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Shared Apr 15, 2014 comment

Sign Up for the FREE Online Author Platform Summit!

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 15, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to write a book or take your writing career to the next level? Sign up for the Author Platform Summit that will be held online from May 15-18, 2014.

During this special free online summit experience you will learn from best-selling authors, publishing industry experts and leading authorities who will share strategies to help authors and anyone with something to say or sell build a platform of success. On May 15-18 you will have free, on-demand access to watch video teachings from each of our speakers. You can watch online whenever you want. Each teaching will share a few specific tips from our experts with a focus on actions that you can take immediately.

I’ll be sharing at the summit along with a number of other best-selling authors and experienced book marketers. I’m excited about this and can’t wait to soak up all the great information and practical advice that will be shared.

And did I mention this is FREE? Yes, it is. What a great value!

Sign up for the FREE Author Platform Summit here.

Shared Apr 14, 2014 comment

52 Different Ways to Save $100 Per Year: Develop Contentment {Week 52}

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 14, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Every week for 52 weeks, I’m sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.

Can you believe it? We’ve made it to the end of this 52-week series. It ended up taking me a few months longer than 52 weeks, but I’m just going to celebrate the fact that I followed through with writing all 52 weeks! 🙂

For our final installment of this series, I want to talk about contentment. Because truly, this is the heart of frugality.

I’m slowly reading through In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day (it’s so good!) and this section challenged me at a deep level:

“Man’s Search for Meaning ranks as one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. In it, Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl writes about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.

Everything was taken away from the Jewish prisoners. They were stripped of their clothing, their pictures, and their personal belongings. The Nazi captors even took away their names and gave them numbers. Frankl was number 119, 104. But Frankl said there was one thing the Nazis couldn’t take away: ‘Everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms–to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.’

The most important choice you make every day is your attitude. Your internal attitudes are far more important than your external circumstances. Joy is mind over matter.”

–In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, page 68

When you learn that stuff doesn’t buy happiness, your life suddenly becomes much richer. As I wrote about in this piece on contentment (stop right now and go read this post, if you haven’t already!), when we were first married and our budget was so tight, I quickly learned that contentment is a choice.

You can choose to be contentment — whether you are in the middle of a feast or a famine. Why? Because contentment isn’t about what model of car you drive, how big your house is, what brands of clothes you wear, what kinds of foods you eat, or how much money you make.

Contentment is first and foremost about your heart. It’s an attitude you can get up and choose to have (or not have) every single day.

If you struggle with contentment, I encourage you to read my post on 16 Ways to Become More Content and 6 Things That Will Help You Have a More Positive Attitude.

Also, here’s a snippet from a guest post published in 2012 on How to Be Content With Less by Tessa who blogs at The Recreational Word Slinger:

3 Ways to Be Content With Less:

1. Expect less.

Stop expecting to buy something every time you run an errand. I was so guilty of this before we switched to using cash. I would think that I deserved a little treat for having to get out and grocery shop or run errands. Direct your thinking towards expecting less.

2. Ignore the urge for more, more, more.

This is easier said than done in today’s society. We are constantly bombarded with different advertisements telling us that we need more. We have to retrain how we listen to or pay attention to such ads. When you become immune to advertising, you might find that your desire for more decreases.

3. Look at what you do have.

This idea is by far the one that has helped me get over my obsession with stuff. One way to do this is by verbally thanking our Creator for what He has given us. When I am more mindful of the blessings that I have been given, then I find that I am less mindful of my humanistic desire for more.

Read the full post.

What practical suggestions and ideas have helped you become more content? I’d love to hear!

photo credit

Shared Apr 14, 2014 comment

6 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 14, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We’re moving to Tennessee in two weeks, so the next two weeks are going to be quite full with packing, last-minute to-do’s, and lots of good-bye get-togethers. It’s a bittersweet time in our lives — we’re excited about the many new opportunities and adventures the future holds, but we’re also sad to leave behind dear friends and family here in Kansas.

