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Shared Aug 20, 2012 comment

10 goals for this week

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 20, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

~~1. Finish reading Stuart Little aloud to the children. Start a new read-aloud book.~~

~~2. Begin our Fall homeschool schedule.~~

~~3. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

4. Have a date night on Thursday.

Personal Goals

5. Start and finish reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, Running For My Life, Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, and ~~Love Does~~.

~~6. Exercise at least five times.~~

Homemaking Goals

7. Try at least two new recipes. {Only tried one.}

~~8. Start a new handwork project.~~ (I started a new knitted scarf. I’ll show you pictures next week if it turns out!)

Business Goals

9. Write at least two articles for other blogs/sites. {Only got one completely finished}

10. Do the final edits to my new ebook on self-discipline (more details coming soon!)

Here are my 10 goals for this week:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading Missionary Stories From Around the World. Start reading The Borrowers aloud to the children.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Read together with Jesse at least four nights.

Personal Goals

4. Start and finish reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, Running For My Life, and Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.

5. Listen to two chapters of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.

6. Exercise goals: Follow P90X workout schedule (I’m starting this with my husband this week! Day 1 down and it was a lot of fun to do together!)

Homemaking Goals

7. Try at least two new recipes.

8. Finish knitting the scarf I’m working on.

Business Goals

9. Write at least two articles for other blogs/sites.

10. Do the final edits to my new ebook on self-discipline (more details coming soon!)

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 Aug 20, 2012 comment

Make the Most of Your Mornings: Create a Realistic To-Do List (Day 6)

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 20, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week, we talked about the importance of creating a to-do list that was based upon your yearly, monthly, and weekly goals. If you’ve not read that post (or you’ve not set down and mapped out some specific goals), can I encourage you to do that today? It just might rock your world! Now, onto today’s post…

We all have a lot we need to do each day. And, if you’re anything like me, you probably have a whole lot more that you want to do in each day, too.

I was just telling my husband yesterday that I have so much that I want to do that it’s a problem. I have a laundry list of new skills I want to learn, things I want to teach my children, place I’d love to visit, subjects I want to research in-depth, projects I want to attempt, people I’d like to reach out to and befriend, ministries I want to support, books I hope to read, character I want to work on… there are so many, many good things in life to choose from that putting together a daily to-do list can seem daunting.

But here’s the truth we all have to accept: none of us can do it all. Collectively, we can do a lot with our lives and make a huge impact in this world. Personally, we can make a big difference over the course of our lifetime. But we all only have 24 hours in each day.

Our time is limited and our energy is finite. Thus, we have to pick and choose the best from among the good. And we have to realize that what might be the best for others will not necessarily be the best for us.

1) Decide Your Personal Priorities

Determining what to put on our daily to-do list begins with deciding upon our own personal priorities for the season of life we’re currently in. I recommend choosing no more than five to six priorities. These are the things you will wrap your life around and what will be the basis for the majority of everything on your to-do list and all of the yearly, monthly, and weekly goals you set for yourself.

2) Start With the Basics

Before you try to save the world, you need to focus on making sure you (and your family, if you have one) have clean clothes, food to eat, and proper hygiene and rest. You’ll be a lot more effective at your efforts in other spheres of life if you make sure that you take care of the basics first.

So, think through what must be done in the course of your day. This is not what would be nice to have done, but those things that are actually necessities. For the record, the list of necessary things that must be done in a day is usually fairly short for most of us.

If you’re caring for someone who has life-threatening illness, have a special needs child, or have a lot of little ones, then most of your day is likely going to be made up of basic things. While they might mostly seem menial and mundane, remember that taking care of the basic needs of others is a very important thing to be investing your life in — even though it’s exhausting work. Remind yourself of what would happen if you weren’t doing it and you’ll realize just how important your tasks are!

3) Pick a Few Bite-Sized Pieces to Tackle

Once you have the basics on your to-do list for the day, if you still have a little wiggle room in your schedule, pick a few bite-sized pieces of your goals to tackle. These will typically be things you can accomplish in 15 or 30 minute slots, so keep this in mind when breaking goals down into bite-sized pieces. If you can’t accomplish the bite-sized piece in 30 minutes or less, it probably needs to be broken down further.

4) Prioritize Your List

I’ve found it helpful to prioritize my to-do list by marking each item with numbers in the order of priority I need to accomplish each task. I don’t always follow it to a tee, since sometimes a block of time will open up during the day and it will be perfect for tackling a specific item on my list — even though it’s out of order. When that happens, I just go with the flow and am happy to have another item crossed off the list, regardless of the fact that it’s out of order.

