Ruth Soukup's Blog, page 111
May 19, 2014
Homemade Bug Repellent
While my kids still have a few days left of school, I think it is safe to say that the summer weather here in Florida has officially begun. While we love the warm weather, we definitely don’t love the bugs!
My youngest daughter has extremely sensitive skin, so when it comes to using bug repellent we have to be pretty careful. Luckily we have discovered a super easy alternative to the chemical stuff that not only works great at keeping the bugs away, but smells fantastic!
Here is what you need:
witch hazel
baby oil
vanilla extract
assorted essential oils or Bug-Off Synergy essential oil blend
whole cloves (optional)
empty spray bottle
Step 1: Measure 2/3 cup witch hazel into measuring cup.
Step 2: Add baby oil to make approximately one cup of liquid.
Step 3: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. (Make sure vanilla extract does not contain any sugar)
Step 4: Add 30-40 drops of assorted essential oils. I like to use cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus, but I have also found it is a little faster and easier to just use this Bug-Off Synergy essential oil blend.
Step 5: Add 4-5 whole cloves to the liquid.
Step 6: Carefully pour homemade bug repellent mixture into an empty spray bottle. Be sure to label bottle! Shake well before using. Apply liberally to skin to keep bugs away.
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Recipe: Homemade Bug Repellent
Summary: This all natural bug spray smells great, is gentle enough for sensitive skin and will keeps bug at bay!
Ingredients
witch hazel
baby oil
vanilla extract
assorted essential oils or bug-free essential oil blend
whole cloves (optional)
empty spray bottle
Instructions
Measure 2/3 cup witch hazel into measuring cup.
Add baby oil to make approximately one cup of liquid.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. (Make sure vanilla extract does not contain any sugar)
Add 30-40 drops of assorted essential oils. I like to use cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus, but I have also found it is a little faster and easier to just use this bug-free essential oil blend.
Add 4-5 whole cloves to the liquid.
Carefully pour mixture into an empty spray bottle. Be sure to label bottle! Shake well before using. Apply liberally to skin to keep bugs away.
Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
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How do you keep the bugs at bay?
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May 18, 2014
Weekend Wandering
Happy Sunday! I hope you are all having a fun & relaxing weekend! Ours has been pretty low-key so far. My husband is out of town for a few days so my girls and I have had fun doing all the super-girly things we love, like painting our nails, making crafts, and wandering around Target for a few hours. I also spent some time yesterday decluttering and re-organizing our overwhelmingly large collection of books. It took a while to get through them all, but in the end it was totally worth the effort. I’d love to get a few more projects done in the next day or two! What organizing projects are next on your list?
As usual, this week’s Thrifty Thursday was full of inspiration! It is always hard to choose, but here is what I loved this week:
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As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to start eating lighter and using more fresh ingredients. This Cobb Salad from Three Kids and a Fish has colorful and tasty veggies along with eggs and bacon to make it a satisfying Summer meal.
Posed Perfection has another great Summer recipe. An Asian Chicken Salad that can be made in no time at all and is full of flavor and crunch!
Looking for an alternative to regular pasta? How about trying your hand at Zucchini Pasta from Jenn’s Random Scraps. I’m definitely going to try this!
Smoothies can be a great way to get extra fruit into your diet. Roxy’s Kitchen has an awesome recipe for a 4 Ingredient Creamy Pineapple Berry Smoothie. This looks delightful!
Continuing on the sweeter side, these Cherry Cheesecakes in a Jar from Stockpiling Moms would be a great dessert for your Memorial Day picnic!
I love no bake desserts for the Summer months. This cool and creamy No Bake Strawberry Cream Pie from Practical Stewardship looks delicious. P.S. It’s also dairy and gluten free!
Here’s another gluten free recipe in my favorite flavor…lemon! This Gluten Free Glazed Lemonade Cake Recipe from the Savvy Saving Couple looks super moist!
Moving on to some DIY projects and summer ideas for kids…..Modern Hen Home has an easy step-by-step tutorial on How to Hand Sew a Slipcover. These 8 simple steps can help you transform any piece of furniture that needs updating!
Want to keep your kids from complaining about boredom this summer? Overstuffed provides some great ideas for having A Summer of Self-Reliant Children (Or So We Hope).
Finally, are you wondering what to give your child’s teacher to say thanks for the past school year? I Think We Could be Friends provides a helpful list of Best Teacher Gift Ideas…Written by a Teacher.
