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Archives for February 2012

Redbox: Free Movie Night on February 14, 2012

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On Valentine’s Day treat those near and dear to you to a free movie night provided by Redbox.

Photograph Credit: Redbox

To use the promotional code, you need to:

1. Become a fan of Redbox on Facebook.

2. Visit a Redbox kiosk on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

3. Enter the promotional code: HEART.

4. Select your free DVD rental.

This promotional code is limited to one use per Facebook account and is only valid on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

If you are planning a romantic evening with your sweetheart, hanging out with friends, or spending the evening with your family, then let Redbox provide the one-day movie rental. Enjoy your special celebration while using time wisely!

Looking for more fun? Visit Using Time Wisely’s Facebook event page for more family activities. Happy planning!

Evaluating: Taking a Step Back – Part 3 of 3

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Bethany Lynne)

Here it is . . . the last post in this food cycle series. This journey began with menu planning, circled around grocery shopping, came to evaluation, and continues back to menu planning. By following an intentional plan, I continue to save money, energy, and time.

In Step Seven: Evaluation, we considered reviewing our grocery list (Part 1) and our store envelopes (Part 2). In Part 3, consider reviewing your receipts.

Reviewing your Receipts

Surveys. When I review my store receipts, I check the bottom for a survey invitation. Though Publix does not offer surveys, our Bi-Lo stores do. Since there is a 5-day time limit to complete the survey, I try to get these done first.

When I complete my survey, Bi-Lo offers a link to a coupon. The coupon is usually for a free product with a month-long expiration date. If you really like the coupon, then break up next week’s trip into more than one transaction. You can print a coupon for each survey completed.

WARNING: Please do not print or copy multiple coupons without filling out a survey for each coupon printed. If customers take advantage of the system, then stores may stop these survey benefits.

Documenting. After taking the survey(s), I enter the receipt totals into a spreadsheet. Tracking my spending and savings by entering the amount I paid and the amount I saved, I can watch the numbers and the percentages all year. Need a free spreadsheet? Try the Coupon Savings Tracker by Happy Money Saver or the Coupon Savings Calculator by Coupon Closet.

Filing. When the documenting is complete, I file my receipt by how I paid. Filed in a pouch, kept with my monthly expenses, are the cash receipts while the credit card receipts are filed in that credit cards’ file folder in my filing cabinet.

In evaluating my shopping trips, I review the store receipts by completing surveys, documenting my savings, and filing. With the shopping and evaluating process complete, I am ready to start back at menu planning. This process continues as my family continues to need nourishment.

As you find a system that fits your needs, be intentional with your planning, spending, and evaluating to save money, energy, and time. Continue using time wisely to create a system or adjust my process to work for you. Happy savings!

Goals for February 2012: Removing Clutter – Part 1 of 2

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Angie Torres)

After posting my book review of Crystal Paine’s The Money Saving Mom’s Budget, I shared my bite-sized goals. These goals were both long-term and short-term.

This month, I will update you on my progress, adjust the goals, and concentrate on Crystal’s second month goal of removing clutter. Let me urge you to make goals. Be intentional with your time and make each moment count.

Have you purchased Crystal’s book, yet? If not, you can listen to the first chapter via Oasis Audio through February 12, 2012, or via YouTube. If you like what you hear, then buy your copy through Amazon.com for $10.99.

Transitioning from January to February, I will keep some goals, adjust others, and continue making progress with new steps. Today, I will share my physical and family goals. Then next week, I will share my financial and business goals. If you feel comfortable doing so, post your goal(s) in the comments for accountability and encouragement.

Physical

Drink 1 glass of water per day. Accomplished! New Goal: Drink 2 glasses of water per day. To meet this goal, I choose to drink my water before any other beverage. It is working for me.

Eat breakfast each morning. Good, but I need some more work. Most days I eat breakfast, but the weekends are still sporadic. I will continue with this goal in February.

