Saving Families Money Since 2007
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?
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.
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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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!)
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 = $0.75Banana Boat sunscreen:
$2.63 (the price after the 75% off discount at CVS) – $1.25 iBotta rebate = $1.38I 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!
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.
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!
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:
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.
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.
{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:
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.}
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.
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! ;)}
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.
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.}
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.}
I honored that Jami at Young Wife’s Guide has been hosting an Online Summer Book Study on my book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode! Here’s a little of what she had to say about my book:
This Spring, I started reading a book that has had a profound influence on my homemaking and my life. It has greatly impacted how I view responsibility, priorities, and managing my home.
I decided that since this book is so packed full of practical exercises and hands on challenges, I needed to go through it slowly and with purpose. Will you join me this Summer as I work my way through: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode?
If you’d like to get in on the discussion, or see what’s been discussed already, click here to sign up for Jami’s Summer Online Book Study.
Last week, a local blogger graciously invited me to go to a local Wine & Dine Event being hosted by StitchFix.
I’ve wanted to get to know more about StitchFix ever since a number of friends started raving about the service the past year and it sounded like a great way to get to meet some local bloggers, so I accepted the invitation.
And then I realized what I’d done.
What was I thinking?? Introverted me accepting an invitation to spend all evening with a bunch of people I don’t know??
And not only that, but did I mention that StitchFix is a company that sends you a box of clothing/jewelry based upon your fashion preferences?!? When I realized that, I wasn’t just stressed about being in tight quarters all evening with people I didn’t know at all, but then I started panicking over what on earth I would wear!!
Knowing the kind of event it was and who was hosting it, I was sure everyone would probably wear cute cocktail dresses and adorable jewelry. They probably dress like that most all the time and wouldn’t even think twice about what they were going to wear.
Me, on the other hand? I pretty much only wear jeans, t-shirts, maxi dresses, and yoga pants. {Yup, I SUCH a fashionista. Gulp.}
So yeah, I was kind of concerned about what I was going to wear. Adding to the anxiety was the fact that we’d just gotten home from our trip to the SheSpeaks conference the night before and basically everything in my current “cute clothing” repertoire needed to be washed.
{There are blessings and curses to having a minimalist wardrobe! :)}
I realized all of this right before I was supposed to leave… which is never a good thing.
After about 30 minutes of effort, I finally pulled an outfit together that I was happy with, got dressed, fixed my hair, and jumped into the car.
I looked at the time and looked at Google Maps and realized I would just barely make it on time.
Whew! Crisis averted.
I took a deep breath and then saw the gas gauge.
Yikes! I only had enough gas left in the tank to get a few miles. Never mind on getting there right on time, now I was going to have to stop and get gas.
I started to feel all uptight again. And then it got worse as I realized I’ve never gotten gas in either vehicle since we’ve lived here in TN and I had no clue where the best/nearest gas station was.
{I know that might seem really absurd. But want to know a random fact about me? I basically never ever put gas in our vehicles. Jesse always does it for me because he loves to! Yes, I’m spoiled!}
In the process of being so intensely focused on trying to remember where the nearest gas station is to our house here in TN, I made a wrong turn and got stuck in rush hour traffic.
This was not going well.
I finally made it to the gas station only to realize that I’d left my debit card at home. I rarely ever swipe my debit card (I’m a cash-only gal as much as is humanly possible… which is pretty much all the time!), so I didn’t even think to bring it.
But now not having it was going to add even extra time to my already-running-quite-late ticker. Argh!
I ran up to the kiosk to pay, hurriedly plunked down two $20 bills, and waited impatiently for the cashier to finish ringing up my pre-pay gas purchase. Then he looked at me and asked puzzled, “Did you mess with the gas pump? Because the one you’re pulled up to looks like something’s messed up with it and it’s not working.”
For real? I didn’t know whether to cry or shriek at this point. But I held it together while he sent a mechanic out to fix the gas pump.
He was able to fix it quickly, I got the tank filled up, and finally, finally, finally, I was on my way again — by now running almost 20 minutes late.
Truthfully, I sincerely considered texting my friend to back out of the event. I hated to walk in so late — especially because I had no idea what the set-up would be and knew that walking in 20 minutes late could be really rude.
But at the same time, I had already worked so hard to get out the door and on the road, I figured it was too late to turn back now. So instead, I took many deep breaths, prayed for God to go before me and prayed that it would all work out and not be conspicuous for me to walk in late, and then I texted my friend to let her know I was going to be running late.
She was so gracious and told me that it was no big deal at all. I took more deep breaths, prayed some more, found the venue where the event was being hosted, and gathered up my courage to walk in the door, and pretend I’m not an introvert.
The evening was nothing like I expected. Yes, there were many cute dresses and adorable jewelry all around. Yes, the room was packed with mostly people whom I didn’t know at all. And yes, it seemed like everyone else knew most of the others and felt completely in their comfort zone.
In the past, any one of these things would have been enough to cause me to hyperventilate and feel completely awkward and out of place. And at first, that’s exactly how I felt.
But then I remembered my new mantra of fully embracing life, so I forced myself to tune out the voices of insecurity and doubt in my head telling me all sorts of lies about I didn’t fit in this group or that I was an outsider. Instead, I decided to look for someone to bless and encourage.
Guess what? I ended up having a great time! The evening was filled with meeting new people, in-depth heart-to-heart conversations, great food, and lots of laughter. And when the event was winding down, I didn’t want to leave.
I’m so glad I didn’t say no to the invitation, even though it was out of my comfort zone. I’m so glad I didn’t turn around and chicken out when I was running so behind. And I’m so glad I got over myself and my own silly insecurities and awkwardness and chose to focus on other people instead.
I would have missed out on a beautiful and fun evening. Also? The success of how the experience turned out gives me courage to continue to keep stepping outside my comfort zone, to continue to tune out the voices or insecurity, and to remember to focus on other people the next time I feel awkward and out of place.
I was honored to be featured on SheKnows.com today sharing a tip about freezing peanut butter & jelly sandwiches as part of their Time-Saving School Lunch Hacks article.
If you’re looking for some great tips and advice for making school lunches easier, be sure to check out the article.
Note: Here’s my post on how I freeze peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
I Am That Lady shows you how to make 25 Gluten-Free Meals for under $150 with ingredients purchased at ALDI.
Visit her site for the recipe links and shopping list. You can also purchase a detailed printable menu plan, if you prefer.
