Ruth Soukup's Blog, page 103

Want to be an LWSL Insider?

Have you joined the community at LWSL Everyday yet?  Not only is it great place to find accountability from an amazing group of like-minded women, it is also your chance to be a true LWSL insider!

In addition to a fantastic (and mobile-friendly) community forum, members get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with well-known authors and bloggers, exclusive giveaways,  limited-edition printable downloads, and a monthly live Q&A session.  Even better, there are also exclusive opportunities for members to be a key part of upcoming projects and book launches, and even receive free books for review.

Oh, and did I mention membership is just a $1 per month or $10 for the year?

Yep, that’s less than a cup of coffee!

Here’s what’s happening this month at LWSL Everyday:

Catch Behind the Scenes interviews with Emily Wierenga , author of five books, including her new memoir Atlas Girl, and Crystal Paine , author of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode and founder of the hugely popular website, MoneySavingMom.com.


Print these adorable lunch box notes, this month’s exclusive printable download from talented graphic designer Heather Moritz of Moritz Fine Designs.

Hang out with me on September 23rd during a live Q&A webinar.  August’s session was a hoot, and we chatted about everything from blogging to using coupons to keeping our husbands, er, happy.  This month…..who knows what might come up!


Connect with other readers at the LWSL Everyday forum and get some real-life accountability to help you set and achieve your financial & personal goals.

Additionally, this month I will be inviting LWSL Everyday members to join my launch team for my upcoming book, Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life, which will be available in bookstores on December 30th.  We’ve got some really fun things planned for the launch, and I would love to have you join the team and help build excitement for the book!!! (P.S.  Launch team members will get some pretty cool stuff!)

How to Join:

First, sign up at LWSLeveryday.com

When you sign up, you will have a choice to pay monthly or to pay annually (at a discount.) Regardless of the payment option you choose, as long as your membership stays in good standing, you will lock in that rate forever, even if the price goes up in the future.  Once you have joined, simply login as a member to access all the features of the site.

Still not sure you will like it?  Sign up for a free one month trial HERE.   Be sure to use the password “lwszeveryday14?

 

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Weekend Wandering

Happy Sunday!  I hope you are all having a FABULOUS holiday weekend!  Ours has been very low-key so far, which is exactly the way I like it, and I’ve got big plans to do a whole lot of nothing for the next two days!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter the Frigidaire Time Saving Freezer Cooking Sweepstakes.  THREE lucky readers will win a Frigidaire 2-in-1 Convertible Upright Freezer/Refrigerator, and entering is super easy–you just have to submit a link to your own freezer cooking Pinterest board.  You can get all the details here.

In the meantime, here is what I loved this week:

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First of all, this Caesar Chicken Salad Sandwich and Strawberry Basil Iced Tea from Life With the Crust Cut Off sounds like the perfect meal to celebrate the end of Summer this weekend!

These Grilled Chicken Sandwich Wraps from The It Mom would be a great lunch option for back to school.

Oh my.  These full of flavor Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melts from Belle of the Kitchen are perfect for my lunch! Ooey, gooey melted goodness. Yes, please!

Mmm…this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole from All in All is a recipe that could easily become a new family favorite!

Need a new breakfast option that is quick, easy and delicious? Wheel-n-Deal Mama has a recipe for Bacon Pancake Dippers.  My youngest would be all over these!

This Vanilla Almond Granola Cereal from Natural Chow would be the perfect topping to my Homemade Yogurt! YUM!

This Apple Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Ice Cream from Sweet Baked Life would be a perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth this fall.  And it’s a no churn recipe!

Moving on to some super cute craft projects…..These from Christianity Cove are a neat way to add a splash of color to any room. My kids would have a blast making these!

These Chalk Painted Mason Jars from Our Life in a Click are absolutely adorable!

Sunshine and Hurricanes has 4 great steps to Teaching Kids to Pack Their Own Lunch. I love #4!

Frugal Fanatic has 10 Frugal After School Activities. These are great activities that can be done individually or as a family!

Finally, sometimes saving money means doing without. Retired by 40 shares the 5 Things I’m Giving Up to Get Out of Debt. I can totally relate to number 4!