Because we’re trying to squeeze in extra time with family and friends and prepping for the big move, I’m keeping it simple for the next few weeks and just setting six weekly goals.

Last Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

~~1. Finish reading A Big Year for Lily to the girls. Read 5 chapters of More All-Of-A-Kind Family. Read a few picture books with Silas.~~

~~2. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

3. Make one project from my Do-It-Yourself Projects I Want to Try list.

~~4. Have an at-home movie date with Jesse.~~

Personal Goals

~~5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-29.~~

~~6. Exercise four times.~~

7. Finish reading Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, The Traitor’s Wife, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, and Praying for Boys.

8. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Blog/Business Goals.

~~9. Write one guest post for another blog.~~

~~10. Write three content pieces for my blog.~~

This Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Finish reading More All-Of-A-Kind Family with the kids.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Have an at-home movie date with Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-29.

5. Exercise four times.

6. Finish reading Though Waters Roar, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, and Praying for Boys.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Apr 12, 2014 comment

How We Fund Purchases With Cash We “Found” Around Our Home

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

Guest post from Tiffany of Don’t Waste the Crumbs

Since climbing out of debt seven years ago, my husband and I have made purchases based on a motto: “In order for something new to come in, something else must go out.”

While our motto has helped us keep house clutter down, it’s also helped us to afford items we ordinarily wouldn’t be able to. Essentially since what we own is given monetary value, which means we have money in places we never thought to look!

If you’re wondering how you might fund your next purchase without breaking the bank or dipping into your savings account, try looking around your house. You might be surprised how much “cash” you find!

Here’s how to get started:

1. Inventory what you have.

Make a list of items that you have that you don’t use, hardly use, and/or that you’re willing to part with. Write these items down on a sheet of paper, whiteboard, or track them in a spreadsheet.

Keep these items out in the open, not in a closet or storage, so that you see them everyday. This will make you want to get rid of them that much faster.

2. Determine the market value.

Find out how much your items are worth by checking sites like Craigslist, Ebay, and other online auction type sites with buyer/seller relationships.

Be realistic. What you paid $500 for two years ago, may only be worth $75 now. Don’t hold on to items just because you think you paid a lot for it. It’s a fact that items depreciate over time. Sell it now and recoup what you can.

Tip: When selling locally, consider asking a little bit more than the going price. This leaves you room to negotiate down, but always have a lowest price in mind.

3. Sell it.

When marketing your item, clean them up, take good photos, and write a very descriptive ad. These extra steps add “curb appeal” to your items and help them sell faster.

Four places to sell your stuff:

1. Craigslist. Our preferred method since it’s free, local, and easy.

2. Ebay. The final price is not set in stone, but you have a wider audience. Be sure to consider shipping and packaging costs into your asking price.

3. Garage Sale. Advertise your sale in the local paper and online. Be willing to negotiate.

4. Newspaper. Although the internet is more popular, this is still an avenue that may work well in your area!

4. Barter if necessary.

Bartering is viable alternative to selling when cash to buy is unavailable.

5. Use funds to buy new item.

Before you spend anything, check Freecycle to see if anyone is giving what you’re looking for away.

In the same way you used Craigslist, Ebay, garage sales, and the newspaper to sell, check those same places when you buy!

Over the years, we’ve used these methods to buy lots of higher-end purchases — including a laptop, bicycle, dining room set, and iPods.

There is always a market to buy and sell, and remember that one man’s “trash” is another man’s treasure!!

Tiffany is a frugal foodie – passionate about feeding her family healthy food while being a good steward of her family’s finances. She shares her enthusiasm for affording real food without going broke at Don’t Waste the Crumbs.

photo source

Shared Apr 11, 2014 comment

12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge: Week 14 Check-in

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

Are you joining us for the 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge? If so, it’s the weekend and guess what that means? It’s time for our weekly check-in to post our progress.

