Whether you’re a new or experienced thrift store shopper, you’ll love this post from Laurie at Passionate Penny Pincher on 7 items you should always look for at Goodwill before shopping retail stores.
2hr Cleaning Checklist
Classic View
Grid View
Why We LOVE YouNeedABudget
Around Christmastime, Jesse was chatting with his sister’s husband, Justin, about budgets. They are both what I’d lovingly refer to as “nerds”.
You know the kind of people… those people who think spreadsheets are fun. And who geek out over features in Excel. Yup, those kinds of people.
You might as well poke my eyeballs out with a hot iron rod than get to me be giddy over creating spreadsheets. But nevertheless, I love Spreadsheet Nerds because they help keep people like me in line and on track! 🙂
Anyway, Justin started telling Jesse about YouNeedaBudget (YNAB). We’d both heard of it before had been good with using Quicken for so long that we’d not considered changing to anything else.
Well, when Jesse saw the features of YNAB, he was intrigued enough to sign up for the free trial. And it was pretty much love at first sight.
Truthfully, I can’t even begin to tell you how often I’ve heard him exclaiming to me, to friends, or just to himself something about, “How cool and helpful YNAB is!”
I’m such a pen and paper and cash girl, but after all his raving reviews, I finally gave in and downloaded it on my phone and had him show me how it works. It’s really, really impressive. I’m pretty sure I’ll forever be connected to my green cash, but I love how we can see exactly how we’re doing in every budget in just one glance.
And since we have multiple budgets for our businesses and personal, it allows us to track them all in one app. Which is so handy!
I asked Jesse to share what he loves about YNAB most. Here’s what he said:
- I love having mobile access to my budgets.
- I love being able to access all of my budgets on demand.
- YouNeedABudget makes budgeting easy by assigning each expense to a category and automatically takes it out of the budget when you record the transaction.
- If you record the transaction from your phone using the mobile app, YNAB will update the balance and display the new category balance once the transaction is entered.
- All budgets stay synced on all devices through Dropbox so you always look at the most recent numbers.
- You can easily import transactions at one time from your bank by importing a downloaded statement on your computer.
I asked the folks at YNAB to share what sets their Budgeting Software apart from others out there and here’s what they shared:
1) You only budget money you have right now.
2) It is flexible. Rule Three: Roll with the Punches – removes any shame in overspending in a particular category any given month. It will happen. All the time. That doesn’t make you a failure. Just adjust, address it and move on.
3) There is a manual component. We are asking you to be hands on, to be aware of every dollar, to be involved with your budget. This requires a little bit of time (although once you get used to it, it’s super quick and easy), but this is also why it works. Without awareness nothing will change.
4) We want you to live on last month’s income. Yes, this takes some time to achieve for most people, but once you can do this you will be shocked at how little stress you have about money. Once you live on last month’s income, you’ll never go back!
5) A lot of people think of budgeting as restriction, but what YNAB will give you is control over your finances, and that control translates to freedom.
6) A lot of people come to YNAB because they are drowning in credit card debt or paying overdraft fees every month – and YNAB changes their lives.
7) YNAB has a killer support team and offers free, online daily budgeting classes.
{The four screen grabs above are fictitious examples provided by YNAB.}
Sign Up for a Free Trial
Want to try out YouNeedABudget? Sign up for a free trial here. {Psst! YNAB is free for college students. Details are here.}
Have you used YNAB or another budgeting software before? I’d love to hear about your experiences — both positive or negative.
This post was underwritten by YNAB. We were so happy to share honestly about a product that we’ve found to be a wonderful tool in our home and for our finances. Read my disclosure policy here.
Going through a really rough time right now?
If you are struggling and feeling discouraged and overwhelmed right now, I think you might be encouraged by this video I recorded live this morning on Periscope. I shared more of what’s been going on in my life right now and the lessons I’m learning from it.
This video is only available to view until tomorrow morning. You can watch it here. Just click the “Play” button to watch the broadcast. Or download the Periscope app on your device and search for @MoneySavingMom to find my profile and my most recent video.
{Ignore the trolls and few crazy, icky comments on this video. I didn’t catch all of them to block today, so a some of them got through!}
By the way, in case you missed my other post about it, I usually do a short 10-15 minute long Morning Motivation video each weekday morning at around 7 a.m. CT. I’d love for you to join me, if it works for your schedule. It’s fun to get to interact with you all live!
