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Shared Oct 24, 2013 comment

Swagbucks Paid For Flights to Visit Family

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 24, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Emily:

I am so thankful that a friend referred me to Swagbucks my freshmen year of college. I have been using it ever since and have been saving them for a few years now to be able to use them when I really needed them.

When I was a junior in college, my father got a promotion and my family (mom, dad, and three younger sisters) had to move from Indianapolis, IN, only an hour from me, to Tampa, FL! This was a difficult time as it was quite the adjustment to go from seeing my family at least once a month to only seeing them a few times a year.

It was even more difficult because I didn’t have a reliable enough car to make the drive down to visit, so we had to buy plane tickets whenever I wanted to spend time with my family. Being a college student, and now a graduate student, that can be very hard on the budget!

My family is extremely important to me, so I knew I had to do something to be able to go and visit them without placing as much of a financial burden on myself or my parents. That is where Swagbucks came into the picture!

I completed activities and polls daily, as well as watched videos and completed surveys to be able to earn more Swagbucks. I also let all of my friends know about Swagbucks and how easy and fun it was to use so I could earn referral Swagbucks as well!

I finally was able to save enough up to be able to purchase a Southwest Airlines gift card and found the perfect (least expensive!) flight I could find — and since Southwest doesn’t charge for bags, I was able to save money there too!

I was very blessed to be able to enjoy time with my sisters and parents last summer. We were even able to get a family portrait taken, which we hadn’t done in a long time!

I am excited to report that this worked out so well last summer that I have been saving up Swagbucks and will be flying to visit them again here in a few weeks!

Emily: Can you email me so I can send you your $50 Amazon gift card as a thank you for submitting your story? Thanks so much!

photo credit

Shared Oct 24, 2013 comment

Video: What I’ve Learned So Far About Writing and Book-Publishing

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 24, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

In the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about book publishing. Mostly, I’ve learned a lot of things NOT to do. (It seems I rarely ever learn anything the easy way. I have to make big mistakes instead. Sigh.)

If you’re interested in publishing a book, you’ll want to check out this video interview I did recently with my friend, Bryan Allain. In it, I share:

+ Why I’ve loved traditional publishing
+ What major mistakes I made in writing my first book
+ Why I surround myself with solid writing from different genres
+ How I analyze every book I read
+ How my publisher had me define the audience for my next book — and how helpful it was
+ Why I almost never write in coffee shops
+ What my ideal writing conditions are and how I’ve set up my office to be conducive to that

And a bit of my goofy, scatter-brained personality comes through in the video, too. 🙂

Psst! As mentioned in the video, my new book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, comes out in January 2014. I can’t wait to tell you more about it soon. In the mean time, you can read more about it or pre-order a copy here.

Shared Oct 23, 2013 comment

Less Paper Clutter, More Filing

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 23, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

During the month of October, I’m following along with Edie & Ruth on their 31 Days of Less & More journey. I’d love for you to join in by reading the posts and completing the projects, or just sit back and read along each day.

Less Paper Clutter

As you well know, I kind of despise clutter. Or, probably more accurately: I can’t stand clutter. And it’s no different when it comes to paper clutter. Here are some things that we’ve found to be helpful:

Adopt the No-Pile Rule — Except for my husband’s dresser, we try to strictly adhere to a no-pile rule. I’ve found that a small pile quickly grows—without any effort. If you don’t start a pile in the first place, you can avoid a lot of disorganization.

In the Door, In Its Place — Instead of collecting piles of paper around the house until you have time to deal with them, take care of them immediately. When mail or other papers come into our home, I go through them right then and there and throw out everything that we don’t have to keep. Then I put each item in its specific place. For instance, bills go on my husband’s dresser, magazines go in a basket in my office, freebies go in the household product stockpile closet, coupons in my coupon box, and junk mail in the trash.

Avoid clutter-collecting furniture — We don’t own furniture that tends to be obvious clutter hotspots. I’ve found that when there’s no place to collect piles, you are much less apt to make them.

Set up a special memorabilia storage space — I have two big storage containers with lids that I’ve designated specifically for storing mementos. Not only does this provide a place to put special cards or pictures that come in the mail, but it also keeps everything in one place and not overflowing into other parts of the house. When the bins start to get full, we go through them and pare things down a bit so that we can have more space.

