This week has taken a toll on all of us, no matter which side of the vote you find yourself on. I stayed up very late to watch election results roll in, and I’m still chugging coffee and trying to make up for lost sleep!
But today we celebrate Veterans Day. If you’ve served or your family has, thank you so much for all of your sacrifice and service to our country!
In anticipation of the Christmas season, you’ll see so many things go on sale in November. But there are some unexpected things on sale this month, too.
And other items that seem to be a best buy? Well, maybe they aren’t.
Sometimes I wonder if my Hubby regrets uttering the phrase #yearofno. He came up with the hashtag, and I grabbed it like a baton and ran with it! But honestly, I know he’s as relieved by the change in our finances as I am. (Maybe more?)
#Yearofno has been a serious game changer in our lives. It’s less about a spending freeze and more about a change in thinking. I’ve learned so much in these past 10 months!
You check the mail one bright April day. There’s another shiny toy catalog, some credit card offers, and a statement for your retirement fund. You don’t want to open that one. It’s just more bad news, or another bill for repayment.
Your eyes turn to that shiny toy catalog. You aren’t sure if you should show it to the kids or not. They always want everything inside. When you buy those things for them, they’re happy for a little while. But you can’t help but notice that most of the things you got them last Christmas are missing, broken, or at the bottom of a pile somewhere.
What does one have to do with the other?
I watched my kids collect items from around the house for their costumes, and it made my heart happy. No one begged for a pricey costume this year. Contentment is a tough thing to grasp, but oh so important in life.
I’m not telling you that we’re masters of contentment. Far from it! It’s a lesson you have to learn over and over. But we have plenty of chances to practice.
I can’t help but notice that our family has picked up some new habits. We’re marching our way out of debt this year. Our #yearofno motto has played a big role in helping us move towards debt freedom. But it’s not the only trick we’ve learned along the way!
That’s why I hope you’ll check out my new post, 7 Habits of People Winning the Fight Against Debt. Money Saving Mom’s Crystal Paine has graciously allowed me to share with her readers, so you can find it over there.
When writing up a meal plan on Halloween, it’s important to resist the urge to write “candy” in every spot.
Tempting as that is, you’re probably better off taking a piece here and there and eating it in the closet like a normal Mom. It’s called portion control.
ha!
Now, I don’t want to start a political battle here (especially because I’d rather watch back to back episodes of Caillou than see one more election ad), but…
I think that it’s important to teach your kids about taxes using their trick or treat candy.
There, I said it.
The birthday boy didn’t even realize that he’d get presents! Three-year-olds are refreshingly easy to please when it comes to things like birthdays. We were lucky enough to plan our “baby’s” party for a perfect fall afternoon. No need for a lot of games or food on a day like that. We kept it pretty simple, and everyone seemed to have a nice time.
Always look for the good, and learn to be satisfied in simple things. You’ll appreciate the simplicity of life even more than the money you’ll save. Just another lesson we’re learning in our #yearofno.
I glanced at the computer for the 40th time that morning.
The email tab stayed open all day long so I could see right away when I’d made a sale on eBay.
I loved the rush of the sale. I even made enough money to help us pay for a vacation.
But it wasn’t long before I had more items in stock than I was able to sell. And that led to a whole new ball of problems.
With so many delicious Thanksgiving pie recipes, how can you choose? All of these will be hits!
Pie is that classic American dessert that just makes you feel at home.
And no self respecting holiday is complete without it!
But sometimes, it’s nice to try a pie that’s a little different.
And I’m convinced that once you see the photos for these mouth watering pies, you won’t be able to collect the recipes fast enough.
Just make sure you save this post to Pinterest, because everyone is gonna want the recipe for themselves.
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I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. Learn more. 
