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After sleeping in for 4 years I joined the 5AM club. Three things I learned (and why it matters)

After sleeping in for 4 years straight I joined the 5AM club cold turkey and I’m never going back. Three things I learned

If you meet a true morning person, you know that they absolutely love their mornings. Really, the only person you’ll ever hear about complaining about mornings are people who don’t get up to utilize at least some of it for personal time.

If you have ever felt the desire to start utilizing your mornings for some special “You” time

“How do I learn to not hate being a mom so much” I asked God one night. I was four months post partum and just like the pendulum on my dad’s grandfather clock I’d gone back and forth between Hulk mom and happy mom more than a thousand times that day and had just finished tucking my beautiful girls in bed, threatening their stuffed animal’s lives if they even breathed loud enough for me to hear them in the next 12 hours. “You need to learn how to wake up early.”

That was the answer he gave me. “You need to learn how to wake up early.” It was a quiet thought that came to my head during my prayer… that I pushed aside and ignored. For the next six months I continued to swing on a pendulum between crazy person and semi-normal person. I made a few adjustments like exercising more, changing the birth control I was on. I was hopeful that I could soon lay the Hulk side of motherhood to rest, but I still felt and acted unstable at times.

If you’re in the “sleeping in” camp, but need a dang good reason why you should learn how to wake up early (and not scratch any fellow human’s eyes out that happens across your path before 7AM) listen up. I used to be an avid morning sleeper. I’m talking still sawing logs until at least 8AM, often later.

The Best 25+ Gift Ideas for Little Girls

It’s officially “that” time of year for me. Besides my own, all the birthdays in my little family are within the next few months. Add in the holidays and the pressure to buy the best gifts for everyone and boom baby! We’ve got a recipe for stress and an absolute burnt-out mom. Do you feel the same? Bleh.

Before you know it, Cruella Devil emerges and everyone has to duck and cover to keep their heads as my spicy side takes center stage.

It’s no fun.

So, to keep Cruella at bay and ease the stress this year, I’ve already started my hunt for the best-rated gifts for my daughters. I’ve been working on simplifying my life, so no more last-minute shopping!

25+ best gift ideas for little girls

I’m an aspiring minimalist and don’t like to buy a lot of gifts for my kids. The clutter makes me twitch.

I’ve decided that what I do get them has to fall into one of these categories:

good quality (duh)
makes me (or them) laugh
doesn’t blow our budget
useful or playful

I have been searching the Amazon internet forest for literally weeks now and with the help of family and friends, found more than 25 of the best-reviewed gifts for little girls.

If you’re like me and struggle with gift-giving, I sincerely hope this helps ease your stress as you shop for the little girls in your life.

1. Little Tykes Sport Racer (Do You Remember These?? They’re Back!!)

THEY’RE BAAAAAAACK!! This is THE hottest toy for Christmas. I love that a lot of the toys from the ’80s and ’90s are making a comeback. This one is LONG overdue. My sister had one of these and we would get rippin’ around the neighborhood drifting around corners and doing donuts in the street. This modern version has incredible reviews because this toy is a legend. You can get it here.

2. Disney Princess Comfy Clothes Edition (14 Pack)

Oh my heavens, I’m an adult and I want these! Comfy clothes are my jam! They are so cute I can’t even handle it. You can get them here.

3. LED Bicycle Lights

Here are 25+ of the best little girl gift ideas. Whether you need gift ideas for a little girl's birthday, Christmas or Easter, these ideas are sure to help! These are the best, top rated gifts for girls 4-8. #giftideas #littlegirls #Christmasgifts

My parents got these for all the grandkids on our last family vacation. Coolest. Things. Ever!! Get yours here. You’re welcome. 🙂

4. Super Foam Bow + Arrow

This baby shoots over 100 feet. Move over kid-o, it’s mom’s turn! You can get it here.

5. Pedal Go-Cart

The little girl inside of me won’t let this one pass. Queen of the sidewalk has arrived. You can check it out here.

6. Light Up LED Outdoor Gloves

Great of outdoor games, camping and chasing away monsters under the bed. You can get them here!

7. Kids Walkie Talkies (3 Mile Range)

I have fond memories of walkie talkies in car rides, on camping trips and while playing hide and seek. Such a fun idea and a fabulous gift! You can get them here.

8. Remote Control Baseball + Tennis Pitching Machine

Or…. remote control dodgeball machine. 🙂 I joke, I joke. But seriously, this would be so much fun to have around! Easy setup, easy load, easy fun! You can get it here.

9. Remote Control Star Projector Night Light

I just really think these are magical. I love that it has a remote so the kids can’t use it as an excuse to get out of bed. You can get it here

10. Create Your Own Soap + Bath Bomb Kit

My girls are obsessed with bath bombs right now. They would pass out from excitement getting this gift. Fun to make and lots of fun in the tub! You can get it here.

11. Doodle Board

These have been around a few years now and I can’t say enough good things about them. If you’ve been holding out, now is the time my friend. My daughters have spent hours on their doodle boards. Who am I kidding… I”VE spent hours on their doodle boards. Get it here.

12. Candy Chemistry Experiment Kit

Learn some chemistry while making fun treats! But maybe wait to break this game out until after the stash of Christmas candy is gone. You can get it here.

13. Illustory – Create Your Own Book!

Is your kid-o into drawing? Let them write and illustrate their own story! The printing of and delivery of their book is included with purchase- so neat! Get yours here.

14. Ukelele

Start ’em young – or old- with this seriously jazzy uke. Santa brought my daughter a Uke last year and it’s been the biggest hit. Get yours here.

15. 3D Printing Pen (with Filament)

Hey, my last retainer was 3D printed and cost me over $180 bucks. Start em’ young and they just might take real good care of you in your old age. Click here to start funding your future retirement plan (haha!).

16. Book of Knock-Knock Jokes

Because are they even really a kid if they don’t annoy someone to death with their arsenal of knock-knock jokes? Click here to get yours.

17. Mashable, Smashable Miniature Magnetic Balls

These puppies have gotten me through many hours of church and my girls love them too. Get them here.

18. Slamwich

If your kids haven’t played this game with their dad and his massive hands, they are missing out . Get it here (and ice their fingers later).

19. Otamatone – Electronic Musical Synthesizer

This is the one of the top toys in Japan right now. You can create your own music and squeeze the cheeks for vibrato. I’m laughing already. Click here to check it out.

20. Scratch and Sketch Furry Friends

Coloring and furry friends? Does it get any better than this for a little girl? This would send them to Cloud nine. Click here to snag it.

