Saving Families Money Since 2007
Abby emailed in the following tip:
I am writing about a mobile website called AdsMoi that allows users to watch advertisements and get paid. It isn’t much (like a $1 day) but it adds up.
I have used it for almost a month and was able to cash out to an Amazon gift card for about $25. Anyone can sign up for free. My 16-year-old son also uses it. -Abby
Have any of you used AdsMoi before? If so, I’d love to hear your experiences with it.
To earn more Amazon gift cards, check out Swagbucks.
As I’ve been scrolling through all the Valentine’s Day posts online the past few days — the posts on marriage, the pictures of the flowers he bought for her, the details of the surprise date they went on — I can’t help but think about all of the people out there that are hurting this Valentine’s Day…
The mom of two whose husband recently walked out on her.
The gal whose heart was broken in pieces when she discovered the love of her life was cheating on her.
The husband whose wife suffered a traumatic brain injury a few years ago and has never recovered.
The wife of twenty years whose marriage is crumbling.
The single girl in her thirties who desperately longs to be married.
The woman who is in an abusive relationship and scared for her life.
The elderly man who lost his wife to cancer ten years ago and misses her more than words can express.
For many, Valentine’s Day is not a day of romantic gestures and beautiful flowers and heartfelt love notes. It’s a day of pain. A day of mourning what was lost — or what one never had in the first place. A day of sadness and loneliness. A day that dredges up old wounds and past hurts.
I don’t know all your stories or struggles or past. But I just felt today like I was supposed to write something for those of you who are hurting this Valentine’s Day. Who are feeling sad, neglected, heartbroken, and/or rejected.
Here’s what I want to tell you:
Despite how someone else has made you feel, despite what the voices in your head are telling you, you are not a failure.
You may have failed in some areas, but falling down and making mistakes does not make you a failure. It just means that you are human.
You have worth. You have immense value. Do not believe the lies that others or your own head tells you that says you are worthless or are good for nothing.
Note: If you feel this way, I strongly encourage you to read Brene Brown’s book, Daring Greatly.
You have a story. You have unique life experience. You have gifts and talents.
You are the only YOU.
Own the gifts you have been given. They might seem small and insignificant. It might feel like you don’t have much to offer. But offer whatever it is you have to give.
Look for ways to make a difference and bless others. Often, it’s the seemingly small and insignificant things that make the greatest impact.
The world needs your gifts, your talent, your passions, your abilities. Be you, bravely.
Rachel from OrdinaryHomemaker emailed in the following tip:
I love sending greeting cards to people. It’s such a great way to encourage and stay in touch with family and friends. Unfortunately, it can also be very expensive and many simple birthday cards are around $5 each!
Also, it can be hard to keep track of all the birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions. I recently got married, so adding in my husband’s side of the family made things even more expensive and complex!
I want to share with you a simple two-step system that will save you money, keep you organized, and help you never forget to send another card.
STEP 1: Purchase all the cards you plan to send in a year at one time.
Buying all your cards at once saves you a lot of time and money in the long run. I usually purchase my cards in the 2/$1.00 section at Dollar Tree, so I end up paying just $0.50 per card!
Bring a list to the store of all the friends and family members you plan to send cards to throughout the year so you don’t forget anyone. I often buy a few extra “generic” cards so I have some spares on hand in case there’s anyone I forgot.
You could save even more money buying pre-packaged boxed cards, although they are often not as specific to the occasion.
STEP 2: Organize your cards by month in a hanging file system.
I have 12 hanging files in my file box – one for each month of the year. I use my monthly files to store anything specific to that month (for example, if we have tickets to a concert in March, the tickets would go in the “March” folder). You could also use an accordion file, or a binder with divider pockets for this purpose.
After my trip to stock up on all my cards, I put a sticky-note on each card with the name and date of the birthday (for example “Dad – July 21”), and drop it into the correct monthly folder.
At the beginning of each month, I pull out the stack of cards for that month and get them ready to go.
Using this method is so simple and easy. It cuts out all those last-minute trips to the store when I suddenly realize Grandma’s birthday is in two days!
You can easily purchase and file all your greeting cards for the year in just a few hours, and it makes the rest of the year so convenient.
Rachel is a stay-at-home wife who enjoys reading, playing the piano, and spending time with her husband. She blogs about finances, devotional ideas, organizing, recipes, and more at OrdinaryHomemaker.
