Moms

Making Motherhood Easier…Together.


Are You Ready To Raise Amazing Humans?


I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO:

Stay Positive
I’ll Help You Parent With Intention, So You Can Raise Your Littles Without Stress Or Losing Your Sh*t.

Raise Culturally Sound Kids
Learn how to help your kids be mindful of others. Learn to love and embrace everyone’s differences (instead of ignoring or dismissing them).

Have A Happy Marriage
Discover how to stay in love with your spouse-forever. Mend mishaps and use those stressful experiences to bond you CLOSER.

Create The Life Of Your Dreams
SAHM, WAHM or anything in between. It’s about YOU. Work from anywhere, homeschool your kids and raise your family on your terms! 

YOU Are The Best Mom For Your Family!


  • Household Hacks To Save Time and Money

    Household chores and expenses aren’t a lot of fun. But, they add up to a whole lot of time and money over the years. With a little work, it’s totally possible to save a lot of time and money in your household. We never seem to have as much time and money as we’d like. Every little bit helps!

    Save time and money in your household with these hacks:

        1. Buy items in the off-season

    Buy next season’s bathing suit at the end of summer. Buy a gas grill in the fall. Buy a motorcycle in the winter. Wait for the big sales and take full advantage of them. There is a season for many items, as well as a sale at the end.

        2. Use a timer

    A simple digital timer is one of the most important devices you can own if you want to save time. If you think it should take you 15 minutes to vacuum a large room, give yourself 10 minutes and notice how well you focus on the task. Everything gets done quicker when you use a timer.

        3. Clean your barbecue grill in the oven

    Instead of scrubbing your outdoor grill with a wire brush and harsh chemicals, take the cooking surface and put it in your oven at 500 degrees. Everything will cook off in short order. Nothing could be simpler, and you’ll save a lot of time.

        4. Buy a Sunday paper

    The news doesn’t change that much that you need to get the paper every day. So much news is available online for free that newspapers are nearly obsolete. However, the Sunday paper is loaded with coupons and sales notices. The Sunday paper can pay for itself many times over.

        5. Visit the dollar store

    For simple items like paper towels, soap, tape, pencils, and cleaning supplies, the local dollar store is hard to beat. Plan a trip and take note of the available items and how much you’ll save.

        6. Grow your own herbs

    Herbs are expensive, and dried herbs never seem to taste as good as fresh. Herbs are also one of those things you only notice you need when a recipe calls for them. This often results in a trip to the store for just that single item. Most herbs are easy and inexpensive to grow.

        7. Use energy-efficient light bulbs 

    This type of bulb is becoming less expensive all the time. They still aren’t cheap, but the cost is small compared to longevity. They use much less electricity than incandescent bulbs. You’ll save a lot of time and money over time.

        8. Buy your own coffee supplies

    Starbucks and similar stores are expensive for what you get. A little espresso and 2 cups of hot milk aren’t worth $5+. For a small investment, you can buy your own equipment and make your own fancy coffee for a fraction of the cost.

    Your household is costing you more time and money than it should. With a few tweaks, you could save more of both and spend them somewhere more enjoyable. Spend some time looking at your expenses, with regards to both money and time. Look for ways to cut back on both. We could all use more time and money.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/15-ways-to-make-an-extra-1000-each-month

  • How Working Moms Manage Time Like a Pro

    Because you’re a working mom, you know how tough it can be to get everything done and still have time for yourself and your family. 

    A mother is she who can take the place of all
    others but whose place no one else can take

    Cardinal Mermillod 

    In addition to spending time with your children, your kid’s extracurricular activities, meal planning and preparation, and keeping your home clean and organized, you’ve still got to be conscientious about your job. Plus, in the midst of all this, you need to allow yourself time to get proper rest and sleep, too.

    When you have so many roles to play, you’ve got to be on top of it at all times. But that seems impossible sometimes, doesn’t it? I’m going to give you plenty of tips to help you have time for all these important things in your busy life. 

    How To Get Out of The House

    Perhaps one of the most hectic times of your workdays is the morning when you’re getting ready for work while trying to get your family ready for their day as well. Having an efficient morning routine helps your entire family and starts the day out on a positive note.

    tips for working moms balancing work and family and kids

    Preparing for Work

    The more organized you are as you dress for work, the more time you’ll save to do other things – like getting your family out the door on time. 

    Tips to streamline your routine:

    1. Wear easy-care clothing to work. Buy work clothing that’s made from wash and wear fabrics. Work clothes that can be tossed in the washer and dryer and then hung up right away will save you loads of time you would have otherwise spent running to and from the dry cleaners or ironing every week.
    2. Have an area in your closet specifically for work clothes. This way, you spend virtually no time looking through your closet wondering what on earth you’ll wear to work that day. Whether it’s the left side of your closet or the back corner, organize your work clothing to minimize time spent selecting your outfit for the day.

    Hanging your work clothes by clothing type – such as all the slacks, then the skirts, blouses, tees, then blazers, and finally dresses – will show you at a glance exactly what you have to choose from.

    If you then organize within each clothing category by color, the time you save getting dressed for work will be tremendous. Getting dressed in the morning will be quick and easy. You’ll grab, dress and go in just minutes. (a bit OCD much? lol I am & there’s so much more where that came from!)

    1. Organize your shoes. Make it even easier on yourself by organizing your shoes. You’ll no longer have to spend valuable moments running through the house in the morning, checking your watch while wondering where you left your navy heels!