Shared Aug 24, 2015
comment
When a Routine Doctor’s Appointment Turns Your Life Upside Down
When a Routine Doctor’s Appointment Turns Your Life Upside Down
This post is a little personal and bordering on TMI, but you all are like family to me and I wanted you to know what’s been going on in my life the past few days…
The past six months or so, I’d been experiencing a few issues… of the female variety. I didn’t really think it was anything to worry about so I didn’t really pay attention to it much. I figured it would eventually just go away. (I know, denial is not really the best solution, is it??)
The past week, some more issues had arisen to the point where I knew something was clearly not right internally. Jesse encouraged me to make a doctor’s appointment and I was concerned enough that I did.
When I called the Women’s Center to let them know what was going on, they suggested that I come in sooner rather than later. So, even though I had blogging friends flying into town to stay at my house on Thursday afternoon, I went ahead and took the appointment slot they had open then.
Truthfully, I expected the appointment to be very routine: check in, get weighed, ask a few questions, get checked out, and be told to just watch things and report back if anything changed.
Only that’s not how it went. As soon as the PA started the internal exam, they said, “You have a mass on your cervix.”
And then they checked some more. And some more. Brought the doctor in. Checked some more.
This was not what I was anticipating. Not. at. all.
They started throwing out words and phrases and statements that were scary:
We need to do a biopsy.
We need to do an ultrasound.
We need to do surgery.
We may need to remove part or all of your uterus.
My head started spinning. I needed to be headed to the airport to pick up my blogging friends, not thinking about biopsies, surgery, and cancer.
I texted my friends and said, “I’m sorry, I have to get a biopsy on my cervix. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
And then there was more checking. More prodding. More poking. More uncomfortableness. More scary words.
This seemingly routine doctor’s appointment was now far from routine. And I sat there in the exam room not knowing what to feel.
They finished the biopsy, went over all my options and possibilities, and rearranged the schedule to get me in for an ultrasound the following morning.
I walked out of the doctor’s office wondering if my life would ever be the same again. I had to call Jesse and I didn’t know how to break the news to him.
You see, his mom had died of cervical cancer when he was 12. He’d walked this road before and I knew that this news would hit him much harder than it had hit me.
As I suspected, he was shocked by the news. He quickly worked out the childcare situation, dropped everything he was doing, and met me in the parking garage of the doctor’s office so he could drive with me to the airport.
I needed to process the news. I needed him close. And I knew I needed to be strong for him.
We talked through it. I shared my fears. We talked about the possibilities. And we texted my family with the news and asked them to pray.
It wasn’t just the cancer word that was scary. It was also the news that there was a good chance they’d need to remove my uterus.
I’m 33 years old and, as some of you know, I’m at peace with the fact that we might not have more children (we’ve experienced secondary infertility for the past 5 years), but we’ve always hoped that it might happen. So the thought that my child-rearing years were possibly coming to a screeching halt was hard to process. Especially because all of this came out of left field.
We went to the airport to pick up my friends. Part of me felt like this was the worst time ever for me to be hosting a Blogging Retreat at my house. But the other part of me knew that what I needed most was to be surrounded by friends who would make me laugh, listen to me, pray with me, and care for me.
That’s exactly what happened. These four girls were not only a great distraction to me, they were so kind and gentle. Speaking words of life, hope, and encouragement to me.
We got their suitcases situated, chatted a bit, and then left for the grocery store to buy groceries for the next few days (these girls are amazing cooks and food bloggers, so they offered to do the meal-planning and cooking while staying at my house — how cool is that??)
While we were at the store, my kids called me crying. One of them had overheard bits and pieces of the news, had relayed it to the others, and they were all very upset.
My heart broke right in two. How was I supposed to help my kids process all this when I couldn’t even figure out how to process it myself?
I said I’d be right home to snuggle with them and we quickly finished up the grocery shopping and headed home. It took about 30 minutes of talking and hugging and processing before the kids all calmed down enough to be able to sleep.
I felt so helpless to know how to encourage them. But I asked them to be strong for me and told them that we were all going to be brave together — no matter what I heard from the doctor the next day.
Before I went to bed that night, my sweet blogging friends all gathered around me and prayed over me.
It was beautiful. And I knew that God had orchestrated things perfectly to have them at my house the day that I needed them most.
I felt so loved and supported in the midst of my confusion and heaviness. In addition to my blogging friends surrounding me with love, all of my family members had reached out and texted me to say they were praying and to express how much they cared about me. It meant the world to me!
I slept well, but woke up feeling nervous, tense, and apprehensive. I knew that the news I was going to hear today could possibly change the course of the rest of my life.