April’s Challenge:

We’re focusing on developing the habit of cutting back on sugar. I encourage you to set a simple and doable goal for drinking more water and to stick with it.

New to this challenge? Read more details on the plan for this year here.

My Goals for Cutting Back on Sugar During April

My goal for April is to cut back on sugar — which is hard for a girl like me who has a strong sweet tooth! I’m going to make it my goal to only eat dessert once a week and to cut back on the sugar I use in my coffee on a daily basis, too.

I’m also hoping to keep up with January’s habit of exercising at least 4-5 times every week, February’s goal of eating a big salad at least six times a week, and March’s goal of drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

This Week’s Progress:

Alrighty, so the second week was much easier for me. In fact, my husband bought some chocolate cake for me when we were in South Carolina and I only ate half of it because it didn’t taste good. I was wondering if I was okay that I was going to throw out perfectly good chocolate cake, but Jesse tried a piece and said something was weird about it. So maybe I’m not completely losing my sweet tooth?? 🙂

The good news is that it truly has been a lot easier for me this week to be eating less sugar. And that makes me happy!

In other news, I hit my water goals four out of the seven days, exercised three times, and ate a salad every day.

How Are YOU Doing?

Leave a comment telling us how you did on your exercise goals this past week. If you’re blogging about this challenge, leave the direct link to your blog post about the challenge below. Are you on social media? You can also share your progress on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter by using hashtag #12MonthstoaHealthierYou.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Apr 11, 2014 comment

48-Hour Giveaway: FPEA Convention Registration (3 Winners)

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

I’m so excited to be speaking at the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention this year! I’ve heard many amazing things about this convention and I can’t wait to get to experience it first-hand.

The convention will be held May 22-24th in Kissimmee, FL. It’s the largest homeschool convention in the country, offering more than 150 different workshops and an expansive exhibit hall!

I’ll be speaking five different times. On Thursday afternoon, I’ll be giving a presentation on Monetizing Your Platform for their Social Media Summit. If you’re a blogger or someone who is considering starting a blog, I’d definitely recommend checking out their Social Media Summit as it looks like it will be packed with helpful ideas and information.

On Friday and Saturday, I’ll be presenting the following four workshops: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life, Slash Your Grocery Bill Without Clipping Coupons, and One-Hour Freezer Cooking.

I’d LOVE to get to meet you there! If you’re planning to attend, be sure to come find me after one of my sessions or stop by the booth so I can meet you. Getting to meet readers in person is one of my very favorite things about speaking events!

And I’m excited to be giving away three convention registrations for the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention. Each registration is valid for the entire family. (Note: this giveaway is for a convention registration only. It does not include any add-on events, meals, or hotel stay.)

Would you like to enter to win a FREE family registration to the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention? Just click on the graphic below and type in your name and email address. Three winners will be chosen and posted early next week. This giveaway ends Saturday, April 12, at 11:59 pm, CST.

Shared Apr 10, 2014 comment

Others Saw a Pesky Weed, He Saw a Beautiful Flower

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Others saw a pesky weed, he saw a beautiful flower to brighten his Mama’s day.

It’s all about perspective.

Become a noticer of the good and beautiful instead of focusing on the hard and ugly things. It will transform your attitude — and maybe even your entire life!

“Two men looked out from prison bars,
One saw the mud, the other saw stars.”
― Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Shared Apr 10, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s $40 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 Corn Chips – $0.89

1 Flour Tortillas – $1.29

1 dozen Eggs – $1.29

1 Pineapple – $1.29

1 gallon Milk – $2.68

2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each

1 package Butter – $2.49

1 package Cream Cheese – $0.99

1 packages Cheese – $1.99 each

1 Italian Dressing – $1.39

1 package Celery – $1.19

1 package Spinach – $1.69

3 Cucumbers – $0.59 each

1 package Carrots – $0.99

1 Half & Half – $1.69

1 package Strawberries – $1.29

1 Cantaloupe – $1.29

Total: $27.18

Dillons

2 PictSweet Frozen Vegetables – $1, used 2 $0.50/1 coupon from the 3/2 RedPlum insert – $0.50 each after coupons

1 Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts – $7.99, used $1.45/1 e-coupon – $6.54 after coupon

