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How To Keep More Money Instantly

How to keep more money instantly

Raise your hand if you want to keep more money instantly each month!

**raises hand**

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “is that really a question? Who doesn’t want to have more money?

And you would be right.  I haven’t come across one person who tells me that they don’t want any extra money, especially this time of year with the holidays so close.

Let’s just think about what you could do with more money each month – would you be able to pay down more debt?  Start your holiday budget a little earlier so you can breathe easier?  Finish funding your emergency fund?  What would you do?  In today’s video I’m sharing with you my go-to tips and advice for how to keep more money instantly without having to put any more stress on yourself or drastically cut your spending.

You can watch the video online or down below:

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Here’s a quick snapshot of what we talk about in the video:

CLEAN

It’s time do a little deep cleaning on your spending.  Print out banks statements for a month or two to go through.  Grab a highlighter and a pen so you can make notes.  Highlight any spending you aren’t sure what it is or any expenses that you don’t need to be spending.  For instance, check out our subscriptions.  Do you really need that monthly subscription box or gym membership that you haven’t used in months?  Just by going through your spending, you’ll be able to have a full picture of where your money is going.

MAKE A LIST

Take a few minutes to create a list of all your opportunities.  These include any ways you can possibly make more money – now this doesn’t mean going out and finding a second job, but easier methods of increasing your income.  Clean out closets and sell unwanted items, savings from canceling those subscriptions from step one, finding a new client or two to on-board, selling your services (I sell my budgeting coaching program), create templates to sell (like I do in my shop), and any other ideas you may have.

No matter if you’re in a service-based industry or product-based industry make sure to watch the video to get my one tip on increasing your sales.

FOCUS

You have a clear vision of what you’re spending and you even created a list of how to make more money.  Now it’s time to get to work.  Pick three things to start focusing on and get started.  If you pick cancel a subscription service and find two new clients then that’s great.  Once you check one item off your focus list then replace it with another idea of your income list.  Keep going until you have checked everything off.

 

 

 

Favorite Business Books for Growth

Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most (not all) cases I will receive a referral commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. 

favorite business books for growth

Are you trying to start a new side business or maybe you’re trying to grow it into full-time income.  Sometimes you need some motivation and a good kick in the pants to keep things moving.  I think that’s why I love business books as much as I do.  I love finding new inspiration and new ideas from others that have been where I am.

Honestly, the best coaches are the ones that have been where you currently are – they’re just a few steps ahead of you.  I’ve mentioned my favorite budget books and inspirational money books before, which was a huge hit!  I thought today would be a good time to share some of my favorite business growth books with you.

business books, inspiring business growth books, good to great

Good To Great by Jim Collins

I read this book for extra credit in college and still to this day, it’s a favorite. It was such great insight and wisdom about finding the right people for the right seat on the bus.  Not that long ago my Dad (who I work with) came back from a conference saying that he was going to loan me a book as soon as he was finished that I needed to read – it was Good to Great.  I told him I read that years ago and still had the copy in my office.  He was shocked and a little proud.

business books, inspiring business growth books, profit first

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

If you’re a struggling business owner not sure how you’re ever going to make money from your business then this book is a must. It breaks down the idea of paying yourself first then taxes and then spending the rest back in your business.  This is another one Dad had laying on his desk telling me that I needed to read it since it was a big talking point these days – but I beat him to the punch again by checking it out of our local library a month earlier.

business books, inspiring business growth books, lean in

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

I can’t say enough good things about this one.  I read it on a drive somewhere (J drove, I road) and couldn’t put it down . She’s very inspiring, very direct and I loved it.  As a woman leader it’s motivating to hear from other women who have conquered so much.

business books, inspiring business growth books, get over your damn self

Get Over Your Damn Self by Romi Neustadt

If you’re in a network marketing business or a sales rep then I highly recommend Romi’s book . It’s the perfect kick in the pants you need to get your business moving and growing.

business books, inspiring business growth books, start

Start by Jon Acuff

Start was the first book I read by Jon Acuff – he’s direct, funny, and inspiring all in one book.  This is a great book for anyone trying to get started with their business, but really keep telling themselves to wait or it has to be perfect or it’s not the right time…yet.

business books, inspiring business growth books, quitter

Quitter by Jon Acuff

You’ll notice this is the second book by Jon Acuff on the list. He’s really that good.  Once you read Start and you get your new business off the ground, Quitter will help you reach your dream so that your new business can be your full-time gig.

business books, inspiring business growth books, who moved my cheese

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard

No one likes change, right? But in today’s world with technology, advancements, social media, and a lot of other factors most jobs are changing.  We need to be accessible, understandable and an expert.  Sometimes it can be hard when you feel as if everything in your field is shifting.

business books, inspiring business growth books, four hour work week

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

My boss in college read this book and said it really helped him learn how to prioritize his day so that he could do more in less time.  I was intrigued so I borrowed it.  I loved it.  I still take a lot of what I read years ago and apply it to my career today.  It’s about prioritizing your day, taking care of the big stuff only you can handle and delegating the rest.

