Saving Families Money Since 2007
Target Shopping Trip
This deal on cleaner showed up just in time because we actually ran out of both windex and bathroom cleaner last week!
Buy 4 participating items, Get $5 Target gift card:
3 Windex – $3.19 each
2 Scrubbing Bubbles – $3.19 each
Used $5/5 printableUsed $5 Target gift card from previous shopping trip
Total out of pocket: $6.82, Received $5 Target gift card (Like paying $1.82!)
Save yourself a bit of time and mess in the mornings by making your pancake batter the night before and storing it in the fridge. Let me show you how I do it.
I shared the idea of make-ahead pancake batter on Instagram and people loved it… which made me think I should share a little more in-depth post on it here on the blog.
But I have to apologize in advance because you know I am the Queen of Non-Pinterest Pictures.
In fact, I posted the above photo on Instagram earlier this week and said: “I have no idea how people get those amazing magazine-worthy food prep photos. I can ooh and ahh over them, but let’s be honest: when I cook, it looks more like the cupboards threw up.” #reallife
All that aside, the tip was this: I make up pancake batter the night before and stick it in the fridge. Then, in the morning, we can have freshly-made pancakes with almost zero work or mess.
It’s so simple, but it’s one little trick I keep up my sleeve and have used over and over again.
You can also make up a huge batch of batter and then use it multiple times throughout the week.
This is the Pancake Batter recipe I always use — from my very favorite and well-loved cookbook, the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook that my mom got me as a wedding present.
I just mix up the batter and stick it in the fridge. Then, in the morning, I will sometimes add a little extra milk, stir, and cook on a griddle.
This week, I had a little helper for the actual making of the pancakes… and he decided to add some yummy chocolate chips to the batter. He’s a child after my own heart. 😉
By the way, if you can tell by his face, Silas is very meticulous about getting the pancakes “just right”. And I’m all about working myself out of a job… even if the training process requires cleaning up lots of spilled pancake batter (see floor for evidence).
Breakfast is served… and it only took me a few minutes of prep work the night before. Well, and cleaning up pancake batter off the floor after the pancakes were made. 🙂
Mornings just got so much easier with this FREE list of 50+ Easy & Cheap Breakfast Ideas for Busy Weekday Mornings!
5 cans Del Monte Green Beans – $2.78, used $0.40/4 Del Monte Canned Vegetables, exp. 1/31/16 (SS 11/08/15 R) (doubled) – $1.98/5 after coupon
1 jar Mt. Olive Banana Peppers – $1.99, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.49 after coupon
1 2-oz jar Tabasco Sauce – $1.50, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.50/1 evic – FREE after coupons
3 boxes Betty Crocker Cake Mix – $3.00, used $0.75/3 printable (doubled), plus $0.75/3 evic – $0.75/3 after coupons
4 cans Carnation Evaporated Milk – $2.28, used 2 $0.55/2 Carnation Evaporated Milk Cans, exp. 12/31/15 (RP 11/08/15) (doubled) – $0.08/4 after coupons
2 McCormick Gravy Mixes – $1.00, used $0.50/2 RP 10/25 (doubled), plus $0.50/2 evic – $0.50MM after coupons
2 5-lb bag Flour – $1.94
2 boxes Horizon Macaroni and Cheese – $2.00, used $0.75/2 printable (doubled) – $0.50/2 after coupon
3 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix – $0.60
2 64-oz cartons Old Orchard Juice – $2.99, used 2 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $0.99/2 after coupons
1 21-lb Harris Teeter Premium Turkey (@$0.57/lb) – $12.07
3 bags Simply Hash Browns – $3.37, used 2 $0.55/1 printable (doubled), plus 1 $0.55/1 Simply Potatoes Hash Browns – 11-8-5 SS (exp 12/31/15) (doubled) – $0.07/3 after coupons
4 8-oz blocks Challenge Butter – $5.98, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled), plus 2 $0.55/1 (doubled) NLA – $0.78/4 after coupons
2 8-oz blocks Cream Cheese – $3.00, used 2 $1.00/1 printable – $1.00/2 after coupons
2 18-ct cartons Eggs – $3.94
10 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $13.54
Total: $38.23
1 3-lb bag Golden Delicious Apples – $2.37
1 2-lb bag Bartlett Pears – $1.58
1 box Corn Flakes – $1.49
1 bunch Bananas (2.28lb @ $0.38/lb) – $0.87
1 large bag Greens Trio – $1.99
1 24-oz carton Low Fat Cottage Cheese – $2.29
3 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $ 7.77
2 16-oz bags Baby Carrots – $1.98
1 4-ct pkg Zucchini – $1.99
1 head Cauliflower – $1.99
1 Gallon Milk – $2.34