21. Bluetooth Kitty Headphones

There’s an undeniable cat obsession going on and these are too good! You can snag yours here.

22. Taylor Swift- Easy Piano Play-Along

If you’re shopping for a future piano star, this would be such a fun and unique gift for them! Learn and play along with the included audio. Click here to check it out.

23. Disney Frozen Color n’ Style Fashion Purse

An art project they can sport around in style. You can get it here.

24. Adorable Avocado Plush Pillow

Kids love silly things AND they love soft things. How cute is this avocado pillow? I love it! You can get it here. Or you can get the tasty breakfast version – Avo-toast!

25. Jookie – Stories and Music Player for Kids

Ok, this is super cool. My kids spend at least an hour in quiet time every day listening to stories streamed from my phone. This would give them control over what they want to listen to simply by popping a different character piece on top of the device. You can also turn off parental controls and use it as a Bluetooth speaker. So awesome! You can check it out here.

26. Bag of Unicorn Farts Cotton Candy

Ok, let’s be honest. This is absolutely hysterical. I can already see the tears of laughter streaming down my mom’s face as she watches everyone’s reactions to the kids opening this. It’s too good. Please get it here and laugh your heart out.

27. 4-in-1 Karaoke Bluetooth Microphone

A microphone with a built-in speaker and Bluetooth connection. This would be a blast for the kids on road trips as well as the nightly dance party in the kitchen. You can check it out here.

28. DIY Fairy Lantern Kit

My little girls would drop dead over this craft. How cute would it be to hang them up over their beds after they’ve made them? You can get the kit here.

29. Elsa Gown + Accessories

Elsa is magical to every little girl, and the only thing better than Elsa is being Elsa. You can get it here.

30. 100+ Science Projects for Kids

We took our girls to a free science event at the local college and I was shocked how much they enjoyed it, but even more so how much I enjoyed it! This idea is a win for both of you! Check it out here.

If you liked this post, you’ll appreciate these related reads:

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Are you going crazy? Here are 20 ways to simplify your life this year

Learning how to simplify your life when you need to can reap some serious benefits in all departments.

I had a conversation with my mom a few weeks ago about how I miss the type of life I never had. Things like getting together with fellow women to scrub laundry and chatting about everything under the sun. I don’t really miss scrubbing laundry by hand…In reality what I miss and crave in life is simplicity, connection. Do you feel the same?

We live in a time now where we often have every hour planned out to the minute and if we happen to have time to “spare,” we fill it with social media, Netflix or some other sort of digital addiction.

If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stressed, due to all the moving parts in your life, you’ll appreciate these 19 actionable tips for simplifying your life.

Related reads and resources that will help you simplify your life this year:

Life isn’t perfect, that’s a given, but every once in awhile I get this heavy feeling in my chest that makes me want to run, fight or hide from something. I’ve learned that I get this awful feeling when I’ve got too much going on.

More importantly, I’ve learned that most of the time it’s not just the busyness of my schedule, but rather things that I’m not doing that are complicating my life. Perhaps you feel the same?

Below I’ve listed 20 ways to simplify your life, but please don’t try to shove them in (or quit them) all at once. Take a look at the list and decide on the ones that will benefit you the most and start with those.

20 ways to simplify your life this year

1. Watch less tv (or Netflix or hulu or amazon prime or...)

TV is such a time waster! Imagine all the awesome things you could do with all the time you spend watching TV each week. You could work on making some extra money, or you could improve your marriage by actually spending time with your spouse instead of just being in the same room… the list is endless!

I implemented this tip for simplifying life last week and BOY have the benefits been incredible. My husband and I were watching on average, one and a half to two hours of TV each night. Sound familiar? I know we aren’t the only ones…

Guys! That’s about 14 hours a week in zombie mode. Just over a week and a half and we have had our butts parked on the sofa for a full 24 hours. That equals roughly two and a half days a month, and about 30 days out of a year.

If you are feeling the urge to simplify your life, cutting back on TV is as simple as a push of a button (or lack thereof).

2. Get off social media + put your phone down

I could talk until I was blue in the face about the negative effects of social media and smartphones. I remember the first time I was phone snubbed in high school by my best friend. Here we are ten years later with social media addictions and phone snubbing as the social norm-while suicide rates and mental health issues are on the rise.

The influence of the adversary is too easily introduced into our lives through social media. Pornography is ever present on Instagram while Snap-chat is too often the medium used to send personal nudes to others. There is a multitude of benefits that would come from getting rid of those two apps alone.

A simple, though perhaps not easy way of simplifying your life would be to take a social media fast. Get the apps off your phone completely, go through the withdrawals as eloquently as you can (because oh baby, they’re real). Then when they are over, enjoy the peace and quiet you feel in your heart and mind that comes from not comparing yourself to everyone else’s best, and having a constant stream of media influence pour into your mind.

It’s definitely not easy at first, but I think you’ll really enjoy the benefits that come from taking a break indefinitely from social media. I do this a few times a year and am always shocked to find out just how addicted I was. It is totally one simplification that is worth every effort.

3. Pay Off Debt

I’ve talked about getting out of debt a lot on the blog (like here and here for example) because consumer debt is the worst kind of ball and chain. It is a social norm that ruins marriages and is detrimental to families.

Imagine how much simpler life would be if you weren’t worried about meeting your minimum payments this month.

A lot of the stress we feel and the chaos that consumes our minds comes from debt. Being indebted to someone else is literally a mental prison.

Perhaps you’ll need to do something bold so you can get out of debt quicker. Maybe you’ll have to sell your car and buy something used, or perhaps you’ll have to go on a major spending freeze while you tackle your credit card debt.

Whatever it is, getting out of debt is one of the best ways to simplify your life for good.

4. Quit being a victim

Do a lot of bad things happen to you? Are a lot of people rude to you and seem to wrong you time after time? The solution to this might be a quick self-assessment through a magnifying glass- you’re a professional victim.

Whether or not bad things have happened to you is not the point. Dwelling on those things that have happened to you or the things people said or did to you is the issue. It is such a waste of energy!

Holding on to those negative feelings and stroking your grudge is not going to make you feel better or improve your future. Nor does it help you simplify your life. All it does is complicate relationships with those who are willing to spend time with you despite your negativity. Don’t burn the bridges you do have!

It’s definitely so much easier said than done, but if this sounds like something you are struggling with work on letting go of the things you are currently spending time stewing over.