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What did you love this week?
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May 16, 2014
How to Overcome Self Doubt
Do you want to know the honest truth? Public speaking scares the you-know-what out of me!
In college, taking Speech 101 was a requirement for graduation. Because I dreaded it so much, I put it off as long as possible, until the very last semester of my senior year. And while I don’t exactly blame Speech 101 for causing me to go completely off the deep end, I do know that the intense anxiety I felt from that speech class certainly did not help.
When several years later I finally went back to finish my degree, I somehow managed to convince someone with authority that a basic communications course—one that did not require me to speak in front of the class—would be sufficient. And so I was able to graduate without ever actually giving a single speech.
What did it really matter anyway?
After all, it wasn’t like I was planning a career in public speaking.
Oh, the irony.
The fact is that this job of mine often requires a whole lot of public speaking. Not only do I appear regularly on the local news, I am frequently asked to speak for groups, and at events or conferences.
At some point I realized that if I wanted to do this job well, I was going to have to suck it up, put on my big girl pants, and start doing something that really scared me. So, about six months ago, upon the recommendation of my dear friend Crystal, I signed up for the SCORRE Conference. For those of you who don’t know, SCORRE is a super-intense hands-on workshop for speakers. Over the course of three days, you are required to give three five minute talks which are then critiqued by a professional speaking coach. In other words, it is more or less like paying to be voluntarily tortured.
As May 5th crept ever closer, I became more and more nervous. What if I made a fool of myself? What if I tried to be serious and everyone laughed? What if I tried to be funny and no one did? What if my coach picked me apart and told me I was awful? What if I completely forgot what I was supposed to say? What if….
By the time the date finally rolled around last week, I was convinced I was making the biggest mistake of my life. And yet I had signed up. I had already paid. I had committed. There was no turning back.
The first night actually went okay, at least better than I expected. I had come well-prepared with a five minute talk that I had practiced at least thirty times, both in front of the mirror and in front of my husband and kids. I was also relieved when I got picked to go second, before I had a chance to see just how good everyone else in my talented small group really was.
The second night, I bombed.
B-O-M-B-E-D bombed.
It was brutal. Although I had practiced all afternoon, I found out just before our small group session that I had forgotten to include a required element. I made some last minute changes to the talk but had no time to rehearse. And then I was picked to go last. Last! So I sat there listening to everyone else’s amazing talks and grew more and more anxious with every passing moment.
By the time it was finally my turn, I was so nervous that I was practically hyperventilating.
My talk was mostly a blur, but I knew it was bad when the main feedback I received was, “Well……it would be really good if you took a breath once in a while. And maybe tomorrow you should try practicing in front of the mirror. Like, a lot.”
It took every ounce of willpower I could muster to make it to my room before I burst into tears. I called my husband, wailing.
I’m such a LOSER! I don’t even know why I came to this stupid conference! I am NOT a speaker! I can’t do this!
Naturally my husband–like most husbands–always knows just what to say to a wife in tears.
I don’t really know why you’re there either. Why don’t you just come home?
Then, realizing that this perhaps wasn’t quite the encouragement I was looking for, he tried a different approach.
Honey, I know you can do this. I’m sure it is really hard, but this is not the first time you’ve been nervous or doubted yourself, and you’ve always managed to overcome it. Why don’t you just go back to what works?
And you know what?
He was exactly right. As soon as he said it, I remembered what I needed to do. I remembered that all I really need to do to overcome those moments of self-doubt is start thinking about the position of my hands.
Hands Folded
When those feelings of self-doubt start creeping in, the very first position my hands need to be is folded in prayer. It is in those quiet moments, when I am on my knees feeling completely inadequate and incapable and absolutely worthless, that I hear the quiet whisper of one simple truth. It is the whisper that says softly but sternly This. Is. Not. About. YOU.
It is the whisper that reminds me that God always chooses the people that no one would expect, the ones who are flawed and damaged and entirely not-good-enough. He chooses the underdog not so that they will be glorified, but so that he will. He chooses the weak because he is strong. It is also the whisper that reminds me always that in the end, the only audience that matters is my audience of One.
And so I fold my hands in prayer.
Hands Outstretched
The next position I need to place my hands is outstretched towards others. I think so often our natural tendency when we are feeling weak or insecure is to pull inward and focus only on ourselves, on our own feelings and our own fears. We pull inward because we think doing so will protect us, when the truth is that it has the opposite effect. Pulling inward only magnifies our feelings of self doubt.