Total: $26.66
Weekly Total $64.89
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Scrambled Eggs and Veggies x 2
Oatmeal with Fruit (from the freezer) x 2
Cereal x 3
Lunches
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Sliced Apples x 2
Rice Cakes with Almond Butter, Hard Boiled Eggs, Carrots x 2
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrots, Bananas x 2
Leftovers
Dinners
Mexican Lasagna (using corn tortillas), Tossed Salad
Venison Roast and Carrots in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Butterhorns
Meat Potato Quiche, Roasted Cauliflower, Easy Italian Breadsticks
Crockpot Italian Chicken, Butterhorns, Steamed Broccoli
Lasagna Casserole, Easy Italian Breadsticks, Tossed Salad
Leftovers x 2
Snacks
Sliced Apples with Almond Butter, Popcorn, Freezer-Friendly Pumpkin Bars
Next week, we’re going to start reading through Just Show Up by Kara Tippetts.
I’ve been reading this book the past few days and gleaning so much and I wanted to share my thoughts with you as I thought it might encourage you as it had encouraged me.
If you have a friend who is going through trauma or heartbreak, this book gives very practical and wise advice on how to walk through suffering and hard times while being a blessing, not an annoyance or causing more hurt.
After trying a few different things, I decided to just stick with scoping through books. That’s very doable for me and I can be a lot more consistent and reliable with that than with trying to scope and blog through books at the same time. However, I may throw a post or two up about a book that we’re going through if I have a chance to write one. We’ll see!
So, starting Monday, I’ll be scoping through Just Show Up every weekday morning next week — sharing what I’m learning, how the book is making me think, and how I want to change my life as a result.
If you’d like to join me, you can download the Periscope app and follow me (@MoneySavingMom). I’ll do a quick 3-8 minute scope every morning after my Morning Motivation show and would love for you to tune in live or watch the replay on the Periscope app.
Guest post from Crystal.
Simplifying Christmas is important to us because of our family values, but also because of our tight budget. If you’re in a position where you need to (or just want to) simplify Christmas, here are a few tips that have worked for us.
If you get nothing else from this post, know this: You can simplify your Christmas and still make it meaningful.
If you are a Christian, the reason for the season is the birth of Christ. It doesn’t have to set your budget back to celebrate Him, or even to show love and kindness to those around us.
I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, but I did grow up in poverty. Christmas to us wasn’t about gifts or fancy things. It was about family, traditions, time together, and memories — all of which are free!
Random Acts of Kindness (RAK’s) are a great way to celebrate Christmas, and they don’t need to be expensive.
There are so many things you can do for others that are free, or very inexpensive, and this is a great way to remind ourselves and our children to focus on others. Charity work can be a great way to celebrate the season together.
Wishlists these days seem to have gotten out of control. If you feel the same way, here are a few great ideas to simplify gift-giving:
You know the saying, “It’s the thought that counts”? Well, it’s true — and sometimes a handmade gift can be the best because you can give a thoughtful gift and save money at the same time.
With the plethora of handmade gift ideas available on Pinterest, you are sure to find some that fit your taste and talents.
One year, I made goodie baskets for my extended family. Each family got a basket filled with nicely packaged homemade baked goods, cookies, candies, etc. It was, in part, because we were strapped for cash. Everyone loved them and said that’s what they wanted from us every year!
One of the most important things about the holiday season is to make memories with the people you love! Baking Christmas cookies, looking at Christmas lights, watching Christmas classics as a family, reading books, making crafts, decorating ornaments… these memories will live on long after their favorite toys have “died”.
Spend time together celebrating the wonder of the season!
I just finished reading a pre-release copy of Alli Worthington’s Breaking Busy book that comes out in January 2016. I’ve loved this book! It’s chock-full of all kinds of helpful advice, tips, and inspiration on living life more slowly with purpose.