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What did you love this week?

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5 Ways to Say No

Why is it that one of the most common words in the English language is the hardest for many of us say?

It’s in the very core of our human nature to want to please people. Saying no is perceived as being negative or mean or unhelpful. We fear we may miss an opportunity. Or – we might burn a bridge. Or – we might make someone upset or angry with us. And who wants that?  So, time and time again we say yes when we really want to say no. Often at the expense of ourselves.

We forget that saying yes too many times can make us feel overwhelmed and stressed out.  It can cause us to neglect the rest of the things in our life that we really should be doing and could be doing if we would have just said no. Even worse, it can make us resentful of the asker, and make us feel under-appreciated and over-committed.

Why do we do this to ourselves instead of simply saying no from the beginning?

I have to admit that I have a really hard time saying no, especially when I am caught off guard. It’s in my nature to help, it is important to me to be nice and kind and considerate to the people around me.  I also don’t want to miss out on what could be an amazing opportunity, or just plain fun.  I want to do it all, and I want to be everything to everyone.

I’m pretty sure I am not alone in this. Saying yes too often is a very common problem for many women.  In fact, Lysa Ter Keurst recently wrote an amazing, life-changing book on very this subject called The Best Yes:  Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands.  And chances are that if you were drawn to reading this article, you can probably relate.

In The Best Yes, Lysa says, “we need to slow the rhythm of rush in our lives so that the best of who we are can emerge,”  and in my own life,  have found that I have to stay conscious of what happens when I don’t say no.

I’m learning that in order to become good at saying no, I have to arm myself with a handful of tools that will help me say no without feeling bad, and without upsetting or angering the asker.  They are certainly not foolproof, and I certainly haven’t mastered them just yet, but these five guidelines might just help you too.

Start and End with a Positive

Soften the blow by including a few positive statements before and after the word NO. These positive phrases can help take the focus off of the negative and act like a cushion to the one word we have such a hard time using. Instead of being the big fat meanie we fear we will be perceived as, we become the person who sees value in the other party and what they are asking us to do.

Here’s how it works:

Begin with a compliment:  That sounds wonderful!  or What a great idea!

Gently say no:  I’d absolutely love to do this, but I can’t right now.

Finish with a positive:  I’m so honored you would ask.  I know it will be great! Please keep me in mind for next time.

And, if next time still doesn’t work for you? Just say no.

Sometimes we get so caught up in not wanting to disappoint someone that we forget how powerful effective delivery can be in any situation, but especially when we are giving bad news.  Being prepared and positive (but firm) can greatly increase the chances of our audience reacting positively as well.

Don’t Answer Right Away

Before answering a request, let the asker know that you will get back to them.  Make a habit of taking a breather, no matter the request, so that you have a moment to think about how you really want to answer.  It is perfectly okay to say, “I will have to check my schedule” or “I have to think about it” or “I need to talk with my spouse” before giving a final answer.

Many times we say YES because, in the moment, we are so caught up in the excitement of the opportunity or the need to please that we forget how much time we don’t have or we feel obligated to accept while in person. Taking a moment and getting back to the person will give you time to think and respond appropriately without committing yourself to something you don’t want to do.

Waiting to give an answer is probably the easiest way to begin your journey to effectively using the word NO.  For me, particularly in the blogging and business world, it is the response I most commonly use.  Pausing before answering allows me to gain a moment of clarity, bounce the request off a few people to get their thoughts and opinions about the situation, and sometimes even find someone else who is interested. Everybody wins!

Change the Channel

Sometimes, when the asker is very assertive or aggressive or good at making you feel guilty, it can be very hard to say no in person. In these cases, try changing the channel.  Ask for time to give a response, then respond to an in-person or phone request through a non-confrontational channel of communication, such as email or text message.

Having a firm NO in writing and without having a verbal conversation makes it a lot easier to prevent falling into the trap of back-and-forth convincing, especially when the person who is doing the asking is much more forceful or persuasive than you are. It is also much easier to type NO than say it!