My friend Edie is always reminding me to look outward when I feel insecure. Just focus on how you can be a blessing, she says, instead of worrying so much about how you feel. Because the truth is, when we take the time to stop and look around and really pay attention to the people around us, we see that we are not alone. We start to notice that this person over here is feeling scared, and that one over there is nervous too. And when we stretch out our hands to help the people around us, all those feelings of self-doubt start to fade away.
And so I stretch out my hands towards others.
Hands Clenched
But I can’t stop there. Because after I’ve folded my hands in prayer and stretched them out towards others, it is time to make sure my hands are clenched and ready to work! After all, sometimes we just have to power through, whether we truly want to or not.
After going crazy for a while in my early 20’s, I spent a lot of time in therapy. During those years, there was one phrase I heard over and over and over again:
Fake it ’til you make it.
As much as I hated that phrase at the time, it contains a simple truth that has served me well through the years. Sometimes we just need to clench our fists, get down to business, and fake it until we make it.
And so I clench my hands and get to work.
Three simple hand positions—folded in prayer, outstretched towards others, and clenched to get to work. These are my reminders for when the going gets rough, for when I feel insecure and scared and full of self-doubt.
My last night at SCORRE I laid it all out on the table and talked about overcoming self-doubt.
And friends? It was amazing! While I’m quite certain I wouldn’t have won any speaking awards, nor was I even close to being the best speaker of the evening, I did remember to breathe! And I was PUMPED! In fact, this is a picture someone snapped a few minutes after I spoke:
So next time those feelings of inadequacy come back to rear their ugly head–and they will come back, far more often than I would like to admit–I look at this picture and know exactly what I have to do.
And I am ready.
Are you?
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Do you ever struggle with self-doubt? How do you get through it?
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May 15, 2014
Summer Memories Giveaway
Are you ready for SUMMER?
There’s no better time of year to create awesome memories with your family than during the summer, which is why I’ve teamed up with 7 awesome bloggers to bring you this AMAZING Summer Memories Giveaway! Are you ready for it? We are giving away both a Canon DSLR Camera and a HUGE Blast Zone Pirate Bay Inflatable Combo Water Park and Bounce House!
Two lucky readers will win–One winner will receive the camera and the other winner will receive the water park.
How awesome is that?!
Entering is super easy–just follow the sites below who made this giveaway possible on Instagram and you are entered.
If you don’t have an Instagram account no worries…you can set one up for free right here. (P.S. Instagram is a great FREE way to easily share pictures with friends and family just in case you were wondering–I absolutely love it!)
HUGE Summer Time Giveaway- Win a Camera or Bounce House
If you do not see the Giveaway box above please click here.
Thanks again to the following blogs for making this giveaway happen:
Skip to My Lou @skiptomyloublog | Living Well Spending Less @Ruth Soukup | Sweet Sugar Belle @sweetsugarbelle | Fabulessly Frugal @fabulesslyfrugal | Mom Spark @momspark | Favorite Family Recipes @favoritefamilyrecipes | How Does She @howdoesshe | Pick Your Plum @pickyourplum
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Which prize would YOU be most excited about winning?
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Thrifty Thursday {Week 60}
Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you are having absolutely FABULOUS week so far! I don’t know about you but I am SO ready for this school year to be over and for summer to begin! It seems like it is harder and harder to get ourselves out the door each morning, and I feel like we are practically crawling to the finish line. Thank goodness we’ve only got a few days left!
Speaking of Summer, be sure to check back this afternoon around 3pm EST for information about a super fun Summer Memories Giveaway I will be hosting with seven other amazing bloggers. If you’ve got kids, trust me when I tell you that this is one giveaway you will NOT want to miss!
Finally, I am also really excited to be hosting a small gathering of Florida bloggers here in Punta Gorda tomorrow! It is always fun to learn from each other, and I am pumped to get to know some new people. Our meet-up will include lunch at a local restaurant and semi-structured day of roundtable discussions about a variety of different topics, including social media strategy, newsletters, eBooks, time management, and hiring help. If you are a Florida blogger, be sure to join our private Facebook group here to join the fun, and if you live in a different state I encourage you to look for ways to connect with other bloggers in your area! It is always nice to have at least a few people close by who can relate to this crazy world of ours!
