Side Businesses for Stay at Home parents
Are you a stay at home parent? Do you want to try and bring in some money to help support the family without having to send your kids to daycare? Although many people assume that you have to drive off every day to your 9-5 in order to help support your family, that is simply not true. There are ways that you can do it!
Direct Sales. Okay, so in all truthfulness, I am not a huge fan of direct sales companies, but I myself am not the salesman type and I think that has a lot to do with it. I have a friends who sell Pampered Chef, Younique and Avon and each of them do very well for themselves, making an extra $500 to $1500 per month to add to their family budget. I have other friends who have lost money doing direct sales, so this is definitely dependent on the work you put in and whether or not it is a good fit for you.
Thrift Store Flipping. Do you like to thrift shop? There is money to be made in buying low and selling high and that includes thrift shop finds. I personally know people who support themselves completely by doing this and frankly, it looks fun to me. Have you ever flipped anything you bought at a thrift store? What was your result?
Freelance Writing. Are you skilled with words? There are several websites that are available for writers to earn money. Check out sites such as Textbroker, Fiverr and others to find writing jobs that will pay you anything from a couple cents per word to $50+ per article.
Virtual Assistant. If you have administrative assistant skills, then a virtual assistant is a great option for you. You can work from your home office, doing assistant work for small business owners or website owners. The duties in a Virtual Assistant position include writing, phone calls, emails, data entry and more. The opportunities are endless and if you have a specific skillset it is easy to find work in that field.
Do you do any work from home? We would love to hear about it.
4 Tips for Starting Your Gift Closet Now
Now that Christmas is over, we can take steps now to make sure that Christmas next year is not a stress on your budget! A gift closet is awesome for Christmas, of course, but it is super handy to have stocked for the birthdays that happen throughout the year!
- Hit up the After-Christmas Sales. After Christmas sales are when we see just about the biggest discounts all year long. While I tend to avoid the stores on the day right after Christmas (who can deal with those lines?), I do try to go shopping at some point the week after the holiday. I love picking up gift sets like fragrances, food and bath sets at 75%-90% off. Some of these have winter and Christmas themes, but not all do. Even the ones that do though, can be opened up and turned into a gift basket for birthday gifts, etc.
- Regifting. Did you open any gifts on Christmas that you won’t be using? Why not regift them? Okay, I know some people don’t like to regift, but the fact remains that sometimes we get gifts that don’t necessarily work for us. Why not use these to give to someone else who will love them? For example, I opened up a cookware set yesterday, which is a great gift, but I had just purchased myself a new set a couple weeks ago and I have no need for it, but I know others who do, so I don’t feel bad about sharing my gift with them.
- Coupons. Print out coupons, add them to your mobile accounts or clip them out of the newspaper. Be sure to combine them with all of the Christmas clearance that we talked about in #1 and you can save big!
- Our Site! Seriously, make sure you visit this website often because we are always posting great deals that are great for building your gift closet on a budget that you can be happy with. We post coupons, clearance deals and stock up prices on a daily basis.
Do you have a gift closet that you give gifts from? What are your best gift closet tips?
Super Easy Cake Mix Cookies- Perfect for Santa’s Christmas Eve Cookies
I love making cookies, especially at this time of year. I turn on a little Christmas music and get baking. I had to share with you one of my most favorite cookie recipes. These cake mix cookies are AWESOME. What makes them awesome? They are fool proof. Seriously. It requires little ingredients, not a lot of time, and they turn out great! You can also make them with a variety of cake mixes and add in different candies, chips and sprinkles. YUM! Kids can even help with this recipe. I like to have them help me with these cookies for Christmas Eve. Then we leave a few out for Santa. I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does.
Ingredients:
1 Package Dry Cake Mix of your choice
1/3 Cup Oil
2 Eggs
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well with a fork or spoon. Roll balls into 1-1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Don’t over bake. Once they start to crack on top they are done!
**You can mix and match cake mixes and add ins. Try making a Devils Food Cake Mix with Mint Chocolate Chips. Or, get a Cake Batter Cake mix and add in sprinkles. You can also get a Chocolate Cake mix and add in crushed peanut butter cups. There are so many different ways to make these and they are always yummy!
