Books
Book: “The 60 Minute Money Workout” by Ellie Kay
I recently finished reading The 60-Minute Money Workout by Ellie Kay. Each chapter was designed for a 60 minute personal finance workout once a week. You can work through the chapters on your own or with your spouse. The author uses the personal finance steps like an exercise workout but for your finances.
The five “workout” steps are covered in each chapter:
- Warm Up – prep for your money workout (5 minutes)
- Strength Training – set financial goals (10 minutes)
- Cardio Burn – put goals into action (20 minutes)
- Heart Rate – measure financial performance (20 minutes)
- Cool Down – Reward Yourself (5 minutes)
The book includes nuggets of personal finance information as well as worksheets that you can use or you can go to her website for additional worksheets and tools. Several of the financial principles she goes over are great for someone or a couple just starting to get their finances in order. I do agree with Ellie Kay on the importance of paying off debt, saving for emergencies and paying cash whenever possible. I think her “10/10/80 Rule” is a good starting point too:
- 10% – Share with nonprofit organization (church or other worthy organization)
- 10% – Save through an allotment or designation to a savings account and for investments
- 80% – Spend wisely
Making it a habit to give, save, as well as where you spend your money is valuable with the intention that you would eventually get better with your finances and you will be able to both give and save even more then the initial 10%. The author gives several quizzes throughout the book to help you identify were you are at on certain area of personal finance, such as personalities, spending, saving, debt, and more. I do like that she dips into the entrepreneurial side especially for the kids and small businesses.
Overall I think Ellie Kay provides a good basis for personal finance with nuggets of valuable information to get you started on the right track. At times I felt the five workout steps distracted from the content of the chapters and there were a couple areas I felt could have been more detailed such as outlining how to set up your first basic budget. Even if you have already been following the majority of the principles she outlines in her book it is good to be reminded of some areas that may need continual improvement.
Rate my review & be entered into a giveaway: I reviewed this book for “Blogging for Books.” By rating my review, it allows me to choose another book and enters you in a GIVEAWAY60! The rating is a two step process.
Step 1: Rate my review below (select the number of stars, enter your email, and hit submit).
Step 2: Check your email account for a message from Blogging for Books and click their link to verify your email.
Once you rated my review AND confirmed your email, you will automatically entered in a giveaway for this book by WaterBrook Multnomah!!! They will pick one person to receive a copy of the book for themselves! WaterBrook Multnomah will contact the winner directly.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Family Activities: Enjoying Time with Extended Family (Part 2)
There are so many things I have to be thankful for in my life with family being one of the top on the list. As a child I had the privilege of knowing and having wonderful memories with all four of my Great Grandma’s. All four of my Grandparents are still healthy and are now able to be a part of my girls lives. It is exciting to see my girls spend time and with their Grandparents and Great Grandparents because I know these precious times together are memories they will cherish. I posted a few other pictures in an earlier post. Here are a few pictures from our most recent visit with our Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles in South Carolina.
Great Grandpa CE reading books to Karlie and Brina. The girls were super excited about all the fun playing and book reading while everyone was visiting us.
Uncle Josh helped the girls put together a huge marble mazes! They were quite impressed with his building skills and loved racing the marbles through the maze. Karlie is racing her marbles while Uncle Josh helps Brina put hers together.
Grandma Penny coloring with Brina. Thankful for a time to relax and enjoy spending time with family. Brina’s was thrilled to have some time coloring with Grandma Penny.
Karlie is quite pleased with the lego, marble maze, and horse farm that Uncle Josh helped her put together.
We had a blast with everyone visiting for several days. The time flew by quickly and before we knew it everyone was leaving. The girls did pretty well with saying goodbye to everybody but as they watched the car drive away they started crying….. When asked why they were crying Brina said “I had so much fun I wasn’t ready for them to go yet.” and Karlie said “It went by too fast…I don’t think it was really 4 days…” I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time with family; these moments spent together become treasured memories for the entire family.
Family Activities: Enjoying Time with Extended Family
I was going through some pictures (from the 2011 Fall Season) and realized I never posted anything about our visit from extended family members. My parents, little brother and grandparents were able to come out for a few days and spend some time with us. We were blessed to have some time with everyone. The girls LOVED having Grandpa Russell, Grandma Penny, Uncle Josh, Great Grandpa CE, and Great Grandma Willa staying at our house. It reminds me of how important it is that we spend time with those we love whenever we have the opportunity to get together.
Playing outside with Grandma. Brina and Karlie blowing bubbles on Skipper while Skipper looks at me as if to say “do you see what I have to put up with!”
Brina and Karlie giggling as they chase Skipper across the yard.
No sleeping in Uncle Josh, it is time to play! They don’t give him much of an option to rest with all their “Uncle Josh, let’s go…..Uncle Josh will you play with me, Uncle Josh…….” Brina’s ready to go roller blading and Karlie has a lot of fun stories to tell! Brina and Karlie have fun when Uncle Josh is over reading books and playing.
