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Shared Jul 17, 2013 comment

We’re Saving $1100 by Ditching Cable — and We Now Have More Shows to Watch!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 17, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I loved this post over on Cubicle Sherpa:

It didn’t take as long as I thought it would to convince my husband that we should ditch the cable. We had just switched back to DirecTV from ATT-Uverse, and we were still forking over nearly $150 a month in cable bills. I’d heard about the Roku on MoneySavingMom.com in April.

Boy, did it get me thinking!! With some minor research, some number crunching, and a few weeks of convincing [hubby], we vowed to take the plunge and see how well it would work for us.

One of our biggest fears…

“Will there be anything to watch”?

Let me tell you- we actually have more to watch now than we did with cable… Read the rest of the post here.

It just might inspire you to consider ditching cable once and for all. 🙂

Shared Jul 17, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s Target Shopping Trip: Paid $1.58 for $9.42 worth of products

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 17, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Target Shopping Trip

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

3 Kiwi @ $0.39 each – $1.17, used $1/1 Target mobile coupon – $0.17 after coupon

2 Up & Up Hydrogen Peroxide – $0.52 each, used 2 $0.50/1 Target printable – $0.02 each after coupons

2 Up & Up Hand Soap – $0.89 each, used 2 $0.50/1 Target printable – $0.39 each after coupons

1 Friskies Wet Cat Food – $0.47, used Free coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

2 Always Liners – $0.94, used $1/1 coupon from the 7/7 P&G insert – Free after coupons

1 Wet One Wipes – $1.99, used $0.75/1 printable AND $0.50/1 Target printable – $0.74 after coupons

Total before coupons: $9.42

Total after coupons: $1.58

See the full list of deals at Target this week.

Shared Jul 17, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s Walgreens Shopping Trip: Spent $1.46 for $13.89 worth of products!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 17, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Walgreens Shopping Trip

3 Kleenex – $0.89 each
Used $0.50/3 coupon from the 7/14 SmartSource insert

2 Mitchum Deodorant – $1.99 each
Used $1/1 coupon from the 7/14 SmartSource insert (I only had one of these coupons.)

2 Nestle Crunch – $0.39 each
Used $0.50/2 coupon from the 6/30 SmartSource insert

Used $4.50 Register Rewards from my last shopping trip

Total before sales, coupons and Register Rewards: $13.89

Total with tax (7.3%) after sales, coupons and Register Rewards: $1.46, plus received 2,000 (like $2) Balance Rewards (for buying 2 Mitchum Deodorants)

See the full list of deals at Walgreens this week.

Shared Jul 17, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip: Spent $1.88 for $19.99 worth of products!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 17, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

5 Garnier Fructis Hair Products – $3 each
Used 5 $1/1 coupon from the 7/14 RedPlum insert and printable
And used $3/$15 CVS coupon from in-store coupon machine

1 Revlon Nail Polish – $4.99
Used $1/1 coupon from the 6/23 SmartSource insert

Used $10 ECBs from last week’s shopping trip and $0.50 quarterly ECBS

Total before coupons and ECBs: $19.99

Total with tax (7.3%) after coupons and ECBS: $1.88 PLUS received $5 ECBS (for buying 5 Garnier Fructis products) and $3 ECBS (for buying 1 Revlon product)

See the full list of deals at CVS this week.

Shared Jul 16, 2013 comment

10 Guaranteed Ways to Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas (#2)

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 16, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Missed the first posts in this series? Check them out here.

#2 Read Voraciously

If you want to be a good writer, the best thing you can do is to immerse yourself in good writing. Surround yourself with well-written books by authors that inspire you to think, dream, and do.

Writers and bloggers are constantly pouring out words to the world. If you don’t replenish your creativity supply, your well will soon run dry.

Yes, You Have Time To Read

You might be saying, “But I don’t have time to read!” Can I encourage you to evaluate if that statement is really true? I believe everyone, no matter how full their life, can make reading a priority — even if it’s just a few pages from a book every day.

You usually always have time for what you want to have time for. As has well been said, “If it’s important to you, you’ll make time for it. If it’s not, you’ll make an excuse.” So in most cases, it’s not a matter of not having time; it’s a matter of choosing to use your time differently.

Could you cut out some of your Pinterest-hopping, Facebook-viewing, or TV-watching? Or, what about finding ways to add reading to things you’re already doing?

A few examples:

Listen to audiobooks while you’re driving or cleaning.
Read the classics aloud to your children at the dinner table (even just 5 minutes every night).
Always carry a book with you in case some free minutes open up in your day.
Be a little crazy like me and read on your iPad while walking & running on the treadmill. 🙂
Find many additional ideas and ways to fit more reading into your day here.