    There’s a number of inexpensive ways to organize shoes. Visit your local discount store to see whether you want shoe racks or a large shoe “garage.” Once you decide on the method, arrange them by color or work versus casual shoes.

    1. Designate a space to store work-related items. Whether it’s your briefcase, a folder you brought home for review, your laptop, or job-related tools, have a specific place where you’ll deposit those items when you arrive home. You’ll always know where they are when you need them.

    Plus, as you leave the house in the morning, you know just where to go to grab your stuff. If you’ve got a desk area, great. Maybe you’ve got a bench by the door where you can place your briefcase. Having a designated area means you’ll never have to spend time looking everywhere for that folder you brought home. Now that’s a time saver!

    Buying easy-care work clothing, preparing your closet to quickly access your clothing and shoes, and having space at home to keep your work supplies will help you streamline your getting-ready-for-work routine. You’ll enjoy calmer mornings and more time to deal with kids and home tasks when you take these steps to be more efficient and organized.

    Helping Your Family Prepare for Their Day

    Now that you have a time-saving routine for getting ready for work, let’s look at some tips to help your family get ready and out the door with less chaos.

    These suggestions will help your family establish an efficient morning routine:

    1. Make lunches the night before. Label each bag with the name of whoever’s lunch it is. In the morning, it will be a cinch for everyone to just grab their lunch out of the fridge on their way out the door.
    2. Have your kids pick out their clothes ahead of time. Especially if you have teenagers, planning out their wardrobe the night before (or even on the weekend for the next week) saves a lot of valuable time in the mornings. For the younger ones, laying out their clothes the night before helps them get dressed in record time.
    3. Sign papers and put backpacks by the door. Make it part of your child’s homework to give you all the papers that need to be signed and pack everything up that they’ll need for the next day. Then, put their backpack in a designated spot near the door for an easy morning getaway.
    4. Enjoy your breakfast together. Wake up to coffee and breakfast already made. Set your coffeemaker and put the ingredients for hot cereal, like oatmeal or malt-o-meal, in your Crockpot and turn it on before you go to bed. Add some fresh fruit and juice and you have a delicious, ready-made breakfast to enjoy with your family before you leave for your day.
    5. Add 15 minutes to your morning. Setting the bedside alarms for 15 minutes earlier can give you and your family that little bit of extra time you may need to bring peace to your mornings.

    A psychological trick is to set these clocks 10 or 15 minutes ahead of real-time. Even though you know they’re set differently, it often helps to get you moving a little earlier.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/the-importance-of-a-daily-routine

    These tips will help you and your family start out the day in a happy, positive frame of mind. It’s amazing what a difference an organized routine in the morning can make for your whole day.

    Crises are averted and everyone can get where they need to be on time without feeling rushed.

    Adapting these tips into your routine may take some doing at first, but once you and your family turn them into habits, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner!

    It only takes 21 days in a row to form a habit – start now and, by this time next month, crazy, chaotic mornings will be a thing of the past.

    I go work as hard as I can then I go home and live my life

    Kate Hudson

    Managing Time with Your Children

    It’s mind-boggling how easy it is to sometimes lose sight of your priorities in life due to the pressures of time. Learning to more efficiently manage your time means you’ll be able to carve out time for the most important stuff, like your kids.

    Use these strategies to manage time with your children:

    1. Establish time for your child(ren) every single day. It may sound tough, but once you figure out when you’ll do it, you’ll feel great about your day. Even if it’s the 15 minutes in the morning you drive your teen to school, make it a quality time when you really listen and communicate well.

    Consider the times during the day when you and your children are at home together. Maybe it’s that 30 minutes in the kitchen once you get dinner in the oven. You can both have a cold beverage and share your days. Set aside these times for your kids. Spending special moments with your kids each day is the result of effective time management.

    1. Bring stability to your schedules by insisting everyone be present for dinner. Not only does it help your time management, but also some of the most cherished memories of your kids’ childhood are made right there with the quality time you spend together at the dinner table.

    You all have to eat anyway, why not dine together? Use dinner time to listen to what your kids have to say about school, their friends, their music, and anything else they’re interested in.

    Dinner time is a gold mine in terms of spending time with your kids.

    1. Set limits and briefly explain. When you feel your kids are encroaching on your “getting ready for work time” in the mornings, have a brief, frank discussion with them. Say something like, “I see that you want me to help you choose your outfit, Susie, but I’ve got to get ready for work. How about I come in to help you in 10 minutes?”

    If Susie often interrupts you in the mornings, think about helping her select her outfit the evening before so the morning goes more smoothly. Once you set limits to help her in the evenings and not allow her to consistently interrupt your own routine, she’ll learn to develop a routine also. You’ll both save time.

    1. Distinguish between attention-seeking and needing help. Learn to determine when kids are seeking attention versus actually requiring your assistance. If the behavior is repetitious, it’s a clue the child is attention-seeking and you’ll want to set some limits.

    If your child is displaying annoying, disruptive behaviors particularly in the mornings, evaluate whether you’re spending some quality time each day with the child. If you are, most likely they won’t feel the need to engage in disruptive, attention-seeking behaviors.

    In the long run, spending quality time daily with your kids will save you time in your busy, chaotic day and help to quell kids’ attention-seeking behaviors.

