4 Reasons You Should Sign Up for Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes are all the rage these days. From food, to clothes, to beauty supplies and even survival gear, there is a subscription box service for just about anything. If you have been considering signing up for one, there are definitely some benefits.
Here are 4 reasons you should sign up for subscription boxes:
- Discover new products at a lower price. The monthly cost of subscription boxes are typically relatively low. When a new product or food comes to your door each month, you don’t know whether or not you will like it, so it’s always a risk. If you don’t like it, you will know that you didn’t spend a fortune to learn that lesson.
- They are convenient. One of the best things about subscription boxes is their level of convenience. I mean, you don’t even have to order them monthly, they just magically show up on your doorstep. (Okay, I know it’s not actual magic, but seriously, after your initial order, there is virtually no work involved in receiving your box).
- You can spoil yourself on a monthly budget. When you have a subscription box service come to you monthly, it is almost like you are spoiling yourself each and every month. If you are subscribing to a service such as Ipsy, etc, you know that you are only paying out $10 a month. An amount that small will seem like a totally reasonable amount to spend on yourself monthly, whereas going out and buying yourself new makeup each and every month is going to be far more expensive than that.
- The make great gifts. Subscription boxes make an excellent gift for friends and loved ones. It’s a fresh new take on the “Jelly of the Month Club” (any Christmas Vacation fans out there?). Gifting someone with a subscription service is a great way to let someone know that you are thinking of them all year long.
Do you have any subscription boxes? What are your favorite things about them?
HOT!! *Possible* Restock of Hatchimals and Nintendo Classic Game on 12/4! In Stores Only!
Ok guys! I know a lot of you have been trying to get a Nintendo Classic Game and/or a Hatchimals toy….but these HOT items usually sell out super fast! 
Well, rumor has it that Toys R Us stores will be restocking BOTH of these items tomorrow, December 4th! This may not be the case in every store, but there’s a good chance many stores will have a new supply of these HOT items available! It looks like there will be a limit of 1 item per customer as well, so keep that in mind if you’re needing more than one of each. Consider recruiting a shopping buddy! 
I personally contacted several stores around me and they DID confirm that they would have BOTH of these items restocked! I know it’s late and most stores are closed by now, so if this is something that you’re still trying to get, I HIGHLY recommend you go to your local Toys R Us store when it opens at 8am! Or at least give them a call to confirm! This may be one of the last times you’ll be able to get your hands on one of these 
HOT items before Christmas! 
4 Ways to Work Out for Free
How are your feeling about your current fitness situation? Have you noticed that you gained that holiday weight that everyone complains about? In case you haven’t noticed, Christmas and New Year are rapidly approaching. Before you know it you are going to be thinking less about baking treats and more about working those treats off! You might want to start thinking about how you are going to do that. Whether you set your goals now or wait until starting those New Year’s Resolutions, the time is near!
Before you go dropping big money on a gym membership though, make sure you remember that getting fit doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money.
Here are 4 ways that you can work out for free:
Hit the Road – Seriously. Lace up your athletic shoes and hit the road for a walk, jog, bike ride or run. There are several benefits to this. One of course being that it is free. It also feels great to work on in the cool crisp, fresh air, especially during the cooler months.
Workout videos – Even if you don’t own any workout videos, you can stream them online on Youtube and sometimes Amazon and Netflix have them. Stick the video on in the living room and get busy sweating.
Stair Climbing – Do you have a set of stairs in your house? If not, do you have an outdoor set somewhere nearby? Run up and down these stairs for several sets. This works on your conditioning as well as muscle tone on your legs and butt. Stairs are a great piece of workout equipment all in their own.
Body Weight Strength Training / Calisthenics – Some of the best exercises that you can do can be done by simply going back to basics. Pushups, situps, squats and lunges are all among the best strength training workouts that you can get and you can do them absolutely anywhere. The same is true for calisthenics such as jumping jacks, burpees, etc.
Do you already have workout plans for the new year? What are you planning on doing to become the new, fit you?
Family Christmas Activities To Do This December!
Looking for some fun holiday Christmas activities or things you can do to get you in the Christmas spirit? Here’s a list of family friendly activities to do together. Some are free and some may cost you a little money but any of these are sure to bring lots of memories this Christmas season.
