Beauty 4 Moms

Father’s Day Extravaganza Giveaway Sign Up for Bloggers!

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:57:00 +0000

Sign-ups are now open! You'll get one free link {Twitter or Pinterest} with an announcement post or if you want to pay the $5 fee. Co-Host spots are available for $10 which includes 4 Rafflecopter links, 1 link in the giveaway HTML and one host page! Follow Pages are available for $5 and additional links for $2 each. These sign ups end soon because the giveaway will run May 17th-June 7th!

*Prizes* (Multiple Winners)

Dimples BBQ Gift Basket ($40)

Daddy Scrubs Swag Gift Set ($90)

Cafe Press Gift Certificate ($25)

Stat Gear ($50)

Golden Island Jerky ($40)

Cabela's Gift Card or E-Card ($25)

Home Depot or Lowes Gift Card ($25) (This one is only if we have enough funds)

*We may add more prizes before the giveaway starts still waiting to hear from several sponsors*

*The blogger with the most referrals will receive a Co-host spot at no cost*

Please send PayPal Gift to simplysoutherncouponers@gmail.com

Sign-up here!

Tips for Eating Healthy With Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:37:00 +0000

“I can't eat healthy with coupons.”

It’s a common misconception that you can only get highly processed junk foods for cheap (or even free!) with coupons. While it's true that many of the items you can get for free are processed foods such as cereal, pasta, juice, etc., it's also possible to save on many other items at the grocery store such as bagged salads, spices, sugar, yogurt, cheese, bread, frozen fruits and vegetables and many others.

If you don't want your family to eat a certain thing just don't buy it, even if it's free or very cheap. It's as simple as that! If it's too good of a deal for you to pass up you could buy the items and then donate them to a local food bank that I'm sure would be grateful for the donation.

Be sure and check out our list of where to find organic coupons. These are free coupons that will help you save the next time you buy your favorite organic brand foods. If your favorite company isn't on the list try searching for their website online and write them to thank them for their product and kindly ask them if they provide coupons and where you can find them.

Last but not least, don't forget that if you're saving big chunks of money on non-food items at drugstores you can probably afford to splurge a little on your favorite healthy foods. Getting toothpaste for free and razors for $0.50 is bound to give you a little more wiggle room in your budget so don't feel bad for paying full price for those organic strawberries that you love so much. It's okay to spend money on things that you enjoy. Always try to buy seasonal foods, look for sales, use a coupon whenever possible but at the end of the day you have to decide what's worth saving and spending on.

Where to Find Organic Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:09:00 +0000

Here is a list of free coupons that you can get too use on your favorite organic items. Some of these sites will mail you coupons, some you can print, and some will even be loaded to your store card. Organic coupons are just as versatile as your junk food coupons, you just have to know where to find them. ...and now you do!

If you have any other organic coupon locations please let me know by leaving a comment in the section below.

Teaching Kids About Budgeting

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Teaching kids about budgeting is one of parenting’s biggest challenges. Unfortunately, it’s not something that parents always take the time to do. For adults, banking, bill paying and saving are second nature. Through years of trial and error, parents have learned how to create a budget and stick to it. Nonetheless, most people still struggle with financial concepts, which they feel puts them on shaky ground when it comes to teaching kids about budgeting.

No matter how difficult it may be, it’s important to get kids involved in the idea of budgeting from an early age. Hopefully, this will create an adult who is disciplined about money and less likely to fall into the traps of overspending and over borrowing.

Let Kids In on the Household Budget

If discussing the monthly family budget isn’t on the agenda, then it probably should be. While it likely isn’t necessary to let kids know about the nitty gritty details of the budget, it is important to let them know about the principles upon which it operates. Introduce them to the idea that parents work in order to receive paychecks and that when paychecks are received, it’s important for the worker to pay themselves first.

That means setting aside some money for investments and for rainy day savings. After that, the bills, like the mortgage and car insurance, take precedence. Once all of the bills are paid, the amount left over is used for discretionary spending like family entertainment.

Budgeting for Discretionary Income

Deciding where to spend discretionary dollars is tricky. Each member of the family has their own interests to pursue, and it’s also necessary to set aside money that’s for the whole family to enjoy together. Lots of family activities don’t have to cost much, or even any, money. Nature hikes, going to the park and spending an evening stargazing are all virtually free pastimes. Still, it can be nice for families to do something a little more elaborate. One favorite family outing is the movies. Help kids to understand how to save money on movies by using Fandango coupons.

