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Shared Aug 13, 2014 comment

Get a behind-the-scenes look at my blogging processes

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 13, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I was honored to be interviewed by iBlog Magazine recently about blogging, online marketing, and what I’ve learned from this crazy and wild adventure I’ve been on as a blogger for the past almost 10 years.

In this interview, I share a behind-the-scenes look at some of my blogging processes, how I’ve grown my team (and some key advice for those of you who are thinking of hiring a virtual assistant), my Pinterest strategy and how much time I invest in it on a daily basis, the platform I’m currently experiencing with, plus a number of lessons I’ve learned the hard way as a blogger.

If you are a blogger, an online entrepreneur, or just want to know more about the behind-the-scenes of MoneySavingMom.com, I think you’ll enjoy watching this interview. Head over here to view it.

Shared Aug 13, 2014 comment

Build Your Own Town on a Shower Curtain (free printables)

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 13, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Here’s a fun and frugal indoor activity!

Head on over to Mama’s Learning Corner for the instructions and printables for your kids to create their own town on a shower curtain.

Shared Aug 13, 2014 comment

Ask the Readers: How can I best utilize my iPhone?

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 13, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ask-the-readers-blue

Today’s questions is from Jen:

My “not-smart” phone that I’ve had for 6 years just bit the dust and my husband bought me an iPhone. I’m wondering how people use these for meal plans, grocery lists, scheduling their days, etc.?

Not just apps to download, but using alarms, or other features, too. I really want this phone to be an effective tool that makes my life better and more efficient, not just another thing to distract me.

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Aug 13, 2014 comment

When you feel like you’re stuck in a deep black hole

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 13, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

She came up to me after a session at a conference I spoke at recently. She had but one thing she wanted to say: “Thank you for saving my life.”

She told me about her months-long struggle with postpartum depression. How she didn’t want to live. How she didn’t know how she could keep going in the dark hole she was in.

There seemed no way out. She was tired of waking up everyday with an oppressive black cloud hanging over her head.

She was lifeless and hopeless. And suicide seemed like the best answer.

But then, when she was at rock bottom, she read my post about my own journey with postpartum depression. And for the first time in months, she saw a ray of hope… and she realized that maybe what she was experiencing was depression.

No one had mentioned it to her. She had never even considered it as a possibility.

Had I not posted about it, she told me she didn’t think she would have made that doctor’s appointment, sought that medical help, and, after months of treatment, climbed up out of that pit of depression and starting living with energy and joy again.

News of Robin Williams’ death reminded me of this woman’s story. And of why those of us who have gone through depression need to be sharing our stories. Because if one life can be spared as a result of our willingness to speak out, it is so very worth it.

I listened to the reporters on TV and I kept hearing them say that Robin’s suicide was “incomprehensible”.

Every time they said that word, it upset me. Because those of us who have survived depression or who are struggling through depression know how far you can spiral down and how black the hole can be.

It’s far from “incomprehensible” to us who have been in that lonely, dark, and suffocating pit. As Ann Voskamp wrote:

We could tell you what we know.

That — depression is like a room engulfed in flames and you can’t breathe for the sooty smoke smothering you limp — and suicide is deciding there is no way but to jump straight out of the burning building.

That when the unseen scorch on the inside finally sears intolerably hot – you think a desperate lunge from the flames and the land of the living seems the lesser of two unbearables.

That’s what you’re thinking — that if you’d do yourself in, you’d be doing everyone a favor.

I don’t know what was going through Robin’s head and heart when he made a decision to end his life, but I do know the desperation that can take you to that place.

If you are in that desperate place right now, I want you to know that there is a way out of that pit.

Please, please, please, don’t hide your pain and hurt and desperation. Reach out to family, friends, and wise professionals. Find a safe place to talk about how much you’re struggling. Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Talk to your pastor or counselor.

Don’t try to hold on and pretend you are okay when you feel like everything inside of you is screaming out that it’s not. There is hope. There is healing. Reach out today and ask for help… before it’s too late.

