Category Archives: Saving $

Simple Money Saving Tips For Moms

We have saved so much money over the years by using a few easy money saving life hacks that are an easy way to save money.

We have saved thousands of dollars this year alone just by investing in a few ways to treat ourselves on the cheap.

Keep reading for simple money saving tips for moms, especially if you’re saving money to work from home! With just a little bit of time or supplies, you’ll be well on your way to saving hundreds and thousands each year.

Easy Ways To Save Money

Learn to Cut Your Own Hair

Have you ever walked out of the salon after spending $45 on a style that you hated? It just wasn’t what you wanted, but it’s too late to do anything about it. Me too. Too many times to count. So, I decided to start cutting my own hair.

You would be surprised how easy it is to cut your own hair. I’ve been cutting my own hair (into all sorts of different hairstyles) since I was 17! And when I went to college, my husband handed me his clippers and taught me how his hair people cut his hair. Now, he refuses to go to the barber shop (to my dismay sometimes, ha!). And now that we have a little, he gets his hair cut at home, too.

After a little studying, careful trepidation and lots of practice, your own bathroom salon can give you a better style than the expensive salon down the street. I do sometimes still go get a pro haircut when I want something that’s really complicated (or I’m just too busy to cut it myself). But we save about $1000 per year just by doing haircuts at home.

My #1 tip if you want to start cutting your own hair is to start looking at the shape haircuts make. And then imagine what angle of the cut made that shape of the hair. And when you have a special cut you want, search YouTube to see if the experts have tips or techniques to get it right.

And if it seems too risky, maybe it is. Go slowly.

Make Coffee At Home

There was a time when we didn’t exactly have a place to enjoy a cup of joe on the couch and during that time we found ourselves in line at Starbucks more times than I want to admit. 🤦‍♀️

And while the feeling of that fancy little cup in my hand makes me feel all special, I know that it’s full of stuff that isn’t good for me and loaded with calories that I don’t need.

So, instead, I’ve started making amaaaazing coffee at home and saving a ton of money. So, now, when I walk by the Starbucks in Target, I’m no longer tempted by that big green circle. I know that I can go home and have something just as yummy, in my comfy clothes, reclining back on the couch.

And when I’m on the go, I have a fancy cup that makes my coffee feel even fancier. I love my cup from SimpleModern. I chose the 18oz cup so it fits in my car’s cupholder and always have it when I’m on the go. When I’m at home, I love using stackable cups.

Here’s my easy recipe for amazing sweet creamy coffee (it’s keto-friendly!)

Cameron’s Vanilla Hazelnut (yummier than it sounds!)

2 packs of sweetener (I love Splenda naturals. It’s just stevia and erythritol)

2-4 Tbls of heavy whipping cream (the secret ingredient!)

Optional: MCT oil powder. It’s my new clean energy boost with smooth creamy vanilla or chocolate flavor!

My coffee is like dessert, and it keeps me from derailing my budget and keto success.

Repair Broken Things

This is an old-fashioned skill that we rarely do anymore, but our grandparents were experts at money saving life hacks and squeezing the life out of things. Before you throw away that broken toy, could it be fixed? Maybe a little glue? Or take it apart and see if a piece fell off inside?

I know there are a lot of computer chips in things these days, but even that can sometimes be repaired. YouTube has been a lifesaver for us. We learned to solder things just to repair a broken chipboard thing on our pool pump. It wasn’t as hard as we thought it was going to be and we saved a lot of money by learning a new skill.

Have you found yourself donating clothing because of a hole or missing button? Do you know how to darn socks? I think that’s a skill I might have learned in middle school, but I don’t remember how to even sew on a button anymore (thankfully, my mom is around to help me with my sewing! Love you, mom! <3 ).

If your mom doesn’t happen to have mad sewing skills like mine, learning a few basic sewing skills may just save your wardrobe and your budget.

Repairing items can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Check for Warranties on Broken Items

This goes along with repairing broken things, but often times we purchase items with warranties. Meaning, the manufacturer may fix or replace the broken item if it’s within the warranty period.

Warehouse stores also typically offer a generous return period and warranty policy (I love you, Costco!!). So don’t forget to check with them first.

Plus, did you know your credit card company may offer an extended period of coverage if you purchased the item with a credit card?

And I don’t know how many times I purchased an extended warranty only to forget it when the fridge broke and I paid for the repair out of pocket.

Also, some warranty programs require you to keep regular maintenance on the item (think HVAC warranties or jewelry warranties/maintenance).

Warranties are your friend. You should use them.

Don’t Forget About Free Maintenance Deals

I never knew this until my husband and I bought new tires, but when you buy new tires, they oftentimes come with free tire rotations for life. Talk about an easy way to save money!

Tires need to be rotated every 6,000-8,000 miles (so almost every oil change). And at $40 per rotation, that’s some serious savings just by choosing a place that offers free rotations for life to buy your tires from and heading back there regularly.

Also, your jeweler may offer a free maintenance program. I know we purchased my bridal ring set from Jared and they offered a warranty program that would inspect, clean, and re-dip my rings (to keep the white gold from yellowing) every 6 months to keep our warranty in place. I did end up losing one of the large diamonds in the ring and they replaced it for free because I was current on my warranty inspections. Plus, I loved having a fresh new sparkly (clean!) ring every few months.

There are other free maintenance deals out there for major purchases, so be sure to do a little bit of research before making a large purchase.

Buy Used or Irregular Items

I grew up in “seconds” or “second hand” clothes, and do you know what? No one ever knew. My family has always been a discount shopping, yard-sailing, thrifting kind of family and we always look like we’re living the good life.