One of the quotes that jumped out at me was this:
“Our lives have gotten so cluttered with things we think we should do, that we can’t figure out what we were meant to do. Let your life be about what you were meant to do, not full of what you think you should do. This starts with your daily decisions about how you spend your time.”
Alli then goes on to encourage you to create a Stop Doing List — a list of items you intentionally decide to not do so that you can focus your time and energy on your greatest priorities.
She says the best way to identify what you need to stop doing is by asking yourself these two questions:
As someone who loves to-do lists and goals, I thought this was a really great way to create a “stop doing” list. I have found so much liberation in doing just a few things well, and I have really been working on streamlining and delegating tasks in my life to allow more free space for myself.
Three strategies that have been helping me to carve out more free space in my day and live are:
This has made a massive difference in my life. I thought I had to be on top of email, but I realized that this was my own personal obligation, and that I can choose when I check my email.
It has been liberating to have an email-free morning without distractions.
This is something I’ve really, really been working on. I’ve always been a “yes” girl. I want to help everyone in every way with everything. And that’s a surefire recipe for exhaustion!
Lately, I’ve made it a goal to really think about whether or not I truly have the time to commit to something. Instead of just instantly trying to figure out a way to make something happen, I instead think about the sacrifices it will require, the other responsibilities that may fall by the wayside as a result, and whether there is room on my calendar.
As an Introvert, I’ve realized I have a lot less capacity than an Extrovert might have. I can’t just go-go-go-go. Or flit from activity to activity to activity without time to breathe and rest and refuel in between. I’m trying to do a better job of reminding myself of this, as well.
This past Saturday, I asked my friend if we could push our regular coffee date back two hours and meet at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. since I knew I’d be exhausted from my book launch and traveling. Giving myself grace to sleep in and have a leisurely Saturday morning before our coffee date made the day go so much better… and I wouldn’t have thought to ask about this had I not taken a few minutes to think before saying “yes” when she texted to ask if we could meet on Saturday.
My husband knows me better than anyone else in the world, and I’ve found that he has such great wisdom when it comes to helping me determine what to say yes to and what to say no to. Sometimes, I’ll totally convince myself that I have the time and energy to do something, but then when I ask him, he’ll help me think more realistically about the situation.
For instance, I was asked to go out to dinner with some dear friends who were in town on Sunday night. I wanted to say yes, but we already had our community group that night and the dinner was going to be quite a ways away from our house.
As much as I would have loved to say yes to a fun dinner out with friends, my husband helped me realize I needed a quiet evening at home after a big week. As I considered things more, I knew he was right. And a quiet Sunday evening ended up being exactly what I needed!
What’s on YOUR Stop Doing List? Or what do you need to put on your Stop Doing List?
Whew! It feels so good — and so weird! — to have my book launch behind me!
After months and months of working on and prepping for it, now that it’s over with, life feels so quiet and my to-do list seems so simple. And it’s good. So good.
While I try to enjoy the power-through sprints when there are big projects and launches happening, I 100% savor the seasons of rest. And I’m so grateful to be heading into one of those seasons after a few very, very full months!
Here are my 10 simple goals for this week:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1. Write a love note to Jesse.
2. Have an at-home Movie Date with Jesse.
3. Spend quality one-on-one time with each of the kids.
Personal Goals
4. Keep working on the boot cuffs I’m knitting.
5. Finish reading Just Show Up.
6. Make sleep a priority.
7. Start new weight-lifting program.
Business Goals
8. Don’t check email until after 12:30 p.m. every day.
9. Get at least 3 content pieces ready for next week (I’m trying to do a better job of working ahead instead of blogging by the seat of my pants!)
10. Do a Money-Making Mom scope each afternoon at 3 p.m. (Are you joining us for this? If not, you can download the Periscope app and search for my name or @MoneySavingMom to join in live. Or, you can watch the replays on Katch.me/MoneySavingMom)
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
It was so fun to have the chance to be on the The 700 Club on Friday morning talking about my new book, financial lessons my parents taught me, our early beans-and-rice-budget years, advice for moms who want to start a business… and more!
It was the first time I’ve done a TV interview where I’ve actually felt fairly relaxed before and during the whole thing — which is HUGE for this once shy, introverted girl who thought I’d rather poke my eyeballs out with hot steel rods than go on live TV!
