Ruth Soukup's Blog, page 82

How to Not Give Up Your War on Debt

Today I am happy to welcome back my friend Cherie Lowe from the Queen of Free, who has graciously joined us here at LWSL as a regular monthly contributor.  Cherie is the author of the amazing book, Slaying the Debt Dragon, which she wrote after paying off more than $127,000 in debt!  I am so excited to have her bringing her wealth of knowledge & experience on this subject to LWSL–please join me in making her feel right at home!

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The longest family road trip we have ever taken is one I’d never like to repeat. Traveling from our home in central Indiana all the way to the coast of North Carolina, we wound our way through the mountains with two daughters, both very prone to carsickness. Our family car packed to the gills with everything we would need for an eight-day stay in a beachfront home, this trip was meant to be a vacation to end all vacations. After all, we were celebrating paying off over $127K in debt. We had not adventured together as a family for four years. I spent months researching the perfect home to rent (and got a great deal!). However, after driving eight of the fourteen hours of our trip, I was ready to throw in the towel and head back to the Hoosier state.

As our car neared the exit where I had booked a quick night’s stay, my weary bones rejoiced. Soon, we would all be sleeping. After a good night’s rest, recharged we could hit the road and finish our journey. And then I saw it.

Lit up in the night sky, placed neatly behind the mountainside hotel, was the biggest neon sign for a local *ahem* Gentleman’s club. Enormous Xs glared at me and immediately I knew no one would be getting much sleep.

A long night just got much longer.

Maybe the trip was a metaphor for the four-year quest we had just completed. Those days were long and grueling, too – filled with unexpected twists and turns. More than once, I wanted to give up. More than once, I wish we had never begun our epic debt slaying journey. More than once, it seemed like everyone else had all of the fun, all of the money, all of the luck while we were faced with challenge after challenge – broken down vehicles, burnt out water heaters, and a mound of debt that just wouldn’t die.

Perhaps you’re in a similar situation, wanting to be free from debt but ready to throw in the towel, filled with frustration and weary from the task. Lean in close and let me whisper a little secret to you. You are stronger than you realize, much more gifted than you know and this battle will be worth it. Still not convinced? Might I make a few suggestions of what you can do to redouble your efforts?

Rest

Your mama was right. The world truly looks like a much better place after a good night’s sleep. Sometimes the best way to refuel your tank is to turn off the TV and go to bed early, even if that means hitting the hay soon after tucking in your kids. A solid eight hours (or maybe an afternoon nap) could be all it takes to give you the perspective and energy you need to keep on keepin’ on. Obviously, you can’t sleep forever, but physical rest will do much to repair your body and soul.

Recount the Journey

If you’re beginning to feel the pull of quitting, it likely means you’ve already traveled a long road and that, my friends, is a very good thing. Sit down and take stock in what you’ve already been able to accomplish. Have you saved up an emergency fund? Have you paid off a debt? Two? Four? How many dollars (and cents because every single penny counts) have you been able to repay? What sacrifices have you made? What lessons have you learned? Recounting the journey will help you realize just how far you’ve come and why it’s been worth it, regardless of the struggle.  We kept every bill we eliminated, stapled together in a pile and magneted to the refrigerator. Each time we left our home and returned again, we passed that ever-growing pile of paid off debt. This simple act fueled our hearts and souls when days seemed long.

Read a Good and Encouraging Book

My soul functions much better when I pour life-giving words into it on a regular basis. Reading was such an essential part of our journey that included a massive list of books we found to be encouraging in the back of Slaying the Debt Dragon. Certainly reads about personal finance and saving money will be worthwhile, but other books have the potential to put a spring in your tired steps. From classic fiction to marriage or parenting books, great works on faith to poetry, lose yourself in wise and hopeful words and your inner self will be renewed. Hit the library, check out a great book, and refocus your gaze.

Revisit the Budget

Let’s be honest, crunching numbers is probably the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed. But hang with me here for a minute. Sit down with your spouse and look over your budget again. See where you might able to loosen the reigns, if even only for a week or a month so you can afford a small splurge. Even an amount as small as five dollars for a simple pleasure you have been forgoing can give you a slight reprieve, re-energizing your efforts.

Recalculate your Goals

The long-term objective of paying off all of your debt is one of the most high and noble pursuits that you may ever endeavor. But before you reach that ultimate ambition, you most likely need to set smaller, bite-sized milestones. Whether it’s a single bill or a set dollar amount, consider not only aiming for a smaller achievement but also celebrating when your mission is accomplished. Plan a weekend getaway (budgeted for with cash of course). Go out for dinner. Indulge in a guilty pleasure. Set your sights on short-term attainable deadlines and party it up when you make the mark.

