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It has been a stressful and straining couple of weeks in my house. My husband was laid off on his current job and we had to play the waiting game with unemployment. Then he got a call to work and we had to finagle money to be able to get him to work! Then to throw a wrench in the situation I ended up in emergency surgery on my gull bladder and have spent the past two weeks on bed rest, restricted movement and doped up on pain meds. Uhg. What a way to end the summer!
With bills piling, me adding to our already tremendous medical bills, and somehow taking the last of your money to get my husband to work without allowing us to all starve, it hit me. I need to talk about Saving time and money while being that stay at home mommy. I look back at my previous post of Dangers Of Motherhood and I think I should have put finance at the top of the list. Because the one thing every stay at home mother worries about is money and saving it.
The internet is wonderful when it comes to programs that help you save money, earn points to redeem gift cards, and cash back sites. You have supermarket value cards and just about everyone will you give you a line of credit to get you to shop with them. So how do you sort it all out? What are some of the other tips and tricks I use to save my family money each month? How do I do all of this within my diet restrictions, keeping with nutrition and staying in a budget? Keep reading and I'll let you know!
Coupon SitesYour text goes here
SendEarnings.com allows you to earn points for using their site to download and clip coupons through them. From what I found they have the same coupons available for grocery items that Coupons.com does. You earn the savings of the coupon and you earn 0.10 extra through SendEarnings for using their coupon link. There are other stores you can earn coupons for and so many other offers available as well.
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MyPoints.com is a shopping site that puts online coupons and deals all in one place! You earn points per dollar spent when using the links through their sites to the coupons. Once you have enough points to redeem gift cards or pre-paid visa cards. It's fun earning 3 points when I shop for Christmas gifts and thing!
UPromise is something a little different than most sites and for that I have fallen in love with it! UPromise has made it so you get up to 2% off when you shop through them, you get up to 8% cash back when you use restaurants in your area or traveling, and the added bonus of grocery e coupons. What I find so neat about UPromise is that you can choose different ways to redeem your cash. You get to choose to put it into a college fund for your kids, save and add interest, can get a check or use the cash to shop online. I have enjoyed this site.
Tips and Tricks To Grocery Shopping
What I have noticed when going grocery shopping is that I make a list and I see some items weekly, biweekly, and monthly. I literally go through the house every time I go shopping and write my list. Even if I have been keeping a list of things we are out of, I still find myself double checking the cabinets and fridge. As I talked about earlier I have had to discover different ways to make my family's dollar stretch and to make the food in the cabinets last as long as possible while making sure my boys get the nutrition they need.
Making a list before going to the store is the number one trick to grocery shopping. The number two trick is going grocery shopping with an empty stomach. I'm sure you have heard these two tricks before and heard them many times over. Now, how often do you actually do it? How often do you end up buying extra because it was on sale when you saw it walking down the isle to an actual list item? I am guilty of them both many times over. So I went on a search online and read how other women were saving money when going grocery shopping. I want to share with you what I am finding that works for me.
Budgeting for Food [Feeding Growing Boys]
I have attempted to budget my grocery bills for a month. Setting out a set amount each week for food and then when it comes time to going to the grocery store I make sure I take my allocated amount in cash. This allows me to stick to my budget and makes me pay attention to price per serving, weather coupons will actually help me save and I can know what a product will cost me each time it is on my list.
Figuring out prices and knowing what stores are cheaper takes a bit of work. I agree it seems a little tedious at times. But after a while it becomes a second nature. One thing I learned while going through school to become a Therapist was that it takes 90 days of an activity to make it a habit. So, for three months make this happen and you wont even notice you do this. Plus, I learned so much about my families finances, where money was going, and what products were eating my dollars alive.
The other thing you need to know when trying to budget for food is how long products last within your home. How often are you buying the product? How often a month depends on what your spending per serving/usage. What I have found is most of the dry goods, cleaning products, and pet supplies are better bought in bulk. How do you figure this out? Simply write a date on the product's packaging when you open it. Read the directions for use or serving suggestions at opening and use them to the best of your ability. Using the directions is something we all take for granted especially when it comes to something like laundry soap or shampoo. Truth is, if you stick to serving size and usage amount the product goes further for you (or you stay within your calorie limit for a day). All that allows you to decide how much you are spending and if you need to make a packaging or size difference.
Examples I found huge differences in were dishwasher detergent, and cat litter. Estimated savings (because it is on going experiments) per month $25.