1 Fresh Organic Kale – $1.50

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

1 Nabisco Wheat Thins – $2, used $0.50/1 printable (no longer available) – $1.50 after coupon

1 Barbara’s Cereal – $3.99 (On Sale Buy One Get One Free), used $1.50/1 printable – $0.49 after coupon

Total before coupons and sales: $24.68

Total with tax ($1.07) after coupons and sales: $13.09

Total for all grocery items: $40.27

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Homemade Granola, Oatmeal, Fresh Veggie/Fruit Juice

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Leftovers, Cheese/Crackers/Veggies, Baked Potatoes, Peanut Butter & Jelly on Rice Cakes

Dinners

Spaghetti, Cantaloupe, Green Beans

Italian Chicken, Biscuits, Peas

Haystacks, Fruit Salad

Chicken Pockets, Tossed Salad, Pineapple

Dinner with family x 3 (We have family in town so we’ll be spending several evenings over at my parents.)

Shared Apr 9, 2014 comment

1 Corinthians 13 For Moms

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Years ago, I came across this adaption of 1 Corinthians 13 by Jim Fowler and it’s been greatly challenging and inspiring to me as a mom.

I’ve shared this poem at the last two conferences I’ve spoken at and multiple attendees requested that I would post it on my site as they were so blessed by it. So I wanted to share it to encourage those of you moms who are feeling weary right now.

1 Corinthians 13 for Moms

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness not godliness.

If I scream at my children when they don’t follow instructions,
get frustrated and fault them for every mess in our house,
and have no grace and love
my children learn that Mom cares more about having things done exactly her way
than about listening to the needs and hearts of her children.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,”
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counselor when my children fail or are hurt.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Before I became a mother I took glory in having it altogether.
Now I glory in knowing that God’s in control and His grace is sufficient for each day.

All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.

Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters, and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children.

-adapted from 1 Corinthians 13 by Jim Fowler

Shared Apr 9, 2014 comment

We Paid Cash: A New HVAC System

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We paid cash!

A testimony from an anonymous reader

We’ve known for several years now that our HVAC system was dying. As a family, we were all uncomfortable and the unit often reminded us of its impending “death” with loud rattling that shook walls.

Knowing that we had waited and patched the units as long as we could, we began to get quotes for a new system. When the time came to receive our first quote I almost fell out of my chair when they handed me the paperwork showing a total cost of $12,000 to replace both our units and repair the duct work.

This company did however offer financing, and it looked like we might have to utilize the “financing option” to purchase the new HVAC system.

After a few more quotes and some discussions with the companies I started asking if we could get a discount if we paid in cash. To my shock, we were quickly offered discounts from 5-8% if we paid in cash! On a $12,000 bill that is not an insignificant amount of money.

With this new knowledge in hand, we put our nose to the ground and decided to save, save, save! We had less than one year to save before we would face another blistering summer in Georgia.

Here is what we did:

We held a family meeting
We examined our budget
We cut expenses on “non-essential” items
We planned to put our entire tax return to the new system

Our children are old enough to understand our budget and the need to replace the HVAC unit (they were hot!) After the family meeting, everyone was on the same page and we were all on board to save up for a more comfortable summer next year.

Already having a tight budget, at first we thought we would never be able to save enough, but soon, small decisions started adding up. Every time we saved any amount from a monthly bill, we diverted those funds directly into savings.

Because our budget was already tight we called our service providers for cell phones and internet and negotiated lower rates. The difference went straight to savings every month, we decreased the “food” budget which meant less eating out and we had very simple holidays. Soon we were on track to make our goal!

This weekend, we will have our new system installed and we will be paying CASH!