That’s what inspired me to create my Cross Stress Off exercise – it’s not quite like the book, it’s a bit deeper but it helps you knock the small things off your plate so you can focus on the bigger picture.

How To Plan Your Month To Get More Done

how to plan your month to get more done, plan your month the right way

 

Happy July, friends!  The year is half over, can you believe it? I have no idea where 2018 is gone.  For that matter, I don’t know where the past two years have gone.  I look down at our little guy and can’t believe how big he is (and independent, and stubborn, and sweet).  It’s hard to imagine that this time two years ago I was a new mom who had no clue what she was doing.

Now fast forward two years and I’m a mom to a toddler who still has no clue what she’s doing!  But I think that’s just part of momhood.  Fake it until you make it.  As long as your kid is happy and healthy, then you’re doing a great job.  No time to be picture perfect and sweat all the small stuff.  You just have to roll with the punches and pick yourself back up after every mistake.

As we start a new month, it’s fun for me to spend a little bit of time planning out some fun activities to do.  Especially now that it’s finally summer around here.  We have lots of plans to visit the nearest petting zoo, swim most nights, and just be outside as much as possible.  I sat down to plan out our next month and thought, I should show you how I do it.

I’ve gotten a few questions about how to do it all as a mom – work, fun, cleaning, and all the small stuff in between.  So I figured now is a great time to show you how everything gets planned way in advance.  I’m not a fly-by-the-seat of your pants kind of Mommas.  I’m more of a plan it out, stick to a plan but make room for changes and extras.

That’s why we like to plan three months at a time when possible.  July is actually a new quarter for us, so we’ll be planning July, August, and September very soon (I might throw in a post on setting new goals, too)! But once a new month starts, it’s time to focus on that specific month.  Because let’s face it not every Mom plans their son’s second birthday party almost three months in advance (but thanks to having a son born on April 15th and I work in a tax office, I have to).

Planning for each month at a time is the perfect way to add in all of those school parties, birthday parties, and all the fun that comes up.  It all gives you a chance to build in productivity days and times to focus on what needs to get done.  For me that’s focusing on my business since I work full-time, but it also means times to deep clean our house, do outside yard work and so much more.

Here’s how to plan your month to get more done:

Pull Out Your Calendar

Whether you use a paper planner or Google calendar, get out and get it open.  If you’re like us and add things in as they come up or plan for several months at a time, now is a good time to make sure those events are still happening.  A lot of times, I’ll add in trips to visit friends or family, but something will come up and we are no longer going.  So spend a few minutes making sure what’s in your calendar is still happening.

Add New Events

Did your kiddos get invited to a birthday party or sleepover?  Make sure to add in any new events that you’ve recently been invited to or learned about. Right now school is out for the summer; however, you should be making a note to look through the school calendar for any upcoming events.  One of the biggest complaints I hear from friends with school-aged children is they never know when something is coming up.  They usually lose the school calendar from the beginning of the year and most of the notes that get sent home with their kiddos never make it to them.

Also, take this time to look through your community’s calendar and add any fun family activities or chamber events that you want to attend.  Our public library hosts so many events during the summer, so I always add those in as soon as their monthly calendar gets published.

Mark Any Due Dates

Make sure to write down any due dates that are coming up.  Even if a bill is on auto-pay, you should make a note of when it will be coming out of your account.  That way you can keep track of everything getting paid.

Write Down Pay Days

Make sure your have made a note on any pay days or checks that you should be receiving.  Perhaps you’re paid on the 15th and 30th of each month, well that makes it easy to remember.  However, if you get paid every two weeks then those dates shift and it’s important to know when they are coming up.

Schedule Money Dates, Date Nights, and Family Time

Most families’ schedules are crazy hectic.  So having time together can be hard to find.  Make sure you’re planning family nights, game nights and weekend trips with just the family.  They don’t have to be any crazy expensive outings, you can probably find some cheap or even free ones to do.