I’d by lying if I said I slept well at that hotel nestled into the mountains the night before we arrived at our beach house (for what turned out to be an amazing vacation). In fact, the next morning, we were up before the crack of dawn, already driving when the sun rose and the mist lifted off the rocky peaks. Sure, we were a little sleepy, but the difficult situation had led to a breathtaking result. Without a little challenge, we miss the beautiful things of life.

Paying off debt isn’t for wimps. It’s a battle that requires much of you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But, it’s a valuable pursuit and the freedom you gain, along with the lessons you learn are priceless. If you’re weary, take a day or two to refocus your efforts and refuel your tank.

You’re stronger than you think you are. You can do this. And it’s worth it.

Cherie Lowe is an author, speaker and hope bringer. Her book Slaying the Debt Dragon details her family’s quest to eliminate over $127K in debt in just under four years. As her alter ego the Queen of Free, Cherie provides offbeat money saving tips and debt slaying inspiration on a daily basis.

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Thrifty Thursday {Week 106}

Happy Thursday! I hope you are all having a fabulous week!  Have you purchased your Ultimate Homemaking Bundle yet? For just a few more day  you can get more than $1200 worth of home-related books and bonuses for just $29.97 (including my bestselling blogging guide, How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul!)  From meal-planning to cleaning & organizing to making money from home, it includes resources to improve every area of your life.  It is a pretty awesome deal–you can get all the details HERE.

In other news, we had a little technical glitch with our voting for the Secret 13 contest last week, but it is fixed and up and running! Please vote for your favorite essay HERE!

Here are the most clicked links from last week:

1. A Debt Free Stress Free Life { 11 Habits of People Who are Debt Free }
2. Organizing Moms { What to do When Your Overwhelmed by Your Home }

3. The Latina Homemaker { Being Content While Living With Less }

4. Humble in a Heartbeat {Habit Changes That Will Save You Money}

5. Creative Home Keeper {10 Tips for Getting Back to Intentional Homemaking}

6. A Cultivated Nest {9 Tips for Sticking to Your Budget}

7. No Getting Off This Train {Build a Stockpile with $5 a Week- Without Coupons}
8. My Stay at Home Adventures {5 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Someone}
9. Frugal Debt Free Life {7 Thrift Store Items You Can Flip for a Profit}
10. The Budget Mama {Should I Help Someone Financially?}
 
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!  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 Greek Chicken

Our philosophy here at Living Well Spending Less is that you can never have too many quick & easy freezer meals ready to go, especially ones that use budget-friendly chicken!  This tender, juicy Easy Greek Chicken is a snap to throw together but so full of flavor that it feels extra-special.

To make it as part of a freezer cooking day, just split the marinade & chicken into multiple bags, then throw it right into the freezer–no cooking required!  Making it ahead of time is not necessary, though, as it is equally delicious just marinated in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

You can use any type of chicken but my family much prefers the boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are a darker, juicier meat and also tend to be cheaper than the boneless skinless breasts.

Here is what you need:

2 lemons
1 cup olive oil
8-10 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cracked red pepper
1/2 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
 3.5-4 pounds boneless chicken
 

Step 1: Squeeze lemons to release 2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice.

Step 2: Mince or crush garlic in garlic press.

Step 3: Remove  rosemary leaves from stalk, discard stalk, and chop leaves.

Step 4: Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, cracked red pepper flakes,  seasoned salt, & pepper together in bowl, then divide into 2 1-gallon freezer bags.  (If freezing, be sure to label bags ahead of time.)

Step 5: Marinate chicken in bag for at least 30 minutes or longer, or press out air from bag and freeze.

Step 6: Thaw if frozen.  Grill 7-8 minutes per side, basting with additional marinade, if desired. Alternatively, you can pour contents into slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, or place in casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

 

 

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Recipe: Easy Greek Chicken

Summary: This juicy, flavorful chicken is sure to be a new family favorite! 

Ingredients

2 lemons
1 cup olive oil
8-10 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
3.5-4 pounds boneless chicken



Instructions

Squeeze lemons to release 2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice.
Mince or crush garlic in garlic press.
Remove  rosemary leaves from stalk, discard stalk, and chop leaves.
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, cracked red pepper flakes,  seasoned salt, & pepper together in bowl, then divide into 2 1-gallon freezer bags.  (If freezing, be sure to label bags ahead of time.)
Marinate chicken in bag for at least 30 minutes or longer, or press out air from bag and freeze.
Thaw if frozen.  Grill 7-8 minutes per side, basting with additional marinade, if desired.  Alternatively, you can pour contents into slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, or place in casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Preparation time: 5-7 minutes

Cooking time: 12-16 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

 

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Secret 13 Essay Contest: Final Voting

NOTE:  We had an unfortunate glitch with our voting system last week, and we had to pull the post so we could start over.  Everything has now been fixed–thank you so much for your patience!