Dishwasher Detergent story - I have grown attached to those neat little packages of dishwasher soap that dissolve in your dishwasher. They are clean and neat, they are prepackaged to usage size so you don't waste. Right? Well, I discovered something when I choose to go eco friendly products in my home. There is limited eco friendly cleaning supplies out there. I had tried some of the supermarket eco friendly products and I didn't like them much at all. Then, a friend shared a new brand with me and it was even in a neat little packet! I was in love after once use of this product and might I add it was in a neat little package! I even laugh at myself to how addicted to the neat little package of dishwasher soap I was. Through a mishap in ordering I accidentally ordered the powder form of my new favorite soap instead of my neat little packages. When it came in the mail I thought of using the money back guarantee and trading for my favorite packaging but for the same price I was supposed to get 10 more uses. I'm all about saving money now so I made it a challenge to prove the packaging right and get 10 more uses than my neat little packages.
Well, the packaging says 46 uses and the directions say to use 1 tbsp per load of dishes. I have played with amount of soap as well, trying to see how well it cleans dishes. More than 1 tbsp and my dishes had soap scum to them. 1 tbsp and my dishes are perfect. As you can see I started it 7/2 and a month later I marked how much I had used. I run the dishwasher one time a day with a family of five at home. 29 uses already for the month of July and maybe a quarter of a box gone. Now that is already showing to be savings.
Cat Litter Story - I hate living in my mom's house and having to put cat litter boxes close to my bedroom or bathroom because cats are picky and know they can make us do what they want. My oldest cat is extremely picky. She has been around me and my husband the longest at 9 years now. She has her favorite everything and deserves her own everything. Cat litter has always been a fight for me partly because of odor so close to where I sleep and partly because my cat is so picky. If she doesn't like the litter brand it goes out on the floor, everywhere. If it needs cleaned she will drag our socks and underwear into the litter box. If there isn't enough litter left in the box to suit her she will pee on our laundry.
My mom uses an all natural, odorless cat litter and when I moved in has pretty much made sure I had this one on hand. She told me because it lasts longer, there is no smell (not even backing soda smell), and it doesn't stick to the bottom of the litter box. I have two cats and 20 lbs lasted me 6 weeks. And my cat never even flung it on the ground. How happy I was. Again, I decide to experiment and I discover how much savings (because it was sold on odor control) it actually gave me. I went and bough the favorite brand of my eldest cat because it was the brand I used all the time. I used three times as much cat litter with my old brand in 6 weeks.
It really is all about multiple methods of money saving that get you the huge savings you see these super moms do on the news reports. It's about knowing what your family does, uses, needs and can actually do and helping it in small steps along the way. I hope to share more savings later down the road. I will always share products that I find a savings in. Beware because I like to experiment with all types of things!
Please feel free to share your money saving sites and tips and tricks!
Always Smile Real Big!
Dawnny
Dawnny's Thoughts Shop
A quick hands up if you signed up for any of the social networking sites I listed in my last post. Now keep your hands up if you have already ran out of friends and family to sign up with you? Again, keep your hands up if your friends and family looked at you funny when you explained what you were doing?
Ahh...let me count...yup just about all of you! I know the difficulty that comes with that initial shock of what you are doing. What you are asking your friends and family to do. I still get those looks and comments. I just don't let it bug me anymore. I know what I'm doing and I'm doing it well. I'm achieving my goals and do right by my family at the same time. That is pleasing enough. Moral of my "bird walk" is that you need to have a can do attitude, you need determination and you need to know your goals.
Today, I'm going to talk about what internet marketing actually is. Explain what traffic exchanges are and why they are awesome! Ha ha. My next blog will be an overview of setting goals and achieving them.
What is internet marketing?
Basic terms it is advertising and selling products and ideas over the internet, email and socially. Internet marketing uses it's own set of companies and programs that work towards the needs of the advertisers.
There are a couple different ways to get a product or company out to people online. You want to know SEO (Search engine optimization) so that your website or blog has the best chances of popping up within search engines. Then you can use pay-per-click (PPC) sites where other internet marketers view your ads to gain credit to show their ads for free. You can use traffic exchanges (TE's) which are basically social sites that allow you to again view other marketers' websites and make connections with other internet marketers. There are mass email sites and creating newsletters to email to customers.