- Have a Color Contest – there are so many free printables online for you to use. Just do a quick search on google and a bunch will come up.
- Make Hot Chocolate over the stove – create some fun and let the kids help make some hot chocolate over the stove one night.
- Game Night – I have lots of memories of family game night! It’s something i hope to create with my kids.
- Random Acts of Kindness – this can really bring out the Christmas spirit by serving others.
- Decorate Christmas Cards – A passion of mine (other than finding deals) is card making/crafts and my girls love to participate. So creating cards together is a great way for us to spend time together and bring in the Christmas spirit.
- Go Ice Skating – we did this last year and the kids keep asking when can we go again, definitely a hit! (And we found a good deal using Groupon & Living Social)
- Read a Christmas Book – I love finding new Christmas books at the library and it’s all free.
- Sing Christmas Carols – you don’t have to go house to house but why not just sing right in your home!
- Research Christmas in another country – I’m pretty interested in this one and think we might have to give it a try this year.
- Take Pictures of Snowman – we’re always pointing out the snowman so why not take a few pictures of them all!
- Try a Pinterest Craft – oh pinterest, you always have a ton of awesome ideas and there’s no short on Christmas crafts you can do with the kids or get some friends together to create something fun.
- Bake Cookies to take to the local police station – this one is dear to my heart and I know they’d really appreciate it.
- Make a new sew fleece blanket – yes, a nice new warm blanket sounds wonderful!
- Eat Candy Canes – you could mix it up and get different favors and try guessing what each one is.
- Build a Fort – this is always happening at our house, thank goodness for grandmas that quilt, we have a lot of blankets.
- Watch Family Videos – It’s so fun going back through old videos and watching them together. It reminds me I need to pull out the recorder (or i guess phones now) and record more of my own kids so they can do the same when they get older.
- Try a new recipe – my first pick is going to have to be the desserts
- Create a Homemade gift – grandparents love homemade gifts and kids love to make them for them!
- Attend a play – the nutcracker is always a great one but there’s tons of other plays going on as well you could go watch.
- Watch a version of a Christmas Carol – always a Christmas classic (check your library if you don’t have this one in your own collection)
- Drive around town and look at Christmas lights – yep I’m sure we’re not alone in doing this – we make it a tradition to head out on Christmas eve!
- Build a Snowman – fresh snow is such a great time to get out and build a snowman! Don’t forget the carrot nose.
- Go sledding – Find a new favorite sledding hill!
- Build a Gingerbread house – we started this tradition a few years ago and it’s carried through, I love watching the creativity of what the kids will do with the different candies.
I want to hear about your family traditions? Do you guys go somewhere or do something every year around this time?
25 Fun & Simple Activities to Add to Your Christmas Advent Calendar
Do you have a Christmas Advent Calendar? We do, and my kids absolutely love it. As soon as they wake up, they head straight to the calendar to see what’s inside. Each day holds a piece of paper with either a service idea or an activity that we will do on that day. It’s a fun way to get the kids in the Christmas spirit. If you don’t have an Advent Calendar, no worries! Just grab a Santa hat or stocking and write up these 25 different activities. Then each morning have the kids take turns and draw one out. Here are 25 ideas that are super simple, yet fun. Hopefully these will help you out!
- Read a Christmas book and snuggle.
- Make Christmas cards for grandparents and send it in the mail (Even if they live close by!).
- Learn a new Christmas carol and sing it to a neighbor.
- Make hot chocolate and sit next to the Christmas tree. Share your favorite Christmas memories.
- Make and decorate gingerbread houses.
- Find a local Assisted Living Center near you and visit older folks. You can even prepare songs to sing or bring a small gift.
- Get in your pajamas and go for a Christmas Lights Drive.
- Write a letter to Santa (You may even have a place where they take Santa’s letters near you- if so, drop them off).
- Christmas craft day (homemade ornaments, finger paint snowmen, paint a star- add glitter).
- Invite friends, find a new hill and go sledding/tubing.
- Attend a local Sing Along event.
- Earn money by doing chores or service and go on a Salvation Army hunt. Go find a Salvation Army bell ringer at your local stores and drop your money inside.