If you have problems with certain people, pick one person at a time and work on finding ten things a day you appreciate about that person. This small exercise can help train your mind to find the positive no matter the circumstances instead of dwelling on the negative.

Learning to say positive things, see others in a positive way and look at your life through rose colored glasses is a wonderful way to simplify your life.

5. Eat Healthy as a way to simplify your life

God put us on this planet with a bunch of healthy foods to help take care of bodies. Then man got ~~smart~~ dumb and made the Pop-Tart.

Eating healthy foods will simplify your life by making you feel better. And when you feel better, you will have more energy for what really matters to you.

Processed foods often have so much sugar in them that after you eat them you experience a massive drop in your blood sugar resulting in that lovely groggy, “meh” feeling that we all know too well.

Start small by incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet as snacks and as you get used to that, start cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed and packaged foods. After a while, it will become so easy to cook with fresh produce and meat that you’ll wonder how you ever survived so long on processed nonsense.

6. Read more Books

There is so much knowledge out there to be gained by reading good books. When is the last time you sat down with an awesome page-turner?

Reading a good book is also a wonderful alternative to spending time on social media. Your mind is able to focus on a story or be elevated by new ideas, but above all, just settle down-which is impossible on social media.

While reading a book you aren’t thinking about or comparing your imperfect life to someone else’s filtered life, nor are you planning ways to post a filtered version of your own life to inflate your ego (if even only subconsciously).

When it’s just you and a good book, great things happen.

7. Downsize your closet

I absolutely love this new minimalism trend that has hit like a storm, don’t you? I’ve felt so much inner peace by just having less stuff.

Go through your closet and get rid of anything you haven’t worn in six to eight months (unless you’re pregnant, then girl you’ve got to wait longer). That allows the weather to do its thing through different seasons and for you to realize what you’re needlessly hanging on to.

I’ve learned that having fewer options for things to wear has been a great benefit. We are doing less laundry, it makes choosing something to wear super simple and keeps the overall clutter down in my home.

One thing I love about getting rid of old stuff is that it makes room for new things in my life, whether that be a cleaner house, new clothes or less laundry, it’s all a welcome change.

8. Declutter your closets

I have a game closet that just makes my skin crawl every time I walk past it. Just thinking about it makes me edgy. It needs a major overhaul, and it’s going to take a while.

Perhaps you also have a few closets in your own home that require a hard hat just to crack the door open? Decide a date to clean them out – then do it. Here are a couple of closet organization ideas to get your brain thinking:

Having your closets organized will save you time, energy and mega frustration. Closets are something you literally have to go into or look at on the daily. Just looking at something nice and organized can bring peaceful feelings to your day and simplify your life.

9. Declutter Everything with a bad vibe

I don’t mean to just declutter physical items, I mean to declutter everything in your current life that is weighing you down. Good vibes only!

At my rec volleyball game last week, we were comparing steps with each other on our smartwatches when one of my friends said “I quit wearing mine. I was only averaging 2,000 steps a day. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life!”

We all had a good laugh, but it got me thinking, she totally has a point. Every time I don’t meet my daily step goal I feel a small pang of disappointment. I never felt that until I had something tracking (literally) my every step.

What types of negativity are you hanging on to just because they are “supposed to, one day” help you do, be, or look better? Maybe it is your Fit Bit like my friend or your gym pass that you never use. Perhaps it’s a subscription to a service you don’t use anymore or weekly commitments with the neighbors you just don’t want to keep up anymore.

Get rid of it! Get rid of it all and start with a clean slate. Then over time, intentionally add the things back into your life that are going to help you love yourself more fully and truthfully.

10. Pray More to simplify your life

There is a God out there that loves you more than you can fathom. He wants the best for you and can guide you to the correct decisions to help simplify your life if you choose to seek his guidance.

I don’t know about you, but I am pulled in so many directions each day, my head feels like it’s on a swivel. The guidance of Heavenly Father is a welcome aid in this crazy world.

As I’ve tried to hand my life over to the Lord and seek guidance and direction from Him I’ve learned that what is best for me always falls into place and everything else falls out. I know the same will happen for you if you try.

If you need to simplify your life this year, but don’t know how, pray and then pray again.

11. Schedule alarms and reminders on your smart watch or google calendar - Seriously, dO IT

My college life was rigid and scheduled nearly down to the minute. I never slept through a volleyball practice and I was only nearly late to weights once in five years. Fast forward to motherhood and I swear I’m brainless. Sound familiar?

Life is busy. We need reminders. And that’s totally OK! Technology has come so far that we literally can get reminders right on our smartwatches. Take advantage of that!

There are very few things more frustrating than forgetting about an appointment or some other important commitment. Set reminder alarms on your smartwatch, set reminders on your phone, set them on your computer, write them down on the calendar hanging in your kitchen.

Having multiple reminders helps you be where you need to be when you said you’d be there. And that alone takes a lot of stress off your shoulders and simplifies your life.

12. Organize the paper clutter

I would bet that mega stack of papers on your counter is a mix between bills waiting to be paid, medical statements, coupons, and your kids’ artwork. Am I right?

Keeping a stack of paper clutter around adds a lot of stress to your life. The clutter is incredibly annoying but more importantly, the bills just chilling in that stack of paper too often miss their due dates.

Go through that stack on the counter and file away what needs to be saved into one of those cheap file folders you can tuck in a drawer, then pay the bills and throw everything else away.

And my incredibly organized sister tells me that the secret to keeping it from stacking up again is to become a “do it now” type of paper clutter person.

When the mailman brings junk mail, throw it away – right then! When the kids bring their paperwork home from school, take care of it – right then! When bills come, pay them, then file them away- right then. I’m sure you’ll love seeing your countertop again.

13. Set up and (actually) fund your emergency fund

There is so much heartache that accompanies an emergency in life. During the loss of a loved one, or loss of a job, wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about finances at all?

People have been encouraged to save up for a time in need since the beginning of time, yet roughly only 40% of Americans could cover an emergency expense of $1,000 if it were to crop up.

Please don’t wait for something devastating to happen to finally learn you should have saved money for a time in need. Three to six month’s worth of expenses would provide you and your loved ones with the much-needed peace and comfort in case something went terribly wrong.

As for all the other things we pretend are emergencies (but aren’t), such as the car breaking down, a home repair or new clothes, just make a few extra accounts for things like that so you can save your emergency fund for what it’s truly intended for- emergencies.

14. Take a "Think weekend"

My hubby and I got this idea from the documentary “Inside Bill’s Brain-Decoding Bill Gates” and think it’s absolutely fabulous.