You can also advertise for companies by writing blogs and articles that are published online. Advertisers specifically hire bloggers (whose blogs they like and have lots of activity) to write reviews on their products or up coming products. That's also where you run into market research and paid surveys. These methods of internet marketing are what helps business know what customers want, what they like and don't like, and what their overall opinion is. These methods have been around for years they were just done without the use of the internet to open up the sample number.
Now the questions come up about what is advertised and where. Well, I'm here to help with that. I want to help guide you through some of the internet marketing world. I say some because what makes a great blogger and marketer is reading and research. You need to know all you need to know when you are marketing for businesses. You need to inform yourself so you don't get scammed. Yes scams are out there and they get easier to fall for when using the internet. I hope I can help you get to where I am without going through all the hardships I did.
Make sure you are making connections on those social networking sites. You want to ask questions and read blogs. Check out programs and google them. Get to know what is out there. Learn the ropes. Read. Oh, and keep reading my blog too, please?
That's How We Float
Back to my original questions. How do you get other people to join to help boost your income within social networking when you have ran out of friends and family? Start advertising the social sites. This is the simplest way to get started.
Every profile you opened at the social networking sites gave you an individualized referral link. For example, my referral link for the social site SideTick is Really Long Link You want to find those links for all the sites you signed up for. Copy and paste these links to a word document or something to put it somewhere you can get to easily.
Traffic Exchanges
Traffic exchanges allow you to post a website page using your referral link to add to their rotation of websites. You login to "surf" internet sites and a timer allows each site to appear on your screen anywhere from 8 to 30 seconds, depending on the traffic exchange. You gain credits for "surfing" the sites. You than use your credits for free website views of your promotions. Seems a little crazy I know, but honestly it works great. It especially works great when you are marketing products or programs online that can be marketed by others online. Internet marketers will eat up a great program or idea! I learned that from chatting while surfing. *wink wink
The best traffic exchanges I have found are Sweeva,Thumbvu, Tabzi, Easyhits4u, and ILoveHits.
All five of those sites have produced good results for me. You will find out that there are a bunch of traffic exchanges and pay-per-click sites. These five are literally just a drop in a bucket. I will be adding pages to my blog soon that lists all the sites I have discovered that allows you to surf for free advertising. You can also join my newsletter and get more information than what I put in my blog.
Between the social sites and the traffic exchanges there is a good start to internet marketing and making money online. In order to receive a little training that goes along with how to find links and where to post them and how to track them. You want to check out Click Track Profit. This site shows you the three easy steps to marketing your business online. If you serious about making money online than you want to check out Click Track Profit.
I think I have filled your head with a lot of things to think about and enough to research for yourself for one day. Until next post.
Always Smile Real Big!
Dawnny
Dawnny's Thoughts Shop
I have been a mother for 4 1/2 years now. What an experience it has been! I'm so grateful to my husband for allowing me to be home with the boys daily. I get to experience everything with them for the first time. I get to be the one to teach them the basics of living life. I get to be the one to instill their values and begin their beliefs. I have control (for someone with control issues this is great! Lol) over their daily schedule, what they eat, what they watch, and how they are punished. Such a joyful experience for me to be a stay at home mom that I really am not ready to give it up. Motherhood gives me a reason to be, reason to continue my own personal goals and dreams, and is why I do what I do. My boys are my dream. Giving them more opportunity and better living situations than I had growing up are just some of the reasons I've made the choices I have.
Don't get me wrong, they are not always angels and making me smile. I am often confused, frustrated, stressed, and at edge. Worrying about them physically injuring themselves to what foods to eat and every dang thing in between. I just want to protect and surround them with love and happiness. I want cleanliness and less chances at sickness. I want to make sure their behavior has manners and yet they can express themselves emotionally. I want, I want, I want....
Being a parent, single or co-parent, it is stressful having kids! You want to provide the best and survive life at the same time! Kids don't come with instruction manuals. They don't even come with a troubleshooting button! Ahh!! Surviving parenthood is difficult for all involoved.
My family and I have had some eye opening experiences in the past 18 months that have brought to light things I believed and things I valued. I have began to change my beliefs about things and becoming more open minded. I have experienced first hand changes that have changed my beliefs. The best part is, I have changed beliefs that have allowed me to live and teach my values better. Simply, I have become a better mom. I'm a better person.
Ok, enough gushy stuff. Lol.
