Lynn from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures has a great post up on How to Create a DIY Planner.
Summer Bucket List
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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.
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.
Whole 30 Weekly Meal Plan
Need some ideas for menu-planning while doing the Whole 30? Check out Jessica’s Whole 30 Weekly Plan.
Shared Aug 17, 2015
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5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ my brand-new live show on Periscope!)
5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ my brand-new live show on Periscope!)
I had this post halfway written on Saturday night and then, when we came back to the hotel from my speaking engagement in San Diego, I was so plain tired that I went to bed before I got it finished and posted. 🙂
But here are 5 things I loved last week:
1. Socks for Just $0.33 at Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree had 3-packs of socks for just $1 per pack! All of my kids needed socks, so it was a sock deal SCORE! They weren’t the highest quality socks ever, but at $0.33 per pair, I can’t complain — especially since they usually mostly wear socks for play and sports anyway.
2. West Wing
I rarely watch TV (unless it’s politics or the Olympics or sports with my guys), but I do love me a good movie or show. So, my husband and I had been trying to find a show that we both could get into and enjoy… but that’s hard because we’re so picky.
We like depth and character development. We don’t like fluffy fluff. We’re not into cheesy drama stuff. And we’re super picky about what we watch.
So yeah, finding a good show is pretty near impossible. But Jesse suggested maybe we try West Wing since we’re both political junkies.
The first season was slow, but we loved the character development. We’re now in season two and loving it more and more all the time.
It’s a fun way for us to hang out together and have an at-home “Movie Date” after our kids go to bed.
3. Periscope
Okay, so the truth is that I poo-poo’d Periscope for a few months. It just seemed kind of pointless to me as all I saw were people posting videos of their backyard or “here’s a video of the rain outside” or “see this video of the beach at the resort I’m at”.
I just wasn’t seeing the value in this new social media platform and never thought I’d do anything with it. However, I’ve been listening to Chalene Johnson’s podcasts recently and she kept recommending it over and over again.
She convinced me to give it another look, and I’m so glad that I did. I discovered some bloggers and business professionals who were sharing some pretty cool and inspiring scopes.
The wheels started turning in my head. I kept watching scopes, kept investigating what was working for people, and started to consider if I should jump into the fray.
It took me two weeks of research, watching many scopes, talking to numerous people, and brainstorming with my husband and team, but I jumped in with both feet this morning and recorded my first ever Periscope this morning… and people actually showed up and participated!! I am quickly falling in love with Periscope and am enjoying tuning into a few quick broadcasts each day, too.
Psst! My New Morning Motivation Periscope Show!
I’m planning to do a short Morning Motivation video every weekday morning around 6:30 to 7 a.m. CT. on Periscope. You can tune in live and ask questions/participate with other readers in the comments. Or, you can watch the replay any time over the next 24 hours.
{If you’re not on Periscope yet, you can search for the app, download it, and then search for me (@MoneySavingMom) and follow me. You can choose to be notified every time I go live so that you can jump on and join in.}
Also you don’t need to do anything on Periscope or keep up another social media network. Just tune in or watch the replays. That’s one reason I love Periscope — because it’s simple and straightforward for people and doesn’t require any participation, unless you choose to participate. Best of all, there’s almost nothing to learn in order to be able to tune in — unlike social media networks like Facebook or Twitter!
4. This Article on How to Help When Someone Is In Need
This was an amazing article. Such a great reminder!
LOVE DOES things. Love doesn’t just think about doing things. Love actually does things.
5. Aldi Flowers
I’m such a fan of Aldi flowers. When we needed to buy some flowers for the filming at our house last week, Jesse picked up four bouquets for just $4 each! So we got all of these flowers pictured for $16 total!
What are YOU loving right now?
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Shared Aug 17, 2015
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10 Goals For This Week (yes, I’m *finally* back to goal-setting again!)
10 Goals For This Week (yes, I’m *finally* back to goal-setting again!)
All mic’d up and ready to take the stage Saturday night at the San Diego event. While waiting, Kaitlynn tried to get a selfie with me. And well, it soon turned into a Silly Selfie Fest. I have no idea where my kids get their spunk and personality from. 😉
So, um, yeah. I kinda fell off the goal-setting wagon.
