The Pros and Cons of Having an Instant Pot!
If you haven’t heard about the Instant Pot, where have you been? They’re all the talk right now with everyone but in all seriousness, are they worth the money?
I’m going to give you some thoughts and ideas you might want to think about before you make the investment into one and if you already have one, let us know in the comments below what your thoughts on it are!
Although the cooking time is cut shorter I want you to know that instant pots are instant! You have to allow them to build up in pressure before it can actually start cooking. And then wait for the pressure to go back down before you can open it as well. That adds time but if you account for it you’re golden but if you’re trying to cook something at 6pm and want to eat soon, I won’t bank on your instant pot for dinner.
But note that it can save you time. You can have fully cooked beans from dry in about 50 minutes! Or cook a whole chicken in 45 minutes. For quick dinners this is great, and there’s so many recipes to try! Also one thing to think about is it uses less energy than a slow cooker. The amount of time it needs to be plugged in is significantly less saving you on energy costs.
Size does matter guys! They suggest you fill your instant pot no more than 2/3 full. So if you’re looking at the 6 quart pot which is the one we usually see deals for you’ll only get 3 ½ quart of food inside. Depending on your family size that might be all you need but be sure you keep this in mind if you’re looking into getting one.
If you live someplace warm you’re going to love this next part. The instant pot doesn’t heat up your house like a crock pot. So it’s not just a seasonal cooking appliance. Now you won’t deal with the heat in your house with a pressure cooker you also won’t get the aroma. This does mean though the seal on the instant pot does. You could easily purchase a second seal so you don’t run into your food favor transferring to your other dishes or if you don’t care then by all means just cook away. I do have friends that have a seal for sweets and a seal for the main dishes.
Another features on the instant pot is the start cook time and also the shut off function. All great for working and busy families that aren’t always in the kitchen when dinner needs to be started!
So do you have one? Are you wanting to buy one? Keep in mind we usually see the instant pot drop in price quiet often so please don’t pay full price. We say the 6 quart for around $69 during black Friday and Christmas sales so that gives you a good starting point. Now who’s ready for some recipes???
How to Make Your Spring Cleaning Project Successful
Have you started your spring cleaning project yet? If not, do you have plans to start soon? Spring cleaning can sometimes be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Plan accordingly and it can be an easy project.
Here are some tips on how to make your spring cleaning project successful:
- Gather your supplies. I hate hate hate starting a project only to realize that I don’t have all of the supplies that I need for it. Be sure to gather all of your cleaning and organizing supplies at the beginning of your project so that you aren’t constantly going back and forth for them.
- Start Small. I’m sure you have more than one project to focus on with this spring clean, make sure you that you choose one of the smaller jobs to start with. Big ones can be overwhelming and easy to give up on.
- The rule of ten. In every room I clean during my spring cleaning project, I make it a goal to throw out 10 things. No, I don’t mean I pick things up only to put them into another room, I mean I pick up 10 different things from each room to very specifically throw them away. I am all about minimalism these days and that is the focus of my spring cleaning this year.
- One room at a time. When you have a lot of work to do, it’s easy to jump from one room to another getting little jobs done. This is not an efficient way to get your project done because you can’t focus on each job itself when you are busy moving room to room.
I am ready to hit this spring clean full force my friend!Can you think of any more tips for me to utilize during my project?
Simple Tips to Follow To Be Better with Money
Are you bad with money? It’s okay. No judgment here, we are all bad at something and honestly, many people are bad with money so you are not alone. It’s hard, I get it. I have had my fair share of time being bad with money. I’m still not great, but I’m getting there.
I was raised by a single mom who was terrible with money. No judgment on her, she was raised the same way and simply had no idea how to manage it or why she should even try. I had no positive role model in my life that could show me the right way to deal with finances so it has been a tricky road to navigate, but to better my family, I am determined to weather that storm and come out of it stronger.
Here are some simple tips that I have learned to follow to be better with money:
- Use cash instead of credit. Credit cards can be beneficial, yes, but more often than not, it is smarter to use cash to pay for your items than credit. You don’t want spend all of your money on interest charges, do you?
- Set and follow a budget. A budget is single-handedly the most important tool for a healthy financial life.