Guest post by Abby Winstead Wandering
Valentine’s Day is a polarizing holiday. On one side, you have Team “every day should be a celebration of love.” Those people argue that February 14, is a “Hallmark holiday”, a day manufactured by greeting card companies and chocolate makers to boost sales. They say that, if you really love someone, you’ll spend all 365 days each year showing it.
On the other side, you have Team “Valentine’s Day is a day for you to lavish me with all the presents I didn’t get at Christmas”. That team asserts that… well, I’m not sure what their reasoning is.
I fall somewhere in the middle. In no way do I think V-Day should consist only of the obligatory exchange of gifts. I also don’t think it’s necessary to skip the day altogether. I think that, like Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day should serve as a reminder to treasure the things and people we should be grateful for every day.
For those of us who want to find a way to our love to the special people in our lives without breaking the bank or giving into the commercialization of the holiday, I have 5 ideas to help you out!
There are a hundred little things about my husband that I’m thankful for each day. From his patience with the kids during bath time to his enviable laundry skills, I’m constantly reminded of why I love him.
While we both say “I love you” on a daily basis, we rarely expound on the reasons why. Annual birthday and anniversary cards are about it. I know both of us would be thrilled to receive a handwritten letter from the other identifying all the reasons we’re still so happy to be a part of this marriage.
My husband and I have divergent interests. He loves playing golf and watching futuristic TV shows, and I love spending time in the kitchen and watching cheesy dramas. Shock your spouse this year by planning a day dedicated to something he or she loves!
I love my husband. I love our children. But from the time I was young, I’ve occasionally needed time alone to recharge. I’d guess that many parents are the same way. As much I love being with the ones I love, sometimes it’s necessary to have a break from questions and diapers and being “on”.
I never want or need much time to myself; I usually only last a few hours before I begin to miss the noise and the sloppy kisses.
This Valentine’s Day, giving the gift of alone time can be a thoughtful no-cost or low-cost gift. Consider allowing your spouse to get out and about alone, or maybe with a friend. A few hours sipping fancy coffee or browsing a favorite store might be the perfect gift. Or, if possible, take the kids out or to visit family while the other parent hangs at home, napping or catching up on a favorite show.
If your relationship is anything like mine, it has evolved over the years. The new and exciting affection of the early years has been replaced by a deep, steady love born out of confronting the raw realities of life together. That transition is natural and necessary.
I wouldn’t trade the lessons we’ve learned or the way we’ve grown with each other for anything, but it’s easy to get caught up in the details of day-to-day life. Sometimes it’s nice to remember the people we were when we fell in love nearly ten years ago (or more!) This February 14, dig out those old photo albums and love notes. Remind yourselves of the reasons you fell in love.
Tastes and smells have the power to take us back in time the same way sights and sounds do. Think back over the course of your relationship, particularly the beginning, and focus on the meals you enjoyed together.
What stands out in your mind? Maybe it’s the cuisine you enjoyed on your first date, or the first time he made you breakfast in bed. For dinner on Valentine’s Day, recreate that special meal in your own kitchen.
Abby is the wife of a patient man, mom to their two baby bears, and teacher of some cool kids. She loves dark chocolate and pretty napkins; the kitchen is her happy place. She lives in Mississippi and blogs at Winstead Wandering, where she shares the wandering thoughts of one who is not lost.