It’s exciting to remember my first interview with the 700 Club from 2012 compared to this interview and to realize how much all this punching-fear-in-the-face stuff is growing me as a person!
I really want to inspire moms to step outside their comfort zone and to not live life held back by fear… and that means that I have to practice what I preach and keep putting myself out there, keep stepping outside my comfort zone, and keep doing things that scare me!
If you missed it, you can go here to watch my interview on The 700 Club.
And be sure to go here to download chapter one of my book, Money-Making Mom, if you haven’t done so already!
Guest post from Reelika Financially Wise On Heels
This time of year, we’re often hit up by сhаritаblе оrgаnizаtiоnѕ аѕking uѕ tо “give, and give gеnеrоuѕlу”. If you’re like me, you usually assume they’re referring to monetary donations.
While I’m certain anу nоnрrоfit can mаkе use of саѕh dоnаtiоnѕ, money iѕn’t thе оnlу thing thаt уоu саn givе. In fасt, it mау not even bе thе mоѕt uѕеful.
If you’re currently tight on cash, consider thеѕе non-monetary ways to give inѕtеаd:
Hоwеvеr riсh оr рооr уоu аrе, you’ve gоt 24 hоurѕ in every dау аnd 7 dауѕ in еvеrу wееk. Cаn уоu givе аn hоur оr twо оf timе tо ѕоmеоnе whо rеаllу nееdѕ it?
Thаt might mеаn:
We all have uѕеful ѕkillѕ, whether we rеаlizе it or not.
Inѕtеаd of giving mоnеу, lооk fоr wауѕ tо givе рrасtiсаl help. In ѕоmе саѕеѕ, уоur ѕkillѕ соuld ѕаvе ѕоmеоnе a lоt оf mоnеу mаking miѕtаkеѕ оr hiring ѕоmеоnе else tо dо thingѕ fоr thеm.
Pеrhарѕ уоu соuld:
Think оf a timе in уоur lifе when ѕоmеоnе’ѕ еnсоurаgеmеnt mаdе аll the diffеrеnсе. Pеrhарѕ уоu weren’t ѕurе whеthеr оr nоt tо аррlу for соllеgе, but a tеасhеr оr relative ѕuрроrtеd уоu. Mауbе уоu were fееling frаzzlеd as a nеw раrеnt, but friеndѕ rаlliеd arоund you to help.
Yоu dоn’t nееd аnу ѕресiаl ѕkillѕ tо еnсоurаgе ѕоmеоnе, or еvеn muсh time. A fеw kind words оr a ѕimрlе nоtе соuld mаkе a hugе diffеrеnсе.
Dо уоu own аnу tооlѕ оr еԛuiрmеnt thаt you соuld givе (оr lеnd) tо someone whо needs thеm? Fоr inѕtаnсе, inѕtеаd оf kеерing оld computers оr mоnitоrѕ сluttеring up уоur hоmе, trу lооking for a local сhаritу оr a nеighbоr whо’d bе glаd to have thеm.
Mоѕt аrеаѕ hаvе a lосаl Frеесусlе grоuр whеrе уоu саn liѕt аnу unwаntеd роѕѕеѕѕiоnѕ. Whеn уоu dо thаt, уоu nоt оnlу gеt tо clear some сluttеr, уоu аlѕо help someone else in the process.
Pеrhарѕ уоu knоw a lоt аbоut a раrtiсulаr tорiс. Yоu might hаvе ѕhеlvеѕ full оf bооkѕ tо lеnd оut, оr a bunсh оf grеаt blоg роѕtѕ bооkmаrkеd оn уоur соmрutеr. Friеndѕ аnd rеlаtivеѕ mау bе рurѕuing big gоаlѕ – but thеу might nоt knоw whеrе tо turn fоr аdviсе аnd infоrmаtiоn.
Lооk оut fоr орроrtunitiеѕ tо ѕhаrе uѕеful infоrmаtiоn: that might bе in уоur community, in уоur wоrkрlасе, оr еvеn within your fаmilу.
How many people do you know who juѕt nееd ѕоmеоnе willing tо liѕtеn tо thе fruѕtrаtiоnѕ and diffiсultiеѕ thеу еnсоuntеr in their home, their job, with a difficult child, etc. A littlе ѕуmраthу gоеѕ a lоng way.
