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Getting Organized can save you so much Money!

I have been working on systems that can help my small house be more organized. By doing that it will not only help me happier and save money at the same time!  Did you hear that! 

I have probably the worst pantry design ever for us! It is the cabinet style, that is very deep and when you put pantry items away it covers up all the other items. It is so annoying. We can't even tell what we have in there, so I can't tell you how many times we have repurchased the same items or the items in the back will go bad and then it is trash!


This week I ordered these Food Storage Airtight Containers. They are freezer safe, microwave safe and dishwasher safe HOLLA! Dishwasher safe is probably my favorite one. 

That's right 

4 X 5.2L (175.9oz) LARGE WIDE Food Storage Container Size 6.3’’X6.3’’X8.86’’ (Each Container)
Measuring Cups (4 INCLUDED- 250 ML Each)

FOOD STORAGE AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS * Airtight, Watertight & Leak Proof
* Dishwasher Safe, Freezer Safe, Microwave Safe (Remove Lid)
* Stackable Design
* Non-Slip & Sealing Lids
* BPA Free
* Reusable & Durable

Pros: 
  • I love that I can see what is in these containers
  • It is fun with the chalk labels
  • I love that it comes with measuring cups
  • Square containers give you more room in the pantry

Cons: 
  • You do lose a little space in the pantry by being organized
That's really it because I am really liking these. 


 

Debt Free Living: 52 Week Challenge!

 It's that time of year again.

Our main goal is to be Debt FREE and that not only means for Christmas but for every aspect of our lives. Being Debt Free is a HUGE goal and takes some planning in our lives.
I know that this 52 week Challenge is all over the internet and hard to pin point who actually came up with it first but I thought that my readers would like to join me in planning for Christmas 2018.

This 52 week challenge is pretty simple, you save the dollar amount that corresponds with that week. So the week of Jan 1st you save $1,
the week of Jan 7th you deposit $2 and so on,
by the end of the year you will have $1378 in cash for anything you choose.

You can also do this challenge backwards where you save the $52 on Jan 1st and take away $1 every week. 
I like things more uniformed so I think for me I like the 52 Week Challenge EVEN plan. I will just deposit $27 in my envelope every week and by the time Christmas comes I will have $1404. 

This challenge and everything else is 100% up to you. You don't have to use these particular plan or if you feel you need more or less money at the end of the year change your weekly deposits. This is totally up to you and your families needs.

Click on any of the forms above to the printable version.

We are starting up our next session of Financial Freedom classes! If you are ready to grab a plan to becoming debt free, you should join us! Check out more info here

YMCA Las Vegas Family Activities plus a Free Week Trial

 


I am always so blown away by all the family events that the YMCA has. They are so much more than just a gym and pool area, friends. 

Mark your calendar for the 3rd Friday of every money because it is Family Night! This is at all the YMCA Las Vegas locations. They provide the space and family friendly activities. You  know, like games, crafts, movies and seasonal festivities. I was checking out the calendar and they have planned through May 2023! That makes the planner in me so happy! If you want to check out some of the Family programs the Y has to offer in the coming months, be sure to check it out here

Now we know that you love your littles and the Family Nights are amazing, but let's face it, alone time is amazing too! Sometimes it is forgotten with all the daily to-dos going on. The YMCA wants to help
you out with the kids while you take a much needed Parents' Night Out. Oh yah, the Y understands how important it is so they offer 2 nights a month. The 2nd and 4th Friday of the month! Your little one ages 3-12 will enjoy themed games, crafts, science experiments, movies, swimming and so much more. This is only $10 per kiddo but really rejuvenating your relationship after a long week is priceless! Want additional info on Parents' Night Out? Be sure to check out the link here. I wish I knew about these events when my kids were little.

If you are looking for different workout classes be sure to download the YMCA app. I get notifications keeping me in the know about my favorite Y facilities, which I love. I can see the schedule, sign up for workout classes (not mandatory), and they even have workout videos that you can do from home, right on the app. I just recently noticed the app has a progress chart, keeping track of my goals, workouts and I can join challenges with others. It really is a little community right at your fingertips.

If you haven't checked out the YMCA Las Vegas, what are you waiting for?!? Here is a week trial just for you. Click on this link and fill out the info. You will be glad you did.
Let's make 2023 a year to remember. 

How to Add to Your Classic Happy Planner

 


If you know me well, you know that I love paper planners. I don't know what it is about them that I love so much but I can get lost in all the organizations and fun stuff that goes with it.  

For the past few years my planner of choice is the The Happy Planner. They have so many different fun covers, colors and styles to choose from. I also love that it is a disc style binder. Which means you can add to it. That's right, with the help from the Happy Planner hole punch, (or an ARC Punch) you can add any document, list, manual that you want into your binder and personalize it just for you! Believe me, I have tons of extra stuff in my binder. 

