job changes, job loss, starting multiple businesses, moving multiple times, financial struggles, marriage struggles, postpartum depression… and more.

I struggled to figure out how to do this wife thing, this mom thing, this home business thing, and this homemaking thing. There were many rocky seasons and rough patches.

There were many days when I never made it out of my PJs (well, truth be told, I still have a few days like that here and there!), I always felt incredibly behind, I rarely ever got enough sleep, and the house was often near disaster.

In the past five years, I’ve made huge strides in my organizational skills, my personal self-discipline, and in setting up more structure and routine for our days. There are 5 principles we follow that have helped us to find our groove, simplify our lives, and have better order in our days:

#1: Touch It Once

As I talked about yesterday, instead of moving papers and piles and clutter and stuff around from place to place, I’m a firm believer in touching things once.

If you pick it up, use it and put it away. If you get it out, put it away. If it’s trash, throw it out. If it’s a dirty plate, don’t just set it in the sink, rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher.

By dealing with dishes and trash and junk mail and papers immediately, you save yourself so much time in the long run. {If you missed my post on this principle, read it here.}

Now if I could just implement a Touch It Once system for my laundry, we’d be all set! 🙂

#2: Everyone Pitch In

If you are a member of our family, you are required to be an asset to our family. We want to raise our kids to be responsible adults, so that means we are working on training them to pitch in and carry their own weight as part of our family.

One way we do this is by having Non-Paid Chores and Daily Lists. Our kids know that this is what is expected of them and that there are consequences when they don’t do what is expected of them.

By all pitching in and working together, it makes our home run much more smoothly and it means that no one person is having to tackle the majority of the work involved in keeping our home clean and orderly. “Many hands make light work!”

#3: Pick Up Twice A Day

This simple principle has made a world of difference in our home. I’m not exactly sure when it started, but I don’t plan to ever discontinue it!

Basically, in a nut shell, we aim to have our whole house picked up and company ready twice a day — this means all the main rooms all picked up, the kitchen cleaned up, the laundry started, the bathrooms clean, etc.

We usually have a household clean-up time right after breakfast when everyone does their morning chores, I work on the kitchen and laundry and oversee/inspect the kids’ work. Then, after dinner, we all work together to clean up again — this time with Jesse either overseeing the kids’ chores or helping with cleaning up the kitchen.

#4: Stick With a Budget

From the beginning of our marriage, we’ve lived on a strict, written budget. This has simplified our lives, made decision-making so much easier, helped us in our communication as a couple, given us greater financial traction than we could have ever dreamed, and allowed us to be able to fulfill our heart passions to be givers.

If you’ve never had a written budget before, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Some people think that it would make life miserable. On the contrary, we’ve found that it simplifies life so much — we don’t have to worry that spending money in one area is going to hurt our ability to spend in another area because we’ve already pre-determined and designated money for all of our budget categories. In addition, it cuts down significantly on impulse purchases!

#5: Shop Less

The less you own, the less there is to clean, dust, and pick up. We don’t do much shopping — except mostly for groceries and some online shopping for necessities like clothes and household items.

Before heading out to shop, I encourage you to really ask yourself why you’re shopping. Do you have the money to buy the item? Can you make do with what you already have? Is there a better use for that money?

It’s long been said, “If you’re not content where you are, there’s a good chance you’re not going to be content where you think you want to be.” So instead of focusing on what we don’t have, for years we’ve made it our practice to focus on what we do have and to bloom right where we’re planted.

It’s amazing how this goes such a long way in curbing the “I wants” and the need to run out and buy something just to to buy something. Plus, the more we stay out of the stores, the less we are tempted to think we need to buy things we didn’t know we needed or didn’t know even existed!

What principles help YOU simplify YOUR home? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Mornings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you revolutionize your productivity, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

If you’ve ever wished that you could figure out how to get more done, have more organization in your life, and find time to spend on things you love, the Make Over Your Mornings Course is for you. Find out more about it here.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

1. Ice Cream & Learning to Live Life in Color

2. If by Mark Batterson

3. My Birthday Boy

4. Facebook Live

5. My Little Baseball Player

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Lesson # 1: Ignoring the Problem Doesn’t Fix It.

Lesson # 2: The Threats Are Real

Lesson # 3: The Loan Holders Aren’t Scary

Lesson # 4: There Are Programs That Can Help

Lesson # 5: Never Do That Again

1. Hustling is exhausting.

2. Hustling does not equal productivity.

1. Work for Your District

2. Tutor Privately

3. Teachers Pay Teachers

4. Run a Summer Day Care

Aldi

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinner

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

Have you tried Flavored Water before? If so, what are your favorite combinations?

Get The “Live Your Life On Purpose” Mug For Just $11.25!

Get the Live Your Life On Purpose Mug for just $11.25 here.

My Experience With Essential Oils

Why I Love Rocky Mountain Oils

1. They Offer High-Quality Oils

2. They Have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

3. They Offer Great Prices

My Favorite Rocky Mountain Oils

Rocky Mountain Oils Coupon Code

Go here to shop the entire Rocky Mountain Oils Collection.

Have you ever tried these oils? I’d love to hear your reviews of Rocky Mountain Oils in the comments, if so!

My Current Book Stack:

What are YOU reading right now? Any great book recommendations for me?

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

Reason #1: When You Purchase, You Get a FREE Year-Long Subscription to RightNow Media

Reason #2: When You Purchase, You’ll Get FREE Access to the Cozy Minimalist Mom Course

Reason #3: When You Purchase, You Get to Choose a FREE Craftsy Class of Your Choice

4. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Access to Beautiful Coloring Pages

5. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Access to Tsh Oxenreider’s Upstream Field Guide Course

6. When You Purchase, You’ll Get Fantastic Work-At-Home Resources!

7. It Will Save You Money on Gifts For Others

8. You’ll Get FREE Motivated Moms Chore Planner + a Sweet Life Planner

9. It’s a Risk-Free Purchase With a Money-Back Guarantee!

So what are you waiting for?

Ready to purchase? Just click below…

1. They Persevere in Hard Times

2. They Have Thick Skin

3. They Care About the Little Things

4. They Have Multiple Plans

5. They Learn From Their Financial Mistakes

6.They Wait for What They Want

7. They Are Willing To Stand Out

8. They Find Inspiration in the Past

9. They Are Vigilant of Spending

#1: Touch It Once

#2: Everyone Pitch In

#3: Pick Up Twice A Day

#4: Stick With a Budget

#5: Shop Less

What principles help YOU simplify YOUR home? I’d love to hear in the comments!

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