Christmas Eve Traditions Your Family Will Love!
Christmas Eve is quickly approaching and although most of you might have your family traditions already set maybe you can add one of these fun ideas to the list this year!
- Open one present from under the tree – this has been our family tradition ever since I was little. Now my kids do it but they usually just get to open their pj’s
- Set up a scavenger hunt – this could be fun but would take a little work on your part. But lead them to their present they get to open that night or maybe a fun treat.
- Fill a Sack for Santa to give back – I love this idea and since researching the topic by asking friends and family, we’re added this one to our list! I have a big blue bag set out that they’ve been filling up with their toys and attached is this letter – “I’ve filled this sack with my toys for you to recycle for girls and boys. Glad to know your north pole crew will make the toys back to new.”
- Sprinkle Reindeer food outside for the reindeer – my little’s did this one last year and was so fun. We filled a bag with glitter, oats, sprinkles and a few other goodies for the reindeer to find.
- Track where Santa is at – there are a few apps out there in which you can track Santa on. Like the Santa Call & Tracker – North Pole Command Center, this app cost $3.99 but could be fun for the kids.
- Write a letter to your kids – now you could do this after the kids to go bed and slip it under their pillow for when they wake up or save it for them to read them when they’re older. Try to highlight things you’ve done this year or ways you’ve seen them grow and characteristics you admire in them.
- Make some hot chocolate and watch the Polar Express in your jammies – this was another tradition we would do growing up although the movie wasn’t out then so we’d read it by the fireplace. My we watch them movie and cuddle on the couch.
- Go Christmas Caroling – bring back the fun tradition of Christmas caroling by going around the neighborhood. See if you can get any families to join in.
- Family Christmas Talent Show – share your talents with the family! You can even get creative and come up with a fun family skit.
- Act Out the Nativity – we have many friends that have this tradition and I think it’s such a great idea. You could even do this with all the grandkids. Just use some of your sheets as robes and grab a baby doll for baby Jesus.
- Drive Around looking at the Lights and for Rudolph’s Nose – who doesn’t love driving around looking at all the Christmas lights? This is something my husband’s family would do every year after visiting grandma.
I hope everyone enjoys this time surrounded by those you love creating lasting memories. 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!
5 Reasons Why You Should be Waking Up Early
If you are looking for ways to boost your energy and pep up your days, maybe you should start with your mornings! How so you ask? Well, let’s start by discussing the ways in which waking up early can benefit you:
- It allows time for yourself before the family wakes up and chaos ensues. Most of us don’t really get time to ourselves so any amount that we do is important. I like to make my coffee first thing and just sit in the quiet for a while.
- Productivity can be at an all-time high and you no one else is awake. If you have small children you know how difficult it is to accomplish even the simplest household tasks when they are running around you. So why not get those chores done before they are up? Not only do you accomplish more, but you could spend more time with them later.
- Early morning is the ideal time to check and send emails and messages. I trying to catch up on your email and other messages is virtually impossible when you are busy answering phones or dealing with the day-to-day busyness of life. It’s great to carve out 15 minutes or half an hour each morning to do this tedious task and then you start your day fresh not having to stress about important messages being ignored.
- You actually have time for breakfast. You’ve heard it said before, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s true. Eating a healthy breakfast prepares your body for a successful day ahead. You will be more energized, focused and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.
- You have more time to exercise. Many of us have big goals of fitting exercise into our day but many of us also have the excuse of not enough time. Setting your alarm for just half an hour earlier will get you the time that you thought you didn’t have. Consistent exercise is known to be wonderful for your health, is energizing and is helpful in relieving stress.
Are you an early riser? What benefits have you found that come with waking up with the Sun?
Easy Tips to Make More Time for Your Familly
Do you find yourself busy all the time? Are you running in circles trying to stay on top of work schedules, school schedules and sports schedules? Are you dreaming of spending more time with your family?
There are some easy ways that you can get more time out of your day without causing any major chaos to your life. Want to learn them?