- Set calendar alerts. Be sure to set calendar alerts to pay your bills on time. When life gets busy, it can be easy to forget to send payments so it’s important to remind yourself.
- Learn to wait. Instant gratification can be a big problem for those with spending problems. Before you buy something, convince yourself to wait it out to see if you really need to have the item.
- Meal prep. For many people who are bad with money, food is a big expense. It is very easy to blow your budget by going out to eat or not preparing your food budget properly.
7 Tips for Raising Your Credit Score
Are you sitting back wishing you had a better credit score? Credit is a crazy thing in this world. Without a good credit score, you will have a harder time financing things like a car or a house, but it’s hard to build your credit score if you don’t finance something or charge things on credit. It’s a never-ending circle. I know some people don’t want to have any debt at all, but the truth is that some people absolutely need good credit for career purposes in addition to buying a home or a car.
So yes, credit is quite important in this day in age. If you are trying to figure out how to get yourself into the good credit category, here are 7 tips for raising your credit score:
- Check your credit report. Order a copy of your credit report and check it for any discrepancies. If you find any, be sure to dispute them.
- Keep your balances low. With your credit cards, you need to keep your utilization down. I have found the magical numbers to be 30 and 9. Your total utilization needs to be below 30% of your overall available credit, but ideally it should be below 9%.
- Pay off debts. If you have balances on your cards, be sure to pay them off instead of charging more.
- Keep cards open. If you no longer use a card, don’t close it, just leave it be. The longer you “age” your credit, the better your score will be.
- Pay off any collections. Be sure that you don’t have any collections hanging out there, if you do, make arrangements to pay them off.
- Don’t apply for anything and everything. Credit inquiries hurt your score, oftentimes just a little bit, but the more you apply for credit, the more inquiries you have. Plus, new accounts bring down your credit age which can lower your score as well.
- Set up calendar reminders. Set a calendar alert for yourself to remember to pay your bills on their due dates to prevent any missed payments.
10 Ways to Save Money Today
How much money have you spent today? Yeah, I am talking to you. I’m a grown woman in the real world, I know that it is not easy to go without spending money for one day. Kind of sad, isn’t it? The idea that going an entire 24 hours without spending money seems crazy. It can be done though!
My family and I are in the middle of getting a new home and oh my goodness, the expenses that come with building a new home are simply outrageous and almost always surprising, so I have learned that I need more money on hand than I realized. Because of this, I have been working hard to be sure that I go through many days without spending money.
If you would like to try it as well, here are 10 ways to save money today:
- Make coffee at home so you aren’t spending money on drive through coffee.
- Clean out your sofas! Last time I did this I literally found $3 in change that had fallen through the cracks.
- Clean your car. Same thing as above, but I would be willing to be you could find some loose change hiding under your seats.
- Check your subscriptions. Go through your expenses and see if you are paying for subscriptions that you no longer use.
- Recycle. Do you live in a state that pays a redemption on bottles and cans? My state pays 10 cents for every can returned. It can add up quick.
- Pack a lunch. Pack yourself a lunch so that you aren’t tempted to go out to eat.
- Stay home. When you are on the go, it is very easy to be tempted to spend.
- Invite a friend to coffee (at home). We all need someone on one time with friends. How about you invite your friends over to enjoy coffee at home though instead of heading to the coffee shop.
- Meal prep. Okay, so this one will save you money in the future instead of today, but this is a great way to save money through the week.
- Sell you stuff. How much stuff do you have at your home that you no longer use or wear? Try putting it up for sale in your local BST groups on FB or take them to a consignment shop to earn more money.
Super Easy Easter Kid Crafts Using Paper Plates
Easter is coming up in a few weeks. Now is the time to have some fun with your kiddos and make some decorations or crafts! I have found so many cute crafts using paper plates that I wanted to share. I mean, who doesn’t have paper plates lying around? Right? These are super easy and don’t take a lot of crafty equipment. Enjoy!
Aren’t these adorable? You can make these cute DIY Paper Plate Chicken Easter Basket Craft from this site here. Then have an Easter egg hunt and fill your basket!
I haven’t seen this type of craft before, but my kids would love it! You can find all the instructions here. This would keep them busy for awhile!
If you need a more simple activity, here is a fun one! Make a cute bunny. Instructions are here.