Though not exactly paper clutter, emails are something that are taking over many people’s lives. Need some help taming the email monster? Read my post on How I Keep My Inbox to Fewer Than 5 Emails.

More Filing

I have to tell you, I’m more a fan of trashing than filing. But I’d rather have a file than a pile. So here are some of the things that have helped me keep on top of paper clutter:

Create a Simple System — A system is only as good as it’s operator. Don’t over-complicate your filing system. Even just a few files in a file box can work. For more details on setting up a system for your important documents, check out the five-part series we ran last year on Organizing Your Important Documents.

When In Doubt, Throw It Out — Okay, so some people might disagree with me on this, but I think there is no reason to hang onto something “just in case.” Give yourself permission to just chuck it without guilt.

Use a Scanner — If you think you might need it later, scan the document and save it in a file so you’ll have it if you need it later. You can download an app for this or get a cheap scanner.

For more on this topic, check out Ruth’s post on Less Paper Clutter and Edie’s post on More Filing. I promise you’ll be inspired and blessed!

Shared Oct 23, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s $45 Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 23, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 Mini Marshmallows – $0.89

1 Vegetable Oil – $2.39

1 gallon Milk – $1.99

1 Raisins – $2.79

Total with tax ($0.58): $8.64

Dillons

2 Tyson Frozen Chicken Breasts (3 lb bags) – $5.07 each

3 Mars Fun Size Candy – $1.98 each, used $2/3 printable – $1.31 each after coupon

2 Snickers Peanut Butter Minis – $1.98 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.98 each after coupon

2 Corn Nuts – $1 each, used 2 $0.75/1 printable – $0.25 each after coupon

1 Matzos Crackers – Marked down to $0.99

1 Kroger Unbleached Flour – $1.64

1 Honey Nut Chex – $2.50

1 Kroger Ice Cream – $2.50

2 canned Green Beans – $0.69 each

1 Fruit Water – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Kroger Black Beans – $0.67

1 Kroger Chocolate Chips – $1.59

2.28 lbs Bananas (Marked down to $0.35/lb) – $0.80

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

0.75 lbs Broccoli @ 0.99/lb – $0.74

1 Cucumber – $0.75

1 Raspberries – $0.99

1 Suave Conditioner – $1.49, used $1.50/1 coupon from the 9/29 RedPlum insert – Free after coupon

4 Clif Bars – $0.69 each, used $1/4 coupon from the Summer 2013 Mambo Sprouts savings booklet – $0.44 after coupon

Used $2 catalina from last shopping trip

Total before coupons, sales and catalina: $71.07

Total with tax ($3.06) after coupons, sales and catalina: $35.90

Total for all grocery items: $44.54

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Smoothies, Banana Muffins, Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast

Lunches

Tossed Salad, Cheese Quesadillas, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Leftovers, Cheese and Crackers

Dinners

Spaghetti, Green Beans, Tossed Salad

Baked Potato Bar, Sliced Oranges

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, 30 Minute Rolls

Chicken Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, Sliced Apples

Southwestern Burritos, Cornbread, Green Beans

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Dinner with family

Shared Oct 23, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s Target Shopping Trip: $25.53 worth of products for $11.65 out of pocket

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 23, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Target Shopping Trip

1 Market Pantry Lunchmeat – $2, used $1/$2 Target Mobile coupon (Text FRESH to 827438) – $1 after coupon

1 Green Onions – $1.29 – used $1/1 Target Mobile coupon (Text FRESH to 827438) – $0.29 after coupon

4 Market Pantry Canned Green Beans – $0.64 each, used 2 $0.75/2 Target printable – $0.26 each after coupons

4 Pringles @ $1.49 each – On Sale Buy 3 Get 1 Free, used $1/4 coupon from the 9/8 RedPlum insert – $0.87 each after coupon

1 Monopoly Game – $7.79, used $3/1 printable – $4.79 after coupon (I was so excited about this! We love to play board games but I hate paying full price for them so we hardly have any board games at our house. Now Monopoly has been added to our very small collection.) 🙂

Total before coupons and sales: $25.53

Total with tax ($1.04) after coupons and sales: $11.65

See the full list of deals at Target this week.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Oct 23, 2013 comment

Ask The Readers: How can we save on prescriptions when we don’t have insurance?