- Make paper snowflakes then hang them around your home.
- Make popcorn and watch your favorite Christmas movie.
- Draw names and write a kind note to that person. Put them in the stockings for Christmas morning.
- Invite a few families over and have a snowball fight (You can make forts and get into teams as well).
- Make a Christmas countdown paper chain.
- Host a Cookie Swap- Invite friends who each bring a dozen cookies and the recipe. Then swap cookies so you have some of each.
- Make a playlist with your favorite Christmas songs, wear Santa hats or ugly sweaters and have a dance party.
- Give to a charity- Angel Tree or other organizations you may have near by.
- Shop for a new Christmas ornament that represents your year.
- Take a family picture with ugly holiday sweaters and hats.
- Call or Skype with family members that live far away and sing Christmas carols to them.
- Be a Secret Elf- find a way to serve each member in your family without getting caught.
- Read the story of Christmas – Luke 2: 1-20.
Do you have any other fun activities for Advent Calendars? Please comment below. I would love to add them to my Calendar this year!
Get Holiday Ready with These House Cleaning Tips
Are you having holiday guests coming to stay? Are you planning to have a holiday party? Are you ready? As in, is your house ready for the onslaught of guests and action? It’s time to dust off your furniture and shine up those windows folks! No one wants to invite guests into a dirty house!
Make a List
First and foremost start with a list. If you are anything like me, you have quite a few things to do around the house, so starting with a list is imperative. To write out the list is only part of the job though, you actually need to follow the list while cleaning. Following the list will make it much easier to prevent getting sidetracked.
Also, be sure to write out the list of things that you need to do in order of importance. For example, you know you are going to need clean bathrooms, so put that on one of the first lines. You may want to wipe down your pantry shelves, but that’s not really on the important list, so that one can be put toward the end of the list.
Recruit
Now that you have a list of things to do, recruit your family to jump in and help. You didn’t make the mess yourself, you don’t need to clean it all yourself. This may seem like a grumpy rule, but it works for bringing your stress levels down.
The Trash is Your Friend
Seriously, if you are preparing for a holiday party or house guests, holding onto stuff is not the right move. If you have been clinging onto those old newspapers or magazines or maybe that ripped up towel that you can bring yourself to toss, now is the time. This step alone will bring you a lot of peace.
Grab Some Cleaning Wipes
Cleaning wipes are your friend when it comes to quick housekeeping. I highly suggest buying a large canister of cleaning wipes to keep on hand. Once you get your house cleaned, make sure to quickly clean up any spills or messes. Make sure that the rest of your family knows that this is the new rule.
Earn Amazon Gift Cards with These Tricks
Are you looking for ways to stretch your Christmas budget? I always love finding fun ways to earn Amazon gift cards to use on my Christmas shopping. I do 75% of my Christmas shopping on Amazon anyway, so if I can easily earn the money to spend there, why not do that instead of spending money out of your bank account?
Have you ever found any great ways to earn? I have used several different avenues before to earn Amazon gift cards, but the two ways that I am going to talk about here are, in my opinion, the easiest:
Swagbucks
Swagbucks offers you points for doing different activities. From taking surveys, to watching videos, to searching the web to referring friends. I guess what I am saying is that there are many ways to earn points and these points, in turn, can be exchanged for gift cards. I personally always choose to go with Amazon gift cards for two reasons. First of all, Amazon is awesome and I’m always spending money there anyway. Second, the exchange rate is much better on the Amazon gift card than it is on other gift cards.
Seriously, you can watch videos and earn money toward gift cards. Who doesn’t want to do that?
Trade In
If you are anything like me, you have way too much stuff laying around your house. Did you know that some of that stuff can be turned into Amazon gift cards? Yep, it’s true. Here are the different things that you can trade in to Amazon:
Books – Books and textbooks especially can be traded in.
Mobile Phones – You can type in the information regarding your cell phone to get a value, which can be converted into Amazon gift cards.
Tablets or Laptops – Similar to cell phones, you simply need to input your electronics information into the Amazon search feature and find out what your gadget is worth
DVDs / Video Games – Amazon sells pre-owned DVDs and video games therefore they accept them in trade.