    1. Take turns with your spouse. Take turns getting the kids ready in the mornings and prepped for bed at night. Sharing these chores is a great method for each parent to discover more time with their kids in their busy days.
    2. Be honest with your kids about time. When you need to get something done, tell your kids. “I have to work for about an hour on a report. Then we’ll take a bike ride.” Estimate a time you’ll be done so they know you’re planning to spend time with them. 

    You’ll want to learn to tell the difference between kids actually needing your help versus seeking your attention. Take turns and honestly tell your kids if you need time to complete a task. When you do all these things, you’ll have happy kids, a calmer, more balanced life, and time to spare.

    My normal day is, I get up with the kids, take them to school,
    a few days a week I might do Pilates, reading, meetings,
    and then we always do family dinner at 6:30

    Demi Moore

    Related: darlingsteps.com/household-hacks-to-save-time-and-money

    Making Time to Take Part in Your Kids’ Extracurricular Activities

    An important aspect of your child’s childhood is taking part in extracurricular activities. 

    Whether your child wants to be in chess club, play softball or be on the soccer team, when you show up at his events you strengthen his self-esteem and continued activity involvement. Your child will feel emotionally supported and loved when you attend these events. 

    How can you manage your time to be there for extracurricular activities?

    1. Always have a Plan B. Maybe you planned to review a report at home this evening. But when you got home, you found out your daughter has a soccer game. What will you do?

    One option is to take the file with you to the soccer game. During time-outs or times your daughter isn’t in the game, look over your report. 

    1. Think about how to utilize time normally spent waiting at your kids’ events. If you make it a point to carry your folder or your smartphone with files, the time you spend waiting for your kid’s part in the event can be smartly spent getting other tasks accomplished.

    Rather than experiencing moments of sitting and waiting, read a page of a report or check subtractions in your checkbook.

    1. If necessary, alternate extracurricular activity attendance with your spouse. Work it out with your spouse to ensure at least one of you shows up at your kids’ activities. This way, a parent is always there to support your child and both parents will know how the child is doing in the sport/activity. You can all talk together about the activity at dinner time.

    When you have a Plan B, make use of downtime while at your children’s extracurricular activities, and trade-off attending children’s activities with your spouse, you’ll find you can balance attending your children’s activities with the rest of your life.

    Family is the most important thing.
    Your career has to come second

    Jennifer Lopez

    Managing Meal Planning

    One of the most repetitive aspects of your life is meal planning. It just gets old, always trying to figure out what’s for dinner. However, there are some things you can do to save time when it comes to meal planning and preparation. 

    What if you had a “go-to list” of meals with the main ingredients listed for each one? Although setting up your initial list will take a bit of time, you’ll have dinner figured out from here on out and your meal planning will be streamlined. Practice the following strategies to save minutes and worry regarding planning healthful meals for your family.

    Developing a Meal Plan  

    Having a meal plan means you’ll never have to spend time thinking too long about what’s for dinner. Plus, your list will include the main grocery items you need to prepare the meal. 

    It’s best to have about 10 meals on your meal plan/list. On the weekends when you have more time, you can prepare more elaborate meals, if you wish. Your meal planner will include complete dinners on the left side with the store list to make those dinners on the right side of the paper so you’ll quickly know the main ingredients to get at the grocery store. 

    Keep staples for the meals in your cabinet since you know you’ll be preparing them periodically. 

    Sample Meal Plan

    Here’s a common ridiculously simple meal planner with 5 meals to inspire you:

    Meals Grocery Items Needed
    Turkey or Chicken Hot Dogs Macaroni and Cheese Peas Baby Carrots or Celery Sticks Instant Pudding
    Hot dogs Mac and Cheese Boxed Mix Frozen Peas Fresh carrots/celery Instant pudding mix
    Cheeseburgers Broccoli Cole Slaw Fresh fruit—oranges, strawberries or bananas
    Lean hamburger, cheese, buns Broccoli Cole slaw mix, salad dressing Fresh fruit 
    Baked Chicken Breasts   Mashed Potatoes Green Beans Wheat Rolls Jell-O
    Chicken breast, can of chicken soup Potatoes, butter, milk Fresh/frozen green beans Fresh/frozen rolls Jell-O mix
    Chili Crackers Lettuce Salad Frozen Yogurt
    Beans, hamburger, tomatoes, onion Crackers Lettuce, cheese, salad dressing Frozen Yogurt
    Spaghetti & Meatballs Garden Salad Ice Cream Bars
    Spaghetti, sauce, hamburger Loaf Italian bread, fresh garlic Lettuce and vegetables of your liking Ice Cream Bars

    How to Put Your Meal Planner to Proper Use

    To make good use of your meal planners, practice these strategies:

    1. Place copies of your meal planner schedule everywhere. Once you develop your list, place a copy in your car, briefcase, kitchen, and purse or wallet.
    2. Share the planner with your spouse. Give copies of your list to your spouse. If he makes a grocery store run or takes a turn preparing meals, he can refer to the list.
    3. Make your meal plans durable. You might want to laminate the planner copy you put in your car. If you prefer, drop copies of your list into those plastic sleeves to protect them.
    4. Store it on your computer and your smartphone. If you store your list on your computer and smartphone, you’ll be able to quickly access it to select which meal to prepare.
    5. Consult your list when you’re grocery shopping. During your weekly shopping, buy enough food for the meals you plan to eat at home that week. 

    For best results, vary your meals from time to time or put plenty of quick-fix meals on it to choose from, so you don’t have to repeat each meal too often.

