4 Things to Do to Help Make Back to School Less Stressful
It’s back to school time! That’s right. It’s time to start fresh. A yearly reset if you will and this year is going to be awesome!
There was just not enough time to enjoy summer, but that’s okay because we are going to make the upcoming school year the best one yet! The following 4 things will help make back to school less stressful for you so that everyone can enjoy a more calm beginning to the year.
4 Things to Do to Help Make Back to School Less Stressful
Create a Plan
Having a plan will go a long way to making your back to school process less stressful. What time will the kids need to wake up? Are they riding the bus? If not, who is taking them? What route will you be driving, etc. All of these things may seem insignificant, but I assure you, they are not.
Get Back to a Routine Early
Don’t wait until the day before school to get your kids to bed at a decent time. If you don’t stick to a schedule during the summer months (no judgment), be sure and start getting back to it a week or two before the kids go back to school. Be sure that they wake up early and go to sleep early too!
Meal Plan / Prep
Those first couple of weeks of school are hectic and chaotic. Make sure you don’t make meal time part of that chaos. Plan and prep your meals in advance and I promise you that you will have less stress going on.
Be Positive
I know you are stressed about the school year starting, but be sure to not spend all of your time complaining about it or being outwardly stressed about it. Your children will feed off of your energy and they will be stressed too. The more you stress the more they will and I assure you, you do not want to go into the school year with stressed out children.
The Best Places to Order Dog Food and Supplies
Do you have a dog (or two or three) at home? Where do you buy their food and supplies? If you like to save money on your dog’s needs (who doesn’t?), check out this list of the best places to order dog food and supplies.
Dogs can be expensive, between the food and the toys and the gear, it’s easy to go overboard, which is why I decided to create this list of the places that I have found the best deals on dog food and supplies.
The Best Places to Order Dog Food and Supplies
I am a cheapskate. Seriously, if I need to buy something, I ALWAYS look for a way to save money on it. I check various websites for deals, sales or coupons. If I am shopping in a store, I stroll down the clearance aisle first in case the item I am needing has been put there. That being said, I am very particular about the dog products I use. The following are the places that I find the best deals on the food and products I use for my dogs:
Walmart
I love checking Walmart clearance aisles and their online sales pages to find the best deals on dog products. I recently found my favorite kind of leash on clearance there for just $4!
Amazon
I LOVE LOVE LOVE a good Amazon coupon deal! I don’t typically order my dog food from Amazon, but I have found some amazing coupon deals there on occasion which allowed me to score a 25+ pound bag of my favorite dog food for around $10, when it’s normally $30+.
Tractor Supply
Tractor Supply is a great place to find deals on dog food because they often send out coupons in their e-newsletter. These coupons are typically hidden at the end of the email. I have also received free coupons for dog food too.
5 Things to Do to Help Make Moving Less Stressful
My husband and I recently put our home up for sale and within hours we had a cash offer. I’m very excited, but honestly, I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly and all of the sudden I am panicking about the fact that I have to move!
I haven’t moved in years and I have way too much stuff so this is going to be an incredibly stressful month. I am trying to center myself and relax though because I know this doesn’t have to be as stressful as I am making it. In an effort to destress, I’m going back on the tricks I used to calm me the last time I moved.
5 Things to Do to Help Make Moving Less Stressful
Create a Plan
Having a plan will go a long way to making your moving process less stressful. Having a plan makes things far less chaotic and will calm you knowing that you don’t have to wonder what is going to happen.
Take Some Time to Yourself
Moving is very stressful, and you can easily lose your patience and temper in the process. To avoid this, take a small amount of time to allow yourself to go through the emotions that come with this stressful event.
Take Care of Yourself
I know it’s easy to feel too busy to eat, drink and rest as you should, but taking care of yourself is incredibly important, especially during high stress times such as when you are moving.
Declutter First
First and foremost, make sure to declutter and get rid of the stuff you don’t need before you try and pack it all up to move it. No need to move items that you don’t need!
I promise that decluttering like this will help make your move less stressful.
5 Things to Avoid When You Struggle to Save Money
Do you struggle to save money? There is no shame in admitting it if so. Saving money is a difficult thing to do, especially if you are stuck with bad habits. Saving money and building better money habits are a learned skill and practice can make perfect.
Today we will talk about things to avoid when you struggle to save money. These things will help you to change your financial life and put yourself in a completely different position. Trust me when I tell you that the ability to build up some money in savings can ease your stress and help you to feel more comfortable in life.
