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Shared Jul 21, 2012 comment

Budgeting for Back-To-School Supplies

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 21, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Trisha of Finances With Funk:

I know! I know! The last thing you want to think about right now is back to school.

But if you don’t, you could be left scrambling for the extra expenditures and missing a great opportunity to teach your kids or grandkids about budgeting.

Here’s how we do it at our house:

Step 1:

Take a look at your own budget and set a dollar amount that you can afford to spend on each child for all back to school necessities.

Yes, if you have teenagers and 2nd graders there may be a difference between the amount each needs, and that’s OK. You know what’s appropriate for your family.

Step 2:

Start putting away a little bit every week or pay period for the next few months to fund those expenses come August.

Just take your total budgeted amount and divide that by the number of pay periods you have between now and then.

Step 3:

Plan a back-to-school shopping trip with your kids.

Discuss, with your kids specifically, what they are going to need, and then make a list to bring along on your trip.

Example: 2 pairs of shoes, 2 new pants, 2 new shorts, 2 nice shirts, 3 new t-shirts, new Backpack and lunch box.

Step 4:

Decide where you are going to shop and help them prioritize.

Are there some things you can look at higher end second hand shops for because they are set on a very specific more expensive shoe? Allow them to help with the decisions in that process.

With teens you can put their money into their own account (Like a MONEY account from ING) or on a Prepaid Visa Card that they will need to keep a record of in a checkbook register. If they choose to spend over and above what you have told them is their budget then they can use their own money to do so.

Step 5:

Go shopping and have fun.

Make a day out of it! Plan a fun breakfast out if you can or take a lunch for a picnic in the park to break up your trip. Or if you can afford to, make it a little weekend trip.

Step 6:

Immediately after your trip start, planning for next year.

It is much easier to find an extra $30 a month than to wait until June and need to come up with a $100 or more.

Trisha Funk is a momma to 4, wife to 1, small business owner x2, financial coach, and author at Finances With Funk. She is passionate about helping others gain control of their finances and living a life free to be obedient to their purpose God created them for.

Shared Jul 20, 2012 comment

Why Moms Need to Set Goals

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

I wrote about the importance of goal-setting over on MomLife Today:

As moms, it often seems like we do the same things over and over again.

We cook a meal, only to turn around and find that it’s all been eaten up before we even had time to finish the dishes! We scrub the floor, and by the afternoon, it’s hard to even notice any difference.

It’s hard to see progress amid the sea of never-ending responsibilities. We long to just actually finish something, anything.

If you’re feeling like you’re not really getting anywhere, never really finishing anything, and going to bed only to wake up and put out the same fires again the next day, may I encourage you to consider setting goals?

Most women have great ideas and huge ambitions, but very few actually turn those big ideas into tangible, realistic, bite-sized, doable goals.

…Read the full post over on MomLife Today.

Shared Jul 20, 2012 comment

Reader Tip: Save More by Using Less

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

photo source: BigStock

Jeni emailed in the following tip:

Several years ago I read The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. One of her tightwad tips made a big impression on me, and has stayed with me over the years: use less.

Do you really need to fill the laundry detergent cap to the line determined by the manufacturer before you dump it in the washer? Or will your clothes get clean using a bit less?

Do you need to fill the palm of your hand with shampoo to wash your hair? Or will a smaller amount do the job?

This idea can be applied to everything from condiments to cleaning products. Experiment in your home to see if using smaller amounts of products will give acceptable results.

The great thing is, you have nothing to lose. If your clothes don’t seem to get as clean with less detergent, or you don’t have enough lather to wash your hair properly using less shampoo, you can always go back to using more product. But you may just find that less is enough, thereby making those products last longer and ultimately your money go further.

Shared Jul 19, 2012 comment

We Paid Cash: A Couple’s Getaway

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 19, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Kayse from Finding Hope

My husband and I had a stressful year. He was in grad school and worked three jobs, and I worked full time from home and took care of our daughter.