    With a meal planners, you’ll never have to obsess about what’s for dinner again and you’ll save time and energy. Just glance at your list and choose a meal you know your family enjoys that you can easily prepare. It’s the ultimate time-saver!

    I don’t think you ever feel you’re balancing anything. My kids are great, and I have a good husband. You’ve just got to keep everything in the air

    Brooke Shields

    Time-Saving Meal Preparation

    Now that you know what you’ll be cooking, all you have to do is ensure you’ve got all the ingredients to prepare the meal and put the meal together. 

    1. Double duty. Use time spent preparing meals to connect with your spouse. If both of you prepare dinner, you’ll save time, plus you’ll get to spend some time together. You cook the spaghetti and sauce while your partner sets the table and makes the salad.
    2. Triple duty. If your kids are old enough to join you in preparing the meals, make it a trifecta! You’ll spend some great quality time preparing the meals as well as dining together. You can make the salad while your spouse makes the chili. The kids can set the table and get out the crackers and salad dressing.
    1. Plan ahead. While you’re making this evening’s dinner, make up the Jell-O for tomorrow night and stick it in the refrigerator. You can even make enough salad today for two meals: today’s dinner and tomorrow’s dinner. You’ll save on time tomorrow by putting in just a couple of minutes’ efforts today. 
    1. Make twice the amount you need; freeze the rest. Using your freezer is a wonderful time-saver. Cook enough spaghetti, chili, or chicken casserole for two meals and freeze the second meal. Down the road, all you’ll have to do is defrost and heat the food to have a great, quick home-cooked meal. You’ll be more relaxed and have more time to spend as you like.

    Meal preparation doesn’t have to take hours every day. Apply some of the above strategies to accomplish other goals while cooking. Whether it’s spending time with your spouse, visiting with your kids, planning ahead, or preparing food for two meals at once, quelling the chaos by using these strategies will ultimately help you save a lot of time and help you achieve balance. 

    I was brought up to believe I could do anything I wanted professionally and, of course, be a mother at the same time. But I’m finding out that it’s complicated. It requires a lot of thought and planning and I haven’t figured it out yet

    Maggie Gyllenhaal

    Housekeeping

    Nothing throws a wrench in your time management like keeping your home clean and in good order. However, having a workable plan for organizing your housekeeping chores will help tremendously.

    Try these strategies to save time on keeping your home clean:

    1. Daily cleaning and organizing. For 15 or 20 minutes each day, either in the mornings before work or when you get home, grab a dust cloth and dust a room or two.

    Set a timer for 15 minutes and pick up items and put them away until the timer sounds. Straighten magazines and fluff pillows.

    1. Have a basket or box handy. Collect items in the living room that don’t belong there: put them in your basket and deliver them to their proper place.

    If your kids are age 5 or older, get them each a basket or box. Have them walk through the family room, living room, and den to pick up all their own objects and take them to their rooms. Teaching your kids to pick up after themselves on a daily basis will save you loads of hours over the years.

    Plus, if you use the timer method mentioned above, the kids will love racing against the clock to get everything picked up and put away.

    Better yet, help them get into the habit of putting things away as soon as they’re done with them. For example, when they’re done playing a game, they put it away. When they’re through creating a work of art, they put the supplies back up where they got them from.

    Do a quick walk-through of your rooms daily to keep things dusted and in their proper places. Ultimately, you’ll save time by maintaining consistent order in your home because clutter will never get out of control.

    1. Schedule larger house-cleaning tasks out over time. If you can’t spare the 4 hours at once it takes to clean the house, why not divide up those tasks and do them over 3 or 4 days?

    For example, Monday, dust the living and dining rooms. Tuesday, sweep and mop the floors. Wednesday, vacuum and clean the bathrooms. Thursday, wipe down the kitchen appliances and polish cabinet doors. Saturday, do the laundry.

    Keep in mind that teaching your kids from young ages how to do basic cleaning tasks is beneficial to them and to you. Plus, some kids actually love doing “grown-up” tasks and will enjoy, at least for a while, helping Mom and Dad do housework.

    When you maintain organization in your home and keep up with your housework, you save time all the way around. Spending just 30 minutes a day 5 days a week will prevent your home from getting cluttered, disorganized and dusty.

    If you do a few quick house tasks daily, keep a box or basket handy to pick up errant belongings, teach kids to help pick up, and split up house-cleaning tasks over a few days, you’ll keep up with all the home-related tasks that must be done. Extra time is golden and you’ll have it when you put these methods to work.

    You learn to be less selfish and less worried about your career. I’ve always been very disciplined and focused on work and having a baby makes you become less self-involved

    Jessica Alba

    Making Time for Your Partner

    Working outside the home means time together is at a premium. Take time every single workday to email, phone or text your partner. Do something daily to keep your relationship special.

    In the event you share your home with your spouse, work to creatively fit in lots of time together. Working in tandem on house projects or lawn tasks can actually be fun and combines working at home and having “couples” time. 

    As you both share home responsibilities and step up to offer ways to get tasks accomplished together, you’ll preserve your relationship while saving time. When the kids are young, you’ll capture quite a bit of time alone together after the kids go to bed at 8 p.m. or so. 

    However, once in a while, the two of you should get away together, just for a couple of hours for dinner and a movie or a walk along the beach. When you plan the time in your busy calendar, it’s more likely to happen. A date night every other week or so will keep you close and help you feel okay about all the other things you do in your life.