Read From a Wide Variety of Perspectives

In addition, I think it’s important to be challenging your mind from different perspectives. I try to always be reading a few well-written blogs and books from a broad spectrum of genres. This allows me to continually be exposing my mind to new ideas and inspiration.

I usually have 3-4 books going at one time — each from a different genre. For instance, right now I’m reading a novel by Lynn Austen, a spiritually challenging book, a biography, a homeschooling book, and I’m getting ready to start a new business book.

I do something similar with my blog-reading. I follow about 20 blogs total: a few deal blogs, a few blogs on simple living, a few blogs on leadership/business, a few blogs on parenting & homeschooling, and a few book review blogs. Since each of these blogs approach things from different perspectives, I’m challenged and inspired in unique ways each day.

Evaluate Everything You Read

One very effective way to grow as a writer is to always evaluate what you’re reading. Analyze how the blogger or author is communicating their points.

If I’m really enjoying a post or book, I’ll often ask myself, “What is the author doing to effectively draw me in and keep me reading?” This simple question can teach you so much about how to write well.

By making reading a priority, exposing myself to new ideas, challenging my mind, and analyzing what I read, it not only is helping to hone my writing craft, but it also sparks many, many new blog ideas!

Real-Life Example #2

When I was reading One Question by Ken Coleman, this quote stuck out to me: “Good questions inform. Great questions transform.”

As I mulled over it in my brain for a few days, he not only inspired me to ask more questions of people, but also to encourage you all to ask more questions, too. And that’s where part of my answer to How Do You Develop Goals That Are At the Same Time Stretching But Also Realistic? came from.

What are some of your favorite well-written books, blogs, and authors to follow/read? I’d love to get some new ideas & inspiration!

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Click here to sign up!

Shared Jul 16, 2013 comment

Swagbucks Got My Business Started

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 16, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Elise who blogs at FrugalFarmWife.com:

I’ve enjoyed making soap for our own use as well as for gift-giving for quite some time. Recently however, I began toying with the idea of starting an artisan soap business.

There are a lot of this soap makers out there however, and we weren’t really sure how successful the venture might be. So unfortunately, we couldn’t justify taking money for start-up supplies out of our already meager budget.

The idea was firmly in my head though, and I just couldn’t let it go. It just seemed so logical for someone with extra goat milk on hand to make and sell goat milk soap!

For years, I’ve used Swagbucks for purchasing diapers, birthday gifts, and books, most of the time by exchanging them for Amazon.com gift cards. But recently, I’d been letting them pile up, not sure what to do with them.

So I started looking at supplies like lye and essential oils, and as it turns out, everything I needed could be found through Amazon.com! I got to work right away, exchanging Swagbucks for gift cards and ordering my supplies.

Thanks to Swagbucks, I now have a fledgling, profitable, soap-making business selling in artisan markets, and am working on opening my own etsy shop. I can honestly say that if it weren’t for Swagbucks, I’d still be collecting pennies for that first sodium hydroxide purchase.

Elise is a farmer’s wife and mom blogger who loves making things from scratch, living “off the land”, all things health and fitness, goat keeping, cloth diapers, and writing. You can read about her adventures at FrugalFarmWife.com.

Shared Jul 16, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 16, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Be It Ever So Humble shows you how to make homemade liquid laundry detergent.

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 Jul 15, 2013 comment

Give Them Something Great to Imitate

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 15, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week, one of my children made a really negative comment out of the blue.

It caught me off guard and I immediately got ready to launch into a dissertation on why we don’t say things like that. But right before I opened my mouth to give my big speech, I realized something: this child had heard a very similar comment from me recently.

No, it wasn’t a comment I made to them or even when I had realized they were listening, but nonetheless, I had said it and I’m pretty much positive that’s where this child picked it up from.

Ouch.

My children are watching. My children are listening. My children are observing.

Give Your Children Something Great to Imitate

It’s been wisely said that more is caught than taught. What are my children going to “catch” from me today? Enthusiasm for learning? Grace for difficult people? Grumbling about interruptions? Critical words toward others?

If I want my children to have clean rooms, I need to do more than just tell them to keep their room clean. I need to set an example by keeping my room clean, too.
If I want my children to be wise with money, I need to do more than just talk about the importance of financial freedom and stewardship. I need to set an example by practicing good money management skills in front of them.
If I want my children to be respectful of other people — no matter who they are, I need to do more than just verbalize how imperative it is that we show respect. I need to set an example by constantly being respectful in my words and deeds for everyone I come in contact with.
If I want my children to use their time wisely instead of squandering it, I need to do more than just remind them often to use their minutes well. I need to set an example of diligence and focus in my own time management.