Fandango is a website that allows users to purchase tickets to movies at almost any theater in the local area. With Fandango promo codes, it’s possible to save quite a bit of money on the cost of tickets. When purchasing tickets at Fandango, make the kids a part of the process. Show them how much the tickets would have cost without using the promo code and exactly how much is being saved. It’s a valuable lesson in finding ways to entertain the whole family for less.

Create a Want List

To instill the idea of saving toward a goal, have each child create a want list. While watching television or shopping at the mall, kids see countless items they’d love to have. Ask the children to write down everything they want while refraining from immediately purchasing it for them. Go over the list periodically together, reviewing each item and asking questions about why they wanted the item. Some items they won’t remember or will have changed their mind about. Other items are sure to stick in their minds, and these should be ranked in order of importance.

Encourage children to save toward the number one item on their list and help them set aside a portion of their allowance to meet this goal. Most children feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment when they are finally able to purchase an item they’ve dreamed of owning for quite some time.

Buying Online: The Price of Trust

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:18:00 +0000

Isn’t it amazing how convenient buying things online can be? We have the luxury of knowing something can be shipped to our home in a matter of days. However, you may have noticed that online products don’t require high buyer/seller interaction. This means that either mainly price motivated the buying decision, or that there aren’t going to be customization options. Not to mention, you never know what could be wrong with your product until it arrives. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the option to buy customizable things online without the worry of getting something incorrect shipped to you? Fortunately, there is! If you need to promote something, go to Signazon.com.

Signazon sells every type of promotional material from banners, car magnets, window clings, and yard signs to business cards. Every product on their site is fully customizable, so people have found great value when they visit the site. Their site features an intuitive designer tool so customers can go in and edit any design to their liking and installation instructions for their products. Signazon not only allows you to customize all their products, but they are very consumer-friendly. Exactly how friendly? They hold a 9.65 out of 10 on Reseller Ratings with 647 reviews and counting to back that rating up. In other words, these guys are all about giving customers satisfaction through customization done right.

$100 Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Wow! Here's another fabulous $100 Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway just in time for Christmas! Enter via the Rafflecopter below. Good luck, everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveawayGiveaway brought to you by MROstop inverters. Visit the giveaway page here.

4 Ways to Spend Less This Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:41:00 +0000

We're all looking for ways to cut back, penny pinch, and stretch a buck. If we're not careful though the Christmas season will come and go and we'll be left with a load of unwanted debt. Here are a few practical suggestions to help keep more merry in your Christmas!

4 Ways to Spend Less This Christmas:

1.) Plan a Pollyanna What do Pollyannas, Secret Santas, and White Elephants have in common? They're all types of gift exchanges where you only have to buy one gift instead of several. Plan one of these fun events with your friends and family in place of traditional gift giving and everyone will save money. {For extra savings, make sure you search online for coupon codes for the one gift you do buy.}

2.) Bake it Yourself Everyone enjoys homemade treats, right? For a crowd-pleasing homemade gift, my advice is to go the extra step and make something edible. Trust me, if you're giving them something delicious that you spent time on, they won't even think about the money you spent on it, they'll just be thrilled to be getting something so yummy! It might be a good idea to include the recipe inside too because you know they'll be messaging you for it later, anyway.

3.) Buy Joint Gifts To me, there's nothing quite as satisfying as giving someone exactly what they want! This feeling is indescribable but it is fleeting while your credit card bill will remain. If you can't afford what's at the top of somebody's list, consider suggesting to another friend or family member to go in with you on it. The recipient will be glad you did and the other gift givers probably will too!

4.) Call it a Potluck! This just makes sense to me. Let everyone participate in the Christmas festivities by inviting friends and family over for a potluck. You supply the main dish, dinner table, napkins, decorations etc. and ask your friends to bring the side dishes and desserts. Everyone gets to feel the joy of contributing and the host doesn't feel overwhelmed with work.

$100 Amazon Gift Card

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:21:00 +0000

Christmas is coming soon! How would you like to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card? Here's your chance!

A Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway brought to you by Academy of Computer Education. Visit the giveaway page here.

Fall Savings

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 02:59:00 +0000

With Fall in full swing and the heat of Summer past, it's the time of year to tackle any outdoor or remodeling project. It's the best time for lawn reseeding (or so I'm told). It's also a great time to pressure wash and stain your deck. That's the project my family has in store us. We've tried to save the bigger projects for a time when it's cool out so we won't be sweating to death. I don't mind working in the heat but my husband hates it so we compromise and do outdoor work at the beginning of fall while it's still in the 70's. We're also hoping to clean the siding on our house, trim shrubs, add mulch, replace our mailbox with a new one and paint a cute "W" on it.