    My husband and I are very fortunate because we have flexible jobs.
    If you talk to parents, that’s what they’re trying to do have
    as much flexibility as possible

    Julianne Moore

    Capturing “Me” Time

    Your calendar is crammed. You’re still not quite getting everything done, but you’re starting to feel better about how you’re juggling work, home, kids, and spouse. But where will you find the time for doing things you love to do, just for you?

    1. Wake up 30 minutes earlier. One way to create more time is to get up earlier. The house is quiet, the phones aren’t ringing and nobody else is around to interrupt you. If you had 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week just for yourself, how would that make you feel?

    Have a cup of tea and read your novel. Do yoga. Take a walk. Work on a scrapbook or a crochet project. Whatever you want to do, do it before everyone wakes up. You’ll giggle with sheer joy when you do what you love and feel like the best time manager ever!

    1. Leave home earlier. Leave for work 45 minutes earlier a couple of times a week for a quick work-out at the gym. If you can find me-time on your way to work, why not go for it?
    2. Meet friends for hors d’oeuvres after work. Every two weeks, spend an hour after work having a beverage and snacks with your friends. You’ll discover that building in just a bit of me-time will relieve stress, make you feel happier, and help you face your busy days.

    Securing me-time as a working mom can be done. Try getting up earlier, leaving the house earlier to go to the gym, and occasionally meeting friends for drinks and a chat. Fit in the things you want to feel more satisfied and balance your busy life.

    Like all working mothers, sometimes I feel like a terrible mother and sometimes I feel like a terrible employee. But for the most part, I try to give myself a break, which is something I urge all mothers to do to live your life with a cloud of guilt about everything you are doing is just not good for anybody

    Katie Couric

    Related: darlingsteps.com/how-to-have-a-happy-home

    More Time Management Tips

    Because you work away from home, there will be times when you’re in one place and thinking about jobs you need to complete in the other place.

    Consider these suggestions to handle this issue:  

    1. Carry a spiral notebook. One thing that makes you feel like your life is chaotic is trying to hold everything in your head. What you must get done at home tonight or what you need to complete at work tomorrow just keeps playing over and over in your mind. But what if you could simply write down the item to do it tomorrow or this evening?

    On the first page of your spiral notebook, start your Home to Do List. Every home task or child issue that pops into your head when you’re at work can be quickly jotted down for further reference. You don’t have to spend any more time thinking about it. It will be noted in your notebook.

    Use the back pages for your Work to Do List. When you’re at home and remember something you forgot to do at work today, write it down instead of worrying about it.

    1. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Let go emotionally of details of life if they’re insignificant. It’s okay if your daughter couldn’t find her pink blouse this morning. She’ll probably find it this evening.
    2. Be flexible. Plans change at the last minute. If you’re willing to change your schedule at the drop of a hat, you might be able to save some time. Be willing to consider all the angles.
    3. Know your priorities. Spend most of your time dealing with people and tasks that matter the most to you. You’ll save time and feel more fulfilled as a result.
    4. Reflect on tomorrow’s tasks. In the evening when you’re watching television, pull out your notebook and think about what you want to get done tomorrow at work and at home. It won’t take longer than 10 or 15 minutes. Jot down what needs to get done so you can hit the ground running tomorrow. But for now, it’s time to rest and reflect.
    5. Each morning, consider what you have to do. Think, “How can I balance my schedule today? How will I include some work, some time with kids and family and a bit of time for me?” Instead of hitting the ground running, first take just a few moments to plan.

    Taming your busy and chaotic life might not be easy but can be achieved by carrying a spiral notebook to use as your to-do list. Learning to let go of details that don’t matter, being flexible, knowing your priorities, and taking time to reflect on tomorrow’s tasks will all help you save time and bring you some peace. Then, in the morning, plan what you want to accomplish.

    I want to get it right – balance [motherhood] with my career

    Christina Aguilera

    Unwind, Rest and Sleep

    As your day draws to a close, realize all the tasks you accomplished. Compliment your efforts. Hopefully, you’ve now got a bit of time to read or have some real conversation with your spouse. 

    Enjoy this time of day to unwind, fit in some me-time or share with your spouse. You’ll wake up tomorrow feeling ready to tackle another day of your busy life.

    Whatever you’re doing, do it 100 percent. If you’re with the kids, don’t think about work, and if you’re at work, don’t think about home. But the most important thing is to put family first

    Ann Curry

    Balancing work, children, children’s activities, home tasks, your primary relationship, and time for yourself is within your reach and integral to having a happy life. When you apply the suggestions and strategies in this report, you’ll achieve a pleasing balance through developing excellent time management skills.

    working mom tips 2020
  • 5 Easy Steps To Save Thousands of Dollars a Year

    Do you live from paycheck to paycheck, use credit cards to keep up with your bills, and feel that you cannot afford to buy anything you want? Feeling like you don’t make enough money to save anything is a sign that you would benefit from taking a pro-active approach to saving thousands of dollars a year.

    Having a savings account will not only bring you peace of mind but it’ll also help you manage your finances more efficiently. You’ll spend less money on your living expenses because, when a financial emergency arises, you won’t have to borrow the funds to cover the crisis and then pay them back with interest.

    Saving money on a tight budget is definitely possible and could allow you to take a well-deserved vacation, put together a down payment for your dream home, or buy a new car.

    Regardless of what you need money for, you can save up enough in creative ways if you make a few changes to the way you handle your finances.

    You might think that the only way to save up money is to make sacrifices. Not even close! Saving money doesn’t have to be hard. You can still have an enjoyable lifestyle when you’re putting money away. The important thing is taking small, steady steps to save money every day and every month.