Here are some easy tips to make more time for your family:
Divide household tasks – “Many hands make light work.” I’m sure you have heard that classic saying. There’s a reason why that classic quote is so popular. It is true. When everyone in the house pitches in on household work, it gets done much quicker. When the work gets done quicker that leaves more time open for family time.
Meal planning – we have preached many times over of the benefits to meal planning. Time savings is one awesome benefit to meal planning. I don’t know about your family but if my family doesn’t plan out dinner, a lot of time is wasted simply figuring out what we should have.
Use a slow cooker. Seriously. I’m not kidding about this one. A slow cooker is perhaps my favorite kitchen appliance (other than my coffee pot of course), because I typically spend less than 10 minutes in the mornings getting ingredients together and putting them into the slow cooker and when we get home at night dinner is done. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Set an early wake up time – if you find yourself trying to check messages and sending emails during the times of the day that your kids are up and trying to talk to you, consider setting your alarm clock a half hour earlier. You may be surprised by how much you can accomplish when you are awake before everyone else. I wake up at 4 every morning and by the time my family wakes up 2 hours later, I have typically gotten my to-do list almost done. I’m not suggesting that you wake up that early, but give it a shot. You will definitely have more time to spend with your family when you aren’t staring at your phone or computer.
What tricks have you found that help you carve out more time for your family?
$50 Starbucks Gift Card and $50 Amazon.com Gift Card in a Greeting Card + $10 Amazon Promo
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How to Make Body Scrub for Cheap- Help Your Dry, Cracked Skin Become Smooth! Fun Gift Idea Too!
Do you every notice your skin becoming dry and cracked during these cold winter months? I love using body and foot scrub to help smooth and moisturize my skin. But it can become expensive when you keep buying them from the store. I discovered that it’s super simple to make your own body scrub and it’s cheap! You could even put a bow on these and make them into super cute presents for friends and neighbors. A lot of the items you may already have in your home. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients:
2 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Baby Oil
1/4 Cup Favorite Liquid Soap (I used Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap)
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Mix well until well combined. That’s it! Then you can put as much as you want into smaller containers and give them away.
Gift Wrapping Hacks and Ways to Save Time & Money!
If you’re like me you love wrapping up your gifts until after you’ve done a few, then you’re thinking “how many more do I have to go”. Well there are some awesome tips and tricks out there and I’ve compiled some of my favorites! There are different ways of wrapping and different things you can use to wrap your gifts up with that you might not have thought of!
- Wrap your gifts on a diagonal to get it done quickly! This video will show you just how to do that! If I could wrap all my gifts this fast, I could really save some time.
- This might sound weird but have you thought about using a chip bag to wrap your gifts in? Just empty out the chips or save your bags once they’re gone. Then wipe and rinse them out before your wrap your gift. You can cut them open and turn them inside out for a pretty shiney look!
- Recycle your paper grocery bags as wrapping paper. This is perfect for a rustic look and you’re recycling as well.
- There were sometimes we would use old newspaper. I loved to use the comic section but really any of them would work.
- Wrap your gifts in fabric! I love this idea because I have tons on hand! We also have some friends that make bags out of Christmas fabric and then just use them over year after year – I thought that was a great idea! Can you imagine how much time you could cut out of not having to wrap each gift? And all those odd shaped gifts – no more figuring out how to wrap them.
- Sheet music! Have a bunch of music you’d like to get rid of? Use it to wrap your gifts in! This would be beautiful in a piano room to have all your gifts in sheet music.
- Make a small gift box out of toilet or paper towel roll! This is great for gift cards or handing out candy to your children’s friends. There’s really so many things you can put inside these rolls.
- Make your own bows out of newspaper or old magazines! Although this might take some time they add a great touch to your gifts and I bet you could get your kids to help out in making them. You can find the directions on how to do this here.
- Recycle your old ribbon by getting the kinks out with a flat iron! Don’t throw that stuff away, you can easily store all your Christmas ribbon in your Christmas boxes and use it again and again.
