~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Don't Overextend Your Raise!~

*photo credit-Ron Niebrugge*

A very common mistake...

Did you get a raise or are you expecting a raise for your household?
Do you have big plans for that money already?
Will you be playing catch-up due to living outside your current income?

I've found that raises (usually minimal) really don't help most people that much. It is almost as if people get a false sense of security and go overboard, but in little ways. Example: You typically spend $100 per month eating out. Now that you have a raise you don't think twice about eating out a couple more times per month. At the end of the month you have spent $200-$300, when you really only had $100 to spend still.
Or
Your hubby gets a $200 raise per month and decides he needs new truck. The new truck payment is $450. Technically, he is getting a $250 pay cut now that he has a payment instead of driving the car that is paid for. Ouch!
Or
You get a somewhat substantial raise and decide that you need to upgrade your home by doubling in size & payment. Most people forget to budget for the utilities and other expenses that come with a larger home. Being home poor is no fun! Trust me!

I've seen this mistake in almost everyone I know. No joke! I can say this because we have made the same mistakes too. Not proud, just honest.

It is really hard to get ahead when you don't budget every cent. I'm not saying to not enjoy the raise. Go out for a special meal, but then get back on track. Don't go out and get crazy. Plan out that raise to truly work for you and for your family. As always, give your first fruits to the One who gave it all.

Be blessed~
SHO

~Coupon Mailer & Asking Questions Pays Off BIG!~

"Ask and it shall be given to you;
Seek and you will find;
Knock and the door will be open to you."
~Matthew 7:7

In the fall we got a coupon mailer for a dentist in our town. I always check those coupon fliers because they are usually great savings. After all, it cost them money to print them and send them. They want your business!
The coupon was for dental x-rays, exam, cleaning, etc and they would only charge what your insurance pays. This was a big deal since our insurance only covers a percentage and we have a deductible on cleanings (something terrible like that). Anyway, we usually spend several hundred annually at the dentist just to get our teeth cleaned.

So, we thought we would give them a try. We both had good experiences and the office staff was really nice. I spoke to the office manager and asked if she could honor the same discount on our next visit. She said she would have to re-evaluate when the time came.

Well, the time is next week! My hunky hubs called her and simply asked if she would honor the discount again (which means they write off what insurance doesn't pay). She said "sure"!

Sometimes you just have to ask! It is amazing how a coupon mailer and a 30 second conversation saved us hundreds at the dentist!

Some junk mail really isn't "junk"! Be sure to scan it before tossing it.

Happy Monday Sassy Savers!

SHO

~JBF Dallas 1/2 Price Sale TODAY!~

JBF Dallas 1/2 Price Sale TODAY!

Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

Today, March 25, 2012

Sunday noon-6pm (1/2 price!)

Go shop & save 50%!

Happy Sunday!
SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~JBF Dallas Sale This Weekend!~

It's not too late to go to the JBF Dallas sale this weekend!

Find great deals on everything you need for babies & children including:

cribs • joggers • strollers • nursery items • baby & children's clothing • maternity
toys, toys, toys! • books • family DVDs • dress-up clothing • playsets • and more!

LOCATION: Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

SALE DATES: March 22-25, 2012

Open to the public:
Thursday-Saturday
10am-6pm

Sunday noon-6pm (1/2 price!)

Happy Shopping!

SHO

~JBF Dallas Sale Starts Tomorrow!~

Okay Sassy Savers now is the time to SAVE money! Yesterday was merchandise drop-off and today was the pre-sale. Tomorrow the sale is open to the public. Let me just say that it was so hard to stick to my $25 budget! I found so many things that I wanted to buy for my daughter. I'm proud to say that I only spent $23 (with tax) and got 7 items of clothing that are SUPER cute and of good quality.
If you have never been to a JBF sale, you must go! It will change the way you shop!

EVENT: JBF Dallas Sale!

LOCATION: Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

SALE DATES: March 22-25, 2012

Open to the public:
Thursday-Saturday
10am-6pm

Sunday noon-6pm (1/2 price!)

Happy Shopping!
SHO

~JBF Dallas Starts This Week!~

The BIG event is this week! Make plans to attend and shop till you drop. There is 36,000 square feet filled with awesome deals.


EVENT: JBF Dallas Sale!

LOCATION: Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

SALE DATES: March 22-25, 2012

Open to the public:
Thursday-Saturday
10am-6pm

Sunday noon-6pm (1/2 price!)

Happy Monday!
SHO

~Canvas People St. Patty's Deal!~

Go HERE to get started!

