DIY Bath Bombs! Simple Easy & Cheaper Than You’d Buy Them For!
Taking care of yourself is something a lot of moms have a hard time doing, including myself. But I’ve found I’m a better mom and wife when I take the time to concentrate on me and do something I love or that helps me relax. One of my favorite things to help me relax is to take a bath after the kids have gone to bed and I can just lay there with a good book or show. But not just any bath, I love to throw in a bath bomb (or two) as well! These can get pricey so I’ve started making my own, here’s how it works.
8oz of baking soda
4oz of citric acid
4oz of corn starch
4oz of Epsom salts
3/4tsp of water
2 tsp oil (I use coconut oil)
1 tsp essential oil
You’ll also need something to mold them with. I’ve used a plastic egg (from Easter) before and it worked great but once I started making them more often I invested in a set of metal round molds. Then you’ll add together the baking soda, citric acid, corn starch and epsom salts and stir well. In a separate bowl combine your water, oil and essential oil and stir them together.
Now you’ll begin mixing your wet and dry ingredients together slowly. Add, just a little at a time, your wet ingredients into your dry stirring constantly. It will begin to form together once you’ve combined it all. You’ll then need to quickly fill each half of your mold and pack it down before you place the two halves together. Once you’ve pressed them together tightly, slowly take the mold off and set them on a flat surface to dry.
They’ll usually dry to the touch within a few hours but let them sit over night to fully dry. Then place them in a ziplock bag and place in the bathroom for you to use the next time you get a minute to yourself.
How to Get Fit Without Breaking the Bank
Okay, so the new year is here and you are ready to make some changes. You are ready to lose weight, get fit, be healthy and all of the great things that come along with all of those things. The thing about all of these things though is that they seem easy to do if you can afford a gym membership, or one of those great eating programs, but those can easily cost you hundreds of dollars each month. If you are like many of us, you either don’t have that kind of money to spend or, if you do, you simply don’t want to spend your money on this stuff.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get fit without breaking the bank. Check out these tips on how to do just that.
Stream it. Check out YouTube, Amazon, Netflix, etc to find workout videos that you can stream. There are lots of great workouts out there for you to enjoy for free or just the cost of your Netflix or Amazon membership.
Sign up for trials. I know I have been seeing a free 3 month trial to Daily Burn videos on Groupon and elsewhere. Might as well take advantage of those free 3 months. Additionally, many gyms offer free 7 day trials. Why not try out all of the gyms in your area?
Take over someone’s gym membership. Check your local for sale FB groups and Craigslist ads. Oftentimes people have signed up for a gym membership and find that they don’t use it so they need someone to take it over. These still come with the monthly fee, but this is one way to avoid paying enrollment fees.
Hit the pavement. C’mon! Walking is one of the easiest and by far the cheapest forms of exercise there is! Lace up your sneakers and walk around your neighborhood. No gas cost to get you there, no membership fee, nothing! But you do get lots of fresh air!
5 Simple Tips for Changing Your Financial Life in the New Year
Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck? How about making this time to break the cycle? Are you ready to make 2018 the year that you get your act together?
If you find yourself always making resolutions to change your financial life, let’s change that! Let’s make sure that this is the last year that you need to do it, because after 2018 you will be in a different place. If you are ready to get started, here are 5 Tips for Changing Your Financial Life in the New Year:
Budget. Budget, budget, budget. Have you heard enough about it yet? Seriously budgeting will save your financial life and make a difference in many aspects of your life.
Cut the cord. The average household pays $100 per month on cable. Cut this bill out and you are automatically $1000 richer this year. What could you do with that $1000?
Set goals. Set a goal for what you want to do with your money, how much you want to save, etc. Setting these goals makes it easier to avoid the temptation of spending money unnecessarily.
Meal Plan. Meal planning will change you life. It really will. Did you know that the average house spends over $3000 per year dining out? Yep, it’s true. Think of all of the things that you can do with that $3000. That is enough to go on an awesome vacation or a huge chunk to put toward savings. Meal planning will help keep you from spending lots of money on dining out.
Plan a no-spend month. In just one no-spend month, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It sounds harder than it is, you simply only spend on the necessities and don’t veer off of that.
How to Prepare for a House Fire And What You Can Do NOW!
With recent events that have hit close to home it has me thinking, are there things that I can do now in case of an emergency, specifically a house fire? I think all the time about our 72 hour kits and making sure we have all the essentials inside of them. But I haven’t put much thought into a house fire and what I can do to prepare myself and my family for one. So I’ve done some research and thought of some things you can do now in case a tragedy, like a house fire, hits your home.