Also, you should be scheduling time with your spouse.  We like to have money dates every few weeks, but date nights are just as important.  It’s a time for J and I to just be together – no kid, no worrying about money, no housework that needs to get done.  It’s just time for us to be husband and wife.  It’s nice and much needed after a few weeks of running around like mad people.

Block Your Time

On days where you don’t have a lot of running around or kid activities, then block your time to get more done.  I use time blocking on days off work so I can focus on different projects for my business and for around the house.  Right now I work Monday through Thursday in the office.  Fridays become my business day.  It’s a day that I can work on my shop to add new templates, create new blog posts, batch record videos for the channel, and just spend time growing my business.  It’s amazing how productive you can be if you have uninterrupted time to get things done.  I block off time to clean the house and do one or two small projects around the house, too.

5 Ways To Generate Income Today

5 ways to generate income today

It’s summer, which means there are a lot of fun activities you could be doing with your kids.  I know this time of year is always hard for us because we want to go take day trips, go on weekend getaways and just have fun as a family.  But there is always a cost to involved.  Usually there is a ticket price, entry fee, travel expenses, or something else that makes it hard to afford.

Especially when you’re trying to work off a zero-based budget that doesn’t leave too much room for unplanned moments.  That’s why I love finding new ways to generate income today that we can use for all the summer fun we want to have.  

In today’s video, you can watch the 5 ways to generate income today with tips on how to get started.  You can watch online or down below:

For a quick recap, here are the 5 ways to produce more income right now:

Affiliate Marketing

If you have any sort of online presence then you need to be doing affiliate marketing.  It’s pretty simple to setup.  You can go to amazon to get signed up or find other programs online that offer deals with other retailers.  My biggest source is amazon for a few reasons – you can find just about anything on amazon and their affiliate program is super easy to use!

Once you find a product you love, then you can start promoting it.  I don’t promote any item or link any item unless I would recommend it to my best friend or family to use.  If I try something out and it’s so-so, then I move on and don’t link it.  But I link items I use on my blog, on my Youtube channel, on Instagram and even on my Facebook page.

It doesn’t generate a ton of income, but it’s something that is constantly growing.  If you’re not sure how to get your blog started, check out my post with the easiest tutorial ever!

Create something to sell

Think about what systems, check lists or talents you have or use.  Would someone else find those helpful?  Probably.  You can easily create an Etsy shop or a Squarespace site with items for sale.  Over in my shop I have a ton of spreadsheets, PDF downloads, tracking sheets, planners, and so on to help a family organize their money and their life.  These are templates my family uses and after sharing them with friends over and over, I decided I could probably open a small shop.  So I did.

I’m also so excited when I get a notification that someone has bought one of my templates.  It’s something so easy and so simple to do and if you’re willing to spend time marketing them on your blog, Facebook page, Instagram or Pinterest then you could start generating extra income.

Sell items you no longer use

How much junk do you have in your closets?  Be honest.  Probably a lot.  I recently found a 3 month onsie in my son’s drawer that had got tucked in the back… Our son is now 2 and there is no way he could fit into that onsie.  Give your closets, drawers, and plastic containers a deep clean.  You could probably sell a lot of clothes, decorations and other items that are just taking up space.  Sell those items on Facebook Swap Shops or Craigslist.  In our town we have a business that you can rent a basket from and any buyers are welcome to come between 9-6 Monday – Saturday to pick up their items.  They accept their payment, which means no chance of last second negotiations for a lower price and no meeting in random parking lots.

Work extra hours

Do you have a job that you could pick up an extra shift?  Try to pick up an extra shift once or twice a week to make some extra cash.  You could even offer to clean your office on the weekends to increase your income.  I know for awhile last year I was cleaning houses on the side every few weeks to make extra money.

Find a side job or freelance

There are plenty of work-from-home jobs on the market – appointment setters, teachers, and freelancers.  There is a site called UpWork that you can create an account, mark what you’re interested in doing then apply for side jobs.  Some jobs could take a few hours while others could take a few weeks – in the end you get paid.  It’s a nice way to add cash flow when you need it and you have the ability to work from home or during your free time.  In college I did this to bring in extra money – I helped write blog posts, created a booklet for new members for a gym in Australia and a other side projects.

In today’s video, I share more details on each way to generate more income and how you can get started. So make sure to check it out.

How To Do Your Own Insurance Review and Audit

how to do an insurance review

When was the last time you looked at your insurance policies?  Probably awhile ago, right?

That’s pretty typical.  We take out a new auto policy, life insurance policy, or health insurance and then we never look at it again.  The insurance companies send us updated policy information and changes a few times each year and those booklets just get filed away to never see the light of day again.

