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Time To Buy: 8 Awesome Shopping Apps

I saw my first Christmas commercial on October 26 during AMC’s Sunday night airing of The Walking Dead. A week before Halloween, on a show about zombies eating people, I saw a commercial warning me to prepare for Christmas. Well, it wasn’t a warning, more like a threat. Either way, the holiday shopping season is approaching, and if you haven’t started spending your money on gifts quite yet, you need to get yourself prepared for the inevitable. Fortunately, technology is here to help. Here are 8 great apps to make the shopping season a little less crazy.

I rarely wait until the last minute to buy gifts, when I know what I’m going to get. If I have an idea, I pounce on it. If I don’t have an idea, well… then I end up dragging my feet and buying whatever comes to mind at the last minute. I’m going to make an attempt this year to both buy my presents early and not give them early, but I can’t make any promises, no matter how many apps I might download onto my tablet.

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Cheap Landscaping Ideas

by Kathy T.

Having a well landscaped yard will do wonders for your curb appeal, but many people are often intimidated by the idea. Landscaping your yard doesn’t have to be a huge, expensive ordeal. And, while hiring a professional will certainly save you time, you can do it yourself for much less. But, if you have no idea where to start (I don’t have an eye for outdoor design)- this article by Kristia at Family Balance Sheet will be extremely helpful:

-Take ‘before’ shots

-Take measurements of your space

-Plant foliage that is native to your area

-Look for inspiration in books and magazines

-Add interest with color

-Don’t overcrowd

-Always follow planting instructions

Photo Credit: Rachel Kramer

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Teaching Kids About Money

by Kathy T.

I have never understood the taboo about discussing money with other people. I know, it’s a little rude to ask outright how much money someone makes (and I won’t do it unless I’m asked first)- but I’ve always been very open with my finances. Making more or less money than someone else is nothing to be ashamed of- it’s how you manage it. And I know that part of the financial taboo is never letting your kids know how much money you make, or how much you have saved. However- I think that this “rule” is outdated and silly. How are kids going to know how to make their own, smart, financial decisions if they never see you making your own? It’s this kind of financial ignorance that leads to economic collapse- people borrow more than what they can pay off, and accrue massive debt for bad reasons. But, teaching kids about money doesn’t have to be scary or boring. Read this post by Maanasi at Mom Junction for fun ideas:

-Teach them the importance of waiting, and delaying instant gratification

-Buy them a portioned piggy bank or simply get 3 jars and label them ‘Spend’, ‘Save’ and ‘Share’. Tell your kids to portion their allowances in the three jars.

-Let your child help you with grocery shopping and let them make their own small financial decisions

-Play games involving money (like Monopoly) and talk about them.

Photo Credit: Hobbies on a Budget

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Asking Vs. Telling

by Kathy T.

Discipline is always hard for me. I love kids, and I hate confrontation. So, dealing with discipline problems with children is pretty much my worst nightmare. My golden rule is to treat kids with as much respect as possible– like they’re real people! When I need them to do something, I always ask. But, sometimes, just “asking” doesn’t cut it when you need kids to follow instructions. As much as they need respect, kids also need discipline. But how do you know when to ask, and when to tell? Read this post by Heather at Mamas Spot for advice:

I have a tendency to ask my kids almost everything. “Do you want to put on your shoes now?” “Should we have macaroni and cheese for dinner?” “How about you go brush your teeth?”

These are questions that present a problem if they are answered with no, because they are not really choices. If we’re going outside, we need shoes. If I’m preparing mac and cheese for dinner, that’s what we’ll be having.

By setting limits with your children using clear and nurturing language, you are in actuality providing children with the safety and consistency that they need to have all the freedom you want them to have.

Photo Credit: Andrew Taylor

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Budgeting With Inconsistent Paychecks

by Kathy T.

Throughout highs school and most of college, I had part time jobs. I would get anywhere from ten to thirty hours week-it completely depended on how busy we were going to be. I would try to budget, but it was almost impossible. I couldn’t always afford to save a percentage: sometimes, my entire paycheck would just go to buying gas and food. If you have a part time job with random hours, or if you work in a creative field with inconsistent paychecks, budgeting and saving for the future can be a problem. But, it is possible, as long as you’re strict with yourself. Read this post by Christina at First Home Life for a detailed guide on how she makes it work! I won’t post any of it here, because it’s a complicated (read: mathy) process, but it’s worth the read.