Every once in a while, Bill Gates takes what he calls a “think week.” He loads up a bag of books and takes off to a tiny cabin somewhere by himself and dedicates the coming week to thinking and learning.

I would imagine that realistically for most people, an entire week would be hard to do more than once a year, but a weekend is definitely do-able. You could snag a last-minute deal at a nearby hotel and spend the weekend with some books just destressing and learning.

Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful way to simplify your life by simplifying what’s going on in your head?

15. Wake up early

“When you realize who you really are, you’ll be sorry you didn’t try harder.” – President Henry B. Eyring

I was jolted out of my lazy slumber by that quote last week. It just hit me like a ton of bricks. Why aren’t I taking advantage of the wee hours of the morning so I can have a few hours to myself? Why aren’t I trying harder? Whoooo am I?

If you ask any successful person, they would probably tell you to get up early. Getting up early plays an integral part in successful people’s careers. I would also guess that they play an integral part in happy people’s lives as well.

The early hours of the morning allow time to exercise, eat breakfast and have some personal time before the family wakes up or you hit the office for the day. Those are all very important things for overall health. And filling your own cup first is a wonderful way to simplify your life.

16. Exercise

Some things never change. It will always be a good idea to exercise and always be a bad idea to be a couch potato.

In high school, I remember my sports medicine teacher saying one day that people who run typically don’t run because they like running, they do it because they love how they feel afterward.

Having an active lifestyle has so many benefits, It pumps your body with endorphins (a.k.a. the feel-good hormones…who wouldn’t want those babies?), it can keep your weight down and your self-esteem up, and it teaches you that you can do hard things! Not to mention it keeps your body healthy and strong so you age better, lowers your risk of cancer, heart attack, osteoporosis, and type II diabetes.

If you are looking for ways to simplify your life this year, exercising would add benefits all over the dang place!

17. Get out in nature

One of my church leaders counseled last winter to get outside even though it is harder to do in the cold months. During winter, a lot of people get seasonal depression but he said that if we would make the effort to get outside, we would feel better.

Turns out that it’s scientifically proven that being out in nature has a whole slew of benefits. It boosts your energy, is good for your vision, mitigates pain, boosts your immune system and enhances creativity… just to name a few.

If you have the opportunity to do so, try something new. Hit the mountain and go trail running, hiking or biking. If you live by the water, use that to your advantage. Whatever it is, use the beautiful outdoors to simplify your life this year.

Perhaps you’ll finally understand why people who love the outdoors call themselves “outdoor enthusiasts.”

18. Automate your bills

We live in such a busy time. Things are not going to slow down and simplify for us unless we do so intentionally. Choosing to automate our bills would take quite a few “to-do’s” off our plate.

Plus, financial stress is one of the top complaints of families and individuals so automating your bills would be a smart way to simplify your life this year.

Many companies have it set up so they will automatically withdraw the payment from your account when it’s due.

Or if you’re more comfortable working through your bank, they most likely have automatic bill pay online and will send your bills to their recipients when they are due.

Whatever you choose, automating your bills would help you pay your bills on time, could possibly help you get out of debt and would definitely take some stress away from you by simplifying your finances.

19. Really decide on your priorities to SImplify your life

I totally believe that Satan’s favorite way to pull us away from God is through distraction. There are so many things we can choose to do with our lives that it’s easy to get lost in stuff that isn’t even important to us, let alone to our Heavenly Father.

Take the time to really think about what is important to you. What are you working toward as a family? As a couple? As an individual? What are your goals? What do you want to accomplish with your time on earth? What steps are you going to take to accomplish those things?

Once you have decided on the answers to these questions, decide what in your life is helping you get there, and what is distracting you from it.

Living each day is so much simpler when we have a clear purpose and we aren’t just being tossed about by the winds of distraction and insignificance. Knowing your purpose will simplify your life this year by giving you a clear direction.

20. Talk positively to your subconcious

One of the most life-changing books I have ever read is “Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.” It talks a lot about how our thoughts have the power to mold our future.

Imagine what we could do if we believed in ourselves completely despite what everyone else thought. When it comes down to it, we are the only ones stopping us from accomplishing our goals. At the end of the day, we either keep pushing forward or give in to defeat or negative thoughts.

Definitely a bummer, but at the same time, such good news because we are in total control of our efforts! Make a plan to start talking and thinking more positively to yourself. Take the idea that your mind is a garden and you need to plant flowers instead of weeds.

You are literally a child of God with an eternal destiny and infinite worth. That is a truth that no-one can change. Telling yourself this every day with emotion and faith is sure to change your own perspective, improve your self-esteem, help you feel greater love for your family as well as feel the love of God.

Experiencing the benefits of all those things is sure to simplify your life this year.

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How to do Christmas on a Budget (and still feel the magic)

First of all, good on you for looking to do Christmas on a budget (whether you chose to or were forced, I don’t care). Many people think Christmas budgeting is for the birds… crazy quacks. You though, my friend, are very wise, so let’s talk about how to do Christmas on a budget… and still feel the magic.

Related resources that will help you keep Christmas special while sticking to a budget:

Why You're a total boss for doing christmas on a budget

I just want to throw this in for those of you who may feel a little embarrassed or ashamed that you need to do Christmas on a budget this year… and perhaps a tight one at that.

Let me tell you this: You are an absolute, total boss and deserve some type of award. The easy thing to do during the holidays is to go hog wild. It takes self-control and a whole lot of strength to set and stick to a budget anyway, let alone during the holidays. But you’re doing it! You’re so cool! Don’t let comparison get you down. When the holidays are over, you’ll be the one enjoying the new year while everyone else is drowning in debt. So keep your chin up, blinders on, and stay happy my friend.

Tips for doing christmas on a budget (and not losing the magic)

We’ve been married seven years now and still haven’t had a Christmas where we aren’t on an extremely tight budget. In those seven years, we went through two job losses, five job transitions and unemployment, are growing our family and paid for my hubby’s master degree in cash. So there has always been something seriously limiting us financially, but that’s life right? So instead of ignoring that fact, we have worked hard to love the Christmas season despite the financial limitation we have experienced… and so should you.

Here are eight of my favorite ideas to make Christmas on a budget not only do-able, but enjoyable and oh, so special.

1. Focus on Traditions instead of gifts

Christmas is so much more than just December 25th. Start putting the magic into the season well before the big day comes and take the pressure off of having to make Christmas day a financial knockout. When you think back to your Christmas’s past, what traditions stand out?

