No-Bake Energy Balls For School Lunch/After School Snack!
I’m drained! From all the summer fun and heat it’s just taken the energy right out of me! But these delicious energy balls have been my go to for when I just need a boots of energy and something to get me through to the next meal. But believe it or not my peaky eaters love them too! It’s been so nice to give them something healthier that I don’t mind them snacking on! You can switch out ingredients easily and make them your own but here’s the base recipe for you to build off of.
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flaxseed (I powderize mine in a blender)
1/2 chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
Combine the honey and peanut butter together until creamy. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until well combined. Roll into balls (I place wax paper between the balls when stacking them on top of each other) and refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour. These will last up to a week in your refrigerator but they don’t last that long in our house before little figures have gotten to them all.
Side Hustle Ideas
Do you need more money? Â Yeah, yeah, I know we could all use some more money. Â The question is though, do you need more money to help you live your best life? Â Did you know that there are countless ways to earn money in addition to your regular day job? Â Like seriously, countless ways to do it.
Here are some side hustle ideas that will get you in better financial shape.
- Yard care. Â If you have a lawn mower and a truck, you can offer to mow lawns on your weekends or other time off.
- Sell your stuff.  Go through all of the stuff that you don’t use (I bet there is a lot of it) and start putting it up for sale on sites such as Craigslist, OfferUp, Poshmark, FB Marketplace and more.
- Thrift store flipper. Â If you have run out of your own stuff to sell, start hitting up thrift shops and flipping deals that you find there. Â You will be surprised at how much money you are able to make.
- Be a blogger.  Blogging does require hard work and it’s not a get rich quick scheme, but you can make a good income with it if you try hard to do so.
- Amazon Mechanical Turk.  If you haven’t checked out Amazon Mechanical Turk yet you really should.  You do small, menial jobs that don’t necessarily pay a lot but can add up over time.
- Personal assistant. Â There are plenty of professional people out there that need help in their day to day lives. Â Â You might be grocery shopping, running errands, etc.
- Day care. Â Offer to babysit your neighbors kids, or start a home daycare of your very own. Â Many daycare providers do well.
Do you have a side hustle?  What is it? Are you able to bring in a decent amount of money for your family?  I’m excited to hear all about it.
Are you broke?
Are you broke?  No, really, it is a legitimate question.  If you are living paycheck to paycheck you are definitely broke and you should make a significant effort to turn your financial situation around.  Most people though, don’t necessarily feel like they are broke and it might take a little bit of convincing them that they actually need to make some changes.
So, you may have to ask yourself some questions to determine if you are in fact, broke:
- Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Â Yep, you are broke.
- Are your credit cards maxed out? Â Yep, broke.
- Do you have any balance on your credit card? Â Broke.
- Do you struggle to pay your bills each month, even though you make good money? Broke.
- Is your house payment more than 25% of your monthly income? Â Most likely broke (This one is not a guarantee, but you should always strive to keep your house payment at a lower threshold than 25%. Â
- Are you paying late fees each month. Â Definitely broke.
- Do you avoid checking your bank balances afraid of what you may see? Â You are most likely beyond broke.
Most of us have had some broke times throughout our lives. Â There is no shame in that. There is, however, ways of beating this broke cycle and getting yourself set on the straight and narrow in the fiscally responsible world.
How? You ask. Well, here are just a couple of tips on how to stop being broke:
- Get a second job.  Oftentimes it’s a spending problem as opposed to an income problem, but it may be a good idea to start bringing in some more money to pay down your debts.
- Stop charging stuff. Seriously. Â Be disciplined in your spending and DO NOT use your credit cards.
- Budget, budget, budget.  I say it all the time, but that’s because it WORKS!! Budget each and every month and you will be amazed at how much better your financial life will be.
5 Tips for Raising Your Credit Score
Are you trying to buy a house or a car? Â You might want to check your credit first! Â If you check yours and find that you need to build it up a little bit before you head out to make your big purchase, there are some tips that will help you do so without too much discomfort.
Here are 5 tips for raising your credit score:
- Check for errors. Â If you see an error on your credit report, dispute it. Â Do not dispute things that are genuine (I know a lot of people recommend this, but this is unethical), but definitely dispute charges that are actually not valid. Â
- Pay down your credit card debt. Â When I first began my credit building journey I had no idea that utilization was as important as it is. Â It is though. Utilization makes up for 35% of your credit score. Aim to keep your credit usage below 30%, but preferably below 10%. Â You will be amazed by how much your score will jump with just a quick paydown of debt.