- Maybe you’ve seen this before but you can create your own bags out of wrapping bag. You can watch this YouTube video to see just how to do it. It’s pretty simple and great for the odd shaped gifts.
I’ve also had wrapping parties! I get some of my friends together with a few gifts and that way we can chat and enjoy each others company while getting our wrapping done! Anything you do to enjoy wrapping gifts? Have any tricks of your own? We’d love to hear about them all!
Keeping Busy on Snow Days
With the winter about to hit in full force, many parents are left to wonder how to keep their kids busy on snow days. Let’s face it, when your kids are inside long enough they’re either going to start fighting or they’re going to start whining. Keeping them busy usually helps to prevent either of those things from happening.
Here are a couple of ideas to help you keep your kids busy and happy during snow days:
Have them play in the snow of course
There’s no better way to spend a snow day then in the snow. Bundle them up but hats and gloves on and send them out for an epic snowball fight, pretty snow angels, or to builds a fun Snowman. Just make sure they don’t stay out there too long!
Game Day
Break out your collection of board games and keep them busy playing! We play more games during the winter than during the rest of the year combined.
Arts and Crafts
Getting your kids creative is a fun way to keep their minds working while they are home from school. You can find great deals on kids crafts at stores such as Michaels and Joann. They can paint, draw, color, make paper snowflakes and so much more.
Bake Some Goodies
Snow days are the best days for baking for several reasons; it’s cold outside and firing up your oven helps heat the house, it is another activity that helps keep their mind working and let’s face it…Yummm! Who doesn’t like baked goodies??
Serve up some hot cocoa
Hot cocoa is a must during those cold snowy days. Spend a little bit of time making homemade hot chocolate (save the packets for those times when you are in a rush).
Watch Movies
Put together a list of movies, grab a blanket and a pillow and snuggle up on the sofa. Start with the first movie on your list and start a marathon. Watching movies and staying warm is a great way to spend a cold Winter’s day. Sometimes lazy days like this are just what we need.
So how about you? How do you like to spend your snow days? Is there anything else that you would add to this list?
How to Decorate on a Budget
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Do you like to redecorate with the seasons? Or are you thinking that you want to change things up for the new year? Is your tight budget keeping you from making any changes?
Not to worry! As it turns out, you can easily redecorate on a tight budget. All you need to do is follow these tips and you can brighten your home without emptying your wallet.
Don’t Discount Clearance
Seriously, I preach this often but CLEARANCE, CLEARANCE CLEARANCE! Check out the discount section of your home improvement store and check out the paint mistints and clearance fixtures to find awesome deals. You will often find high quality paint marked down up to 75%. And occasionally will find fixtures for pennies on the dollar.
Home improvement stores also sell furniture and appliances at incredibly discounted rates in the scratch and dent section. My father in law recently bought a $1200 refrigerator for $350 because it had a small dent in the back of it. The back where it will be pushed against the wall and no one will see it! I’d say that was well worth it.
Shop Amazon
Amazon is a great place to find linens, bedsets and curtains for cheap. You can almost always find a PAIR of sheer curtains for around $5 (compared to $15+ in store). Additionally, you can find really great deals on prints and paintings. Plus, you can usually find cute wall decals for just a few dollars.
Be sure to also look around and check out the super cute furniture that Amazon sells. Most of it ships free!!
Thrift Stores and Yard Sales
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen beautiful artwork at yard sales. Maybe the owner grew tired of it or maybe it simply didn’t fit with their decor or colors, whatever the reason has nothing to do with you and you can capitalize on that! Negotiate your best price to score a cheap decorating piece to brighten your home.
Same goes for thrift stores! Especially stores like Goodwill where you can buy overstock from major retailers (my Goodwill has new Target merchandise come through weekly). Thrift stores are also prime shopping ground for antiques, if that is your preferred decorating style.
How you can make Amazon Your Job
I am all about finding new ways to earn money in 2017! I know we have talked about it before, but did you know that you can make money on Amazon? I thought I would draw up a little list here for you to show you can you can make Amazon your job.