    The key to saving money is to be smart about your finances.

    In this post, I’m going to share how you can save a few dollars each day. The changes may look insignificant, but small savings add up! Following these tips will help you save thousands (at least $3000) in a year. Sooner than you think, you’ll have a hefty savings account and find even more ways to save money as you get the hang of it!

    “If you wish to get rich, save what you get. A fool can earn money; but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of it to his own advantage.”

    Brigham Young

    1. Take Control

    Budgeting and money management don’t have to be complicated. You just have to find a system that works for you, and these tools will make managing your finances a lot easier.

    Track Your Habits (the super-easy way)

    Tracking your spending habits can take a while because you’ll want to see where your money goes for at least a month. The immediate benefit of tracking your spending is to identify the recurring expenses that you could easily avoid.

    You could save from $3 to $15 a day depending on your habits:

    1. Do you pick up a cup of coffee on the way to work? Make coffee at home and buy a travel mug. You could easily save $3 or $4 a day.
    2. Do you only read a few articles from each daily newspaper or magazine you purchase? Look up the free versions of these publications online and save $4 or $5 a day.

    Do you buy fast food every day for lunch or to feed your family? Feeding a family of four at McDonald’s costs at least $10 to $15 if you choose the most affordable menu items.

    1. You could easily save this money by buying groceries and cooking meals in advance.

    Try these tools to get an idea of where your money goes and to easily identify expenses that you can avoid:

    1. Mint is a free app that tracks what you earn and spend. This app organizes your expenses into different categories so you can get an idea of how much you spend on groceries, clothes, entertainment, and more.
    2. BudgetSimple is another free tool that tracks your expenses. This tool is especially useful because it automatically generates suggestions to show you where you could cut down on spending.

    Establish A Budget (minus the stress)

    Once you’ve tracked your spending to see where your money goes, you can create a customized budget that works well for you.

    The key to creating a budget that works for you is to find a method you like using. There are many online tools designed to create a budget that corresponds to your needs.

    These apps require you to enter your income and link your bank accounts to automatically track your expenses for you:

    1. You Need A Budget, also known as YNAB, is one of the most popular budgeting apps. This free tool organizes your expenses by categories, helps you put money aside, and generates a budget based on your current expenses.
    2. The You Need A Budget website reports that people using this tool started saving an additional $200 a month on average.
    3. Pocket Expense and BudgetSimple are tools similar to YNAB. The main features are the same but you might find that the interfaces of these tools are more convenient.

    If you’re not a fan of tools that automatically create budgets for you, there are some apps you can use to manually allocate where your money goes. This approach is inspired by the old practice of placing cash in different envelopes. GoodBudget and Mvelopes are two good online apps that make it easy to create a budget in this way.

    Budgeting is definitely worth it, and these 21st-century tools make budgeting easier than it has ever been.

    Stick To Your Budget (here’s how)

    Establishing a budget is the easy part. Spending accordingly can be more difficult.

    Following these three rules will help you stick to your budget and save $200 a month or more:

    1. Assess how much you need to cover all your recurring expenses. Determine what your bare minimum money amount needed is to survive. Put enough money aside as soon as you receive your paycheck. An app like Mvelopes or other online tools can help you allocate these funds. Your bank may even provide a tool in its online banking app.
    2. The money that is left after you cover all your expenses is not for splurging! Spend a reasonable amount on things you love because you worked hard and deserve a reward, but it’s important to make saving some of this money a priority.
    • Use Level Money or a similar app to keep your spending under control on a daily basis. This app shows you how much money you can spend over the month, week, or day. Get into the habit of checking this app whenever you feel like buying something you don’t really need to decide whether or not you can afford to splurge.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/9-ways-to-overcome-your-spending-habit

    Sticking to a budget requires discipline, but you can still live comfortably even while living frugally. Follow these rules to ensure you pay important bills and avoid spending too much on impulse purchases.

    Establishing a budget that works for you and sticking to it could help you save $200 a month, or $2,400 a year!

    You must gain control of your money or the lack of it will forever control you

    Dave Ramsey

    2. Are You Letting Them Take Your Money?

    Avoiding Banking Fees (best tips)

    How much do you spend on banking fees? Banking fees can seem trivial, but these expenses add up over time. There is no need to pay for these fees when free options are available.

    If your bank is currently charging a monthly fee for their services, find out why. In most cases, banks will charge you a monthly fee only if your average balance is under a certain number if you don’t make enough transactions or don’t receive enough via direct deposit to qualify for a free account.

    The average monthly cost of a checking account is $7 at a bank and $2 at a credit union. Opting for a free alternative could help you save $84 or $24 a year.

    If you cannot avoid a monthly fee at your bank, get a free checking account elsewhere. Some banks will even offer a signup bonus when you open a new account!

    If you cannot find a free account that corresponds to your needs or would rather not open a new bank account, a good option is a service offered by American Express called Bluebird. Bluebird gives you the possibility to receive direct deposits and use the money to pay bills, withdraw money from an ATM, or write checks without paying any fees.

    Overdraft protection is the only service you should be paying for if your bank doesn’t offer free overdraft protection. Did you know that the average American spends an average of $225 a year in overdraft fees? This money could be easily saved by taking a few minutes to sign up for this service.