It was a little bit intentional (I was on a blogging break, after all) and it was a little unintentional (summer was just full to the brim with lots of travel and projects and fun!).
But, never fear, I’m back in the saddle again and ready to get this show on the road!
So without further ado, here are my 10 goals for this week:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1. Start our fall homeschool schedule.
2. Finish reading one read aloud book with the kids.
3. Write a love note to Jesse.
4. Write thank you letters with the kids.
Personal Goals
5. Exercise at least 5 times.
6. Finish at least two books.
Ministry/Hospitality/Friendship Goals
7. Host friends from out of town for a little Blogging Retreat this weekend (yay!!)
8. Write notes to the Compassion children we sponsor.
Business Goals
9. Write an article for an upcoming piece in a magazine.
10. Get everything ready for our big Make Over Your Mornings sale next week (stay tuned for details!)
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.
5 Things We’re Not Buying (While We Get Out of Debt)
The following is a guest post by Renee of Tune My Heart Blog
Sometimes I’ll jokingly say to my husband, “when we’re out of debt, I would like to buy __________.”
Then we both say, “womp womp,” because it’s not really a joke. There are a lot of fun, extra, optional things we aren’t buying right now while we pay down student loans.
1. Books, Music, Movies & TV
The hubs and I like all of these things. If we weren’t giving gobs of our money to Auntie Sallie Mae, we’d load up our kindle accounts, buy new music, go to movie theaters, and watch cable.
Right now, however, we use the library or borrow books from family and friends. We listen to music we already own, YouTube channel playlists, google play radio with ads, or free podcasts.
2. Eating Out
We almost never eat out. There is no I’m-too-tired-to-cook-let’s-get-pizza card anymore.
For lazy nights, it’s PB and J, pancakes, rice and beans, or something that requires a similar level of energy. And yes, I said rice and beans. All 3 of my family members love rice and beans. I barely tolerate them.
3. Clothes
My husband and I each have a small amount of “pocket money,” or “blow money” every month. The only new clothes we buy right now come out of this category. Whether it’s a clothing necessity [underwear], or fun purchase [vacation outfit], it always comes out of our individual pocket money.
As someone who used to shop whenever I wanted, this is a big change. The silver lining is that it now feels like a treat (rather than an entitlement) if I do spend my monthly pocket money on a fun clothing item.
4. Random Kid Stuff
Toys, games, puzzles, clothes, whatever. We don’t buy it. Any fun treats for the kids come out of individual pocket money or Swagbucks.
We also have a very small monthly kid budget ($10) that somehow has lasted us through all the kid necessities.
Our kids have very generous friends and relatives who keep them in style and get them fun toys. Plus we love sharing hand-me-downs and toy-swapping with friends.
If the kids do need something boring like new socks, shoes, or undies, the $10 budgeted amount rolls over each month and ends up covering it.
5. Home Improvements
We rent right now, so we are not responsible for the major necessary home fixes (water heaters, air conditioners, plumbing, etc.)
It was really hard for me mathematically to justify “wasting” the money to rent when we could pay the same amount monthly toward ownership. But the thing is, it’s not the same.
Any homeowner will tell you there are always extra expenses to owning a home. The cost of renting is 100% fixed. Not to mention, we didn’t have the 20% down payment so we would have added PMI.
I’m not saying you need to sell your house in order to get out out of debt. Often that’s not a good idea. But trying to buy a home for the first time with a pile of debt can be stressful. Renting has kept our costs and stress minimal. Plus, I put no pressure on myself to decorate or have a nice home.
I love home decorating, but since our current home is relatively short-term, it’s easier for me to not decorate or paint or fix things up. The goal is to get financially free and get out of here, not make it so beautiful that we don’t want to leave. 🙂
These are just 5 of our “off-limits” purchases. I’d love to know what you do to find extra money in your budget!
Renee is a former music teacher turned stay-at-home mom blogger. She loves Jesus, people & coffee. She writes on Tune My Heart Blog about babies, budgeting, grace and everything in between.
