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Battling clutter from gifts you're holding on to? This is a great read with practical ideas and suggestions on how to get rid of more STUFF -- even if it's a gift that holds great meaning to you!

Shared May 3, 2012 comment

What To Do When a Gift Becomes Clutter

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 3, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Crystal of Serving Joyfully

But it was a gift.

This simple statement is one of the biggest pitfalls I have when it comes to clutter in my home. I know this might sound ungrateful, but I can’t tell you how many things we’ve been given over the years that are collecting dust or stored in a closet. Most of these items are things that we “couldn’t get rid of” because someone gave it to us.

After seven years of this, the situation reached a breaking point. Here is how I decided to deal with it:

I remind myself that it’s my house and my family has to live here.

I really hate to hurt or offend anyone. However, at the end of the day, this is my family’s home and we need to be comfortable here. For my husband, a big part of a peaceful home is an uncluttered home. I cannot sacrifice a peaceful home for my family at the fear of offending someone.

I assume someone else can get use out of the items.

More than likely, even if you don’t want it or can’t use it, someone else does and can. As I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that if I purchase something, I would prefer for it to be passed on to someone who can use it rather than stuffed away in a closet. At least then, someone will be getting some use out of it. I can only hope that some of my family feels this same way, or can at least see the benefit of it.

I encourage unique gift ideas.

I am a minimalist at heart. My husband is getting there. We don’t need or want a lot of stuff in our home. Because of this, we have tried to put some boundaries in place for our families regarding gift giving — namely limits for grandparents who like to go overboard. We also encourage experience gifts and useful gifts rather than trinkets or toys that will just add clutter to our home.

The bottom line for me is this: If I purchase a gift for someone, I want it to be a benefit to him or her. It might sadden me a bit to know that my choice wasn’t spot on, but it would bother me even more to know that the gift I had purchased for their good was actually causing them stress instead.

How do you deal with gifted items you don’t want or need?

Crystal Brothers is a daughter of the King, wife to a forest ranger, and full-time mommy to two rambunctious little boys. She blogs at Serving Joyfully — a blog dedicated to encouraging and equipping women to serve God and their families.

photo source

Shared May 3, 2012 comment

Yesterday’s Dillon’s Shopping Trip

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 3, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We stopped by Dillon’s yesterday to pick up a few things and check on some deals. Here’s what we bought:

1 bottle of Coffee-mate — used free Coffee-mate coupon

2 packages of Pampers Wipes — $1.99 each, used 2 $0.75/1 Pampers coupons (“doubled” to $1 off) = $0.99 each after coupons

1 box of Honey Bunches of Oats — $2, used $1/1 coupon = $1 after coupon (there’s also a $1.10 Honey Bunches of Oats coupon here but our store didn’t have this variety)

1 Zone Perfect bar — used free coupon

1 Clif bar — used free coupon (this printed as a catalina last time I went to Dillon’s)

Total with tax: $3.19

Shared May 3, 2012 comment

We Paid Cash: Emergency Home Repairs

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 3, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We paid cash!

A testimony from Amanda

My husband and I bought a home in July. We put 25% down and are paying double payments each month. With the help of my parents, we were able to make some improvements and spruce up the house before we moved in.

Six months later, I was sitting on the floor with my daughter when I started to smell gas. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I called my husband for advice.

He said we should call the gas company and have them come out to investigate. I opened the windows and made the call. A technician arrived in less than 30 minutes.

Our House Was a Ticking Time Bomb

Long story short, our house was a ticking time bomb. We had leaks everywhere in our pipes, they red tagged our home, and they shut off the gas to the whole house.

The diagnosis? We had to have every single inch of gas pipe in our house replaced. Not exactly what you want to hear in the middle of February when you have gas heat!

So Much for the Home Warranty

We were really stressed out it, until I remembered we had a home warranty. When I called, the agent said this would be covered. We were thanking our realtor for making us include it in the deal.

However, when they finally gave us the estimate, most of it was not covered. There was a loophole about codes that left us stuck with the bill instead of it being our insurance company’s responsibility. As a result, the work was going to cost us nearly $1300 to complete and we had no choice but to come up with the money.

Our Emergency Fund Saves the Day

This was a time that I was beyond thankful for our emergency fund. We try to save as much money as possible each and every month, but we always make sure our emergency fund is completely funded. We were able to write a check for the work and didn’t have to worry about their “special financing options”.

Now we have brand new pipes throughout our house and can sleep soundly knowing we won’t have any issues like this in the near future!