Here are the most clicked links from last week:
1. My Joy Filled Life {10 Things You Should Know Before Shopping at ALDI}
2. Angela Says {7 Small Storage Ideas Around the House}
3. Cha Ching on a Shoestring { The 20 Minute Extra Cash Challenge}
4. Frugality Gal {9 Frugal Things I Did Last Month}
5. A Cultivated Nest {How I Organize My Coupons}
6. Six Figures Under {Debt Repayment Progress Report}
7. Pulling Curls {5 Things That May Have Changed Since You Last Went to Disneyland}
8. Mums Make Lists {Save Your Family a Small Fortune on Laundry}
9. Kosher on a Budget {7 Things I Wish I’d Known About Money Before Marriage}
10. Sitting in the Pew {Why I Threw My Kids Toys Away}
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 eBook, 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. 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 my options for one-on-one blog consulting.
An InLinkz Link-up
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May 14, 2014
Ten Minute Blueberry Crisp
While it is a little early for those of you up north, here in Florida May means it’s blueberry picking time! This is one of our favorite family activities and we seriously look forward to it all year–even my four-year-old enjoys it! If you haven’t tried this before, definitely check to see if there are any U-pick farms in your area.
This year we stocked up the freezer with all our bounty, but not before I had a chance to whip up this quick & easy blueberry crisp. It was SOOOOO good! I normally make this super-simple blueberry pie recipe, but this ten minute blueberry crisp was even faster and easier and, dare I say it, at least just as delicious?! It literally came together in just a few easy minutes of hands-on time–definitely my kind of recipe! If you don’t have fresh blueberries on hand you can also use the frozen variety–Sam’s Club sells them in 3 lb bags for around $10.
Here is what you need:
8 cups fresh blueberries, freshly rinsed
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) real butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using softened butter, grease a 13×9″ baking dish; set aside.
Step 2: In large bowl, toss blueberries with sugar, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, water, and vanilla until blueberries are well coated.
Step 3: Spread blueberries into prepared baking dish.
Step 4: In medium bowl, blend 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Step 5: Melt butter in microwave, then pour melted butter into oat mixture. Mix well.
Step 6: Use fingers to crumble oat mixture over top of blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until mixture is bubbly and topping is golden brown.
Step 7: Let cool for at least 30 minutes; serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Print This!
Recipe: Ten Minute Blueberry Crisp
Summary: Fresh or frozen blueberries will work well for this super easy and delicious homemade crisp!
Ingredients
8 cups fresh blueberries, freshly rinsed
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) real butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using softened butter, grease a 13×9″ baking dish; set aside.
In large bowl, toss blueberries with sugar, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, water, and vanilla until blueberries are well coated.
Spread blueberries into prepared baking dish.
In medium bowl, blend 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Melt butter in microwave, then pour melted butter into oat mixture. Mix well.
Use fingers to crumble oat mixture over top of blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until mixture is bubbly and topping is golden brown.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes; serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 35-40 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 12
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What’s your favorite blueberry recipe?
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May 12, 2014
10 Freezer Meals in One Hour
If you follow this blog regularly, you know I’m a pretty big fan of simple, easy recipes that taste great and don’t take a lot of time, effort, or expensive ingredients to throw together. I’m also a huge fan of recipes that can be made and frozen ahead of time to save time on hectic weeknights. Because let’s face it: Life is busy and none of us need MORE things to do (or to feel guilty about.)
Over the past few months I’ve been working on developing some great go-to “cheater” recipes that I could use to create a comprehensive quick & easy freezer cooking meal plan. My goal was to develop five foolproof recipes that I could then use to create ten freezer meals in one hour or less. In order to make the cut, each of these recipes would have to meet ALL of the following criteria:
Deemed delicious by both my kids and husband
No pre-cooking required (aside from browning ground beef)
Freezer friendly
Easy to cook
Uses everyday, budget-friendly ingredients and pantry staples
Well friends, I am happy to tell you that all these months of trial and error have finally come together, and today I am sharing my very first LWSL Quick & Easy 10 Freezer Meals in an Hour plan! In this one post you will find everything you need to prep ten awesome freezer meals in about an hour of hands-on time (not including grocery shopping.) Just think, in just one quick Saturday morning session you could have two weeks worth of absolutely delicious, family-friendly weeknight meals all ready to go! Sound good? Let’s do it! Before you begin, you will need to gather your tools & supplies and also make sure that you have all your groceries on hand. I find it is easiest to go grocery shopping the day before I do my cooking. To save time unloading, only put away the items that need to be refrigerated. Finally, make sure your kitchen counters are cleared of clutter and sanitized and empty your dishwasher and sink of any dishes. If this is your first time doing any freezer cooking, be sure to check out this post for more tips on freezer cooking like a pro!)