We can all afford to give a listening ear (and REALLY liѕtеn whеn thеу talk). Whеn thеу’rе dоnе, tеll them уоu undеrѕtаnd and уоu аdmirе аnd аррrесiаtе thеir еffоrtѕ.
These are just a few of the MANY non-monetary ways to give…
Reelika Tiik is an entrepreneur and the founder of Financially Wise On Heels. She is a happy wife and mom, Christian, financial management lover, and passionate about coaching. She provides inspiration, tools and resources to Moms to better plan, budget and manage their finances without sacrificing the needs and dreams of their families.
These three got themselves up, dressed, washed their hair, fixed it, fed themselves, and got themselves out the door for early service with Jesse at church last week — all on their own! Which meant I ended up having a completely quiet morning all to myself to read and pray and then met them at church for the second service!
Moms of littles: hang in there. I know that it feels like the day will never come when you won’t be overwhelmed with changing and bathing and dressing and feeding little people, but the day will come soon when that will all be a memory of the past. And you’ll look at your kids and wonder how on earth they grew up and became so self-sufficient!
So, I kind of had a big week last week… not only did I launch my new book, Money-Making Mom, but I also got some very fun and unexpected news related to the book:
Speaking of books, I finished two different books this past week that I just loved and that really challenged and inspired me — Rising Strong by Brene Brown and Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington. I’ll be scoping more about both of these this coming week.
You can see snippets of what I gleaned from quotes I posted on my Instagram feed recently.
Oh my goodness! I am just loving all of the pictures you all are posting on social media with my book. Honestly, it’s a humbling and surreal thing for others to be holding and reading a book that you wrote.
And I just cannot believe that there are already 173 reviews on Amazon!! The way you all have been cheerleading and championing me in this book launch just floors and touches me so much. Thank you for proving, once again, that I have the best readers on the planet. You mean the world to me!
I posted this on Instagram earlier this week:
How I shop…
Step 1: Make a list of what I need to buy.
Step 2: Text said list to @jessepaine with photos of ideas of what I’m sort of thinking.
Step 3: Sit at home in my comfy pants and comfy chair and get blogging work done while @jessepaine texts me pictures of Silas holding up various items that fit my list criteria.
Step 4: Have a phone call with @jessepaine to decide on the final picks.
Step 5: Try on clothes at home. Be very, very grateful that my husband loves shopping. Celebrate the fact that I stayed out of stores yet another day.
The End.
Walmart
2 lbs Asparagus – $1.69 each (Price matched to Aldi)
2 Avocados – $0.49 each (Price matched to Aldi)
Total: $4.36
Homeland
3 Best Choice Cheese – $1.25 each
1 dozen Eggs – $2.79, used Free mobile coupon – Free after coupon
2 Chocolate Cheerios – $2 each, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – $1 each after coupon
1 Mission Corn Tortillas – $2.19, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.69 after coupon
1 Puff Facial Tissue – $2.35, used Free mobile coupon – Free after coupon
Total after coupons: $6.44
Dillons
2 Lettuce – $0.99 each
0.58 lbs Broccoli – $1.15
1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.79, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 Ham Steak – $2.50
2 Horizon Mac & Cheese – $1 each, used $0.75/2 printable – $0.63 each after coupon
1 Kroger Lasagna Noodles – $1.79
1 Green Bell Pepper – $0.99
1.88 lbs Bananas – $1.11, used $0.25/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.86 after rebate
1 loaf Nature’s Harvest Bread – $1.99, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon
1 gallon Dillons Milk – $1.99, used $0.20/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.79 after rebate
1 Hershey’s Snacksters – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Danimal Smoothies – $2
1 Ragu Pasta Sauce – Marked down to $0.99, used $0.75/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.24 after rebate
Items a part of the Mega Sale (Buy 10 items, Get $5 off instantly):
1 Juicy Juice – $1.79, used $1/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.79 after rebate
2 Land O Lakes Butter – $1.99 each
1 Duncan Hines Cake Mix – $0.99 (I had a free e-coupon for this but it didn’t come off my card.) 🙁
4 Cottage Cheese – $0.79 each
1 Sour Cream – $0.79
1 Colgate Kids Toothpaste – $0.99, used $0.50/1 printable – $0.49 after coupon
Total after coupons and rebates: $24.68
Total for all stores: $35.48
Scrambled Eggs & Toast x 3
Cereal x 2
Oatmeal, Fruit x 2
Macaroni & Cheese, Veggies
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Tossed Salad
Tossed Salad x 2
Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit
Leftovers x 2
Lasagna, Butterhorn Rolls, Sautéed Asparagus
Hawaiian Haystacks
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Tossed Salad
Mexican Lasagna, Steamed Asparagus
Ham and Hashbrown Casserole, Steamed Broccoli
French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Applesauce (from the freezer)
Salad Bar with Grilled Chicken
Testimonial from Keelie of Love Hope Adventure:
Just 7 short years ago, I was a desperate mess.