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For the past few months, we’ve read Secret 13 stories from 12 inspiring finalists, as they’ve shared how the lessons found in Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life personally affected or changed them.  Now it’s almost time for one of them to win one ridiculously AMAZING prize.

How amazing?

Yep, that’s right–ONE of these of these lucky finalists will win an all-expenses paid cruise for four on the Carnival Sunshine, and we need YOUR help to pick a winner!

From today until Sunday, April 26th you can vote once per 24 hour period per IP address for your favorite essay.  You can click on each of the photos below to re-read each essay, then select ONE as your favorite.  After you vote, you will be able to see which essay has received the most votes so far!  We will announce the final winner a week from today right here on LWSL.  That’s it!  Pretty easy right?  So what are you waiting for–go vote!

PLEASE NOTE:  We do have a log that records the date, time and IP address of every vote that is made, and all votes will be independently verified and confirmed before our winner is announced.  Any finalists caught attempting to cheat will be disqualified.

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How to Grow a Vegetable Garden

In my early twenties, as I was recovering from a long and serious depression, I made a list of the the things I wanted to accomplish over the next ten years.  At the very top was a seemingly simple wish: To grow my own vegetables.

Little did I know that it would take me more than fifteen years to finally make that dream a reality. As it turns out, my thumb is really, really brown.

For the past five years, my husband and I have been trying very hard to grow our own vegetables. To say we’ve struggled would be quite an understatement. I think we’ve made nearly every mistake in the gardening handbook—planted too early, planted too late, not watered enough, watered too much, let the bugs eat the plants, used too much pesticide and killed the plants, harvested too early, harvested too late, used the wrong seeds, planted too deep, didn’t plant deep enough, used the wrong soil….

In other words, if there was a mistake to be made, we’ve made it.

But much to my husband’s chagrin, I tend to be one of those people who only seems to learn from making mistakes. The more mistakes I make, the more I learn! Moreover, I am also eternally optimistic.  I just knew that if I kept trying, I would get it eventually!

Well.  I am happy to report that after five long years, my optimism has paid off.  This year, for the first year ever, our garden was finally a success!

And luckily for you, my failures are your gain, because now I’ve got some surefire garden growing tips to share that will hopefully allow you to avoid some of my same mistakes! Granted, I’m still learning, but here is what I’ve discovered so far about how to grow a vegetable garden (even if you’ve got the brownest thumb in the world!)

Pick the Right Location

For the most part, vegetable gardens need a lot of sun. Be sure to find a spot in your yard that has a sunny, southern exposure, if possible, & not too much shade. Drainage is also important—your garden should not be located in a low spot that might flood during heavy rains.

Dirt Matters. A Lot

Gardening is the culmination of many different factors coming together—sunlight, temperature, water, the time of year, type of seeds you use, etc. But even the best location and perfect amount of rain won’t matter much if the dirt you are planting in is no good. Rich, fertile soil makes all the difference in the world!

Depending on what you are starting with, it may take quite a bit of effort to get your soil up to par. Raised beds are great because you can not only control the soil, but the drainage as well, plus lay down some sort of weed protection barrier. We have not yet tried raised beds, but have instead dug out deep holes in our garden plot and filled them with better soil. However, next year I am thinking of using these inexpensive raised beds so that I can add a layer of newspaper to minimize weed growth.

This year we followed the “Mel’s Mix” guidelines provided in our Square Foot Gardening book, (named for the author, Mel Bartholemew), which recommended combining 1/3 compost with 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 vermiculite. Since we didn’t have any compost, we used black cow instead, which seemed to work really well. This mix is lighter than soil, retains more moisture, and has better drainage. In the past year we have also started composting, using this rotating double-bin composter, in the hopes that our soil will be even better next year!

Get Good Seeds

I did a lot more research on seeds for last year’s garden, and the one company that kept popping up on all of the “best seed company” lists, was SeedsNow.com, which offers 100% Pure GMO-Free Non Hybrid seeds, which allows you to save your seeds after harvest. This may or may not be important to you, but I like to know that in the event of some major catastrophe, that the seeds I am using are sustainable for the future, and not just for one-time use.

Plant Well

Planting can tricky and a little bit overwhelming. First you have to figure out where to put everything! For the past few years, we had just randomly planted rows, without really knowing where to put what.

This year, however, we took a different tack and followed the square foot gardening method, which recommends dividing your garden plot into 1’x1’ squares. Depending on the crop, some squares will have one plant per square, while others will have, two, four, or even up to 16 for small items like radishes and green onions.

The Square Foot Gardening book gives some really good guidelines and suggestions for where to plant what, but I also liked using the GardenMinder app on our iPad to help plan the garden. I was able to print a map, as well as print planting instructions for each item, which was incredibly helpful!