Convinced Uncle Josh to read them a few books. Here they are reading a book from the library called “Hot Fudge”
Playing a round of Wits & Wagers with Dad, Josh, Grandpa CE and Grandma Willa. We received this game as a gift and since then have gotten several other family members and friends hooked on the game. If you are looking for a great family game with a bunch of fun facts check out Wits & Wagers!
It was a fun extended weekend with family. We played games, read books, spent time outside, celebrated my nephew Nicholas’s first birthday and enjoyed great fellowship together. I am truly grateful that the girls have the opportunity to spend time with not only their grandparents, but great grandparents as well as Aunts and Uncles. It was a fun weekend full of great memories for everyone! 🙂
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
The week started off with some one-on-one time with Jake and I as the girls returned to school followed by some fun family time together. It is rare to have several hours at home alone with Jake so we spent some quiet time talking, relaxing, playing games and working on projects together. Having those few hours together was refreshing which helped jump start our 2012 year. I am ready to pick back up on speed with setting and following my goals, thanks for your encouragement and keeping me accountable.
Here is the update on last weeks goals:
Family Goals
Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everydayRead a book to the girls everydaySpend extra time with my family while the girls are on Christmas Break!
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – didn’t quite make it this week
Listen to Dumping Debt by Dave Ramsey
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
Business Goals
Pay all bills that come in the mail this weekWork on ideas for upcoming blog posts
Ministry Goals
Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4Pay off remaining debt– We made it, the final payments are being made on the last two items! Now we can start working on saving for our 3 month Emergency Fund
Here are my goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
- Read a book to the girls everyday
- Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
- Set up a Date Night for Jake & I and a Date Night for the Kids
- Thank You notes written and sent for the Christmas Gifts
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
- Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday
- Finish reading The 60-Minute Money Workout by Ellie Kay
- Read and listen to the next section of Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together).
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
- Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
- Dinner ready by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)
- Spend time re-organizing and de-cluttering the office
Business Goals
- Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
- Plan new implementations for blog
- Schedule client meetings at least 2 weeks in advance
Ministry Goals
- Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and send out Meeting Notes from our January Alms & Legs Team Ministry meeting
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Emergency Fund – start saving 3 months worth of living expenses
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Book Set: Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
As a kid I read The Complete Little House Nine-Book Set by Laura Ingalls Wilder and loved it. While going through our books the other day I came across my old set of Little House books that my parents gave me years ago. The girls are enjoying our time reading together I think before long they may like reading these books as well. I am excited about sharing these books with the girls and hope they love them as much as I did.
Giveaway: “Money Saving Mom’s Budget” Book by Crystal Paine (5 WINNERS)
I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied! There will be 5 winners of this giveaway who will receive a copy of Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine! As a Mom I am always looking for ways to save a little extra, get more organized, and stay focused on my priorities. After reading Crystal’s book I know many of you will enjoy this book too! It is a great time of year to re-evaluate and set our goals. Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied. Sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing what area you are wanting to work on first with your family budget!
All comments must be made by January 31st at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.
You can learn more information about this great book and my review on The Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine.
*A special thanks to Crystal Paine with Money Saving Mom for providing these books for the giveaway!
Book: Oceans Atlas by John Woodward
Oceans Atlas by John Woodward is a book that the girls have really enjoyed. It was a great gift that was given to them a couple years ago. The girls love learning about animals and the world so this has been a fun one for them. The book covers information on oceans, seas, marine pioneers, explorations, and conservation. The book includes a CD which is an extra bonus for the kids to enjoy.
Book: “The Christmas Story” by Jane Werner
One of the fun parts of getting down all the Christmas items from the attic is pulling out all the books to read throughout the Christmas Season. When the girls were little we would read about the First Christmas from the Bible then we would read The Christmas Story by Jane Werner. Although the girls would sit quietly while reading the Bible this book made the story visually come to life for them.
Even though they are probably old enough now to just read from the Bible they still request that we read this book on Christmas day. If you have little ones and want a good book to read on Christmas Day you can find it online or at a local bookstore for under $4 (or at a garage sale like I did many years ago) or rent it from your local library. It is great opportunity for you to read with your child(ren) and to share the good news of Christmas!
Christmas Giving: 100+ Stocking Gifts under $1.00
Rolled pennies made to look like a candy for stocking stuffer gift
One of the fun parts of Christmas is opening the little items that you get in the stockings every year. I like to put both practical and fun items in the stockings. Many years while doing regular shopping and finding items on clearance or with a coupon I am done with the stockings before December even arrives. In our family we typically open the stockings on Christmas Eve before the girls go to bed that night. It gets the celebrations started and it allows the girls to “savor the moment” as they open their stockings. As they are opening the gifts they will try on new socks, read a book, paint their nails, put a pretty hair barrette in their hair or play with their little toys. As a general rule the items that go in the stockings need to be less than $1.00 and in some cases I can get items for free. Here are some ideas if you are trying to fill that last little bit of the stocking.