I will never be a perfect parent. In fact, there is no such thing. I need God’s grace every moment of every day as a mother.

I struggle. I make mistakes. I have to ask forgiveness.

But in spite of my inadequacies, I want to do my best to give my children something great to imitate. Because at the end of the day, my children are going to learn more from the life I’m living before them than from the dissertations I give them.

Shared Jul 15, 2013 comment

10 Guaranteed Ways to Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas (#1)

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 15, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

“How do you come up with post ideas?”

A few weeks ago, I was with one of my dear blogging friends and she asked me this question. She went on to explain how she wants to blog more often, but she struggles to come with inspiration for what she should post.

Honestly, I’ve never really thought about the how behind coming up with ideas. In fact, I usually have many more ideas than I have space and time to write.

But her question really got me to thinking about what fuels my blogging inspiration. And as I’ve mulled over it the past few weeks, I came up with a number of things that I find help me to always have post ideas and inspiration.

Since this is a question I’ve been asked before, I thought I’d share my list with you all in hopes that it might spark some ideas for those of you who are feeling like you’re in a blogging slump. I had initially planned to share this as one post, but it got so long that I decided to break it up and just share one idea per week day for the next two weeks so that it was easier to read — and not some massively long and impossible-to-read-in-one-sitting post!

#1 Live Vibrantly {Offline}

A vibrant offline life will fuel your online creativity. Make sure you have a healthy balance of face-to-face interaction with friends, family fun {that you don’t blog or tweet about}, and media-free time blocks in your day.

I can’t tell you any hard and fast rules on this, because what is healthy for one person might be unhealthy for another. I can say, however, that if your brain is constantly trying to conjure up a blog post from every experience or if the only reason you ever plan a party or do an activity with your kids or bake anything is only so you can blog about it, you probably need to step back and re-evaluate.

One of the best decisions we made when I first started blogging was that I would take Sundays off from blogging/social media. I’ve found that I often have to unplug in order to recharge. Stepping away from the online noise once a week clears my head and helps me to remember what matters.

Real-Life Example #1: The Circus Post

Some of my best posts come as the result of getting offline and just living life. I’ll be in the middle of real-life and a post just comes and smacks me right between the eyes.

Such was the case with the post I wrote after we went to the circus. As soon as the whole episode happened, the analogy came to me.

I told Jesse about it as we were walking to the car and he thought it was a great idea for a blog post. So I emailed myself a few random sentences on my phone in the car on the way home and then wrote the post, Whining For a Shiny Plastic Toy, when I had time a few days later.

To be continued tomorrow…

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your online life & your offline life? I’d love to hear!

If you are struggling to find a healthy balance between your online and offline life, I highly recommend Sarah Mae’s new ebook, The Unwired Mom.

I read it recently and found that it was packed with great suggestions, practical tips, and a lot of motivation and inspiration to not become too consumed with online activities and miss the life to be lived and blessings to be had right in our own homes and communities.

Shared Jul 15, 2013 comment

This Week’s Very Simple Oven-Free Menu

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 15, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We’ve got a full week this week: swimming lessons every day, a family night at the rodeo, a visit with two dear out-of-town blogging friends & their children, a speaking engagement, a field trip, appointments, and a trip to Kansas City to meet up with more dear out-of-town blogging friends for a few days. Needless to say, so we’re keeping our menu really simple again. 🙂

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Omelets, Cereal, Eggs, Peanut Butter Toast, and/or Fruit

Lunches

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

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Smoothies

Dinners

Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
BLT Sandwiches, fruit, chips
Grilled fish, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, fruit
Turkey Burgers, steamed veggies, mashed potatoes, fruit salad
Dinner with extended family
Dinner out x 2 {While we’re traveling.}

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

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

Click here to download!

Shared Jul 15, 2013 comment

8 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 15, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m excited about the progress I made on my goals last week!

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading The Trumpet of the Swan to the children. Read three chapters of Viking Adventure with Kathrynne, finishing reading A Nest for Celeste with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

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

~~3. Go on an overnight trip as a family.~~

Personal Goals

~~4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-18.~~

~~5. Exercise six times. Run 10 miles total.~~

~~6. Finish The Charge,~~The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe.

~~7. Eat 7 servings of fruits & veggies every day.~~

Homemaking Goals

~~8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.~~

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 3 chapters of The Borrowers to the children. Read three chapters of Viking Adventure with Kathrynne, read three chapters of Hugh Pine with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Go to the rodeo as a family.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-19.