I usually keep a running list in my head of things I’m on the lookout for and will buy when the price is right. I will usually find something on my list whenever I go thrifting for somewhere around 70%-90% off. Sound machines, M&D toys, and even a juicer have found their way into my shopping cart at 90% off.

Thrifting can take a bit of extra time, but if you have extra time and no money, it’s a great way to save money on extra items you may not have been able to purchase otherwise. And you’d be surprised how many people will buy an expensive item, never use it, and then donate it.

I also have my favorite short list of discount stores that sell open-box items or irregular clothing. Gabe’s is my new favorite discount clothing store. I’ve recently found two coats (that I desperately needed!) that were both originally priced $200 and I bought one Land’s End Squall Parka for $16.99 and a Lane Bryant coat for $24.99. Now I can work outside on the cold windy farm without freezing!

Home Manicures & Pedicures

If you’re a regular nail salon goer, you can save some serious money by doing your own nails at home. Nail polish has come along way since before salons were so popular. You can make your nails look great for just a few bucks.

Painting my nails is a luxury of time for me, but when I’m needing some self-care, I have my go-to nail polish.

It’s just Sally Hansen polish, but they have a special type called Miracle Gel that goes on thick and gives you a flawless finish that lasts for weeks. Yes, weeks! This stuff lasts better than manis and pedis I’ve gotten from the salon.

The key to getting that thick flawless finish is to use their Miracle Gel Topcoat to make the polish dry faster and harder. I actually switch up the base polish type. I also like their Insta-Dri line because I’m the worst about bumping my nails while they’re wet. Insta-Dri dries fast so I can put on the Miracle Gel Topcoat and get on with my day.  

I’ve also heard that Color Street has a cool thing going. It’s like a sticker of real polish that you apply to your nail. They have gorgeous colors and they’re really easy to apply. They aren’t quite as affordable as old school polish, but maybe closer to nail art from a salon.

Buy Discounted Gift Cards For Things You Buy Often

I have a tendency to make a few large purchases a year at stores I really love. About once or twice a year, I make a large purchase of kids clothes at Children’s Place. I stock up on essentials like jammies, socks and underwear when everything’s on a killer sale. On top of those amazing sale prices I get, I also save an extra 20% off because I use a gift card that I bought at a discount.

Sure, the gift card has been sitting in a drawer for about 6 months while I waited on just the right sale, but it’s a great way to stack savings.

You can buy discounted gift cards to your favorite restaurants, stores, and even online stores. I like to snag gift cards that go on sale at Amazon (usually $40 for a gift card worth $50). But there are lots of other ways to get gift cards for a deal.

Grocery stores often have reward programs that will give you a discount on gift cards and extra fuel points.

Plus, you can just go and buy gift cards at a discount at websites like GiftCardGranny.com

And if you’re a member of a warehouse club, they will often offer a great discount on gift cards, usually around 15%-20%.

Discounted Glasses Online

My son wears glasses. My husband wears glasses. Y’all. Even with insurance, glasses are expensive, especially if you buy them at the eye doctor’s office. Fortunately, there are lots of deals to be had on glasses and eye exams.

We have shopped around for eye exams and found that the combo deals at places like America’s Best are a pretty good deal. They’re usually 2 basic pairs of glasses and an eye exam for around $70. Costco also offers eye exams for around $50 in our area, but it doesn’t come with glasses.

We use the 2 pairs of glasses as extras or get sunglasses lenses. Then we buy a nice pair of glasses (with extras like scratch-free coatings) online.

Home Remedies

I’m a big fan of trying to treat yourself at home naturally if possible before heading to the doctor for (usually) medications full of chemicals. First, let me say I’m not a doctor, so I’m not offering medical advice. You should always use your best judgment on when to be treated by a doctor.

But, there are a number of ways to save money by trying a home remedy instead of visiting the doctor. And some of them are tried and true. I have a quick list of home remedies I always try before heading to the doctor.

Ear infection: Peroxide drops

Stye: Colloidal Silver

Sore Throat: Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne, Honey, Lemon Gargle

The sore throat gargle has even healed us of a minor case of strep throat!!

Easy Ways To Save Money To Work From Home

If you’re a mom saving money to work from home, you know every penny counts. From one mama to another, I hope these simple money saving tips start to make a difference in your budget and bank account.

Cheap Date Night Ideas At Home

If you’re looking for cheap ideas for a date night at home, you’re at the right place. My husband and I have become experts at having cheap date nights at home because we live so far out in the country. It’s so much easier and more relaxing some days to just stay in. Not only is it easier, but sometimes it’s more fun and cheaper to DIY a home date night.

Cheap Valentine’s Date Ideas

Our favorite time of the year to chill at home is Valentine’s. Seriously. Valentine’s Day dates can go from romantic to dreadful in just a few minutes. Fighting the Valentine’s Day crowds at restaurants (even the weekend before or after) can turn a great evening out into a boring uncomfortable evening with slow service and cold food. So, we’re always on the lookout for cheap Valentine’s dates.  

Plus, sometimes, we like to get up and do something! Going out for dinner and a movie can be fun if you don’t get to go out often, but after years of dinner and a movie out, I think I’ve decided that I just like having date nights to spend quality time with my love. Even watching a movie at home feels like better quality time since we snuggle during the movie or we can pause the movie to chat or laugh about something.

Home Date Night Ideas

Here are some awesome cheap date night ideas at home to keep you on budget and that spark alive in your relationship or marriage.

Rent a movie and have popcorn in your jammies

Dressing up is nice sometimes but so is dressing down. Especially if you work outside the home all week and just want to chill in your jammies. Plus, you can have all the popcorn you want for about 50 cents instead of $50.