Aldi
1 bag Halo Oranges – $1.98
1 bag Spinach – $1.79
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 bunch Celery – $1.29
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.19
1 carton Blueberries – $1.69, received $0.25 back from Checkout 51
1 frozen Apple Juice – $0.95
1 Half & Half – $1.89
2 pkg Strawberries – $1.29 each
1 gallon Milk – $2.43
1 pkg Arugula – $0.99
Total with tax ($1.27): $18.78
Dillons
3 Yoplait Greek Yogurt – Marked down to $0.25 each
1 Yoplait Greek Yogurt – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
1 bag Frozen Peas – $1, used Free e-coupon (was in my Customer Best folder) and received $0.25 back from Ibotta – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate
1 Kroger Frozen Ice Cream Bars – Marked down to $1
2.13 lbs Bananas – $0.59, Received $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $0.34 after rebate
0.68 lbs Broccoli – $1.29
1 dozen Eggs – $1.34, Received $0.25 back from Ibotta – $1.09 after rebate
2 Horizon Mac & Cheese – $1 each, used 2 $0.55/1 printable – $0.45 after coupons
1 Charmin Toilet Paper – $6.49, used $0.55/1 mailer coupon and received $1 back from Ibotta – $4.94 after coupon
Mega Sale Items (Buy 6, Get $3 off instantly):
2 Honey Nut Cheerios – $1.79 each, used $1/2 printable – $1.29 each after coupon
1 Cocoa Puffs – $1.79, used $1/1 printable (no longer available) and received $0.25 back from Ibotta – $0.54 after coupon and rebate
1 Nutella – $2.99, used $2/1 coupon from the 2/1 SmartSource insert – $0.99 after coupon
6 Kraft Shredded Cheese – $1.99 each, used 3 $1/2 printable and received $0.25 back from Ibotta – $1.44 each after coupon and rebate
2 American Beauty Pasta – $0.69, used $1/2 mailer coupon – $0.19 each after coupon
Total before coupons and sales: $61.02
Total with tax ($2.63) after coupons, rebates and sales: $27.78
Homeland
1 Dole Peaches – $2, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon
2 Halls Cough Drops – $1.25 each, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – $0.25 each after coupon
Items a part of Mega Sale (Buy 10, Save $2 instantly):
4 cans Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chilies – $0.80 each, used $0.40/2 printable (doubled) and $0.40/2 coupon from the 1/18 SmartSource insert (doubled) – $0.40 each after coupons
2 Rosarita Refried Beans – $0.80 each, used $0.40/2 printable (doubled) – $0.40 each after coupon
1 Swiss Miss Cocoa – $0.80, used $0.40/1 printable (doubled) – Free after coupon
3 Hunts Diced Tomatoes – $0.80 each, used $0.50/3 printable (doubled) – $0.47 each after coupon
Total before coupons and sales: $28.43
Total with tax ($0.87) after coupons and sales: $6.98
Total for all grocery items: $53.54
Cereal x 2, Toast & Eggs x 2, Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit & Yogurt
Macaroni & Cheese x 2, Cheese/Crackers/Veggies, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Leftovers, Spinach Smoothies x 5 (I will be eating this every day.)
Ground Beef Stroganoff, Tossed Salad
Chicken Fajitas, Fruit
Bean Burritos, Steamed Peas
Oven Fried Chicken, Potatoes, Rolls, Steamed Broccoli
Venison Roast, Carrots, Potatoes, Tossed Salad
Spaghetti, Green Beans
Dinner with family
In January, we celebrated my oldest daughter’s 10-year-old birthday and I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ve learned in the last 10 years. I’ve also been contemplating what I wished I could go back and tell my then 23-year-old self.
There’s so much I could say. So much I’ve learned. So much I wish I’d done differently.
Before my first daughter was born, I went into motherhood thinking I knew a lot about parenting and caring for babies. In truth, I did have a lot more experience than many people: I’m the second of 7 children, I spent many hours and days while a teen babysitting for a number of large families of little children, and after my husband and I got married, I worked as a mother’s helper/nanny for three different families — all who had young children.
I had changed countless dirty diapers and soothed many a crying baby and child. I had helped potty-train. I had cared for sick kids. I had cleaned up throw up. I been spilled on, wet on, and spit-up on.
So I thought I was pretty well prepared and realistic. I didn’t expect motherhood be a walk in the park and fully expected that many days would be tiring and hard.
But the day Kathrynne was born and we brought her home from the birth center, all that former confidence grew legs and walked right out of my life.
I felt so scared. What if I don’t feed her enough? What if I don’t lay her down in bed right? How do I know if something’s wrong?
I felt alone — especially since I didn’t know any other young moms in our area. Am I the only one who feels this way? Do all the other moms know instinctively what to do?
And I felt overwhelmed. Am I ever going to get in a shower again before noon? Will I always feel this tired and worn done? HOW ON EARTH DO PEOPLE HAVE TWO KIDS??
If you’re a young mom right now, I want to tell you what I wished I could go back and tell myself when I was a brand-new mom:
No matter how incompetent or unskilled you feel for this motherhood thing, I can promise, promise you that you are not alone. There are an army of other moms in the trenches with you. And none of us have it together.
Some of us may hide our struggles out of fear. Some of us may be more skilled in certain areas. Some of us may naturally have more energy or capacity.