Well that’s a big mistake.  You should be conducting your own insurance review at least once a year.  It’s important to know that insurance policies should be updated from time-to-time as our lives change, our kids get older and out financial situation changes.

The easiest way to get started is to pull the declaration pages for each of your insurance policies – usually these are what the insurance company sends you when you take out a new policy or what they send as they update throughout the year.  The declarations page is a summary of what your policy covers.  What I like to do is open up Microsoft Word and create my own summary page of the most important details for each policy.  I like to include:

  • Type of Policy (health, life, home, auto, and so on)
  • Insurance Carrier
  • Policy Number
  • Date Issued
  • Coverage Amounts (medical, liability, personal, etc.)
  • Annual Premium Amounts
  • Insured (who is covered by the benefit)
  • Beneficiary (life insurance)

Go through and create a Word document or Excel spreadsheet answering all of the points above for each policy you and your spouse own.  Now it’s time to get into the insurance audit portion.  Once you have your information you need to make sure it’s up-to-date.  Here are a few key questions you need to answer:

  1. Have I recently gotten married or divorced?
  2. Did I have another child?
  3. Do I still own all of these autos?

These will help you determine if any coverage or beneficiaries need to be changed right away.  Next you need to look deeper into each policy.

Auto Policy

Make sure you have a clear idea of what your coverage is by checking the following: liability coverage, bodily injury liability, and property damage liability.  You should know the liability coverage will help cover any expenses when you’re at fault of the accident.  The money will go to  property you  damage, but will not cover the people in your car.

On the other side, the bodily injury liability will cover the medical expenses of people injured in the crash.  Typically these appear as 20/50 or some combination similar to that.  These numbers mean the maximum dollar amount your insurance policy will pay for a single person’s injuries.  For example a 20/50 policy will pay a maximum up to $20,000 for a single person’s injuries and up to $50,000 for the total medical cost of all the injuries.

Property damage is exactly that – it covers any damages to property when you’re at fault.

Other factors you need to consider on your auto policy is areas like uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection, collision, comprehensive.  Just ask your insurance agent if you are covered and what the cost is for adding them to your policy.

Here’s a breakdown of what they mean:

Uninsured/underinsured – if you are hit by someone without insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your medical or property damage costs then this part of your policy will kick in.

Collision – This covers repairs to your car.

Comprehensive – If you’re car is stolen or damaged outside of an accident, then it’s covered.

You also need to make sure you have enough coverage that is required by your state.  Now each state is different, which is why I recommend working with an agent in your state of residency.  That doesn’t mean you should have the the bare minimum – no, actually you should have more.  Especially if you have family and are worried about prolonged medical costs if you’re involved in an accident.  If you do not have enough coverage then you’re on the hook for the rest of the costs.

You also need to make sure the coverage you have is enough to meet your umbrella policy (read more about umbrella policies below)

Life Insurance

Do you have a term life insurance policy, universal life, whole life or a hybrid?  It’s recommended that if you don’t have any life insurance to start with a term policy.  They are more cost effective than whole life policies and can provide the coverage you need while you have small children or have considerable debt.  Make sure to add a reminder to your Google calendar or planner before the policy expires so you can look at renewing it, changin it or dropping it.

You need to keep up with your total death benefit.  Make sure you understand how much your beneficiary is going to receive if something should happen to you.  You need to verify the beneficiary.  If you’ve recently been married or divorced then that information might need to be updated.  If you have a Trust or an Estate Plan then you might want to consider naming your Trust as the beneficiary after your spouse.

If you realize you do not have enough coverage to cover your family’s debt, replace your income, and provide for your family’s future then you might need to speak to your insurance agent about increasing your coverage.  As your family gets older and your children are no longer minors then you might be able to lower your death benefit to reduce costs.

Long Term Care

Do you have a long term care policy.  It’s recommended that you start researching and talking with your insurance agent about long term care policies in your 50’s and 60’s.  So put a reminder in your calendar.  Long term care policies are vital to helping you maintain financial independence and not put any strain on your family if you or your spouse she go into a nursing home or need long term care.

For long term care insurance policies make sure you understand the amount the policy will pay ‘per day’ and how long the benefit lasts.  There are hundreds and hundreds of different policies on the market and each one is a little different.  So make sure you understand how your’s works.

Home Owners or Renters

Do you have enough property and casualty insurance coverage?  What happens if someone comes to your house and gets injured, are you covered?  You need to sit down with you insurance agent to make sure your liability coverage, medical and so on limits are high enough.