Shared Aug 12, 2014 comment

Sign up for the FREE 10-Day Rise & Shine Challenge

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 12, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Do you want to get up earlier and make the most of your mornings? If so, go sign up for the FREE 10-Day Rise & Shine Challenge from The Abundant Mama.

The challenge starts August 18, 2014. I’m all signed up and I’m thinking of blogging through the challenge to help us start our Fall schedule off on the right foot. Want to join me?

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Aug 11, 2014 comment

We Paid Cash: A Fixer-Upper Home

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Katie

On May 8, 2014, a fairly new dream for us came true. My husband and I paid cash for a house!

We knew that our long term rental agreement would be coming to an end, but the thought of committing ourselves to a 30-year mortgage seemed very scary and frankly, suffocating. We were weighing our options for the better part of last year, all the while I was perusing a local real estate company’s website.

A house listed at $10k caught my eye, but because I thought it was in a not-so-nice neighborhood, I dismissed it. When the priced dropped to $8k I showed my husband. We drove by and were pleasantly surprised by the neighborhood. We made an offer that day and set the closing date a couple of months out so we could save up.

We are not wealthy at ALL. My husband works full time at a non-profit and I work part-time at a different non-profit. We have two kids of our own and are currently raising my two nephews after my sister lost her battle with cancer.

Even still, we were able to save up the $8000 and paid cash for our fixer-upper home!

Here is how we saved:

$2500 = Tax Refund

$2000 = Savings Account

$500 = Paypal cash earned from using Swagbucks. Yes, Swagbucks helped pay for our house.

$300 = My husband’s mileage and phone allowance. (He gets reimbursed monthly.)

$3200 = 3 months of my salary. I normally do not earn this much in 3 months but I have a very understanding boss who let me work extra shifts and also found some helpful but unnecessary work for me to do.

So all that amounted to $8500, which was the cost of the house plus closing. We lived off one income for those three months, we cooked everything from scratch, and did not so much as wish to turn on the air conditioning. It’s hot here!

We are currently restoring the house back to it’s 1940 glory — and we are NOT going into debt to do it! We will use my earnings to make needed updates.

For instance, the 1940’s electrical system is not up to code and we are currently replacing it. Everything we use to repair the house is recycled, upcycled, hand-me downs and we have had a few gifts along the way. We hope to spend this Christmas there.

MoneySavingMom.com has helped us immensely over the years and I would never have even thought of paying cash for a house if I had not been reading this site. If you are interested in following along with our house progress, you can do so at our blog, The 8K House!

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

Shared Aug 8, 2014 comment

10 Chicken Crock Pot Freezer Recipes and Shopping List

Published: by MSM Team on August 8, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Saving You Dinero shares 10 Chicken Crock Pot Freezer Recipes. Plus, she also shares her Shopping List for making these recipes.

For more Crockpost Freezer Cooking ideas, check out the following links:

Shared Aug 7, 2014 comment

9 Money-Saving Vacation Tips

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jackie

Months ago, my daughter had a field trip to Charleston, SC, and the carriage ride was a part of her package cost. My teacher husband was one of the chaperones and after the carriage ride, he told the driver how much he enjoyed the tour and shared that our family was returning for a vacation.

The driver gave him a business card signed with admission for 4 adults. Wow, that was a $100 gift! It pays to compliment the driver.

When we arrived back in Charleston a month later, our two oldest kids served as the adult price and we decided to hold our 4-year-old for no charge and pay one child admission for our 6-year-old at $14.95. We could have paid $155, but only had to pay $14.95 thanks to my complimentary husband and a blessing from the driver.

We enjoy almost all our vacations in this fashion — knowing we are using our resources wisely and saving money while enjoying ourselves. If you’re planning an upcoming vacation, here are 9 ways we like to save that might work for you, too:

1. Plan Ahead With Freezer Meals.

When I’m on vacation I like to be in the kitchen as little as possible. By planning ahead with freezer meals, we not only save time and energy by having our meals prepped, we also save money for extra entertainment.

I pack a cooler full of frozen food of homemade versions of waffles, pizza bagel bites, lasagna, marinated meat or chicken, muffins and/or desserts or snacks. Once the cooler is packed to the brim, it doesn’t thaw. I’ve had frozen food last overnight when tightly packed with solid casseroles and such.