Refer a Friend

When you are asked to do something that you are not interested in doing or don’t have enough time to do, it can be much easier to say no by instead referring someone else who might be even better.  Most of us know at least one or two people who like to say YES to everything, or who love being involved, or who are looking to plug in somewhere else.  Perhaps it is someone who recently moved to the area and hasn’t found their tribe just yet, or another who happens to be an expert in this area and would gladly take this task on and do an even better job.

By providing a name of someone else who may be interested, you can go from being he person who says no to the person who helped. There’s a big difference between the two and the latter is one both parties can feel great about.

Instead of obligating yourself, drop a name and walk away feeling helpful. Keep your mental Rolodex handy – you’ll need it!

 

Just Say No.

A simple, direct NO is usually the most effective.

An unequivocal NO eliminates the expectation of any other possible outcome. This response quickly frees up both the person asking and the person answering. It allows you to check the item off your mental list instead of wasting any additional thought on it.

So why is so it so hard?

For me, it has taken actually practicing in front of the mirror, but I have learned that sometimes simply saying no on the spot while leaving out the fluffy details ultimately saves both parties time and energy. It’s still important to be polite, and I can still surround my no with niceties, but when I don’t hedge, there is no confusion.

If you have no intention of saying yes, and it’s clear to you that you have no intention of saying yes, why prolong the answer?

Be quick. Be considerate. Be confident. But say no.

Saying no can be really hard sometimes, and even painful.  But often the alternative is even worse.  As Lysa points out in The Best Yes, “saying yes all the time won’t make me Wonder Woman, it will make me a Worn Out Woman.”  We never know when we might be caught off guard by someone asking for something, but with a little forethought and preparation, we can be ready to say no when we have to so that we can say YES when we want to.

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Do you ever have a hard time saying no?  What techniques have worked for you?

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Thrifty Thursday {Week 75}

Happy Thursday!  I hope you are having an absolutely fantastic week!  We are busy getting into the swing of our new school schedule which has definitely been an adjustment–particularly trying to get our kids up and at ‘em in the morning!  Luckily our new Sunday Prep plan has helped a lot but I think it may still be a few weeks before we have our routine down pat.

If you haven’t already, be SURE to enter the Frigidaire Time Saving Freezer Cooking Sweepstakes!  THREE lucky readers will win a Frigidaire 2-in-1 Convertible Freezer/Refrigerator of your very own, which means this is one sweepstakes that you will seriously NOT want to miss!!  Entering is easy–simply sign up with your email, then submit a link to your own Freezer Cooking Pinterest board.  Check out all the details HERE.

Here are the most clicked links from last week:

 1. Snail Pace Transformations { 250 Ways Thrifty People Save Money }
2. Sarah Titus { Why You Should Never Shop Walmart or Dollar Stores }

3. A Cultivated Nest { 10 Printables to Save You Money }

4. Practical Stewardship { How We Paid Off $16,000 in 16 Months }

5. The Budget Mama {Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck}

6. Thrifty Little Mom { 5 Ways to Speed Up Laundry Day! }

7. A Mitten Full of Savings { Extra Ways to Save Money This Fall }

8. Intentionally Pursuing { Never Throw a Banana Away Again }
9. Aspired Living { Large Family Kitchen: Saving Money & Time With Bulk Foods }
10. The Little Farm Diary { Why We Unschool Our Children }
 
Never linked up before? Here’s how:

Scroll down, find the little blue “Add your Link” Button and click on that.
Follow the instructions on the next page – add a great image of your project and an interesting title. Make sure you link to the direct page of your budget friendly post – not the main page of your blog!
Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
Please link back to this post somehow. There are badges available here; a simple text link is just fine too.

Feel free to tweet about Thrifty Thursday so others can join the fun, and don’t forget to check back here Sunday morning to see which posts have been featured this week at Weekend Wandering!

If this is your first time here I also invite you to check out my blogging guide, How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul).  It is a fantastic resource if you are interested in building your blog, getting more traffic, or learning how to monetize, and the expanded 2nd edition is now available in paperback!  Or, if you have read the book and are still looking to take your blog to the next level, I encourage you to check out Elite Blog Academy.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Now that school has started and our schedule is filling up, it is important for me to keep a freezer full of  freezer friendly recipes ready to go for my family for busy weeknights.  I especially love any recipe that I can throw in the slow cooker in the morning and have an entire meal waiting at dinnertime.