At the time, I was the momma of two young boys, frantically searching for ways to save money. My husband and I were drowning in bills and not enough income to pay for everything.
Our goal was and always has been, to stay out of debt as much as possible, but at the time, it felt like we were in a losing game.
We moved to a new town in order for my husband to take on a job at a church. Unfortunately, we were stuck with a mortgage payment and no prospects of selling our home in the town we left.
Austin, my husband, was still in seminary. It was our goal to pay for all of his education with scholarships and cash; however, we had a lot of associated costs with him commuting to the school that we could not reduce.
I had tried several different ways to earn money from home in the years prior, but nothing I put time into produced any funds; and with two young children, the cost of childcare would take everything I could earn at a job outside of the home.
Since I was a frugal person by nature, I couldn’t find any real money saving tips. Every article said to stop eating out as much and cook from scratch. Those were no-brainers to me and not the least be helpful.
A friend sent me a message suggesting I check out Crystal’s blog. After browsing the site for a few minutes, I knew I had found a resource that would help us make it.
Crystal didn’t post the usual things I read about saving money. She outlined exactly how to coupon. Her information was astounding to me.
Without her practical helps, I wouldn’t have been able to feed my family during those years. We relied heavily on my ability to snag free and almost free items.
The couponing community she established changed the way we look at life. In addition, Crystal’s ideas on life shaped our attitude towards benevolence and we have incorporated those ideas into our jobs today.
A few years later, we were on the move again. This time, we were in a better financial place as we did not have an extra mortgage payment and Austin was out of seminary.
However, we moved to an area with a huge couponing community. Rarely have I been able to make deal scenarios work because stores are always out of the products I needed and wanted to buy. We had little choice but to increase our expenditures.
It was a year into the job at the new church that I realized our days were numbered. Austin was feeling a pull to step out of pastoral ministry and I knew a major income loss was on the horizon.
Around that time, Crystal started challenging her readers to find ways to earn an income from home. She had always had a push for that, but I think she was turning the focus even more.
Can I be honest? I was really angry with her for “pushing”. I knew she was right, but I didn’t want to keep trying make money from home. I had failed in this area so many times.
Even after I started following the Money Saving Mom blog, I would sign up for everything they suggested to earn a few extra dollars. None of those outlets brought me success. I thought earning just wasn’t something I was meant to do.
Crystal posted a series on ways to earn extra cash before Christmas. One of the days was about selling your services on a platform called Fiverr.
Reluctantly, I signed up for an account over there and created a writing gig. I didn’t expect anything to come of it since I had tried so many other ideas. However, after I created a gig, I started taking orders almost immediately!
Over the last 2 years, I have built a successful freelance writing business. I didn’t set out to do this through Fiverr, but it fell on me!
About a year ago, I finally had the courage to start my own blog. This is a venture that my husband had been after me to do for many years as I have always wanted to be a writer.
Working on other entrepreneur’s websites gave me the confidence and skills I needed to start my own blog.
My biggest passion is to help married couples grow in intimacy with one another — healthy couples make for healthy homes. I launched Love Hope Adventure a little over a year ago and I’ve been nurturing it in my spare time.
I’m at another pivotal point in my life, and Crystal’s influence has come into play once again. With her latest book, Money Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference, I know I will get the valuable helps I need to take my blog to the next level.
In the online world, it can be hard to know who to trust and who is fake. Crystal is a person that I have always identified with and trusted.
She is the same age that I am and has three kids that are all about the same age as my boys. Not only that, she is a homeschool mom that committed to putting her husband through his degree without taking on debt. I’ve watched her live out her convictions, which happen to be in line with my own.