It is also important to make sure you plant at the right TIME. This has been tricky for us here in Florida, as our growing season is very different from the rest of the country! This year it got too cold for my zucchini, but then too warm for my broccoli and cauliflower. Thus, next year I will adjust accordingly.

Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize

Last year I hosted a gardening event on behalf of the Home Depot. While I was there, I had a chance to chat with a few of their gardening experts, who explained that one of the biggest problems for most novice gardeners is that they don’t fertilize nearly enough!

In most cases, an all purpose fertilizer will work really well—try Dr. Earth’s All Purpose Organic or Miracle Gro Organic All Purpose Plant Food—but it is also a good idea to test your soil on a regular basis to make sure the pH level is in the correct range. A pH level that is too high or too low will seriously affect your plant growth. We use this electronic soil tester to make sure our pH levels are where they should be.

Water Often

The rule of thumb in temperate climates is that your garden should get about an inch of water per week. You can measure this with some sort of rain gauge. However, in hot climates, especially for gardens that get a lot of sun, you will have to water a lot more than that! I definitely had to water my garden at least once a day or it would start to wilt very quickly! One tip I learned from a reader on Instagram was that watering during the hottest part of the day is a very bad idea, as it can actually burn the plants!   Try watering in the morning or at dusk.

Keep The Bugs at Bay

There’s nothing worse than seeing all your hard work in the garden literally get eaten away! We had previously tried Sevin powder to repel bugs, but ended up burning our plants by using too much. However, this year we discovered that essential oils work even better for repelling bugs & pests in the garden!

For an easy, all natural bug-repellent, we simply mixed 10-15 drops each of Rosemary, Thyme, Peppermint, and Thieves with water in a small spray bottle, shaking well before each application. (Be sure to use only 100% pure essential oil—for more information, check out this post!)

Successfully growing a vegetable garden can sometimes feel like a daunting prospect, especially when you are just getting started. A few failures can make you reluctant to try again, but the truth is that gardening often takes a lot of trial and error to finally get it right. In the end, however, there is nothing quite as satisfying as being able to enjoy fresh produce you have grown from scratch!

Hopefully these practical tips from my own garden will encourage you to give it your first shot, or try it one more time. Happy gardening!

P.S.  Want more great homemaking tips?  Don’t miss this year’s Ultimate Homemaking Bundle sale happening right now through April 27th!  For ONE WEEK ONLY you can get $1200 worth of home-related books and bonuses for just $29.97!  You would seriously be crazy to pass it up!  Get all the details HERE.

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Did I miss anything?  What are your best gardening tips?

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Don’t Miss the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle (One Week Only!)

Hi Friends!

Once a year, for just a few days only, there is a resource for us overstressed, overworked mamas that is SO amazing, I can’t NOT tell you about it. Because here’s the thing that most of us have figured out by now–homemaking is hard work!  Between the cleaning, the cooking, the meal-planning, the child-rearing, and all the other things on our plate, it sometimes feels like there is just too much to do an not enough time to get it all done!

I hear you. Sometimes I look around my house and wonder how things got so out of hand.

And that’s why Erin and Stephanie created the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle… because as rewarding as it is, homemaking is hard work and it doesn’t always come easily.

I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

The bundle was designed to help you nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships with proven, simple, and effective tools that really give you a boost as a homemaker – help, inspiration, tips, encouragement, resources at your fingertips…

… the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is just for you.

It is a complete library of carefully selected eBooks, eCourses, audios, online conferences, and printable packs designed to help you turn your house into a home… without all the overwhelm.

What’s in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle?

The first step in putting together this collection was to find the critical homemaking skills that you need to transform your house into a home.

Here they are:

Cleaning… create a healthy, toxin-free home
DIY/Homemade… fun and frugal ways to express your personal style
Devotionals and Faith… take a break from the daily grind to renew yourself
Finances… build a budget that works
Cooking & Meal Planning… serve easier, tastier meals in less time
Holidays & Special Events… brighten up old family traditions and create new
Homeschooling… homeschool with grace and ease
Marriage… heat up your marriage
Motherhood… find peace, balance & joy in mothering
Organizing… conquer the clutter and simplify your life
Pregnancy & Babies… enjoy a healthy pregnancy and prepare to nurture your baby
Health & Wellness… soothe aches & pains with natural remedies
Working from Home… hone your talents, live your passions and earn money to help your family

… a complete library of 99 eBooks and eCourses to help you nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships.  More than $1200 of books and bonuses for just $29.97.

Is the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle worth it?

In a word… yes!

To be absolutely certain, Erin and Stephanie asked questions, tried techniques and just about drove themselves crazy making sure that the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle was the very best homemaking resource anywhere.They dug through hundreds of websites and connected with dozens of authors and teachers (including me!)  And then we all worked together to make these resources the most affordable possible.

Now I know what you are thinking, because I thought the same thing: “Sure, it sounds like a great deal, but what on earth would I do with that many books all at once? I would be overwhelmed just by the thought of reading them all!”