That said, as much as possible, I encourage you to focus on getting the hard tasks done first. “Eat your frogs” early in the day and you’ll have a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment to carry with you the rest of the day!

5) Keep it Short & Simple

As I’ve talked about before, if you want to set yourself up for success, you need to keep your to-do list short. If you put 56 items on your to-do list at the beginning of the day, you’ll probably give up before you even start because you’ll feel overwhelmed at defeated.

It’s better to plan to complete a few things and actually follow through with those things, then to set out to accomplish 102 things and just run around in circles all day trying to start a bunch of different things and finishing nothing at all.

Free Printable Daily Dockets and To-Do Lists

Looking for some helpful printable daily dockets or to-do lists? Here are a few free printables to check out:

We have a number of free household customizable management planners available to download, including a customizable daily docket.

Ann Voskamp has a free Daily Planner available for download.

Download and print a free Weekly Household Planner and Goal Sheet from Only a Breath.

Download a Daily Plan of Attack Worksheet.

Print free Home Management Binder pages from Amy Bayliss.

My Day 5 Project Update

Bedtime: Made it to bed by 9:38 p.m. Woot — I’m slowly making progress in the right direction!

My Top 5 Evening Must Do’s: Done!

Wake Up Time: Got up at 5:04 a.m. this morning!

Day 6 Project

1. Did you determine your bedtime and 5 Evening Must-Do’s? If so, leave a comment telling us how you did on them last night.

2. Did you determine what time you’re going to commit to waking up every morning for the next three weeks? If so, leave a comment telling us how you did this morning!

3. If you haven’t done so already, pick 1-5 goals that you’d like to accomplish in the next year and break them down into monthly and weekly pieces, if possible. Start looking for opportunities to add in bite-sized pieces to your daily to-do lists, as you’re able. Let us know what these goals are in the comments section.

Shared Aug 20, 2012 comment

12 Tips on How to Get Rental Car Discounts

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 20, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jody of Plastic Back Books.

Is it cheaper to rent a car or drive your own?

Our Honda has nearly 300,000 miles and no air conditioning. Taking a road trip when the temperature is 103ºF is not just unpleasant… it is risky!

Even if I don’t have a heat stroke, the Honda might. The cost of a tow truck and being stranded in an unknown town is probably more expensive than renting a car.

Gulp. But I hate spending money.

If you share my concerns, I’ve got 12 tips to help you save money on car rentals.

Tips for Renting Cars for Cheap: When you book

1. Book Early

Prices change drastically even within hours. Ask about making a reservation to lock in a price — even if you aren’t ready to make a commitment.

2. Compare Rental Companies

Prices vary between agencies. Use sites like Costco.com and Priceline.com to compare multiple rentals at a glance.

3. Be Aware: The Same Company May Have Different Rates at Different Locations

I saved $80 just by renting six miles farther away. The location closest to me would have picked me up for free, but saving $80 was worth getting a ride from a friend.

4. Adjust Pick-Up and Drop-Off Times

These are listed in half-hour increments. Tweak your time to find “sweet spots” during the day when rentals are the cheapest. You may even get a lower rate by renting the car longer than you need it. I wanted a car Friday morning, but it was considerably cheaper to rent Thursday night.

5. Find Coupon Codes

The mantra “Never Pay Retail” holds true with rental cars too. Costco.com factors coupon codes into the price. Priceline.com allows you to name your own price. Retailmenot.com offers various coupon codes.

6. Factor In Insurance Costs

Check with your insurance provider to see if extra insurance is even necessary.

7. Don’t Forget Fuel

You may be thrilled when the rental agency offers a free upgrade from economy to a fancy SUV, but can you afford the gas? Considering this cost is an important factor in staying within your trip budget.

8. Read the Fine Print

Make sure you have unlimited mileage and are allowed to take the car where you want to go.

9. Get Rewarded

If the rental company has a rewards program, join it (know the rules to maximize rewards).

How to Get Rental Car Discounts: Before you drive off the lot

10. Don’t Get Distracted

This is the most important tip: When you slide into that shiny new car it’s tempting to fiddle with the “bells and whistles”. Do this before pulling onto the road.

Adjust your seat, mirrors, radio, a/c – whatever you need to do to get comfortable. Take a moment to find the hazard lights, headlights, defroster, and windshield wipers. Do this while you are still parked. It could save you a deductible and the humiliation of pulling out and causing an accident right in front of the rental agency.

11. Don’t Take the Blame

Before signing on the dotted line, do a thorough inspection of the car, and write down any damage you see. Don’t be held liable for what a previous driver did.