Crystal is very transparent with her struggles and gives hope to others at every turn. She is a real person that has found ways to stay true to herself and keep her passions at the forefront of life.
Thank you Crystal for building this amazing community and bringing us all together to encourage each other!
Keelie is married to her highschool sweetheart and is the mom of three awesome boys. She is a creator and loves sharing with the world around her. One of her biggest passions is to help married couples fall deeper in love with one another. You can read her marriage tips at Love Hope Adventure.
My good friend, Amy, wrote a letter to the mama who is freaking out that she isn’t doing enough. It is SO good — especially in light of what we’ve been talking about around here recently.
While I think earning an income from home can be a wonderful thing, I don’t ever want it to be done at the expense of the more important — the people who live in your home, your health, your marriage.
Here’s a snippet of her amazing post:
Dear Mama,
You are doing enough.
YOU ARE enough.
Making money from home amid the already full everyday is an amazing opportunity. I know, because I’m doing it and I have been on various monetary levels with a few different streams of income since I left my teaching job 11 years and 4 children ago. It is a gift to be able to work from home, full or part-time, contributing to the family income.
The trick is to make sure that gift doesn’t turn into a burden. A longing for more. A taunting, insisting that you could do more and be more without the weight of what’s right in front of you. If only…
For example, while I love social media for connecting and networking with others, I am not a rule follower. I don’t want to be chained to a regular schedule, even if it’s what the experts say is best for growing my business.
I don’t want a blog that is a burden to me and my family. I want it to be a blessing, and so there are some choices I make for myself in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance and manage my time well.
Looking for more tips & advice? Sign up for my FREE 5-day How I Make a Full-Time Income From Home course!
Cauliflower – $1.99
2 Butternut Squash – $2.58
1 4-ct pkg Zucchini – $1.99
3 Avocados – $2.07
1 Spaghetti Squash – $1.99
1 box Cinnamon Crunch Squares – $1.69
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49
1 32-oz container Half and Half – $1.79
2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $2.59
3 pkgs Rice Cakes – $3.87
1 Artisan Baby Lettuce – $1.99
1 3-ct pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99
Total: $26.03
1 3-lb bag Clementines – $3.49 (not an amazing price, but my children love and beg for these!)
2 Dawn Dish Detergent – $2.00, used 2 $0.25/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00/2
2 McCormick Gravy Mix – $1.00, used $0.50/2 RP 10/25 (doubled) – FREE
4 pkgs Sargento Shredded Cheese – $7.98, used 2 $0.65/2 printable (doubled) – $5.38/4
2 8-oz pkgs Challenge Cream Cheese – $3.00, used 2 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00/2
1 large pkg Mission Corn Tortillas – $2.49, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.99
Total: $11.88
4 large Pumpkins – $3.96 (I’ve been working on cooking and freezing these)
1 bunch Bananas (3.56lbs @ $0.34/lb) – $1.21
1 3-lb bag Gala Apples – $2.49
Total: $7.66
(A friend called to tell me she found large jars of Almond Butter for $3.91 each, which is a fantastic price! I’m guessing Sam’s Club is discontinuing them. The expiration date wasn’t until July, so I was thrilled to be able to stock-up! While my weekly grocery budget is around $65 a week, that does not factor in occasional bulk purchases such as this.)
10 24-oz jars Almond Butter – $39.10
Total: $39.10
(We LOVE Zaycon! The only thing I have ever ordered from them is chicken, but we have been thoroughly impressed with the freshness, quality and pricing, as well as excellent customer service. I highly recommend checking to see if they offer a drop-off in your area.)
40lbs of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (@$1.89/lb) – $75.60, used $72.00 referral credits (from many of you – THANK YOU!) – $3.60
Total: $3.60
Weekly Total, including Bulk Purchases: $88.27
Cereal x 2
Oatmeal with Fruit (from the freezer) x 3
Veggie Omelettes x 2
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Apples x 2
Build-Your-Own-Tossed Salad, Oranges x 2
Almond Butter on Rice Cakes, Bananas x 2
Leftovers
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Mashed Cauliflower, Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
Wipe Your Mouth B-B-Q (Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook), Homemade French Fries in the Oven, Broccoli
Chicken Gravy Over Brown Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Tossed Salad
Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup, Easy Whole Wheat Muffins
Leftovers x 2