In fact, it is that exact thought that has held me back in the past from purchasing a previous bundle. But that was before I found out that you are allowed to gift the books you don’t plan to read! Say what? It’s a game changer!   Now I can focus on the books that really interest me, and share with friends and family the books that I know I probably won’t get to. Talk about a win-win!

And after taking a peek at what this particular bundle has to offer, I can tell you that there are several books—and even a few online courses—that I am super interested in. These few alone make the bundle well worth the price:

Simply Clean Home is a brief guide designed to help you conquer the clutter in your home and create a simple plan to keep it clean (without spending all your time tidying up) so you have more time for the things you love. The book is divided into three sections to help you with what you need most right now: Decluttering, Cleaning and Now What? (How to spend your time now that you aren’t always cleaning.) Ready to get started?. (Regular price: $7.99)

How to Save Money: A 21 Day Challenge to Save $500 a month. Sure, you can save a few pennies by turning off the lights around the house, but Bob needed to make bigger money-saving moves. He didn’t need to save a few pennies, he needed to save many hundreds of dollars each month. That is what this challenge is all about: taking twenty-one days to make some drastic, but realistic, changes in order to save at least $500 each month.   (Regular price: $5.99)

No Cook Freezer Meals doesn’t require any cooking ahead of time. Simply combine the meats, vegetables, sauces and spices, and freeze! This eBook will teach you how to save time and money while making delicious, homemade meals for your family. Inside No Cook Freezer Meals, you’ll find seventy-seven pages of step-by-step instructions, expert tips, and no cook freezer recipes as well as a grocery list for every recipe inside, nutritional info, printable freezer meals labels, and printable freezer inventory sheet.(Regular price: $5.99)

Ever felt stuck with traditional meal planning methods? Backwards Meal Planning could be just what you need to get your budget and your 5:30 dinner freak-outs under control. Find meal planning freedom while creating delicious, healthy, and affordable meals for your family. (Regular price: $2.99)

Are you tired of wasting your money on the latest kitchen tools and cleaning products? The things you already own can go the extra mile for you if you let them, saving you all those steps and keeping your money where it belongs – in your wallet. In Coffee Filters to Cheese Graters: Creative Ways to Use Just About Everything, you will find lists of ten or more new uses for forty-four everyday household items. Including everything from using your bundt pan to bake potatoes to making mini meat loafs in your muffin tin to using salt to clean stained mugs, this book is the answer to questions you didn’t even know you had! (Regular price: $4.99)

The second edition of the Slow Cooker Freezer Meals meal plan in the 20 Meals from Costco for $150 series gives you the tools you need to put together twenty meals for your slow cooker into the freezer in just a few hours. This plan includes complete recipes with freezer instructions, shopping list, assembly and bulk cooking instructions, printable labels for the bags and exclusive access to videos of the meals being assembled. (Regular price $5.00)

Supermarket Ninjas.  Grocery shopping for real, unprocessed food can be a daunting task. The solution? Become a supermarket ninja! Steadfastly conquer the grocery store aisles with a cool confidence, resulting in a cart loaded with unprocessed, real, and nourishing foods to serve and satisfy a hungry family! This eBook is your guide along the way.(Regular price: $4.99)

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler is a simple living handbook. Sometimes, it seems like making life simpler is awfully hard – it’s weird that we all make “simple living” so darn complicated. With this book, you have permission to focus on just one thing at a time, until you’ve got that task down – and then you can move on to the next one. Fifty-two tasks. Practical. Do-able. Given to you in a one-at-a-time, take-a-breath format, for you to tackle at your own comfortable pace. You know what you should do, you just need a handbook. That is the gift this book is giving you. Welcome to sanity. (Regular price: $8.00)

Paperless Home Organization will walk you step-by-step through using your gadgets to organize your life, putting technology to work for you so you can be organized and get rid of your paper clutter. (Regular price: $4.99)

Project: Organize Your Entire Life.  This Quick Start Guide eBook, along with the 2015 daily/weekly/monthly planners, cleaning schedules, meal planners and more are all designed with you in mind. We know how busy you are. The goal of all of these printables is not to have to learn a whole new system but simply to help you streamline your everyday tasks. If we can do it with some cheerful colors and pretty fonts – then that’s just icing on the cake! (Regular price: $14.97)

Today, more than ever before, women are in a position to do fulfilling and profitable work without the mother guilt of previous generations. A shifting work culture, advancements in mobile technology, and the rise of small business opportunities all contribute to the growing field of prospects for women in the work place. How She Does It unpacks these trends in family and work culture, and gets to the core of HOW you can make your work goals fit into your unique family situation. How She Does It is a guide to your future – packed to the brim with the creative solutions, encouragement, and resources you need to make a plan that works in the actual, every day life of your family. (Regular price: $4.99)

And of course, I have to include a shameless plug for my own book–How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul)–which offers field-tested advice and practical action steps for turning a blog into a thriving, profitable business (while still writing about the things you care about most)  (Regular price: $9.99)

All this and MORE…

The result? This collection is a fraction of the price of what someone would pay for each resource individually!