Tips for Cheap Rental Car Deals: When you return

12. Leave Things Better Than You Found Them – Except This

Check the gas tank before you sign the rental agreement. If the previous driver left you with an empty tank, get it in writing that you aren’t responsible to return it full. If you did receive the car with a full tank, return it that way, or you may be charged.

How to Get Car Rental Discounts FAQs

Is it cheaper to rent a car for a week or per day?

This depends on the situation — usually you can get a discounted rate for longer rentals, but sometimes renting per day will be cheaper.

What day of the week is best to rent a car?

Weekends are often more expensive, so you’ll likely save a bit of money if you rent them Monday – Thursday.

Who has the cheapest rental vehicles?

A good price (in 2023) is considered to be around $10 per day or $100 per week. You can likely find it even cheaper than that with the tips above though… so just keep looking! As mentioned above, contact various rental agencies in your area — one might have a special and you’ll get an extra good deal!

Have you found any other great ways to save on car rentals?

Jody is creating PlasticBackBooks; a marketplace for helpful, wholesome, and entertaining eBooks.

Shared Aug 17, 2012 comment

Make the Most of Your Mornings: Have a Plan for the Day (Day 5)

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 17, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Waking up with your alarm clock and having a cheerful attitude in the morning are both important things, but they are not enough to make your morning productive.

You need a plan.

Without charting a course of action for the day, you’ll likely waste time, wander aimlessly, and run around in circles. You may even get to the end of the day and wonder what on earth you did with your day.

A plan gives you purpose, motivation, and direction.

When you know where you want to go, it’s much easier to make traction in the right direction. When you know exactly what you’re aiming to accomplish in a day, it’s much easier to actually get things done. A plan also helps you track your progress and be encouraged that you’re getting somewhere!

Small steps in the right direction can result in big change over time.

When I make a plan for my day, I think about not only the things that must be done (laundry, dishes, homeschooling, appointments, phone calls, etc.), but I also think about the big picture. What small steps can I take today to help me move toward where I want to be in a year from now?

Change your life by setting big goals and breaking them down into bite-sized pieces.

In order to take small steps toward where you want to be in a year from now, you need to actually have a good idea of where you want to be in a year from now. This is why I recommend setting yearly goals and then breaking those goals down into monthly and weekly goals.

When you look at your yearly goals as a whole, they can seem daunting and overwhelming. When you break them down into monthly and then weekly goals, they are much more doable.

Transform your to-do list from the mundane to the meaningful through goal-setting.

If you take it one step farther and break those weekly goals down into tiny daily goals, your huge goals have become completely manageable. Plus, knowing that you’re doing a little bit each day to inch you closer to where you hope to be in a year from now gives you a lot more purpose and enthusiasm for tackling your to-do list.

No longer is your to-do list just a list of things that must be done in order to survive; it’s an action plan of tiny babysteps that are going to give you traction toward greater success in your life as a whole. Sure, there are still going to be a lot of things that aren’t too glamorous — like taking out the trash, washing the car, and giving the dog a bath — but I bet you’ll do those menial tasks with more purpose when you know that each day you’re making microscopic progress in the right direction with your big goals.

Come back on Monday when we’ll be talking more about how to plan your day and set yourself up for success…

My Day 4 Project Update

Bedtime: Made it to bed by 9:45 p.m. just barely since Jesse and I went on a date and got back later than usual. It wasn’t my goal time of 9:30, but at least it was only 15 minutes late!

My Top 5 Evening Must Do’s: Done

Wake Up Time: My alarm went off at 6:20 a.m. this morning and I’m sorry to report that I got back into bed for 10 minutes. Yes, I know, I need to work on practicing what I preach. But hey, at least I didn’t hit the snooze button. 😉

Day 5 Project

1. Did you determine your bedtime and 5 Evening Must-Do’s? If so, leave a comment telling us how you did on them last night.

2. Did you determine what time you’re going to commit to waking up every morning for the next three weeks? If so, leave a comment telling us how you did this morning!

3. If you haven’t done so already, pick 1-5 goals that you’d like to accomplish in the next year. Take some time this weekend to break those goals down into monthly and weekly goals. Then, come back on Monday where we’ll be talking more about making a daily to-do list, how to incorporate your bite-sized goals into it, and how to not overload your to-do list. I’ll also be sharing some helpful tips, printables, and resources to help you create and follow through with your daily to-do list.