First thing is to check your insurance. See what’s covered and know what to expect. Look at temporary housing, will they cover your housing while you rebuild? What if you lose most of your belongings inside, what will they replace? Think about taking inventory of your items as well. Writing this all down can take so much time so I recommend pictures! Then be sure you back those up or put copies of them in your fire proof safe. If you’re like me you’re thinking to yourself “I’ll take pictures of things when I get the room cleaning up or the closet cleaned out” PLEASE DON’T! A house fire can happen at any time and with almost no warning. You just can’t plan for when it will happen so the sooner you can get those pictures taken the better.
While thinking about your items in your house make sure you have your valuables and important documents in a fire proof safe as well. I’m talking birth certificates, Social Security cards, insurance documents, passports and more. You can find lists of documents you should have a copy of in your safe online, here’s a good one you can checkout. If you also have family heirlooms or other valuables, you might want to consider leaving those in your safe if possible or take photos of them.
Make sure your family knows what to do if you’re house does catch fire while you’re home. Practice and go over with them where the family meeting spot is outside of the home and how to get out of each room. Be sure you also take the precautions you need like cleaning out your duck work, checking your smoke alarms often and changing out the batteries at least once a year. You can also install fire extinguishers in different places in your home. We have one in the kitchen and another in the garage.
Most important thing to remember is that things can be replaced, new memories can be made but people can not. Keep your family safe and ready in case of an emergency. Hug those you love often and let them know just how much you care.
5 Tips for Staying Positive in 2018
Life is hard and stressful and busy and exhausting. No one is denying any of those things. I know that all of those things help to keep you down and that is completely understandable, but did you know that you don’t have to let them hold you back? You can push past all of the negative and choose to stay positive. Plus, choosing to stay positive will help you in the long run! It will help with your health, your financial life and just about every other aspect of life. Are you ready to make the change from negative to positive? Great! Here’s how to do it!
Here are 5 tips for staying positive in 2018:
- Smile. It may seem difficult sometimes, but simply smiling can make an impact on your thinking. Smiling = happiness, right? Even if you don’t feel it, do it. Fake it til you make it is an honest to goodness way to go!
- Write in a journal. Start writing in a journal. Make the focus of your writing to be things that you are grateful for and the good things that happened throughout your days/weeks. When you only focus on the negative, that’s what you are going to feel.
- Take time for yourself. When you are constantly surrounded with the hustle and bustle of life, you will have constant stress. Take some time to yourself to meditate and once again focus on the good. It will help.
- Set goals. Set goals and strive to reach them. When you meet these goals you will find yourself feeling better about yourself.
- Spend time with those you love. Make time to spend time with those that you love and care about. Doing this will remind you of why you go through the stresses of day to day life.
5 Reasons You Should Say No to Resolutions
Do you find yourself setting a New Year’s Resolution each and every year? How do you do on them? Do you follow through and find success? Or do you bail on them within the first couple of weeks? To each their own of course, but I have found it better to not set resolutions at all.
Here are 5 reasons you should say no to resolutions:
- No disappointment. Seriously, it’s hard not to feel down on yourself when you bail on your resolutions. If you don’t set them, them you don’t have reason to disappoint yourself. This may seem overly simplified, but it is true.
- You don’t need to set a date. Seriously, if you need or want to make a change in your life, just do it. No need to wait until January 1st to do so. Don’t you deserve better than to put off your dreams?
- Break away from the crowds. Maybe it’s just me and maybe I’m silly, but I don’t like to do things just because everyone else is doing it. I like to live a little differently. I prefer to make my life changes as soon as I decide to, not because we are all taught to do it on New Years.
- You need to challenge yourself. By waiting until January 1st to set a resolution, you are saying that you aren’t ready. When in reality, you are just hesitant to do so. Challenge yourself to make the change now and don’t wait. You will be glad you did.
- You can take pride knowing it didn’t take a resolution to make a change. You are strong, you are smart, you do not need to follow a resolution made on New Year’s to prove this to yourself. You can do it now!
I may no longer make resolutions, but instead, I do always choose to make life-changing affirmations and pick a positive word for the year.
The BEST Sugar Cookie & Frosting Recipe – Perfect For Santa’s Cookies!
It’s a family tradition that’s been going on for generations and one that I have strong memories of. We always get together and decoration sugar cookies to hand out to neighbors and put on a plate for Santa. This recipe is by far my favorite and super easy to throw together!