- Keep your student loans current.  So many people don’t think twice about not paying their student loan bills (I know they are expensive and it is seemingly hopeless to try and pay, but DO NOT skip this, it will hurt your credit score, BAD.
- Pay your bills on time.  I know this should go without saying, but always paying your bills on time will do wonders for your credit.  If you have late payments in the past, don’t worry, all it takes is some patience. Once you get past the 12 month mark, it will improve and every year after that. Â
- Call and request late payments are waived.  If you have a valid reason, some creditors will wave one or two late payments.  They do not have to do this, so don’t expect it, but they might be willing to, which makes it worth a shot to try.
Lake Tahoe: 5 Family Friendly Hikes & Swim Spots
Lake Tahoe is absolutely stunning. There are so many hikes and swim spots that are breathtaking and family friendly. You could easily spend weeks just visiting all of the beaches. Here are a few of my favorites with some tips that will help you plan a successful time at Lake Tahoe.
- Sand Harbor. This is a must see, but be aware. You need to be there EARLY! When the parking lot is full then they close it down and don’t let anyone else in. They don’t allow drop offs or walk-ins either. I would be there around 9am or earlier to get a spot. If you don’t they re-open it about 3pm. So if you aren’t early risers, this is an option as well, then you can stay for sunset. This harbor has the nice fine sand and cool boulders that you can swim to and then jump off. The water is crystal clear and so fun to swim in. It’s a family favorite!
- Emerald Bay. This is definitely a must see just because it’s different than the other beaches. This beach you get to hike down to. There are a lot of different hikes to go on and you can choose your range of difficulty. The views are spectacular with yet again crystal clear water.
- Eagle Falls. This is a super popular hike to get down to Emerald Bay. To get parking you will want to go early or late in the evening. If you want an easier hike you can do the Lower Eagle Falls trail for a quicker walk.
- Commons Beach. The reason I like this beach is because of it’s easy access and FREE parking. There is parking right by the beach. There is also a playground for the kids right there. Be sure to check out their website too. During the summer, they have concerts and movie nights on this beach. Super fun!
- Stateline Fire Lookout. This hike is super easy and doable for all ages. It’s on a paved walk way- although there is quite an incline. At the top you can see Lake Tahoe which is amazing. The cool thing my kids loved was that the hike brings you through both California and Nevada- hence the name. So stand in two states at one time with this hike and enjoy the view.
Back to School Tips For An Easier Transition!
How many of you head back to school this month like we do? We’ve been busy going all summer and making lots of memories but that also means we haven’t had much routine. So for the month of August we’re calming down (just a little bit) and getting ourselves ready for back to school. Here’s just some of the things that are going to help us do just that!
- One last big event – We’re not done with our fun just cause it is August but we’ve planned one last big fun thing to do as a family before school starts and make it a big deal for the kids. We’re headed to the beach (we don’t live too close to one) but you could do a camping trip, pool party, back yard BBQ or really anything else.
- Put together your supplies and shop for what you’re missing – our school takes care of everything the kids need while their in class. But we do need a few extra things at home for homework and crafts and right now is the perfect time to snag those at the store. We’ll grab some glue for projects and a couple packs of crayons but that’s all that’s on our list for home.
- Put together your home lunch ideas – we’re just starting into school lunch/home lunch this year so we’re a little new to this. I’ve decided we’ll have a list they can pick from and put that up on the fridge so they know exact what they can take. If you’re lost on what and how to pack your lunch boxes – here’s some great tips!
- Get back in routine – bout 2 weeks before school actually starts, begin going to bed at a regular time and even waking up when they should be too. Then about a week before you can even have them start their morning routine of eating, getting dress, teeth brushed and bed made. This will make the transition of getting up and ready easier for everyone.
- Get to know your schedule – this can come down to old kids who have different classes. Take them to the school and walk through with them, where their locker is and also where each of their classes are. That first day can be rough when they’re transitioning into a new school but if they know exactly where to go after each class it will help alleviate some of those first day nerves.
- Get yourself a routine – now the kids are back in school, what’s on your list of things to do? Set up your routine and what’s going to happen to keep your productive and going. When are you going to the gym? What day is laundry day? Dinner menu? Have these things thought out before hand so you’re ready.