5. Exercise six times. Run 10 miles total.

6. Finish The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe.

7. Eat 7 servings of fruits & veggies every day.

Homemaking Goals

8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

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 Jul 15, 2013 comment

Shopping at the same chain store in a different location could save you quite a bit of money!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 15, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Kate emailed in the following tip:

Recently, I shopped at several different national chain store locations outside my usual neighborhood locations and I was surprised to find how much price variation there was among nearby locations of the same national chain stores.

For instance, my neighborhood Giant sells 6-ounce jars of Gerber Stage 3 baby food for $0.68 each. Two other Giant stores within 5 miles price these at $0.78 and $0.82, respectively.

Likewise, my neighborhood CVS sells the women’s Venus Olay razor for $11.79; another local CVS stocks them for $12.59.

While it would not be cost-effective (due to the price of gas) or time-effective to re-route to the store location with the lowest price on every item, this discovery has prompted me to look a little more closely at price differences between branches of national chain stores.

After comparing a few other items at these stores, and finding that a couple of the alternate locations price nearly every item higher than my neighborhood location, I have vowed to avoid shopping at these locations when at all possible. -Kate

Shared Jul 14, 2013 comment

529 Test

Published: by crystal on July 14, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Shared Jul 12, 2013 comment

Using Coupons — Even While in Labor!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 12, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Valerie emailed this in and I enjoyed reading it so much, that I asked permission from both Valerie & Dana if I could share it on my blog:

I wanted to tell you a funny story that happened to me and another reader of yours. I was out at Trivia Night with a group of friends including my very pregnant friend, Dana.

At one point I looked over at her and noticed she was writing some numbers down. I later realized she was timing her contractions! They were 5 minutes apart.

She asked the waitress for her bill then in between contractions asked the waitress if her coupon was valid! I told her Money Saving Mom would be so proud of her. 🙂

An hour and half later, she was the mom of a perfect little boy. I thought you should know how your website affects us and makes us think about saving money even when we’re in LABOR! 🙂

Thanks for all that you do! -Valerie

Shared Jul 10, 2013 comment

We Paid Cash: A New Dryer to Match Our Washing Machine

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 10, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Kat who blogs at k + n:

About 18 months ago, my sweet-as-pie parents bought us a new washing machine as a thank you for submitting an insurance claim for their house fire. It was (and still is) beautiful! I loved the front loader and the candy apple red color and couldn’t wait to save up and buy the matching dryer.

Unfortunately, we were newlyweds living away from home in a new state and a new house, so we had lots of other unexpected expenses that go with buying a 100-year-old house. My engineer husband was working 50 hour weeks while remodeling our house himself and I couldn’t find a full-time job, so the dryer went on the back burner. After all, we had a dryer already — it just didn’t match!

Fast forward 12 months, and my husband found out that his company was shutting down production at his plant and moving his program to Texas. We were blessed that they asked him to move with the program!

It was a long transition (selling the house, moving back in with my parents while he worked temporarily in Connecticut, and finally moving down to an apartment in Texas). After we moved down to Texas in February, we decided to make buying a dryer a serious priority as we didn’t have one at all anymore!

Using the found money method, we funneled all of our extra income into our savings account.

This included:

A reimbursement check from our old cable company for returning their modem ($75),
2 different photography events my husband picked up through Craigslist ($385),
Cashed out my husband’s smugmug account balance from selling prints and digital downloads ($185.08),
Easter presents from my parents and my husband’s grandmother ($120),
A reimbursement check from our old home insurance policy ($321.61).

All of these sources totaled $1,086.69. The dryer + needed duct and power cord + sales tax equaled $1,209.84. As you can tell, we were a little bit short, but! we decided to purchase right after Memorial Day weekend which allowed for $312.40 in discounts and we had a gift card with a remaining balance of $90.56 from a return, which made our out-of-pocket expenses $806.88. We also have cash back in the amount of $24.98 that will be disbursed on August 15th from Ebates!

With a little sacrifice and some focus, we paid for our dryer in cash and had an additional $279.81 for our emergency fund (not to mention a Big Fat Check from Ebates)!

Kat and her husband are first and foremost Orthodox Christians. Kat has been the lucky wife of Nick, an engineer who loves photography and cycling, for 2 years. They both work full-time while patiently waiting to be blessed with a family, and blog at k + n about their journey to becoming debt free.

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

2hr Cleaning Checklist

2hr Cleaning Checklist

FREE DOWNLOAD: 2-Hour Cleaning Checklist!

One of our biggest fears…

Target Shopping Trip

Walgreens Shopping Trip

CVS Shopping Trip

#2 Read Voraciously

Yes, You Have Time To Read

Read From a Wide Variety of Perspectives

Evaluate Everything You Read

Real-Life Example #2

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

#1 Live Vibrantly {Offline}

Real-Life Example #1: The Circus Post

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks

Dinners

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