Work a puzzle of a destination you’d both like to visit

My husband and I love to dream together. So, working on a puzzle is great for relaxing and brain power, but it’s also awesome for dreaming. Choose a puzzle of a place you want to visit (like Italy or the beach) or a goal (like to fly in a hot air balloon one day).

Make a sweet treat together

You could make your favorite dessert. Just one, or one for each other. Bonus if it’s heart shaped! You may need one of these for cake or these for chocolates or candy.

Take turns watching fun videos on YouTube

You never know what kind of awesome things you can find on YouTube!! We love watching silly stuff or educational videos on YouTube. Definitely  a cheap and easy way to spend time and connect with each other sharing favorites.

Take a walking tour of a favorite place on YouTube

My husband and I went to Rome this weekend without even putting on our shoes! We’ve been there before and this video was just like being there without having to try to speak Italian! But we did miss out on the authentic Italian food!

When you’re busy and on a budget, finding things to do for a date night at home can be a hassle. This post is full of cheap date night at home ideas and awesome cheap Valentines dates to help you reconnect with your spouse. When you’re planning a romantic night at home, you can still keep it fun, easy, and, cheap. This post is also full of cheap Valentines date night ideas!

Take an online marriage class

If you’re struggling in your marriage, take a few minutes to learn some new skills to help. I remember early in our relationship, we were seriously struggling. We both wanted it to work, but we didn’t have the skills. Until I learned a few simple things to do or not do in a relationship. Just those few simple things turned us around completely and I couldn’t imagine a stronger relationship than the one I have now. Even though I haven’t taken it, I’ve heard great things about this course.

Plan out a year of dates together and put them on the calendar

Find some cool local events (Facebook is my favorite place to find these) and put them on the calendar so you don’t miss out. It’s easy to let life get busy without actually living life. Take an evening to find things you’d both like to do and put them on the calendar now before you miss out.

Build something together

It’s a great way to work together and get some quality time in for a date night at home. We’re building garden beds next month as our stay at home date!

Dream up your favorite life together and save the ideas to Pinterest

You never know how many of those dreams will actually come to be!! Imagine how fun it will be to look back and see how much you’ve accomplished toward your goals in a few years from now.

Buy some Nerf guns and have a dart gun war in your house

I got Nerf guns (I got these and these) for Christmas and we have the absolute best time having dart gun wars in the house. It’s a family affair for us, but my husband and I played while we were dating and it was fun back then, too. Plus, it’s great exercise! If you have a dot sight on your gun, you can even play with the lights off for more challenge.

Have a kid’s contest

Kids have a lot of things figured out. One thing they know how to do is to play and hang out together. Something grown-ups aren’t always good at. Be a kid again and see who can build the farthest flying paper airplane or tallest tower of cards.

Do some star gazing with an app or telescope

What’s more romantic than gazing at the stars and contemplating the universe together? I’m not sure. A telescope could help though. Or an app. We love finding constellations together with our Star Map apps.

Eat dinner outside on the back porch or patio

Set up some amazing ambiance with string lights and a romantic dinner out on the patio or porch. I did this DIY date night idea about 10 years ago before we had kids and my husband loved it. Even though it was a little bit cheesy, the steak got cold, and it was cold outside. The lights made all the difference. Haha.

Play board games or card games

Time just seems to slow down and conversations start happening when the board games and card games come out. When it’s just the two of us, we like to play Rummy with regular cards, Uno, Skipbo or Set.

Cook breakfast for dinner together

It’s the small things, right? Like breakfast for dinner. It’s a special treat at our house to have breakfast for dinner. You could even cook it together. This is one of those dates my husband and I have in the middle of life. And it happens on Saturday mornings. He cooks the bacon and I make the biscuits or pancakes. We chat and catch up. For a special date night, I’d probably make heart-shaped pancakes and berries with whipped cream to make it extra special.

Paint a piece of furniture together

When I was pregnant, my husband and I painted a dresser together. It was a fun project and we learned a lot together. Painting that dresser actually prodded me to start flipping furniture at an antique store (so. much. fun!). We still have the dresser and it’s a fun memory of dreaming together about our first little one.

Teach each other something

My husband is an expert at what he does. And I pretty much know everything else. Haha. Just kidding. But we all learn something whether we realize it or not. He teaches me about what he’s learning in his audiobooks and I teach him about blogging and marketing. It’s a win-win. Not only are we learning something new, but we also find new reasons to respect each other.

Learn something new on TED or YouTube

TED Talks are awesome. If you haven’t discovered them yet, put that on your todo list. But you can find amazing things out there to learn together on TED or YouTube. Learn how to fight fair and strengthen your relationship. Or learn how to tile a bathroom. Or…

Share stories of your favorite dates together

It’s fun recount the same event from both of your perspectives and memories. You never know what the other side looks like until you hear the story. There are lots of details I never would have remembered if my husband didn’t tell me his side of the story.

Play video games

Okay. I’ll let you in on a secret. If you met me on the street, you’d never think I play video games. But, in my past life (aka before I became a mom), I played my fair share of video games. Now, on special occasions, my husband and I will play together. It’s so much fun to be on the same team or going against each other (even if he kicks my butt every time!). If one of you is much better than the other, you can play a different type of game to level the playing field.

Go for a walk or run together

Nothing clears your mind more than fresh air. When you need to let the worries of your week fall away and really get away to connect, you can head out for a walk or a run for your home date night.