This super easy slow cooker pot roast is big on delicious flavor but light on time and effort, and let me tell you that this one scored a perfect 10 with my family!  In fact, they rated this their favorite freezer meal thus far, which is really saying something!

Please note that the recipe makes two whole roasts that you can freeze ahead of time for busy weeknights, and it is a great addition to any freezer cooking day.  If you prefer to just make one roast, simply cut the recipe in half.  On cooking day, you can throw in some chopped carrots, potatoes, and onion to make a complete meal, or simply make it all on its own.

And by the way, in case you missed it yesterday, right now you can enter to win one of THREE Frigidaire 2-in-1 Upright Convertible Freezer/Refrigerators in the Time Saving Freezer Recipes Sweepstakes.  Get all the details HERE!

Here is what you need:

2 (3-4 pound) chuck roasts
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
2 (1 ounce) packages of dry onion soup mix
Carrots, potatoes, & onion (optional–only needed when cooking)
  

Step 1: In bowl, whisk together soups, soup mix, water, wine and broth.

Step 2: Label bags, divide meat into 2 bags and pour marinade into each bag dividing evenly. Then freeze.

Step 3: Thaw, cook in crock pot on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. *Optional- Add chopped carrots, onion and red potatoes to the crock pot after 2 hours.

 

    Print This!    




Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Summary: Staple ingredients make this pot roast extra tasty and oh so easy!

Ingredients

2 (3-4 pound) chuck roasts
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
2 (1 ounce) packages of dry onion soup mix
carrots, potatoes, & onion (optional)



Instructions

In bowl, whisk together soups, soup mix, water, wine and broth.
Label bags, divide meat into 2 bags and pour marinade into each bag dividing evenly. Then freeze.
Thaw, cook in crock pot on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. *Optional- Add chopped carrots and red potatoes to the crock pot after 2 hours.

Preparation time: 5-7 minutes

Cooking time: 8-9 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high

Number of servings (yield): 6 per each 3-4 pound pot roast

This post was written on behalf of Frigidaire®. All opinions are mine.  Frigidaire® has been designed to help families make the most of their time and space with high-performing, easy-to-use appliances with time-saving features. Their 2-in-1 Upright Freezer or Refrigerator offers simple organization and better storage with the flip of a switch. For a chance to win one of your very own, enter the Time Saving Freezer Recipes Sweepstakes.

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What are your favorite freezer friendly meals?

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Want to Win a Freezer? Enter the Frigidaire Time Saving Sweepstakes!

If you’ve read this blog for any amount of time, you probably already know there are a couple of things I am super passionate about.  Saving money is one, of course, but the other is saving TIME.  And if I can do both at the same time?  Well, then, even better!   You probably also know that one the biggest ways I save both time AND money is with freezer cooking, which is why I am so happy to be partnering with Frigidaire for this amazing sweepstakes!!

Did you know that average family can save as much as $750 a year just by utilizing the extra freezer space from a secondary freezer?  These amazing savings come from stocking up on food while it is on sale, as well as from freezer cooking in bulk simple but delicious meals using budget friendly ingredients.

Luckily for all of us, secondary freezers have come a long way in design and no longer mean you need to be stuck with an ugly, unorganized chest in the corner of your basement or garage. Frigidaire’s new 2-in-1 Upright comes in a new classic slate color that you will actually want to show off, and has a great SpaceWise™ Organization system that can be customized to fit your family’s needs.  It also converts from a freezer to refrigerator with just the flip of a switch, which makes it even more convenient.

And while all of that is great news, the BEST news of all is that right now Frigidaire is giving away THREE of these awesome 2-in-1 Upright Convertible Freezer/Refrigerators as part of their Time Saving Freezer Cooking Sweepstakes!  Yep, that’s right, THREE lucky readers will win a Frigidaire 2-in-1 Convertible of your very own!  Can you even believe it???  This is one sweepstakes that you will seriously NOT want to miss!