If hotel/motel space is an issue for freezer cooking, a plug-in griddle, hot pot or sandwich maker could provide some quick inexpensive meals to offset dining costs.

We scan our destination to look for entertainment or restaurant coupons. This year on Groupon, we saw the Children’s museum with half-price tickets. We opted out since we’ve done it several years in a row, but I’ve seen specials on everything from spas, plantation tours, riverboat cruises, and Aquariums.

It’s worth checking out.

3. Find Restaurant.com Deals or Local Specials.

We typically eat out at least once during our vacation week, and it’s often using a coupon from Restaurant.com or eat during the lunch hours. Another option is sharing a meal at night.

This year we splurged and took advantage of Sonic half-priced shakes after 8 p.m. for a family walk on the pier. We visit the water park on Tuesdays when admission is half-price and pack our own lunch. Visiting the restaurant or calling ahead about specials can save a great deal of money. Our theme park cost us $60, but it would have cost us $120 on a different day.

Another treat our older kids enjoyed was a reusable Kangaroo cup. The cup was $7 upfront and they enjoyed a bike ride to the gas station for a 25 cent slushy refill, which would have cost $5 each. I ended up giving in to the daily unhealthy splurge since it was a vacation and thankfully, there are no Kangaroo stations in NC.

4. Look for Free Movies/Music on the Beach.

We check out the local website to see what’s happening. An outdoor movie was showing and we popped our own popcorn and brought water. It was a frugal movie night for the whole family.

State parks offer fun activities for the whole family. The state park nearby cost $1 per person and there is a free water splash play area and playground. They also offered family and kid’s activities centered on nature, some which were free. It pays to do research before traveling.

5. Visit Chick-Fil-A on Cow Appreciation Day.

Chick-Fil-A Cow Appreciation Day only happens once a year. Dress like a cow for free chicken. You bet we jumped on the opportunity to wear spots on our black and white attire and sport a mask for any meal on the menu.

Our family of six saved over $45 for dinner. This is a franchise celebration so our cow attire traveled!

6. Pack Picnics with Frozen Water Bottles.

One of our favorite activities to do is go on picnics and rather than picking up lunch, we go for our own healthy options consisting of deli meat, cheese, and whole grain bread. I often pack grilled chicken pitas with leftover grilled chicken and shredded mozzarella cheese. I wrap them in foil and place them near a frozen water bottle to stay cool for hours.

A recycled juice bottle filled with water and frozen water stays cooler longer and you have fresh cold water when thawed.

7. Bring Your Own Bikes.

Bike rentals cost up to $30 a day. We purchased our own and take them with us. My husband found an inexpensive bike rack on Craigslist and we’ve picked up a bike or two from garage sales for less than $10. Our bikes go with is so our older kids and at least one parent can enjoy riding, saving us at least $100 per person for the week.

8. Make Breakfast To-Go and Snacks To-Go.

A fast food breakfast is not always the healthiest or most frugal. I plan ahead for an early morning departure and boil eggs, pack cheese sticks, unsalted almonds, mini-whole wheat bagels with light cream cheese or homemade muffins and reusable water bottles.

Snack ideas include homemade trail mix with low-sugar cereals, pretzels, nuts and dried fruit. I make no-bake granola bars and spread peanut butter crackers on whole wheat crackers to avoid vending machines.

If we want ice cream, we stop by the grocery store and for a box verses the vendor. Large families can benefit from a box of treats verses paying $5 each. I found a half-price box of sorbet pops and the kids enjoyed two treats.

9. Rent a Vacation Home With a Clean-it-Yourself Option.

We rent a house two rows back from the beach front — which is cheaper. Walking two streets over is great exercise. In addition, our home rental does not require a cleaning service so there is no additional fee. We clean it ourselves upon departure because we’d be doing it anyway at the end of the week at home. Everyone pitches in and it gets done quickly and saving anywhere from $60 to $100.