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 23, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Julia:

My husband just changed jobs and we found out the hard way that our new insurance has little to no prescription coverage. So I’m wondering, how do you save on monthly prescriptions without insurance? -Julia

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

Shared Oct 23, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s Walgreens Shopping Trip: $14.97 worth of products for $2.85 out of pocket

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 23, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Walgreens Shopping Trip

2 Caress Body Wash at $4.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off
Used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 10/13 RedPlum insert

2 Gain Dish Detergent – Marked down to $0.50 each
Used 2 $0.25/1 coupon from the 9/15 RedPlum insert

1 LED Pumpkin Key Chain – Marked down to $0.25 (filler item)

Used $2 Register Rewards from last shopping trip

Total before coupons, sales and Register Rewards: $14.97

Total with tax ($0.62) after coupons, sales and Register Rewards: $2.85 AND received 2,000 Balance Reward points (for buying 2 Caress) – like $2

See the full list of deals at Walgreens this week here.

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

52 Different Ways to Save $100 Per Year: Turn Your Clutter Into Cash {Week 34}

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Every week in 2013, I’ll be 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.

This isn’t exactly a post on how to save $100, but it’s certainly a way to clear out some clutter and make $100 (or more) in cash fairly quickly!

Clear Out the Clutter

No matter how hard I try to keep clutter at bay, it constantly seems to be creeping and seeping into our home when I’m not looking. And that’s why I have to regularly go through our home and clear out the clutter — lest it take over!

Here are five questions I always ask when I’m clearing out clutter:

Do I Need This Item?

Need is the keyword here. If you could live without the item, than you likely don’t.

I’m not saying you can only have two outfits and one pair of shoes, but the exercise of objectively considering how much of the stuff you have is something you need for survival can help change your perspective on your stuff.

Do I Regularly Use This Item?

If you only use something once every six months, get rid of it. Christmas decorations are exempt, but if you have a food dehydrator lurking in a basement corner that you’ve only used once in the last ten years, you either need to pull it out and start using it or find a better home for it — preferably someone else’s home.

Do I Like This Item?

Sometimes, it is easy to keep clutter just because we always have. It becomes a part of our home without us ever examining whether it is a useful part or something we like and use. If it’s doing nothing for you and you don’t even like it in the first place, pitch it!

Is This Item Taking Up Space I Don’t Have?

Many people feel like they need a bigger home or apartment for all their stuff, but most people just need less stuff. When my husband and I first got married, we spent the first six months living in a one-bedroom apartment with one closet.

Where would we put the vacuum, or the suitcase? We made use of all our available room, from under the bed to under the bathroom sink, and learned an invaluable lesson: the less space you have, the less stuff you need.

Could I Bless Someone Else With This Item?

One of my favorite ways to “dispose” of items I no longer love, need or use is to share them with someone who will! Not only do I get the item off my hands, but I bless someone else in the process — and likely save them money, too!

Now, I am not advocating that you go dump of ten bags of junk on your friend’s doorstep, but if you know your friend could use some diapers and you have half a box that your son outgrew, stop letting them take up space in the nursery and ask your friend if she’d like them!

Need some inspiration for more clutter-free living? Read How I Keep My Kitchen Countertops Cleaned Off.

Turn Your Clutter Into Cash

Once you’ve cleared out the clutter, it’s time to turn that clutter into cash. Here are three ways to do that?

List It On Craigslist

If you live in a large metropolis, your local Craigslist is likely hopping with potential buyers. Take good pictures, use descriptive words, only include your email address (there are weirdos on the internet; no need to give them your home phone number!) and list your item reasonably.

Chances are, finding a buyer will be fairly simple. Best of all? If the item doesn’t sell, you’re out nothing but time and effort.

Craigslist is a great place to sell almost anything, but I’d especially recommend using it for selling exercise equipment, appliances and baby items.

Sell It On eBay

eBay may be a great option, but as it is so well-known, the market is often saturated. Before listing any items on eBay, do a search to see if an item you are considering selling on eBay is actually selling. If there are dozens of listings of your item and very few bids, you’re probably going to do much better selling your item elsewhere.

I personally have had success with selling items as “lots” as opposed to individually. This is a quick way to get rid of a lot of items at once. It will save you the time and energy of taking pictures and listing each thing separately and you’ll likely get more bidders. Make sure that you do have a few items in the lot that are hot sellers, use descriptive keywords in your title and listing, and take at least one or two high-quality pictures.