In all of the above cases, once your item is received and verified to be in good condition, your gift card will be applied to your Amazon account.
Have you ever earned Amazon gift cards before? What is your favorite way?
Freeform: 25 Days of FREE Christmas Movies Starts December 1st! Here is the Complete List
One of my absolute favorite things to do around Christmas time is get in my comfy pajamas, snuggle up with a soft blanket, and watch a Christmas movie with my family….and lets not forget the hot chocolate. To make that night even better would be getting a FREE Christmas movie that we can all watch. Well, we are all in luck. Freeform (formally ABC Family) is starting their 25 Days of Christmas movies on December 1st. This runs through Christmas day and is packed of fun movies the whole family will enjoy. You can also download the Freeform app right here for free. Enjoy this full list:
December 1:
3:30 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
6:00 The Year Without a Santa Clause
7:05 National Lampoon’s Vacation
9:15 The Santa Claus
11:20 The Nightmare Before Christmas
December 2:
12:55am Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
11am Jack Frost
12pm Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
2:30pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
3:35pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
5:10pm Disney’s A Christmas Carol
7:15pm The Santa Clause
9:20pm The Polar Express
11:25pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
December 3:
7am Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
10am Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
12pm Disney’s A Christmas Carol
2:05pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4:40pm The Polar Express
6:45pm Arthur Christmas
8:50pm Elf
10:55pm The Holiday
December 4:
7am ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
7:30am Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
8am Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
10:05am Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July
12:10pm I’ll Be Home for Christmas
2:20pm Arthur Christmas
4:30pm Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
5:35pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
6:40pm Elf
8:45pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
10:55pm Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
December 5:
4pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
5pm Jingle All the Way
7pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
9pm Scrooged
December 6:
12am Snowglobe
5pm Scrooged
7pm The Polar Express
9pm The Santa Clause
December 7:
5pm The Polar Express
7pm The Santa Clause
Elf 9pm
December 8:
12am 12 Dates of Christmas
3pm Holiday Joy
5pm Deck the Halls
7pm Elf
9am Disney’s A Christmas Carol
December 9:
12am Holiday in Handcuffs
11am Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
11:30am Holiday Joy
1:30pm Home Alone 3
3:35pm Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
5:40pm The Search for Santa Paws
7:45pm Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
9:50pm Snow Buddies
11:55pm Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July
December 10:
7 am Mickey’s Christmas Carol
7:30 am Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
9:30 am The Search for Santa Paws
11:35 am Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
1:40 pm Snow Buddies
3:45 pm Toy Story
5:45 pm Toy Story 2
7:50 pm Toy Story 3
10:20 pm Toy Story That Time Forgot
10:50 pm Arthur Christmas
12:55 am The Year Without a Santa Claus
December 11:
7am The Little Drummer Boy
7:30 am Home Alone: The Holiday Heist
9:35 am A Dennis the Menace Christmas
11:40 am The Year Without a Santa Claus
12:45 pm Arthur Christmas
2:50 pm Toy Story
4:50 pm Toy Story 2
6:55 pm Toy Story 3
9:25 pm Toy Story That Time Forgot
9:55 pm Polar Express
December 12:
5:30 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
7 pm The Polar Express
9 pm Elf
12 am Christmas Cupid
December 13
3 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
4:30 pm Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
7 pm Elf
9 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
12 am Three Day
December 14
3 pm Home Alone 3
5 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
7 pm Arthur Christmas
9 pm The Santa Clause
12 am Santa Baby
December 15:
7:30 am Holiday Joy
11 am Snow Buddies
1 pm Home Alone 3
3 pm A Dennis the Menace Christmas
5 pm Arthur Christmas
7 pm The Santa Clause
9 pm The Search for Santa Paws
12 am Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe
December 16:
7 am A Dennis the Menace Christmas
9:10 am Jack Frost
11:15 am The Search for Santa Paws
1:20 pm Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
3:25 pm Home Alone: The Holiday Heist
5:30 pm Jingle All The Way
7:35 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
9:45 pm The Polar Express
11:55 pm Disney’s A Christmas Carol
December 17:
7 am Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
8 am Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
8:30 am Jingle All The Way
10:30 am Happy Feet
1 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
2:35 pm The Polar Express