Here is how to enter:

1.  Go HERE, to the Frigidaire Time Saving Sweepstakes page & fill out the form with your email address.

2. Create your own Time Saving Freezer Recipes Board on Pinterest.  Use the hashtag #FrigidaireTimeSavingRecipesSweepstakes in the board description, like shown above.

3.  Submit your Pinterest board on the Frigidaire Sweepstakes page.  You will see a form like the one above after you enter your email address.  You will also receive an email link that you can use to submit your Pinterest board!

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Do you use a secondary freezer?  Why or why not?

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The Ultimate Mom-arazzi Giveaway

LOVE taking pictures of your kids?  Then you are going to LOVE this giveaway!

The Ultimate Mom-arazzi Giveaway

Its Back to School time……which means there are so many important moments to be documented!  Again this month, we partnered up with some fabulous bloggers to bring you The Ultimate Mom-arazzi Giveaway to help you preserve all those awesome school memories this year!

Check out the drool-worthy prizes!  ONE lucky reader will win ALL of this:

Mom-arazzi Prize Pack

Instax Mini 8 Instant Film Camera -This camera is sooo incredibly fun! Its the perfect camera arsenal for the photo loving momma!
Instax Mini Credit Card Size Instant Film -Load your brand new Instax with this fun sized film!
Instax Mini film – Lots of extra film for your Instax!
Nikon COOLPIX L830 16MP Digital Camera – This handy digital camera is perfect for on the go kids!
Jo Totes Allison Bag – The new Allison bag is perfect to carry your new Instax Mini and Nikon COOLPICS cameras in style!
Canon SELPHY CP910 Portable Wireless Compact Color Photo Printer – Print off all those digital pictures with this awesome wireless printer!

Here are the bloggers that are bringing this giveaway to you! Go follow them on Twitter for fun and creative updates!

Awesome Bloggers to Follow on Twitter

Craftaholics Anonymous ®- Craft Addicts unite! At Craftaholics Anonymous®, you can find new craft ideas, crafting tips, DIY’s, Holiday ideas, and take tours of 45+ craft rooms!
The Dating Divas - Each Monday, the Divas offer a fabulous date idea already completely planned out for your upcoming weekend. Throughout the rest of the week, they offer FREE flirty tips, tricks, tutorials, & darling printables to keep the romance alive and the sparks flying’.
The 36th Avenue - The 36th Avenue is your number one destination for easy DIY projects, free printables, adorable handmade gifts and holiday ideas, delicious recipes and everything EXTRAORDINARY!
Somewhat Simple - Somewhat Simple is THE PLACE for creative inspiration. Get inspired by thousands of simple projects, recipes, crafts, and more!
Kara’s Party Ideas – Kara Allen is the party designer, author, dessert stylist & creator behind THE place for ALL things PARTY- KarasPartyIdeas.com. Kara’s Party Ideas holds millions of party ideas you can search, party recipes, a party supply shop, a fab party book, fun worldwide party workshops, an app & more!
Mod Podge Rocks – Mod Podge Rocks is a collection of tutorials and how-tos featuring the world’s greatest decoupage medium. Come visit Amy for tons of inspiration.
One Good Thing by Jillee – One Good Thing by Jillee is dedicated to sharing one good thing a day that makes life a little more simple, affordable, wholesome, and joyful! Millions of people look to “Jillee” each month for tips on living a more frugal and healthy life. Learn how to enrich your life while conserving time, money, and resources.
Kids Activities Blog – Kids Activities Blog is overflowing with fun crafts, art projects, games and activities for kids- most with contents from your kitchen junk drawer!
Living Well Spending Less – Living Well Spending Less is all about the adventure of finding the Good Life on a budget… because a life well lived is not so much about what we have as who we are.
Remodelaholic – If your goal is to make your house a home, then come to Remodelaholic.com. They will teach you the best ways to update your house and design and decorate your home on a budget. Go from builder grade to beautiful with their help.
Lil’ Luna – Lil’ Luna is the one-stop to find all things creative! Come on over to find inexpensive & unique crafts, DIY projects, recipes, gift ideas, and more for any occasion.

Enter below to win this awesome Mom-arazzi Giveaway!