Consign It

Consignment stores normally specialize in selling name brand used clothing. Children’s consignment stores also sell baby items, maternity clothes, toys and more.

There are at least one or two (or more!) available in most areas. All consignment stores have their own rules and guidelines, but most have you bring your unwanted clothes to them and they’ll either pay you upfront in cash or store credit. Or, they’ll display the items in their store and then pay you a percentage of the profit if it sells.

Depending upon what items you have, what condition they are in and what brands they are, this could be an excellent opportunity for you. I’d recommend calling around to local consignment stores to see what their rules and guidelines for accepting items are and how much they pay.

Find more ideas of things to do with your clutter here.

What are your best tips for turning your clutter into cash?

photo credit; photo credit

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip + a Beginner CVS Shopping Scenario

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

2 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Used $1.50/2 coupon from recent mailer (There is also a $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert.)

3 CVS Flavor Chews – $0.99 each

1 CVS Bandages (60 ct) – $1.67 (I cut my finger this week and we didn’t have any band-aids in our house!)

1 Candy Corn – $0.99

Used $10 ECBs from previous shopping trip

Total before coupons, sales and ECBs: $17.32

Total with tax ($0.83) after coupons, sales and ECBs: $0.94, AND received $2.97 ECBs (for buying 3 Flavor Chews) and $4 ECBs (for buying 2 Crest toothpastes)

If you do not have any ECBs but want to copy the ECB deals in this shopping trip, you can break it into 3 transactions and spend a lot less out of pocket. Here’s an example of how it would work:

Transaction #1

Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert
Pay $2.49 plus tax out of pocket, Get $2 ECBs

Transaction #2

Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert
And use $2 ECBs from transaction #1
Pay $0.49 plus tax out of pocket, Get $2 ECBs

Transaction #3

Buy 3 CVS Flavor Chews – $0.99 each
Use $2 ECBs from transaction #2
Pay $0.97 out of pocket, Get $2.97 ECBs

So you would pay $3.95 plus tax out of pocket and have $2.97 ECBs to use next time.

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

How I’ve Saved Over $300 This Year Using Freecycle

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Lara from Mrs. Waste Not emailed in the following tip:

On my blog, I frequently share about my Freecycle findings because I probably end up finding an item I really need or want about once a month — all for free. It occurred to me that it would be great to step back and tally up how much this awesome network has saved me this year and so I did!

Since I know a lot of you are frugal like me, the prices I use in my examples below are what I would pay if I purchased the items second hand. I have noted if it is a retail price, just because it means it is something I do not usually find second hand.

My Freecycle Finds This Year:

Boy Clothes Round One = $21 saved
2 long sleeve shirts, 4 short sleeve shirts (all NWT), 1 pajama

Girl Clothes = $87 saved
5 dresses, 4 shorts, 6 skirts, 2 pants, 2 leggings, 2 sweaters, 5 short sleeves shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts

Sewing Machine for a Child = $30 saved
My daughter has been asking for this, and I am saving it for a Christmas present

Iris Bulbs = $10 saved
I used a retail price. I don’t see these often in my garage sale adventures

Dresser for Son’s Room = $40 saved
Some dings on the bottom, but you cannot beat the price

Boy Clothes Round Two = $36 saved
4 long sleeve shirts, 6 short sleeve shirts, 2 pajamas

Two gallons of paint = $52 saved
One sage which I used in my living room, one beige which we plan on using in living room. These painting jobs were previously planned, it was just serendipitous that we ended up with the perfect colors

Two summer bridge activity books for next summer = $30 saved
This is based on the price on the back of the book.

Total Saved in the Last Twelve Months: $306

Now, I will stay that if you want to score deals like these, you need to stay on top of the emails. I receive an individual email for each post, rather than digest. This gives me a better chance of being the first one to respond and therefore get the item. I also check my email every 2-3 hours to be on top of deals.

I do use caution when going to a strange place to do a pickup, but a lot of people leave things on their porch so no human interaction is necessary. I also try to post something myself every couple of months, as a return of the good will.

I hope that this encourages you to sign up for your local freecycle list. If you have scored any great finds yourself, I would love to hear about them in the comments!