For a short time, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle… a complete library of:

76 eBooks
6 eCourses
1 audio download
2 online conferences, and
14 printable packs

…99 carefully selected resources designed to help you nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships… is only $29.97.

That breaks down to 30 cents per book.

Your 30-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

If for any reason, you decide that the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is not for you, then please send an email to customerservice@Ultimate-Bundles.com and we will refund 100% of your investment. No questions asked.

Don’t Forget the Bonuses…

Of course, no Ultimate Homemaking Bundle would be complete without the generous, inspiring gifts donated by companies that understand homemakers like you. Every gift is yours to keep and enjoy.

Choose 1 FREE Online Class from Craftsy (Select from 24 of Their Most Popular Classes – Up to $60 Value)
1 FREE Kids Discovery Box from Green Kid Crafts ($19.95 Value)
FREE $15 Credit to Hope Ink PLUS 2 FREE 8×10 Art Prints ($71 Value)
FREE 90-Day “Good Deal” Subscription to She Plans Dinner ($15 Value)
Choose 1 FREE Stylish Spring Scarf from Deborah & Co. ($20 Value)
FREE $80 Healthy Moving Class Credit ($80 Value)
FREE 90-Day Pro Membership to ListPlanIt ($30 Value)
FREE 65 Tyndale Rewards Points to Be Used for a FREE Book or Towards Any Book of Your Choice ($15 Value)

Now It’s Your Turn

I think Laura Ingalls Wilder said it best…

“Just as a little thread of gold, running through a fabric, brightens the whole garment, so women’s work at home, while only the doing of little things, is just like the golden gleam of sunlight that runs through and brightens the whole fabric of civilization.”

The proven, simple, and effective skills you need to transform your house into a home are all waiting for you in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.

This is your chance to get all the love, support, guidance and inspiration you need to nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships with proven, simple, and effective tools that really give you a boost as a homemaker.

But time is running out! The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle will only be available from 8:00 a.m. EST on Monday, April 20 until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, April 27.

After that, the shopping cart closes and the deeply discounted price is gone.

Act now!

Click here for more info or to buy now.

Best wishes and happy homemaking!

Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

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Weekend Wandering

Happy Weekend!  With a looming book deadline now less than two weeks away I think this is probably going to be a working weekend.  Boo!  Can I be honest though?  All I really want to do is curl up in bed and watch House of Cards–my newest Netflix obsession.  It’s pretty gritty (and not at all family friendly) but a fascinating look at the lengths people will go to for power.  All I can say is I really hope that’s not the way politics in Washington DC actually work!

As I mentioned on Thursday, doors for Elite Blog Academy opened on Tuesday for ONE WEEK only!  This will be the only time the course is offered this year–doors will not open again until 2016! If you have a blog or have thought about blogging, go HERE to find out more about what Elite Blog Academy has to offer, and determine whether it might be right for you.

In other news, we had a little technical glitch with our voting for the Secret 13 contest this week.  Thankfully everything appears to be fixed now and we will restart the voting process on Tuesday.

Here is what I loved this week:

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This Lightened-Up Taco Crescent Casserole from The Seasoned Mom looks like an easy one-dish meal my family would absolutely devour!

Analida’s Ethnic Spoon shared her recipe for How to Make Goat Cheese with easy step-by-step instructions. I would love to try this!

These Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Dipping Sauce from Frugal Living NW sound absolutely delicious!

This Spinach and Lemon Quinoa Salad from A Mind Full Mom can be made in less than 30 minutes!  What a perfect springtime dish!

 Eat Pray Read Love swears that her Easy Fettuccine Alfredo is better than the Pioneer Woman’s!

Onto some sweet treats…these Root Beer Float Cupcakes from Raining Hot Coupons are so cute!  And they look delicious!

This Easy No-Bake Berry Cheesecake from With a Blast looks almost too pretty to eat!

These Coconut Dipped White Chocolate Lime Biscotti from Annie’s Noms sound like the perfect accompaniment to my morning coffee!

I love me some mojito!  This Strawberry Mojito from Flour on My Face looks SO good!!  Yum!

On the DIY front, Carrie This Home shared her step-by-step instructions on how to create this DIY Chalkboard Family Rules sign. Love it!

Short on cash?  These 7  Frugal Mother’s Day Gift Ideas from Krystal’s Kitsch can be put together for just a couple of bucks.

Frugal Fanatic shared her super practical tips for How to Create a Budget.