Have a picnic in the back yard

This is such a fun thing to do. Grab some sandwiches or bread + cheese + wine and have a picnic out in the back yard. Spread out a blanket and watch the clouds float by, gaze at some stars if it’s dark, or snuggle up on the porch in a blanket with yoru snacks and watch the snow fall if it’s winter. You will probably create a memory you won’t forget for a long while.

Make a fancy hot chocolate or deluxe coffee

Oh yeah. I’m not talking about just any ol’ coffee or hot chocolate. I’m talking the super deluxe kind. Cinnamon, cream, marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel, Irish whiskey. Whatever suits your fancy. Then snuggle up and enjoy your drinks together.

Scavenge around the house for things you could list for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist

Y’all. It doesn’t sound like fun or exciting, but this is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes, I don’t want to pull out a pile of his stuff to sell just to find out he wants to keep all of it. So, we go through the house and find things together that we aren’t using any more. I will often forget something is there until he says something about it. We list it for sale on Friday night and usually by Saturday or Sunday morning, it’s gone and I have cash in my hand! So. much. fun.

Write letters to each other with a secret code they have to decipher

Do you remember those? They were so much fun in elementary school. When you get close enough you can start guessing or solve the whole thing. Don’t forget to give them the code to decipher your message!

Bake a pizza together from scratch

When is the last time you had a fresh pizza? We love making pizzas together because we can make the crust together then customize our side of the pizza to be whatever we want. So yummy and a fun thing to do together.

Cheap Date Nights At Home

No matter if you’re going out or plan to have a date night at home, your relationship needs that time with your loved one. Life is hard and it gets busy. You need time to put life on pause and reconnect. And if you’re on a really tight budget without a babysitter, you don’t have any more excuses, even for Valentine’s date nights!

Don’t forget to pin this and come back to it later!

When you’re busy and on a budget, finding things to do for a date night at home can be a hassle. This post is full of cheap date night at home ideas and awesome cheap Valentines dates to help you reconnect with your spouse. When you’re planning a romantic night at home, you can still keep it fun, easy, and, cheap. This post is also full of cheap Valentines date night ideas!

Why I do my Christmas shopping in July!

Today, here in the heat of the summer, I want to chat about Christmas. Shall we? You know that Hobby Lobby already has their truckloads of Christmas arriving to be put on the shelves any day now (does yours already have Christmas decorations out??). It really is right around the corner.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

And if you know me, you know I looove snagging a deal. Which is exactly why I buy all our Christmas presents in July.

Plus, who has time to be Christmas shopping when there’s all that Christmas decorating and cookie making to do?!

Like lots of other busy mamas out there, Amazon Prime is my saving grace. I seriously love knowing that I can skip my shower for today, order that thing I need on Amazon, and without even putting on real pants, I can have it delivered to me tomorrow for the same price (or cheaper) than I would have found it at the store!

Plus, have you ever tried Christmas shopping with your kids around? It’s pretty tricky once they get older than about 2. We’re now in that territory, so shopping for deals on presents throughout the year has proven to be even more challenging this year.

Enter Amazon Prime Day 2017. It’s seriously the best deal out there. I have been sorely disappointed in Amazon’s Black Friday sales the past year or two. Why? Because Amazon Prime Day has waaay better deals. For real. And the deals are on things I want to buy like Melissa & Doug toys, ride on toys, and awesome home & beauty products.

So, if you aren’t an Amazon Prime member, you need to take a minute right now to get signed up because all the good deals open early just to Prime members. I bet you’ll save the cost of your membership on the deals you snag, plus you’ll get free two-day shipping the rest of the year!

Click the banner (that looks like an Amazon Ad (p.s. this post is full of Amazon links and banners. They won’t cost you any extra, but using these links will get you a free trial of Amazon Prime! Also, I’m sorry the images all look the same!!)) below to start a free 30 day trial and start saving right away.

And if you sign up for Amazon Family (same price as regular Prime), you save 20% on diapers, meaning, you can buy diapers that are delivered to your house for the same deal price you can get them at big warehouses like Sam’s and Costco. You really can’t beat it. You can snag a free 30 day trial of Amazon Family here (the image looks the same as above, but links to Amazon Family so you can save on diapers!!):

So, the short of it is that if you want to do some killer Christmas shipping this July, you’ll have just 30 hours of amazing deals (yes! I even set my alarm clock to wake up for a 2am deal if needed!). You can save some cash and get all that shopping complete so you can focus on family, food, and home during the holidays without battling the crazy Black Friday crowds or last minute Christmas shoppers! It’s a total win-win.

So, recap.

#1. If you aren’t a Prime member, sign up right now for a free trial to make sure you can get in on all the deals.

#2. If you are a Prime member, get ready to start shopping deals on July 10th at 9pm EST. I’ve found Amazon makes it really easy to shop these sales with their own Amazon shopping app, so go ahead and download that to get ready.

#3. If you’re covered on #1 and #2, you can sit back and chill until the 10th. Don’t worry, I’ll send out an email to remind you when it’s time! You can sign up to be reminded here. 🙂

Also! If you’re finding this post and Amazon Prime Day is already over, don’t worry! You can still sign up and I will be sure to remind you about it next year so you don’t miss a deal!

 

Uses for Magic Erasers

You love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They’re amazing for cleaning everything around the house. You never know what a Magic Eraser can clean next, amiright? Plus, they’re chemical free, which means they’re safe even for a home full of kids and pets.

I actually love Magic Erasers. They have saved the day more times than I can count, and if you check out my Pinterest board for cleaning, you’ll see that I pin Magic Eraser pins all the time because they’re so helpful.

ou love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They’re amazing for cleaning everything around the house. You never know what a Magic Eraser can clean next, amiright? Plus, they’re chemical free, which means they’re safe even for a home full of kids and pets. And here is why you will never buy Magic Erasers again.