But none of us have all our ducks in a neat and alphabetized row. We all have areas we fall short in. We all have times when we feel like we’re not doing a good enough job. We all have times when we struggle with “mom guilt”.
So, instead of trying to hide your struggles, be honest with those closest to you. Vulnerability breeds strong friendships like just about nothing else will.
I know it doesn’t feel like you’ve got what it takes. You feel scared and unqualified. You’re overwhelmed.
Your heart is walking outside your body. You worry that you’re not doing enough. You wonder if you’re seriously messing up your child.
But I’m here to tell you: you’ve got what it takes. You can do this.
You were uniquely gifted and equipped by God to be your child’s mother. God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies those whom He calls.
Cry out to Him for the strength, the grace, the patience, and the energy to carry out this calling He’s given you. He will never, never, never leave you or forsake you. And His grace is always sufficient.
You’re tired of your child crying. You’re tired of waking over and over again in the night. You’re tired of doing the same things again and again.
You feel flabby and lethargic. You look in the mirror and barely recognize the woman staring back at you. You wonder if you’re ever going to be able to fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans. You wonder where all your energy went.
Trust me on this: you won’t be this tired for ever. Even though it feels like you’ll be waking up every two hours for the rest of your life and propping open your eyeballs with toothpicks to make it through the day, it won’t always be like this.
So don’t stress over tomorrow or two years from now. Get as much sleep as you, accept any offers of help, do whatever it takes to get some shut-eye. And just power through, knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel — and it’s called kids who sleep through the night!
Also, please know that just because your 12-month-old doesn’t sleep through the night yet even though you’ve read all the books and tried all the tactics, you’re not a bad mom. You just have a child who struggles to sleep.
Don’t beat yourself up over it. Do the best you can, keep experimenting, and know that someday soon, your child is going to figure it out.
For now, just do what you need to do to make it through — even if not everyone thinks it’s the “right” thing. You are your child’s mother. Trust your gut.
Really, you don’t. Just stop trying already.
I know you feel like you don’t measure up to Sallie Sue who arrives early to church every Sunday morning looking like a model with her three kids under 4 all in hand-smocked outfits and intricate braids in their hair. I get it.
Maybe that’s what gives Sallie Sue great joy and fulfillment, but take a deep breath and know that it’s completely okay to walk to the beat of a different drum. You’re not Sallie Sue. You’re YOU. Be you — and embrace what’s best for you and your family.
You don’t need to apologize for it or explain it. Just be you, bravely.
Right now, it’s completely impossible for you to imagine not changing diapers, wiping bottoms, taking little people potty, not constantly hearing “Moooommmmy!”, not having to cut everyone’s food up, not having to buckle everyone in when you get into the car, not having to give baths, get everyone dressed, and help little people brush their teeth.
But there will come a day — and it will be sooner than you believe it will be — when you start working yourself out of a job. When those little people get a little bit bigger and they start learning how to do things for themselves.
It’s a S-L-O-W process, but looking back, it seems to happen in the blink of an eye. And all of a sudden you wake up one day and your oldest is 10 years old and she’s taking over the family’s laundry, helping with the cooking, cleaning bathrooms, and asking what else she can do to help you.
That day is coming. When it does, all these years of doing what seems like the same thing over and over again will pay off… and you’ll realize that those little people are turning into capable adults who are contributing to the family in significant ways.
In ten years from now, you’re going to look back a deeply fulfilling and happy feeling knowing that all that hard work, sleepless nights, and exhaustion was worth it.
So, as much as you might want to some days, don’t give up! The best is yet to come!
This post was inspired by my friend Beth’s post: Dear Mom in the Tunnel
3 Books I Read Last Week
The Grain-Free Table — This book showed up in my mailbox as a gift from the author and I was really impressed with it overall. Some of the recipes were too complicated or too time-consuming to be ones I would be interested in making (I’m all about keeping it simple!), but I picked out at least 20 different recipes from it that look like ones we’d like to try. I also found the author’s personal story in the book quite compelling.
The Anxiety Cure — As someone who struggles with anxiety during different seasons of life, I’m on a mission to learn more about it and what I can do to help prevent or minimize it. I read Sleep: It Does a Family Good by Archibald Hart two years ago and learned so much from it that I picked up this title to check it out, too.