Here are the five recipes we will be making:
Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken
Oh-So-Easy London Broil
Quick & Easy Taco Soup
Orange Glazed Pork Chops
Creamy Italian Chicken
Here are the supplies you will need:
10 gallon size zipper freezer bags
Avery 8163 shipping labels or permanent marker
large mixing bowl
cutting board
sharp knife
garlic press
can opener
dry measuring cups
liquid measuring cups
dry measuring spoons
liquid measuring spoons
12 inch frying pan
stand or hand mixer
Here are the ingredients you will need:
Produce
18 cloves garlic
2 lemons
Fresh parsley (optional)
1 large sweet onion
Pantry Staples
Honey
Olive oil
Soy sauce
Dried minced onion
Seasoned salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Red wine
Ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
Dried thyme
Brown Sugar
Canned/Dry Goods
Dijon mustard
1 8oz jar orange marmalade
1 15oz. can pinto beans
1 15oz can black beans
1 15oz can kidney beans
2 15oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 packets taco seasoning
1 16oz bottle Italian salad dressing
1 package Italian salad dressing mix
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
Dairy
Sour cream (optional)
2-8oz packages cream cheese
Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
Meat
8 pork chops (approximately 6-8 ounces each)
7-8 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
2 pounds London Broil beef
1 pound ground beef
Frozen
1 16oz bag frozen corn
PRINTBe sure to print the following pages before getting started:
Printable labels (designed to work with Avery 8163 shipping labels)
Printable Shopping List and Printable Prep & Prepare Instructions (all one document)
Be sure to also print the following recipes:
Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken
Oh-So-Easy London Broil
Quick & Easy Taco Soup
Orange Glazed Pork Chops
Creamy Italian Chicken
PREP Set out cream cheese to soften
Prep your bags—either print labels using these ready-made printable labels or use a permanent marker to label each bag with the name of the recipe, date prepared, and cooking instructions. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! While you might think that you’ll remember what is in every bag, I promise you will forget!
Brown ground beef and set aside
Drain & rinse kidney, pinto, and black beans; set aside.
Chop onion and set aside
Peel garlic and set aside, (or mince if not using garlic press, then set aside.)
Prep chicken if necessary
PREPARE Prep Quick & Easy Taco Soup using instructions found here. (Use only 1 cup or about half of the already chopped onion.) Divide mixture into 2 freezer bags, press out excess air, and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
Prep Oh-So-Easy London Broil using instructions found here. (Use remaining chopped onion.) Place meat into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
Prep Orange Glazed Pork Chops using instructions found here. Place meat into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
Prep Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken using instructions found here. Place chicken into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
Prep Creamy Italian Chicken using instructions found here. Place chicken into 2 freezer bags and cover with cream cheese mixture, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
Once all prep is complete, place all bags in freezer until needed. After you’ve made your meal plan for the coming week, consider setting an alert on your phone to remind you to take your bag out to thaw the day before you plan to make it!
And that’s it! Pretty darn easy right? Ten delicious freezer meals in about an hour–does it get any better than that?
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Have you ever tried freezer cooking? What are your family’s favorite freezer friendly recipes?
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May 11, 2014
Weekend Wandering
Happy Sunday and Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there! Being a mom is by far the hardest and most exhausting job I have ever had, but it is also by far the most rewarding. I can’t wait to spend the day hanging out out at the beach with my favorite people and I wish all you hardworking moms a fun and relaxing day! Of course for some of you that might just mean having a few hours of peace to peruse this week’s picks for Weekend Wandering!
It is always really hard to narrow down my favorites, especially with over 400 fantastic posts to choose from, but these are the posts I loved this week:
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First of all, my family has been in heaven since I broke down and started cooking more meat! They absolutely loved the Orange Glazed Pork Chops I made several weeks ago so I know this Apricot Orange Chicken and Rice from Posed Perfection would be a hit!
Of course since vegetarian meals are more my speed, this Tomato & Spinach Spaghetti Squash from Living Surrendered sounds amazing!
I’ve always wanted to try making Homemade Mayonnaise! It sounds like it would be tricky but Titi Crafty has a super easy recipe that uses ingredients already in your pantry.