5 Things to Avoid When You Struggle to Save Money
Live Without a Budget
My friends, you have got to budget your money. When your goal is to save money, you need to realize that living your life without a budget is reckless. It is way too easy to spend money when your money doesn’t have a designated place to go.
Restaurants
I know, I know, cooking can become exhausting. The thing is though, cooking at home is so much cheaper than going to restaurants. I’m not saying you should never go to restaurants, but this is a treat that should be limited and only when included in your budget.
Payday Loans
I know it’s tempting to be sucked into these loans when you are hard up for cash, but I promise you that it is only going to make things worse. The rates are too high and you’ll be straining your finances just to pay these bills.
Using Credit
I’m not a big proponent of canceling and cutting up your credit cards, but I highly recommend stopping the continual use of them. This is another thing that tends to end up with us spending too much money each month just to avoid paying for it initially.
Avoiding Work
If you have side hustle ideas or if you get the change to work extra, take the time to do it. I’m not saying to become a workaholic, but a little bit of discomfort and hard work will be well worth it when you see your savings growing.
Our Favorite Campfire Treats!
We’ve spent as many weekends as we could out enjoying the mountains with friends and family this summer! Which means we’ve also cooked a lot of different treats around the campfire. It’s been so fun trying different treats each time we go out. Here’s some of our favorites you should try the next time you’re around the campfire!
Sweet & Salty S’mores – This is similar to your regular s’mores but instead of using graham crackers, try ritz crackers!
S’mores in a Bag – this one we haven’t tried yet but we have everything packed and ready for this weekend. Just get the individual size bags of teddy grahams and add your chocolate and roasted marshmallows inside. Easy and sounds like it won’t be as mess.
Roasted Starburst – I’ve heard talk of this one for a few years now but this was the first year I’ve tried it. Just unwrap your starburst and roast them the same way you would your marshmallows. You’re cooking them just until they start to bubble and almost crystallize.
Woof’em Treats – We’ve made these in years past and it’s always fun to come up with different filling ideas. If you’ve never had these all they are is biscuits that you’ve popped open from the cans. You wrap them around a woof’em stick and bake them over the fire. Then fill with your favorite sweets. We’ve done pie fillings, pudding, nutella, cream cheese and always top them with whipped cream.
Banana Boats – these are a classic and one my kids love. Simply open a banana and slice them long ways. Then put inside some mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and other sweets you desire. Wrap it all in foil and let it warm up over the fire.
Smore’s Bar – this has been a hit this summer. We’ll add everything you can thing to a tray and lay it out for all to enjoy. Some of our favorite items are; nutella and peanut butter on graham crackers, raspberries inside roasted marshmallows, fudge cookies with marshmallow inside or even reese’s with marshmallow.
There’s still lots more summer nights you can enjoy a sweet treat over the fire. Do you have others you and your family love to eat?
Start of School Teacher Thank You Ideas!
It’s near the beginning of school for many of us which means teachers are gearing up and getting ready for their new class. Often times these teachers are left spending their free time and going above and beyond to help their students learn and grow. Start the school year off right be sending a little thank you for all they do! Here are some simple yet useful things you can send with your kids.
I’m Bursting with Happiness That You Are My Teacher – you could put together a fun sunshine book with this saying (including all things in yellow packaging like wet wipes, clorox wipes, m&m bag, chap stick, etc) or buy a bag of starburst for it to go with.
I’m Soda-Lighted You’re My Teacher – I know a lot of teachers love soda cards. We have a local soda shop they’re often at so sending a gift card to get them through the year is perfect!
Thanks for Always Going the EXTRA Mile – gifts don’t need to be extravagant, simply add a pack of Extra Gum to a gift tag like this is perfect.
You’re a CUT Above the Rest – a perfect way to send some school supplies with your student while letting them know you appreciate all they do.
Thanks for Helping us SHINE – I know our teachers are always asking for donates like Lysol wipes, especially since Covid. So print a cute tag out and attach it to the top to send with your kid!
5 Benefits of Using a Planner
There is nothing like the chaos of back to school to give us a reminder that we need to get more organized. Am I right? I swear when back to school comes around I am always feeling like I just don’t know which end is up. Between shopping for all of the clothing and supplies they need, filling out all of the necessary paperwork and trying to figure out how to make everyone’s upcoming schedules work together, there’s a lot.
One of the ways I have found that helps to ease this chaos a bit is by using a planner. For years I struggled with this, I would buy a planner, get all excited, use it for about a week and then forget about it. Once I stuck with it though, it made a huge difference in my life! The benefits of using a planner are plentiful!