You also want to make sure you’re covered if you’re in a earthquake zone, a flood plain, or any other area that’s prone to natural disaster.  A lot of policies cover water damage from broken pipes, but not if your home is flooded from a local river.

Umbrella

An umbrella policy is a smart tool to have.  If you get sued, get hurt or someone else gets hurt on your property, your car, your boat, whatever then an umbrella policy helps.  The most important detail about an umbrella policy is to have enough minimum coverage so there is no gap.

For example, you have an home owner’s policy with liability coverage of $200,000.  Your umbrella policy kicks in at $300,000.  Someone comes to your home and gets injured.  They sue you for $900,000.  Your home owner’s policy will pay $200,000, leaving you $700,000 due.  Your umbrella policy won’t kick in until the $300,000 mark, which means you are responsible for $100,000 worth of damages personally.  Then you’re umbrella policy will pay the remaining $600,000.

But you, personally are responsible for $100,000 to this person who got injured.  Do you have $100,000 sitting in an account?  Probably not.

If you’re unsure if your coverage has any gaps, sit down with your insurance agent and ask them.

Health Insurance

Do you know how much your deductible is per year for yourself and for your family?  You need to also understand the maximum out-of-pocket costs you could be liable for.  For example, a policy has a $1,500 deductible for the individual and a $2,500 deductible for the family.  The policy also havs a $5,000 maximum out-of-pocket cost.  That means if you get sick you could be liable up to $1,500 before your insurance kicks in and if anyone else in your family gets sick that amount goes to $2,500.  On top of that, you could have to pay an additional $5,000 (plus the $1,500 or $2,500 deductible) before your insurance will pay 100% of your medical costs.

If you have a high deductible or out-of-pocket cost then you might want to increase your emergency fund – in the above example you would need $7,500 to cover all of your expected contributions before insurance covers 100%.

You could also have a Health Savings Account (HSA) if you have a high deductible plan. Some employers provide them and are great tools to have.

Disability Insurance

You need to know the monthly benefit amount, how long it will pay and when the payment will start.  It’s also important to understand how the insurance company defines a disability.  There are two major types of coverage – own occupation and any occupation.

Own occupation kicks in if you cannot do the activities for the job you have – your own job. Professionals want a policy that will provide coverage for their specific career, which would be own occupation.

Any occupation kicks in if you cannot do the activities for any job – which is a broader term and harder to qualify for.

This Season

the season life, being a mom is hard, business owner tips

Let’s talk about life and the season we’re in. It’s not easiest, but knowing the end will be worth it has kept me chugging along. Motherhood is hard. Being a toddler mom is the hardest (at least so far). Trying to be a great wife and friend is tough. Building a business is rough. Being a productive employee who is growing in their practice isn’t easy.

I know this season will pass and it will happen in a blink of an eye. One day I will look at my son and he will no longer be this adventurous toddler, but a sweet (hopefully still adventurous) young man.

Here’s the thing – this season is necessary. I have big plans for my personal life and my professional life.

I joke with friends about how I hate being bored, which is part of it, but the truth is I want more. I want to give more to our son, do more as a family, live a life with less worry and more abundance.

I have to work harder, put more time in, stay focused and keep growing. I have to be willing to sleep a little less, wake up earlier, and keep my eye on the prize. BUT with all that being said, there are times when I know burning the candle at both ends is too much. That warning is usually brought on with an above-average exhausted feeling, body aches and feeling frustrated easily.

That’s when I like to take a step back and give myself the ability to refuel.

Do you know what you need to energize yourself? For me, it’s simple. A day to myself. A day where the house is already clean, laundry is done and put away, dishes are taken care of, the toddler is happy and at the babysitter’s (yes, it’s true). A day where I don’t have to think about anything, a day where I don’t have to talk to anyone unless I want to, a day with no work.

It may sound selfish, but to me it’s not selfish. It’s self-care. After all the energy, time, effort and love I put into everything I do, sometimes I just need time to myself. I think it all boils down to being an introvert who forces herself to be an extrovert during the day.

I love being involved in projects and committees around town, but that requires a lot of time. I was asked to be the conference director for a local women’s organization this year, which means I’m working with a group of women to put on a full day’s conference for about 400-500 women. It’s a lot of work, a lot of meetings and lot of compromise.

I love being a business owner, but sometimes networking requires being turned on more than I am comfortable with. Networking online is totally different than networking in real life. You strive to have your real personality shine through, but you still want to provide value and be of interest to a majority. The longer I’ve been online, the more I realize that I’m not a perfect fit for everyone. That’s okay, but it still doesn’t make it any easier to deal with unscribed notifications and negative comments or even the thumbs down on a new Youtube video.