Amanda is a part-time work-at-home mom to 9-month-old Allison and wife to Christian. She enjoys loving the Lord, finding ways to cut the chemicals in her family’s life, and experimenting in the kitchen.

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

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer: Cinnamon Rolls (Day 2)

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today was a much better day than yesterday — and I’m so thankful for that!

Before I headed out to Aldi, the health food store, and Dillon’s with Kaitlynn (more on those shopping trips tomorrow!), I threw one batch of dough in the bread machine.

When I got back home, the dough was ready to be rolled out (have I mentioned how much I love my bread machine?!).

Once again, Silas helped me out.

He has the makings of being a really great chef!

We’ll see if his interest in cooking continues, but at the rate he’s going, he’ll soon be quite skilled in the kitchen — which I couldn’t be happier about!

Silas intently working on his “cinnamon rolls.” Notice how he rolled them up? It was so cute to see him try to do exactly what I did!

Freezer-Friendly Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 10-12 cinnamon rolls

Dough:

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon warm water
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 Tablespoon other oil (olive, canola, etc.)
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white whole wheat flour (or any combination of bread flour/whole wheat flour)
1 scant Tablespoon of instant active dry yeast

Filling:

1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 brown sugar or raw sugar + 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing (I usually just eyeball this, so feel free to adjust measurements. You can also omit the butter and add more milk if you want to lower the fat content — or make the icing a bit more frugal!):

1 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons (or less) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put ingredients in bread machine in the order recommended by your bread machine model. Run the short dough cycle (45 minutes).
When dough is done, roll out into a rectangle and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top and spread around evenly.

Roll dough up and slice into cinnamon rolls.

To freeze: Put uncooked cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for 1-2 hours. When rolls are frozen solid, remove from baking sheet and put in an airtight freezer bag.

To thaw: Place the desired number of frozen cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet and thaw overnight on the countertop. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread with icing as soon as the rolls come out of the oven.

You can also bake the rolls, cool, and freeze.

Dough recipe from Feel Good About Dinner. Freezing instructions adapted from Good Cheap Eats.

Did you do any freezer cooking today? If so, I’d love to see the results of your efforts! Link up your blog posts below or tell us about your success in the comments.

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

Do you live in or near Joplin, MO? I’d love to meet you this Saturday!

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ll be speaking to the Joplin Mothers of Preschoolers this Saturday (May 5, 2012) and they’ve graciously said that I can open this free event up to my local readers, too.

So, if you live in or near Joplin, MO, and are free on Saturday morning, I’d love to have the chance to meet you.

I’ll be speaking from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and my topic will be, “I’d Throw in the Towel — If Only I Could Find a Clean One.” I’ll be sharing some of the tips, tricks, and lessons I’ve learned the hard way as a mom of young children.

The workshop is geared for Christian moms of young children who are feeling weary, exhausted, or just in need of some practical encouragement in how to juggle things without feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. However, no matter what stage or season of life you’re in, you’re more than welcome to come!

Joplin, MO Workshop Details

When: Saturday, May 5, 2012, at 9:30 a.m.

Where: College Heights Christian Church, 4311 E Newman Road, Joplin, MO — we will be meeting in the atrium outside of the worship center.

Cost: Free (Please note: There will be no childcare available.)

RSVP: So that we can make sure and have plenty of handouts, freebies, donuts & coffee for everyone, could you do me a favor and email me at [email protected] by Friday at noon if you are planning to attend and whether you’ll be coming by yourself or with a friend? Thanks so much!

Any questions? Feel free to email me.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

Reader Tip: Don’t Spend Your $5 Bills

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Julie emailed in the following tip:

My husband has always been a cash user, and only uses other forms of payment when necessary. As for myself, I still have a debit card, but I try to use cash for most of my purchases.

Using cash has allowed us to implement a simple savings plan (my husband’s brilliant idea) that has helped us purchase a number of big ticket items in our household, including our computer, camera, and dining table.

What is this savings plan you ask? It’s simple… don’t spend your $5 bills.

I realize a five-dollar bill seems like a rather large bill to just stop using, but when you’re using the cash system, you may find that you don’t notice it as much. (Except for the occasional time you have to break a $20 and get three $5’s in return, and — oh yes! — it happens.) When this does happen, just close your eyes, put those $5 bills in your jar and move on. Before you know it, you’ll be able to purchase that item you’ve been waiting for!

If you just can’t force yourself to give up those $5 bills (or you’re in a financial position where every penny matters), start out with $1 bills or even quarters. Instead of spending them, stick them in a jar and save them. Before long, they will really start to add up!

For more money-saving tips, check out Julie’s blog, MeagerMom.com.

