by Jamie Jeffers | May 23, 2018 | Household Tips (Chores and more)
If you’re curious about greater self sufficiency, these modern homesteading ideas are perfect for beginners! Get all the how tos for getting started on your homesteading journey, plus advice to help you afford the start up costs.
Homesteading isn’t for everyone, but everyone can implement parts of homesteading into their lives. Many of us crave a simple life in this busy world!
So today, let’s talk about some big and small modern homesteading ideas you can put into place to make at least some part of your life simpler.
Which parts of this list will help you do more with your own hands?
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by Jamie Jeffers | May 18, 2018 | Ways We Saved This Week
Life goes at a faster pace in May. School is a whirlwind of projects and trips. Baseball is in full swing. And with 5 kids, we often have a First Communion to celebrate in addition to a birthday!
It’s hard to save money in May, and even harder to keep up with my favorite Friday series. Which is why the blog might seem a little lonely right now! But don’t worry, building these memories with our family just gives me more material for you (my favorite readers!).
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by Jamie Jeffers | May 16, 2018 | Meal Plans
Looking for a monthly meal planner to simplify your life? This free pdf is perfect for organizing your monthly meal planning ideas! PLUS, tons of FREE meals so you can fill it out (every month of the year!).
If you are too frazzled to put together a meal plan (even though you know, you know, you can save money doing it, blah, blah, blah), this post is the jackpot!
As a mom of 5 busy kids, meal planning is the only way to stay sane sometimes. Yeah, planning ahead is a chore…but getting dinners on the table beats doing the 5:00 whats-for-dinner shuffle every time!
In this post you will find a monthly meal planner (don’t worry, it’s easier than you think!) PLUS seasonal ideas to chose from for every month of the year.
Pin this post for later so you can come back and get more ways to plan meals month after month!
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by Jamie Jeffers | May 9, 2018 | Parenting Tips
Kids are filled with a sense of entitlement these days. Luckily, the answer is a simple solution you can read about here.
Our 9 year old decided that he wants–no, needs to own a fidget cube.
My Mom had bought small fidget spinners for my older two boys, and she offered to get one for him, too. But he wanted a slightly different model for himself. Trouble is, he had spent all of his money on a giant Lego set months ago and hadn’t refilled his piggy bank since then.
Part of me wanted to plop down the money for the toy and let him have it. After all, it’s only a few dollars. Even in our #yearofno it wouldn’t be much to spend. And who can turn down a cute face asking for such a small thing?
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by Jamie Jeffers | May 4, 2018 | Ways We Saved This Week
This weekend our daughter will have her First Communion. I’m wondering why I thought having a party at our house was a good idea as I frantically try to clean the house between writing blog posts and cleaning pounds of baseball dirt from the bathtub.
But it’s important to celebrate these occasions! Hopefully our loved ones will overlook the state of our home and celebrate our little one on her special day.
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by Jamie Jeffers | May 2, 2018 | Goals
After the whirlwind excitement of last month’s announcement (when we finally paid off all credit card debt after 27 months of hard work!), we are settling into a new normal.
The first order of business has been finding deals on long overdue updates like new kitchen towels (the ones I’ve been using look like rags!). We’re finding our footing and trying our best to take things slow. It wouldn’t do to put ourselves right back into debt!
I’m pleased that we were able to work on some of our goals last month! It’s such a treat to put our money to work for ourselves rather than sending it all in to a big company.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Apr 30, 2018 | Saving Money
Whether you consider yourself a master of the frugal lifestyle or you want to learn what it’s all about, having a bag of frugal living tips is always a great idea. Here’s a list of ideas you’ll want to try today!
If reusing baggies and making things from scratch is your jam, you might live a frugal life. You probably enjoy reading about frugal living tips, and you’re always looking for new ways to save money!
Many people snub their noses at frugal living, but they probably don’t understand the frugal lifestyle. This isn’t about hoarding every free thing you can find. Being frugal also isn’t about buying the cheapest version of everything.
Frugal people hate to spend money unnecessarily. They never want to spend money on items that don’t last nearly as long as they should. That doesn’t mean they live a miserly existence! In fact, embracing this lifestyle can help you save your money for the things that are most important to you.
Isn’t that better than worrying constantly about having an empty bank account?
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by Jamie Jeffers | Apr 27, 2018 | Ways We Saved This Week
My middle schooler walked with me into the store and helped me lug bags of dog food this week. I paid for everything with my debit card as usual, and we left.
On the way home, he asked why I was still using a credit card. And I realized that we hadn’t talked about the difference between debit and credit in a while.
It reminded me of a talk I heard recently. A mom was imploring other women to read real books. When we read on our phones or a tablet, our kids always assume we are playing games. (After all, that’s what they do on a tablet!)
But there’s no denying a physical book.
What appearance are we giving to our kids when we spend or save money? Using cash is a better way to show them good money habits. But in a society that is getting farther away from paper every year, it’s a good idea to explain the concept of a debit card to your kids. And tell them why it’s different from borrowing money!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Apr 23, 2018 | Happiness & Giving, Parenting & Household Tips
Inexpensive thank you gift ideas are just what you need to keep your volunteers going. They’re amazing, and they need to know it!
We all know that one person who works tirelessly to volunteer and give, give, give. If you’re lucky, several people come to mind! They don’t do it for money or appreciation. But you know what? Appreciation never gets old.
You don’t have to give them a gift card for a fancy restaurant. Little touches go a long way when it comes to brightening someone’s day.
And if you’re tasked with getting a pile of thank you gifts for everyone who volunteered at the school this year, no worries. This list should help you get the job done and stay inside the budget!
So even if you’re pinching pennies or going through a #yearofno, you can still find ways to make the good people in your life feel valued. After all, no one likes the division in people that’s in the news every day. You can bring people together, and it has to start in our small communities.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Apr 20, 2018 | Ways We Saved This Week
Baseball season is in full swing. That means choosing between eating supper at 4:30 (sometimes 4:00) or 9:00. (Or, if you’re a teenage boy, the answer is, obviously, both.)
Sometimes eating on the go is just a must. Using my handy snacks for trips list has helped, but I’m planning to add to my bag of tricks this year! If you have a favorite tip for eating meals on the go (and avoiding fast food or dropping $20 at the concession stand), let me know in the comments!
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I'm Jamie. My family of 7 is living out our #yearofno while we reset our spending and conquer credit card debt. You'll find help and encouragement here. 