Uses for Magic Erasers

  • Need your glass stove top cleaned? Magic Erasers are the answer.
  • Need to clean your glass shower door covered in scum? Magic Erasers save the day.
  • How about how to clean the glass inside your oven? Oh yeah, Magic Erasers can clean that, too.
  • How are you going to get your shoes clean back to the bright white they were before? Magic Erasers are the secret.
  • Do you have scuff marks on your floors? Just whip out your Magic Erasers.
  • Ready to clean your outdoor furniture for spring? Magic Erasers can make springtime setup a breeze.
  • Cleaning the bathroom. I use them all over my bathroom on cleaning day including the sink, bathtub, and fixtures. It will keep them shining like new.

See even more uses for magic erasers here!

Here are some of my favorite lists of uses for magic erasers! You never know what you’ll learn from one of these!

But have you seen how much those puppies cost? Around where I live you can get 4 Magic Erasers for about $6. And I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather spend my extra $6 at HomeGoods than the cleaning aisle.

And so, I get mine at Amazon. If you are a mom, Amazon Prime is an absolute gift from Jesus. It’s worth every penny to know that I can just order what I need when I think of it. It doesn’t matter if I’m chilling on the couch with hubs, at the doctor’s office, or sitting at my desk. I just order it and it’s here in 2 days. Before I remember to look for it, it’s sitting on my doorstep. Love Amazon.

But here’s the thing, you can get way more options at Amazon than you could on your Target cleaning aisle. Plus, they have more specialty items, like a 50′ endoscope or pro-level bug spray or melamine foam.

And here is why you will never buy Magic Erasers again. Because you can buy the EXACT SAME THING for a fraction of the price of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

How to find cheap Magic Erasers

See, Magic Erasers are created out of melamine foam that’s been used as soundproofing and other more commercial uses for a while now. But, in the last “few” years, it has been marketed as a cleaning miracle. And, well, honestly, it pretty much is.

So, if you want to save a buck, you can stop buying the mass-marketed Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and buy melamine foam. In bulk. For cheap. Fo’ real.

You can buy 100 regular magic erasers for $10 or 100 extra thick magic erasers for about $30 .

And why wouldn’t you? I mean, really?

Oh, and if you like the fancy Magic Erasers, like the ones with the blue stripe or the bumps/ridges in the middle, you can find those on Amazon, too.

So, what are you waiting for? Go make some magic happen!

You love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They’re amazing for cleaning everything around the house. You never know what a Magic Eraser can clean next, amiright? Plus, they’re chemical free, which means they’re safe even for a home full of kids and pets. And here is why you will never buy Magic Erasers again.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll probably like this one about how I get it all done as a work at home mom working about 4000 hours a week. Ok, so, maybe not that many hours, but it sure feels like it!

And if you’re fighting a dirty house, this is how I finally won the war with pet hair! And how I cleaned a disgusting house we bought.

p.s. If “chemical free” and safe for kids and pets makes you squirm, check out this post to see if magic erasers really include formaldehyde. (hint: they don’t)

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How to Make a DIY Planner and Save Serious Money

Save a ton of money by binding your own planner!

How has your 2017 blog planning been going? Have you been thinking about your goals for the new year yet and begun planning your next stage for your business?

I know I’ve been thinking about it a ton! My to-do list for my blog is completely beyond me, and so I know I have a lot of work that will carry over into 2017. That makes having a planner a few months in advance crucial if I’m going to actually be productive in 2017!

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

If you haven’t seen it, I recently launched a 2017 printable planner for bloggers and work from home moms. I surveyed a ton of blogger moms and moms who work from home to find out what all those other planners are missing.

The first thing I heard from work at home moms was that those other planners are crazy expensive. Think upwards of $85 and easily over $100 after customization. And, even after being customized, those other planners aren’t really suiting their day-to-day needs as bloggers and mom business owners.

They also came back to me with a ton of awesome ideas!!! I created the pages they needed, and now you can find everything you need to run a business at home in this one planner. (pssst, and if you don’t see it, let me know and I can probably make it for you!)

I had a great response to the planner launch and wanted to give all my planner peeps some tips and tricks to DIY an awesome planner book that will last all year.

Step 1. Print it.

Print out your planner (if you’re using my blogging printable planner, just follow the instructions included with the download). If you’re using your own printer, paper, and ink, you’ll be surprised how much it doesn’t cost. I have used 3rd party ink from Amazon for years, and it’s never failed me for 1/5 of the price.

Step 2. Decide on your binding.

To DIY an amazing planner, you first want to decide if you want a 3 ring binder or a spiral binding. Both of them have their advantages.

If you’re like me, and have a problem with commitment, you might want to go with a 3 ring binder. I actually like that I can move pages/sections at will, and hold extra bulky pages in a holding place until I’m ready to use them

Hang with me here: think about the daily/weekly insert pages. I like to plan my months ahead quickly without having to flip through a bunch of empty weekly planning pages. So, I can keep my extras tucked behind the months, and move them in between the month pages as I’m working into the months. It saves me a ton of time by not needing to flip through those empty daily/weekly planner pages.

But, there is a ton of grace and beauty in a spiral binding. The last 3 years I have used a spiral binding from FedEx Office. I get the plastic cover/backing and the whole planner flows together like one big chunky book. I can flip as needed and it’s “my book.”

I think it costs something like $5-$10 to have it spiral bound (depending on your cover and book size, I think) and is totally worth it if you’re ready for that level of commitment. Spring for the frosted plastic cover. It’s so beautiful and worth it.