Consider a vacation rental in early August when the price drops. Homeschooling families can take advantage of late August or early September with fewer crowds and the best rates.

Camping is another frugal option that could be considered. We enjoy half-price savings at many campgrounds through Passport America.

How do you save money while on vacation?

Jackie Brown is a mom of four sharing Christ through Freezer Cooking. She makes abundant freezer meals for her family while inspiring others to bless the poor and the needy with their freezer bounty.

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

5 Days of Unrushing My Schedule in Pictures

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m prone to take on too much. To pack my days too full. And to end up in a state of busyness. Which then leads to rush.

I wake up feeling behind and then go throughout the entire day feeling like I need to work as quickly as possible, to get as much done as possible, because I have too much to do.

When I feel like this, I don’t feel like I have time to stop and savor anything.

I don’t have time to look into my child’s eyes and really listen to the story they are trying to tell me.
I don’t have time to stop and call my good friend when she texts me to say she’s feeling completely overwhelmed.
I don’t have time to sit and just be with my husband, even though his quality time love tank is running dry.
And on and on it goes.

Instead, I’ve got “Very Important Things” to accomplish. But in the process of trying to accomplish all my “Very Important Things”, I shortchange the Very Most Important People in my life.

Over the past few years, I’ve been simplifying my life. Paring down and cutting out the non-essentials. Saying “no” to the mediocre or even the good in an effort to say “yes” to the best.

And most of all, I’ve been working on learning the art of being fully present in the moment. Not thinking ahead of where I need to be in 30 minutes or what I still need to accomplish. Not stressing over what hasn’t been done yet. Not mentally reviewing how far behind I am. Just giving myself wholeheartedly to what is in front of me.

As I said, I’m still working on this… and it may be a lifelong journey for me. Which is why I’m especially excited that my friend, Lysa TerKeurst, has another amazing book coming out called The Best Yes. I heard Lysa share a powerful message on this topic at the SheSpeaks Conference and it made me ever so eager to get a copy of this book and read it STAT.

There’s no such thing as hearing this message too often. Plus, knowing Lysa, this book is going to shake up my thinking, cause me to really analyze my decisions and priorities, and overall mess with me in a really good way. Because that’s just what Lysa’s writing and messages do for me.

I’m already preparing to have my toes stepped on. 😉

In the mean time, I’m following along with Lysa’s 7-Day Unrush Your Schedule Instagram Challenge. I’m looking for everyday opportunities to stop and take time to be fully present, to be quiet and just soak up my surroundings, and to really savor the life right in front of me.

For those who don’t follow me on Instagram, I thought it’d be fun to share some of my photos from the past few days here…

Day 1: Saturday

Enjoyed a few of my favorite things today: a quiet day at home, a mason jar full of The Shrinker, metal straws, comfy pj pants–at 4 pm in the afternoon(!), and purple nail polish (I’ve been experimenting with different DIY mani colors while working on growing my nails out and have discovered that purple makes me feel alive and energetic!)

Day 2: Sunday

We’re back on the road again today… This time on our way to Arkansas and Missouri for time with both of our extended families. Enjoying getting a lot of reading done on our drive, including this pre-release copy of Living Well Spending Less by Ruth Soukup.

Day 3: Monday

My view right now… So thankful for a quiet week to unplug at Bull Shoals Lake and for lots of laughter and memory-making with our extended family.

Day 4: Tuesday

A peek into my day today: Grandpa teaching Silas how to water ski, watching Kathrynne in her element on skis on the water, and Silas loving cheering for his sister’s success!

Day 5: Wednesday

Today: this man of mine (@jessepaine) took me to rent jet skis and we jetted away the afternoon together, soaking up the sunshine, the beautiful lake views, and the fresh air. It was good for my soul. And also? So thankful for this man and the life of adventure we share together. After 11 1/2 years and lots of ups and downs, I’d still marry him all over again in a heartbeat!

What about you? What have you done to “unrush your schedule” this week? Have you taken time to just stop and savor the everyday?

Want to join me in this challenge? If so, you can post your pictures on Instagram using the hashtag #unrushme. I’d love for you to tag me (@themoneysavingmom) so I can be inspired by how you’re slowing down and really soaking up life!