I felt sick to my stomach and jittery. But in spite of that, I also felt peace.
Peace that whatever happened today, God was in control. Peace that God was going to take care of us.
And I headed into the ultrasound carried by this peace.
The internal and external exam seemed to take forever. We had to wait in the waiting room, do the exams, and then wait again for the reports.
Very pregnant women kept coming into the room for their ultrasounds. There were pregnancy magazines spread out everywhere. And all I could think was, “Most women who come into this office are probably getting ultrasounds of their healthy pregnancies, not finding out whether they have to get their uterus taken out or to be diagnosed with cancer.”
It made me think about how many times we’re in situations where someone might be hurting or carrying a heavy burden and we don’t know it. I want to be more sensitive and caring in these situations.
We finally got to meet with the doctor. I was shaking and scared.
And then she said the words I’d been holding my breath to hear: “I don’t think it’s cancer and the mass is small enough that we won’t have to remove your uterus when we do surgery.”
I let out a huge sigh of relief.
I had prepared for much worse. But instead, it was the best care scenario we could have possibly hoped for.
I felt grateful. Humbled. And exhausted from the tension. All at once.
I know that these stories often don’t have a happy ending. In fact, I debated whether or not to share it because it DOES have a happy ending.
Some of you don’t have happy endings to your stories.
Some of you are probably waiting on results for medical testings that could change the course of your future.
Some of you have probably received hard news in recent weeks.
Some of you are feeling scared and overwhelmed with heavy burdens.
I wish I could tie up all your problems in a neat little bow. I wish I could carry your burdens. I wish I could take away your heartache.
But while I can’t do that, what this week taught me was the power of being a supporter to others who are struggling. Because there are so many people who are struggling.
I want to do a better job of paying attention. Of asking the right questions. Of not being too busy or preoccupied to notice or care. Of making the effort to reach out and let people know that I care about them. Of finding more tangible ways to show people how much I love them.
There is a world of hurt, heartache, and heavy burdens around us. We can’t fix all the problems, but we can love others well. We can’t solve all the crisis that are swirling around us, but we can take time to listen and care about those in our daily lives. We can’t heal all the brokenhearted, but we can shower people with the ministry of our presence.
Together, we can help do a little bit to turn others’ upside down worlds a little more right-side up. And it starts with our willingness to stop worrying about how awkward it might feel or how uncomfortable it might seem, and to just reach out and love others well… just like my blogging friends and my immediate family did for me this week.
48-Hour Giveaway: Sue Kemnitz Original Sketch (5 Winners)
Want to win some cute and inspirational original sketches?
Be sure to enter to win one of five original sketches from artist and blogger, Sue Kemnitz.
This week only, Sue is giving away five of her original morning sketches from her blog to five different winners.
She sent me one of her prints and I LOVE it — especially because it inspires me to be brave, even when I don’t feel like being brave.
Check out Sue’s blog here and her website here. You can also read more about her book, Drawing Inspiration A to Z.
Click on the graphic below to enter to win an Original Sketch from Sue Kemnitz. Five winners will be randomly chosen. This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 26, at 11:59 pm, CST.
When It’s Time to Break Free From Survival Mode
My friend, Amy, from Amy’s Finer Things, has a great post up on 4 Strategies to Break Free From Survival Mode. Here’s a snippet:
It’s time.
Mid-summer, when our sixth baby turned a year old, I finally admitted to myself that I had been in survival mode for nearly a year, and that it was time to break free.
There is a time for everything, and adding a sixth child to a busy family the same year that our oldest started middle school and All.The.Activities (cheerleading, music contests, volleyball, basketball, track) that go with it, well, that was a good time for survival mode. Do what has to be done. Hone in on basic needs. Get by. It’s okay!
Survival mode is a tool, not permanent state of being. Even knowing that, it’s overwhelming to conjure the effort to break free. But it’s worth it. Here are four strategies that work for me when it’s time to break free from survival mode.
Read the rest of the post here.
Boosting Your Fertility on a Budget
Guest post from Sally of Getting Pregnant Faster:
Trying to get pregnant can be not only stressful, but also expensive if you’re truly focusing on maximum health for yourself and your future pregnancy. I know that when I was trying to get pregnant I focused more on high quality foods than I did when not seeking to be as fertile as possible.
I’m going to share with you some things that I did to help improve my fertility (and overall health) while staying on a tight budget. Let’s save money and focus on boosting your fertility as much as possible, shall we?
