Money Saving Mom®

Guest post from Tessa of TessaHardiman.com

This is a first for me — my first new haircut, that is. Typically, my hairstylist can go on autopilot while trimming my usual ‘do. I haven’t changed it up much over the years… until recently.

I debated whether or not to get bangs for a few weeks. I noticed many of my favorite celebrities wearing the style. I thought, that really looks good on Taylor Swift, but I don’t know if I could pull it off or not.

Then, I stumbled upon a picture in a magazine. The model looked eerily similar to myself. It was a sign! I tore it out and headed to the design studio.

Getting a new haircut may not be a big deal to many of you, but I abhor change. Variations of any kind scare me. I prefer things to stay in their nice, neat order, so I know what to expect. I absolutely cannot stand it when something doesn’t go according to plan. I know… I have issues, but that’s just who I am.

So, for me to decide on a different hairstyle is somewhat of a miracle. Changing a hairstyle that you’ve had for years is a lot like trying to modify other habits we have.

Similarly, it’s difficult to change a routine.

Whether it’s starting a new diet, beginning a new career, or altering your spending in order to pay off your debt. Any change is hard.

The best way to change something is this: don’t think… just do. The first step is the hardest, but it gets easier if you don’t over think it. You trick your psyche into thinking you can do it when you take immediate action. There’s not enough time to prepare excuses.

When you take that first step forward, you empower yourself to keep pushing forward. Not over-thinking the first step is the easiest way to start doing.

Tessa Hardiman is a teacher by day and word slinger by night. You can get a free copy of her new book when you visit her website TessaHardiman.com.

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Guest post by Abby of Mother on a Mission

I enjoy thinking big when it comes to saving money. Getting a great deal on a large purchase, like a plane ticket, can often surpass the savings you’ll see from a month of clipping coupons for the grocery store (don’t worry, I do that, too).

With countless websites promising the deepest discounts on airfare, it would be entirely possible to spend hours upon hours in search of the lowest rate. Instead of wasting time doing that, you can follow a few easy tips to save yourself the hassle and headache of an hours-long search.

1. Use an airfare search engine.

My personal favorite is kayak.com, because it really just facilitates your search of hundreds of other sites, both individual airline sites, like Delta, and discount airfare sites, like Expedia. Just use whatever website you’re most comfortable with, since most offer similar features.

2. Be flexible.

Typically, the cheapest days to fly are in the middle of the week, and the most expensive days are Friday and Sunday. So, if you want to get the best price on a plane ticket (and if you have wiggle room in your plans) select the “flexible dates” option when you search. This will allow you to select a date, and then search up to three days before and after.

You can also choose to search nearby airports. I recently bought plane tickets for my husband and I to fly to Florida for a friend’s wedding. I listed a larger city as the destination airport, but I also opted to search nearby airports. I ended up booking flights into a smaller airport that is actually closer to where we’ll be staying. Not only are the departure and arrival times ideal, but the price was about $50 less per ticket.

3. Consider Southwest.

Southwest sometimes gets a bad reputation for their no-frills approach to flying. By cutting costs, though, they’re able to pass their savings on to the customer. In addition, Southwest consistently receives top scores in customer service. The thing to remember about Southwest is that the only place to find their airfare is through their own website; a search at an independent travel site will not include results for Southwest.

Southwest allows each passenger two checked bags for free, and they’re one of the few remaining airlines to do that. Most other airlines charge at least $25 per checked bag; depending on your travel plans and your potential need to check luggage, this is a savings that should be taken into account when booking a flight.

4. Use a coupon.

You can’t clip a coupon for a discount on airfare the way you can for toothpaste, but there are still ways to save. If you work for a large company, you might get travel discounts through your employer. Don’t forget to do a quick internet search for a coupon code before you purchase.

And remember, the savings don’t end when you book your flight. Keep looking for ways to save money once you reach your destination!

Abby is a work-from-home wife and mom who recently relocated from Oregon to Mississippi. She enjoys baking, front-porch-swinging, and road trips. Abby blogs about southern living and saving money at Mother on a Mission and runs the Etsy shop, Three Thousand Miles, with her sister-in-law.

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Guest post from Dawn of One Faithful Mom

A few years ago, I made a long list of goals for the year in January and divided them into different areas of my life.

• spiritual goals
• physical goals
• personal goals
• writing goals

By that summer, I had already failed at most of them.

So the following year, I knew that if I was going to be successful in making needed changes, I had to do it in a way that would suit my more Type B personality.

I decided to make just a few, simple goals. I focused on things that I knew would make a difference in my life, but that would not overwhelm me. Here are the four things I chose:

1. Wash and moisturize my face every morning and night.

I know, silly right? But I have never been totally consistent with this. My skin, at 45, is not like it was at 20, and it was beginning to show!

I was almost embarrassed to say this one out loud when our family shared our goals with each other because it kind of seemed ridiculous. But two of my teenagers made it one of their goals also! It helps that this goal shows very quick results. That motivates me in my other areas.

2. Plan out our evening meal.

What? A mother of ten has issues with planning meals?

Haha — yes!

I know that many of you have a working meal plan, and perhaps even shop according to that plan. But my Type B self just does not work that way. I’ve tried, I really have!

So, I set this goal to help me learn to be consistent in planning our meals, even if that means I just know what leftovers are available. This has relieved the 5:00 stress of wondering what’s for supper!

3. Spend time with my children every day.

Again, this seems obvious, but I have noticed that I am often distracted by other things. Every day, I want to take time to read a book, do a puzzle, sing, play, or even work together in the kitchen.

In the book How to Really Love Your Child, author Ross Campbell suggests three things parents should do every day: give focused attention, make eye contact, and show physical affection. Those are the three things I am working toward.

And again, this type of goal gives near-instant results. The smiles and laughter of my children tell me I am getting this one right!

4. Write.

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I lie in bed at night with all these ideas swirling around in my brain for writing projects.

So this year, I decided to make it a goal to write something every day; even if it is just a couple of sentences. I have asked two of my writing friends to collaborate on some things. Bringing someone else into the goal keeps me accountable. I can’t be lazy about it when someone else is waiting for my part!

It has brought a spark back into my writing, and I am excited to see what I can accomplish this year.

Well, those are my four goals. You may be laughing right now at the sheer simplicity of them. Maybe you can’t believe that someone could be that undisciplined. Or maybe you are like me and need to hone in on the small things in your life.

When the small things are out of control, it seems like everything is out of control. And who knows…maybe next year I will be ready for some big, crazy, outrageous goal?

After I wash and moisturize, that is!

Dawn has been married to Andy, her high school sweetheart, for over 28 years. They have ten children, two beautiful daughters-in-love, and a precious grandson. She blogs over at One Faithful Mom, where she encourages mothers to be faithful in the everyday lives of their children.

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