Wow! These are impressive. They all are made with paper plates once again. Head to this site to see all instructions. This is a great way for kids to use their creativity in creating their own masterpiece.
Here is a simple one for your kiddos. This would be a fun one that doesn’t take a lot of preparation and materials. You can find all of the instructions here.
Enjoy your few weeks until Easter with these fun ideas.
Copycat Recipe For Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup!
I don’t know about you guys but I love a good soup especially with some homemade rolls (or Rhodes!) But trying to find one my kids will eat too has been difficult until we went to Zupas and my kids fell in love with their Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup! So I went on the hunt and found this amazing copycat recipe! It’s easy and so yummy, one I’m sure your family will love too!
Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup (Zupas Copycat)
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 head (2 1/2 pounds) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook until tender (or golden) stirring occasionally. Whisk in the flour and salt. Then gradually stir in the milk, chicken broth and water. Add the cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender (about 15 minutes). Then in the blender (or with your immersion blender) blend cauliflower mixture until very smooth. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in mustard and 1 ½ cups of cheese until melted and smooth. Serve with additional cheese as garnish.
6 Tips for Cutting Down on Your Clothing Budget
We all like to dress nice, don’t we? There is a difference though, between dressing nice and dressing above your income bracket. There are ways though, to dress like you have much more money to spend on your wardrobe than you actually do, without breaking the bank.
Are you ready to step up your fashion game, while still saying on track with your spending? If you said yes, then here are 6 tips for cutting down on your clothing budget:
- Shop thrift stores. There are some amazing thrift stores out there where you can get fabulous clothes for low cost. I have a teenager at home and I took her shopping yesterday at Plato’s Closet and bought her two super cute pair of jeans. The same jeans that all of her friends wear and guess how much I spent? Just $14!!
- BST Groups. Check out Facebook for your local Buy Sell Trade groups to find awesome deals or trade opportunities for cute, fashionable clothes.
- Shop clearance. Clearance shopping is always a great way to save money on clothes. There are times (often at the end of each season) when you can find brand new clothing at pennies on the dollar.
- Shop discount stores. Check out stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s to find some really great deals on in-style clothing. I have a very fashion-friendly sister in law who shops at only these stores for her wardrobe and gets complimented on her outfits all the time.
- Swap with friends or family. If you have friends or family that are the same size as you, consider swapping outfits with them monthly or just on occasion to add a little bit to your wardrobe without spending any money. My teenage daughter and I wear the same size shoes so we often share shoes so we aren’t buying two pair of each.
- Measure yourself for proper fit. Take the time to learn how to measure yourself for proper clothing measurements (there are many youtube videos out available to watch). This will help you to make sure that you only buy clothing that fits, instead of ill-fitting clothing that will just take up real estate in your closet and money out of your wallet.
Reasons Why You Should Stop Saving your Money
Did you read the title to this post? Does it freak you out a little bit? Reasons Why You Should Stop Saving Your Money is probably enough to give some people a mini-heart attack. I mean, we all have to save our money to get anywhere in life, right? Well, yes, that is true, however, there are some very valid reasons why you may want to put a pause on your savings.
Here are a couple of valid reasons why you should stop saving your money:
- To pay down debt. Putting money in savings doesn’t do you a whole lot of good if you are busy paying minimums on your credit cards, loans, etc. Think about it. You put $100 in a savings account, but have 4 credit cards that you are making $25 per month payments on all the while paying interest on that money. You would be far better off taking that extra money and putting it toward your credit card bills so that eventually you can be putting $200 in savings instead.
- To enjoy your money while you have it. I recently read that many baby boomers are working to save enough money to leave an inheritance to their children. While I do believe that to be admirable, I also believe that people should enjoy time with their families while they are still here. Ask yourself this, would you rather have an extra $10k left to split amongst your siblings or would you rather have had a vacation of a lifetime with your entire family?
- Maintenance and needed repairs. Too many people will let their house fall down around them or their car moves around on its last legs in order to continue to save. While I get the desire to make things last as long as possible, things will last much longer when cared for properly.
Do you agree that there are reasons to put a halt on your savings? Or, do you save no matter what?
Blue Horse Hopper $19.90
Amazon has this super fun Blue Horse Hopper for just $19.90!
