by Jamie Jeffers | Sep 4, 2019 | Parenting & Household Tips
Does your group or school need to raise money? Here’s the best way to get the funds you need without begging friends and family for money (again).
This post has been sponsored by Funds2Orgs. All opinions are my own.
If you have school aged kids, you know all about fundraisers.
It seems like every time they come home from school, they’re bringing another flyer asking you to buy more things you’ll never use.
And (of course) there was an assembly that whipped the kids into a frenzy over the thought of winning their own Xbox system.
Not only do you resent the fact that you have to break your child’s heart again this year (because there is no way you could sell enough to win that Xbox!)…
But you also have to wonder what they’re learning from all of this.
Look, you understand that the school needs to raise money. And you appreciate that they are trying to be creative instead of hiking up your fees.
But should raising money be done in a way that almost encourages greed?
Isn’t there a better way?
Well I can tell you that there absolutely is. Not only does this fundraiser turn the tables and teach children about kindness and giving to others…
…but they also don’t ask you for any money.
Sound too good to be true? Don’t worry, this is a legitimate fundraiser that many schools and groups have used with great success.
Here’s how it works.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Sep 2, 2019 | Holidays, Saving Money
Curious about how Walmart Christmas layaway 2019 works? Find out what makes it a great alternative to putting another holiday on plastic!
Remember the days of the blue light special? Back then everyone seemed to use layaway programs to help them afford Christmas gifts.
Over time, more people began to use credit cards instead of dealing with the hassle of layaway programs.
But layaway still exists! And it’s actually a fantastic way to avoid debt this Christmas.
Given all the scary statistics about Christmas spending and compounding debt problems (read all about that here), you should be doing everything possible to avoid pulling out the card this season.
It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the best layaway program I’ve found is at Walmart. They will set you up with a program with no extra fees.
That’s much better than what your average credit card company will do for you!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 30, 2019 | Ways We Saved This Week
Sometimes it really strikes you how much the little actions you take every day add up to something big.
Take packing a lunch, for instance. Seems like an annoying thing you “have to” do.
But if you think about it, you’re saving maybe $5 every day by packing that lunch.
Over the course of a year you’ll save $1250!! (Not counting weekends and 2 weeks for vacation time you may or may not have…)
What you’re doing matters! I see you working every day…and I think you rock. 🙂
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 23, 2019 | Ways We Saved This Week
Here’s a list of things that are more fun than car shopping for the third time in two years:
*A good punch in the nose.
*Watching golf on TV.
*A long drive with all 6 kids in the car.
Doing this much car shopping was never in my plans. But I don’t get to choose how the world moves.
And luckily, we’ve been getting better at car shopping! (I mean, after a while you kind of have to, right?)
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 21, 2019 | Income
Every August, we celebrate a little here at Medium Sized Family. This year, the blog turns 4 years old!
As a stay at home mom, I just love blogging.
For one thing, the accountability from this blog allowed our family to pay off thousands in credit card debt.
And building a business from nothing feels like such an accomplishment!
So what did I learn from my fourth year of blogging? What’s working? What isn’t?
If you’re a blogger now or have ever been interested in being one, let’s chat!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 14, 2019 | Saving Money
These ideas about how to save money every month are awesome! Because once you get them in place, you’ll save month after month. Who doesn’t want extra money lying around??
When you look over your family budget, do you ever get the urge to reach into those numbers and give them a tight squeeze?
No, not in a “I wanna give you a hug!” way…
…in a Homer Simpson “Why won’t you go lower!!!” way.
I’m not always that violent with my budget numbers, but it is fun to see how much I can squeeze from a penny!
Since so many bills demand to be paid monthly, one of the best ways to get more from your paycheck is to figure out how to save money every month.
You can never have too many money saving tips! So today, let’s talk about some ideas that you probably haven’t tried yet.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 6, 2019 | Large Family Life
Shopping for furniture for large families is hard! Luckily, we’ve found pieces big enough for everyone without a huge price tag. Check them out!
That cute little dining room table for four.
The couch you saw on a great sale…that seats 3.
It’s beautiful! You know, if you have a typical family size.
Why is it so hard to find furniture for large families?
The kind of furniture that fits everyone.
That’s durable enough to withstand many kids. (Even the kid or two who can’t seem to stop themselves from playing a wild combination of “the floor is lava” and “earthquake!”)
And you don’t have a fortune to spend on it, either.
While this seems like a tall order to fill, you can definitely find furniture for your big family. You just have to know where to look.
(Here. You have to look right here in this post.) 😉
These are the best tips from Moms who have been there.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Aug 2, 2019 | Ways We Saved This Week
What do you know? Planning ahead really does save money!
Not that it’s always easy to do. We’ve been in a season of life for months on end that made it very difficult for me to wrap my brain around meal planning and careful shopping.
I even hesitate to say that we’re “back” to planning ahead on a regular basis. We’re just taking it a paycheck at a time.
If you have a rough season of life and you feel guilty about not saving the maximum amount of money, remember that it’s ok. We all go through ups and downs.
One thing I’ve found to be true is that you can’t let yourself wallow in guilt. Believe me, I’ve tried it.
When I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself (not to mention letting go of the guilt of being a frugal blogger who couldn’t be perfectly frugal all the time), that gave me the permission I needed to try again.
Because here’s life in a nutshell:
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 19, 2019 | Ways We Saved This Week
This week I’m reading an amazing book that I think every mother should get her hands on. It’s called Cleaning House: A Mom’s 12 Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement.
There are so many good points to this book (especially the fact that giving kids meaningful work is the best gift you can give them).
But it made me aware of the fact that I might not be teaching my own kids enough about money.
Not just how to be responsible with it…but how to use it.
How to swipe the card at the gas station.
Comparing prices at the grocery store.
Having the courage to actually speak to a cashier while they make a purchase.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 15, 2019 | Parenting & Household Tips
Wondering what to do when you can’t afford a family vacation? These ideas are affordable, but a ton of fun for the whole family!
While stuck in line at the grocery store, you decide to do a quick Facebook scroll.
There’s a cute baby picture or two. Some people debating the latest news story.
But the next line?
Another beach photo.
It feels like all of your friends and family are taking fun trips. But you know it’s so far out of the budget this year, there’s no way you can afford it.
You wonder if your family will regret not getting away together. What will the kids tell the teacher when she asks what they did over the break?
Well, families can spend great quality time together without going away on an expensive trip.
You can even make fantastic memories that no one else can compare to!
Let’s talk about some fun (but affordable) things to do when you can’t afford a family vacation.
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I'm Jamie, and I believe that you can build your savings, even when life is frustrating. 