Mrs. Waste Not is the mom in a typical family of four, and her blog, Mrs. Waste Not, is where she document how they save money and exercise responsible stewardship of the earth. When she’s not gardening, cooking or playing with her kids, she has her nose in a book.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

From a Complete Mess (with Major Stress) to Content Miss (with Room to Bless)

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Note from Crystal: Thank you all for the dozens and dozens of entries you submitted for the Mvelopes Best Budgeting Story Contest. It was hard to choose from among all of the entries! Congratulations to Missy who won our hearts and the contest with her below entry. I know you’ll be blessed by it!

Guest Post from Missy who blogs at Far From Flawless

It all seemed to come to a head one July day when I received a call that my 3-month-old was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, having what seemed to be a seizure. My husband had left the month prior, along with his paycheck and health benefits. I was working a limited 15 hours per week as a newly singled mama with three children age 0, 2 and 3 years.

Things were bad. I was concerned about my smallest prince in the ambulance ahead, but at the same time I was wondering, “Was it really necessary to call an ambulance?”

My tiny baby did have a seizure, but he recovered to be just fine (thank you, Lord) and my marriage did fail. But the tools learned in that season are priceless ones that keep working to this day.

I entered a new season of life as a single mother. I was able to increase my work hours and thereby increase my income, but still remained part time for the sake of my young children. On my limited income, I learned four keys for budgeting:

1. Eliminate All But the Necessary

The cable was cut off. The home phone gone and only a limited cell plan put in place.

We didn’t participate in extra-curricular activities (soccer, gymnastics) and I made no commitments to anything that would incur a monthly bill. None.

I even canceled trash pickup and obtained permission to take our bags to a nearby church dumpster. I was brutal in eliminating bills.

2. Maximize What You Have

We made good use of our internet service and PBS for entertainment. We purged and sold items of value.

The cash for an unused vehicle was more useful than the vehicle in storage. I adjusted my payroll withholding to make the most of each monthly check.

I paid all our bills at the first of the month: Tithe, Mortgage, Power, Water, Phone, Insurance. Then I lived on what was left. Often that meant not going places in order to save gas and stretching meals in creative ways.

3. Get Real and Get Savvy

I had to be realistic about myself in this season. I wasn’t one who could spend $40 on a manicure or a night out with the girlfriends. Instead, I learned all the “Kid’s Nights” to the local restaurants and it was a real treat for our little family of four to venture out every now and then.

I asked for help at our church with AWANA fees and accepted help at Christmastime when it was offered. This was humbling, but I recognized God taking care of us in these practical acts of kindness.

I learned that we could have fun and live well with much less than I once thought. Yes, my definition of living well shifted, but it was a relief to not compete to measure up in the ways I once thought were important.

4. Give A Little, Live A Lot

You may notice Tithe was at the top of my expense list. It wasn’t always so, but I believe it is essential to demonstrate trust with more than words and so I committed to tithing. I have never regretted that decision.

I also become aware of so much we didn’t need and donated much to our local Habitat For Humanity Rehome store. The children all learned to love sharing and passing to others the things we no longer needed.

Our gifts were small, but I hope to instill the joy of giving in my little ones. We all treasure experiences more than our stuff these days.

In order to make our life work on a small budget, I was forced to account for every dollar in the door. It became a priority for me to not only exist but to begin and saving.

As the children grew and entered into the public school system, our childcare costs ticked slowly down and I was able to expand our budget to include small vacations and a gifts fund. When we wanted to spend on something extra, I knew right away whether it would be smart.

The second great lesson was that saying “yes” to one thing always meant saying “no” to something else. Knowing my limitations forced me to be clear about my priorities and taught me deep joy and pride in making it alone.

I’m so thankful the leanest days are behind me, yet I am daily grateful for the treasures found in the hardship.

Surprised to find herself in the role of single mother, Missy was even more shocked to become a remarried stepmother in a blended family of seven! She is a hard-working optimist doing her best to enjoy life and demonstrate Christ’s faithfulness in this not-so-perfect world. She blogs in between the office shift and laundry loads at Far From Flawless.

Want to be successful in your own budgeting?

Mvelopes is offering package of FREE budgeting tools to Money Saving Mom® readers right now! This free Mvelopes budgeting package includes a free financial coaching session and personal financial analysis plus a free financial ebook Money for Life.