Become an Amazon Affiliate
Do you have a blog or other type of website? Did you know that you can become an Amazon affiliate and use links to Amazon products to earn a “commission”? Amazon gives you a unique URL within your link that is tracked when someone clicks on it. If the purchase is made, you will earn money. Depending on the product that is sold, you can earn up to 10% on the sale. This usually is more successful if you focus the items that you link with your blog focus. For example, if you write about fitness, you would likely link to fitness gear.
Become a 3rd Party Seller
You know how sometimes when you are shopping on Amazon, you see offers from 3rd party sellers? You can become one of those 3rd party sellers. It’s as easy as signing up to be an Amazon seller and post new items for sale (many people start by purchasing clearanced items and reselling them).
This is essentially having an online storefront without the hassle of maintaining a website. There is the possibility of making a lot of money in this realm. It is imperative though that you do your research on an item before you purchase and sell.
Publish a Kindle Book
Do you consider yourself a professional in any field? Chances are, someone wants to learn that same field. How about you write an ebook explaining your knowledge? You can write the book, format it and publish it for free. Amazon will take a portion of the proceeds, but this is a great way to make a residual income.
These are just some of the ways that you can earn money on Amazon, but they are not the only ways. Have you ever tried any of these? What is your favorite way to earn money online?
Ultimate List of Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family!
We only have a few more weeks until Christmas, can you believe it? You may have a good headway on your present list, but what about your stocking stuffers? You may not have a lot of extra money to throw around when you get to stockings. Stockings can get a little tricky, but never fear… here is a nice list of ideas that you can grab for each person in your family. Most are super cheap as well.
A good place to find most of these items is your local dollar store. If you want to shop from home for these items you can always use Amazon, Target and Walmart. These stores have competitive prices and you can get them shipped right to your home!
Stocking Stuffers for Dad
- Deck of Cards
- Hand Warmers/Feet Warmers
- Gum/Tic Tacs
- Deodorant/Body Spray
- Sunglasses
- Drill Bits
- Mini Flash Lights
- Gift Cards- Home Depot, Movie Theaters
- Socks
- Tie/Bow Tie
- Tie Clip
- Texting gloves
- Hair Gel
- Razor & Shaving Cream
- Pocket Knife
Stocking Stuffers for Mom
- Hand Lotion
- Lip Balm/Lipstick
- Gift Cards- Spa, Restaurants
- Nail Polish
- Favorite Candy/Chocolate
- Nylons/Tights
- Jewelry- Earrings, Necklace, Bracelet or Rings
- Tide Stain Sticks
- Makeup
- Texting Gloves
- Beanie
- Perfume
- Dry Shampoo or Hair spray (Trial Size to fit)
- Scarf
- Makeup Remover Wipes
Stocking Stuffers for Teen Boys
- Mini Cereal Box
- iTunes Gift Card
- Body Spray/Deodorant
- Hair Gel
- Key Chain
- $1.00 bills
- Tie/Bow Tie
- Pencils/Pens
- Texting Gloves
- Beanie/Hat
- Favorite Soda
- Card Games
- Favorite Candy
- Car Air Freshener
- Phone Case
Stocking Stuffers for Teen Girls
- Chapstick
- Texting Gloves
- Hair Spray/ Hair Gel
- Jewelry- Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets or Rings
- Cute Socks
- iTunes Gift Card
- Mini Cereal Box
- Perfume
- Magnets for lockers
- Glitter Pens
- Beanies/Hats
- $1.00 Bills
- Key Chains
- Favorite Candy
- Favorite Soda
Stocking Stuffers for Boys
- LED Glow Sticks
- Favorite Candy
- Hot wheels Cars
- Slinky
- Life Saver Story Books
- Tie/Bow Tie
- Electric Toothbrush
- Tsum Tsum
- Homemade Gift Cards- (“Stay up Late”, “No Chore Day”, “Out to Lunch”)
- Bath Color drops
- Bubbles
- Crayons
- Favorite Soda
- Character Gloves
- Mini Cereal Box
Stocking Stuffers for Girls
- Life Saver Story Books
- Electric Toothbrush
- Tsum Tsum
- Homemade Gift Cards- (“Stay up Late”, “No Chore Day”, “Out to Lunch”)
- Character Gloves
- Favorite Soda
- Glitter Pens
- Chapstick
- Stickers
- Small purse
- Favorite Candy
- Hair Bows/Headbands
- Tights/Leggings
- Crayons
- Bubbles
Stocking Stuffers for Babies/Toddlers
- Tsum Tsum
- Bubbles
- Teething Toys
- Gerber Puffs
- Baby Food
- Mini Books
- Hair bows
- Soft mini blanket
- Bibs or Burp clothes
- Rattles/Small toys
- Hats & Gloves
- Shoes
- Fun Socks
- Plush Toys
- Finger Puppets
Stocking Stuffers for Dogs or Cats
- Chew Toys
- Leash/Collar
- Teasers for cats
- Treats
- Holiday bows
- Tennis Balls
- Sweaters
- Stuffed Animals
- Dog shoes
- Grooming Supplies
I hope this list will help you out and give you a few ideas of what you can add to your stockings. Do you have any other favorites? Comment and let us know!