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy St. Patty's Day Weekend!

SHO

~Save Money On Your Pet!~

Let me start by saying that I am NOT a doctor or a vet. Period. However, I do know how to save money ;)

We saved over $100 yesterday just by simply doing a couple of things:

1) First we looked up an issue my dog, Gracie Faith, was having on her ear. Once we figure out that we couldn't figure it out, we went onto step #2.

2) Call the vet and ask questions! Most people just make an appointment without asking questions. My husband called 2 different vet offices to ask their office visit prices. The second (more expensive) office asked if we lived in the country. My husband said "yes" and then she asked if we were having a fly problem? The crazy thing is that we had noticed a huge fly problem right around the time this happened. We thought it may have something to do with the horses behind us. Anyway, she diagnosed it over the phone! FREE OF CHARGE!

3) Treat it yourself! This was such an easy fix for us. We clean the area with antibacterial soap, put antibiotic cream on it and then cover it with petroleum jelly everyday until it is gone. All supplies we already had on hand.

I'm fully aware that all issues are not this easily fixed. Just be mindful that you can usually get a good idea of what is wrong before you go to the doctor. If you can't treat it at home, by all means seek professional help. However, sometimes it really is an easy & cheap fix!

Happy Thursday!

SHO

~JBF is 1 Week Away!~

JBF Dallas is 1 week away! You still have time to get your items together to sell. I've been working on my items all week. Can't wait!

For more information go HERE!

Happy Tuesday!

SHO

~Join Nielsen Consumer Panel!~

Join Nielsen Home Scan Consumer Panel!

Earn valuable points, which are redeemable for:
*Electronics
*Household Items
*Jewelry
*Toys
*Gift Cards

-No land line required

Go HERE to get started!

Happy Monday!

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Pampers Coupons!~

Save $1.50 on Pampers Cruisers/Baby Dry Diapers
Go HERE to print!

Save $1.50 on Pampers Swaddlers Diapers
Go HERE to print!

Save $.75 on Pampers Wipes
Go HERE to print!

Happy Friday!
SHO

~Who is using coupons?~

Wanted to share with you some FASCINATING data on couponing. Actually, it is on who is using coupons!

"Households with incomes of $100,000 or more are twice as likely to coupon as those who earn less than $35,000. College-degree holders are also twice as likely to use coupons as those who did not graduate from high school."

This is interesting, yet not all that surprising to me. When I do coupon seminars, it is usually my friends & their friends who come. Typically, we all have college degrees and many of the girls are full-time working professionals. Most of the husbands are working professionals with college degrees as well.


To read the full CNBC article go HERE.

Does this surprise you?

~Give Yourself Grace With Your Budget~

Give yourself GRACE with your budget.

This is something that I don't do very well! I am so number driven that it is hard for me to give myself GRACE when life happens. Well friends, life happened in February! It was the worst savings month that we've had in years. There were several extra expenditures (private school Spring semester fees, field trip, parties, extra gas, etc) that had to be paid that really messed up my bottom line.

Luckily, we were still able to save some money. However, I didn't come anywhere near hitting my goals for the month. The good news...March is a new month!

The beauty of having goals & a budget is that you can start over at any point. Re-calibrate your plan of attack and get started! I encourage you to not give up hope if you have a bad month. It happens. Give yourself GRACE and try really hard the next month to watch every dime spent. You can do it!

Happy Monday!

SHO

~InkGarden - $2.00 Travel Mug!~

USE CODE: TRAVEL2 for a $11.99 credit, which will give you a Travel Mug for $2. Expires Apr. 1, 2012.

Go HERE to get started!

Think ahead for Mother's Day & Father's Day gifts!

SHO

~FREE Auntie Anne's!~

Auntie Anne's is offering FREE Pretzel's on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.!!! Free Original or Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel – no strings attached!

Go HERE for more info!

Happy Weekend!

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~How I Use My JBF Earnings!~

In previous posts I mentioned how the money that I make from the JBF sale goes toward different trips. Last summer it went to help pay for Family Camp with our church at The Great Wolf Lodge. In December, it went toward our trip to Disney World.
What is next?!
The earnings for the Spring JBF sale will be going toward our NYC Mission Trip this summer! We are so excited about this trip!

How do you get started with JBF?
It is so easy, I promise! Go HERE to get started. They explain how to do everything in detail. Plus, they even offer "How To" clinics if you need a little extra instruction. Pretty awesome!

Why wait? Get started today!