Mom-arazzi Giveaway

 

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How to Get Magazines for Free

 

 This is a guest post from Kalyn Brooke of Creative Savings

I have a confession to make…..I am a hopeless magazine junkie!

The vibrant covers, glossy pages, and multiple tips and tricks buried inside each page hold a magnetic attraction that is oh-so-hard to resist. Even though Pinterest has replaced magazines in a way, I’m still a paper gal who loves to browse from cover-to-cover, and rip out pages of ideas to save for later.

But magazines aren’t cheap, and if you’ve looked at the cover prices lately, they range from $4.99 all the way up to $9.99. I don’t know about you, but I hate paying that kind of money for something I am only going to read once! However, I literally have a stack of 50+ magazines at home waiting for me to open their crisp covers and read their glorious contents.

So how did I get so many? I certainly didn’t pay for them…..in fact, I didn’t pay for any of them! Here’s how I get most, if not all of my favorite magazines for absolutely free.

Keep an Eye on Deal and Coupon Sites

About once or twice a week, various deal and coupon websites will share super affordable magazine subscription deals, but every once in a while, a free subscription will come along with absolutely no strings attached except a request for a name and address.

I’ve received Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Entrepreneur, Kiplinger, and Better Homes & Gardens for nothing out of pocket. I have no idea how long the subscriptions will last, but I certainly take advantage of them while I can!

The best way to stay informed of these freebies is to bookmark each site to check throughout the day, or sign up for alerts through their email list. I’ve found most of my free magazines through MoneySavingMom.com.

Borrow from Family and Friends

My grandmother has the same love for magazines that I do, and when she’s finished with her copies, she will gladly pass them along to me. I’ve also had friends who graciously gave me a stack of home decorating magazines right after we bought our new home.

If you have family and friends who buy magazines, ask if they would be willing to save them for you to read before throwing them away. Chances are they would love to re-purpose their magazines and have someone else get use of them before they’re tossed.

However, do make sure you check to see if they want their magazines returned or not after you’re done reading. Some like to keep their magazines as reference, and you don’t want to lose magazine borrowing privileges!

Request a Copy from the Doctor’s Office

I used to work in a doctor’s office, and we always had multiple copies of magazines for our waiting room and to hand out to patients. The majority of them were parenting magazines, but we would also get additional genres, such as People or Women’s Health.

Because these magazines are intended for patients to pass the time, don’t ever take a copy without asking, but it never hurts to check with the receptionist to see if you can have back issues. Most just throw them away when new ones arrive in the mail, and who cares if you’re reading them just a few months behind? Not me!

Pick Through Recycle Bins

One of the best ways to find free magazines is to take an evening walk around the neighborhood before garbage day, and take a peek inside people’s recycle bins. I know this may sound a bit presumptuous, but as long as you ask the owner of the home {and there’s nothing gross in the bin!} you can find some great magazines that are usually in perfect condition.

I once stumbled upon a gold mine of someone who use to work in the magazine selling industry, and picked up about 30 new magazines ranging all the way from home decor issues to recipes. In fact, I still haven’t finished reading through that stack, and it was over a year ago!

Browse the Apple Newsstand App

Although I prefer paper magazines or digital ones, you can still grab multiple free issues just by using the Newstand app on your iPad or iPhone.

I’ve found that almost every magazine will let you download the most recent issue for free, but the catch is you only have access to that one issue and nothing more. If you want to read additional issues, you have to subscribe to the magazine, but if you stick with the freebies, this is a great way to get some new reading material and see which magazines you like without spending a thing!

Use Reward Points

Many programs like Swagbucks, MyPoints, and Kellogg’s Family Rewards let you rack up reward points and use them to purchase 1-year magazine subscriptions in addition to coupons, gift cards and more. All you have to do is fill out surveys, enter codes from specially marked packages, or use a specific link when making an online purchase.

This is a guilt-free way to get magazines and depending on how much you earn through each program, and can be a great gifting option around the Holidays!

Next time you’re at Barnes and Noble salivating over the glossies just begging for your attention, feel free to browse, but resist the temptation to buy. Remember, you can get those same magazines for absolutely free, especially now that you know the secrets of where to find them!