- Stable 4 legged Space Hopper, Bouncy Horse. Inflated size appr. Length: 60cm/23in from nose to tail; Seat height: 28cm/11in; Body height: 50cm/20in from ear to floor.
- Contains no US banned phthalates and heavy metal elements. Conforms to the safety requirements of EU EN71, US CPSIA & ASTM F963. Safe to use.
- It is delivered deflated. A two-way hand pump is included for pumping up the space hopper.
- Age group 3+. Age under 3 should be under direct supervision of an adult.
- Easy inflation: Take out the inserted white plug (air stopper) from the hole on the horse belly; insert the tip of the pump and inflate the hopper to good size, and then replace the white plug back into the hole quickly. Bounce!
This item will ship free for all Amazon Prime members. Or, regular members can score free shipping by adding $25 or more worth of eligible items to your cart. You can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime here.
Fun & Easy St. Patty’s Day Breakfast Ideas
St. Patrick’s day is coming on Saturday, March 17th. Since this year it lands on a Saturday, I thought it would be fun to do a festive breakfast with the whole family. There are so many fun ideas but I wanted to just share a few. Here are 5 different breakfast ideas that I’m sure your family will enjoy!
- St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Pancakes (pictured above). These look super yummy and pretty easy too. You can get the instructions from the site here.
- Rainbow Donuts. Okay, who doesn’t love donuts?? They are one of my weaknesses. Let the kids decorate their own donut -which can both be a craft and breakfast. WIN WIN. You can get the instructions from the site here.
3. Leprechaun Pancakes. If you want to add some fruits into your breakfast, I’m loving this idea. Kids can make their own and eat it after. Instructions from the site here.
4. Shamrock Style Irish Sausage Rolls. This is something my husband would love. It is a little more than just pancakes or donuts. It has meat! You can find the instructions from the site here.
5. Fried Eggs in Green Pepper rings. If you are trying to eat healthy, this would be a nice breakfast as well. Festive and healthy all in one. Thanks to this site for the idea.
You could even combine a few of these idea. Have a sausage shamrock as well as a fried egg in the green pepper! Enjoy a fun St. Patty’s day this year starting with a yummy breakfast.
More Cruise Saving Tips to Save You Tons!
We all know that booking the cruise is just the first step and expense there is but what about all the extra expenses? What about the excursions, dining expenses, luxury services? Those all add up but I’m here to tell you how you can get the most for your money when you’re on your cruise!
When you’re booking your room look into booking inside rooms. Lots of times these rooms are going to cost less because many travelers like to relax in their rooms. We like to get out and play so we choose to save our money on the cost of the room and put it towards an excursion.
Look at doing the excursions on your own. It’s convenient to book an excursion through the boat but they’re pricey. Look online and research the excursions that you’re interested in to see how much it could save you doing it on your own. It’s also a great way to read reviews. We found we could take a taxi for $16 to the volcano and do the same tour for only $8 each. That saved us $50 compared to what the cruise line was charging. Please note though, when you book on your own they are not guaranteed to get you back to the boat on time so make sure you watch the clock!
Are you a big soda drinker? Look into getting the beverage package on board. We were planning on just getting my husband the non-alcoholic beverage package and when I get online I noticed they had bundled this package with their wifi package that we were looking into – score! So watch the sales cause they’ll included their packages.
Eat on the boat. You paid for this service so make sure you take full advantage of it. Eating the local food can be fun and maybe a great treat to have but it gets pricy because you’re a tourist and they know it. So eat a good breakfast before you get off the boat. We also packed a couple snacks into our backpack to take off the boat in case we wanted to stay out later and enjoy the land. Just be prepared. Also since I didn’t know and found out later I thought I’d add in here, you can dine in the dining room for breakfast and lunch as well! It’s perfect for when the buffet is busy and you have a later excursion planned. Take advantage of this option because it’s all included, no additional cost.
If you want to take advantage of their luxury services, the best time to do this is while you’re at port. They hike up the prices of their luxury services while you’re at sea because everyone is on the boat but when you’re at port most choose to get off and play. That means it’s the best time for you to enjoy a massage, get your hair done and more.