Photo Credit: John Lambert Pearson

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Becoming A Top Producer In Anything

by Kathy T.

On this site, I usually write about real estate and blogging. But, the truth is, anyone working from home can use the tips I share most of the time. These tips by Teri Conrad at Inman News were written for real estate agents, but I believe anyone can use them. If you’re just now starting out into a new field, going from entry level to being a top producer can be a struggle. This article will help:

-Find a good mentor- shadow them if you can, ask questions

-Have a business plan and execute it

–Technology is great, but don’t plan to ever solely rely on it for generating business

–Prepare to be extremely responsive whether it’s in response to a lead or an inquiry from one of your current clients

–Bonus: Do not burn through your first paycheck (or any, for that matter).Make sure you set aside money for taxes (30 percent?), retirement (10 percent), and for your business

Photo Credit: daveynin

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Financial Cleanup

by Kathy T.

Just like your home needs constant cleanup and upkeep, so do your finances. It’s important to go through every once in a while and do a sweep of old documents and records. But what do you keep? What do you get rid of? For more info on financial cleanup, read this post by April Dykman at the Get Rich Slowly Blog:

Shred: Get rid of things you no longer need, including old documents. Also, for tax documents, check with IRS.gov to find out how long you need to hold on to recordsbefore shredding.

Change your passwords: change passwords with the change of every season. Choose strong passwords, include upper and lower case letters, as well as numerals and special characters

Clean out your wallet. Most of us know that you shouldn’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. If you didn’t know that, get that thing out of your wallet! Ditto for passports, birth certificates, and anything with your Social Security number printed on it.

Photo Credit: David Morris

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Wordless Wednesday: Email For Old People

by Ron Hogan Leave a Comment

From a #TEDC14 talk by MailChimp’s John Foreman as taken by @jennstolen.

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Writing Sponsored Posts

by Kathy T.

A great way to bring in some extra cash while blogging is to do a sponsored post. These work best for those who already have popular, established blogs. Companies will see your blog as a great outlet for advertising. Admit it, if a friend recommended a product to you, you would be 100x more likely to use it than just by watching a commercial alone. Advertisers know this! So, how do you go about writing a sponsored post? This guide by Becky at Blogging On The Side will show you how. First, she shows you how to FIND people who will pay for posts, then how to write quality content that will keep them coming back:

Keep it natural: I will write a normal post and just throw in the product information, as naturally as possible. I don’t want it sound like a commercial.

Keep it similar in style to your other posts: If I am sharing a recipe, I try to make it as normal as possible. Yes, these ingredients are great & you should try this product that I am including in this recipe.

Try to do your very best work: Make it great and they will call you again and again.

Add great pictures that are pin-worthy: I usually go back in and add a great pin-worthy picture.

Photo Credit: Walmart Corporate

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Why Your Baby Needs Tummy Time

by Kathy T.

My nephew Jayden is an explorer: he loves rolling over, looking around, playing with toys, and crawling (well, more like scooting, to be honest) around on his tummy. This was not always the case though! Initially, he HATED being put on his belly. I guess it’s understandable; all he could see was the blanket underneath him, and he was still developing the muscles needed to lift his head up and balance on his arms and legs. Once he got more practice, he got the hang of it though! While it can be uncomfortable for babies, tummy time is essential for muscle development. As always, make sure tummy time is spent while the baby is AWAKE—when sleeping, infants should always be placed on their back. Read this article by Tonya at Therapy Fun Zone for an explanation, as well as tips to make it easier:

When a baby is born, they have been all curled and flexed up in the womb for months. When they come out, their muscles are still in fetal flexion and it takes time for them to stretch out those muscles. Tummy time does not have to be forced, and it does not have to be painful (for anyone) but it does have to be done (and is likely being done without your knowledge). When you lay or sit on the couch with your baby on your chest, that is tummy time. When you hold your baby in the football hold (which many babies prefer), that is tummy time.

Photo Credit: mazaletel

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