So, why the title Dangers of Motherhood? Well, I want to talk about certain areas of being a parent that seem to be a daily grind kind of thing. I found 8 areas that daily events fall under that stress you out or concern you as a parent. I want to share what strategies I have at chilling out from everything that goes on in the daily life of raising children. I want to share tips and tricks to surviving the Dangers of being a parent.
Dangers of Matherhood
1)Energy level, we all have the lack of sleep issues, the no motivation, the just all over lack of sleep. There are many causes and even more things that can help.
2)Time, ah yes. Good old Time. I'll share tips and tricks on how to be productive not busy.
3)Family health, everything from eating habits to affording the doctor visits.
4)Cleaning your home, is essential to a mother. The mess that is made on a daily basis is enormous, takes time to clean (even at aerobic exercise chore workout level), and contains germs! Clean home equals healthy family.
5)Fitness. Childhood obesity is the forefront of the media right now. So many unhealthy habits and activities. Bullying. Really all of that is scary. Many parents have followed in the groove of 60 minutes of activity for their kids a day. Let me share little known exercises you can do and activities that get those little hearts beating!
6)Mental health of the family. Stress, anger, lack of communication are big dangers as being a parent. I'll share tips on beating the stress and teaching healthy emotional reactions to your children.
7)Finance. I want to share my money saving tips with you as well.
I hope you will enjoy this journey as much as I have. I promise there will be plenty of fun and laughs. I want everyone to join in the conversation and share their ideas and experiences as well.
Always Smile Real Big!!
Dawnny
Dawnny's Thoughts Shop
Busy, Busy, Busy Mommy I have been. Starting up my new business and new blogs. Continuing blogging here about making money online and how to use SEO in internet marketing. Plus I've been throwing in family fun in the sun...makes for one tired Me. Lol. But I'm so excited about what my future holds that I keep going and going and going.
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So, I’m not really sure which way is up right now. I have been down and out for about a month now. First I sprained my ankle on my Birthday and ended up having to go back home to GJ to be able to have help from my mom and my husband with the kids and dog. That was difficult because I hate crutches and didn’t want to use them. So I hopped and limped my way through the first two weeks I wasn’t supposed to be on my foot at all. Then I ended up catching pneumonia; bacterial pneumonia to boot. So for three weeks I was coughing, had a consistent runny nose, a sore chest and so short of breath. That wasn’t easy taking care of kids and a dog. Made it worse that we are in spring and I have seasonal allergies.
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For today’s post I want to go over the first step of online marketing, research. I want to be able to help you find where to go, what you’re looking for in research, and how to know if it’s real or a scam.
Research needs to be the first step for many reasons. You need to know what you are doing. By researching keywords like internet marketing, online marketing, and blogging you get a well-rounded idea of what marketing online is all about. You get definitions of words like SEO and top-level domain that help you make sense of the idea behind lead generation and use of keywords. Overall, research helps you with training in online marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This is key to the ability of making money online
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@dawnnymg
So, I’m not really sure which way is up right now. I have been down and out for about a month now. First I sprained my ankle on my Birthday and ended up having to go back home to GJ to be able to have help from my mom and my husband with the kids and dog. That was difficult because I hate crutches and didn’t want to use them. So I hopped and limped my way through the first two weeks I wasn’t supposed to be on my foot at all. Then I ended up catching pneumonia; bacterial pneumonia to boot. So for two weeks I was coughing, had a consistent runny nose, a sore chest and so short of breath. That wasn’t easy taking care of kids and a dog. Made it worse that we are in spring and I have seasonal allergies.
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I apologize for starting a blog, getting a few of you interested and then just BAM disappearing. I took my boys to visit their father while he was working across the state. It was a two week vacation, of sorts, that was a relaxing experience. We got to see relatives; of course the boys had missed their father so that was the highlight of their trip. We did a little traveling as well since the weather was so absolutely beautiful.
I am here to say that I am here now for a more consistent flow of information. But do beware that I enjoy travel, so do my husband and boys. So we are gone frequently. We are already making plans for the summer. So if you don’t want it all to stop then you had better not follow my blog. I do hope you decide to though
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A few months ago I made the decision to quit the recent job to continue to look after my boys and family. I didn’t know what to do. I found myself angry again that “nothing ever goes right” because I had landed a great job in my field. Yet even though I was angry I know the decision I made was the right one. Nothing had gone right since I took on the full-time job and I was spending more to get to work than I was bringing in. I know from making extra income for the last two years with simple little things on the internet, that it can be done. I have little options in front of me right now and it’s time to seize the moment.
Taking Action
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