100+ Stocking Gifts for under $1.00
- Roll of Pennies from the Bank ($0.50)
- Candy Canes
- Chapstick
- Fingernail Polish
- Gloves
- Small Puzzles
- Coloring Books
- Slinky
- Pack of Gum
- Mints
- Erasers
- Match Box Cars
- Breath Mints
- Hand Sanitizer
- Hand Lotion
- Googly Eyes
- Fuzzy Sticks
- Crayons
- Colored Pencils
- Markers
- Glue Sticks
- Batteries
- Socks
- Jewelry
- Stickers
- Craft Items
- Playdough
- Molding Clay
- Glowsticks
- Small Toys
- Juice Box
- Barrettes
- Bows
- Headbands
- Pom Poms
- Christmas Candy
- Pens
- Pencils
- Paper Clips
- Fingernail Filer
- Scissors
- Body Mist
- Deodorant
- Perfume
- Hairspray
- Wet Wipes
- Individual Packs of Kleenex
- Bouncy Balls
- Small Notebook
- Flashlight
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- Small Tools
- Mini Calendar
- Highlighters
- Binder Clips
- Watch
- Scarf
- Stocking Hat
- Yo-Yo
- Silly Putty
- Glow in the Dark Stars / Planets
- Kitchen Gadgets
- Magnets
- Small Games
- Playing Cards
- Sticky Notes
- USB Flash Drives
- Cookie Cutters
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Wooden Spoon
- Kitchen Towel
- Wash Cloths
- Small Christmas Cups
- Makeup
- Removable Tattoos
- Flower Seeds
- Vegetable or Fruit Seeds
- Small Book
- Sandwich Cutters
- Small Activity Book
- Key Chains
- Swiss Army Knife
- Tape Measure
- Ruler
- Coffee
- Bath Toys
- Bubble Bath
- Belt
- Underwear
- Facial Mask
- Foot Cream
- Gift Certificates (bought with rewards)
- Stationary
- Leak Proof Drink Bottles
- Ear Plugs
- Chopsticks
- Bookmarks
- Golf Balls
- Bracelets
- Earrings
- Rings
- Necklaces
- Silly Bandz
- Wallet
- Paint
- Paint Brushes
- Coasters
- Small Cookbook
- Recipe Cards
- Small Photo Album
- Packs of Hot Chocolate
- Packs of Hot Apple Cider
- Lipstick / Lip Gloss
- Brush
- Comb
- DVD
- CD
- Baseball Cards
- Ornament
- Sunglasses
- Magazine
- Snacks
- Coupons for Free Items
A lot of what you get will depend on the size of the stocking you are trying to fill. Items like socks are great for filling up the stocking where getting smaller items will take more to fill it up. If you want you could go with a “theme” and get all kitchen items or crafty type items to put into the stocking for someone who would enjoy it. You can get many of these items for free or nearly free throughout the year by checking out the clearance sections, using coupons, and rewards programs (CVS – Extra Care Bucks, Walgreens – Register Rewards, KMart – Rewards, and more).
If you need a few items but don’t have time to shop throughout the year go to Dollar Tree and pick up a multi pack of hair barrettes, chapsticks and other goodies and divide them up among the family members. Another great spot to pick up items if you are on a time crunch is in the travel / dollar sections in stores like Walmart or Target (where they have the mini bottles of items or other things people may need).
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week was full for Christmas Celebrations, activities, and work travel. I am thankful to have Jake back at home with us and look forward to spending some quality time with my family over the Christmas Holidays. The girls are now out of school so I debated whether or not to do a goal list this week because I want to make sure to spend any “extra” time with them. I am going to try to keep it short this week for that reason.
Here is the update on last weeks goals:
Family Goals
Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everydayRead a book to the girls everydayHave the girls read 1 book to me 5 days this week- Do devotions with the girls every night (sometimes it gets late and we rush to get them into bed) – had a couple late nights, really need to work on doing better with this one.
Do the 25 Day of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities with the girls this week
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – did a few days
- Go to bed by 10:30 or earlier on Monday and Thursday – with Jake out of town I stayed up later to work on projects instead of going to bed on time
- Finish reading The 60-Minute Money Workout by Ellie Kay – got it started
Start Reading and listen to the next section of Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper
Home Management Goals
Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by MondaySpend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house- Dinner on the table by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday) – it was late a couple nights
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWrap and send out all Christmas Cards / Presents that need shipped or mailed
Business Goals
Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my deskPay all bills that come in the mail this weekWork on ideas for upcoming blog posts- Review my 2011 Business Goals and start planning ones for 2012 – didn’t even look at them this week with all the busy activities going on
Ministry Goals
Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requestsMeet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4- Pay off remaining debt – working on it
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – finishing up the debt so we can get rolling on this one
Here are my goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
- Read a book to the girls everyday
- Do the 25 Day of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities with the girls this week
- Spend extra time with my family while the girls are on Christmas Break!
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
- Listen to Dave Ramsey’s Dumping Debt audiobook
Home Management Goals
- Get suitcase packed for our business / family trip
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Wrap all the Christmas Gifts
Business Goals
- Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
Ministry Goals
- Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Pay off remaining debt
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