My grandma passed away before I met her, but my dad brings her to life every year when he pulls out her chocolate recipes for his annual chocolate party. We help make centers as he tells stories, some of them new, some I’ve already heard 100 times, but I get to know a small piece of her as I listen. It’s magical to me and has become a nostalgia I long for.

Instead of spending a lot of money on gifts, spend more time making traditions with your own little family. And for heaven’s sake, don’t make it overwhelming. It can be something as simple as doing a candy cane hunt around the house with your kids (or spouse because who doesn’t love a good competition) or just driving around the neighborhood to see Christmas lights. Maybe it’s coloring a Christmas picture, or even painting snow. Whatever it is, focus on spending more TIME with those you love instead of spending more money on them. Here are some ideas you could start as traditions with your family:

For Kids:

“Snow Painting”- Dye a few bowls of water different colors with food coloring then bring in a cookie sheet of snow and let them paint the snow before it melts. Even better, stick them in the tub for zero mess.
“Candy Cane Hunt”- hide candy canes around the house and let your kids find them.
“Secret Service Santa”- Do service for a family member without getting caught.
“Christmas Coloring Pages”- A favorite at our house-print the same coloring page for everyone and color it together while sipping hot chocolate.

For Teens:

“Lip Sync Christmas Caroling”- Go caroling except hide a Bluetooth speaker in your coat or somewhere on the front porch and do a Christmas version of Lip Sync Idol.
“Neighborhood Photo Scavenger Hunt”- Head out in different teams with a list of Christmas related items you have to take a picture with. The first team back gets a prize. Create a shared photo album and watch the slideshow of photos once everyone is back at the house.
“Bigger or Better” Service Edition”- Instead of just asking for bigger or better items, ask if you could serve them in a “bigger or better” way than the house previous. It would be so neat to come home after helping an elderly widow move heavy furniture, or clean up dishes for a young mom or shovel snow for a neighbor. Talk about alllll the feels.

I’m telling ya, family traditions are so special. My wonderful husband started doing a chocolate kiss trail from our kids’ rooms to the Christmas tree and it has quickly become my most favorite thing…. like, ever. I always lay awake Christmas morning waiting for my little people to find the Kiss trail because their squeaky, thrilled little voices are too much for me to handle. So special.

Whatever you decide, make it yours and own it, honey

2. DOn't be shy about thrift shops

Embrace the thrift shop darlin’! We live in a time of overproduction taking the phrase “out with the old, in with the new” to be too much of a cultural norm. The good news for those of us doing Christmas on a budget is that second-hand stores are serious gold-mines if you don’t mind… digging (haha…. couldn’t help myself).

Plus, little people are so wonderful. They don’t care if something is used, they just enjoy the excitement of the season. Relish in the satisfaction of buying something awesome for next to nothing, take it home, wash it and wrap it up. I recently attended a second-hand event in my area and actually found multiple items that had never been used, still with tags on them! #thankyouverymuch

3. INTENTIONALLY LIMIT OR STAY OFF MEDIA

In 2015, the average person saw between 4,000 and 10,000 ads per day. Um… what?? That is insane. And then again when I listen to Spotify I’m forced to listen to 3-4 ads just between every few songs, and that’s only one source of media I use every day.

If you intentionally stay off of media you’ll limit the ads you interact with and will, therefore, lessen the influence they have on you and ultimately save money! Just go on a media fast and enjoy the blissful ignorance that comes with it. You’ll save oodles!

4. Theme your Christmas

When all my siblings hit the late teen-early twenties stage, we went through a phase where we themed our Christmases. It was mostly my older sister’s doing and we still tease her about it to this day, but one year we had a “homemade” Christmas (hilarious), and another year we did colors (everyone was assigned a color and the gift you got them had to be their color… mine was yellow).

But now that I’m a wife and parent whose love language is NOT gifts, I totally love the idea. It makes things a bit easier since gifting is like a foreign language to me and spending oodles “just because I should” makes me a little hard to handle.

Here are some fun themes you could do for Christmas on a budget:

“Get Your MOVE On”– Everyone gets something that makes them get out and move! (I think I’m going to push this one with the hubs this year… maybe I’ll finally get those snowshoes I’ve always “sort of” wanted).
“Self-development”– Everyone gets to sign up and take a class of their choice. I’d totally try a kickboxing class right now… what about you?
“No Name Christmas”– No names on gifts. Randomly open one and decide to keep it or give it to someone who would like it more than you.
“Stockings Only”– Exactly like it sounds. Gifts must fit in stockings.
“Vacation for Christmas”– NO physical gifts, just good ol’ quality time. Definitely my type of gift. And, if you use Pomelo Travel, which I am shameless about promoting (because they found deals that got us to Ireland for $179 RT), you could easily do a family vacation cheaper than a regular “gifty” Christmas.

5. Do anything but go into debt

What would you do differently in January if you weren’t paying off Christmas debt? I remember reading an article from a local news station last year around tax season from a man frustrated with the new tax adjustments our state implemented. He said that he had four daughters and went a little overboard on Christmas and the entire intent while making the purchases was to use his tax return to pay off the debt. Well with the new adjustments, he didn’t get a return big enough to cover his debt.

That’s absolutely insane to me, but people do it… perhaps you do it. I don’t care if you’re reading this the week before Christmas, don’t go into debt. Work hard to make do with what you have now and then save for next Christmas. Use the 12 months leading up to Christmas to save up instead of robbing your future self. You’ve got to stop the debt cycle sooner or later. Why not make that right now?

6. Something to Wear, Something to do, Something to read + Something for fun

This is our current gifting model of choice with our children. It’s too easy to go bonkers shopping so this is really for my hubby and I. It limits ourselves and therefore, limits our spending and that is a beautiful thing.

I’ve noticed that there are some other hidden benefits from choosing to model your Christmas shopping after this method too. I have little people in my house right now and doing this has kept the house from being overly-cluttered with too many toys, and I really feel like it helps avoid growing entitlement in our kids. Time will tell.

It’s easy enough. You purchase something to wear, something to read, something to do (think concert tickets or a snowboarding pass) and then something fun- like the toy they asked Santa for, if you want to go that route. And that’s it! I also love that this helps my children understand that gifts come and can be given in many different forms.

7. INtentionally Plan your shopping Purchases now

Deals are coming your way honey, and not just on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Don’t be caught off guard or you’ll spend like a sucker.

