by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 31, 2017 | Saving Money
This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own.
It’s a huge decision to make when you’re shopping for a new or used car. You’re buying a vehicle that you’ll (hopefully) drive for years. So it’s super important to make the right choice. Because choosing poorly can cost you a lot of money and even more time!
So let’s talk about some ways to simplify the process a little.
It is possible to find a car that meets your needs without breaking the bank. Here are the tricks we use to make sure we find the best vehicle possible in our price range.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 28, 2017 | Ways We Saved This Week
It’s fair week, and for the first time in years we aren’t showing any animals. It’s an odd mix of wishing we had our goats and lambs over there and relief that I don’t have to deal with all that stress!
Showing animals is an expensive adventure, and it takes up a lot of time. By taking a year off, we are getting debt free faster and enjoying a slower pace in between baseball season and band camp.
Have you ever made a big change? Just stopped doing something you’ve always done? We have parts of our lives that seem permanent and we don’t give them much thought. But remember that you can stop doing things that become more stress than they’re worth.
(We’ll probably show animals again, but it will be simplified! Two goats rather than five…)
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 24, 2017 | Parenting & Household Tips
It’s time to hit the stores for some back to school shopping. What’s your style? Do you try to find everything on your list quickly so you can be finished? Or are you always on the hunt for the rock bottom price?
Both our time and our money are valuable to us, and usually you have to give up one to get the other. But today, let’s talk about a way to have your cake and eat it, too. It’s possible to find quality back to school supplies that will save you both time and money year after year.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 22, 2017 | Debt
I won’t lie. Paying off a lot of debt can be a brutal process. But you’ll find a strange strength in the middle of your journey. Learn how to get it done here.
I think it was the open window that did it.
My daughter and I were sitting down to play cards. (She’s becoming quite the card player at the age of 7. We may have a card shark on our hands!)
It was a pretty hot day, so we were spending the afternoon inside.
We aren’t real big on air conditioning here. Our old drafty house doesn’t usually get too hot, so an open window or two is good enough for me and the kids.
But since Hubby spends his day in an air conditioned building and then rides home in an air conditioned car, the house doesn’t feel cozy to him when he finally gets home.
So I try to turn on our window units and close up the house a little before he leaves the office.
On this day, I started the air and then did some chores. When I sat down to play cards and noticed that the window was still open, I closed my eyes and let out a big sigh.
Money was floating right out the window, and I had no one to blame but myself.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 21, 2017 | Ways We Saved This Week
The 5 Ways We’ve Saved Money This Week series is getting a little face lift! What do you think of the new photo? Design is definitely not my strong suit, but I’m trying to make my graphics easier to read. So let me know what you think of this and other pictures you’re seeing around the blog.
I’m doing all of this for you guys, after all. If you can’t read it or don’t like it, I will change it all! 🙂
Every Friday I celebrate the small wins that have led us closer to our big hairy goal of paying off thousands in credit card debt. We’ve been working on this goal for 19 months now. We have times that it’s easier, and times when it’s just plain hard.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 19, 2017 | Parenting Tips
Love it or hate it, a school routine keeps the wheels turning. Put these 6 ideas in place and rock the new school year!
Summer break always brings mixed emotions.
You probably don’t miss alarm clocks and keeping up with school supplies.
Then again, getting back into a routine of the school year does make life flow more smoothly.
Over the years, I’ve found some awesome resources that keep our family on track when the school year begins. Here are 6 things you can do to rock the new school year!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 14, 2017 | Ways We Saved This Week
Summer vacation isn’t complete without a week at Vacation Bible School. So the kids are enjoying that this week. It’s a free way for them to grow closer to God (not to mention others in our community).
I love to get there a little before pick up time and listen to them sing. The first day I thought there was a choir! It feeds my soul, and they come home more relaxed (so I suspect it’s the same for them).
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by Jamie Jeffers | Jul 12, 2017 | Debt, Saving Money
Why use a monthly budget when you get paid every other week? This Google Sheets bi-weekly budget template is just what you need. But watch out for 3 mistakes that will bust it!
You get paid every other week…but all of the budgets out there are broken up by months.
I mean, even if you squish two paychecks together, that’s 28 days of pay…
and you’re going to try to budget that into a 30 or 31 day month?
Does this make sense?
No!
Then why does everyone insist you make a monthly budget when you get paid bi-weekly?
And heaven forbid we compare those months when you get 3 paychecks instead of 2. Sure, they call that a “bonus” paycheck. But the last time I checked, we still need at least food and gas for those “extra” 14 days.
There must be a better way!
Well of course there is! It’s called the bi-weekly budget template, which I’ve created just for you.
As a bonus, it also makes those 3 paycheck months easier to factor into your money saving plan!
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I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. 