I love being a mother more than anything in the world, but when I feel myself needing to re-energize then I get frustrated with our son. That’s when I need my husband to step in (which he always does) or I need to rely on our babysitter and family to help.

Finally, I feel like so many online business owners are striving to build their business to the point where they can quit their day job, but that’s not me. I love my day job. My day job has actually helped me become better at my own business. I work with some amazing people (one being my Dad) and I get to help so many clients every day. It’s fun, it’s hard, and it’s rewarding.

I want my own business to grow, but I have no plans on ever leaving my day job. That means I might be juggling two full-time (ish) jobs – my business and my career. I would love to be able to connect them, but that’s going to be a new learning curve when the time comes.

Now let’s talk about the past few weeks. They have been a whirlwind for me. After my big CFP exam in mid-March I flew into helping more around the office since we were in the thick of tax season. I also had parties to plan – sister’s baby shower, client open house, and our son’s second birthday party all within a three week span. We’ve had multiple ear infections, doctor appointments, swim lessons, parties to attend, and so much more. That’s a lot for this introvert who craves alone time.

Here’s what I know – this season is just temporary, but I know it’s necessary. I know that I have a lot on my plate, but I see the end goal and know I’m going to get there. Thank goodness for extra vacation days for moments like these – moments where I need to refuel my soul and my mind.

Your Spring Cleaning Checklist

spring clean, spring cleaning tips, spring cleaning list, spring cleaning checklist, cleaning checklist, meredithrines, merlynne

Yesterday was the first day of Spring, can you believe it? I really don’t know where this year is going. I swear it was just January and we were hoping for snow to melt and now it’s Spring. Time really does seem to pass by so much quicker the older I get.  What’s really sad is realizing our little guy is just a few weeks away from turning two. TWO? How in the world do I have an (almost) two year old?! It really doesn’t seem possible.

Well in honor of the new season, it’s time to spend some time getting our house in order. Winter is always so hard because it’s just too cold to do anything. I never feel like doing more than the bare minimum to keep our house running smooth and by the end of March i’m going crazy.

I don’t know about you, but when my life seems to start feeling a little out of control that’s when I start to notice just how unorganized our house has gotten. Spring cleaning just makes everything seem right again.

A few weeks ago J and Dent left for a few days to visit his family. He was on Spring Break from school, I was on crunch time for my upcoming exam and he knew I could use the alone time.  So they packed up and left for five days.  I’m not going to lie – it was nice. The house was quiet, I got stay curled up on the couch to study and I had a king-sized bed all to myself (well with three dogs, of course!).  I missed my guys, but it was nice being alone.  I’m someone who recharges by being alone – weird, I know, but it’s true. So having a few days all to myself was just what I needed.  During study breaks I would pick a room to clean.  It took me over 4 hours of actually clean time and two days to get it done, but the house was spotless.

I took curtains down to be washed, I dusted window sills and every surface of the house, I steamed clean the floors and I even moved the huge sectional apart to clean underneath it (yuck!).  I was a cleaning machine… and with them being gone, the house stayed cleaned.  It was amazing!  I know not all of us have an uninterrupted weekend to do whatever jobs we have around the house, so I put together some top cleaning tasks to give your house a spring refresh.

Now I want to make a note before we get into this list – it’s deep and long.  Each task shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes, but there are a lot. I would recommend splitting them up with your spouse or spreading it out over two weekends.  But these simple jobs will really get your house sparkling and should last through most of the summer months when you would rather be outside having fun then inside cleaning.

First things first, clean your house like a normal day – sweep, dust, vacuum, mop, change sheets on the bed, etc. Once that’s done then we can move on to the deeper cleaner.

  • wipe down walls and baseboards with a damp cloth
  • clean doors and handles with a magic eraser or cloth
  • wash windows and clean out window sils
  • dust off fans and light fixtures
  • dust pictures and wall hangings
  • clean vents in ceilings, walls and floors
  • take down and wash window curtains
  • shampoo carpets and rugs
  • steam clean your couch and other fabric furniture
  • dust on top of bookshelves and high up furniture
  • pull out couch and furniture from walls to clean behind and underneath them
  • defrost your freezer and wipe it out
  • wipe down the inside and outside of your fridge
  • clean the inside of your oven
  • clean the top of your stove
  • wipe out your microwave (here’s a great trick)
  • clean out kitchen cabinets
  • go through your hall closet/medicine cabinet to throw out expired medicine and any products you don’t use
  • go through clothes closets to donate any items you no longer wear or if they don’t fit
  • power wash your house, sidewalk, front porch, patio, deck
  • clean out your landscaping
  • wash outdoor furniture

You can download your own Spring Cleaning Checklist to print out.  I even put an assigned column to help you divide and conquer.