5 Benefits of Using a Planner
Helpful Reminders
As I get older, I find myself more and more forgetful. I think it has something to do with my chaotic schedule. I have found that when I write things down and have my schedule at the ready I am far less likely to forget something that needs to be done.
You Can Make Exercise a Priority
When you put self care and exercise on your schedule, you are more likely to actually follow through and do it. I have found that having a planner is very helpful for my own health.
You Can Make More Time for Fun
Be sure to put relaxation and fun time onto your schedule in your planner and you’ll find that you actually do them. This time for yourself is imperative to good physical and mental health and they are equally as important as any other appointment in your calendar.
Helps you to Feel Accomplished
There is nothing quite like checking things off of your to-do list and when you write down your schedules and responsibilities into a planner, you can look back at it at the end of the day with a great feeling of accomplishment.
The First Cuts to Make to Your Budget!
Are you trying to tighten up your budget and save? It seems with a swipe of a card all your money just disappears but when you start tracking where your money is going you get better insight. So what do you start cutting back on to save money? Here are the first things you should cut out of your budget and stop spending money on.
- Restaurants
For us this is usually where our money goes to waste. It’s quick, easy to pick up and just what I think I need after a long day. Often times it’s because we don’t plan ahead. I didn’t pack lunch before we headed out to the park or I just went to the grocery store instead of meal planning for the week. I just need a drink from my favorite soda shop. These expenses add up fast! Take my stop at the soda shop for example. I spend $3.20 every time I stop to get a drink which is usually 5 times a week. So in one month my soda stops are costing $64! - Cable/Netflix
You can also include all your other tv subscriptions like Hulu and such! I know it’s difficult to cut this out but really the cost adds up quick. We have found other options for watching tv including the ABC app. Although we can’t watch a show as soon as it airs we’re still able to catch up on our favorite shows for FREE! So look around at other ideas and cut out your tv subscriptions. - Car Washes
We have quite a few car washes close by that are so fun to go through but really if you’re taking your car throw the wash even twice a month for the basic wash, you’re spending around $12 a month which adds up to $144 a year! Do it yourself with a bucket of soapy water and the hose! - Paper Products
This one is a little harder for me to let go but a sweet friend of my brought it to my attention. She doesn’t buy paper towels, they don’t have any in their house. They just use their kitchen towels for any spills or wiping their hands with. Every penny counts here when you’re trying to cut back so give it a try! - Cleaning Products
Did you realize you can make your own cleaning products for so much cheaper? Vinegar and Dawn have really become my go to cleaning products when I’m cutting back. These items are cheaper than the name brand items you’ll buy at the grocery store. - Gifts
This might be the hardest one to cut as we’ve become a world of possessions. But get create with your gifts if you really feel the need to gift something to someone. I thoughtful homemade card is exactly what grandma will love. Or make your dear friend her favorite treat. There’s lots of options that are less expensive or even free (like time with each other) that they’ll love just as much!
Grab and Go Lunch Ideas For School!
For most of us school will be starting soon if it hasn’t already! That means we’re getting all our i’s dotted and t’s crossed to make the process go smoothly. For us that means getting our school lunches ready and ideas listed. This year I have three that will be at school for lunch so we’re going to try something a little different. I’ll have the school lunch menu printed and we’ll circle the lunches they want to eat there. This way we know which days we need to make lunch before they head out the door.
Then for the days they pack their lunch, they’ll get to pick select number of items from each box. This way, it’s a quick grab and go lunch! Each bin will have a number on it to let them know how many items they need to pick. It will also let me know what items and how many I need in each bucket (depending on the number of days that week they’ll be eating home lunch). Here’s the break down we’ll be using and the ideas of what will be in each bucket.
Main Meal – 1
Sandwich (PB&J, Meat & Cheese)
Chicken Salad with Crackers
Hot Dogs
Chicken Nuggets
Homemade Lunchable (meat and cheese slices)
Meat & Cheese Wraps
Bagel with Cream Cheese
Salad
Waffles or Pancakes
Hot Pockets
Pizza Bits
Frozen Smoothie (de-thaws by lunchtime)
Fruit/Veggies – 2
Carrot Sticks
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Grapes
Apple Slices
Apple Sauce
Peaches
Pears
Banana
Cucumbers
Kiwi
Mandarin Oranges
Orange Slices
(there will also be little containers filled with peanut butter and ranch for dipping)
Snacks – 1
Boiled Egg
Go-Gurt/Yogurt
Cheese Stick
Granola Bar
Muffins
Fruit Snack
Pretzels
Popcorn
Rice Cake
Energy bit
Nuts
Treat – 1
Brownie
Cookies
Rice Krispie Treat
Small Piece of Candy
Drink – 1
Water
Milk/Chocolate Milk
Juice Pouch
Don’t forget, to save money, a lot of these things can be made from scratch. Bake a lot of muffins and freeze them. Divide out a pack of cookies instead of buying individual packages (or bake them yourself). Anytime you can divide out the items yourself, you’ll save money!