Protein
Getting enough protein when trying to conceive is important, but how do you do it on a budget? Usually, protein means meat, right? Well, meat is important, but there are plenty of other high-quality protein sources as well that can help your wallet as well as your fertility.
Beans, cottage cheese, milk, eggs, and fish are all great sources of protein. Beans can especially help you save money, particularly if you buy dry beans in bulk. You can make it a complete protein meal by adding corn bread.
Eggs are a complete protein in themselves, but they can be pricey if you choose eggs from pastured hens. Eggs can be stretched further if you make omelets or scrambles that include lots of veggies and/or rice.
Additional ways to save on protein is to eat smaller portions and limit your meat consumption to only once or twice per week, eating cheaper proteins like beans the rest of the time.
Salmon is not only a great protein source, but it’s also loaded with fertility-boosting omega-3 fatty acids. To include salmon in your diet, you can purchase canned, which tends to be cheaper than fresh. For less than $3 a can, you can provide a protein-rich meal for 4 people by making salmon patties or blending in with a rice dish or stir fry. Canned salmon is also good added to scrambled eggs, which will stretch both foods further.
Liver is a fairly inexpensive meat and is very nourishing for fertility. Many people don’t like it, but you can incorporate it into your diet by cooking it and crumbling it into soups and mixing in into other ground meats such as beef to mask the flavor.
Eat Green
Green leafy vegetables are especially good for fertility, so eat plenty of them, but also try to eat the rainbow.
You can soak your non-organic fruits and veggies in vinegar water for 15-20 minutes in order to get rid of most of the surface pesticide residue, making them healthier to eat.
Avocados are another excellent fertility food that you can incorporate into a lot of dishes, including smoothies, sauces, and salads.
Buy in Bulk, Pick Wild, or Grown Your Own
Consider “gleaning” as a possibility to save money. There are many fruit trees in my area that go unpicked. If you pass by and notice fruit falling on the ground, chances are that the owners either don’t have time, interest, or ability to pick the fruit. Stop and ask if you can pick some and offer to pick for them as well in return. You may be surprised how much food you can acquire this way.
Red raspberry leaf and stinging nettles are two excellent herbs to increase fertility in women. In order to save money, you can either buy in bulk or grow your own. The best time to pick raspberry leaves is after the canes have finished producing fruit (note that the berries are also excellent for female fertility).
You need to take special care with nettles if picking your own, as the thorns are savage! Thick work gloves are sufficient, however, and they lose their sting once cooked or dried. I have enjoyed both herbs as infusions (which is an extra-strong tea).
If you’re struggling to get pregnant (or just desire to eat healthier), eating more fertility foods is possible even on a budget. Focus on eating the most nutrient-dense foods possible and seek to de-stress on a daily basis.
Sally is an author and fertility coach who delights in helping women improve their fertility and get pregnant more quickly. She also seeks to save money for her family while providing fresh, wholesome meals and natural remedies when needed. Connect with her at Getting Pregnant Faster where you can read her advanced-age infertility story.
How to Create a DIY Planner
5 Ways to Give on a Tight Budget
Guest post by Kelly of Kelly Cox At Home:
Giving to others is a joy. Often I hear people say that they can’t afford to give, but I think that we can all give something. In fact, you can do this without spending money!
Ever thought of that idea?
Here are a few ways to give (joyfully!) and not blow your budget in the process.
1. Your Time
We can all give of our time. I know it’s precious and we have busy schedules; however, all the more reason to give some of it up to someone else!
Can you help a friend move? (We were the thankful recipients of this gift not too long ago!) Do you have the time to pick up a shut-in and drive them to an appointment? How about visit an elderly person in a nursing home?
There are SO many ways to give of your time. I can assure you that the person you assist and bless will find it worth the weight in gold.
2. Garden Veggies
If you garden, consider sharing your veggies with neighbors, family and friends. What an amazing way to bless others!
Recently, my husband came home from work and had a bag full of vegetables that a coworker had given him. I was thrilled, and this small gesture meant so much to us.
3. Coupon Gifts
I use coupons for food, toiletries, makeup and just about anything else. One thing I learned as I began to coupon is that I get a lot of freebies. YAY! I think it’s fun to give some of these things away to our friends and family. Consider giving a “coupon present” to someone, full of products that they can use in their home. I bet it makes them smile!
Further, my husband and I have been able to give more to food pantries and other programs through our church because of coupons. We’ve had fun as we incorporate this into our giving and stewardship goals.