Organization Tips: How To Save Money By Being Organized

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Here’s some quick tips on how to save money by being organized….

Do you know about how much time you stress, worry or panic when you can find something or can’t remember something you knew was important? It’s probably a lot more than you realize.  We have a lot going on in our lives – kids to take care of, a house to manage, a job to go to and be productive at, groceries to buy, errands to run and relationships to nurture.

There isn’t a lot of time in our days to stop and just think.  So we need our lives to be organized.  Having organization can save us time, money and our sanity when it comes to being a busy mom.  Here’s some of the best ways to save money by being organized.

Phone Apps

I love having an organized phone.  It’s my favorite.  I recently walked through some of my favorite apps, but there’s more to it then just the apps.

You need to have your phone organized.  You should where each app is with just your muscle memory and not have to look through or flip though app after app trying to find the one you need.  Have folders on your home screen to keep everything organized. Here’s some great ideas for some folders that I use: coupons, home management, bill pay, social media, business, productivity, photography.

So now each app has a folder on your phone it belongs to, which means you won’t be wasting time trying to find something.

Budget Your Money

It’s no surprise that a budget strategist is going to suggest having a budget.  You shouldn’t be shocked!  I love budgets.  I really and truly believe having a plan for your money is the best thing you can do.  It gives your finances a purpose that is bigger than the moment.  You can plan better, predict the future by knowing your spending patterns and be better prepared for the unexpected.  We’ve been budgeting our money since we got married, which is how we have been able to pay off over $40,000 in debt in under three years.

Here’s an updated version our budget template that we’ve been using.  It’s great because we can see the whole month at a glance, keep track of our spending easier and know how we’re doing.

Save On Monthly Bills

Being organized will give you the ability to pay your bills easier.  You’ll avoid late fees and penalties by making sure everything gets sent in on time.  You can go through and setup your bills on auto-pay to avoid having to purchase checks and postage to mail in your payment.

Buying In Bulk

Buying some of your most-used grocery items in bulk can save a lot of money each year.  However, to be successful at buying in bulk you need to be able to track your purchases.  You should know how long a case of toilet paper lasts your family (on average).  That way you are only buying what you need, when you need it and without wasting money or precious space in your closets.

You can keep a spreadsheet on your computer to input what you buy and the dates you buy it.  Then you’ll be able to start seeing a trend to help you better predict when to order more.

Knowing Where Everything Is

How many times do you hear, “Mom, where’s my shoes?” Probably more than you should, right? By having a system for all the junk in your house then you’ll stop wasting your time looking for something and your family will be able to start learning where to look first.

Make a list of your closets, cabinets and drawers in your house.  Then for each area make a note of what should go into them – for instance, our hall linen closet also houses our extra Christmas and birthday presents.  That’s their spot, so it makes it easy when I buy a gift that’s on sale for in the future – it goes there.  It doesn’t go in a random closet or on the kitchen counter, it goes in that closet.

Go through your drawers, closets and cabinets to come up with a plan. Then take an afternoon to implement it.  Make sure you build in time to actually clean out your closets and cabinets.  Don’t just move stuff around that you never plan on using again.

Meal Plan

I’ve mentioned this a thousand times before.  But meal planning really can save you a lot of money.  Especially when you meal plan what you already have on hand.  So you’re not having to buy ingredients you already have and can easily use.

Turn Clutter In Cash

When you’re going through your closets and cabinets make sure to pull out anything that can be sold.  You can easily sell unused items on Facebook and Craigslist.  Not only will you make extra money, but you will remove the clutter from your house permanently.

You’ll Be More Productive

When you’re life is organized you’ll be more productive.  You’ll be able to focus your time easier with less distractions. You’ll know where everything is, you won’t be bothered by the overflowing junk drawer your husband just opened (because it will be gone!), and you’ll be more efficient with each task you try to accomplish.

 

When Your Paycheck Isn’t Enough

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Whether you’re in between jobs, starting your own business or just getting your new MLM (multi-level marketing) venture off the ground you might be faced with a situation where your paycheck isn’t enough.

