Archives for 2012

Goals for August 2012: Cash-Only Challenge – Again

August 22, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Angie Torres)

Still enjoying our summer days, but it is quickly coming to an end next week. We arrived home over the weekend from a 2.5 week vacation. Well, the kids and I stayed that long. Paul came back after 1.5 weeks.

We enjoyed lots of attractions and family time, but it’s getting time to get back on a routine. From the looks of my goals, I need my routine back. Not all is lost. I am making some progress, and Rome wasn’t built in a day. 😉

If you are just joining me, I set these goals (listed in bold print) in January 2012. The financial goals are based on Crystal Paine’s The Money Saving Mom’s Budget. Each month, I post how I’m doing on these goals. Feel free to jump in and comment on your goals. It’s never too late to get moving.

The following is a recap of my progress from July, and my current goals for August 2012 (I know we are almost in September, so I better get busy. ;-)):

Physical

Drink 4 glasses of water per day. Fell back on this one. Florida water is not as tasty as South Carolina H2O. Even with the filter, the water did not quench my thirst. I drank too many glasses of refreshing sweet tea. It has lots of water, but I need to get back on track for August.

Eat breakfast each morning. Excellent job! I did skip the greasy doughnuts served as the continental breakfast at our hotel, but I am on track with this goal.

Exercise for 20 minutes at least 3 times a week. No official exercise, but we stayed moving. Walking through the zoo (3 times), science museum, children’s museum (twice), the pier, and the botanical gardens wore me out. This goal has been tough. I think I will try to find a good exercise/healthy living blog to encourage me on this upward mountain. Can anyone recommend such a blog that is updated regularly?

Family

Plan at least one family outing/activity each week. Accomplished! Even without the family vacation, we have stayed busy with entertaining guests at home, shopping together, getting our home clean, and enjoying dinner with friends. Love this goal, and keeping it all year.

Spend 10 minutes with each child each day. Fell back on this one, especially on vacation. With all the preparations, I spent limited time with them one-on-one. Then on vacation, we played together. I guess some days I spent more than 10 minutes with one child, but not with each. In working through a new routine this fall, this time will get carefully scheduled.

Allow children to help with a household task each week. Definitely could not have gotten the house clean before we left without help. My kids are doing a great job helping out and taking ownership of their tasks. Using time wisely to show them how to clean has been time well spent.

Financial

Follow Crystal’s year-long plan to reach my goals. I’m still behind on this goal because I need to research some of the budget items. Being away from home and my files did not help. I hope to get this done though I am unmotivated to do so. I know I’ll be glad when it is in place, but I just need to do it. Keep me accountable because I need you there to get me to the finish line.

Purchase dressers for my daughters’ room. This goal is ongoing. We received princess decorations from a cousin who outgrew these items. Looks like next year (2013), Paul and I will design a princess room for our daughters. This is after our Noah’s Ark nursery gets transformed into a sports room for our son.

Purchase upgraded computers for hubby and me. This goal is also ongoing. Remember we purchased more memory in June for my laptop? Well, it worked. I am seeing better use of my time with faster processing. Thrilled with this upgrade and will continue to seek options for upgrading Paul’s machine and my desktop.

Business

Write posts one week in advance. Don’t fall over, but I’m ahead. I know it only took me 8 months, but I never would have gotten here had I not started. The goal now is to keep the momentum going (*insert happy dance here*). 🙂

Make one improvement to the blog this month. Accomplished! I upgraded my widgets (on the sidebar) and affiliate links. My project of upgrading and correcting older posts is still a work in progress.

Read two chapters of blog book each month. Read some, but not sure if I finished 2 chapters. My reading has slipped away. Though I enjoy reading one book at a time, I was encouraged to start more than one type of book. Then depending on my mood, pick the one I feel like reading. Not sure how I feel about reading multiple books at the same time.

Though I’ve been gone part of August, I am still making progress with my goals. This journey is full of choices, and some months I make more progress than others. When the going gets tough, I only need to glance back to see how far I’ve come. That motivation keeps me moving forward. Keep striving for your goals!

Question: What are your reading habits? One book or multiple books going at the same time?

Summer Picnic & Barbecue Planning Guide – Part 5 of 5

August 21, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Rubbermaid Products

Many schools started this week here in South Carolina. With one last week of summer fun, our family is taking advantage of near-empty establishments to get in those last few moments of an unscheduled routine.