That didn’t leave much time for each other, and we needed to get away together for a few days! However, we already had a tight budget and didn’t know how we could possible afford a three-day trip.

Here’s what we did:

We put a cookie jar on the dresser in our bedroom, and collected all of our change for about six months.
My husband put aside all of the tip money he received from one of his jobs, adding it to the cookie jar, all year long.
He also picked up a few extra gigs throughout the year (he is a professional musician) that we hadn’t expected or added into our budget, so all of that money went in the cookie jar!
I cut the grocery budget and didn’t by any extras in any category during the last three weeks before the trip.

Although I knew about and helped contribute to the money saving, my husband did all the planning, keeping the trip a complete surprise for me! He scoured the internet and found all the best deals! He also planned the trip mid-week for the best hotel prices!

Here’s what we got to enjoy:

Three glorious days in Big Bear Lake, only an hour and a half away from our home. (We didn’t have to spend much on gas.)
A toddler-free trip! He asked his parents to come stay with our girl… for free!
A car rental — just for fun, he rented a convertible for the trip! He knew the manager, as she came into his store every day, so he got the car for less than $50 a day.
Two nights in an inn with an in-room spa tub — for $150 total!
Freedom! Because we had more than enough cash on hand for the three days, we were able to do whatever we wanted. We went out to nice dinners, took a boat ride, and got a couples’ massage at a local spa!

It was so much fun to be able to go on a trip and not worry about how we were going to pay for everything when we got home!

The freedom of paying for everything in cash really added to the relaxation of our trip! It allowed us to spend time together and take advantage of enjoyable opportunities, without having to worry about the cost. We were able to invest in the weekend and each other! You can read more about our trip here.

We’ll never do it another way again!

Kayse is a wife, mommy, and teacher. She writes over at Finding Hope about finding hope among the day-to-day realities of dinners, dishes, and diapers.

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

Shared Jul 19, 2012 comment

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 19, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to get your kids to willingly eat veggies for breakfast? Try this delicious (and super healthy) sweet potato smoothie recipe. They’ll never guess they are enjoying veggies in the morning!

Guest post from Brigette Shevy

I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about getting in a serving of vegetables at breakfast that makes me happy. It gives me a sense of accomplishment by 8 a.m, especially when it tastes delicious!

Sweet Potatoes in a Smoothie?!

The sweet potato in this smoothie recipe adds that extra “oomph,” not only boosting the nutritional qualities (hello, beta carotene!) but increasing the “fill factor” as well. (If you’re wondering what “fill factor” is, I define it as something that keeps me full for longer than 1-2 hours!)

I realize adding sweet potato to a smoothie might seem like an odd combination, but it blends in quite nicely. For those of you who don’t care for sweet potatoes, this is a great way to consume them almost effortlessly… or you can substitute cooked carrots, pumpkin, or butternut squash in place of the sweet potato.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Smoothies

1/2 cup (125 g) sweet potato, cooked and chilled
1 frozen banana, cut in thirds
1/2 apple, cored
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk (any kind will work)
1 cup ice cubes (use more or less, depending on how you like your smoothies)

How to Quickly Cook Sweet Potatoes

The easiest, quickest way to cook a sweet potato is in the microwave.

Simply scrub the potato skin, pierce it several times with a fork, and pop it in the microwave until soft (about 5-6 minutes).

You can store it in your refrigerator until ready to use for this recipe.

How to Make Sweet Potato Smoothies

1. Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (we use a Vita-mix).

2. Blend on high until smooth.

3. Pour into 2 cups and serve immediately.

Recipe

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Author Brigette

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Equipment

Vita-mix

Ingredients

1/2 cup sweet potato cooked and chilled
1 banana frozen and cut in thirds
1/2 apple cored
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk any kind will work
1 cup ice cubes more or less, depending on how you like your smoothies

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (we use a Vita-mix).
Blend on high until smooth.
Pour into 2 cups and serve immediately.

Notes

How to Quickly Cook Sweet Potatoes

The easiest, quickest way to cook a sweet potato is in the microwave.