You’ll find this recipe goes a long way when you make the full thing so if it’s just my cute little family I’ll half it and it will make a good 50 sugar cookies still. As for the frosting I make the full recipe so we can have some of every color we need to decorate with. Then I pull out our sprinkles and we go to town.
Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
2 eggs
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
Mix eggs, butter and sugar. Add sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda together in separate bowl; then add the wet ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-8 minutes (DO NOT over bake – you’ll start to see the bottom go brown when they’re ready to come out of the oven)
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 stick butter (1/2cup), softened
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 tsp vanilla
Cream sugar and butter. Add cream cheese and shortening, mix well. Stir in vanilla. Beat 10 minutes (can add drops of milk if desired but I don’t usually).
I hope you enjoy making memories and spending time with your family this Christmas season. It’s a wonderful time of year! And if you’re in an unfortunate situation in which those you love are far away or no longer here, know that we wish you a Merry Christmas and send warm hugs your way!
What is a Sinking Fund and Why Should You have Them?
If you have been getting started on budgeting, you have probably heard the term sinking fund. But what exactly is a sinking fund and do you need to have them? Well, I will go into that a little bit here and basically, yes you should have them.
A sinking fund is essentially a fund or savings account of money that has a purpose. Let’s take Christmas for example. Instead of rushing to find money to spend on Christmas at the end of the year, why not put a little bit of money into a savings account or a specific envelope each month throughout the year and take money from that when the time comes. This prevents panic when the time comes that you need money for the sinking fund purpose.
Other good sinking fund reasons:
- Auto Insurance (you will typically get a discount if you pay yearly, so why not save up to pay it?)
- Auto License and Registration. In my state we do this every two years and it isn’t cheap. It’s nice to have it paid for in advance.
- Home Repairs. If you own your own home, it is best to keep a sinking fund for home repairs as these often come up.
- Birthdays and anniversaries. Both of these come up every year. Make sure they don’t throw your budget for a loop.
- Car Maintenance. New tires, oil changes, etc. Cars require maintenance to run their best.
- Christmas. We discussed this earlier, but it worth noting again. Christmas can be expensive. You may as well prepare for it.
With sinking funds you will be much more at ease knowing that you aren’t going to be out of luck when a special occasion comes around or when something breaks.
5 Ways to Start The Year as a Saver
Are you planning to set a resolution for 2018? What is it going to be? If you are like many of us, you are going to strive to save in the new year! So how about we get started now on making it happen! Here are 5 ways to start the new year as a saver instead of a spender.
- Start couponing. Despite what you may think, couponing is not dead. Couponing for your groceries and household supplies is a fabulous way of cutting down on household expenses without too much work. Yes, there is some cutting involved (sometimes), but the research that used to come with couponing really doesn’t anymore. There are countless couponing tools available to you online that you can take advantage of. After all, that’s what brought you here, am I right?
- Set up a savings direct deposit. If you get your paycheck direct deposited, make a switch to have some of your paycheck automatically put into a savings account that you don’t have easy access to. It’s an easy to way to save money without thinking about it.
- Turn off the lights. A penny saved is a penny earned, right? If you are able to cut back on your household bills such as power, you will find yourself with more money in your pocket at the end of every month.
- Budget. Set a budget and stick to it. Sticking to a budget is the number 1 tool for your household to use in its goal to save money. Do it. It will work!
- Set goals. Set goals to save money and you have already started the journey. Setting goals is the first step to get you where you need to be.
5 Savings Tips for Your New Year’s Party
Are you planning to have a New Year’s Eve Party this year? It’s coming soon, you know. If you are planning to have a party, you need to get started on your party preparation ASAP. Party planning can get expensive though so you either need to be prepared to spend some money, or you need to plan to save money. Which is your choice? If you said save money, check out these 5 savings tips for your New Year’s Party:
- Make it a BYOB Party. Why not make it a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) party? This is great because one bottle of alcohol or soda (or whatever) doesn’t cost too much, but it can save you a fortune if everyone is pitching in.
- Skip Dinner. If you are feeding 10+ people dinner, it can really add up quickly. Decide to have your party start at 8 or so after everyone has already eaten dinner and you will save yourself a lot of money in just the cost of food. You can still provide snack foods, but those won’t cost you as much.
- Make it a Pot Luck. Similar to having a BYOB party, why not hold a pot luck party so that everyone pitches in on food. No need for a fancy, sit down dinner, but instead you can have a mish mash of different, fun foods.