The number of women starting their own business from home or taking on a side venture of joining a MLM are growing rapidly. Us moms realize that we want to provide so much for our children and we’re willing to sacrifice sleep to make it happen.  You stay up late crunching numbers, preparing social media posts and scheduling your day down to every minute so you can get your housework taken care of, spend time with your kids and build your empire.

Here’s what I recommend for anyone wanting to venture on your own and your paycheck isn’t enough to cover your bills:

Create your budget.

When you realize your paycheck isn’t enough to cover your bills and it’s gone too fast then it’s time to create a budget.  Make sure your budget is honest and reflects all of your net income (what you take home) and your expenses.  You might have to pull bank statements and credit card statements to remember everything. I would recommend back tracking for at least 30 to 60 days.  That way you can get a more honest view of what you’re spending.

Ask for money.

If you work for someone else and put in an honest day’s work then don’t be afraid to ask for more money.  It’s inevitable to take on more when you work for someone else and are succeeding at your daily tasks. It happens all the time. You are kicking butt and taking names, then your boss comes to you and asks you to take on a new project for the office.  You accomplish it and smash your boss’ goal.  Then a co-worker gets sick, goes on maternity leave or leaves the office for good and you end up taking on some of their tasks.  Before you realize it you’re doing the work of three on the same salary as one.

Don’t be afraid to schedule a meeting with your supervisor to ask for a way to earn more money. Be prepared for your meeting – having talking points, examples of your work and know when the last time you received a raise.  And don’t be overzealous when it comes to your request – make sure what you’re asking for is reasonable for your tasks, your employer and the time you’re spending.

Be smart and plan.

Take the time to plan and save before jumping ship in your current income stream.  If you have a day job that doesn’t float your boat anymore don’t just walk in and quit one day.  Take your time and plan it out.  Make sure you start stockpiling your money in a savings account to help cover you for when you make the big move.  Make sure your monthly budget is in check so you’re only spending what’s absolutely necessary and saving the rest.

Work a little too hard for a while.

Now I am not one to suggest biting off more than you can chew, but maybe you have to do a little juggling to get your ball rolling. Perhaps you work for the first 6 months on the weekends or late at night to get your business growing. Schedule time on the weekends where you can get away from all your distractions for a few hours. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you have uninterrupted time to focus – no baby crying for you and no dishes in the sink.

My husband and little man have father-son dates for a few hours on Saturday.  They either play at home and I run up to my co-working space or they go out and run errands together.  Out little man loves spending time with his daddy and I get time to work.  On the weekends where my husband has work to do or is out of town then my parents will keep our little guy for a few hours so I can focus.

Build your following.

While you’re working on building your empire you might be soliciting your friends and family to buy from you.  Which is fine and gives you good practice on asking for the sale and dealing with rejection.  However, make sure you’re spending your time wisely.  Create content and join FB groups that give you the chance to help others.  When you come from a place of wanting to serve and not just making more money then you will see a growth happen.

Personally, I’ve joined several groups just to learn from other business owners.  When a question is asked that I know the answer to then I make sure to respond.  I never push my products or my offerings.  But I come from a place of truly wanting to help.  I’ve noticed the number of visits to my sites, my subscribers and my sales have increased just from simply putting my name out there as an expert.

Make sure to spend your time wisely. If you’re going to be on social media anyway then spend that time posting good quality pictures, responding to comments and liking other people’s content.

Laundry Money Saving Tips and Hacks

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Here’s the deal, Momma – I hate laundry.  I despise it.  I get all caught up on Monday and by Tuesday I have enough to do a full load again – and there’s only THREE of us.

When I was a little girl my job was helping my mom fold our clean clothes.  I would pretend I worked at a fancy boutique and would fold clothes for customers (I know, weird!), but now that I’m older folding clothes is the last thing I want to do.

But as a mom and a wife I only had two options when it comes to laundry – I could either avoid it at all costs, but that would mean my husband would have to take care of it.  And he likes to dry some of my nicer blouses too often.  OR I would have to become more efficient at it so it didn’t consume my entire weekend.

I went with the second option.  Thank goodness!  So in today’s video I’m sharing my go-to hacks to save money on our laundry, our clothes and save space since our laundry room is in the middle of our kitchen.

You can watch my laundry money saving tips online or down below:

For more money saving laundry tips check out:

My favorite laundry detergent and fabric softener.

How to make your own dryer ball to save money.

Here’s the magnetic ironing mat that we use since our room is tiny and we don’t have a room for a huge ironing board. I bought mine back in college, I actually went back and looked at my Amazon order history … I purchased it July 2014… almost 4 years ago and it’s still just like new.