As our summer whines down, so does this series on planning a summer picnic and backyard barbecue just in time for Labor Day weekend. In case you’ve missed a post, here’s a recap of the series:

Summer Picnic and Barbecue Planning Guide

Part 1: Planning the Menu

Part 2: Distributing the Responsibilities

Part 3: Creating an Inviting Space

Part 4: Keeping Refrigerated Items Cold

Part 5: Enlisting Cleanup Helpers

Enlisting Cleanup Helpers

In this last segment, I will share how cleanup can come together in a snap. If the picnic occurs in the evening, then as the sun sets and everyone begins moving indoors, I enlist helpers. 😉

For our barbecues, the table rests near our sliding glass door. As individuals pass to go indoors, I ask them to take a dish to the kitchen. After the first two or so requests, the other participants join in to help.

When I get a number of volunteers, I just coordinate the tear down:

1. Provide trash cans

2. Take all food and beverages to the kitchen

3. Place all paper and plastic products and decorations on my dining room table

4. Provide cloths to wipe down the table

5. Direct the chairs, tables, and trash bags to the garage

Once the outdoor area is clear, I move to the kitchen. In using time wisely with our guests, I simply get the food put away and in the refrigerator and return to the party. Once our friends leave, Paul and I tidy the kitchen and dining room. Cleanup goes rather smoothly as most is done because everyone shares a part.

NOTE: If your summer picnic is more formal, then do not expect your guests to help with cleanup. This planning guide is for a relaxed event with family and friends, who should not feel offended when asked to help.

As you plan and adjust to your fall schedule, remember to fit in hospitality. A relaxed summer picnic and barbecue offers opportunities to entertain while enjoying time with friends and your family. With a Labor Day break on the horizon, use this summer picnic and barbecue planning guide to make some special memories. Happy planning!

Question: What would you add to the planning guide?

Where You Shouldn’t Use Scrubbing Bubbles . . .

August 20, 2012 by Tracy

Where not to use Scrubbing Bubbles . . .

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

One of my favorite cleaning products is Scrubbing Bubbles. This family of products has kept my bathrooms clean for years.

With porcelain sinks, I read a number of reviews prior to cleaning that recommended using Scrubbing Bubbles, which I did.

Finding the Corrosion

On this last round of cleaning at our home, I noticed that the chrome around our bathroom faucets was peeling away.

At first, I thought my children had left toothpaste on the knobs causing the flaking and corrosion down to the metal.

To clean it, I took off the hot and cold knobs and did a thorough cleaning. Whatever happened, the peeling chrome was beyond repair.

Realizing that our over 7-year-old house might need a new faucet or two, I purchased a similar model and Paul, my “Mr. Fix It” husband, replaced the faucet. In reading the directions, Paul asked how I cleaned the sinks. Well, of course, I use Scrubbing Bubbles.

Locating the Source

Well, guess what? The directions on the faucet state that the use of products by Lysol and Scrubbing Bubbles has been known to damage the chrome. Wow! No wonder 3 of our 4 sinks had chrome-peeling issues.

Since I just learned that my constant cleaning (at times) with Scrubbing Bubbles caused damage to our home, I will refrain from using Scrubbing Bubbles on all our chrome fixtures. I will still use it on my toilets, counters, and possibly the porcelain basins. We now have 1 faucet replaced, another that was not affected, and 2 more with minor chrome damage.

If you also use Scrubbing Bubbles on your chrome faucets, take notice. In cleaning your home and using time wisely, use Scrubbing Bubbles on your toilets, showers, and tubs. The product is great for cleaning, but the chrome fixtures is one place where you shouldn’t use Scrubbing Bubbles. Learn from my mistake, and happy cleaning!

Question: In my quest for another cleaner that will protect the porcelain basins without damaging our chrome faucets, what do you recommend?

Show and Tell: File Box 3

August 19, 2012 by Tracy

Similar to shopping for the ingredients, finding a recipe, and gathering the pans, bowls, and utensils, preparing your filing system before adding documents gives you the tools to finish the project.

If last week’s file box 3 overview parallels preparing to cook a dish, then this week’s show and tell is like greasing the baking dish.