The trick when printing from your computer is to downsize the text. Don't worry it is super easy. If you are like me, you are a visual person and could really use pictures to describe the steps. 


The Classic Happy Planner is the most popular, it is smaller than a 8x11 piece of paper but big enough to write out all your appointments, plans, goals, organization and so much more. 

At the print screen:
  • be sure to change the CUSTOM SCALE to 83% and 
  • make sure that the orientation is PORTRAIT. (That way the text is not only smaller size but it also placed in the top left part of the page.) 
  • Then I punch the holes on the left side and you are ready to go. 
  • Adding papers you want and need into your datebook. 
Talk about easy peasy!

Every year I think about switching to a different planner but I keep on coming back to The Happy Planner for the incredible customization as you go. 



Babysitting Training Course for Teens at the Y

 


I am just blown away by all the different things the Las Vegas YMCA offers! They have events for Families, Parents, Hikes and so much more. 

Calling all teens! This one is for you! 

The Skyview YMCA is offering 2 American Red Cross Babysitter's Training courses in the next couple of months! 

This training course will help provide youth that are planning on babysitting with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and responsibly give care for children and infants. They will become certified in pediatric CPR and First Aid when they pass the written and practical exam. This training is designed for kids ages 11 to 15. 

The American Red Cross Babysitter's Training course will help participants develop leadership skills; learn how to develop a babysitting business; keep themselves and others safe; help children behave; and learn about basic child care and basic first aid.

I wish I knew about a training like this when I was a teen. I would have loved to turn my babysitting the neighbors son into a real business. That would have been amazing! It might be too late for me, but if you are teen (or know one) be sure to check it out. You can click this link to sign up or get additional information. 


The next 2 courses at Skyview YMCA in Las Vegas are on:

November 11, 2022 - Nov 12, 2022 and 

December 9, 2022 - December 10, 2022.




A Simple Plan For DEBT FREE


If you had an $400 emergency, would you be able to take care of it right now?
That could be a scary questions for some but the fact is that most small emergencies are about $400 and 39% of Americans would not be able to cover that total. 

Just thinking of that is super scary. At any moment we could have vehicle issues, a refrigerator go out, the A/C stop pumping cool air, you name it, something could happen to put you in a situation that could be of some concern. Those hypothetical items I listed above are not something you can wait until payday for. They would need to be repaired and pretty quick. Another horrifying statistic is that 80% of
Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. That was in 2019 during the economic boom, I am sure that number is through the roof right now. As if those weren’t shocking enough, money is the number 1 reason couples get divorced. Number 1! Money or lack thereof causes fights, divorce, stress, overwhelming, depression, anxiety and so many other issues that don't need to be. 

I don’t think that people are living paycheck to paycheck because they think it is cool. They aren’t doing it because they like “living on the edge” I personally think 80% are living paycheck to paycheck because they weren’t taught how to look at money. How to manage it. It might seem boring or hard to use a budget. Maybe budget is a bad word. Does it make you feel that they are now restricted so, why bother. 

What if I told you that creating a budget or an expense sheet will free you, would you believe me? A little planning, will help you to see where your money is going so that you can have your “cake and eat it too”! You can still buy those clothes, you can still go out and eat, you can even do those amazing trips you love so much.

The only difference is you will be planning for them ahead of time, so that you can afford them. Maybe your trip is on pause for a little bit, 6 months or even a year. The outcome will be that you go to more places or come home to NO credit card bills.

If you have ever experienced a vacation or even Christmas that is paid off before it happens, you would never go back. Those trips mean more when you are not stressing out about how you are going to pay for it.

What about your marriage! Can you imagine what it would like if
you didn’t have to fight about money. Does that even seem possible? No more fighting! It can happen when you are both on the same plan and working toward that plan.
I get it, we live in an instant gratification world. We text someone and if they don’t reply back immediately, we start to wonder why. (pssst, they could be in the bathroom) 

Instead of saving for an item: a purse, a car or even a new house, we just go out and get it now because “we deserve it”. We might get it because “we will look cooler when everyone sees us with XYZ”. Regardless if you are purchasing items to “keep up with the Jones’” or not, we all do this to some degree. The question to ask yourself is why? Why do you need that item, right now? Why are we looking for others approval? In the big picture of life, they don’t matter.

If not fighting about money sounds like something you want to try. 
If you want to walk into the Christmas season with a plan so that it's paid for before December 25th. If you are just sick and tired of working so hard but you can't figure out where your money went, you should join us in the next session Financial Freedom! 

  • This is not one of those courses that tells you can't have fun ever again. 
  • This is not a course that is boring and hard to follow
  • This course has quick, easy and simple steps in order to get that financial plan up and running
  • This IS a group of like minded people that are working on similar goals, and they are simple. Plan your money!
Check out Financial Freedom! What do you have to lose... some debt?