- Skip the decorations. No need to decorate for the party. People are at your party because of you, not because of what tableclothes you will be using. Just have fun!
Shop the Dollar Store. If you do want decor and/or party favors, hit up the dollar store for them. It’s super cheap and let’s face it, these party favors will only be good for one night anyway, no need to spend more than $1.
4 Times You Should Spend More Money
Saving money is tricky. The general thought is that in order to save money, you need to cut back on the amount of money you spend. You know what though? That isn’t always true. Sometimes in order to save money you need to spend more money. What?! How can that be? I know, I know. I hear you asking. It’s true though, there are some occasions where you should always spend more money in order to be more frugal.
- Shoes. Some people would argue this. I will never agree though. It is much, much better to buy brand name shoes than to buy generic shoes at your local big box store. This is for two reasons. First, brand name shoes are better for your feet and lead to fewer foot problems that could eventually cost you big at the foot doctor. Second, generic shoes wear out quickly. I will give you an example: I have a 10 year old son that grew out of his shoes. It was the first of Summer though and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on shoes before the new school year so I bought him shoes at Walmart. Those shoes lasted exactly 3 weeks before they broke down and he could no longer wear them. Yes, I said 3 weeks. If I had to buy him a pair of these $10 shoes everytime they broke, that would be $170 per year minimum. Instead I hit up clearance sales or outlet malls to buy him Nike and Adidas shoes and spend $30 for shoes that last 6-12 months.
- Toilet paper. Everyone knows that better quality tp last much longer than the cheap stuff. Just be sure to coupon and save money where you can. I always make it a goal to spend less than $0.25 per single roll.
- Clothes. No I’m not suggesting that you drop $100 on a pair of jeans. But I never, ever buy no-name jeans anymore. They tend to fall apart quickly and not last near as long as name brand clothing does. I always buy mine at thrift shops and on clearance.
- Healthy food. Feed yourself more wholesome food instead of processed junk food and you will be much healthier, leading to fewer doctor’s visits, which will save you money.
5 Reasons To Cut up Your Credit Card
Do you love your credit cards? If you said yes, I get it. The temptation to swipe that card even if you don’t have the money can sometimes be too strong. This is especially true during the holiday season when you want to give gifts to your friends and loved ones. Credit card companies make it even harder to resist when they reward you with awesome rewards like travel miles or cash back.
With all of those pros, it’s hard to imagine not having a credit card. That said, having no (or at least fewer) credit cards is not a bad idea at all. Here are 5 reasons to cut up your credit card in case you are thinking about doing so.
- No interest payments. The worst thing about credit cards is the interest that comes along with it. Think about it. You are paying money to spend money. Does that seem like a smart financial decision?
- You can’t buy things you cannot afford. One major problem with using credit cards is that it is very tempting to buy something even if you can’t technically afford it. If you have a $100 item you are wanting to buy, it often “seems” cheaper to think about paying $25 per month instead of the $100 up front, even though it is far from it.
- You spend less. Research has shown that people who use credit cards instead of cash are willing to spend more money.
- You will stop going into debt. No more worrying about getting further and further into debt. You no longer have the option to.
- You will learn to think more about the things that you purchase and your budget in general. Having the peace of mind in knowing that you have less debt is worth the fear of cutting them up. Trust me.
Have you gone to the extreme of cutting up your cards? Do you regret it? We would love to hear about your experience.
5 Tips for Keeping your Home Guest-Ready
If your family and friends are anything like mine, they like to drop by unannounced a lot. Never more so though than during the holiday season. The problem though is that I have kids and work and life so my house didn’t use to be what I would call guest-ready all the time. I kind of went with the “excuse the mess” motto for years. But, now that I have gotten older and more aware of how I present myself and my family, I do my best to keep my home guest-ready as often as I can. That is not to say it is always like this, but I do my best.
If you are ready to step up your guest readiness game, here are 5 tips for keeping your home guest-ready:
- Put laundry away immediately after folding it. I won’t lie. This one has been my downfall throughout my life and I know that I am not the only one. It’s too easy to have a stack (or a mountain) of laundry on the table or sofa and just move it from place to place. No more. This one habit can get your house in better working order in general.
- Empty the dishwasher. Right after the dishwasher completes its cycle, empty it. That way whenever a dish is dirtied, you can place it into the dishwasher instead of having them sitting on the counter or in the sink. This is an easy chore for the kids too. My 10 year old empties the dishwasher every day.