You also have limitless choices to go with arc binding, disc-bound, or other binding systems (like the Happy Planner). And be flexible to choose what works for you, despite what comes with each system. Most dividers and covers are punchable these days, meaning, just because it comes with a 3 hole punch in the divider doesn’t mean you can’t also use arc binding.

Which leads me to my next step.

Step 3. Choose your sections and dividers.

Don’t get it bound yet!

Pick out some divider pages. You need to choose your binding first because you might fall in love with a three ring binder and want dividers to coordinate.

Either way, Choose dividers that have colors that you love. If you’re not into neon colors, definitely don’t get neon colored dividers because that’s what the office supply store has available. You’ll be kicking yourself around March when you’re sick of looking at them. And the same goes for text on those dividers. If you don’t want numbers (I know I don’t!), then don’t settle.

Amazon has a ton of beautiful choices. My favorites are these from Martha Stewart. The colors are perfect for happy flair. I also really like these from Avery because of their calm colors.

And for heaven’s sake, pick plastic. You do want this planner to make it through the year, right?

Step 4. Find a cover page.

Sure, there’s a cover page for the planner, but go on over to Pinterest and find a quote that rocks your world. Or at least inspires you. Print that out and enjoy it this year. And if you’re inserting this blogging planner into another planner system, choose a design that makes you happy. 🙂 That’s important, you know.

how to make a diy planner for bloggers

Step 5. Get it bound.

A good 3 hole punch really won’t take you too long (think 5 minutes) to punch through the entire year’s worth of the planner if you’re putting it into a 3 ring binder.

And if you’re taking it to an office supply store to be bound, just be sure you have your pages (and dividers) in order before handing it over to them. You don’t want to be that girl with all her stuff spread out all over the counter with the workers waiting for you to get your act together, right?

Let’s not talk about how I know all about that scenario. :/

And if you’re using a planner system, your steps are pretty similar to the 3 hole punch. Just punch, insert, and get to work!

There you have it! Those are my 5 easy steps to save a ton of money by DIYing your own custom planner!

I just know that once you get your planner up and running, you’ll be saving a ton of time checking off those boxes and actually being productive working toward your goals this year!

What tips did you pick up along the way? Did you choose a cute 3 ring binder or spiral? And what cover page did you choose? I want to see!!! I still need to pick mine out for next year!

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Get great deals on Amazon for Christmas

I love shopping for deals on Amazon for Christmas gifts. Online holiday shopping is absolutely amazing. I don’t have to waste gas driving around looking for ideas or deals. I don’t even have to change out of my pajamas. What could be better than that?

Getting awesome deals. That’s even better than that. Doing holiday shopping online can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have an easy system in place.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

I keep multiple wish lists, and they carry over from one Christmas to the next. I inevitably wish for a lot of presents that never make it under the Christmas tree, so I just keep those on my wish list until next year. If they are still relevant ideas, that’s that many gifts I don’t have to hunt down.

Not only that, but I learned that Amazon will let me know when something in my wish list goes on sale throughout the year. Score!

Amazon also tracks how much the item was originally when you added it to your wish list, so you can easily scroll through and see if anything is marked down and by what percentage.

Save Money with Amazon Wish List

You can see in this example, that this toy was 121.67 when I added it, and now it’s 23% off that price. A whopping 23% off is a pretty big deal when you’re talking about a big ticket present like this one.

If you didn’t have your Christmas list for this year set in January, don’t worry! There is still time to save money on Christmas presents by getting deals on Amazon. But you do need to start planning right now.

Here’s why: Black Friday isn’t what it once was. And Cyber Monday is not what it once was. Retailers are starting Christmas sales earlier every year, and Amazon is no different. They start Lightning Sales in early November, so be ready before then with your wishlist.

Create your wishlist early so you can be notified if something in your wishlist is a Lightning Deal without even needing to watch the Lightning deals. It’s still a great idea to keep your eye out for the named sale days (I stay by the computer all day during Melissa & Doug sale days), just to see if there is an item for sale that is comparable to the item on your list.

The How To

So, here’s all you need to do to snag a deal on Amazon for the holidays.

  1. Take time this week or weekend to shop around for gifts you would like to buy.
  2. Add them to an Amazon wishlist. Name it something like 2018 Christmas.
  3. Check sale sites for deal days for product sales on Amazon you would likely be interested in (or categories you would be interested in). Add those days to your calendar.
  4. Sit back and wait for notifications from Amazon or your calendar when a sale hits that can save you some money.
  5. Check in occasionally to see if anything is on sale on your wish list.
  6. Enjoy dragging the huge pile of boxes inside your house while you’re wearing your pajamas.
  7. Use all that money you saved to celebrate your Pro Amazon Shopper Status you just attained by rockstar shopping for Christmas deals on Amazon.

Pin this on your Christmas board so you don’t forget to do this next year. 😉

The trick to shopping for Christmas deals on Amazon

Fun Money Mom

 

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DIY Baby Album Envelope How To

DIY baby album envelopes (pockets) are my favorite newest addition to my baby book for Graham! I love keeping stuff from events or milestones. And, let’s be real honest, $6 paper pockets (plus shipping!) in every chapter of my book really isn’t in the budget. Plus, I don’t always want the pieces from different milestones to share one big pocket.

So, I came up with a cheap and easy DIY baby album pocket that only takes about 3 minutes to make. Perfect for a new mom! Or a not-new-mom-that’s-just-busy-aka-real-life.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

Here’s how it goes. It’s so simple and easy you can make as many as you want. And cheap to boot!