On our cruise a few weeks ago, my youngest daughter discovered the joy of eating bacon dipped in maple syrup–it is all she wanted to eat for breakfast each morning! I made the mistake of telling her that I once saw bacon that was covered in chocolate at a candy store, and she hasn’t stopped asking for it since! I think we might have to give this Chocolate Covered Bacon Recipe from Frugal Coupon Living a try!
If bacon doesn’t do it for you, this Chocolate Caramel Cracker Candy from Carmel Moments sounds like another delicious sweet & salty treat!
If your kids have a busy sports schedule you probably know the importance of packing snacks. Sports Mom Survival Guide has a list of Easy Grab-and-Go Snacks that are healthy and perfect for the beach, car, boat or camp site.
Moving on to something just for fun–How to Dye Sprinkles 101 from Design Eat Repeat has easy to follow instructions to make your own custom color sprinkles! How cute are these?!
And speaking of cute… One Little Project at a Time has any easy step-by-step tutorial on How to Make Rolled Paper Flowers. They are so pretty!
Does your child need an incentive to read over the Summer? Mission:to Save has a list of 11 Free Summer Reading Programs that include prizes for children that complete the necessary reading logs. My little bookworm will be all over this!
While Aldi hasn’t quite made it to my corner of SW Florida yet, I have heard it is awesome. Of course I have also heard that it does take some getting used to! If you’ve been wanting to give it a try, here are 10 Things You Should Know Before Shopping at ALDI from My Joy Filled Life!
Finally, let me say THANKS to all the talented bloggers that so willing share their recipes, crafts, DIY projects, frugal living tips and life stories week after week here at LWSL. I think sometimes we don’t realize just how much time and effort goes into creating them. If you would like to show your appreciation to your favorite bloggers but aren’t quite sure how, be sure to check out these 5 Ways to Thank a Blogger from Army Wife to Suburban Life.
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What did you love this week?
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May 9, 2014
5 Habits of Budget-Savvy People
This is a guest post from Kalyn Brooke of Creative Savings
Have you ever wondered why some families constantly struggle to make ends meet, while others magically have all their finances together? Is it the way they were raised? Is it simply in how they do things?
Although these questions don’t always lend themselves to an easy answer, I honestly think it starts with the difference in our habits – both in what we’ve learned as young children, and how society impacts our current environment.
For me personally, I was taught at an early age to save my allowance, watch my spending, and make carefully calculated decisions to reach my dreams and goals. While some of that has to do with my overly-analytical personality, I am incredibly thankful that my parents taught me how to be smart with money, and instill in me the financial habits that make up so much of who I am today.
But as the saying goes, more is caught than taught, which means absolutely anyone can adopt these same budget-savvy habits that are so critical to financial success. Although it’s not a magic formula that will change your current situation immediately, continued persistence and hard work will eventually pay off.
You’ll already be way ahead of game that so many refuse to play, and ready to make a lifelong change that matters!
1. Control Your SpendingOne of the first ways to turn your relationship with money around, is to watch what you’re spending on a day-to-day basis. Are you a shopaholic? An impulse buyer? A scouter of good deals that you just can’t pass up?
It can be really painful to pull out all those receipts you’d rather stuff in the trash, but realizing that your expenses are out of control is the very first step. Once you’ve owned that you have a problem, make a commitment to stop spending completely with Ruth’s 31 Days to Living Well and Spending Zero series, then track every single purchase from now on with an Expense Tracker.
When you develop the habit of knowing exactly where your money is going, you can put an immediate stop to money leaks, and stay out of the stores (or online websites!) that tempt you to pull out your wallet.
2. Maintain a BudgetWhenever I think of someone I admire, particularly in the way they handle their money, they almost always have a budget or spending plan in place. If you think a budget sounds restricting and boring, nothing could be further from the truth! In reality, a budget is actually motivating, freeing, and will help you reach future financial goals.
Before deciding how you will budget, remember that not any one software or system will fit everyone. Take whichever plan you want to try and tweak it to fit your family. And don’t give up if it doesn’t work right away. Test the vast market of free budgeting apps available, make your own Excel spreadsheets, or look into Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. I even have a Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting series on Creative Savings, which will help you create a simple budget from start to finish.
When you develop the habit of making a plan for each paycheck, you take control of your money instead of letting it control you.