Simply scrub the potato skin, pierce it several times with a fork, and pop it in the microwave until soft (about 5-6 minutes).

You can store it in your refrigerator until ready to use for this recipe.

Nutrition

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More Smoothie Recipes You’ll Enjoy

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

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Shared Jul 19, 2012 comment

Do It Yourself: Sample Size First Aid Kits

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 19, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

SimpleOrganizedLiving.com shows you how to make homemade First Aid Kits out of sample-size products.

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 18, 2012 comment

Reader Tip: Changing Our Thinking About Discipline

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 18, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Self Discipline via Bigstock

Tessa emailed in the following tip:

Quick: what’s the first word that comes to your mind when you hear the word discipline? Yuck? Difficult? Unappealing?

If you are like me, then I’m sure you at least thought of a synonym of the above words. In our culture of entertainment, discipline gets a bad rap. You hear, “You don’t need to be disciplined… everything will work itself out.”

Yeah right.

When has sitting on the couch ever gotten you anywhere?

Exactly. I believe that if we just change the way we think when we hear the word discipline, then we can stop buying into the myth that laziness is an acceptable option.

Start thinking about disciplines that you do every day… otherwise known as, chores. That’s right. You are already disciplined in some areas. Congratulations! If you start pairing the word discipline to sweeping or doing the dishes (or something that you do every day/night), then you start to associate it with action items that are doable.

Start with a small, new discipline to add to your life. For example, if eventually you want to run a marathon, you’re going to have to build up your endurance. So, you could start by walking a mile. Before you know it, you have a new discipline in your life. TA-DA!

Being disciplined is not as bad as it seems. If you look around, you’ll see that discipline does not have to have the negative connotations that society gives it. Today, let’s change the way we think about discipline and take action.

Shared Jul 18, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: Should we pay for dental and vision insurance?

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 18, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Jill:

I recently left my job with a large corporation to work with my husband at our business. I made sure we had individual health insurance in place before I left, but I haven’t done anything about dental or vision insurance.

I’m thinking that negotiating the best deal for a cash payment may be the way to go, but I’m interested in any other good options for dental and/or vision insurance for our family. -Jill

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

Shared Jul 17, 2012 comment

Today wasn’t anything like I’d planned…

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

Well today wasn’t anything like I’d planned! The day started with an early morning almost-3-mile run in the woods around the family camp here in Texas. I was picturing a day of encouraging sessions, swimming, rock-climbing, and a date night picnic on the lake with my husband.

But that was not to be…

Kaitlynn started throwing up this morning soon after she got up and she couldn’t keep anything down the rest of the day. We ended up taking her in and getting some IV fluids in her since she was beginning to get dehydrated.

We’re back at the cabin, she’s finally resting, and the nurse here at family camp is keeping close tabs on her… and I’m hoping she continues to rest so that her stomach will calm down and get back to normal. Poor girl, she was so sick today and I just felt miserable for her!

At any rate, I had a lot of posts planned to run today… but the computer was the last thing on my mind much of day. Thanks so much for your understanding when life trumps blogging.

I may have a chance to post some of the deals from my bulging inbox tonight, but we’ll just see how the evening goes! For now, I’m off to enjoy a “date night” with my husband (The rest of the couples at family camp are having a date night picnic at the lake. Since we needed to stay back with Kaitlynn, the camp staff brought our picnic basket to our cabin so we could still have date night in!)

Hopefully, your day was much less eventful and you are all well at your house!

Shared Jul 17, 2012 comment

Do It Yourself: Rose Petal Vinegar

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

TheNerdyFarmWife.com shows you how to make homemade rose petal vinegar.

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.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Jul 16, 2012 comment

Six goals for this week

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

I didn’t make as much traction on my goals last week as I’d hoped. But I’m trying to remind myself that I made much more progress by setting the goals and working toward them than I would have made had I not set goals at all.

A mountain isn’t climbed in one fell swoop; it’s an inch-by-inch, foot-by-foot process — and it’s the same with completing goals!