4:40 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
6:50 pm Santa Clause
9 pm Frozen
11:30 pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
December 18:
7 am Happy Feet
9:30 am Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
11:30 am Mickey’s Christmas Carol
12 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
1:35 pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4:10 pm Prep & Landing
4:40 pm Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
5:10 pm The Santa Clause
7:20 pm Frozen
9:50 pm Elf
December 19:
7 am Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
8:30 am A Dennis the Menace Christmas
10:30 am Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
12:35 pm Home Alone 3
2:40 pm The Search for Santa Paws
4:45 pm Santa Paws: The Santa Pups
6:50 pm Elf
8:55 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
12 am Just Friends
December 20:
7 am The Search for Santa Paws
9:10 am Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
11:15 am Home Alone 3
1:25 pm The Holiday
4:30 pm Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
5:35 pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
6:40 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
8:50 pm The Santa Clause
12 am Holidaze
December 21:
7 am Snow Buddies
9 am Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
11:05 am Happy Feet Two
1:10 pm Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
2:10 pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
3:15 pm The Polar Express
5:20 pm Prep & Landing
5:50 pm Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
6:20 pm Toy Story That Time Forgot
6:50 pm The Santa Clause
8:55 pm Elf
12 am The Mistle-Tones
December 22:
7 am Happy Feet
9:30 am Happy Feet Two
11:30 am The Little Drummer Boy
12 pm The Polar Express
2:05 pm Jack Frost
4:10 pm Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
4:40 pm Toy Story That Time Forgot
5:10 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
6:45 pm Elf
8:55 pm Jingle All The Way
12 am Disney’s A Christmas Carol
December 23:
7 am Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
7:30 am Jack Frost
11 am Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
1 pm Jingle All The Way
3 pm Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
4:35 pm Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
5:40 pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
6:45 pm Disney’s A Christmas Carol
8:50 pm The Santa Clause
12 am Home Alone: The Holiday Heist
December 24:
7 am Jack Frost
8:05 am Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
9:40 am Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
11:15 am Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
12:20 pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
1:25 pm Arthur Christmas
3:30 pm The Polar Express
5:35 pm The Santa Clause
7:40 pm Elf
9:45 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
11:55 pm Scrooged
December 25:
7 am The Search for Santa Paws
9:10 am Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
11:20 am Arthur Christmas
1:25 pm The Polar Express
3:30 pm Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
4:35 pm The Year Without a Santa Claus
5:40 pm Elf
7:45 pm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
9:55 pm Scrooged
Everything You Need to Consider When Buying a Tree & Ways To Save On a Real Tree This Year!
I’ve always loved the smell and look of a real tree and we’ve really been contemplating on getting one this year. So I’ve done a little research and come up with some ways you can get the best Christmas tree, save money on one and keep it alive through the Christmas season.
- Decide what type of tree is best for your family! There are lots to choose from but there’s a little about each:
- Balsam Fir -this one is best for the pine tree smell.
- Noble Fir – if you have heavy ornaments you’ll want this tree. It’s limbs are stronger and able to hold more
- Douglas Fir – is a lot lighter and easier to carry
- Fraser Fir – this has upturned branches and tend to keep their needles longer
- Scotch Pine – a pine is bushy and will feel fuller
- Shop for your tree during Black Friday and save more. You’ll usually find them 25% off so grab one today if you can.
- Cut down your own tree. This usually cost around $10 but make sure you have a permit before you start cutting.
- If you don’t mind waiting you’ll usually see fresh Christmas trees marked down the week before Christmas.
- Make sure you check the branches before you purchase your tree! You’ll want to do the fresh test – take a branch between your thumb and first finger and pull toward you. You want very few needles to come up off
Than make sure you’re watering it correctly and have the right climate for the tree you choose!
Do you have any other points to consider when buying a real tree? Do you have a family tradition of going out and picking your tree – I’m thinking it’d be a great one to start!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Best Part time Job for Your Teen
Is your teenager ready to start working? If you think that your teen is old enough and mature enough to start earning money, you might be asking yourself what the best jobs for them are?