Our new HVAC system will cost us $8,000 — by paying cash and having the work completed before summer we were able to negotiate the best price, saving us $4,000. What a great feeling we have as a family to know that we all worked together to achieve our goal and we all be cooler this summer!

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

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

Click here to download!

Shared Apr 9, 2014 comment

Sponsor Spotlight: AOL Gathr

Published: by MSM Team on April 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We’re excited to have AOL Gathr as one of our sponsors. We had the opportunity to interview them and get to know their company a little more recently:

Tell us about the history of AOL Gathr.

Gathr is an exciting new service by AOL that launched in three markets in fall 2013 and is now available nationwide. AOL has been in the business of helping people for more than 25 years, through informing them, entertaining them, connecting them, and providing them with great products and services.

What product or service does AOL Gathr offer?

With Gathr, customers can bundle together top brands and save up to 60%. Members can save big on subscriptions and credits toward music, movies, games, dining, books, shopping, and more.

We offer brands like Amazon.com, Target , Pandora One, Groupon, Sephora, Zappos.com, Barnes & Noble, LivingSocial, Domino’s, Toys”R”Us, Starbucks, Fandango, PBS Kids Play!, and Consumer Reports. Customers can create their own package of products, or choose from one of our pre-bundled packages that fit different lifestyles.

The main focus on Money Saving Mom® is saving money and making our dollars stretch. How does AOL Gathr help us to do that?

Gathr helps moms save big on brands they already use. For instance, our Playroom package includes a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card, a membership to PBS KIDS PLAY!, a subscription to National Geographic Little Kids Magazine, a $10 Toys”R”Us eGift Card, and access to 3,000+ online kids learning games through ABCmouse.com, all for only $20 a month – a 52% savings. Moms can keep their kids educated and entertained – all while saving money.

Or choose our Night In package and save money on a fun night for the whole family. It includes a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card, a $10 Domino’s eGift Card, a ShopRunner membership for free shipping and delivery, and a $6 Amazon Instant Video Gift Card, all for only $15 a month – a 57% savings.

Does AOL Gathr have any new products or promotions coming up?

Yes, we are offering Money Saving Mom® users $10 off their first month of Gathr*! They can enjoy savings off our popular Night In or Playroom packages, or any other package of their choice.

Does AOL Gathr do any charity work that you’d like us to know about?

AOL is very supportive of charitable activity by employees, holding an annual company-wide volunteer day and offering employees two additional paid days of volunteer work each year. AOL matches employee’s contributions to charities up to $250 per year, and contributes to registration fees when employees participate in charitable walks/runs.

What would you most like your customers or future customers to know about AOL Gathr?

Gathr is a new way to save! We know you work hard to provide the most for your family, so our priority is helping you save big on top brands. We offer 40 products and services from Amazon.com, Target, Pandora One, Groupon, Sephora, Zappos.com, Barnes & Noble, LivingSocial, Domino’s, Toys”R”Us, Starbucks, Fandango, PBS Kids Play!, Consumer Reports, and more. We continue to add new partners and would love to hear about new products moms want us to offer.

How can your customers get the most out of your product or service?

Sign up today with our special offer for Money Saving Mom® users and save $10 off your first month*. You’ll get extra savings in that first month, and then savings up to 60% each month after that. Make sure to use your subscriptions and redeem your gift cards each month at Gathr.com!

Interested in becoming a monthly sponsor or advertising with us? Find more details here.

*Offer expires 4/30/14. Offer may be used once per account, is not available to current Gathr customers, and may not be combined with other offers. Offer excludes taxes and has no cash value. Offer applies starting your first monthly billing period after using this promo code, and is valid up to the amount actually charged that month. We reserve the right to change or terminate this offer at any time.