We’re at family camp in Texas this week and one of our big goals for this week is truly to just relax, soak up the sunshine, rest, savor the moments, laugh, and just spend a week away from the usual responsibilities of life so that we can be refreshed and renewed as individuals — and as a family.

Oh, and in addition to lots of relaxing, Jesse and I are also signed up to try the zipline and rock-climbing wall, go on an early morning horseback ride, and go skeet shooting — all things I’ve never done in my life. It might prove to be an interesting week. 😉

At any rate, I’m keep my goals really simple to allow plenty of room for margin and rest.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Start reading Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner aloud to the children. Read a few chapters of The Missing Video (reading to Kathrynne), and read at least two chapters of Little House in the Big Woods (reading to Kaitlynn).

2. Have at least one playdate with friends.

3. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

~~4. Finish reading Radical Together plus one other book~~.

5. Run at least five times for 45 minutes each; do weight-training program at least four days.

6. Finish listening to Stop Acting Rich.

~~7. Sleep for at least 7 hours every night.~~

8. Continue on with the Choosing Gratitude 30-Day Devotional.

Home Management/DIY Projects

9. Try at least two new crockpot recipes.

Business Goals

~~10. Continue blogging the 4 Weeks of Family Fun series.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner aloud to the children. (I’m hoping we can finish this while we’re on vacation this week!)

2. Enjoy a relaxing week together at family camp making lots of memories and just enjoying being together.

Personal Goals

3. Finish reading The Life You’ve Always Wanted plus one other book.

4. Sleep for at least 8 hours every night.

5. Continue on with the Choosing Gratitude 30-Day Devotional.

Business Goals

6. Edit and submit an article for publication on RooMag.com.

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 16, 2012 comment

Free printable: 30 Days of Healthy Lunchbox Meals

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

Print a free 30 Days of Healthy Lunchbox Meals download from Family Fresh Cooking.

Shared Jul 16, 2012 comment

I Lost Sight of the Purpose for Saving Money

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

Guest post from Lauren

When my husband and I got married, we quickly realized that we came from very different financial backgrounds. My husband’s family was always a “don’t buy it unless you can’t live without it” kind of bunch, where my family enjoyed “retail therapy” a little too much!

Over the course of our first few years of marriage, I think we both changed each other, for the better: he got better about being willing to spend, and I got much better about not spending so much!

We accomplished a lot in a pretty short amount of time:

We paid off a trip to Europe that I’d put on a credit card just before we got married (see what I mean??)
We paid off all of my school loans.
We paid for a move to Illinois for his work.
We bought a home.
We started purchasing our own health insurance so that I could stay home with our children.
We had 3 beautiful children in the space of 3 years.
We paid cash for a new-to-us vehicle.
We paid cash for numerous home repairs and upgrades.
We saved a lot for retirement.

However recently, I was feeling guilty for not saving more. As a result, I mentioned to my husband that I was renewing my commitment to try to find extra money to save.

He stopped me with one word: “Why?”

“Why?” I asked. “What do you mean, why? There’s retirement, and college for the kids, and moving to a better school district, and…” “Yes,” he said, “and we’re on track for all of those things. Why do you want to save more?”

I realized then and there: saving had become the goal.

That’s backwards! I’ve always been the type to save for a purpose – this dollar is going toward new curtains for the living room, this dollar toward a car down the road.

Somewhere along the line, though, I’d lost sight of the real goals we had for saving: to have a more comfortable life, to save against eventual needs, to be more generous with our time and resources.

Saving – just saving to hoard it – had become the goal.

We will still continue to tinker with our savings plan, I’m sure. I’m heading back to graduate school this fall, and we’ll have to replenish some of our savings after paying for that. But I won’t let saving money become my goal, my reason, again. I want to enjoy my life, and learning to live within my means will let me do that!