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

How I Got Two Bottles of Sunscreen for Just $2.13 Out of Pocket!

Published: by MSM Team on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Katie recently emailed to tell us about her successful search for a deal on sunscreen:

I’ve been on the hunt for deals on sunscreen. Today, I hit the jackpot!

It’s just my husband and me, so I knew we wouldn’t need more than two bottles. But still, sunscreen is expensive. They can easily run $10+ per bottle! Totally not in our budget.

For weeks, I would watch the coupons & sales on sunscreen, to no avail. It was just too expensive still.

Well, today I stopped into my local CVS to return a Redbox movie (I used a free Redbox code thanks to a tip I found here on MoneySavingMom.com!) and pick up a gallon of milk ($2.69 after a $1 ExtraCare reward… which is a great deal on milk in our area!) Then, I spot them. Bottles of name-brand sunscreen marked 75% off!

I found a bottle of Aveeno for myself at $2.75 and a bottle of Banana Boat for men for $2.63. But wait. There’s more…

I quickly took out my phone and searched my Checkout 51 and iBotta apps. There was a $2 rebate on Checkout 51 for the bottle of Aveeno! Yay! There was also an iBotta rebate for $1.25 off the Banana Boat bottle. Score!

Here’s how my total broke down before tax:

Aveeno sunscreen:
$2.75 (the price after the 75% off discount at CVS) – $2 Checkout 51 rebate = $0.75

Banana Boat sunscreen:
$2.63 (the price after the 75% off discount at CVS) – $1.25 iBotta rebate = $1.38

I was so excited over this deal, I just had to share! I’m a drugstore deal gal time and time again… and today just happened to be my extra special day at CVS!

Katie works full-time at a local university and is pursuing her master’s degree. Her husband is teaching at a local university and working on his PhD. Thanks to tips from MoneySavingMom.com and lots of hard work, they’ll BOTH graduate debt-free!

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

Click here to download!

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

Paid Viewpoint: Earn Cash for Answering Questions

Published: by MSM Team on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Victoria sent in the following testimonial about Paid Viewpoint:

I was wondering have you heard of Paid Viewpoint before? I just recently found it and really like it, your readers might too.

It’s a survey company that pays you for each and every survey they send you, no screening you out after minutes of answering questions to earn nothing. It is certainly not a high income earner but it is another small snowflake source of income people can add to their at home work snowball.

You can sign up for Paid Viewpoint here.

Read Victoria’s full post here.

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

How to Be More Productive in 20 Minutes

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Jolanthe from Homeschool Creations shares how she’s encouraging herself to be more efficient and productive:

Whatever the reason, I’ve pulled something back into play the last two weeks to help give me a boost and put a dent in the seemingly mountain-sized pile of things that need to get done before we start back up to school.

A simple timer.

I pull up the timer on my iPod, set it for 20 minutes and go. For me that can mean limiting myself to 20 minutes of something (maybe a quick reading break of one of my books to read in 2014) or giving myself a set time to accomplish a specific task like the kitchen counters. It definitely isn’t to play Candy Crush (cough).

And truly, you all – 20 minutes can put a HUGE dent in a task that needs to be finished. It seems like a small amount of time, but it can break up something huge and make it more manageable. Maybe it’s tackling a larger project 20 minutes at a time. Or maybe that 20 minutes will be all it takes to get it DONE and off your list (and mind). The short time frame is also great for me to stay focused (I tend to be a bit ADD) – so I am able to focus on one task for a short time, and then switch to a different task when that time is up.

Read the full post and see pictures of her 20 minute accomplishments — very inspiring!

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

We Paid Cash: A New Baby and HVAC System

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Kara

Almost a year ago, we found out I was pregnant AND that we needed a brand new HVAC system within a week’s time. The dollar signs and a small amount of panic crept into my mind.

My husband and I are very frugal and have been good with our money, but we hadn’t quite finished paying off my student loans. This meant that we needed to buckle down. We hate having debt (who doesn’t), and having student loans and a mortgage was more than enough.