My husband and I always sit down before Black Friday and write down what we want to get everyone in a notebook to simplify things and make sure we were on the same page. This year, I’ve upped my game and made a spreadsheet (you can use it too if you’d like- just click to copy, then share it with your spouse so you can both add to it).

I love simplicity, so it’s an easy concept. We just put down the ideas of things we want to get our loved ones and then on Black Friday we search for deals on those items. If we strike out, we do the same thing on Cyber Monday. If we strike out again, we watch through the following weeks for the item to go on sale if we really want it. We are no longer last-minute shopping, scratching our heads about what to get someone and oooooh baby do we save so much cash. I love it.

8. MAKE CHRIST THE CENTER OF IT ALL

Most of all, and definitely the tip that will have the biggest impact on your life is this: if you are feeling like your holiday season is lacking something, add more Christ. Sing about Christ, talk about Him with your family and children, read about Him and do things He would do.

The adversary wants to keep us as far away from Christ as he can and he uses distraction during the holidays. Less is definitely more when it comes to the holidays, but that’s not what Satan would want you to believe. He wants you to buy all the things, do all the things, eat all the things and stress yourself out to the max so you forget the only reason we even celebrate Christmas. If he can do that, he’s won, and you are miserable.

If you find you’re feeling “meh” during the holidays, make Christ the central focus and see how it goes. With your mind more on the Savior and less on how you can or should spend money, the right things will fall into place, including your budget. Promise.

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LET'S CHAT IN THE COMMENTS: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE WAYS TO DO CHRISTMAS ON A BUDGET- AND STILL KEEP THE MAGIC?

Printable Budget Binder Workbook

Let’s bless your little budgeting heart AND help your personal finances out today with this printable budgeting binder. Your budgeting skills and finances neeeed one of these puppies. Over 190 pages of awesome. Let’s take a look at this beautiful thing.

OK folks. It’s long past time we cracked down on our personal finance habits. They need organization. They need a system. They need goals. They need to be so much more than a ball and chain !

Enter: The Budget Binder.

GET your FREE PRINTABLE BUDGET BINDER PDF (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD)

save money with a budgeting binder

Let me let you in on a little secret. I didn’t number any days in this budget binder, therefore this binder is EVERGREEN! It’s brilliant because no matter the week or the year, you can still use this binder over and over (and over) again.

Why did I choose to do that? Because quite frankly, I saw a downright gorgeous planner at Staples last year at a desperately weak moment.

I shelled out 30 bucks for that stinking thing, just to have the newness wear off and it collect dust under the couch, forgotten, next to that library book that went missing.

Six months later I found it again (and the library book, woohoo!), got excited, then instantly bugged that I had wasted six months’ worth of planner pages.

Never again.

Get your free printable budget binder PDF (click to download)

This baby is FREE-99 and the dates are NOT numbered so if you miss a few weeks, you can pick up where you left off. Save your money and improve your personal finances at the same time.

What is in the budget binder

This is a no-nonsense budget binder, just how it should be. This budget binder is great for beginners as well as the more seasoned budgeters who just need a few reminders here and there.

This FREE budgeting binder includes over 195 pages of:

Awesome motivational quotes ALLL about money.
Goals page.
Vision boards.
“No to bad habits” page.
Annual bills page (those stinkers).
Home maintenance planner.
Car maintenance planner.
Anniversary expense planner.
Vacation expense planner.
Yearly financial planning “at a glance.”
Monthly bills pages.
Grocery shopping planning pages.
Monthly calendars.
Week by week calendar (52 weeks).
“Just for Me” page (my favorite!).

Don’t have time to print right now? Pin it for later!

I hope you enjoy this little binder I’ve created. As beyond cheesy as it sounds, choosing to improve our family finances blessed our marriage, made us happier and seriously has been one of the greatest decisions we’ve ever made. I hope this budget binder can help put you in the right direction too.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE PDF BUDGET BINDER

The Seven Bank Accounts Every Family Needs

Let’s lower your financial stress about ten notches by helping you know what bank accounts for saving and spending. In fact, I’ve become quite the bank account hoarder because the benefits have been so fantastic!

Let’s just clear something up real quick since you’re here.

Having more money isn’t going to make you any happier.

In fact, it won’t even lower your stress one bit. BUT! If you are doing smart things with the money you DO have (even if it’s just five bucks) then that’s a totally different story.

how many bank accounts can you have

If you bank at a regular bank, they often limit the amount of (free) checking and savings accounts to one or two. But if you bank at a credit union, you can often have over 20 savings accounts attached to your initial checking and savings account. Isn’t that AWESOME?? It’s like an electronic envelope system for the 21st century and it’s totally life-changing!

Definitely look into what local credit unions are available in your area, but make sure to check out their websites. You’ll be doing most of your banking from your phone or computer and it’s too much of a headache when the website or app isn’t simple and easy to navigate.

Here are the seven bank accounts to have if you are serious about shaping up financially.

bank accounts to have for financial stability

1. Checking Account #1 – “Daily Life”

This account is used for expenses that occur during regular, everyday life, hence the overly creative nickname, “Daily Life.”

Your daily expenses probably differ from mine, so only you and your spouse know what you should budget for, but here are a few ideas: groceries, gas, public transportation fees, family activities, last-minute pizza run, library fines, etc. Need a clue on how much to budget for this account? Start here.

2. Checking Account #2 - "Bills"

Put all the cash you’ll need for bills into this account every month. Mortgage, rent, car payments, internet bills, cell phone bill, etc.

By stashing it in a totally different account, you lower the risk of spending it on other things, and by not spending it on other things, you lower the risk of paying your bills late and racking up fees. Not that awesome at budgeting for bills? Start here.

3. Savings Account #1 - "Emergency Fund"

I would be absolutely shocked if this one came as a surprise to you. I am positive you’ve heard that you need an emergency fund before. QUIT DILLY DALLYING!

Life happens, so take preventative measures and make a goal of $1,000 dollars. Once you’ve reached that, work on stashing away 3-6 months worth of expenses. That way, if you or your spouse loses a job, or there is a death in the family or some other tragedy or emergency, you won’t have the added stress of coming up with the money on the spot.

4. Savings Account #2 - "Ten Percent"

This will be your secret weapon. Once you get paid, take ten percent of your paycheck and stick it into this account. This is a hands-off, totally no-touch account – for now. What you decide to do with this money is up to you, but, but I totally encourage investing it. Roth IRA and quality mutual funds are good options, but hey if you want to save it for the apocalypse, that’s cool too. You’ll be 10 percent x all your paychecks better off than everyone else.