Here are 5 Part Time Job Opportunities that You Can Look Into for Your Teen
- Babysitting. Babysitting is a rite of passage for millions of teens. Most of us started our working ways by babysitting the kids of relatives, friends or neighbors. Babysitters can earn anywhere between $3 and $15 per hour depending their age, the number of kids they are watching and their experience. Well mannered, well behaved teens often get more callbacks and I highly recommend becoming CPR certified. Also, be sure to remind your teen to put their phones down while watching kids. They are not being paid to be on social media.
- Animal Shelter helper. Animal loving teenagers should look into working as an animal shelter helper. Animal shelters are always in need of help. Teens in this job will often be there to clean kennels, feed and water the animals as well as spend time with them. If the shelter is not hiring, it doesn’t hurt to volunteer a couple of hours per month in order to get your foot in the door.
- Mowing lawns. Does your teen know how to do yard work? If they need money during the warmer weather months, tell them to go knock on neighbors doors’ to see if they need help mowing. They can also hand out flyers to get business. During the winter months, those same neighbors may need help shoveling snow!
- Grocery Courtesy Clerk. I have often thought that the best job for teens is as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store. Courtesy clerks are the ones that bag groceries, stock product and carry your bags to your car for you. This job is great for teaching work ethic and customer service.
- Tutor. If your teen has a strong suit in any academics, they can look into becoming a tutor. There are elementary and junior high students that often need help and whose parents are more than happy to pay for a tutor for.
What job did you have as a teenager?
How to Live Paycheck to Paycheck and Still Save
Do you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to save up for an emergency fund? There are things that you can do to help put yourself in a better financial position. Take a look at this little list that we have put together of easy ways that you can boost your savings when you feel like you are scraping by.
Set a Budget
I know we harp on this often, but really setting a budget is the cornerstone to a happy and healthy financial life. Though it may seem stressful, setting a budget when you live paycheck to paycheck is imperative and can make the difference in your success. If you stay true to following your budget, you are far less likely to strain your checkbook or go in the red.
Start an online savings account
Yes, you really could start any kind of savings account, but I have found that online savings accounts are the easiest way to boost your savings. Why? Well because it’s harder to get your hands onto your money if it is stuck in an online account, where it takes 2 to 3 days to transfer it into your regular bank account. I know this from personal experience as my husband and I recently began depositing money straight from my husband’s paycheck into a savings account that is solely online. We chose a small amount (less than $70 per month) and we now have over $1000 built up, which is nice since we really don’t even notice that amount being pulled out each month.
Set a savings goal
If you have a goal set as far as how much you are trying to save, you will find more success. It is easier to say no to impulse buying and unnecessary spending. Going along with what we talked about earlier, when you live paycheck to paycheck, it is better to start with a small amount being saved per pay period. Whether it is $20, $50 or $100, it will help you to steadily build your savings without causing stress to your otherwise stretched budget.
What have you found helpful in your savings journey? How do you find pockets of money to save while you are barely making ends meet?
20 Questions to Help Spice up Your Thanksgiving Dinner Conversation
Thanksgiving is the season of family and friends, turkey and pumpkin pie. It’s a time when family comes together from near and far. If you are hosting this years Thanksgiving Dinner, you may feel a little pressure on how the conversation will go. Will there be those awkward silences? Or that stressed topic of politics or religion? What if you did something different this year and had the following questions prepared and ready to help direct the conversation? This may help with those times of silence or the need to change the subject. These questions can be deliberately placed so it goes with each person. Or, have each person pull one from a hat. Either way, it’s definitely a great way to get some good conversation and make some fun memories.
- What is something you did as a kid that nobody knows about?
- What is your favorite family tradition?
- What does a real turkey sound like?
- Which person at this table would make the best President of the United States and why?
- What is your favorite article of clothing and why?
- What was your favorite thing about the place you grew up?
- What memory stays with you from your school days?
- If you won $1 Million Dollars tomorrow, how would you spend it?
- If you could invite anyone to this Thanksgiving dinner, who would you invite?
- What animal best represents you?
- If you could eat one food item on your plate for a whole year, what would it be?
- In 15 seconds, list as many things you are grateful for.
- Tell about your favorite place you visited this year.
- Tell a favorite memory that you have had with the person sitting across from you.
- If you could go shopping in only 1 store this holiday season, what would it be?
