Donating, Voting, and Entering

October 3, 2012 by Tracy

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?

Freebies for Blogelina’s New Blog or Blog Makeover Launch

August 15, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Blogelina

When I wrote my goal update back in March, I explained how I took Blogelina’s free on-line course and participated in Blogelina’s 100 Comments event.

Networking with other bloggers keeps me accountable which is why I also participate in Blogelina’s Blogging Buddies. I have 4 other “buddies” in my group, and we encourage each other on our blogging journeys.

Blogelina’s New Launch

As a fan of Blogelina, I am thrilled to share Tanya’s new launch coming on Tuesday, August 28, 2012. If you have wanted to start a blog or desire a makeover for your existing blog, then you will want to explore these Blogelina options.

Freebies from Blogelina

For visiting her new launch page, Tanya at Blogelina will give you a $20 discount coupon and a free year of web hosting. Yep! No strings attached. Even if you want to try blogging, this is a great FREE opportunity that you can get today.

To give you a peek into web hosting, I use Bluehost.com. When Bluehost offered their rock bottom sale of $3.95 per month, I extended my service for the maximum 3 years and paid around $150, which is $50 per year.

(Note: I appreciate Bluehost.com’s web hosting service and have joined their affiliate program. When I link to Bluehost.com, I use my referral link.)

For me, paying $50 per year is a great price. But right now, Blogelina is offering you a deluxe web hosting service for free which is a savings of $50 to $100. Awesome deal if you are beginning or need to renew your current web hosting service!

Blogelina’s Services

If you are interested in starting a new blog, Blogelina has the tools to make your blog a success from the start. If you are already blogging and could use a makeover and guidance on plugins and resources, then Blogelina can improve your design.

Blogelina Affiliate Association

Affiliate Notice: Since I have found Blogelina’s resources helpful, I wanted to pass along this information to you. All the links to Blogelina within this post and on my sidebar are my affiliate links.

This means that if you click through my referral links and make a purchase, Blogelina will compensate Using Time Wisely at no cost to you. For more information please refer to my full disclosure policy.

Being extremely selective in my affiliate links and referrals, I will only pass along services and recommendations that I have found useful and worth my time. Blogelina is such a resource which is why I choose to partner with Tanya in her affiliate program to spread the word about her new launch.

If you are even the slightest bit curious, go checkout her launch page. As there are no services yet to sell, you will not feel any pressure to make a purchase, but you can accept her free gift of a year of web hosting with no strings attached. You have nothing to lose, so go check it out. Happy blogging!

Question: If you have or plan to have a blog, then please leave a comment sharing your link? (Spam links will get blocked. ;-))

3 Tips to Overcoming Writer’s Block

May 16, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

As a blogger, I write often, and I enjoy it. Some bloggers struggle with writing (i.e., Blogging with Amy – love her site) but need to get the ideas on the page.

If you choose to write, then you have probably experienced writer’s block. It happens. During those times, I find helpful the following 3 tips to overcoming writer’s block.

Setting a Posting Schedule

At Using Time Wisely, I began the blog by setting a posting schedule. With seven days in the week, I chose six categories with a miscellaneous day for my daily posting schedule.

Knowing the category helps narrow the topics for my blog posts. Having a posting schedule framework can focus your thoughts to one category at a time.

Choosing Topics a Month in Advance

After setting a posting schedule, I plan by choosing topics a month in advance. I use this calendar to jot down my ideas for next month’s blog topics.

Keeping paper and pen handy allows me to jot down ideas as they arise. I get ideas while driving, chatting, cooking, cleaning, organizing, and even using the restroom. (Hey, it’s quiet in there, and usually I am alone. :-)) Focusing your attention on your planned topic will keep you on track and help in creating patterns, series, and/or chapters.

Writing on a Full Page

When I open up a blank document, I have a tendency to stare at the white space. I think, “Wow, I’ve got to fill up this space for my next post.” Not sure if this next tip is just psychological, but it works for me. I write on a full page of text.

When I need to start another blog post, I open up a previously written post and begin. Somehow seeing a full page of text does not overwhelm me with white space to fill. I just press the ENTER button a few times to give some space between the new and the old and begin.

Just making this slight change to writing has increased my productivity. I open up the document and start. I know the category and a chosen topic from my earlier planning. With a full page of text, I just add more text. When I complete my new post, I delete the rest of the previously used text and select SAVE AS to rename the new post. Ta da, my post is finished!

Since writer’s block is bound to occur, consider setting a posting schedule, choosing topics a month in advance, and writing on a full page. Even with these three tips, you may not deter writer’s block completely, but you can overcome the blank stare at a large white space. 🙂 Happy writing!

Question: What tip helps you in overcoming writer’s block?

« Previous Page