The beauty of this account is that it provides unimaginable peace of mind and forces you to live below your means. We live in very prosperous times, and yet we spend our money like it’s our last day to live. Start and use a ten percent account and instantly become a more refined individual.

5. Savings Account #3 - "Medical"

Medical bills sink too many families. Create a savings account and work hard to have enough money in your medical account to cover your family deductible at all times.

Our family deductible is $8,000, and the chances of us having to fork that all out at once are slim to none. BUT! IF SOMETHING HAPPENED and you were definitely going to hit your deductible, then boom. You’ve got it saved up and won’t have to figure out where to pull a sudden $8,000 from.

And if you are lucky enough to have an HSA through your insurance, awesome! It’s still a good idea to have your deductible stashed away somewhere because of a little something called “out of pocket max” that goes above and beyond the deductible.

6. Savings Account #4 - "Christmas"

Oh please give your beautiful little heart a break and stop going into debt for Christmas. Here’s a little secret: Christmas is on December 25th every year. Woo! Now it will stop sneaking up on you and you can save for it and stop debt-bingeing.

7. Savings Account #5 - "Vacation"

Life is worth celebrating and sometimes we. just. need. a. break. from the daily grind. Put a percentage of each paycheck into your vacation account or put your bonus in there when you score big.

We prefer to plan our vacations around awesome deals we find. It’s just so much cheaper that way. We once found round trip tickets to Ireland for $179 apiece. Because we had money in our vacation account, we hit Ireland on a whim for our five year anniversary – and did the whole trip under $2,000.

If you’re interested, here are the best tips and practices for saving money fast for travel.

Also, we use these companies to score our deals. I pay for Pomelo’s subscription and I’m not mad about it one bit.

Pomelo Travel – Flight deals (we scored our Ireland tickets from these guys)
Scott’s Cheap Flights – Flight deals
Priceline– We just absolutely love their “Express Deals” for hotels.

There you have it! Seven bank accounts to have for saving extra, avoiding stress, arguing with your spouse and all the other garbage that comes with bad finances.

Now, take a minute and contemplate what you are really living your life for because managing what you do have well will help make it happen. And adding these accounts to your life and using them well, will too. That is a beautiful truth!

For more personal finance ideas, follow me on Pinterest! Shanae Burgin

How to Get Out of Debt | The Most Successful Method

I LOVE that you are thinking about how to get out of debt. It means you have finally come to your senses, (or were forced to them… I’ll take both). YAY!! Let’s talk about the most successful way to get out of debt and a few tricks to speed things up.

Consumer debt and Cheese puffs

Some people acquire debt at no fault of their own and my heart is broken for them because debt is so, so heavy. Maybe it was medical bills, the death of a loved one, problems or bad habits from a spouse, some sort of tragedy or disaster… whatever it is, adding debt on top of those challenges is heartbreaking.

But there is another type of debt that is definitely due to our own fault and perhaps our own stupidity (that word is forbidden in our house, so this must be serious). Consumer debt.

Ew, the phrase itself is just gross. Consumer debt.

When I hear the word “consumer” this image pops into my head of a toddler double fisting cheese puffs as fast as he can. Cheese slime dripping down his face… orange EVERYWHERE and on everything he’s managed to even look at in the last five minutes. Although hilarious, it’s not a pretty sight.

You need to get out of consumer debt before you, yourself become totally consumed.. like a drooling cheese puff toddler monster. Scary.

But WHY?

Because you and your family deserve better than consumer debt and all its baggage.

Need some rescuing? Download your FREE Personal Finance Cheat Sheet, “Riches to Rags” and reprogram your brain for financial success!

We have a choice with consumer debt. We get to choose the size of our mortgage, the price of the car we purchase, and whether or not we “just put it on the card,”

But like with all choices, we don’t get to choose the consequences.

History tells us when we humans choose consumer debt and live way beyond our means, marriages experience turmoil and families often crumble from the weight of it.

After all, finances are the number two cause of divorce, only following infidelity.

Um, hello! This is pretty serious stuff! Let’s do something about it!

The Best way to get out of debt

Use the Debt Snowball people. This method has been proven over and over again by Dave Ramsey and his dedicated fan club (for a reason). It helps people get out of debt faster because of the momentum that builds from starting small and building your resources as you tackle larger and larger debt. It’s pure genius.

Another argument is for the Debt Avalanche and saving money in the long run by focusing on the highest interest rate.

But too many people give up on the debt avalanche because it is discouraging to start with a larger amount of debt that takes longer to pay off, taking the wind out of your sails before you even begin. If you’re serious about getting out of debt, the Debt Snowball is the way to go.

How to get out of debt using the debt snowball

Here’s how it works:

While making your minimum payments on all of your debt, put the minimum payment plus every extra cent you can manage on your smallest debt amount and pay that off first.

Once you’ve paid off the smallest debt, take the entire amount you were paying (minimum payment + every extra spare cent you found to add to it) and put it towards the next smallest debt. You ignore the interest rate completely. See? Your cash resources grow and enable you to tackle the bigger debts as you pay off the smaller ones. It’s so beautiful

How to organize the debt snowball to get out of debt fast

My favorite thing to use for organizing everything finances is Google Sheets. One, because it’s free, and two, because I can access it anywhere. I love that.

Here is how I set up the debt snowball.

1. List your debts from the smallest amount to the greatest amount.

2. List the minimum payment that corresponds with each debt so at a glance you know what to expect for the month.

3. In the “extra” column, list the extra amount of cash that you were able to scrounge up and pay down on the debt besides the minimum payment. This is the fun category. Tear apart the couches, get a second job, sell your furniture, whatever you have to do, but list the extra amount you find here.

4. The “amount paid” column is simple but very important. Add your minimum payment to the “extra” amount you are going to pay down and put the total here. As you move along with the debt snowball, this column helps keep you accountable as well as simply keeping track of what you are actually paying so you don’t have to sift through bill statements every time.

5. The “new total” column is simply for your excitement. I love watching debt shrink. I literally check our amortization schedule almost every time I pay a portion of our mortgage. I just wanted to share the joy with you. Put the remaining debt you owe in this section and do a little dance every time it gets smaller.

Mistakes people often make when trying to get out of debT

Let’s just kick these in the butt real quick before they kick you in the butt…

1. Continuing to use credit cards. How are you going to pay off debt if you keep adding to it? You need to organize your bills, make a budget and plan on paying for expenses with your debit card or cash. No more credit.