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did his book on sleep just because it felt more like a psychology textbook at times and it also seemed a bit dated (for instance, referring to being able to order a cassette tape from the author, etc.). However, it did have some good nuggets in it — especially on the topics of stress and worry — and it caused me to step back and examine my own life and consider changes I could make to have more peace and minimize anxiety in my life.
From This Day Forward — I saw an article about this book on Ann Voskamp’s site and was intrigued so I picked up a copy of this. I really wanted to like it because the writing was funny and many parts of it had great advice. However, I was bothered that it felt like they were using fear of divorce as a motivation for why you should follow their advice, not that it would result in a strong marriage — oneness in your relationship and the wonderful blessings that come from that.
Lizzy & Jane — I just started this and, so far, I’ve found it really engaging!
The Cricket in Times Square — I’m reading this to the kids right now and we’re about halfway through it. They’ve all enjoyed it and beg for me to read more chapters each — which is always a good sign!
Long Walk to Freedom & Kaffir Boy — I’m working through these as I seek to understand more about South African history.
What did you read this past week? Any must-read book recommendations?
As we were eating leftovers for dinner last night, I realized that making a habit of eating up leftovers a few meals each week instead of forgetting about them at the back of the fridge is one way we save a little money every week.
It saves time, because we don’t have to plan a dinner or make dinner or clean up the dishes from dinner. And it saves money, because we don’t have to buy the ingredients for another lunch or dinner.
It’s such a simple, no-brainer thing, but saving money in simple ways on a regular basis adds up over time!
We’ve also found that serving leftovers for dinner on busy nights cuts down on the temptation to grab carryout. So on busy nights, I’ll often set out all the odds and ends in the fridge and declare it a Leftover Buffet night.
For those of you who wish you had leftovers but it seems like your hungry teens or growing kiddos eat everything you make, consider doubling a casserole or soup recipe you’re making a couple times per week and sticking half the recipe in the fridge or freeze before you eat dinner that night.
That way, you’re guaranteeing you’ll have “leftovers” to eat later in the week! 🙂
My favorite part of eating leftovers for dinner? Less kitchen clean-up!
What’s one way that your family saved this week? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
Yesterday, I told you about our #TenDollarTribe initiative and encouraged those of you who had the wiggle room in your budget and felt the nudge in your heart to join us in this project to make a difference in South Africa.
A few people left comments bothered by the fact that I would encourage people to give money to a cause outside of the U.S.
Truth be told: I fully anticipated a little push back like this.
I don’t expect that everyone will jump on board with everything I’m excited about, nor do I assume that everyone is called to give outside the U.S.
And that’s the beauty of giving spirits. We aren’t all passionate about the same causes. We aren’t all supposed to invest in the same projects.
But we should all invest in something and in someone in some place — whether that’s in Haiti or New Hampshire or Africa or Arkansas. Whether that’s in your own home, down the street, across the country, or around the world.
We ALL have something to offer, something to give, and someone in our life who needs what we have to offer and give.
A few weeks ago, when I took a big leap out of my comfort zone, got on an 18-hour flight, and went to South Africa, many of you emailed in, commented, or told me personally that you wished you could have gone with me.
Some of you talked about how you wish you could make an impact, take a mission trip, or do something bold and brave like that.
While I think going on an international trip can be eye-opening and insightful, the thing is: You don’t need to go to South Africa to make a difference, have an impact, or be bold and brave.
Look around you and you’ll see many needs. You can’t meet them all. You aren’t supposed to meet them all.
But you can do what you can, with what you have, where you are. You can take what time and energy and skills you have and use them to bless someone in some way.
Making a difference is going to look different to each and every person. We all have unique gifts, talents, abilities, and passions. We all have different capacities and callings.
But don’t let that hold you back from doing something. The world needs your gifts, your talents, and your willingness to start somewhere, step outside your comfort zone, and do something.
What creative ways are you reaching out and serving in your own community? I’d love to hear!
A testimony from ProteanMom.com.
Not long ago, we paid cash for a minivan using the Envelope Budgeting system. It was an exciting (and addicting) moment. We’ve been paying with cash ever since!
We knew that we would need to replace our home’s wood siding – eventually. Within a few months of buying our minivan, however, we realized that “eventually” had caught up with us. Our siding still looked good from a distance, but it was molding and rotting. At best, we had a year to save up for new siding.
We decided that this was our next big-purchase project. We also determined that this was a project that we did not want to do ourselves, which meant paying for labor on top of materials.