Happy Wednesday~
SHO

~Cheap Meal Idea!~

It's the end of the month and you find yourself out of money and your pantry is looking bare. What to do???

Cook some beans in the slow cooker! It might possibly be the cheapest meal you can make for a family. Plus, it is hearty, tasty and full of fiber. Cornbread is very inexpensive to make also!

Beans in the slow cooker have made their way into my rotation on our long days. It is so nice to come home and have dinner ready and waiting for us.

Did I mention cheap??? You can buy a bag of beans for around .80 cents (regular price).

Guess what is on my menu for tomorrow night? Beans!

Happy Monday!

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~JBF is 1 Month Away!~

Now is the time to start gathering your items to sell! JBF Dallas is 1 month away and will be here before we know it. For more information, please visit the website dallas.jbfsale.com/

Blessings~

SHO

~Great Tax Deals!~

Howdy Sassy Savers!

Just here for a second to remind you about the 2 awesome tax deals from TurboTax & H&R Block. Be sure to take advantage of these offers while you still can!


Happy Monday!

SHO

~H&R Block Awesome Deal!~

The offer allows you to complete your federal tax return using their online product for FREE! (State returns are an additional fee.)

Go HERE to get started!

Blessings~

SHO

~TurboTax Great Deal!~

With TurboTax you'll get your biggest tax refund guaranteed, with 100% accurate calculations and free help and step by step guidance so you are confident your taxes are done right.

• TurboTax Federal Free Edition
• #1 Rated, Best-Selling tax software brand year after year
• FREE preparation, FREE printing, FREE efiling for your simple tax return (TurboTax Federal Free Edition)

Go HERE to get started!

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~How We Saved For Disney World!~

Today I'm finishing up the Disney World series! Many of you have asked exactly how I saved that chunk of money in just a few months. Here are a few ways that we got creative:

*JBF Sales-I am a faithful JBF consignor. In attempt to maximize my earnings, I consigned at the JBF Dallas (dallas.jbfsale.com/) and JBF Plano (plano.jbfsale.com/) in the fall. I recommend not only consigning your items, but also shopping the JBF sales. They have some pretty AMAZING deals!

*Ebay-sold several hundred dollars worth of clothing & shoes on Ebay!

*Cashback Bonus-we applied the Cashback Bonus from our Discover Card to the fund! I do not advise you to go out and start using a credit card. As I've explained here before, we have NEVER not paid it off at the end of the month. We are the very tiny percentage of people who actually do that.

*Family Members-we told family members our plan and asked if they would want to contribute $$ rather than only giving gifts for Christmas. My daughter had a birthday and put that money into the fund also.

*Garage Sales-we hosted 1 garage sale and then hauled our stuff to another neighborhood garage sale. Typically, I make at least $100 at every garage sale.

*Consignment Store-Sold clothing & shoes to a consignment store that pays you up front.

*Bank-we had an old bank account with a few hundred in it and we closed it out and applied it to the fund.

*Sold things-if you are crafty, get creative! I make several things and sell them for extra money.

*Returns-anytime I saw anything around the house that needed to be returned, I put that money into the fund.

*Extra money-anytime we would find extra cash or have an extra few dollars, it went into the fund!

*No Dining Out! We cut our $100 monthly dining out budget down to about $10 during these months of savings. That money was applied to the fund!

*Lived on less-I ONLY bought what we needed and what was on my list during that time. It was very important that I didn't go over my grocery budget at all during those months!

*Used stock-Instead of worrying about getting the next great deal, I focused on using the stock we had on hand. Staying away from the Drug Store deals saved me money. Even though there were good deals, I didn't need to go and spend money each week. I made sure that I only went for FREE or items that would make me a profit.

*Write it down-I mention this all the time on this blog about writing everything down. Every dollar we saved was written down on a sheet that was posted on the pantry door. We looked at it everyday. It was a great experience to share with our 5 year old. She loved saving money and going to Disney World (of course)!

I encourage you to dream big! My husband and I want experiences, more than we want "things". Set goals, put them on paper and work together towards them. Get creative and watch it pay off!

Hope you all have enjoyed this series!

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~Happy Valentine's Day!~

Hello Sassy Savers!

I have not forgotten about you all. Promise :0)
Life has been so busy that I haven't had a chance to stop in about 5 days. My husband and I went to a marriage conference this weekend featuring Jimmy & Karen Evans. Wow! By far the best marriage information that I've ever heard. Wonderful teachings and funny at the same time. We had a blast!