3. Create AccountabilityIt’s never fun to make yourself accountable to someone. Just the thought of letting someone into my finances is enough to make me squeamish. I don’t want anyone to see where I’m spending, and then judge me for it!
But it’s not about judgement – it’s about giving permission to someone you trust completely, and allowing them to help guide you on the path to financial change. It can be a caring husband who gently takes your credit card away, or a wise friend who suggests you plan a walk in the park instead of your usual $20 lunch meet.
Accountability also takes form in the checkpoints you set up for yourself at home. By converting to an all cash system, you know exactly what you are allowed to spend, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. If you’re hesitant to use cash, keep yourself accountable in a specific area of your budget by keeping a small tally sheet nearby to make sure you don’t go over budget.
And lastly, use post-it notes! I not only love to use post-its as my daily to-do lists, I also put them in my wallet or on the fridge to remind me of a goal I’m saving toward. Accountability is a must if you want to develop the habit of consistency and continued progress.
4. Set Financial GoalsSpeaking of financial goals, if you don’t have any right now, take some time with your spouse {or a friend if you’re single}, and write down some of the things you’d like to accomplish in the next 2-5 years. Think of it as a bucket list for your budget, and be sure to write down the date you’d like to reach each goal beside every item on your list.
Whether it’s paying off debt, saving for a much-needed home renovation, or starting an emergency fund, as long as it has to do with your money, make it a financial goal. However, it’s not enough to simply write down these goals, as tracking them continuously will keep you from getting discouraged and help you see monthly progress.
I like to print out a black and white thermometer template, write my goal on the top, then fill it in as we reach each mark. A lot of companies use this method for fundraising, but it works great for personal finances too!
Remember, if you don’t know where you’re going, then you can’t plan to get there. Develop the habit of goal setting and finally turn your dreams into reality.
5. Reward YourselfGiving yourself a treat or a reward may not seem like it fits with this whole “developing good habits” kind of thing, but I’ve found that I’m even more discouraged if I don’t at least indulge a little after reaching my goals.
However, this doesn’t mean I go on a spending spree without a care in the world for the hard work I’ve put in the last few months. Instead, I build in a reward category right into my budget to fund these incentives. Done sparingly, these $15-$20 splurges can actually encourage you to keep going, and help you tackle yet another goal on your list. Just don’t get too crazy, and learn to develop the habit of restraint and grace!
While these 5 habits might sound really hard to start, let alone maintain, they will soon become second nature the more you practice. There’s no such thing as failure – just learning – so let that fuel your resolve to try your very best.
Pretty soon you’ll be able to pass on these budget savvy habits to your children, and show the next generation that we too can be responsible with our money and change our future!
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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What habits are you working to make or break right now?
The post 5 Habits of Budget-Savvy People appeared first on Living Well Spending Less™.
May 8, 2014
Thrifty Thursday {Week 59}
Happy Thursday! I hope you are all having a fabulous week! For the past few days I have been in Orlando attending the SCORRE Conference, which offers super intense hands-on training for speakers. Every day we have had to prepare and deliver a five minute speech using the principles we are learning, and then listen as we are critiqued. I’m not going to lie–I have shed a lot of tears this week! Even so, I have learned a TON and I know that both my speaking AND writing are going to be so much more powerful as a result of being stretched this week. Sometimes growth is painful!!
So my challenge to all of you is to try to do something new this week, something that scares the pants off of you! Stretch yourself to go outside of your comfort zone and you might just be amazed at the results!
Here are the most clicked links from last week:
1. A Life in Balance {A Week’s Worth of Groceries}
2. Six Figures Under {Does a N0-Spend Month Really Save Money?}
3. Pins & Procrastination { Kitchen Organization: Solutions for Small Kitchens}
4. Snail Pace Transformations {10 Ways Thrifty People Stay Content}
5. Retired By 40! {My Disagreement with Dave Ramsey-Part 1}
6. Le Chaim…On the Right {The ALDI Truth- All About Your Food}
7. Creative Home Keeper {5 Tips to Getting Your Days Back After a Difficult Season}
8.Aspired Living{Beginner’s Guide to Saving Money-Part 3: Food}
9. Provident Home Design {Design 101-Repetition of Pattern}
10. Life in the Orchard {How I Avoid Spending Money}
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 eBook, 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. 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 my options for one-on-one blog consulting.
An InLinkz Link-up
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The post Thrifty Thursday {Week 59} appeared first on Living Well Spending Less™.