We put other projects on hold, scaled back on outings, and delayed fun purchases. It was hard, but we were diligent in putting any extra funds into that new siding envelope.
It helped that we knew we had to be good, because otherwise we’d also be paying for potentially massive interior repairs, too. By adjusting our budget, we knew that we would have almost enough money by our self-imposed year mark.
Wanting to avoid debt for siding, we tried hard to cut from other areas to save even more. It was hard to forego activities with friends and eating out, but we knew it would be worth it.
By the year mark, we were *so* close to our goal. Thankfully, my husband then got a larger than expected bonus at work. Putting that into our siding envelope, we would have enough money for siding *if* we could get a great bid.
We got bids from several different companies, and the bids ranged widely. The highest bid came in at more our minivan had cost us! We chose a reputable, but reasonably priced, company to install our new siding. Their quote was *just* under the amount we had saved!
We paid half up front (and the rest when they were done) and the company got to work.
They were shocked that we didn’t need financing – or try pay with a credit card. In fact, they almost looked confused (but happy) to see a check! Our home ended up needing more siding than the contractor had originally thought, but this amazing company held to their quoted price.
They did an amazing job, our house looks great, the extra insulation lowered our power bill, and we stayed within our budget!
Since the siding was done, we’ve moved into another home that’s closer to family. Here, we’re trying to decide which is next: replacing the roof or a getting a new-to-us car for my husband. It’ll probably be the roof. Wish us luck!
Kim loves her life; she lives with her husband, their two boys, their dog, and is happily expecting boy #3. She writes about life as a ginger, geek, Doctor Who fan, triathlete, mom, wife, nurse, teacher, and more at ProteanMom.com.
Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.
Guest post by Stephanie O’Dea
In 2007, I quit my job. I was a young mom of two children, and I hated going to work. I was blessed that I taught preschool and could take the kids to work with me, but almost every day I hoped and prayed that this day would be my last day of going to work.
And then the baby started getting sick. I couldn’t figure it out — I tried everything I could think of, but she just kept vomiting sporadically, and it became obvious to me that I needed to pull her out of the daycare setting and stay home.
So I quit.
My husband wasn’t all that thrilled with me (be careful what you wish for, right?)
[PS, my little one is now ABSOLUTELY FINE. We learned after some testing that she had Celiac Disease, and after being put on a gluten-free diet she made an immediate recovery and now is a super strong and healthy 10-year-old.]
Because we live in a tremendously expensive part of the country, I needed to quickly find a way to replace my income in order to meet our monthly expenses. I became determined (and slightly obsessed) at trying to find a legitimate way to make money from home.
I started living a secret life, and began answering work-at-home ads found in the back of parenting magazines, and on Craigslist.
They were all scams.
After months and months of searching, I started feeling lonely, afraid, and guilty. I knew that I had to find something that was “for reals” and that didn’t cost an upfront fee the way a lot of the online direct sales businesses I researched did.
So I tried my hand at blogging.
In 2008, I started a free blogspot blog at Crockpot365.blogspot.com and told the internet that I had a New Year’s Resolution to use my crockpot slow cooker every single day for a year.
And I did it.
This simple idea, this crazy and absurd idea, has since launched a full-time income for myself. This site has led to 5 books, numerous national TV and radio spots, endorsement opportunities, and a job.
A legitimate job that I do all by myself, from my own kitchen, in my fuzzy slippers, while I am home with my kids.
I truly couldn’t be any happier. I do believe, with all my heart, that I am living my version of The American Dream.
I’ve now had my site for 7 years, and decided to write down all that I’ve learned along the way. I’ve been lucky enough to mentor many other bloggers who have followed the steps that I took and they, too, have been successful.
I’d like to show you how. My newest book, The Mommy Blogger Next Door: Real Moms Making Real Money Blogging at Home, In Their Pajamas is now available.
Crystal has been gracious enough to provide the quote listed on the cover, which reads: “Stephanie’s practical advice and spot-on tips will give you the confidence and tools you need to start your own mommy blog.” — Crystal Paine
Want to win a copy of my new book? Enter below — and here’s to your blogging success!
Stephanie O’Dea is a New York Times best-selling author, slow cooking expert, and a mommy blogger. You can find her online at StephanieODea.com, or on twitter @stephanieodea.
Enter to Win a Copy of Stephanie’s Book!