Along with that were other church obligations and planning out a summer mission trip, there just hasn't been an abundance of time in my days. I'm sure you all can relate. When did life start flying by???

Okay, my point here is that no matter how busy you are, make time for your spouse. Make it a priority to take time out of your busy schedules just for the 2 of you. Your marriage will be blessed for it!


Happy Valentine's Day! Don't forget to make your Honey feel special today ;)

SHO

All You Magazine Coupon!

Looking for more coupons? All You magazine offers great coupons each month!

Go HERE to print a $0.50 off All You February Issue!

Canvas People Free 8x10 OR $35 off any size

I love to plan ahead with gifts that will need to be purchased throughout the year. Have you thought about Mother's Day or Father's Day gifts?
A photo canvas would make a spectacular gift for grandparents too!

Here is the deal:
CanvasPeople.com is offering a free 8 x 10 photo canvas (just pay shipping) OR $35 off any size as a special introductory deal!

Go HERE to get started!

Happy Friday Sassy Savers!

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Make $$$ with JBF!~

Want to make some money while cleaning out children’s items you no longer need? Consignor registration is open so register today!

• Sell your items and make 65%!
• Volunteer and be one of the first to shop and make more $$$!
• Refer a friend and make even more money!

The event is back at the Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall, so make plans now to be there! And bring your friends too!

For more information go to jbfsale.com/dallas

Happy Wednesday!

SHO

~TurboTax!~

With TurboTax you'll get your biggest tax refund guaranteed, with 100% accurate calculations and free help and step by step guidance so you are confident your taxes are done right.

• TurboTax Federal Free Edition
• #1 Rated, Best-Selling tax software brand year after year
• FREE preparation, FREE printing, FREE efiling for your simple tax return (TurboTax Federal Free Edition)

Go HERE to get started!

~H&R Block Awesome Deal!~

The offer allows you to complete your federal tax return using their online product for FREE! (State returns are an additional fee.)

Go HERE to get started!

Blessings~

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~24 Hour Fitness FREE 7 Day Pass!~

So many of you have made 2012 goals to get fit. This offer will allow you to get started for FREE!

Go HERE for your 24 Hour Fitness Free 7 day pass!

Blessings~
SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~JBF Dallas Spring Sale!~

Here are some ways to participate in the Just Between Friends Sale this Spring!

• SELL your items and make 65%!
• VOLUNTEER and be one of the first to shop and earn an extra 5%!
• SHOP and save even more money!

For more information, go HERE.

JBF is AWESOME! I want to encourage you all to be a part of it. Mark your calendar for March 22-25, 2012.

Wednesday Blessings!

SHO

The offer allows you to complete your federal tax return using their online product for FREE! (State returns are an additional fee.)

Go HERE to get started!

This looks like a great deal!

SHO

~Disney Tip-Food & Beverage!~

Did you know that you can bring your own food & beverages into all the Disney parks? This is wonderful! Truly wonderful! The waters were $2.50 each and the snacks & meals were expensive. We only ate dinner at the park once and were not impressed with it. I was very glad we didn't waste any additional money on food that wasn't that tasty!


We took a soft-sided cooler (it folded up well in our luggage) and packed our sodas & water in the bottom with the ice first. We pre-made our sandwiches at the hotel and then also packed all our snacks (crackers, granola bars, etc). We ate lunch everyday from our cooler. We never had to buy a drink at any park either. They have water fountains where you can refill the water bottles. The water isn't great, however it was FREE!


We saved HUNDREDS by bringing our own lunch, snacks, fruit & drinks into the parks.
The thing that truly amazed us was that we were there for 1 week and only saw about 4 other families bring their own food, snacks or drinks into the parks. We were there at a busy time with THOUSANDS of families and they were all just shelling out money for things that would have been so easy to put in a backpack or stroller and bring with them.



What about a dining plan?
For us, it was much cheaper to do it this way. We could have added a meal plan to our resort package, but I'm so glad we didn't!

Happy Monday!

SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Go HERE to see which coupons are in the Sunday paper!

Happy Clipping!

SHO

The offer allows you to complete your federal tax return using their online product for FREE! (State returns are an additional fee.)

Go HERE to get started!

This looks like a great deal!

SHO

~Disney Tip-How will you roll?~

Here is another money saving Disney tip:

Bring your own stroller! The stroller rental prices were $15 for a single & $31 for a double per day at each park. If you have 2 children and were at the parks for 6 days that would be $186 just in stroller rental fees!