Why Grocery Shopping More Often is Saving Me Money
Saving You Dinero has an interesting post up about how she’s saving money by going to the grocery store multiple times per week and only buying exactly what she needs for the next few days.
While this may not work for your family (I like to simplify things by fewer trips to the store!), I love her outside-the-usual-frugal-advice-box ideas!
30-Day Real Food Back-to-School Menu Plan
Laura from Heavenly Homemakers has put together a fantastic 30-Day Real Food Back to School Menu Plan.
How I Made Over My Kids’ Mornings
Guest post from Kelly of MrsDisciple.com
At the onset of Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Morning course, she said her love for morning routines began when she was a child. She has a “lifetime of early mornings,” adding up to an effective, purposeful life.
Once I completed the course, I went back to that statement: a lifetime of early mornings.
I have three kids who are just at the beginning of the rest of their life. I decided to gift them with a lifetime of early mornings by walking them through Make Over Your Morning.
My daughters are 11 and 8, old enough to understand the concepts and young enough to set up a pattern for life.
With the start of school right around the corner, I spent the last few weeks of summer making over my kids’ morning.
Bedtime Routine
We started with the bedtime routine (Day 2). I had them come up with a few adjectives to describe a typical school morning. They used calm (what?! Whose house are they in?), chaotic, and sleepy. They listed 3-4 things they could do at night to address the chaos and the sleepy they deal with most mornings.
I took the opportunity to talk to them about the amount of sleep their growing bodies need each night. According to Dr. Archibald Hart, my girls need 10-11 hours a night. We counted back from their usual wake-up time to determine their ideal bedtime.
Some tasks on their bedtime routine:
- shower and prepare for bed
- pick out clothes
- pack lunches and snacks
- make sure backpacks are packed with everything they need for the next day
Big Rocks
The most impactful part of Crystal’s teaching was the big rocks (Day 3). Most of us have seen the illustration of putting the big rocks in the jar first so you can fit in smaller stones, sand, and water. The girls grasped the concept and ran with it. They listed out their “big rocks” and rushed ahead to map out their morning routine.
My oldest daughter binge watched the rest of the series by herself after we finished the Day 3 activities!
Big Rocks and Morning Routine
- get dressed and ready for the day
- Bible time
- feed pets
- eat breakfast
- do chores
Goal Setting for Kids
I am a big goal setter myself. I talk about my own goals with my family. Days 5 and 6 gave the girls an opportunity to set a few goals for the school year.
Claire wants to turn in all of her homework on time and read 100 books. Sarah Kate wants to complete school assignments on time and learn her multiplication facts by Christmas.
I helped them break these goals down into small action steps like putting homework in the appropriate folder each afternoon and reviewing flashcards 3 times a week. They recorded their goals in a special notebook. Writing down goals is key to reaching them.
It is also important to review their goals regularly to monitor progress and make any necessary adjustments.
The Best Part
When we finished, I asked the girls to tell me their favorite part of Make Over Your Mornings.
Claire, age 11, loved setting goals. She is a dreamer, driven to achieve everything she sets her mind to do. She is a little resistant to the idea of routine as any free-spirit would be. She did enjoy finding an app to help track her bedtime and morning routines.
Sarah Kate enjoyed writing out her schedule. She is a list-maker like me. She spent a long time perfecting her list, getting it in order, and printing it on pretty paper. She found a small notebook for her daily to-do list. Even during the lazy days of summer, she already follows her bedtime and morning routine.
As the mama, my favorite part is the possibility I see in them. Claire is so goal-driven; I have no doubt she will embrace a routine in order to reach her goals. And seeing my sweet Sarah rising early to read her Bible warms my heart.
I look forward to the next few weeks as I see them start their lifetime of early mornings!
Kelly Smith, blogger at MrsDisciple.com, is a small town girl who married a small town man 17 years ago. She has three energetic blessings, ages 1 to 11. Her favorite indulgences are coffee, reading, writing, and running. Kelly believes we are created for community and loves to connect with others.