Using Time Wisely

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Archives for 2012

Donating, Voting, and Entering

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Donating, Voting, and Entering

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

If you are a Facebook friend of Using Time Wisely, then you know that life has just been really busy in my household. Just when I think that I’ve got the schedule in check, another wave of unexpected issues arises.

I know I should not be surprised with three children and responsibilities at home, church, and school, but I still get bombarded. In sharing my heart, I know many of you struggle along with me. Hang in there!

Though I am focusing on family life, I wanted to share three events going on in the blogosphere where your help is greatly appreciated: the Barlow family benefit, the Top 25 Canadian Mom blogs, and the Coupon Binder Extravaganza event.

Barlow Family Benefit

Life Your Way has gathered a great bundle of e-books selling at $5 to assist the Barlow family. This heart-breaking story of a mom, Jenny Barlow, with 5 children struggling with the sudden death of her husband needs our support. Though I don’t know this family and I had previously purchased more than one of these e-books individually, I purchased this $5 bundle to raise money for this family.

If you can afford the $5 and desire to help Jenny and her children, please make your purchase by Thursday, October 5. This bundle of e-books is worth far more than $5, but the fundraiser ends tomorrow, October 5, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.

Top 25 Canadian Mom Blogs

My friend Jen over at Mom-ology is a mom of an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with autism. Jen spends her days advocating and educating her readers on life with autism. In her journey, she has been nominated for an award by Circle of Moms. To win, Jen needs our help.

Go visit Mom-ology, and when you love what you see, please vote for her. You can vote once every 24 hours from now until Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. (EST). Thanks for helping out my friend, Jen!

Coupon Binder Extravaganza Event

The last of the three events is a coupon binder giveaway from Quida over at Simple Savings for Atlanta Moms. The giveaway is free and open to residents of the United States and Canada until October 14, 2012.

You can receive up to 124 entries into this comprehensive giveaway. If you would like to organize or begin using coupons, then you must enter. Thanks, Quida, for offering this great giveaway. I hope one of my readers wins!

As you continue using time wisely, please consider donating to the Barlow family, voting for Mom-ology, and entering the Coupon Binder Extravaganza. No matter your participation, I appreciate you in this quest to using time wisely. Thanks for hanging out with me through the smooth-sailing and rough waters of this voyage. Happy Wednesday!

Question: How’s your fall, ya’ll?

Making Spontaneous Adjustments

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Making spontaneous adjustments

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

My idea of the perfect outing is where the day goes according to my plan. Yes, I plan outings because I like to know where we are going, what we will do, and when we will leave.

The structure defines how long we can stay, and what activities we can do. Making spontaneous adjustments gets me over obstacles, but I prefer to have all the possibilities covered. Quirky? Absolutely! 🙂

Arranging our schedule

This past Saturday, I had the day planned. With the free Smithsonian Museum Live event and soccer games previously scheduled, I decided to pack everything just in case we didn’t have time to come home to change.

After a big breakfast, we headed out in the rain to our chosen Children’s Museum. Upon quickly finding parking and no lines, we proceeded to the admission desk. As I presented our vouchers, our request was met with confusion. The agent informed us that they were not participating.

An Abrupt Halt in our Schedule

Stunned, but not surprised by this museum’s choice, we moved out to the lobby. Having blocked off the morning for our museum trip, we had a choice to make. Deciding to leave, we made a quick stop by Paul’s parents’ house and chose to enjoy a leisurely family lunch.

Adjusting our Schedule

Bringing along two Groupon vouchers where I paid $15 for $30 worth of food, we headed toward the restaurant. After selecting 5 meals, I used the Groupons and paid $1.24 (in cash) to complete our transaction. After a nice lunch, we discovered that my son’s practice shirt was packed, not his uniform shirt. We zipped by our house to let him change and then headed out to the ball fields.

Though our day did not follow my schedule (How dare it? ;-)), the result of making spontaneous adjustments proved that family fun is where our family is. By knowing what on our schedule can change and keeping coupons, daily deal vouchers, and gift cards nearby, we enjoyed our family time together.