Do you really need a stroller?
YES! Unless you have an older child, I would HIGHLY recommend you using a stroller (even if you typically don't). I don't know any child under 6 that can walk for 12 hours and not get severely cranky. It was nice for my daughter to be able to stroll in between rides. Plus, it was really nice to be able to store our stuff in the stroller.

What if you fly?
You can check your stroller at the gate and it doesn't count as a carry-on. We didn't check any luggage for our trip and simply carried the stroller to the gate. They will stow it under the plane for you for FREE :)

More Disney tips to come....

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~Disney Tip- Fly vs. Drive?~

This tip may shock some of you...Consider Flying! If you have 2 or less children, it is likely that you will spend more on gas, hotels (on the way) and food just getting there rather than flying. There are usually some good airfare deals to Orlando from Dallas. Don't forget the time you would spend driving. For the same price or possibly cheaper, flying is the way to go. You are not tired from traveling when you arrive. Plus, it is super convenient to not have a car in Orlando.

WHAT? Did I just say it is "super convenient to not have a car in Orlando"?
Yes! It seems like everywhere we went, they charged for parking. Our resort (inside the Downtown Disney area) charged $8 per day for parking. The Disney parks charge $14 per day to park. For a family that stays 6 days it would cost $132 just in parking!

If you stay at a resort inside Disney and use their bus transportation to and from the parks it is FREE! Plus, they drop you off at a convenient location near the entrance. I highly recommend this! It is worth paying a little more for a resort inside the Disney area to be able to use the Disney buses (they run every 30 minutes).

How did we get from the airport to the resort?
Our particular resort did not offer transportation to & from the airport. However, some Disney resorts have a bus for airport transportation. This actually worked out to our favor anyway. I called around to a few shuttle companies to find the best deal. We ended up getting a town car service that provided a booster seat (free of charge) and also one stop off at Publix for a 20 minute grocery run. This was perfect for us so that we could get our food for the week on the way to the resort!

There are many things to consider if you are contemplating flying v. driving. Parking fees, wear & tear on your vehicle, gas, hotel, food & snacks, etc. Last year I had one friend with 2 children (family of 4) that flew and got a great price for airfare (around $200 per person). I also had a friend who drove with her family of 4. The friend who drove ended up spending more than the friend who flew! Plus, the friend who flew had more "vacation time" to spend in Florida.

Please remember that this is all based off being located in Dallas.

More Disney tips to come...

Happy Monday!
SHO

~Coupon Preview!~

Click HERE to find out what coupons will be in the Sunday paper.

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Our Disney World Plan~

We decided back in August that we would take a trip rather than exchanging gifts this Christmas. We have all been excited for months about our trip to Disney World! I have been getting very creative with ways to save for this trip. My goal was to not use any of our savings money, but to 100% pay for this vacation with the extra money that I've been earning. I was inspired to do this by my friend, Christy, that I wrote about HERE. That was a CHALLENGE! Whew!

What I've learned through it all?
If you want something bad enough, write it down! I posted a Disney World Savings Fund sheet on my pantry door for us to look at everyday. I put down every dollar (even cent) that we save. On that same sheet I wrote the breakdown of exactly how much everything would cost. Of course, the food category was not exact. However, we had a very close idea of what it would cost.

This process did not seem like such a huge leap by writing it all down. It has been wonderful to see my daughter bring me pennies that she has found. She has loved contributing to the fund. That was my goal! I wanted her to feel like she was part of us getting there too. I believe that she will have a great appreciation for something that she knows that we worked together as a family for. Yes, I realize she is young. However, this is a great lesson at any age.

It is never too early to start teaching your children the value of money and teamwork...Two things that they will need great knowledge of the rest of their lives.

In this series I will be writing about ways that I saved the money for Disney World and how we saved money once we were there. Literally, we saved HUNDREDS by doing a few simple things!

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~2012 Financial Goals!~

Well, it's that time of the year to set those money goals. This is an exciting time for me as I challenge myself more each year. It is amazing what you can accomplish with a plan.

Now that you have had a week to come up with some goals...what are they? Here are a few of my 2012 financial goals:

*Save 25% of our income
*Tithe to our church (We've done this for over 10 years. I always like to include it.)
*Give to a ministry (more to come on that at a later date)
*Give $$ to a family in need
*Save $$ for a mission trip
*Save $$ for our island trip
*Save $$ for family camp
*Give supplies to a family in need
*Stay within budget in every category
*Use what I have on hand. This may not sound like a financial goal, but it will save me money to use up some supplies instead of replenishing.