Awesome & Frugal Neighbor Gift Ideas To Give Out This Christmas!
Neighbor gifts are hard – you don’t want to spend to much but you want it something practical they’ll like. But who needs more cookies? And we all know costs can add up fast! Here’s a list of 15 awesome (at least I think so) neighbor gifts you could give out this year that aren’t going to hurt your pocket book later on!
- DIY Clementine Wreths
- “Twizz” The Season to be Jolly
- Wrapping Paper and Tape with Cute Card
- “Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas From the Ding Dongs Next Door!”
- Santa-Tizer Gift
- “There Ain’t Muffin Like Good Friends”
7. Tic Tac Christmas Labels
8. Paper towel Gift with printable (did this last year – they loved it!)
9. Have a “Holly Jolly” Christmas
10. Joy Soap Gift
11. Soda-Lighted You’re My Neighbor
12. Merry Christmas to a “Grate” Neighbor
13. “Don’t let your dishes pile up this busy holiday season! Let our family “do the dishes” this week
14. Redbox Neighbor gift idea with popcorn 15. Bread and jam
What do you guys do for neighbor gifts? Or do you just scratch them and throw a neighborhood party? Have you through about donating that money to someone in need – maybe even within the neighborhood? I want to hear it all in the comments below!
Tips to Help You Throw an Inexpensive New Year’s Eve Party
Are you planning on throwing a New Year’s party? Does it look like your budget may not be what you want to be? That’s okay. As it turns out you can throw an excellent New Year’s Eve party on a budget without sacrificing any fun!
Here are a couple of tips to help you throw an inexpensive New Year’s Eve party:
Forgo formal invitations. Let’s face it, we live in the information age. Everybody checks their phone or their computer multiple times per day and sometimes more often than that. Send fun evites or a group text message invitation to everyone you want to invite to your party.
Don’t decorate. There really is no decoration required for a typical New Year’s Eve party. You definitely want to bring fun hats and noisemakers but spending extra money on decor that’ll only be used once makes no sense, especially when you are on a budget.
Avoid dinner parties. New Years parties are often held later at night (isn’t that the point?), so there is no reason to host a dinner party. Plan to provide drinks and snacks and that’s it. Depending on the crowd, you can also add a BYOB option to the invitation, which will cut down on your alcohol expenses.
Shop at the dollar store. Unless you want to be doing dishes for hours afterwards, you will need to pick up disposable cups, silverware and napkins, etc. Be sure to shop for these things at your local dollar store to cut back on costs. While you are there, grab those noisemakers and party hats that we were talking about.
Wait to open the bubbly. If you are planning on serving champagne (even the cheap stuff), wait until just before the ball drops to break it open. Until then serve the less expensive drinks so that you only need to buy a couple of bottles (depending on how many people show up).
Use coupons! Make sure you visit our site often to print out great coupons that will make your party shopping list more bearable on your budget. Also be sure and use rebate apps too!
What are your go-to party plans for keeping your costs down?