- Easy breakfast options – I like to have a variety of options for breakfast but things they can also make or heat up on their own. So our freezer will be filled with frozen french toast, breakfast burritos, we’ll have oatmeal in the pantry as well as cold cereal and they can have yogurt or toast out of the fridge. Some mornings i’ll get up and make eggs and other hot breakfast ideas but this gives them a chance to be independent and make their own breakfast.
- Set up your homework station – we have an area in our home that all the kids can do their homework at. It has the computer as well as pencils and other items they might need.
- Go through a refresher coarse – if you haven’t been doing math, reading, science, etc through the summer, now is a great time to get started and refresh their minds on what they’ve learned. You can easily pick up a school workbook to have them start in and do 30 minutes of reading time but find what’s best for your child and will get them on the right foot for back to school.
Hopefully this will help those little learners and yourself ease back into the school routine and have the best year! Good luck and enjoy the last bit of summer with your families!
Tips for Saving for a Car
Is your current car on its last legs? Are you ready to spring for a new one? Whether you are wanting to pay cash for one, or, if you are planning to finance a car, you will need to save up some money (if financing, you still need a down payment).
Here are some tips for saving for a that you should start now so you are ready to go!
- Figure out how much you need. If you are planning to finance a car, strive to have at least 10% down on a used car, or 20% down on a new car. Or, if you plan to pay for the car in cash, know what price range you are looking in.
- Cut out unnecessary expenses. If you haven’t cut cable yet, now is the time. Also, stop going to restaurants and spending money unnecessarily so that you can put that money toward your goal.
- Expect other expenses. With a new car comes other expenses such as higher insurance, registration fees, etc. Make sure you budget for these expenses in addition to the cost of the car itself.
- Clean up your current car. A great way to cut down on the cost of the new car is to sell your current car and put the money toward the new one. In order to get the most money out of it though, be sure to spend some time cleaning it up, or spend some money and have it detailed. A clean car will always sell better than a dirty one.
- Sell your stuff. When you are needing to come up with a significant amount of money, it’s always a good idea to take a look around at your home, closets and garages to find unused items that you might be able to sell. This is my favorite way to raise money, because it also means that you are clearing clutter!
When was the last time you bought a car? How did you prepare for the expense?
Tips for Saving for Retirement
Whether you are 30, 40 or 60 you should make sure that a major focus of your financial life is on your retirement. Everyone has to retire at some point, right? That’s why it is smart to get yourself prepared for it. Even if you are nearing retirement age and are trying to play catch up, it’s not too late. Too many people feel overwhelmed and hopeless about savings once they hit a certain age, but I promise you, it’s never too late to start saving!
Regardless of your age, these tips for saving for retirement can help you:
- Take advantage of company match. If your employee offers a company match program, you need to take advantage of it! That is free money, my friends, utilize it!
- Budget before retirement. Be sure to live frugally and take advantage of budgeting throughout your life so as to not waste all of the money that you earn during your lifetime. This frees up more money to invest for your retirement.
- Do not cash out or take loans against your retirement. The taxes, fees and penalties are extensive and make it not worth it.
- Don’t max out your credit cards and/or home equity. Having fewer bills to pay makes everyday living much easier. Make sure that you don’t have to struggle to pay your payments each month with your retirement income.
These are all very basic retirement tips as I don’t claim to be an investment banker. I think that much of your retirement plan can come from preparing wisely and living below your means. We always preach these things to live financially well at all stages of your life, retirement is no different.
Are you prepared for retirement? What have you found to be easy tips for saving enough to get there?
Copycat Jamba Juice Aloha Pineapple Smoothie Recipe
It’s that time of year when all I want is a nice cool smoothie. I love the taste of pineapple in the summer time. It makes me wish I were on a Hawaiian beach with a fresh pineapple in hand. However, I’m not, so I get to pretend with this yummy smoothie. 😉 I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Copycat Jamba Juice Aloha Pineapple Smoothie Recipe
Recipe by Six Sisters Stuff
1/2 banana, sliced
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
Blend all together. This makes enough for 2 people. So if you want more, just adjust the amount you need. YUM!
Tips for Saving an Emergency Fund
I recently read that less than 40% of Americans have enough money on hand to cover a $1,000 emergency. We all know how important it is to have an emergency fund in place, right? It can truly be the difference in going bankrupt or not. Do you have an emergency fund set up yet? If you said no, that’s OKAY! It’s not too late to get your fun up and going. We are going to go over some tips for saving for an emergency fund, so you can be a part of that 40% that is ready to go in case of emergency!