To make your DIY baby album pocket, you’ll need:

paper bags
hole punch
baby album (mine is from 2iggles on Etsy)
printer (if you want to get all fancy with it)

Step 1

Get your paper bag and keep it folded flat. Lay it on your baby book and line the bottom of the bag up with the bottom of the book pages.

Step 2

Fold the excess hanging over the top of the page over so that it isn’t hanging off the page any more.

Step 3

Mark the binder ring locations on the bag lightly with a pencil.

DIY baby album envelope project how to

Step 4

Use your hole punch to punch holes at the spots where you marked, just like you would any other paper.

Step 5

Fill your baby album pocket with your keepsakes. I found that a plain letter size paper fits beautifully if it’s folded into quarters (in half twice).

Step 6

Put it in your binder and cherish that thing forever.

See? It really is the easiest DIY baby album project you’ll probably ever do. And since you can print on paper bags pretty easily, there’s no limit to the cool things you could do with this DIY baby album idea.

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Buying Appliances You Will Actually Use

I am a sucker for kitchen buying appliances as much as the next girl.

Do I have a Kitchenaid Mixer in my basement storage? Why, yes. Yes, I do.

And do I have an entire cabinet in my kitchen solely devoted to appliances? Yes.

Do I need a butler’s pantry just to hold my appliances and baking materials? What a dream that would be!

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

But I’ve discovered the trick to buying appliances that I will actually use. You’ll never believe it. It’s so simple. It’s so easy. It’s almost unbelievable, but it works.

Buy the smallest ones you can find. Really.

The Nutribullet is used pretty often in my kitchen. A lot more often than my beehive blender. Why? Because I can whip it out quickly, make a batch of something yummy and put it back.

The beehive is heavy and bulky. Do I really want to bend over and pick up a boulder? No, thanks.

When we had Graham, I was making his baby food. I needed a food processor (don’t try the blender for baby food. It’s a no-go.) So, naturally, I was wondering if a larger food processor would be better. I could make larger batches at once = less time cooking = might get a shower.

But I opted for the mini food processor. Greatest baby brain decision I made! I love that little thing! I whip it out all the time for making salsa and even desserts (Oreo crumbles, anyone?). It’s so lightweight. It’s easy to clean in the dishwasher. Plus, who can resist teal blue? AmIright?

the secret to buying appliances you will actually use

I mentioned a have Kitchenaid mixer. Well, I also have a vintage Sunbeam stand mixer, too. She’s a chrome vintage beaut! I mean, she belongs in a 1950s Sunbeam commercial somewhere.

But when I need to mix up some cream cheese and vanilla pudding, do you think I’m reaching for that stand mixer? Or am I grabbing the little hand mixer? Most definitely. My little hand mixer wins out almost every time.

If you’re anything like me, you want fast and easy. When you think of a 12 cup food processor do you think fast and easy? Me neither. What about a mini 4 cup food processor. Do you think fast and easy? Me too.

See? It’s one of those untold secrets of life. But now I just told you. So you’re in on it.

Consider yourself permanently freed from buying huge appliances that could take over your life. You’re free to put your Kitchenaid into storage, now, too.

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30 Easy Home Staging Tips

If you’re just starting home staging, check out this post about the basic process I used to stage our house to sell in 36 hours and get multiple offers.

Warning: The before photos of our house are so embarrassing. There was a lot of “life” happening in that house with everything from a sick family (complete with ER visits), Christmas, moving, renovating…you name it. Look ahead with grace. Yikes.

When you’re ready to begin preparing your home for the market, the absolute first thing you should do is go outside and stand around in your front yard. Imagine you are a buyer coming into the home for the first time. Pay attention to where your eyes naturally look and take lots of notes.

Walk into every room and imagine you are someone with different tastes and styles. What stands out at you? What could be toned down to appeal to everyone, but still remain fresh? Did you see that spot on the carpet? Yikes. Better put that on the list…

Be mean. Look at your home objective and critically. If you’re having a hard time seeing it objectively, get it “ready” in your eyes, then walk around and take some photos. Then, compare photos of your home with photos of other homes that are on the market (just avoid the ones that have been listed for weeks…unless you want your home listed for weeks). The camera doesn’t lie when it comes to clutter.

Easy ways to stage a house.

Yikes. Do you see all that clutter that just happened in our house?! I told you the camera doesn’t lie.

The great news is that home staging doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, all it takes is removing some of your personal items and giving everything a good scrub-down for your home to be warm and inviting. Even an older home can be market-ready with the right attention, even if it doesn’t have granite countertops and hardwood floors.

Here is a quick list of things to take care of around the house as you go.

Kitchen

Clear off the tops of the cabinets.
Clear off the entire countertop.
Choose the one or two cabinets/drawers you think buyers will check and organize those.
Organize pantry.
Make sure the top of your refrigerator is cleaned off if it is accessible.

Bathrooms

Clear countertops except decorative soap dispensers and simple decor.
Remove plungers and trash cans.
Remove rugs.
Hide extra toilet paper.
Replace decorative shower curtains with simple white shower curtains.
Clear out all soaps (and medicines), and replace with spa-looking soaps.

Bedrooms

Remove everything except main furniture (dresser, nightstands, and bed).
Put your most luxurious light-colored comforter on the bed.
European pillows are your friend (at least 2 for queen, 3 for king).
Pick up all kids toys. If it can’t fit on a shelf it should go in a box.
Replace blackout curtains with white curtains (I got ours from Ikea).
Remove everything from dresser and nightstands except decorative elements.
Remove 1/2 to 2/3 of clothes and items in closets.