- If you could explore anywhere in the world, where would it be?
- What is your favorite memory of your grandparents?
- Tell your favorite joke.
- What is something you admire about the person sitting to your left?
- What are you most thankful for this year? (You could end with this and ask everyone at the table)
Hopefully these questions will help add some memories and added smiles to your Thanksgiving Dinner!
White Elephant Gift Exchange Ideas! The Best of The Best All Under $12.99!
The first thing I think when I get invited to a white elephant party is I have to have the perfect white elephant gift – but I never want to spend to much. If you find yourself in the same situation you’re going to love this list I put together! It’s full of fun ideas with all of them under $12.99!
- Prank Pack Nap Sack $7.45
- 2017 People of Walmart Boxed Calendar $10.02
- BigMouth Inc The Original Toilet Mug $12.99
- Fred & Friends Muffin Tops Denim-Style Baking Cups $11.45
- Fred & Friends Pick Your Nose Paper Cups $9.87
- Scotch Shoe Dispenser with Scotch Magic Tape $7.89
- Vosges Mo’s Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar $11.99
- Westminster Butt Face Soap $11.91
- Fred & Friends ABC (Already Been Chewed) Cookie Cutters $7.51
- BigMouth Inc Prescription Style Drink Cooler $9.99
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4 Ways to Ease Your Stress in the New Year
I realize it’s still November, but I like to plan in advance and I am ready to plan for the New Year! Do you have any big plans for the new year? My main focus for 2017 is the lower my stress levels so that I can get further in my other goals. If you plan on working on the same thing, check out these 4 ways that you can ease your stress in the New Year.
Set a Budget
Finances are stressful for most people. Setting a budget is a great starting point to get finances in order in an effort to get your life stresses down in general. A budget can help you to be sure that you will not run out of money or put any strains on your finances. It will also help you to discover where you need to make changes in order to change your financial life.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best avenues for stress reduction in your life. Simply put, exercise makes your body feel better. When your body feels better it works better. When your body works better, your brain works better. Exercise also releases endorphins, which make you feel better in general which is a great stress reliever.
Better sleep
Not sleeping enough is hard on your body and your mind. Make it a goal to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and you will be amazed at how much less stress you feel in your life. There are quite a few tricks out there for getting a better night’s sleep.
Use a planner or daily to do list
I have found in my own life that having a to-do list or planner is one of the best ways for me to deal with stress. Knowing exactly what I need to accomplish and what I have gotten done each day helps to ease my mind of the stress of my responsibilities. Adding your daily household chores to this list is important as well because a cluttered house is a very stressful way to live.
Do you have any What are your tips for lowering your stress levels?
5 Bad Money Habits to Avoid
Not Using a Budget
A budget is single handedly the best tool in your drive for financial success. In order to prevent wasteful spending and in order to grow your savings, you have to know where your money is going. Sit down once a month with your banking information and plan. Plan our your bills that need to be paid, expected expenses (gas, groceries, etc) and spending limits within each of your line items. Make sure that your budget expenditures are less than your income so that you have money left over to build up a savings.
Using Credit
Unless you are planning to pay it off right away, using credit to make your purchases is a huge money waster. All you are doing is signing up to make added interest payments. How does this make sense?
Impulse Buying
Impulse buys are among the biggest one wasters. Think about it. How many times do you spend $3 here or $5 there because it’s only a couple of dollars? Truth be told, these small purchases often add up to more than some of your bills each month. It is important to be more mindful of what you are buying.
Not Keeping Track of What You Spend
Aimlessly and blindly spending money is a bad habit to get into. Not only can you be spending money that you need to be saving or paying bills with, but you could potentially be overspending and putting yourself into a deficit with means added bank fees. These can be easily avoided, but are very expensive when they happen. It’s always a good idea to keep track of what you are using your money for that way if you are running into shortfalls, you know where you can afford to cut.
Paying Late
Sure it may seem like a good idea to pay a bill a couple of days late to free up some cash in the interim, but depending on the bill, there is likely a pricey late fee that will be tacked onto your account. Most utilities charge a $5 to $10 late fee, while a credit card or loan payment late fee is likely to be $25+. When you consider how many of these accounts you have, those late fees will add up quick!