 The Teacher’s Wife has a list of 10 Frugal Pantry Staples that can save you time and money!

And speaking of pantry staples, Pulling Curls offered some great tips for Stocking Up on Canned Food.

The Budget Mama shared a though-provoking post on Why She Let Them Be Evicted.  Definitely a must-read if you’ve ever been in the position of trying to help someone financially!

Finally, these 10 Tips for Getting Back to Intentional Homemaking from the Creative Home Keeper are great! I totally agree with tip number 4!

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What did you love this week?

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10 Qualities of a Best Friend

I can’t even tell you how happy I am to introduce you to my friend Melanie Shankle, aka Big Mama.  I’ll spare you the boring details of how we met, suffice to say it involved much laughter (and a little wine) and an instant realization that she is my kind of people.  She is an expert at finding the humor in the little things, and most days I can hardly wait to read her daily post over my morning cup of coffee.

She just released her third book, Nobody’s Cuter than You, a memoir about the beauty of friendship.  If you’ve read either of her first two New York Times bestselling books, Sparkly Green Earrings (about motherhood) or The Antelope in the Living Room (about marriage), you already know that she’s the real deal–funny, insightful, and not afraid to laugh at herself–and this one is a must read!

This a guest post from Melanie Shankle of The Big Mama Blog

A few months ago my daughter, Caroline, curled up next to me on the couch after a day of school that had left her tired and frustrated.  She began to tell me about some of the girl drama going on in the fifth grade and that she just wasn’t sure who she could trust and who were her real friends.  We talked through it and I wiped her tears as she let out a big sigh and said, “I just haven’t met my Gulley yet”.

And it made me want to cry because one of the things I want the most for Caroline to know is the beauty of female friendship and what it adds to our lives.  Gulley is my best friend and I’m so thankful that our friendship has set a high bar for my daughter because we need those people who will listen to our stories and hold our hand as we go through heartbreak and joy and figure out all that life throws our way.  Those loyal soldiers who will defend us and stand with us when times get hard and it feels like the world is against us.  The women we surround ourselves with and know without a doubt that our name and our heart are no safer than on her tongue and in her hands.

Here’s the thing, it seems that over the last couple of decades we’ve substituted the joy of real friendship with cheap imitations.  We settle for community on Facebook and Twitter and through a series of text messages that allow us to communicate with someone without the commitment.  We have a tendency to swim in the shallow pool of relationships because we all know that getting deep can equate to being vulnerable.  And more often than not, that’s a risk we’re not willing to take.  It’s so much easier to just text a few happy face emojis .

So instead we like each other’s beautifully filtered photos on Instagram or Facebook and delude ourselves into believing we have a community.

But here’s my question: Do you really?

Do you have those people that will show up on your doorstep with food and Kleenex when the hard times come?  Is there someone in your life that can look into your eyes and ask if you’re okay when they already know you’re not?

Real friendship requires effort.  It’s showing up and laughing loud and crying hard.  It’s forgiving and loving and giving the benefit of the doubt.  It’s a casserole, a carpool pick up, and making sure she knows those cute shoes are now 50% off.

In case you’ve ever wondered how you know if someone is a good friend, I thought this handy list might help you out.  Here are some thoughts for you to ponder about friendship—both in looking for a good friend and becoming one. Some of these may be more important than others. I’ll let you decide for yourself.

10 Qualities of a Best Friend

1.  She’ll let you borrow her favorite dress, shoes, jacket, or top when you need something cute to wear. Bonus points if she actually says in the dressing room, “I’ll buy this, and then we can both wear it!

2. Your name is safe on her lips. She won’t tell your secrets or say anything behind your back that she wouldn’t say to your face.

3. She won’t tell your embarrassing stories without your permission, and she is always laughing with you, not at you.

4. She’ll wait at least six hours before gently telling you that the person you’re mad at may be right.

5. When you ask, “Can you do me a huge favor?” she answers “YES”   before she even knows the rest of the sentence.

6. She forgives you for your PMS moods and occasional general state of grouchiness.

7. She’s there for you when it feels like the whole world has turned upside down and life will never be okay again.

8. Even though she loves Chinese food, she recognizes that you don’t and therefore never suggests it as a restaurant option when the two of you are together.

9. It’s understood that if you’re on a trip together, you share a hotel room. How else are you going to stay up all night talking?

10. On any given day, she’s your sister, therapist, confidante, mother, nurse, chauffeur, hair technician, clothing stylist, nutritionist, and self-help guru who proclaims that you are good enough, kind enough, and doggone it, people like you. Otherwise known as declaring, “Nobody’s cuter than you!”

We all need that type of friend in our life.  They serve as a mirror that allows us the gift of seeing the better version of ourselves.  And on a day when our jeans feel too tight and our chins have decided to embrace hormone-related acne reminiscent of our teen years and our kids have tested the limits of our sanity, a best friend will be there to help cheer us on until we get to the other side.