Sign up for this free offer here.

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: Homemade Maxi Skirt

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

TheTrainToCrazy.com shows you how to make homemade maxi skirt.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Oct 22, 2013 comment

10 Goals for This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The past few months of our lives have been really full as we’ve been in the process of some pretty significant changes as a family. It’s all good stuff and we’re excited about what these changes mean, but it’s definitely stretched us to the max more than once in recent weeks.

However, we knew that if we just made it to October 20, things we’re going to settle down tremendously. We’re so grateful that God carried us through the past number of somewhat grueling weeks and we’re very thankful to be on the other side of those projects and changes.

In fact, it was so strange to look at my calendar this week — and for the next two months! — and realize how crazily calm it looked in comparison. There are seasons where one needs to just power through, by the grace of God, but I’m thankful that we’ve made it through and into a more peaceful season.

And I’m hoping this means I’ll be able to get back onto the bandwagon of consistent exercise, reading, and some of the other things I’ve been slacking on the past two months! 🙂

Goals from two weeks ago:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

~~1. Read 2 chapters of The Borrowers to Kathrynne. Read 2 chapters of Caddie Woodlawn with Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.~~

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

Personal Goals

3. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.

4. Run 10 miles.

5. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, and ~~Wild Goose Chase~~.

6. Write thank you’s.

Business Goals

~~7. Prep for the SCORRE Conference.~~

~~8. Write outline & rehearse for filming with MOPS next week.~~

~~9. Practice my updated talk for the MOPS & ReWrite Conferences next week.~~

~~10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 3 chapters of The Borrowers to Kathrynne. Read 3 chapters of Caddie Woodlawn with Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Go on a date with Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.

5. Run 10 miles.

6. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, and Notes from a Blue Bike.

7. Write thank you’s.

Business Goals

8. Write op-eds for book launch.

9. Finish final book edits.

10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.

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 Oct 22, 2013 comment

This Week’s Menu Plan + Freezer Cooking Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch {veggies, cheese, yogurt, fruit, crackers, etc.}
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Welcome Home Chocolate Chip Muffins

Freezer Cooking in an Hour (I’ll share more how this goes later on this week!)

Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes
20 Minute Barbecue Cups
Baked Chicken
Welcome Home Chocolate Chip Muffins

Dinners

Breakfast for dinner: Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes, fruit, scrambled eggs
Three Bean Chili Chowder — bringing this to a get-together with friends on Friday night
Date with Jesse (using birthday gift card from my in-laws)
Meat, Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots in the crockpot, Chocolate Chip Muffins
Texas Lasagna, fruit, tossed salad
Dinner with extended family
Dinner out

What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.

Shared Oct 18, 2013 comment

Frugal Photo Friday: How I Pack for a Week in a Carry-on (and save on baggage fees!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 18, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to Frugal Photo Friday! This month, I am partnering with Rebekah from SimplyRebekah.com. Each Friday we are sharing pictures of simple ways that we save money.

I traveled to Colorado on Sunday for the SCORRE Conference (it was life-impacting in so many ways — I highly recommend this conference to every speaker or aspiring speaker. So very worth it!). I left SCORRE yesterday afternoon and flew to Kansas City with some of my team to speak and do some filming at MomCon today.

Then, we left Kansas City this afternoon to fly to Austin to speak at the ReWrite Conference tomorrow (I’m writing this on the plane!). So I’ve been living out of a suitcase this week.

Knowing that I had six flights this week, I was really determined to get everything into a carry-on. Because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to pay baggage fees on multiple flights.

It took some finagling, but I did it! All 8 outfits — including dressy outfits for speaking — stuffed into one carryon. It felt like quite an accomplishment and saved me some hefty baggage fees, too! 🙂

I’ve found that rolling clothes up is the best way to pack them — it takes up the least space and it also keeps them from getting wrinkled. Just take them out and hang them up as soon as you get to your destination and they will usually look nice and fresh within an hour or two.

Head on over to Simply Rebekah to see the savings that Rebekah is sharing today.

Now it is your turn to share the simple ways that you save. Post your link below or on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FrugalPhotoFriday. All of the link-up details can be found here.

2hr Cleaning Checklist

2hr Cleaning Checklist

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Less Paper Clutter

More Filing

Aldi

Dillons