 

Kalyn Brooke is a full-time writer and blogger at CreativeSavingsBlog.com. Where she gives a fresh perspective on frugal living, and the kick-in-the-pants you need to create a budget from scratch. She lives in beautiful Southwest Florida with her news-photographer husband and the most adorable bunny you’ve ever seen. She loves making to-do-lists, reading good books, eating chocolate peanut butter ice cream, and pursuing big big dreams… all carefully planned out, of course.

 

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Have you ever scored a magazine for free? Which of these methods do you use?

 

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Weekend Wandering

 Happy Sunday!  I hope you are all having a fabulous (and relaxing) weekend!  School started for my girls this week, which means that we are still trying to get settled into our new routine.  The hardest thing for my family is definitely getting to bed–and then getting up–on time.  This year we are also working on being more proactive about preparing for the week ahead.  On Friday I shared my  Sunday Prep plan, which shares step-by-step exactly how three hours of hustle on the weekend can make the rest of the week run smooth.  If you are looking for a few ideas on saving time this year, it is definitely one post you will not want to miss!

And now on to the Wandering!  Here is what I loved this week:

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First of all, these these Loaded Baked Potato Nachos from Moms and Munchkins look like a delicious & super simple dinner that my whole family would love!

Mmmmmm…..Thai food!  This Thai Chicken Soup from Life With the Crust Cut Off  is calling my name!

This Sparkling Coconut Blackberry Spritzer from Carmel Moments is almost too pretty to drink, but it sure sounds delicious!

Need healthy breakfast ideas? These gluten free Apple Oatcakes from Cheap Recipe Blog would be a great way to start the day!

These Homemade Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks from Midget Momma are not only super easy to make but they are also freezer friendly!

And moving on to dessert….This Banana Pudding Cake from Spend With Pennies is best served right out of the oven with vanilla ice cream!  YUM!

My kids go to a candy-free school, but homemade cookies are okay.  I wonder if these Peanut Butter Cup Cookies from I Dig Pinterest would be considered cheating?  In any case, they look delicious!

It’s not to late to woo your child’s teacher with a thoughtful start-of-year gift!  These Back to School Teacher Survival Kits from Confessions of an Overworked Mom are completely adorable & sure to be a hit!

Do your kids respond to every question about school with a “fine” or “good”?  The Happy Scraps Blog has a printable Back to School Questionnaire that can actually help your kids open up!

Looking for clever ideas for saving money on back to school lunches? Simplee Thrifty has Frugal School Lunch tips to help you save you money and make lunch fun!

Snail Pace Transformations has 250 Ways Thrifty People Save Money. Plus 10 bonus tips!

Finally, if you still need a little help getting back into the school time groove Women With Intention has 5 Ways I’m Adjusting From Summer to Back to School. Number 4 is key for me !

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What did you love this week?

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Sunday Prep

Like many other families across America, my kids headed back-to-school this week. As much as I’d like to think I am the picture of organization when it comes to setting up a school routine, the truth is that our weekdays can be hectic on a good day and pure chaos (and misery) on a bad day.

Between trying to get going in the morning when our kids would rather be sleeping and trying to get dinner on the table in the evening when we’ve also got dance, soccer, homework, PTO meetings, and any number of other obligations, it often feels like our Monday through Friday is nothing but rush, rush, RUSH!

Can anyone else relate to this?

But ever the optimists, this year my husband and I are determined to do better. We’ve already told ourselves that this will be the year that we know what’s going on, that we don’t miss an event or forget to pack a lunch or neglect to return a permission slip.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so this year, to keep ourselves on track, we have worked on developing this easy step-by-step Sunday Prep plan.   We figure just three hours of serious hustle each weekend will save us five whole days of stress during the week, which seems like a very worthy tradeoff!  Luckily this year we also have the benefit of our new Frigidaire 2-in-1 Upright Convertible Freezer, which makes preparing meals ahead of time a whole lot easier.

While Sunday evenings work for us, you could just as easily follow these steps on a Saturday morning or Friday afternoon—whatever works best for your family and your schedule. The point is to actually block out a recurring chunk of time each weekend to prep for the week ahead.  And for a family of four like ours, the cooking portion of the plan really only needs to be done every other Sunday.