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: Is a Vita-Mix worth the money?

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Amber:

Is a Vita-Mix blender worth the money? If you have a Vita-Mix, what do you use it for? -Amber

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

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

How We Trimmed Our Budget By 50%

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Tiffany of Don’t Waste the Crumbs

There is a lot to do when you first get married: decide where to live, determine who has the better sofa, create a budget… wait, a budget??

Creating a budget was not high on our priority list when my husband and I first got married. And to be honest, we had no clue how to (or a desire to) create one.

We spent our first year of marriage in “bliss,” buying whatever we wanted without a second thought. We each had two new cars, bought a new house (with a mortgage) and put all the “necessities” for a new home on credit cards.

When I became pregnant, we decided that I would stay at home and reality hit — hard. We had to figure out how to live on half our income, while adding a baby (and their own related expenses) to the mix.

How were we going to make it work? After sitting down together to discuss our expenses, we created a budget and a new budget-oriented motto:

If it doesn’t come in, it can’t go out.

We immediately started trimming our expenses every corner we could:

We cut our dining budget to $80. Monthly Savings = $520
We traded in our large sedan for an efficient commuter car. Monthly Savings = $280
We “fixed” the gas budget to allow one tank of gas for the family car and the bare minimum for my husband’s commute. Monthly Savings = $100
We cut our monthly grocery budget to $400. Monthly Savings = $200
We combined our cell phone service and reduced our plan to the minimum available. Monthly Savings = $90
We traded in our SUV for an efficient family sedan. Monthly Savings = $100
We traded in our local cable package for basic satellite service. Monthly Savings = $50
We reduced our internet speed to the slowest available. Monthly Savings = $40
We traded in our “standard issue” trash and recycle bins for largest recycle (free) and smallest trash bin. Monthly Savings = $20

These changes allowed us to live on one income!

While our needs were being met each month, we weren’t able to save or put more than the minimum payment on our credit cards. Shortly after our son was born, I started a business online designing wooden letters for baby nurseries. I didn’t make much money, but it was enough to double our credit card payments each month, putting us one step closer to paying them off.

For months we continued to work on our budget, cutting what wasn’t absolutely necessary and saving every penny we could. I started clipping coupons, played the drug store game, followed frugal blogs such as MoneySavingMom.com, and continued to create and sell wooden letters.

We sold our house and moved across the country in order for my husband to take a job that allowed for greater growth and advancement. Over 20 months, we slowly made progress towards paying off our debt – first a small credit card balance, then my husband’s commuter car. It was hard to be motivated at times, but as Crystal says, slow progress is still progress.

Sweet victory came one month before our second child was born: we paid off the family car and became officially 100% debt free. The icing on the cake? We had enough cash saved to cover six months’ of living expenses!

Creating a budget early in our marriage completely changed our lives, how we view money, and in turn, how we live.

My first child is now 4 1/2 years old and despite job promotions and increased income, we never stopped our “bare minimum” budget. In fact, we’ve cut it even more in some places as we’ve learned to better utilize our resources.

Being debt free has given us true bliss — it’s allowed us to live within our means, be intentional with our spending, and give to others in need.

Tiffany is a full-time mom who teaches part-time and blogs at Don’t Waste the Crumbs, sharing ideas on kids, food, frugality and making the most out of the small pieces of life.

Shared May 2, 2012 comment

Yesterday’s Target Shopping Trip

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 2, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The children and I went to Target after they finished all their homeschool projects and chores yesterday. Target is one of their very favorite places to go and they are always looking for paid chores to do throughout the week so that they can have money to spend when we go to Target. 🙂

Here’s what I bought:

1 Neutrogena Lip Balm — $2.49, used $2/1 Neutrogena cosmetics coupon = $0.49 after coupon

2 Reach Floss — $0.97 each, used 2 $1/1 Reach coupons = free after coupons

2 packages of GE lightbulbs — $2.79 each, used 2 $2/1 coupons = $0.79 each after coupons (our store didn’t carry the lightbulbs that would have been free after coupons)

2 packages of Barilla pasta — on sale for $1.16 each, used 2 $1/1 Barilla coupons = $0.16 each after coupons

4 bananas (for Freezer-Friendly Banana Bread) — $0.91

Total with tax: $3.48

Shared May 1, 2012 comment

Last night’s Dillon’s shopping trip

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 1, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Our whole family headed out to Dillon’s last night after dinner. I was planning to go by myself, but all of the children wanted to tag along, so Jesse graciously came, too, so that we could get through the store more quickly (something about three children and grocery shopping doesn’t usually equate a quick shopping trip!).