This file box 3, organized in the same fashion as file box 1 and file box 2, has multiple categories. As a sample of a way to setup this file, I present a pictorial show and tell of File Box 3 of my accordion filing system.

The closed accordion file box. Imagine this, file box 3 is missing its string. Yep, all three of my file boxes operate just fine without the string. When the strings were used, they got caught on other files until they finally snapped. Without the strings, I can access these files without getting caught on other boxes which saves time and energy. Though this accordion file is different now than when first purchased, I adapted the file to fit my style.

The opened accordion file box. In using time wisely, I choose not to label each of the 12 file slots. For me, more is not always better. To stay organized, I choose to only label the categories. I used the plastic inserts that came with the accordion file to write the category title, one category per label. Some categories expand into 2 or more file openings while others only use one slot. If you prefer to label each slot, then adjust these guidelines to fit your needs.

Close-up look at the file tabs. In this file, I have used five tabs to identify the five categories in this retirement and investment file. To make the tabs easy to read, I have placed them in a row from left to right. The five categories identified in this box are:

Social Security Documents
Retirement Plan Documents
Investment Documents
Estate Planning Documents
Tax Records Documents

Finding a system that works for you will aid in using time wisely. My file may contain more or less documents than you possess. I share my filing system to give you an organizational system framework from which to start. Please adjust this file to meet your needs.

As I cover each category, I will explain the retirement and investments Paul and I have chosen for our family. These are our choices. I am not a financial advisor, nor am I suggesting that you follow in our footsteps. My goal is to assist you in organizing your important documents.

This pictorial overview is the framework for all our important retirement and investment documents. Next week, I will begin working through file box 3 one category at a time. Come join me as we get these documents organized. Feel free to use this visual image to setup your own accordion filing system. Happy organizing!

Question: What object have you adapted to better meet your style?

Back-to-School Free Printables

August 18, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

After squeaking out the last few days of summer with shopping trips for those items that just didn’t go on sale and one more trip to the water park, I will return to this post to print these items for our school activities.

Though our school year begins at the end of August, I know many have or are returning to school this week. To send you off prepared, enjoy stretching your dollars with these free school-related printables from around the blogosphere:

First Day Picture Signs

Telisa from Sugar Tots Designs created grade signs for your child to hold during your first day photo shoot. Find your desired sign at I Heart Nap Time and download it. Then attach to a paint stick or pencil for your child to hold while picture posing.

Lunch Box Notes

I am one-of-those sappy moms who writes a note each day, dates it, and keeps it when it comes back home. Realizing that these notes probably mean more to me than to my son, I file them away with that year’s documents.

These notes may one day get tossed, but I continue to write. With my daughter beginning school this year, the notes will mean more to her, and I know she will keep them. 🙂

Though a plain sheet paper, folded and torn, works fine, I really like these cute printables for a nice change:

1. The Happy Home Fairy posted this Free Printable Lunch Box Notes Round-Up with lots of options.

2. For a more whimsical note, Build-A-Bear Workshop offers these free lunch box notes on their Facebook Page.

3. With these free lunch box notes by Paper Coterie, I love the Top 10 Reasons I love you. 😉

NOTE: If you get a TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE message through the Paper Coterie link, then click on the green DOWNLOAD button in the right hand corner of the Media Fire page. Then the printables should load.

Notes for School

When you need to inform the school of a late arrival, early pickup, absent notice, or any other information, Anything But Perfect created these free school notes. I love the clean, organized look to these school notes.

Money Notes for School

For the picture orders, book clubs, pizza orders, and field trip payments, these money notes designed by Anything But Perfect provide a quick and easy way to communicate with the teacher regarding your financial designation.

Teacher’s Survival Kit

Last year, I created this cute Teacher’s Survival Kit for my son’s teacher. Allowing him to help gather the items and put the package together geared up my son for a new school year.

This year, I put together items purchased from Target’s Dollar section that would benefit our two teachers. Next week, I will share with pictures our teacher kits. If you would like more inspiration, check out these posts from Teaching Heart and Kim’s Korner 4 Teacher Talk.

In using time wisely to finish this summer without regrets and to plan for the next chapter this fall, use these free printables to get you on track while stretching your dollars. With adjustments to the change of pace and routine, these printables offer simple solutions for back-to-school while saving you money, energy, and time. Happy saving!

Question: Which printable is your favorite?

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