Here are some tips for saving an emergency fund that you can start implementing now:
- Clean out those closets. Many of us have at least $1000 worth of stuff just hanging out in our house that can be sold. Use this money to fund your emergency fund! This can be toys that your kids no longer use, clothing that you no longer wear, tools that are unneeded, electronics, etc. The list goes on and on and can add up to more than you think.
- Get rid of unused memberships. Lots of us are busy paying bills on things we rarely use anyway. I try to stay on top of my budget pretty religiously, but I just discovered that I forgot to cancel a trial membership and have since been charge $29.95 for it. Do you have any of those charges happening. Or, do you pay for a gym membership you don’t use?
- Cut cable. Yes, I know we talk about this all the time, but it’s true. You can pay a fraction of what you pay for cable to stream TV. We went from $100 per month down to less than $30 (Including Amazon Prime) and haven’t looked back. My kids haven’t complained about lack of TV either.
Do you have an emergency fund in place? Did you use any tricks to fund it?
30 Ways to Save Money (Part 3)
We have now been over 20 different ways to save money. Have you learned anything new yet? I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for new ways to save money.
If you are the same way, then here you go friends, here are our final 10 of 30 ways to save money:
- Go vegetarian. Even if it is for just one day per week, skipping the meat in your meals is a great way to save some money on your overall grocery bill.
- Buy local. Buy your meat from a local farmer/rancher. Buy your produce from local farm stands. During the summer and early fall I always buy my produce at local farm stands and I save a significant amount of money. I love shopping like this too, because you know that you are getting quality, healthy foods.
- Autopay your bills. Many companies offer a small discount for paying your bills through an autopay program.
- Clean out your closets. I am willing to bet that you have some items in your closet that you no longer need and that you could sell for extra money.
- Pay off your credit cards. Even small credit cards can rack up the interest fees. Pay them off now
- Combine trips. Make sure to combine your shopping trips into one or two throughout the week instead of each day of the week. This will save a significant amount on fuel costs.
- Carpool. Whether we are talking about the drive to work or taking the kids to school, find someone that you can carpool with and save money on your fuel costs.
- Ask for discounts. It doesn’t hurt to ask, right? That’s kind of my motto these days. When you are out shopping, be sure and ask for discounts. Yeah, they may not have a listed sale happening, but you never know what kind of discounts they may be offering.
- Brown bag it. Don’t go out to lunch, pack your own lunch instead.
- See if you qualify for free lunch for the kids. Reduced/free lunches for the kids at school can save you a significant amount of money and the income limits aren’t as restrictive as you may think. Be sure to see if you qualify before the kids head back to school.
30 Ways to Save Money (Part 2)
Did you guy catch yesterday’s part one post on 30 ways to save money? It’s day two my friends, time to talk a little bit more about all of the ways that we can save money for our families.
If you think of some great tips for saving money that you use and I haven’t posted, please feel free to share. I am always willing to look at different ideas. Until then though, here are the second 10 of the 30 different ways to save money:
- Write out a grocery list. It’s way too easy to be tempted to buy stuff that you see as a good deal, or heaven forbid you go grocery shopping when you are hungry (never a good idea). Write out a grocery list and don’t veer off of it.
- Stop drinking soda. Soda is addictive and expensive. Cut it out and replace it with water or even fruit infused water. Not only is it healthier, but you will save a lot of money by doing this.
- Pay your bills on time. Late fees can add up. Make sure you pay your bills on time in order to avoid those tacked on late fees.
- Look for promo codes. When you are shopping online, be sure to do an internet search for promo codes that may apply to your purchase. You will often find some!
- Date nights in. When you go out on a date with your special someone, make it a date night in or go for a walk in the park, etc. It doesn’t always have to be an expensive dinner and a movie.
- Cut your dryer sheets in half. A half of a dryer sheet works just as well as a full sheet and you can stretch the money you spent by double.
- Hold a garage sale. Not only does it clear out your old stuff, but it also can bring in some extra money. My friend had a yard sale last month and brought in almost $700!
- Increase your insurance deductible. Raise your insurance deductible. You will likely save a decent amount each month on your bill. I recently went from a $500 deductible to a $1000 deductible and saved almost $20 per month.
- Get rid of your storage unit. Are you paying rent on a storage unit? It’s time to get rid of it. Chances are you don’t need the stuff in it anyway and that is just money wasted.
- Fill the dishwasher. Do not run the dishwasher until it is completely full. The same is true for the washer and dryer.