Here’s what we bought:

Comfort Baby Puffs — used free coupon

2 Silk single-serve milks — $1.25 each, used 2 $1.50/1 Silk coupons = free plus overage after coupons

1 gallon milk — $2.98

2 family-size bottles of Suave — $1.55 each, used 2 $0.50/1 Suave coupons (doubled) = $0.55 each after coupons

2 bottles of Gold Peak tea (not shown) — $1.29 each, used 2 $0.75/1 coupons (“doubled” to $1 off) = $0.29 each after coupons

1 Dawn dish detergent — $1, used $0.25/1 coupon (doubled) = $0.50 after coupon

1 box of Kashi cereal — $2.99, used $2/1 Kashi coupon from Recyclebank = $0.99 after coupon

Annies’ Deluxe Mac & Cheese — used free coupon

Cheddar cheese (16-oz.) — $2.99

2 Rosarita Refried Beans — $1, used $1/2 coupon = $0.50 each after coupon

Total with tax after coupons: $8.54

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

Click here to download!

Shared May 1, 2012 comment

10 goals for this week

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 1, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

~~1. Read five chapters each of Quest for Truth:Taken and Thomas A Edison: Young Inventor aloud to the children.~~

2. Start one-on-one homeschooling times with each of the children {I’ve been doing this with Kathrynne, but not consistently with Kaitlynn and Silas, so I re-did our daily routine this weekend so that I could start meeting one-one-one with each child every day.}

~~3. Go on an overnight date with Jesse.~~

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading The Three R’s. ~~Start another book.~~

~~5. Run at least five times.~~

6. Finish listening to Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality.

7. Write and send two handwritten notes.

Home Management

~~8. Follow my Spring Cleaning plan & blog about it every weekday.~~

~~9. Make Homemade Pop Tarts.~~

Business Goals

10. Go through my “To Answer” email file (that’s been quite neglected in recent weeks!) and answer all emails.{I made some headway on this, but didn’t quite get all through it.}

This week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Read five chapters each of Quest for Truth:Taken and Thomas A Edison: Young Inventor aloud to the children.

2. Start reading a book individually with each child.

3. Write a love note to Jesse.

4. Family trip to Joplin, MO.

Personal Goals

5. Finish reading The Three R’s, Remembering You, and Read for the Heart.

6. Run at least five times.

7. Start listening to The Little Big Things

8. Write and send two handwritten notes.

Home Management

9. Follow my Freezer Cooking plan and blog about it.

Business Goals

10. Prep for my speaking engagement in Joplin, MO on Saturday.

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 May 1, 2012 comment

This week’s menu

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 1, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Breakfasts

Granola bars
Cereal
Strawberry Pineapple Smoothies, oatmeal
Scrambled eggs, fruit salad
Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit
Egg-in-hole, fruit
Granola, yogurt, and berry parfaits

Lunches

Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit
Snack-y lunch
Leftovers
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples, granola bars
Hard-boiled eggs, toast, fruit
Beans and rice, veggies
Lunch out

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Chewy Granola Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dinners

Build Your Own Haystacks
Homemade pizza, tossed salad, fruit salad
Chicken and veggie stirfry, muffins, fruit, veggies
Potato Veggie & Beef Hash, Easy Whole Wheat Bread, fruit salad
Steak, sweet potatoes, fruit salad, steamed veggies
Dinner with extended family x 2

What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.

Shared May 1, 2012 comment

Do It Yourself: Painted Terracotta Pots with Chalkboard Labels

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 1, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

HalcyonHomestead.com shows you how to make painted terracotta pots with chalkboard labels.

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 May 1, 2012 comment

4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer: Week #1 Breakfast Freezer Foods Plan + Shopping List

Published: by Crystal Paine on May 1, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Are you ready to get busy filling your freezer? My goal with this challenge is to erase your fears of freezer cooking and to show you that — no matter what stage or season in life you’re in — you can find a way to make it work for you.

In the process, I hope you fall in love with freezer cooking, if you haven’t already. It’s been a huge sanity-saver to me so I can’t help but be a big advocate of it. 🙂

Here’s this week’s list of Breakfast Foods I’ll be making to stick in the freezer along with a grocery list (let me know if you see any mistakes on amounts needed):

Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Tuesday — 2 loaves of Our Family’s Favorite Banana Bread
Wednesday — 2 dozen Cinnamon Rolls (I’m using this bread dough recipe and this filling/topping recipe.)
Thursday — Triple batch of Whole-Wheat Waffles
Friday — Double batch of Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal
Monday — One batch of Homemade Baking Mix

Grocery List

(I rounded up on the amounts needed, just to be safe. You probably have many of these items already on hand. You’ll want to double-check that you have the correct amounts, though.)