As you plan your next outing, party, or event and those plans come to a halt, enjoy the ride of making spontaneous adjustments. Your outing may fare better with a little creativity while using time wisely. Happy planning with spontaneous adjustments!

Question: How do you roll when your plans change?

Fall Home Maintenance

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When Paul and I purchased our home, we also purchased the book, Home Maintenance For Dummies.*

Besides money-saving tips to fix small repairs, this book also provides monthly maintenance checklists. Of that list, Paul and I plan to perform the following tasks for our fall home maintenance:

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

  • Drain hot water heater
  • Clean and replace furnace and air conditioner filters
  • Check air intakes for insect blockages and debris
  • Clean range hood filter
  • Clean all appliances and counters
  • Disinfect and freshen garage disposal with vinegar ice cubes
  • Paste wax our dining room table and wooden trash can
  • Deep clean laminate surfaces
  • Deep clean all the floors
  • Test smoke detectors
  • Test carbon monoxide detector
  • Test auto reverse safety feature on garage door opener
  • Clean lint from dryer duct and from the interior of dryer housing
  • Inspect washing machine water supply hoses

Depending on your home, you may need more or less items on your fall home maintenance checklist. In our home when I find light bulbs out or batteries low, I jot them down on my “Honey-do” list. As Paul has a few moments to spare, he will work through the list to keep our home operating efficiently.

In using time wisely schedule your fall home maintenance. Create your own list to perform monthly or quarterly checks. Heading off problems before they happen will save you money, energy, and time. Happy maintaining!

Question: What additional items would you add to this fall home maintenance checklist?

* This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon.com (disclosure policy). Should you choose to purchase Home Maintenance For Dummies, Using Time Wisely benefits. 😉

Social Security: Self-Insurance Tax Records

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Social Security documents

Continuing in File Box 3 of our important documents, the first category holds our Social Security annual statement, identification card, and photocopy of our identification card.

If you are self-employed, then you want to save and file your self-insurance tax records.

Self-Insurance Tax Records

If you are self-employed and you pay health insurance premiums, then keep copies of checks or records of automatic bank transactions for each payment.

With the changing laws and health insurance premium deductions, these records will confirm your contributions at tax time.

In the event you are audited, you will need solid proof of each payment.

Weekly Project: Locate and file copies of your bank statements or checks for each health insurance premium payment.

If you are not self-employed, then take note of this information in case you become self-employed in the future.

Keeping records from the start will save you energy and time. But in using time wisely to gather these documents, you will save money, energy, and time in the event your company gets audited.

With your Social Security documents gathered, verified, and filed, your Social Security category is almost complete. Next week, we will complete this category.

As you continue organizing your important documents, you are saving future money, energy, and time while using time wisely. Happy organizing!

Question: Are you self-employed paying health insurance premiums?

Daily Deals: AmazonLocal

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Amazon Local

Photograph Credit: Amazon Local

In using time wisely and stretching your dollars, daily deal sites, like AmazonLocal, Groupon, and LivingSocial, bring the deals to your inbox which saves you money, energy, and time.

Instead of searching for deals, daily deal sites bring those deals to you. Knowing the benefits of subscribing to your favorite locations, I will introduce you to daily deal sites I find helpful. Though a new subscriber to AmazonLocal, I am a longtime Amazon customer.

With Amazon’s consistent reputation, I confidently recommend AmazonLocal, a daily deal site that offers amazing deals up to 75% off. With a free subscription and no contracts, you have nothing to lose.

How to Sign Up

1. Start by clicking this link.

2. Either log in with your Amazon account or create a new account.

3. Select your city, and the national deals will also get delivered.

4. Enter your e-mail address.

5. Check your e-mail for notifications of new deals.

To keep your inbox clutter-free, you might consider using your junk e-mail account for subscriptions. I find the less my personal e-mail gets cluttered, the more time I can spend on my priorities.

In using time wisely while stretching your dollars, subscribe to AmazonLocal. With the deals delivered to your inbox, you need not worry about missing a deal. As new deals come available, you will received a notification. Keep using time wisely while stretching your dollars. Happy saving!

Question: What are some other daily deal sites to which you subscribe?