Shared Aug 17, 2012 comment

Freebies in my mailbox

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 17, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Here are the freebies that have arrived in my mailbox recently:

U By Kotex samples

Nescafe Memento samples

Perfectly Simple Bar

Garnier Fructis samples

Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup samples

What freebies have arrived in your mailbox this week?

By the way, if you want to start getting great freebies in your mailbox, just start signing up for the freebies I post every day that interest you. Within 4-6 weeks, your mailbox will start filling up with great freebies!

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Aug 17, 2012 comment

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Sandwiches

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 17, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Keep the heat out of your kitchen with this EASY recipe for slow cooker BBQ sandwiches.

Guest post from Brigette Shevy

A couple of summers ago, I made an important discovery: my neglected slow cooker.

Sure, I knew it was great for cooking all those “winter-y” foods (stews, soups, roasts, etc.), but somehow it always got pushed to the back of my cabinet and forgotten during the long, hot months — the very months that I should be using it to keep my kitchen cool.

This Slow Cooker BBQ is Amazing!

Here is a most decidedly summer recipe that makes use of this not-just-for-winter appliance. It goes together in a matter of minutes, serves our family for several meals, and freezes well.

I love main dishes that don’t require a lot of last minute preparation, and this one definitely fits the bill.

You can use pork or beef for this recipe – whatever your family likes best, or whatever happens to be on sale.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker BBQ Sandwiches

3 to 4-pound chuck or bottom round roast OR pork shoulder roast
2 carrots, finely shredded, optional (you can’t tell they are in there once it cooks, I promise!)
1 small onion, diced or ½ teaspoon onion powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar (can use raw sugar or sucanat)
¼ cup wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

How to Make BBQ Sandwiches

1. Trim fat from roast, cut into several large pieces, and place in slow cooker (For best cooking, your slow cooker shouldn’t be more than 2/3 full).

2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over the top of meat.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

4. Uncover the last hour to help sauce thicken, if needed.

5. Remove meat from cooker and shred with two forks in a separate bowl, discarding any bones and fat.

6. Skim fat from remaining liquid in the slow cooker.

7. Return shredded meat to cooker and heat until bubbly (it should be about the right amount of liquid to meat ratio, but drain some liquid if necessary).

8. Serve on hamburger buns or sandwich rolls.

Recipe

Slow Cooker BBQ Sandwiches

Author Brigette

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 11

Ingredients

4 pound chuck or bottom round roast OR pork shoulder roast
2 carrots finely shredded
1 small onion diced or ½ teaspoon onion powder
2 garlic cloves crushed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Trim fat from roast, cut into several large pieces, and place in slow cooker (For best cooking, your slow cooker shouldn’t be more than 2/3 full).
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over the top of meat.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Uncover the last hour to help sauce thicken, if needed.
Remove meat from cooker and shred with two forks in a separate bowl, discarding any bones and fat.
Skim fat from remaining liquid in the slow cooker.
Return shredded meat to cooker and heat until bubbly (it should be about the right amount of liquid to meat ratio, but drain some liquid if necessary).
Serve on hamburger buns or sandwich rolls.

Nutrition

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What are your favorite summer slow-cooker recipes?

Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy (ages 5, 3, and 1). She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.

Shared Aug 16, 2012 comment

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

Published: by Crystal Paine on August 16, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for a quick, easy, and frugal breakfast for busy mornings or on-the-go days? These easy homemade oatmeal packets are a huge hit with our family and I know you’ll love them too!

We love these easy, make-ahead instant oatmeal packets!

This is an extremely easy recipe for homemade instant oatmeal packets, and kids always have fun helping out with this one!

The best part? You can mix it up and use a variety of different add-ins, depending on what your family loves.

You can even make different bags for each family member if everyone likes different types of oatmeal!

Ingredients for Instant Oatmeal Packets

1/2 cup oats
1 Tbsp. brown sugar (or raw sugar)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1 Tbsp. chocolate chips, raisins, or other mix-ins (optional)

How to Assemble These Easy Oatmeal Packets

1. Dump oats, brown sugar, and optional add-ins into a snack-size zip-top bag.

2. Repeat with as many baggies as you’d like to make.

3. Store baggies in an airtight container or freeze them for up to three months.

How to Prepare Instant Oatmeal

1. Pour the contents of one bag into a cereal bowl or very large mug.

2. Add 3/4 cup water or milk.

3. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, until cooked.

4. Stir and add additional milk if necessary.

5. Eat and enjoy!

NOTE: You can also cook in a saucepan on the stove if you prefer — but then it’s not “instant oatmeal”!

Recipe

Easy Instant Oatmeal Packets

Author Crystal Paine

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5