2. Forgetting to still pay the amount you paid on a previous debt on the next biggest debt. The point of the debt snowball is to gain momentum. When you pay off a debt, you aren’t off the hook. You need to use that entire amount and put it on the next debt, hitting it right off the bat with a huge amount of cash.

Example: If I was paying $50 dollars total on a credit card, once it was paid off, I would STILL pay that $50 plus the new minimum payment for the next debt and anything extra I could manage.

3. Not having an emergency fund. Life happens, so make sure you have saved up some cash for an emergency fund before you start your debt payoff journey. That way you won’t resort back to credit cards and other bad habits to make ends meet. $1,000 dollars if things are tight. $2-5K if you can swing it.

4. Not doing what you know. You are going to have to make some changes in your life. Some of them might be really big or scary changes too. If you have a feeling you should sell your car to help the process along and get a cheaper one, do it. If you have a feeling you should sell things from around the house, do it. If you have a feeling you should deliver pizza’s a few evenings a week, do it. Don’t chicken out. Do what you know.

5. Hanging with the wrong crowd. I’ll tell you right now that you are going to put a damper on ALL of your friend’s lives now. You won’t even be able to count the number of eye rolls you’ll get. People have a hard time with people who ~~don’t~~ won’t spend money at the drop of a hat. “What do you mean you don’t want a drink?” Why can’t we just order a pizza?” “Why won’t you come out to dinner with us?” It bugs people. Makes people uncomfortable. Stay strong!

Spend your time with people who support your decision rather than question or mock it. One of the best things I ever learned from reading “Total Money Makeover” is that if people are making fun of you, you are doing something right. And BOY is it the truth. It’s probably the hardest part of straightening out your personal finances. And you’ll probably get the most grief from family. Just be prepared. You’ve got this!

6. Having zero support. Kind of along the same lines… but debt payoff is for the gritty folk. I believe everyone has some grit, but many people don’t know where it’s hidden yet. If you don’t create a support system around you, the chances of failure are much greater. God didn’t put you on this planet alone. Use your fellow humans. Tell them your plans and perhaps bribe them to support you and keep you accountable.

7. Giving up. This is NOT going to be easy. One more time… This is NOT going to be easy. But that does not mean it won’t be worth it! There are going to be bumps in the road. There are going to be setbacks. Take everything in stride and keep working. Your happiness is totally worth it. Don’t give up on yourself before you’ve even had a chance at success.

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How to Organize Bills Using a Spreadsheet

There are two things I can’t stand right now. First, stinky kitchen rags, seriously ew. And second, paper clutter. Oh my heck it drives me INSANE! So to avoid paper at all costs, I organize my bills using a spreadsheet and it’s the best thing that has happened since sliced bread.

If you ever want to get anywhere with your finances, then you need to organize your bills. In general, I am NOT an organized person. I have three junk drawers and don’t even think about opening the toy closet without wearing a hard hat and steel-toed boots.

But, when it comes to bills, I have become meticulously organized.

It’s monstrous.

I HATE paying late fees. And you should too! Why pay more when you can just organize your bills with a spreadsheet. And fancy colors. And pretty fonts. Oooooooohhhh. 🙂

Here’s the scoop.

How to organize bills using a spreadsheet

My spreadsheet of choice is Google Docs. Why? Because it’s FREE and when I finally decided to get serious with our personal finances, we were of course broke so I chose the free option. I do love a good Excel sheet though, so use what you’re comfortable with.

1. Design your monthly bills spreadsheet

This is supposed to be the easy part of bill organizing, but I’ve found that a lot of people aren’t even sure what bills they have. Been there! That’s why we’re doing this. 🙂

Gather all the bills that you pay on a monthly basis, (Credit cards, memberships, rent, Stitch-Fix, Fabletics… anything that you are shelling out money for every month) and throw it on a spreadsheet.

I personally like to group everything that deals with my house at the top, then everything random or that I could live without (if I had to) on the bottom half. Keeps my spreadsheet pretty when I have to slash or add expenses.

Here is a screenshot of mine….

#2 List Bill Amounts + get equal pay

You can totally do this during step one if you already have the amounts. If not, then you’ll need to start making some phone calls.

While you’ve got a representative from each company on the phone, ask if you can get enrolled in equal payments.

It makes the hassle of keeping track each month easier and your finances more stable. Electric, utility and gas companies typically have equal pay options as long as you’ve been at your current residence for 12 months.

Here’s an example of what it should look like.

#3 Divide total by number of paychecks each month

Most people get paid every other week, which is typically two times a month, so you would divide your total by 2. If you don’t fall into the every other week category, just divide your total bills by however many times you get paid each month.

Put that amount in a separate “Bills” account so it doesn’t get spent, and then hook yourself up with automatic payments through your bank so those monkeys get. off. your. back.

Occasionally, (often March and September) you’ll luck out and have three paydays in one month. STILL DIVIDE YOUR MONTHLY BILL TOTAL BY 2!!

By doing this, the third payday becomes a bonus! Stash that baby in savings! Woo!

#4 How to Organize Annual bills

How to organize and keep track of annual bills is easily one of the questions I get asked most. Annual bills are usually big, they come out of nowhere and smack people in the face. Let’s change that for ya. 🙂

1. Gather all of your annual bills. Some examples are car insurance, membership fees, earthquake insurance, license and registration fees, school fees, etc.

2. Divide amount by 12 (months). Even though you have to pay some annual bills in one lump sum, you can still divide them up and pretend you are paying them monthly to lessen the blow.

Ideally, you can just divide annual bills by the 12 months in a year, but if you’re behind, just divide the bill by however many months are left before it’s due and transfer that amount into your “bills” account.

Then the moment after you pay it, reconfigure the amount by dividing it by 12 to ease the burden from month to month.

3. Automate Annual Bills. Once you’ve figured out your monthly transfer amount for each annual bill, just set them up for automatic bill pay so you don’t forget to pay them.

4. Color Code. I like to color-code my spreadsheet to keep things straight without having to put too much information on the spreadsheet. Blue means I have transferred it into bills and need to pay annually, while yellow means I pay it monthly.

#5 Organize your bills next month too

Now that you’ve actually got a spreadsheet, it only gets easier from here. Now all you have to do to organize your bills the following month is copy and paste your list of bills and expenses.

Even if you are on equal payments, double-check to make sure that your expenses haven’t changed. Internet prices often hike up, power and gas companies analyze your actual usage causing prices to fluctuate, etc. Better to be safe than sorry, or what’s the point of organizing your bills?