Would you like to win a copy of Real Moms Making Real Money Blogging at Home in Their Pajamas? Stephanie is giving away 10 digital copies to readers here this week.
To enter, click on the graphic below and type in your name and email address. 10 winners will be chosen and posted next week. This giveaway ends Friday, February 13, at 11:59 pm, CST.
Those of you who know me well know that I am a person of strong passion and conviction. I am fiercely loyal, intensely focused, and highly opinionated.
If you’re a newer reader here, you’ve probably not seen this side of me as much as those who know me well have seen it. I’ve learned, from numerous mistakes, that there are many things that are better left unsaid online.
We have a very diverse group of readers here and I don’t feel like my calling is to stir up debate and controversy. Instead, I want to encourage, inspire, and challenge you to live lives of intention and purpose.
So most of my strong words and passionate beliefs are reserved for conversations with those I know best. However, every once in awhile, I just cannot hold back… and today is one of those days.
I hadn’t planned to blog about the whole 50 Shades debate. It’s long been swirling and, with the movie releasing this week, it’s escalating to epic proportions. While I believe that some debate and intense conversations can be healthy and helpful, much of the debate has seemed to be polarizing and divisive. In my (yup, strong!) opinion, conversations that only serve to create an “us” versus “them” mindset don’t foster anything worthwhile.
As a result, I’ve skipped over blog posts and Facebook posts on the subject and kept silent on the topic. We don’t need any more division in our ranks than it seems we already have.
But after this morning, I can keep silent no longer.
You see, Silas (my 5-year-old) had finished most of his Daily List and was getting ready to watch a YouTube LeapFrog video on my phone. I’d picked one out for him, clicked on it, and then was sitting next to him fixing one of the girl’s hair while he started to watch it.
As soon as it began playing, I knew something was seriously wrong. He flipped the phone over face down and acted very surprised. I could tell that the sounds coming from the phone weren’t LeapFrog sounds at all.
I quickly took the phone away to see what it was and was AGHAST to realize that it was a 50 Shades of Grey commercial playing!!! Yes, it was playing before a kid’s educational movie clip on YouTube. For real!
To say I was upset and frustrated was an understatement. So was my husband.
I know that YouTube is not completely safe no matter how many controls we put on it. I get that. And that’s why we’re careful to keep close tabs on what our kids are watching when they do watch YouTube clips.
But seriously? Surely YouTube could at least have the decency to ban commercials for R-rated movies from kid’s channels!!
It was a stark reminder to me that no matter how careful I am as a parent, my children are going to be exposed to things that I wish they wouldn’t be exposed to. I cannot completely bubble wrap their lives from things I feel are objectionable and unhealthy for them to be filling their minds with.
As I thought about this more over the course of the day, I realized that while it’s our job as parents to nurture our children, protect their little minds, and instill good values in them, there are ways we can take this a step further.
Instead of just being on the defensive and reacting to the bad attitudes, poor examples, and objectionable things they are exposed to, let’s become offensive and start being proactive about raising our children to be upstanding adults of strong character.
Here are 4 ways we can be on the offensive in our home:
1. We Can Provide Wholesome Role Models for Our Children
It has been well said that you become like the three people you’re closest to.
In the books we read to our kids, the media we watch as a family, the friends our children spend the most time with, and the teachers and coaches they have, we are seeking to have our children regularly rub shoulders with many wise mentors and models.
2. We Can Surround Our Children With Beauty & Purity
We want our kids to appreciate beauty and purity on a deep level, so we are encouraging them to read and listen to good books, develop a love of hymns and classical music, try their hand at drawing and painting, study historical men and women of character, and love the beauty of nature.
3. We Can Fight For Our Marriage
A strong marriage takes enormous amounts of work, but it’s so worth fighting for. We’ve committed to do our best to prioritize our marriage over our kids, spend intentional time each week investing our marriage, constantly look for things to praise and express gratitude for in each other, and work hard to have honest communication between the two of us.*
4. We Can Teach Our Children to Be Critical Thinkers
We don’t want our children to blindly follow our beliefs or the beliefs of others. From the time they were little, we have asked them deep, open-ended questions on a variety of subjects (we let them answer and then we often follow up with, “Why do you believe that?”), encouraged them to question what they hear and make sure it’s valid, and to never accept anything at face value.