I hope you guys enjoys your cruising! They’re so fun and relaxing and you can enjoy them even more when you save more 😉
Spring Yard Cleaning Tips
Spring is rapidly approaching and it’s time to get to work in your yard! Spring cleaning isn’t just for your house. You have had the entire winter to relax and not worry about the outside of your home, but winter is coming to end, my friends and I couldn’t be more excited. I love the newness that spring brings along with it. Spring is like a fresh start, it is the perfect time to get everything in order and that includes your yard.
If you are feeling like you have no idea where to start, here are some spring yard cleaning tips that will get you started:
- Start with the leaves. The leaves that have been piled up since last fall are probably soggy and gross. Plus, they are an ideal hiding place for insects and rodents, so unless you want more of those around your home, you might want to get rid of the leaves. Create a compost pile to put these leaves in.
- Clean out your gutters. Over the course of the winter, your gutters have filled up with leaves and debris, this is the time to get them cleaned out. This is especially important if there is a lot of rain in your area in the spring. Lots of rain and full gutters can create a big mess.
- Prune your trees. This time of year is the perfect time to prune specific trees such as Maples and Birches. Cut back on dead branches
- Clean walkways and driveways. If you don’t have one, rent a pressure washer and clean off all of your walkways and driveways. Over the winter, the hard surfaces tend to develop algae and moss which could become slippery.
Have you started your spring cleaning yet? Where did you begin?
4 Tips that Will Help You Keep Your Car Running Smoothly and Efficiently
Do you feel like you are running your car into the ground? Between commuting to work, taking the kids to school and activities, and all of the errands that us adults have to run constantly, our cars go through a lot. All of this wear and tear on your car ends up costing a lot of money. Not just in gas, but in oil changes, tires and other maintenance that needs to be done. So how can you keep your car running smoothly and efficiently while also continuing to live your life? Well, I will show you!
Here are 4 tips that will help you keep your car running smoothly and efficiently throughout all of life’s busy on the go moments.
- Get regular oil changes. I know that we all hear all the time how we should be getting regular oil changes, but it is true. Getting regular oil changes keeps your motor running smoothly.
- Clean out your car. Carrying around a bunch of stuff in your car is a great way to destroy your great fuel mileage. In addition, be sure and drive the speed limit and combine trips when you have errands to run in order to prevent wasted trips.
- Change your oil filter. Be sure to change your oil filter as often as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer recommendations. Oftentimes this can be checked during your oil changes.
- Keep your tires properly aired up. Under inflated tires are often the cause for deficient fuel mileage. In addition, when your tires are properly inflated, they last longer. Under or over inflated tires wear quicker than those that are run at the proper inflation.
What is your favorite fuel saving, vehicle maintaining tip? I know there are lots more tips out there and I would love to add yours to the list.
4 Tips that Will Help Your Children Learn to Clean Up After Themselves
Do you feel like you are constantly following your children in an effort to stay on top of the messes they create? Well, you need to stop. Now. Okay, okay, if you have a baby or a toddler, I am going to give you a pass and let you keep on following. However, if you child is any older than that, it is their turn to clean up after themselves. No need for you to do it, besides, I’m sure you have plenty of other stuff that needs to be done anyway, am I right?
If you are struggling to figure out how to get your kids to clean up after themselves without a major fight, it can be done. I know that it is stressful and overwhelming, but the truth is, the bigger they get, they bigger those messes get, so let’s get to work!
Here are 4 tips that will help your children learn to clean up after themselves:
- Make it fun. Making chores less of a “chore” is always a good thing. Kids need to learn that chores aren’t a bad thing. If you have little kids, why not sing a fun “clean up” song with them. If your kids are a bit older, maybe time them and see how fast they can clean up. Kids love to turn things into races. 🙂 In addition, make sure that you aren’t complaining when it’s time to do your household chores either. If they see mom or dad complaining about it, they are going to think that complaining is ok.
- Don’t ask. Don’t lead your kids into thinking that you are asking them to do chores. It must always be a demand. Instead of saying “Can you clean your room, please” you can say “It’s time to clean your room now”.
- Set rules. Create rules in your house that no new activity can begin until the last one is cleaned up. So, if your son was playing with his building blocks, but now wants to watch TV, he must first pick up his blocks or else the TV doesn’t get turned on.
- Allow them to clean step by step. It is often easier for a kid to take on chores in a step by step, type way. For example, when they are cleaning their room, allow them to first pick up laundry, and then toys, etc.