Easy Home Staging Before After

Living Room/Common Areas

Pick up all toys.
Minimize electronics and wires.
Add throw pillows to couches/chairs.
Move furniture to center of room in a cozy gathering area and remove all furniture that doesn’t fit into the simple layout.
Add decorative elements like flowers.

Easy home staging before after

Outside

Pick up all clutter including toys and decorative elements.
Plant fresh flowers for a pop of color.
Add fresh pillows to outdoor furniture.

Right before showing

Replace used towels with fresh decorative towels.
Hide the trash can (or take it out of the house altogether). Even if it’s large.
Turn on all lights.
Open all blinds and curtains.
Set thermostat to comfortable temperature.

Staging our home with a toddler and pets around has been a major project, but I know it is the reason we received multiple offers at a price we thought was over market value. The time I put into staging our home proved to be completely worth it in the end.

Easy home staging tips

Do you need a general overview of how we staged our house to sell for full price? Head on over to this post to read more about the overall process of how to stage a house to sell fast.

Want a little more help?

If you’ve already given staging your house a try, but you still aren’t sure if you’re doing the right things and just need a second opinion, I totally get it. Sometimes it helps a ton to have an outside perspective, especially in a house. You have a tendency to see the day-to-day messes, while an outsider will have an overall perspective.

By the second house I staged in a year, I had the listing process down to a science. Similar to the rules of home decor, there are rules to home staging. I understand the rules and can help you sell your house in no time.

For this month only, I am opening a  few free mini home staging consultations! I am offering a free mini-consultation (worth $149) to give you custom advice on what to do with your home.

You can send me up to 5 pictures of what your house looks like now, and I will respond back with a list of items you can do in each room to get it listing-ready. Think action items like “Declutter desk” “Hide/remove toilet bowl brush” and “Move sofa to “x” location.” You’ll get steps you can actually take to get your home show-ready in no time with no guesswork involved.

To reserve a free mini-consultation, you just need to hit this box and drop in your email address to claim your spot. You’ll hear back from me soon with our next steps so that we can get you the feedback you’ve been needing.

So, if your house is currently on the market (or you wish it was), this time next week you could be preparing for appraisals, inspections, and closings. Or you could be wishing that you knew what to do to get your house show-ready before it hit the market three weeks ago.

Which one do you want to be?

I think I know the answer.

I’ve been there. Let me help you.

Sign me up!

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Earn Disney gift cards for (almost) free

I wrote a few days ago about how we’re turning our mold remediation into half of a Disney vacation by earning free Disney gift cards, but I’ve gotten some questions about it, so I’m going to explain it in more detail.

Here we go.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

First, let me say that we are Dave Ramsey people and don’t believe debt is a tool. Dave is almost always right. He said rich people didn’t get rich with credit card rewards. And he’s right. But I am wearing a beautiful diamond ring on my finger because of credit card rewards.

earn disney gift cards free

See? I love it.

Here’s how we are making $1250 with credit cards to pay for our Disney vacation with Disney gift cards.

First, we opened two Chase Premier cards with a 50,000 points bonus. They run these promos every few months on various cards. You just have to watch for them.

There is a $99 annual fee for each card. That means, just by opening the card, you are spending $100 for each card. But keep reading.

Then, we spent $2000 on each card within the first three months. I was desperate to take our young family to Disney before the flying elephants lost their sparkle, so I was going to shift whatever money around I had to to make this happen. I was going to buy gas and groceries on it, our cell phone bill, cable, anything I thought would get us closer to spending the $2000 in three months. It might be a pain, but it was worth it in my mind to take our family to Disney. We actually ended up having to spend exactly $4,000 on mold remediation, so I got through step 2 pretty quickly. If you’re doing this with bills, I would apply for one card, spend your $2,000 and then open the second card.

For this to be worth it, you need to only spend what you would have normally spent on your budget, and pay your card off immediately.

Then, we wait. It takes about a month or so for the points to show up in your Rapid Rewards account.

earn disney gift cards

Then, you go pick out the gift cards you want to trade your points in for. You could take this opportunity to pay for your airfare and hotel for your vacation, but we want to stay on property and will drive, so we preferred Disney gift cards.

Except they don’t have Disney gift cards available to exchange for points. Now what? This is where it gets a little complicated, so hang on tight.

You can either exchange them for Target gift cards, or you could trade them for Wal-mart gift cards. After you get the Target or Walmart gift cards in the mail, you take them to the store to purchase Disney gift cards.

how to earn free disney gift cards pinterest

I chose Walmart gift cards because you can take them to Sam’s club and guy $150 in Disney gift cards for about $143. That means I can get $1050 in gift cards for pretty much free (or for $200 in fees for the sticklers).

And I only spent what I would have normally spent, but will get to use the $1050 in Disney gift cards to pay for our resort, theme park tickets or food! Or for souvenirs in the park.

If you’re really brave, you could do a similar thing with the Disney credit card. They are currently offering $200 back in gift cards with $500 spent in the first few months. I also got a bonus offer in the mail for an extra $50. So, that’s $250 back in gift cards to pay for our summer vacation with the Disney credit card. Not a bad deal either!

earn free disney gift cards

And that is how we are paying for our Disney vacation with our credit card bonus points and Disney gift cards. It’s our lemonade to the lemons life gave us! We can’t wait to ride those elephants with our mouse ears on! 😀

**UPDATE** We JUST got home from Disney yesterday and I can’t wait to share all the exciting things I learned. I’ll be sharing how to get extra bonus fastpasses, what not to forget, how to get all the best seats for the shows, and how to make your Disney vacation even more magical! If you want an update when the post is ready, just comment below and I’ll let you know (in an email) when it’s posted!

Fun Money Mom

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