4. Hand-me-downs
I am a huge fan of hand-me-downs. In fact, I have a friend that has passed along so much to me over the years. She’s blessed me with jewelry, clothes and even baby items that she no longer needed. She has a giving heart, and I’ve been the happy recipient of all sorts of things that could be used in our home.
Never underestimate that you may have something that would bless someone else.
5. Meals
The gift of food is a big blessing. Consider taking a meal to a new mom or a family that lost a loved one. In fact, if you are tight on money, you could make a 9×13 pan and split it into two 8×8 pans. Your family could eat that evening and so could another.
Get creative and find ways to bless others with a meal during their time of need.
What a joy to give!
Please, never feel that a tight budget means that you can’t share, give and bless.
We are on a continuous journey to give and be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. After all, “it is more blessed to give than receive.”
Kelly is a Christ follower, blessed wife and a lover of all things home. She blogs over at Kelly Cox At Home about her journey at home and passion for debt-free living. She hopes to encourage others in that goal, while sharing tips on how to manage and enjoy all things that make up HOME!
Reader Tip: Similac Formula Guarantee
Amy emailed in the following tip:
I recently found out that Similac offers a “Tummy Care Guarantee”. If you need to switch formula types (within the Similac family) you can purchase the new formula, fill out the form on the website or on paper and they will refund the cost of your new formula up to $32 dollars!
There is a limit of 2 rebates per address, but this could definitely help if you’re struggling to find the right formula for your baby.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Stop the Madness and Start Your Day in Peace
I love this post from Kayse Pratt on how they are starting their day in peace:
So, I’ve got a kid who gets up at 6:30 on the dot every.single.morning. (And that’s only because her clock turns green at 6:30, so she’s allowed to get up. Otherwise she’d be waking me up at 5:30 every day.) Fun stuff. My energetic girl is most definitely a morning person.
I am a morning person too; I crave the quiet peace of the early morning hours. But, since Emmy is such an early riser, that means I have to be an earliER riser!
Whether you’re an early riser or not, I think the idea of waking up BEFORE your kiddos and not TO your kiddos is pretty important. At least it is in my own life. If I’m up before the kids and have a little time to myself, I’m a much happier mommy all day. If I wake up to a tiny person staring at me from 2 inches away, I am not so happy.
Keeping my mornings sacred is a HUGE part of keeping our home a calm and peaceful…
Read the rest of the post here.
How to Be a Meal Planning Mama
Guest post from Kristi of Klover House
I have talked with so many moms over the past few months, and I can’t believe how often I’ve heard them voicing frustration when it comes to meal planning.
I used to be in that camp, too! With my planners, and whiteboards, and calendars, and cookbooks, and lists everywhere… I found myself throwing away food way too often, erasing and rewriting my plan over and over again, and abandoning my plans month after month. It left me so frustrated.
We were wasting money, and I was stressing out daily.
Friends, no more.
I am no longer frustrated, stressed or wasteful. This method has saved my sanity and my budget. I am so happy to share it with all of you.
To follow my process, simply…
1. Evaluate what you already have.
I quickly take a peek at three separate areas: the pantry, the refrigerator/freezer, and my baking supply cupboard, that holds our baking powder, soda, corn starch, honey, extracts, coffees, teas, etc.
I go shopping every two weeks. I used to go once a month, but with more children came more trips to the store. I have found that going every pay day makes the best sense for our family.
I use what we still have on hand to inspire and drive the next list of meals. For example, if I have Red Hot, chicken, buns, and leftover fruit salad from the previous day, I’ll plan for buffalo chicken sandwiches and fruit salad on “grocery day”, so I’m able to plan ahead even when the inventory seems impossibly low. Sometimes, we’ll just simply use that day as our “Order Pizza” day to avoid the scramble after a long day of shopping with my four little ones.
2. Draft your two-columned list.
On the lefthand side, I have the day/date. On the righthand side, I have my list of 18-22 meals usually.
I shop every two weeks, typically, so having a few extra options on my list gives me the flexibility to change my mind or roll meals over to the next list. (I save all of my previous lists as inspiration, and I also rely on Pinterest, other bloggers’ recommendations, my favorite cookbook, and a catalog of long standing family-favorite recipes.)
My list always looks like this:
3. Prepare to grocery shop.
Using my list of possible meals as a guide, I create my grocery list based off of what I already have and what I still need.
I create my list using meals that are versatile and that can compliment one another in the event that there are leftovers. For example, if pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes is an item and fajitas is an item, I will plan to use my leftover tenderloin as my fajita meat that week.