Exercise for 20 minutes at least 3 times a week. This goal is harder than I anticipated. If you follow me on Facebook, then you know that I am struggling. Zumba is working, but I can only complete 2 sessions a week due to the soreness. I will keep this goal for February as I build up to 3 times a week.

Family

Plan at least one family outing/activity each week. Accomplished! Our family enjoyed a day at the park, visited a science museum, constructed a Valentine’s Day project from Home Depot, and hosted a Super Bowl party. Making memories with my family encompasses why I focus on using time wisely. This goal will remain a top priority throughout the year.

Spend 10 minutes with each child each day. Good, but more work needed. Some days are busier than others. I need to make this special time a top priority and not just fitting it in between projects.

Allow children to help with a household task each week. Training my children is time well spent. They get personal attention while learning a skill. My girls enjoy laundry, general cleanup, and setting the table. With a little help, my 6-year-old son prepared a simple breakfast. I will continue this goal for February.

By focusing on a few goals, I am making progress. In some cases, the progress is slow which works for me. I want to set my goals high enough to challenge myself, but not so high that I cannot touch success. Finding the happy medium is a process. Starting with a few small goals puts me on a path to reach higher goals in the future.

Start where you are. Not too long ago, my goal involved getting out of my pajamas by the time hubby walked through the door. Some days that did not happen. Why? Because life happened. Embrace the setbacks with the accomplishments. Enjoy the process while moving forward, and happy planning!

(This post includes affiliate links where Using Time Wisely receives monetary compensation. Click here for my disclosure policy.)

Question: How are your goals shaping up? Please add your answer to the comments.

Valentine’s Day: 5 Party Ideas and More

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Tomek Burdzinski)

Love is in the air. My girls are getting excited about attending a Valentine’s Day party later this week. We will be writing out cards and making containers to carry our love notes.

Celebrating holidays has been a family tradition since I was young. My mom made each holiday special with little tokens, games, and memories.

Party Ideas

If you are hosting or looking for ideas for your love celebration, then check out these 5 party ideas to get started:

1. Theme: Express Family Appreciation is my kind of party.

2. Game: The Famous Pairs word scramble game sounds like fun.

3. Food: Love this Heartwarming Pizza entrée idea.

4. Cards: Free printable color-by-number Valentines.

Free E-Books

Need a few more ideas? Check out these free e-books:

1. Finding Cupid E-book

2. Valentine Crafts for Kids

3. Dessert Recipes for Valentine’s Day

Lots of ideas to get your creativity flowing for your Valentine’s Day celebration. In using time wisely, borrowing ideas saves me energy and time. Hope you find your inspiration quickly. Happy planning!

Question: How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Please add your answer to the comments.

Cleaning: Ceiling Fans

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As I continue to work through my home room by room, I clean from top to bottom and from left to right. In each room, I start with the lighting fixture and/or the ceiling fan.

With my 5’4” stature, I often use a chair or step stool to reach the fans and lights. This method allows me to reach all the surfaces. For the most part, this system keeps my home clean. But once or twice a year, I work through my home giving it a deep clean.

The deep clean requires getting above the blades to see what dirt and dust needs removal. Most of the rooms have small amounts of dust build-up. The one fan that accumulates lots of dirt and grime is the kitchen fan. Located near the stove and oven, the fan collects grime due to the settling condensation on the blades mixing with the daily dust.

As I worked around my kitchen, I spent a good 30 minutes wiping down each fan blade and light globe. The result was a clean fan and a filthy floor.

But in working from top to bottom, I only need to clean each item once. The floor is the last item cleaned in each room.

In using time wisely, I rose above the fan, examined the situation, and the cleaned off the grime. Though it would have been easy to overlook the dirt-covered blades on the fans, I chose to rid my house of the clutter, dust, dirt, and grime.

Cleaning the ceiling fans thoroughly keeps our home clean. By completing the deep cleaning twice a year, I save energy and time for the next six months by dusting the surfaces. As you schedule your cleaning, consider deep cleaning occasionally while keeping your surfaces clean. Happy cleaning!

Question: How often do you clean your ceiling fans? Please add your answer to the comments.