Most importantly, my goal is to be thankful for what God has given me. I want to use our resources to the best of my ability. My goal is to be the best steward possible with GOD'S money.

Monday Blessings~
SHO

~HUGE Coupon Weekend!~

This is Sunday is going to be a HUGE coupon day!!! Get your scissors ready.
Go HERE to find out which coupons to expect!

Happy Clipping~

SHO

~January Spending FREEZE!~

Spending freeze in January!

Sorry, I meant to mention this to you all earlier this week. (No sugar or caffeine has made me NOT on my "A game" this week.) My household is on a "spending freeze" for the month of January.

What does "spending freeze" mean?
We don't spend any money on anything other than groceries & gas (aside from regular bills). This cuts out small purchases that add up, meaningless shopping, eating out, etc.

Why?
Starting a new year off by saving a chunk of money dramatically increases your ability to keep the momentum going throughout the year. I try to always make January one of my big savings months.

Is it too late to start?
Absolutely not! Start today!

Can't wait to hear how you all do. It is a new year and this is the time to make some changes in your financial forecast. You can do it!

Friday Blessings~
SHO

~The Fast is in Full Force!~

Wow, 2012 is here! Is everyone making goals for the year? Have you kept them thus far? I sure hope so. Setting goals and hitting them is such a fantastic feeling!

My hunky hubs and I are on day #4 of a fast. This year we are fasting more than we ever have. It is tough, but wonderful at the same time. We have cut out television, sugar, caffeine, red meat, processed foods, eating out, etc. Basically, we are only eating what grows from the earth (fruit, veggies, whole grains, beans, etc). Which cuts out pretty much everything that we enjoy!

Why do a fast?
We have been doing a January fast for years now. We believe it is the best way to start off a new year. We believe that cleansing our bodies, minds & souls will bring us closer to God. Trust me, it works! Sometimes I wish we fasted all the time. It is so peaceful to spend time in God's word and to not have the interruptions of life. Sadly, you realize how out of alignment your life really was when you do a fast.

Benefits of a fast?
For us it is to feel closer and to hear from God. Just yesterday I got a word "DISCIPLINE" after praying specifically for a situation. It takes discipline in all areas of our life to succeed. We must be disciplined to stay on budget, keep our goals, to not be obese, you get my point. Everything comes down to discipline. So, yes this is one of my "words for the year".

Okay, I'm fully aware this post may be strange for some of you to read. It was not at all what I had intended to write today! Oh well. Just rolling with it in 2012 ;)

Coming up this week...my goals for 2012! Get ready, they are ambitious!

Happy Wednesday!
SHO

~Happy 2012!~

Happy 2012!

2011 has been a strange year. I can't really put my finger on exactly why, but it has been different than the past. 2011 was full of extreme highs and some extreme lows. It didn't seem like there were many days that were just normal. Don't get me wrong, I was loving the extreme highs. However, the lows were just that...LOW.

Honestly, I try my best to stay positive and to treat others the way in which I would like to be treated. However, it just didn't always work out that way.

This year has also been the busiest of my life. I have felt like I have been running (sprinting) trying to catch up with my life and I'm always one step behind. Do you feel like that?

I do my best to prepare, plan and create a nice home. However, I've had to loosen up a bit to stay sane this year. I've had to become okay with a little clutter and to be okay with things not in their place. I don't want to miss out on my life because I was so hung up on the need to not have dust on the furnishings. This has been a struggle for me.

We started a fast on January 1st and I am really going to try to re-calibrate my life during these 21 days. I need to re-evaluate and prioritize things. I'm believing that 2012 is going to be a fabulous year!

I pray health, healing, increase and abundant blessings for you and your family. Thank you for being a loyal reader. I pray that you take away something from this blog each time you read. I pray that I'm providing you with a way to save money that you may not have tried before.

Happy New Year!
SHO

~Happy New Year!~

I'm back! Hope everyone had a wonderful CHRISTmas and enjoyed the holiday with your family. We spent a week in Florida at Disney World. It was wonderful! The weather was simply perfect. Not sure we will want to go there anytime other than December now!

Starting in January, I will be writing a series of posts about how I saved 100% of the money we used to pay for the trip in just 4 months. The series will also include tips to save you money once you get there. We saved HUNDREDS by doing a few simple things!


I hope that you close out 2011 on a high note and I pray blessings and God's provision for you and your family. It is by Him and through Him that we have everything. To Him be all glory, honor and praise.

Happy New Year!

SHO