30 Ways to Save Money (Part 1)
Okay, my friends we are going to go on a journey to discover all of the ways in which we can be saving money! I don’t know about you, but I am ready to step up my saving game!
Over the next couple of days we are going to learn about 30 different ways to save money, today we will touch on the first 10 of those:
- Stop eating out. I have mentioned this before, but did you know that the average family spends over $3000 per year eating at restaurants. Imagine what else you could do with this much money!
- Cut cable. Not only is cable expensive (average $100 per month), but it is also a time waster. For those times that you really want to watch a show, stream it. Otherwise, find other fun stuff that you love to do.
- Negotiate your insurance bills. There are usually a couple of changes that you can make to your insurance account. Call your company to see what changes you can make to save money.
- Find cheaper entertainment. You don’t need to go to dinner and a movie all the time, find other entertainment offers that cost less money.
- Cut the gym. Are you paying for a pricey gym membership? Consider cutting it out and working out at home instead.
- Combine trips. Whenever you need to run errands, run all of your errands together. This will not only save you time, but money in fuel costs as well.
- Meal plan. Planning out your meals will keep you from letting the groceries you have purchased go to waste, it will also help keep you from going out to eat.
- Coupon. The couponing world has changed a lot throughout the last several of years, but there are coupons out there for you to use. Combine those with apps and store memberships and you can save a significant amount of money.
- Change your cell phone bill. Most of us pay too much for our cell phones. You might consider looking into changing your plan or even your cell phone provider to save more money.
- Pay off your credit cards. If you have the money to do it, pay your credit cards off in full instead of paying the minimum payments. You will save a huge amount of money in interest.
5 Must-Visit San Diego Attractions
San Diego is one of my favorite cities to visit. The temperature is amazing all year round and there is so much to do. With beaches, parks, walking trails, and Sea World, you could stay busy for quite some time. Here are 5 Must-Visit Attractions you need to check out next time you are in San Diego.
- Old Town. Here you can walk through historic buildings. You can see the old schoolhouse, buy candy from the old fashion candy store and watch taffy being made. There is a big open grassy park right in the middle of the buildings with incredible trees which have nice shade for a picnic. Be sure to visit the Mormon Battalion while you are there as well. There is plenty of free parking around Old Town as well which is so nice.
- Little Italy. Walk the streets of Little Italy with the lights decorating the streets. Eat at a local Italian restaurant and enjoy some Gelato. We tried out Pappalecco for Gelato and Landini’s for pizza. Both were amazing.
- Coronado Island. You can either ride a ferry over or drive your own car, either way is great. Walk the around the small streets and admire the cute houses and small town shops. Be sure to enjoy the beach which has great sand and waves. There is plenty of free parking along the streets within walk-able distance to the beach.
- Sea World or San Diego Zoo. If you are up for adventure, then be sure to visit either Sea World or San Diego Zoo. To save on tickets be sure to visit Get Away Today and check out their deals.
- Balboa Park. This is a must see when you are in San Diego. Balboa Park has 17 museums and cultural institutions. There is something for everyone here, even my young kids enjoyed it! You can check out their website here to plan your visit. Parking in Balboa Park lots is free.
Frugal Summertime Yard Tips
How does your yard look this summer? Could it use some extra love? I know that yard work can be daunting because well, it’s hard work of course. Also, many people put an excessive amount of money into maintaining their yard. Whether they spend a lot of money on supplies, or they pay a lawn maintenance service, it’s not cheap. Not to worry though, it is possible to keep up on your yard work throughout the summer for little to no cost.
Here are some of my favorite frugal summertime yard tips:
- Don’t mow your lawn too short. I know you want to mow it as few times as possible, but if you keep your blades raised you will find that your grass looks healthier longer into the summer than if you mow it super short.
- Weed often. You need to walk your yard and weed it very often, at least 3 times per week. Yes, this isn’t always a blast, but plus side? It’s free! Plus, weeding your yard can be quite therapeutic. I always do mine in the early part of the day when the neighborhood is quiet and it’s not too hot.
- Water early. Water your lawn in the early part of the day. Since this is before the heat sets in, it allows you to use less water than if you were to water during the warm part of the day.
- Clean your yard often. Whether it’s leaves or other natural debris, or just toys or other items littering your yard, be sure to walk your yard several times a week to clean it up. Not only will you prevent eyesores from the messy look of a littered yard, but it will help keep your lawn healthy if there are no items lying around killing your grass.
How do you keep your yard looking its best without spending a lot of money?