I’m so sorry that this is late this morning — I didn’t have internet for a few hours this morning! Thanks for your patience!
I've set aside the month of March to really focus on organization in my home and life. And I'd love for you to join me!
Every weekday morning at around 10 a.m. EST, I'll be posting the day's assignment and then every evening at around 8 p.m. EST, I'll be posting my progress and pictures, along with a link-up for you to share your progress and pictures, too.
Day 2 Assignment
::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there's something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}
::Set the timer for 15 minutes and do a quick-clean of your kitchen: wash the dishes/load the dishwasher, clear off the countertops, and, if you have time, wipe down the countertops and the outside of the cupboards with wet rag or cleaning cloth.
::Find 7 items to get rid of today. Throw them out, stick them in a donate or garage sale box, give them to a friend who can use them, or list them on Craigslist or eBay.
Note: If you work outside the home or have a really busy week with little time for extra projects, just do the bolded project above.
Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists
I put together an ebook with encouraging articles, all the daily assignments, plus printable checklists so you can know exactly what’s planned for the month and to allow you to work at your own pace, if you’d like.
To grab your free ebook so you can participate in this challenge, just fill out the form below with your name and email address. You’ll need to confirm your email address and then your free ebook will be sent to you instantly.
Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!
We’re on the tail end of early Spring Break/vacation right now, so I actually wasn’t home today… but I did get dressed in an outfit I love, I did make a to do list, and I made out my list of 10 goals for this week.
And then before I left for vacation, I worked ahead on today’s projects…
The contents of my purse… I put away the hat and earrings, but everything went back in.
By the way, I have fallen in LOVE with zippered pouches — I use one for my coupons/gift cards and the other for all the odds and ends I like to carry (pens, head phones, mints, chapstick, lotion, hand sanitizer, etc.) It keeps things so much more organized and helps things not get lost at the bottom of my purse.
Speaking of the bottom of my purse, guess what I found there? Yikes!!
And here were the 7 things I found to get rid of. Some will go in the trash and the books will either be donated or passed onto a friend.
How you do on Assignment #1? I'd love to have you share your progress and success with us so we can be inspired. Either post a link to your blog post below or leave a comment with your update.
How did you do on last week's goals? What are your goals for this week? I'd love to have you share your progress on last week's goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you've blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let's cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Every month, I designate a specific amount of our budget for various gifts (i.e. birthdays, Christmas, etc.). While I think it’s great that we have the money saved, I decided that we were spending too much of our budget on this particular area.
Therefore, this year I gave myself a challenge that I hope will inspire some of you as well. I cut my monthly budget by 75% and have found other creative ways to come up with the money.
Here is my strategy to cut my gift budget and put more money to other needed areas:
1. Lower the Amount Spent By Shopping Early with Deals.
I actually started shopping for Christmas as soon as last Christmas was over. I already have over half of my Christmas shopping complete and probably spent less than half of what I would have normally spent on these items by shopping clearance items and deals.
2. Use Money-Making Apps and Websites to Earn Gift Cards.
Here are a few that I have been using so far this year to help pay for my gift budget:
Swagbucks: I have been a member for at least a year but just recently found a way for me to make Swagbucks without spending a lot of time. I downloaded the SBTV app and try to hit my daily goal of 50 swagbucks by watching videos. I also do some Virool videos on the Swagbucks App as they become available and do the daily poll each day.
PerkTV App: I just recently started using this app. I am able to run continuous videos and earn points which can then be redeemed for various gift cards.
ChatAbout: I just signed up for this site and really like it so far. It doesn’t take me too much time to reach my daily goal of 55 points by chatting about various topics and taking their daily poll. I have already redeemed twice for a Paypal redemption, and I just got started a couple of weeks ago!
Viewpoints: This site allows you to review various products in exchange for points. These points can then be redeemed for gift cards.
ExpoTV: This site offers points in exchange for video reviews. I have redeemed several times off of this site since I started using it last year.
SavingStar: I use the cash back that I get through shopping with the SavingStar App to cash in for my gift fund.
Ebates: I use Ebates when I shop at various stores online to get a percentage of my purchase back. When I get my rebate check each quarter, I plan to put this in my gift fund.
Creatively Use Freebies and Rewards Programs.
Each time I find a freebie deal either online or in the store, I try to think about how I could creatively use these items as presents.
Also, many stores have rewards programs for purchases or occasionally offer free credits. Even if they aren’t huge credits, you can usually shop in the clearance section to find great deals.
How do you stretch your gift budget? I’d love to hear!
Rachael Lachniet is a stay at home mom who enjoys learning ways to save money for her family and tries to share these ideas with others on her blog, Thriving on Thrifty.
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