Here’s how we managed to pay for our HVAC system and save for the new baby without incurring any more debt:

We we took the $1,000 we kept in our emergency fund and put it toward the HVAC system.
We asked the HVAC company about discounts — apparently joining their membership program saved us 10% (which is a lot when you are spending a lot) and the membership ended up being free because of my husband’s profession!
We looked for ways to cut costs. We started making our own peanut butter and bread, which also has the perk of being healthier. We also chose to cloth diaper so that the expense of diapers would be a one-time thing.
I sold stuff. I joined all of the Facebook garage sale groups in my area and I made some money.
We used Swagbucks. I worked hard to earn as many Swagbucks as I could and used those toward Amazon gift cards which are the best bang for their buck to buy baby stuff.
We lived on one income. While we usually like to use both of our incomes, we decided to put my total income towards savings instead of towards fun things. I work part-time, so it wasn’t a ton, but it was something.

When our sweet little girl came over a month early we were so glad we did this! The doctors have no idea why she came so early with a healthy pregnancy, but we were so glad God had prepared us.

We were able to pay for her NICU bill and use the extra we had saved to pay off our HVAC system in full! That was just over $5,000 we were able to pay in cash in 7 months of saving.

Plus, during that time of savings, we were able to pay our taxes, continue to pay our mortgage, and double our payment toward school loans.

Bringing home a healthy baby girl without the worry of paying her bills was absolutely priceless.

Kara is a full-time wife and mother to one, and a part-time instructor of psychology at a community college. In their free time, Kara’s family enjoys going on walks, reading, playing with their dog, and traveling.

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

Shared Aug 6, 2014 comment

Ask the Readers: Is a home warranty worth the cost?

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s questions is from Michele:

We are purchasing a home built in the early 80’s. Most of the appliances are more than 5 years old, but it has a new roof and new furnace.

I’m wondering if it’s worth the $400-$600 to buy a home warranty? I know that with a warranty, we might be tied to certain repair companies, be required to pay a flat fee for repair visits, and aren’t guaranteed replacements unless it’s completely unfixable. -Michele

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Aug 5, 2014 comment

Six Things My Grandpas Taught Me About Financial Success

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 5, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

{Both of my grandpas with me as a young girl on Easter.}

TIAA-CREF recently surveyed a number of grandparents and grandchildren across the country. I was interested to read that this was one of the findings from their survey:

We discovered that grandchildren not only want to talk to grandparents about money and savings, but also that they view their grandparents as positive role models when it comes to the importance and ability to save money.

Read more here.

I so agreed with this, because I attribute much of my own personal financial success to my grandparents — my grandpas especially. My parents were highly, highly instrumental in shaping my thoughts on finances, debt, spending, and saving, but it was my grandparents who first laid the foundation for them.

There is so much I could share about how my grandparents impacted me. My grandmas taught me so much and set such great examples for me in many areas. But when it comes to finances, it’s hard to think of anyone who has impacted me more than my grandpas.

Here are six things my grandpas taught me about financial success:

1) Be a Disciplined and Diligent Person

Both of my grandpas have lived lives of productivity.

My dad’s dad (whom we affectionately call “Pop”) was one of the hardest working men I’ve met — right up until he passed away. He was usually up before 6 a.m. and he’d go out and walk and then start in on his day. Even after he retired, he never stopped working. He was always fixing things, building things, and looking for people to help.

My mom’s dad, Grandpa Duane, is still going strong. He keeps everything in their home and in his shop in meticulous order. He cares for his wife, my step-grandma, and is always thinking of others. It amazes me how much he does, even in his eighties! In fact, just recently, he was out on my parents’ property flying one of his planes. I hope that I’m still as active and driven as he is when I’m a great-grandma!

{Pop helping me with a present I’d just opened for my birthday while my older sister, Brigette, looks on.}

2) Save Your Money Carefully

I can’t think of any time I’ve seen either of my grandpas spend money frivolously or extravagantly. Every purchase they’ve made has been made carefully. Time and time again, I’ve seen them wait to buy something they wanted until they had saved up for it and were sure they were getting a good deal.