    Avoiding Payment Processing Fees

    How do you pay your utilities and other bills? Depending on the payment method you use, you might be wasting money on payment processing fees. Even if these fees are only $2 or $3 for each transaction, this is money you could be saving. On a yearly basis, you could be paying around $100 a year in such fees.

    Follow these tips to avoid payment processing fees:

    1. Use online banking to schedule automated payments directly from your bank account. This way, you can avoid paying the fee most utility and insurance companies charge you when you pay with a card. Automated payments are also a good way to avoid paying late fees.
    2. Always compare your payment options and ask about fees. Scheduling automated payments from your bank might not be the best solution for all your bills.
    3. For example, insurance companies often charge a monthly fee to process your payment regardless of how you pay your premiums. Consider paying your insurance premiums in one lump sum on a yearly basis to avoid paying this fee.

    Avoiding Credit Card Interest and Late Fees (it’s possible!)

    Do you use credit cards for bills or daily expenses? Take a look at your account to get an idea of how much you spend on interest and other fees. If you feel that your credit cards are costing you too much, contact the company and ask them to reduce your fees, or shop around for a better option.

    Transferring your balance to a different card can be a good option if you qualify for a lower APR or for a card that doesn’t compound your interest on a daily basis.

    It’s important to understand how interest is calculated on your credit card accounts. Most cards compound interest daily and use your average daily balance. This means carrying a higher balance will result in higher fees. You can easily avoid this by making a higher payment than usual if you make a large purchase with your credit card.

    Use these strategies to reduce the amount of money you spend on credit card fees:

    1. Always pay more than the minimum monthly payment. Each payment goes towards the interest first, then towards the balance on the account. If you only make the minimum payment, your payment will cover the interest, but will not lower your balance by much.
    2. Making larger payments will help you pay off your balance more quickly and eliminate having to pay as much interest.
    3. The best method to avoid interest is to pay your entire balance each month. So whatever you charge in a month, pay it off that same month.
    • Schedule automated monthly payments to avoid late fees. Most credit card providers also provide you with an online tool you can use to check your balance and make payments.

    You could save roughly $350 a year by avoiding banking fees, overdraft fees, and payment processing fees!

    Beware of small expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship

    Benjamin Franklin

     3. Become a Savvy Shopper

    The best approach to smart shopping depends on how you and your family live, how much time you can spend on shopping and cooking, and on what you enjoy. Try different strategies to figure out what works for you and your family.

    Adopt these simple habits to save on groceries and other household expenses:

    • Use coupons and discounts to save on items you would usually buy. You’ve probably seen couponing TV shows or websites where people save hundreds of dollars each week with coupons. The truth is that this type of extreme couponing is incredibly time-consuming and tedious.

    It’s good to have money and the things money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy

    George Horace Lorimer
    • Negotiate your rent

    4. Clean Up Your Expenses and Spend More on Things That Matter (i’ll show you how)

    You could save a lot by eliminating unnecessary expenses.

    Consider these examples:

    1. Reduce your cell phone bill. Try these tips:
    2. Shop for a family plan if you need more than one line.
    3. Cancel your contract and switch to a service that will bill you only for what you use. This could help you cut down your phone bill to $20 or $30 a month if you don’t use it a lot.
    4. You may have a landline bundled with your internet service. Use this line, instead of your cell phone, whenever you’re at home.
    5. Wait until you are home and can use your own Wifi network if you need to go online and don’t have unlimited data on your phone.
    6. Shop around for an affordable Smartphone. Your own provider might not have the best price.
    7. Cut down your cable bill. There are more affordable options to watch TV. The downside is that you’ll get fewer channels or shows to choose from. Buy an antenna to watch TV for free over VHF and UHF signals and try different online streaming services to determine if these could be a good alternative for you.
    8. Exploring alternatives is worth it since the average monthly cable bill is $64.
    9. Save on your entertainment costs. You can save a lot by taking your family for a bike ride or by organizing a football game in the backyard instead of taking them to the movies or the arcade. There are plenty of free things to do that will help everyone get more exercise and have a great time!
    10. Avoid anything that is individually packaged. Buy food items in bulk and make your own snacks and to-go meals instead of stopping at a fast-food restaurant, gas station, or coffee shop.
    11. Think twice about buying a name brand. Spending more to get a name brand product is worth it if the product meets high-quality standards and will last longer or work better. However, spending more to get name-brand items that are not any different from cheaper options is a waste of money.

    On the other hand, there might be some things you are not spending enough on, which results in more expenses in the long-term.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/household-hacks-to-save-time-and-money

    Consider these examples:

    1. Health insurance. Purchasing more coverage could help you save in the long-term. Raising your premiums to get a lower deductible and co-pay is worth it if your family visits the doctor a lot.
    2. Car maintenance. Repairs and preventative maintenance can go a long way towards lengthening the longevity of your vehicle. Learn how to do an oil change and perform other simple maintenance and repair tasks to save money.
    3. Home maintenance. Investing in new window panes, better insulation panels, and newer appliances could lower what you spend on utilities. If you’re renting, talk to your landlord about making a few improvements to help lower your bills.
    4. Quality products. Some products such as tools, razors, cookware, or furniture will last longer if you purchase slightly more expensive products from well-known brands.
    5. Organization products. Keeping your pantry and household supplies organized will prevent you from purchasing items you already have. Spending money on items that will help you get rid of an expensive bad habit or that will help you track your finances can save you lots of money.

    You could save $64 a month by ditching cable and at least $20 a month by looking for a more affordable phone service provider, which roughly translates into $1,000 a year!