By using leftovers effectively and creatively, my family doesn’t get bored with what I am serving them, and I am almost never wasting food. If I make spaghetti and meatballs, I’ll leave a large portion of meatballs plain to be thrown into wedding soup or stuffed peppers that week.
By planning meals in this way, you are saving time, money, and sanity. Trust me.
4. Keep it consistent and basic.
I keep my list simple. I don’t go into great detail for multiple reasons.
I’ll write chicken and mushrooms. It may end up being a pasta dish paired with roasted cherry tomatoes and a garlic lemon butter sauce, or it could become a marsala dish served over mashed potatoes.
I consistently stock up on fruits and vegetables (many frozen), and I will make a more detailed decision on the dish the day before or the morning of, depending on what I have left and its state of freshness.
I love this system, because it is so easy to take a quick glance and create a plan for each day. If I open my refrigerator and see that the strawberries won’t last much longer, I’ll choose that night for a chicken and strawberry salad with poppyseed dressing. I may even have my husband grill a double batch of chicken and plan to use it later in the week.
Work and plan smarter, not harder.
5. Keep track of meals prepared using the simple number system.
If chicken parmesan is #7, and I am making it on August 12th, I simply write #7 next to August 12th, and I cross it off the list on the righthand side. I know that I am taking a meal to a family on August 5th, and stuffed chicken breasts seems like a good choice for that, so I will make it for us as well.
By coordinating our inventory, likes, budget, and plans, I can easily make a realistic meal plan that spans each two-week timeframe.
6. Include “the usuals” and the special events.
We have a pizza night, an eat out night, and a date night scheduled on each plan. Do we get to have those consistently? Nope. But I plan for them.
I also include any other dinner plans as their own number. We recently held our daughter’s birthday party at dinnertime, so “Isla’s Party” was assigned a number.
Using my list in conjunction with my monthly planner/calendar helps me in making the best possible plan for our family. By using the two-weeks-at-a-time method, I am never overwhelmed, caught-off-guard, or scrambling. Flexibility, accuracy, and simplicity makes this technique ideal for our family.
7. Keep your lists handy.
I save all of my previous lists and keep them handy. You can do this with a binder, an envelope, or simply by tucking them in your cookbook. I also like to take a picture of my lists so that I can reference them quickly on my phone while I’m out or if I lose my paper list.
By keeping all of my previous lists, I am creating a library of meals from which to choose when it comes time to plan for the next two weeks. I never have to think too hard when it comes to meal planning, because I’ve already done the legwork ahead of time.
Again, work smarter not harder, and you’ll be a “Meal Planning Mama” in no time!
If you’d like to see more of my plans, visit us on Instagram @kristi_kloverhouse.
It is my hope that this system helps you to make the most of your budget and your groceries, while giving you the inspiration and freedom to create delicious, healthy and affordable meals for the people you love without frying your brain cells in the process!
Kristi is a former elementary teacher and ministry school graduate turned SAHM mom to four spunky blondies (and one sweet Heaven Baby). She writes about faith, family, food, and occasionally, random diy projects. She is also the owner/designer behind Eden Gray Clothing, using her four daughters and three nieces as the never-ending inspiration behind her dressmaking (and excuse for her undeniable fabric addiction). Babies, budgets, and beautiful things are her passion. Kristi blogs at Klover House.
Join the 21-Day Fitness Challenge!
Need some encouragement to make exercise more of a priority? Join the 21-Day Fitness Challenge.
What you’ll get:
- Encouragement via email every few days
- Exercise ideas (these won’t be complicated or require any equipment!)
- For those that participate between now and Sep. 8, 2015, there will be prizes! (More details on that in the Homemaking Challenges Facebook group.)
Why You Should Always Give 100%
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweet streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
It’s easy to slack off. To feel like what we’re doing doesn’t really matter. To think that if we get that job or that big opportunity, then we’ll give it our all. That this “little thing” we’re doing doesn’t really matter so we don’t need to bother to put forth effort on it.
Here’s the thing, though: it all matters.
Whether it’s cleaning toilets, wiping noses, sweeping streets, balancing ledgers, crunching numbers, serving the homeless, making a phone call, or speaking in front of a thousand people. It all matters.
And if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Whatever you’re called to do, whatever is right in front of you, do it with all you’ve got. There’s so much fulfillment that comes from giving each task our all!
Jamerrill’s First Aldi Grocery Shopping Trip
If you have a large family or if you are thinking about checking out Aldi and haven’t done so yet, you’ll for sure want to read Jamerrill’s detailed post and watch her video on her First Aldi Grocery Shopping Trip.