Note: This is a sensitive topic and one that could be highly controversial. By writing this post, I am not seeking to open a Pandora’s box of debate on whether or not you should read or watch 50 Shades. Because of this, comments of that nature will be deleted. Instead, I’d love to hear you chime on what you’re doing to promote beauty, wholesomeness, and a strong marriage in your own life and in the lives of your children.
*Update: Please note that section on marriage in this post was written for couples who are in healthy relationships where both parties love each other and want to work on issues together and personally. If your spouse is abusive, please, please, please don’t hide the abuse out of fear or let your spouse convince you it’s your fault. Get help immediately.
The day we’ve anticipated for months is finally here!
After coming home from my trip to South Africa, I’ve hinted around for the past few weeks that we were cooking up something really exciting to give you an opportunity to join us in making a difference in the poorest communities there.
After months of emails, Skype calls, and a few in-person meetings, we are ready to launch and we are all so very excited!
Drumroll…
Starting today, we are opening the doors for the first ever #TenDollarTribe — and we’d LOVE for you to join us in this.
The #TenDollarTribe is a group of people — moms, dads, singles, grandparents, families — who are all committed to making a difference in two very needy communities in South Africa: the Maubane community and the Reagoboka community.
I have visited both of these communities, spent time talking with the leaders, met the children they are ministering to, seen how great the need is, and witnessed just how far money can go in these very poor areas of South Africa.
We talked about a number of different options and we really felt like we wanted to provide an amount that was doable for many, many families.
I knew that something like $40 per month was not in many of your budgets, but that the majority of you could find a way to tighten your budget in a few categories in order to free up $10 per month to give to this much-needed cause.
In addition, because money goes so much further in South Africa, $10 per month can make a big difference.
The short answer is: a lot. In fact, I was shocked at how much of a difference small amounts of money can make in South Africa.
For instance, $10 will buy 100 bowls of porridge for school children, a month’s worth of school supplies, or two weeks of cooking fuel for a local family.
I know that you all are like me: you want to give your money to causes that will use it well. I can say with utmost confidence that your money will be stretched as far as possible to make as big of an impact as possible.
Lisa-Jo and I are working in partnership with Help One Now and Pure Charity for this initiative with the on-the-ground team, Take Action Ministry. Both Help One Now and Pure Charity have been incredibly generous in helping us out. We could never logistically do this on our own as there are so many moving parts involved and we are so grateful for their support and help.
I hesitated to share this, because we do the majority of our giving anonymously. However, I wanted you to know that our family is committed to putting our money where our mouth is.
When I went to South Africa, it was primarily to personally investigate the projects and leaders there to make sure I felt 100% comfortable asking you all to join us in this. But our family had a secondary reason, too, and that was to look for a way that our family could personally partner with Take Action Ministries.
I discovered that they had very little money coming in for their organizational expenses (storage/office building rental, computer equipment, office supplies, etc.) and that almost everyone involved was volunteering their time or only getting paid a very small amount. As I talked with them more, I realized that this was a huge stress for them as every single month they were just barely, barely eeking by.
Because of the financial choices we’ve made throughout the years to live on less than we make, develop strong income streams, and stay out of debt, and because God has blessed our businesses far beyond what we could have ever dreamed or imagined, we are in a place where we could take on these monthly expenses for them so that they wouldn’t have to constantly be looking for grants or dealing with the stress that comes from trying to survive on a tiny, tiny budget.
I share this only because I want you to know that our family is very invested in this project and we believe wholeheartedly in the work and ministry Take Action is doing in South Africa. I would not ask you to join us in this had I not vetted it very thoroughly and felt I could put a huge rubber stamp of approval on it.
There are many fantastic causes to give money to and I completely understand that not everyone is called to give to South Africa nor in a place to make a monthly commitment like this, but I want to urge each of you to not click away from this post without taking a few minutes to consider whether this is a project you could find the funds to support and the desire to be involved in.
If dozens of us are willing to take a step and make this commitment, it will impact the lives of hundreds of children for years to come. Will you join us?
>>Click here to sign up to be a member of the #TenDollarTribe.<<
If you join, will you do me a favor and either email me or leave a comment on this post? I’d like to personally thank you.
For those of you who are not in a place to join the #TenDollarTribe, but you’d like to help out in some way, can I ask you to pray that God would bless these community centers, provide for their needs, and help them to have wisdom as they seek to make lasting change in these communities?
Also, would you consider sharing this post via Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest? Thank you so much!