3 Ways to Start Your Day on a Positive Note
Mornings mean that you have a brand new opportunity! That’s right. It’s a brand new day and it’s up to us to choose to have a positive attitude to help our day go more smoothly. Sometimes though, it’s hard to shake off the groggy exhaustion in an effort to be positive and pleasant.
That being said, studies have shown that if you are able to start your day on a positive note, the chances of you being able to stay happy throughout the day are significantly increased. Staying happy throughout the day can help you to be more productive. Another benefit of staying happy throughout the day is that you are more likely to smile around others, helping them to have a happy day too.
3 Ways to Start Your Day on a Positive Note
Think About What You are Grateful For
Start out your day in a quiet place thinking about yourself and the things about yourself that you love. Try and find 5 things about yourself that you love and it can be anything (your haircolor, your french toast recipe, your knowledge of birds, etc.). Reminding yourself of the things that you love about yourself, puts you in a good head space throughout the day.
Take Some Time For Yourself Each Morning
Grab a cup of coffee or tea (or whatever your favorite drink), and go sit down in your favorite quiet space and take some time for yourself at the start of each day. Grab a book, grab your bible or even turn on your favorite music. There are no rules here, just do what you love to relax yourself and start your day peacefully.
Set Your Goal List for the Day
If you are anything like me, your day will go far better if you have a to do list. Not just any to-do list though, be sure that your to-do list includes the goals you have set for yourself. Lists like this are great for staying on track, but also, when you see yourself reaching the goals you have set, you’ll feel really great about yourself.
3 Things You Can Do to Save Water
With the state of the world these days, it’s always a good idea for us to conserve anywhere we can. That means conserving money, conserving power, conserving water, etc. Today let’s talk about how we can conserve water!
Cutting back on your use of water doesn’t have to affect your lifestyle, but it will help to preserve the environment, give a small help to dealing with droughts, ease pressure on your local water supply and could even help you lower your utility costs.
3 Things You Can Do to Save Water
Check for Leaks
You may not know it, but you might possibly have water leaks happening at this very moment somewhere in your home. Check all of your faucets and pipes to make sure that you are leaking water anywhere. Another thing you can do is to check your water bill each month and watch for spikes in usage.
Turn off Your Hose
I can’t even tell you the number of people I have met that leave their hose on 24/7, when they have a spray nozzle at the end of it. They just assume that since you don’t see water flowing you aren’t actually using it.
These nozzles leak often, even if you don’t see it now, it can happen at any point. Also, the build up of pressure in your hose could lead to it bursting (I unfortunately left my hose on one evening and this happened to me.).
Turn off the Water While Brushing Your Teeth
Seriously, y’all. This is hands down the easiest way that you can conserve water at home. All you have to do is shut off that faucet while brushing your teeth! You, alone, can save 200 gallons of water per month just by doing this one thing. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I used to leave the water on all the time when I was younger, not realizing how much I was wasting. I have since learned the error of my ways and I am definitely teaching my children differently.
5 Things You Can Do to Take Care of Yourself Today
Although many of us forget to do so, taking good care of yourself is very important. Taking care of yourself is more than just eating right and exercising. It also means getting enough sleep and allowing yourself to take time outs when you need it.
Mental health is vitally important to your overall health and in order for your mental health to be where it should be, you absolutely have to take time for yourself. The self care tips I have listed below can help you to get your mental health where it should be and you can take proper care of yourself. Check out these 3 things you can do to take care of yourself today.
3 Things You Can Do to Take Care of Yourself Today
Sleep More
I know that you have a lot to do, but I can assure you that if you sleep more, you can actually get more stuff done. I am an early riser by nature, but once I became an entrepreneur I kept waking up earlier and earlier to get more stuff done. Yes, I got a lot done, but throughout the day I got less and less productive. It wasn’t until I actually began intentionally sleeping later in the morning that I discovered my productivity skyrocketed when I made sure to sleep at least 7 hours per night. Plus, it felt good!
Say No More Often
If you are anything like me, you love to help those around you. I am always the first in the family to jump in and do something for others. Need an errand ran? I’m on it? Need help with a project? Sure. I would always say yes to these requests.
Here’s the thing though, all of those times of saying yes are taking away from the things that you can be doing for yourself. Give yourself the grace to say no to these requests and take care to use your time for yourself. It will make a difference.