Lauren is Matt’s wife of 7 1/2 years, and stay at home mama to 3 sweet babies: Macy, Zoë, and Mark. Between cooking, cleaning, working at church, and volunteering, she decided she needed something else on her plate, so she’s headed back to school in the fall.

photo source

Shared Jul 14, 2012 comment

Traveling By Train Is Saving Me Money and Headache

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 14, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jodi of Plastic Back Books

Remember the old saying, “Getting there is half the fun“?

Well, I have to say that the “miracle of flight” isn’t what it used to be. My head starts spinning when I think of purchasing an airline ticket.

There are so many variables that go into finding the best price. I have gotten some good deals when I have “named my own price”, but they don’t offer a “name your own time” option for those deals. Leaving at 4:45 a.m. to get to the airport in time is not always so fun.

Shuffling barefoot through airport security, sitting for hours waiting for a delayed flight, only to have to run like a crazy person through the concourse to make a connecting flight adds to the stress. And if you miss your plane — well, I hope is wasn’t a non-refundable ticket!

After my last flight, I decided driving was a simpler option. Then I looked at my bald tires and odometer (which was nearing 300,000 miles). Not to mention the cost of gas — ouch!

I needed an alternative. That’s when I thought about the train. I looked up Amtrak and was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive my trip would be: it was less expensive than flying or driving — it was even cheaper than the Greyhound!

Here are some benefits of traveling on Amtrak:

There’s one site to shop for a ticket: Amtrak.
The cost of the ticket really is the cost of the ticket. There are no additional fees or taxes.
Children ages 15-2 travel for half price, and those under two travel for free.
If you cancel, you only lose 10% of your ticket price (this won’t exceed $100).
If you change your ticket, Amtrak will credit what you paid toward your new ticket.
You can bring three 50-pound bags, two carry-on items, plus personal items without baggage fees.
You get to keep your shoes on (you don’t have to go through a thorough security checkpoint).
There are no fasten seat belt signs — because there are no seat belts!
There are electrical outlets and free Wi-Fi available for work or entertainment, tables for games, spacious seating, freedom to roam about the cars, and beautiful scenery!

And last, but certainly not least:

Riding the train makes getting there half the fun once again!

Jody Susan loves reading, but isn’t a fan of dusting bookshelves, so she loves e-books. She is creating PlasticBackBooks — a marketplace for wholesome, helpful, and hopefully entertaining e-books. She is slowly learning to break goals into bite-sized pieces. Finishing her ebook, Riding The Train, is one goal she has completed recently.

photo credit

Shared Jul 13, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Free food at Chick-fil-A (Day 19)

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 13, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The kids had so much fun planning out and dressing up in their cow costumes for Chick-fil-A’s Cow Appreciation Day today.

We used stuff we already had on hand and I was really happy with how their costumes turned out.

Kaitlynn didn’t want to use one of the tails I printed out from Chick-fil-A’s website, so she made her own!

I think the kids had the most fun seeing all of the crazy costumes other people had concocted. I had told them ahead of time that probably other people would dress up, too, but I guess they didn’t quite believe me until they got out of the van and saw all of the cow-decked people headed inside.

They kept laughing at the hilarious things people had come up with — and, let me tell you, there were some doozies! I couldn’t believe how many teenage boys and grown men dressed from head-to-toe like cows. Some of them looked like they had put a whole lot of effort into their costumes and seemed not a bit embarrassed about wearing them for all to see!

We arrived at 11 a.m. and I’m so glad we did, since we were able to get a table back in the corner away from all of the throngs of people. Plus, we didn’t have to wait in a line that stretched out the door!

Some dear friends of ours who currently live in India but are back in the states for a few weeks met us there and we enjoyed getting to catch up and visit for awhile while the children played.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience — and definitely something we’ll be doing again!

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.

Summer Bucket List

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Sweet Potatoes in a Smoothie?!

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Smoothies

How to Quickly Cook Sweet Potatoes

How to Make Sweet Potato Smoothies

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Equipment

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

How to Quickly Cook Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

More Smoothie Recipes You’ll Enjoy

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

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Here are some benefits of traveling on Amtrak:

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Ingredients