Shared Apr 9, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip: Spent $1.91 for $24.97 worth of products

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

Transaction #1

2 Right Guard Deodorant – $3 each (Buy 2, Get $2 ECBs)
Used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 3/16 RedPlum insert

3 Wet & Wild Cosmetic Items @ $0.99 each – On Sale Buy 2, Get 1 Free
Used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 4/6 RedPlum insert

1 Crest Toothpaste – $2.99 (Buy 1, Get $2 ECBs)
Used $0.50/1 coupon from the 3/31 P&G insert

Used $4.50 ECBs from previous shopping trip

Total with tax ($0.85): $1.32, Received $4 ECBs

Transaction #2

1 CVS Women’s 5 Blade Razor – $7.29 (My CVS was out of the Venus razors and when I asked if they had anymore in stock, they said that since they didn’t, I could substitute a CVS brand razor. They even let me use my Venus coupon on it and gave me the $5 ECBs I would have received for buying the Venus razor. This is why I love CVS!)

Used $4/1 coupon from the 3/30 P&G insert

Used $4 ECBs from transaction #1 (They lowered this down to $3.29 since that was my total before tax and I didn’t have time to find a $0.71 item.)

Total (tax only): $0.59, Received $5 ECBs

Total for both transactions before coupons, sales and ECBs: $24.47

Total for both transactions after coupons, sales and ECBs: $1.91, plus $5 ECBs leftover

Shared Apr 8, 2014 comment

Help! I want to change my life but I don’t know where to start!

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 8, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I can’t believe I am actually writing you, but I just feel like giving up. I bought your new book and read it. It was wonderful and filled with great ideas, but I truthfully don’t know where to start. I feel like I can’t keep my head above water. Do I focus on trying to tame the budget? Lose weight? Being more mindful when with my family?

I just feel like I am under so much stress all the time. My husband works a lot and I work from home as a freelance writer and we have two children, ages 10 and 11. My 11-year-old is on the autism spectrum and it is so draining — never-ending worries about this and that. We have no family around.

So what do you recommend as the best way to start getting things under control? Is it finances? (we do OK…but don’t have much savings) Get healthier? (I want to lose 10 pounds and frankly have no willpower and can’t say no to sweets) Get more organized?

Just feeling lost. – a reader

Hugs! I’m so sorry you have so much on your plate right now. I wish that you could come over and hang out with me at my house for a few hours and we could just talk over a cup of coffee.

But since there are miles and miles that separate us, I’ll do my best to share some of my thoughts to answer your questions in this post. I encourage you to just take whatever you find helpful and leave the rest. I’m all about grace not guilt!

1. Say No

The best thing you can do right now is to say “no” to everything that isn’t an absolute necessity. Make “no” your default answer to every request and opportunity.

Now is not the time to be taking on anything new. In fact, now is the time to be off-loading everything you possibly can. Remind yourself that saying “no” to the mediocre will then allow you to say “yes” to the best.

As I talk about in the first chapter of my book, giving myself permission to say “no” changed my life. I had thought that life was spinning out of control without my consent. But then I finally realized that most of the overwhelming things in my life were the result of my inability to say “no” and my feelings of obligation to other people — at the expense of my health and family.

When I realized that I was the problem, but I was also the solution, it changed my life. It allowed me to stop letting life happen to me and start happening to life.

2. Streamline Your Life

So often, we get so busy living life that we forget what it is we’re actually living for. Stop and consider what’s really going to matter in 25 years from now. This will likely change your perspective on what’s important and will make it much easier to prioritize.

I found it very helpful to create a Best Stuff List — a list of the few things that matter most right now and that I want to wrap my life around. I can exhaust myself trying to do it all, or I can choose to focus my time and energy on those few things that really matter.

My Best Stuff list serves as a guide for whether I say “yes” to commitments and opportunities that come my way. And it helps me to much more quickly be able to say “no” to those things that would only distract me from the Best Stuff.

3. Set Small Goals

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. You have to change something if you want to see change.

Where do you want to be in six months from now? Think of a few areas that will have the biggest impact on your life. If you’re not sure what to start with, consider which areas are the greatest stress-inducers right now. Is it your weight? Is it your lack of organization? Is it your finances?