This plan is definitely doable in 3 hours if the whole family helps but may take just a little longer if you are working all on your own. I strongly encourage you to involve your kids as much as possible—let them be responsible for picking out their own clothes, folding laundry, picking up around the house, and even helping with some of the food prep! You might just be surprised at how much fun you all have racing against the clock to get it all done.

And check it out…..At the end of your 3 hours, you will have:

Prepped 10 Dinners
Prepared 18 Breakfast Cupcakes
Prepared 20 PB&J Sandwiches
Washed & folded 2 loads of laundry
Picked out clothes for the week
Signed and sorted essential paperwork
Created a meal plan for the week
Tidied the house
Wiped down the bathrooms
Cleaned the dishes

Sounds pretty good right?  Below you will find everything you need to get it done!

{Print this Sunday Prep Supply List here}

Here is the Supply List:

Shopping time is not included in this 3-hour timeframe, so you will need to make sure you have the following items on hand before you begin!

Food:

Ingredients for 10 Meals in an Hour (choose from Plan 1 or Plan 2)
2 loaves bread
Peanut Butter
Jelly
12 Eggs
1 cup Milk
2-3 cups Shredded Cheese
1 package sausage or bacon (optional)
Seasoned Salt
Pepper
Cooking Spray
 

 

Additional Supplies:

Sandwich sealer & de-cruster
Cupcake tin
Plastic wrap
Gallon freezer bags
Laundry Detergent
Fabric Softener
All Purpose Cleaner
Toilet Brush
Glass Cleaner
Disposable Antibacterial Wipes (optional)
Laundry Basket
Pen

 

Before you begin, be sure to print the following items:

Sunday Prep Supply List
Sunday Prep Action Plan
10 Meals in an Hour recipes (choose from Plan 1 or Plan 2)
10 Meals in an Hour instructions (choose from Plan 1 or Plan 2)
10 Meals in an Hour labels (choose from Plan 1 or Plan 2)
Freezer PB&J instructions
Freezer Breakfast Cupcakes recipe
Weekday Outfit Hanger Tags (one set for each family member!)
Meal Plan Sheet

Here is the Action Plan:

Before beginning, make sure you have all your ingredients and supplies ready.  When everything is in place, just set the timer and GO!

0:00 – Gather laundry & sort into lights and darks. Start first load of laundry in washing machine. Fill kitchen sink with hot, soapy water.

0:05 - Prep 10 freezer meals, using instructions found HERE (for plan 1) or HERE (for plan 2).   While you are prepping your meals, have your kids pick out their clothes for each day of the week and/or tidy their rooms.

1:05 - Wipe down kitchen counters. Transfer first load of laundry into the dryer and start second load of laundry in washing machine.

1:10 - Prep freezer PB&J sandwiches using instructions found HERE; save the crusts for breakfast cupcakes. Have kids help with sandwich prep and placing sandwiches in bags for freezer.

1:30 - Turn on oven; prep Breakfast Cupcakes using instructions found HERE, using the bread crusts leftover from sandwiches for the base.

1:50 - Place breakfast cupcakes in oven. Transfer dry laundry to laundry basket; transfer second load to dryer.

1:55 - Wash dishes & load dishwasher; wipe down kitchen.

2:10 - Remove breakfast cupcakes from oven & place on wire rack to cool. Have kids pick up living areas and dust while you speed clean the bathrooms using instructions found HERE.

2:25 - Approve outfits that your kids have chosen

2:30 - Plan week’s meals using printable family meal plan found HERE.

2:40 - Sort & file kids paperwork; sign permission slips and add to backpacks.

2:50 - Remove 2nd load from laundry; fold and put away.

Now give yourself a big pat on the back, then put those kiddos to bed and enjoy a glass of wine.  You are DONE and now ready to start the week off right!  Doesn’t it feel good?

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What else do you do on the weekend to make sure the rest of your week runs smoothly?

This post is on behalf of Frigidaire.  Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. Get more information about the new 2-in-1 Upright Convertible at www.Frigidaire.com.

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