1 dozen eggs
6-8 ripe bananas
One package of butter (4 sticks)
20 cups of freshly-ground flour or two 5-lb. bags of whole wheat, all-purpose, or a mixture of both flours
1 package of brown sugar or raw sugar
1 bag of sugar (You’ll need at least three cups — can substitute raw sugar)
1 bag or box of powdered sugar
Cream of tarter
Powdered milk (you’ll need 1 1/4 cups)
1 canister oats (regular or quick oats)
Oil (any kind — you’ll need at least one cup)
Coconut oil (you’ll need around 2 1/2 cups)
Milk (you’ll need at least 2 cups)
Baking soda
Baking powder (make sure you have at least 1 cup)
Salt
Vanilla
Cinnamon

Freezer Storage Items Needed

Foil
Plastic Wrap
10-12 large ziptop freezer bags
2-4 glass or aluminum pans (to freeze Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal in)
1 airtight lidded tub (to store Homemade Baking Mix in, if you don’t want to use freezer bags)
Something to label packages with (marker to write on bags, labels, and/or tape)

Click on the “Print This” tab at the top of the list to generate a printer-friendly list. (If you’re reading via email or a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to print the list.)

Before you head to the store, make sure to clean out and organize your freezer and check that you have enough storage space for these items in it.

Eating PB&J Sandwiches can change your finances...and your LIFE! Short-term sacrifices can be difficult, but SO worth it in the long run!

Shared Apr 30, 2012 comment

If you want something badly enough, you can usually find a way

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 30, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Two weeks ago, I wrote a post on surviving on a $30 per week grocery budget. Many of you found the post helpful and inspiring. But a handful of people really disliked the post.

In the blogging world, that’s totally to be expected. You can’t please and inspire everyone all the time and I’ve learned and grown a lot as a person and a writer from the constructive criticism I’ve received as a blogger.

However, what I found interesting was that most of the people who didn’t like the post got hung up on the fact that I was suggesting you eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch every day for a week.

The grocery list and menu I shared was meant to serve as an example that you can eat on $30 per week and still set aside a little extra toward your stockpile so that, within a few weeks, you can have more wiggle room and variety in your diet. I wanted to show that it can be done — if you’re willing to get creative and you’re willing to make short-term sacrifices.

Truthfully, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches Are Not All That Bad

While eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for a week might sound outrageous to some, it’s actually not all that bad. In fact, one of the many little things we did to stay out of debt while my husband was in law school was to eat lots and lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

We didn’t eat peanut butter and jelly every single day of the year, but choosing to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a very regular basis over Subway or Sonic — or even turkey and cheese sandwiches — was a simple thing we could do to help inch us in the direction we were aiming for.

How Motivated Are You to Get Where You Want to Be?

Where do you want to be financially in a year from now? What about five years from now? What simple short-term sacrifices can you make to help you get there?

If eating peanut butter and jelly every other day isn’t your thing, consider what short-term sacrifices might work for your family. When Jessica and her family were working really hard to get out of debt, they set their thermostat up a number of degrees in the summer in order to save money. Jessica was pregnant at the time and I’m not quite sure how she managed, but their family was highly motivated so they made a lot of sacrifices — including sweating out a hot Kansas summer — so that they could get out of debt much more quickly.

When There’s a Will, There’s Usually a Way

If you want to get out of debt, stay out debt, save more, or give more, it’s likely going to mean making some sacrifices — especially in the short-term. You can’t change your financial situation unless you also change the way you’re doing something.

But you have to be willing to change, willing to cut back, willing to give things up, willing to eat less than gourmet meals, or willing to not have the latest and greatest gadget or gizmo. How willing you are to make changes is directly dependent upon how motivated you are to get where you want to go.

If you want something badly enough, you can usually find a way. It won’t always be easy, fun, or glamorous to make short-term sacrifices, but it will be every bit worth it.

What simple, short-term sacrifices is your family making to get where you want to be financially? I’d love to hear!

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

How do you deal with gifted items you don’t want or need?

Our House Was a Ticking Time Bomb

So Much for the Home Warranty

Our Emergency Fund Saves the Day

Freezer-Friendly Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Joplin, MO Workshop Details

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

If it doesn’t come in, it can’t go out.

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

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks

Dinners

Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Grocery List

Freezer Storage Items Needed

Truthfully, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches Are Not All That Bad

How Motivated Are You to Get Where You Want to Be?

When There’s a Will, There’s Usually a Way

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