    Before you make any purchase, ask yourself if you really need it. In most cases your life won’t be any less full or rich without it, and every dollar you save will reduce your ecological footprint

    Kim McKay and Jenny Bonin

    5. Trick Yourself Into Saving!

    All the tips you have read so far will help you reduce expenses. However, you will not actually save money until you transfer it into a savings account. Saving is a lot easier if you make it a habit and set up automatic savings systems.

    Follow these tips to put money aside without any stress:

    1. Try an app like Digit. This tool automatically takes money from your bank account and puts it aside. You choose the amount you would like to save each week. This is perfect if you’re busy and don’t even want to think about putting money into a savings account.
    2. Schedule automated transfers from your bank account to a savings account. If you would rather not trust a tool like Digit with your information, you can always use your bank’s online platform to schedule an automated weekly transfer to your savings account.
    3. Identify your two or three most expensive habits and get rid of them. This could be smoking, going to Starbucks, buying some snacks, or spending money to get extra lives in Candy Crush Saga. Put the money you would normally spend on these things into a savings account.
    4. Make saving money a game! Set some weekly or monthly goals and reward yourself when you reach these goals.

    Using Digit or another system to put $5 aside every week means you would end up with $260 in a savings account by the end of the year!

    You must learn to save first and spend afterwards

    John Poole

    The tips in this guide total well over $4,000 in average savings, and they’re all fairly easy to follow.

    Saving should not be hard because you already work hard to earn a paycheck. All the tips you just read can be easily incorporated into your daily life and will help you save money one dollar at a time.

    The key to saving money is to find something that works for you. Go through these tips, find the ones that apply to your own spending habits, and get started on your savings!

    Make a step-by-step plan, focus on adopting one new habit at a time, and reward yourself when you save. You’ll soon have hefty savings for emergencies, a down payment on a home, or for your next family vacation!

    A man who both spends and saves money is the happiest man, because he has both enjoyments

    Samuel Johnson

    Related: darlingsteps.com/15-ways-to-make-an-extra-1000-each-month

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  • Investments That Will Make Your Life 100x Easier When You Are a New Parent

    Investments That Will Make Your Life 100x Easier When You Are a New Parent

    So, you’re pregnant… congratulations! No doubt the news fills you with immense joy and excitement, which was then followed shortly by an equal dose of fear, uncertainty, and terror. When you’ve asked your friends for advice and tips, chances are that they’ll have told you the same thing: ‘nothing can prepare you’. Wow, helpful! While it’s certainly true that nothing can prepare you (sorry!), it’s also true that there are lots of handy tips, tools, and products that can make life at least a little bit easier. Okay, a LOT easier. Here are some investments that every new parent should look into:

    Amazon Prime

    Amazon Prime is a life-line for new parents. The main feature of Prime is that it offers next-day delivery along with free delivery. This in turn means that you can have anything you need within 24 hours. And that’s game changing.

    Have you run out of diapers (or nappies for my UK readers)? Amazon Prime. Need a bib? Amazon Prime. Bed broken? Amazon Prime!

    What you may not realize is that many times you will be too busy to leave the house. At all. For days. As such, you either order-in, or you don’t get the thing you need! And as a great added bonus, Amazon Prime also gives you access to Movies, which means you’ll be able to bring up a bunch of great programs to keep your toddler subdued while you do other things.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/expecting-mom-checklist-essentials

    Hands-Free Kit for your cell phone

    A hands-free kit is another incredibly useful tool for parents. Because not only will you be stuck in the house a lot of the time, but you’ll also be unable to use your hands a lot of the time. That means you won’t be able to speak with friends or with your electrician. Unless you have a hands-free kit that is! In which case, you’ll be able to much more easily stay in touch with others without having to put baby down.

    Co-Sleeper

    A co-sleeper is a cot that has one removable or collapsible side. The idea is that this will allow you to push it next to your bed, so that your baby is lying with you and you can put your arm around them should you so wish. However, they also aren’t actually in your bed, meaning you can’t roll on top of them!

    This may or may not suit your parenting style as some parents prefer not to sleep with their children. But if you’re happy to sleep in the same room, then a co-sleeper can reduce stress and give you fewer disturbed nights!

    Related: darlingsteps.com/7-things-postpartum-mom-really-wants

    Baby Monitor

    Okay, so this isn’t exactly news – you likely know you need a baby monitor! But the question is, “What kind?” If you get a baby monitor with a camera, it can work wonders when it comes to putting
    your mind at rest.

    Some parents feel it is invading the baby’s privacy, but again this comes down to parenting styles. You can even get monitors that log heart-rate, though this can lead to some scary moments if the device ever malfunctions! Another feature that is very useful is to have soothing sounds and music. Many parents say these can work wonders when it comes to helping their children get to sleep – as can VOIP so that you can speak to your baby and soothe them from afar. Consider your options!

    Related: darlingsteps.com/making-parenting-less-expensive

    Front Carrier

    A front pouch for your baby makes a lot of sense when they are still very young. A newly-born child should be kept as close to the mother as possible a lot of the time – almost as though they were still in the womb.

    A front carrier helps them to feel calmer and happier. It also allows you to free up your hands and actually get things done!

    Related: darlingsteps.com/ultimatebabyneedschecklist

    Some of these items may seem expensive, but they are well worth their cost many times over. Sometimes they may save the day for you, and other times they might just bring peace of mind. How do you put a cost on that?

    children