(Check out more cute printables from Melanie’s book here)

 

Melanie Shankle is the New York Times Bestselling author of Sparkly Green Earrings and The Antelope in the Living Room, as well as her latest book, Nobody’s Cuter than You. She writes daily on her blog, Big Mama, and is also a regular contributor to The Pioneer Woman blog. Melanie lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Perry and daughter Caroline.

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Thrifty Thursday {Week 105}

Happy Thursday!

In case you haven’t heard, doors for Elite Blog Academy opened on Tuesday for ONE WEEK only!  This will be the only time the course is offered this year–doors will not open again until 2016! If you’ve ever wished someone could guide you through the process of creating a successful blog & show you, step by step, exactly how to grow a loyal following, generate a sustainable income and transform your passion into a profitable business, this is your chance!  Go HERE to find out more about what Elite Blog Academy has to offer, and determine whether it might be right for you.  Or, if you already know you are ready to join, you can get registered HERE.

In other news, we had a little technical glitch with our voting for the Secret 13 contest this week.  We are working to get it fixed and up and running as soon as possible–we will keep you posted!

Here are the most clicked links from last week:

1. Involuntary Adulthood { 5 Inexpensive Date Ideas }
2. A Debt Free Stress Free Life { 12 Habits of People Who Always Have a Clean Home }

3. A Cultivated Nest { 8 Old Fashioned Money Saving Tips that Still Work }

4. My Love for Words {3 Things You Should Never Ever Buy}

5. Frugally Blonde {5 Ways I Saved in March}

6. My Stay at Home Adventures {How to Use Coupons in 2015}

7. Frugal Family Home {Why Shopping the Dollar Store is Keeping You Broke}
8. Laura Sue Shaw {How I Increased My Blog Traffic by Over 800%}
9. Family Balance Sheet {How We Watch Great TV Without Cable}
10. Graceful Little Honey Bee {35 Frugal Foods to Buy When You’re Broke}
 
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!  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 Freezer Bacon & Blue Cheese Burgers

Burgers are one of our spring and summertime staples, but I have to admit that we usually opt for the pre-made burgers rather than take the time to make our own.  Yes, I know they are more expensive, but in this case, convenience almost always wins out over cost.

Not anymore!

Not only are these flavor-packed bacon & blue cheese burgers WAY tastier than any of the pre-made varieties, they are a snap to make!  We whipped up 12 patties in just a few minutes (at a fraction of the cost of the pre made burgers!)  To make these as part of a freezer cooking day, simply individually wrap the raw burgers in plastic wrap or freezer paper, and then into a ziploc freezer bag–no pre-cooking required!  Making it ahead of time is not necessary, though, as they are equally delicious thrown straight on the grill!

 

Here is what you need:
 
2-3 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Grill Mates Montreal steak seasoning
1 pound (16 slices) cooked bacon
hamburger buns (for cooking day only!)
lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayo, etc. (optional; for cooking day only!)
 
 

Step 1: Chop bacon; set aside. Chop onions and set aside.

Step 2: Mince garlic; set aside.

Step 3: In large bowl, mash together ground beef, blue cheese, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, and steak seasoning until well blended.

Step 4: Form ground beef mixture into 12 patties place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Flash freeze for 20 minutes.

Step 5: Wrap each patty individually with freezer paper or saran wrap.  Divide patties into two gallon size freezer bags (be sure to label bags first!)  Freeze until needed.

Step 6: To cook, grill frozen patties to desired doneness level.  Alternate directions: Pan fry frozen patties for 4-5 minutes per side until done.

Step 7: Serve on Hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, onion, or any other favorite burger fixings!

 

    Print This!    




Recipe: Easy Freezer Blue Cheese & Bacon Burgers

Summary: These burgers are jam-packed with flavor & ready when you are!

Ingredients

2-3 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Grill Mates Montreal steak seasoning
1 pound (16 slices) cooked bacon
Following items for cooking day only:
hamburger buns
lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayo, etc. (optional)



Instructions

Chop bacon; set aside. Chop onions; set aside.
Mince garlic; set aside.
In large bowl, mash together ground beef, blue cheese, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, and steak seasoning until well blended.
Form ground beef mixture into 12 patties place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Flash freeze for 20 minutes.
Wrap each patty individually with freezer paper or saran wrap. Divide patties into two gallon size freezer bags (be sure to label bags first!) Freeze until needed.
To cook, grill frozen patties to desired doneness level. Alternate directions: Pan fry frozen patties for 4-5 minutes per side until done.
Serve on Hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, onion, or any other favorite burger fixings!

Preparation time: 5-7 minutes

Cooking time: Pan fry frozen patties for 4-5 minutes per side until done or grill frozen patties to desired donenes.

Number of servings (yield): 12

 

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