- Keep cleaning wipes on hand. Keep a container of cleaning wipes on hand in the kitchen and in each bathroom. This makes quick cleanup of messes easy.
- Have a mail drawer. Do you have one of those houses that has a never ending growing stack of mail on your counter? Make it a habit to go through this stack at least weekly and put the necessary mail into a drawer specified for mail.
Keep scented candles on hand. Even if your house isn’t perfectly clean, it’s nice when it smells good. Choose a nice, but not overbearing smell that will make your guests feel comfortable. I currently have some pumpkin spice candles that I bought on clearance and I have gotten so many compliments on how good the house smells.
7 Tips for Keeping the Weight Off During December
Let’s face it. It is hard to eat healthy in December. Heck, it’s hard to eat healthy in the last three months of the year. Between Halloween candy, Thanksgiving deliciousness and then the non-stop display of Christmas cookies, candies, cakes and pies.
But all hope is not lost thankfully! There are some tips that you can follow to keep off the pounds during this treat filled month! Here are 7 tips for keeping the weight off during December:
- Drink lots of water. Seriously. This is a great tip for year round, but when there is so much temptation around you, don’t forget to stay hydrated and not let your belly get empty.
- Just say no. Okay, this one is easier said than done, but saying not to all of the temptation is a good way to prevent weight gain from it.
- Moderation. Everything is good in moderation, right? Sure have a holiday cookie…but keep it there. Just one cookie! You can do it!
- Skip the drinks. Skip all of the sugar and calorie-filled holiday drinks. They are a major culprit behind all of those sneaky calories!
- Be conscious of what you are eating. Yes, you may see a tray filled with holiday desserts, but pay attention to which ones you actually eat. A cookie for example, is going to have fewer calories than a piece of cheesecake, etc.
- Set a goal. Set a goal for the end of the year and keep your eye on that goal. Stay focused on that goal and you will be less likely you sabotage it with high calorie foods.
Eat healthier the rest of the days. If you are going to be at holiday parties several times throughout the month, make sure to focus on creating a healthy lifestyle throughout the rest of the month to help you make up for those splurges.
Top Ways You Can Protect Your Packages This Holiday Season!
A lot of online shopping has happened this last week and everyone knows it, even the people we don’t want to. That means packages are being delivered all over the world with awesome and cool Christmas presents inside and the possibility of them being stolen off your porch has increased. But don’t let that stop you from shopping online, there are ways you can safeguard your items!
If you spend most your days at work, see if you can have your packages delivered to your workplace. Or maybe have a trusted neighbor who’s home more often, available to accept your packages. This is a great option as well if you’re trying to hide packages for Christmas.
One way to protect your packages I believe everyone should know about is the use of Amazon Lockers or Convenience Store. Amazon now has the option for you to pick up your delivery at a Amazon Locker with a unique code. (When selecting shipping address at checkout, you can find out whether the Amazon Locker is available in your area.) You’ll arrive at the locker and enter your code in which you’ll then be able to open it and pull your package out. These are offered at select locations across the country. If that’s not an option in your area use the UPS store.
This next one was our big purchase this year. I do a lot of online shopping (obviously ;)) so I want to know when I have packages on my porch as well as people. Installing a security camera at your front door is a good way to warn off potential thieves from taking your packages. Reality is a thieve could still take your packages even if you install cameras but you’ll then have the evidence you need to convict them.
If you don’t already know you can put your mail and packages on a vacation package hold while you’re gone. This way you don’t have mail and packages sitting out for anyone. Just fill out their simple form and request to have your items held anywhere between 3 days to 30 days.
Now this is cool! It was invented right here in the USA and is a great solution for all your Christmas packages. It’s the Package Guard and you place it on your front porch. It’s a Wi-Fi device that once a package is placed on top of it you’ll be alerted that your item has been delivered to your home. I think this is pretty neat especially since I’m always home but yet never seem to hear them knock or ring the door bell.
This last option may cost you a little charge but could save you in the long run. You can direct your delivery where to go with a couple different convenient apps. The FedEx’s Delivery Manger and UPS My Choice both have fees to use but allow you to reroute parcel to another address and reschedule your package delivery. Don’t forget though many companies will allow you to track your package which is a great alternative if you don’t want to pay the fees.
Shopping online has taken a lot of stress out of the holidays and saved me money as it hope it has for you too. So protect your deliveries as they arrive at your home with these tricks and be sure to share them with your family and friends as well.