Pick two areas that are causing the most stress and set a realistic, specific, and measurable goal for those two areas.

For instance, if you want to lose weight, set a goal to lose 10 pounds in six months. That’s a little less than two pounds in a month — or about a half pound every week.

Once you have the specific goal, it’s time determine your action plan. What specific things are you going to do each day to accomplish your goal of losing half pound a week? Write your action plan down and find an accountability partner you can check in with each week to report your progress and success.

4. Celebrate Your Success

The best way to change your life is to set a specific goal, create a doable action plan, put some accountability in place, and then go for it. Don’t over-think or over-plan. Just do it!

Focus on the progress you’re making, not on how far you still have to go. You probably won’t hit your goals every week, but so long as you don’t give in and give up, you’re still moving forward. And moving forward — even at a microscopic rate — is progress.

So celebrate your success — no matter how small — and keep charging ahead. Even if you just make four small changes each year, that’s 40 changes over the course of a decade — and that’s massive!

Don’t give up! You don’t have to live life stuck in survival mode, constantly feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Instead, you can live with intention, enthusiasm, passion, and purpose. It’s an amazingly rewarding way to live — and it starts with taking tiny little steps in the right direction!

What advice do the rest of you have for this reader? Please share in the comments!

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Shared Apr 8, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s Target Shopping Trip: Spent $4.54 for $14.12 worth of items

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 8, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Target Shopping Trip

Transaction #1

Buy 3 participating items, Get a $5 Target gift card

2 Suave Professionals Conditioner – $2.89 each, used 2 $1.50/1 printable – $1.39 each after coupons

1 Suave Professionals Conditioner – $2.99, used $1.50/1 printable – $1.49 after coupon

Total with tax ($0.27): $4.54, Received $5 Target gift card

Transaction #2

1 package Organic Carrots – $1.09, used $1/1 Target mobile coupon – $0.09 after coupon

2.83 lbs Bananas @ $0.54/lb – $1.53, used $1/1 Target mobile coupon – $0.53 after coupon

1 lb Ground Beef – $3.39, used $1/1 Target mobile coupon – $2.39 after coupon

1 package Playdoh – $2.79, used $1/1 printable AND 10% off Cartwheel coupon (-$0.28) – $1.51 after coupons

Used $5 Target gift card from transaction #1

Free after coupons and gift card

Total for both transactions before coupons and gift card: $14.12

Total for both transactions after coupons and gift card: $4.54

Shared Apr 8, 2014 comment

Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 8, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I tried my hand at making Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup last week.

It was really easy to make (ignore the fact that I didn’t use raw honey or fresh lemons — I’m all about using what I have!)

The end result was a little less syrup-y than I expected, but I warmed it up a bit and then it looked just perfect.

Overall, I was really happy with how the Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup turned out and am anxious to try using it the next time someone has a bad cough around here!

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

3 Ways to Be Content With Less:

What practical suggestions and ideas have helped you become more content? I’d love to hear!

1. Inventory what you have.

2. Determine the market value.

3. Sell it.

Four places to sell your stuff:

4. Barter if necessary.

5. Use funds to buy new item.

April’s Challenge:

My Goals for Cutting Back on Sugar During April

This Week’s Progress:

How Are YOU Doing?

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

Aldi

Dillons

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

1 Corinthians 13 for Moms

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

Tell us about the history of AOL Gathr.

What product or service does AOL Gathr offer?

The main focus on Money Saving Mom® is saving money and making our dollars stretch. How does AOL Gathr help us to do that?

Does AOL Gathr have any new products or promotions coming up?

Does AOL Gathr do any charity work that you’d like us to know about?

What would you most like your customers or future customers to know about AOL Gathr?

How can your customers get the most out of your product or service?

CVS Shopping Trip

1. Say No

2. Streamline Your Life

3. Set Small Goals

4. Celebrate Your Success

What advice do the rest of you have for this reader? Please share in the comments!

Target Shopping Trip

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