At the same time, I’ve also seen them be generous with their wives, their children and their grandchildren. I truly believe that the thought and intention they put into wisely managing their money gave them the opportunity to be able to bless others more.

3) Never Pay Full Price for Anything

I remember when Pop passed away and we were going through his house, we found multiple brand-new pairs of the same kind of shoe he always wore. We were curious what this was about until we realized that he’d found a great sale on them (they still had the clearance prices on them), so he’d bought extra for the coming years.

Not only do I love this story because it shows his wisdom in always planning ahead, but I also love it because it shows how simple he liked to keep things. He always wore the same kinds of clothes and shoes and once he found a brand/make that worked well and held up, he just stuck with that.

We’d often tease Pop about how he would buy extra of items like peanut butter if they were on a great sale. Looking back, I’m pretty sure he’s somewhat to blame for my bargain-shopping nature. And I’m incredibly grateful for the example he set and all the money he’s inspired me to save over the years!

{Grandpa Duane with my brother, Dustin, my sister, Brigette, and me — yup, fingers in my mouth and all! ;)}

4) Think Through Purchases

I’ve observed both of my grandpas purchase a house in my lifetime. In both cases, I saw them think through the purchases very carefully.

They took their time. They asked for counsel of others. They considered their options.

And they didn’t just run ahead and get something because it looked like a great option. They wanted to make sure it was the best option. And in each case, the time and thought they put into these big purchases turned out to serve them well.

5) Use It Up, Wear It Out

My grandpas were experts at this! Why buy something new when the old one will do just as well? They took very good care of all of their possessions and made them last as long as they could. And it’s amazing how long they could make something last!

We would often joke with Pop about the fact that maybe he should replace his hole-y sweat pants or t-shirts, but he’d keep wearing them until they were completely and 100% worn out. While I haven’t quite gone this far, I do wear and wear and wear my clothes and shoes, usually until they are very well-worn. And this not only simplifies my life, but it saves us a lot of money.

{My dad’s mom holding me for the first time while Pop looks on and holds my older sister, Brigette.}

6) Don’t Go Into Debt — Except for a House

One thing that Pop ingrained in my dad was that you should never go into debt for anything except a house. From the beginning of my parents’ marriage, they followed this principle.

And then they took it one step further.

When I was around six years old, my parents decided to do something radical and work hard to pay off their house. They then saved up everything they could.

When I was ten years old, we sold that house and bought land out in the country. My dad bought an old single-wide trailer for a few thousand dollars and moved it to the land.

The trailer didn’t have an oven, didn’t have heat or air conditioning, leaked crazily every time it rained, had a bad mice problem, and was in fairly disgusting shape when we got it. But after days of elbow grease, we got it in livable shape, moved most of our possessions into a storage unit, and moved the basic necessities into that trailer.

We spent seven months in that trailer while we were building our house. I could write a book of stories from that experience. But most all of the memories are very happy memories and I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.

At the end of seven months, our new house was finished enough that we could move into it. And it was a huge celebration to make it to that day… and for my parents to have realized their dream of building a house debt-free.

Let me tell you: Pop’s encouragement to my dad to never go into debt except for a house and then seeing my parents take that advice and go even further with it, well, that has a profound effect on you as a child. Especially when you then see your parents go on and be in position to be able to give generously because they worked so hard to no longer have a house payment.

Truly, my husband and I owe so much to our parents and grandparents. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that we would never be in the position we are in financially nor would we have paid cash for our first house were it not for my grandparents influence and examples. And we are eternally grateful.

Want to start a conversation between your kids and their grandparents about money and finances? Or are you a grandparent who would love to know how to talk to your grandkids about money? Check out these free downloadable resources for tips and ideas to start the conversation.

{Note: This post was underwritten by TIAA-CREF. See my disclosure policy here.}

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

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Day 1: Saturday

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1) Be a Disciplined and Diligent Person

2) Save Your Money Carefully

3) Never Pay Full Price for Anything

4) Think Through Purchases

5) Use It Up, Wear It Out

6) Don’t Go Into Debt — Except for a House

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