Eat Healthier
Yeah, yeah, we all need to eat healthier. We know that it should be done, but truthfully, when you eat healthier, your gut stays healthier and with a healthier gut, you become a happier person.
4 Ways to Work Out Regularly Without Paying for a Gym Membership
Are you trying to move your body more? Trying to get in shape and get yourself healthy? Did you know that you can do this without a costly gym membership? It’s true! Gym memberships costs so much money, plus you typically have to sign on for a specified length of time, so even if you stop working out, you are still paying for it each month.
There are some seriously awesome at home workouts you can do though that can get you healthy, get your body in shape and won’t cost you a thing! Let’s get fit, shall we?
4 Ways to Work Out Regularly Without Paying for a Gym Membership
Workout Videos
While I’m not a huge fan of workout videos myself, many people are big fans of this workout opportunity. I have done a lot of them and have found success with them, I just find that I personally don’t stay motivated doing them. That being said, I know that there are some great ones out there!
Here are some of the places you can find workout videos to stream:
YouTube
Amazon
Netflix
Hit the Ground Walking
Walking is one of the best and easiest workouts that you can do! And it’s free!! I love walking outside so I have found a great loop near my house that I walk often to keep my body moving.
Hiking
Hiking is a great thing to do if you are a fan of walking, but want to step it up a bit. I would be willing to bet that there are many great trails near you that you can explore. Hiking is great for finding beautiful nature around you, while getting a good workout in.
Housework, Gardening and Chores
I bet you didn’t know that you actually burn quite a few calories each day just from doing your everyday chores and even gardening (especially gardening!). I did a little bit of weeding the other day and my watch informed me that I had reached my step goal for the day and I woke up to sore muscles too.
4 Things to Skip at the Grocery Store to Help Save Money
The price of groceries is absolutely out of control right now. My family had a pretty rough June and I absolutely failed at budgeting, meal prep and meal planning. When it was all said and done I looked back at my expenses and I paid almost $1500 at the grocery store in June for my family of 5! We didn’t even get anything too out of the ordinary!
Because I know we are not the only ones facing grocery bills like this, I have decided to retouch on things that you can skip at the grocery store in order to help save money. I assure you, if you focus on these things when you go grocery shopping, you will cut down on your grocery bill.
4 Things to Skip at the Grocery Store to Help Save Money
Anything Not on Sale
One of the best ways to save huge on your grocery bill is to plan your meals based around the sales at your grocery store. If you focus on making sure you are getting good deals and you are actually using those foods, you will save money!
New Things
With grocery prices being what they are, now is not the time to try out new and unique looking products. Steer clear of buying something that you have no idea if you or your family is even going to like it.
Name Brand Items
This isn’t a hard and fast rule of course because we all have some items that we have brand loyalty to, but overall being willing to grab the store brand of grocery items can help you save money.
Soda and Junk Food
Have you been wanting to eat healthier? Now is a great time to skip out on the soda and junk food!
2022 Back To School Price Points You Need to Know!!
Okay guys, this is one of the best times of the year to grab your school supplies, craft supplies or office supplies. Since we’re already starting to see back to school deals going, I thought it would be good to give you a list of price points you want to look for when shopping. There are SO many “deals” popping up, I wanted to make sure you guys know when it really is a deal and when it’s not so you can save! So check out these prices and keep them in mind (or even print this list out) when shopping Back to School!
- Pens pack of 8 $.30 or under
- Gel Pens 12 pack $1.97 or under
- Box of Crayola Crayons $0.50 – $1
- Index Cards $0.50 or under
- 2-Pocket Folders $0.10 is a good price, but we see them as low as $0.02 each!
- 1 Subject Notebooks $0.50 and under
- Composition Book $.10 – $.50
- Sharpie Marker $0.25 each
- Backpacks $10-$15 is the price you want to shoot for.
- Elmer’s or Store Glue $0.29 and under
- Washable Glue Sticks $0.25 and under
- Washable markers 8-10 pack $.75 – $1
- Scotch Tape $0.25 to $0.50 each
- Crayola Colored Pencils 12 pack $0.97 and under
- Binders 1 inch $0.99 or under
- Highlighters $.30 or less per highlighter
- Scissors $.50 to $1 each
- Mechanical Pencils $.10 – $.15 per pencil
- Dry Erase Markers $.40 each or under
- Facial Tissue $.80 per box or less
- Graphing Calculator $59 – $79
We keep updating current deals, so head to my Back-to-School Category at any time. Remember, if you have patience and wait, you will see these prices so snag them when the opportunity arises!