I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, as are many, many others and I've been gathering a ton of great ideas for outdoor renovation projects {Not to mention the crafts, recipes, & indoor renovations too!}. Feel free to follow me and check out all the cool pins I've found. I have dreams of adding onto our deck, building a dog house, adding a little pond, planting trees, and creating a lush garden surrounding our yard. We'll probably move before any of these dreams become a reality but it's still a nice thought. I guess it's still handy to have these ideas in one place for our next house too. Do you have any outdoor projects planned for this fall?

I like to try to save when I buy anything but sometimes I forget that home and garden stores take coupons too. I just wanted to remind you that if you have plans in store for this Fall that include shopping for outdoor supplies you might want to remember to print some coupons from Home Depot first.

$50 VISA Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 8/31

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:21:00 +0000

I'm happy to be working with La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre to bring you a great giveaway!

One luck winner will receive a $50 VISA gift card!

With the rising cost of gas, groceries, and just about everything else, people today are pinching their pennies like they never have before! We know $50 isn't a whole lot of money but every little bit it helps. If you win, it could help your family with groceries, back-to-school clothes, or even help fund a last minute stay-cation. Whatever you do with it is up to you!

Please allow a moment for the Rafflecopter form below to load and then enter there. This fantastic giveaway is open to residents worldwide. It begins on August 17, 2012 and will be ending on August 31, 2012 at 12:01am EST. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always, if you have any trouble entering this giveaway or if you have any questions please contact me.

Bloggers: Saint Germain Make Up Giveaway Event

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:26:00 +0000

This event is hosted by Diva Fabulosa and Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog

This event will run from August 1 until September 1.
We will be giving away 20 cosmetic bags with some fabulous content! $450 total worth!!
The Giveaway is open to US/Can residents.

What you get!

If you are interested in joining us for this wonderful event you’ll receive 1 Facebook link on the Rafflecopter FREE!
If you would like additional links there will be a fee of $2 per link.
If you wish to receive a free Facebook link on the Rafflecopter we ask that you blog about this event, the more people we get to sign up the better the event will be for us and our readers!
HTML for event will be sent on or before July 27.
If you are buying additional links please send all payments to samcj7@gmail.com
If you would like to host a page on your blog you can leave your bid. Co-hosts spots available for $10 as well.
Be sure to join BlahBlahBloggie Giveaways Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/418443788194054/

To signup for this FREE Blogger Opp, visit: http://www.divafabulosa.com/saint-germain-fab-make-up-giveaway/

Bloggers: Free Hers or His Power Wheels Giveaway Event

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Hers or His Power Wheels Event

hosted by: Mom Blog Society

This is a free blog event! You will receive one link for your participation.

Event Giveaway Dates: July 30 - August 13

Prize: Disney Princess Girls' Convertible or Lil' Rider Sports Car

Open: Worldwide

If a winner is selected from outside of the US, they will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Certificate

Bloggers, click the image above to sign up and help promote the event!

Travel Essentials Giveaway Ends 7/22

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:10:00 +0000

I'm happy to be working with Promotionalcodes.com and Tammilee Tips to bring you a great giveaway, a Travel Essentials Giveaway!

Promotionalcodes.com knows that family vacations can be sometimes put a strain on your wallet so they are doing their part to help reduce your budget costs by offering thousands of online promotional codes. Also, in order to make traveling a little easier Promotionalcodes.com is going to give 1 lucky winner a great Travel Essential Prize Pack! I think you'll be excited about these prizes; I know I was!

Enter to win:
-Vera Bradley Travel Duffel Bag ($85 value)
-Travel Jewelry Case ($30 Value)
-Philosophy Travel Luxury Bundle ($35 value)
Plus a few bonus surprise prizes!

Please allow a moment for the Rafflecopter form below to load and then enter there. This fantastic giveaway will be ending on July 22, 2012 at 9:01 pm PST. Good luck Beauty 4 Mom readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun Crafts with PVC Pipe

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Check out these fun crafts you can make with PVC pipe! I love them. Do you have any other creative crafts with PVC pipe? My family used them to make a homemade game of ladder golf.

This data in this infographic was assembled by Commercial Industrial Supply, a leading pvc pipe and fittings supplier.

Check Your Deck Infographic

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:01:00 +0000

Today is the first day of Summer! Hooray! Here is an infographic to help you check your deck and make sure it's safe and ready for summer entertaining!

5 Weight Loss Tips For New Moms

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 03:06:00 +0000

If you just had a baby, you're probably avoiding the scale for a while. I know I did! Since your baby is probably taking up a lot of your time, it may be hard to find that free time to lose those extra pounds. Yes, losing weight is going to take some work {hard work}, but there are some things that you can do to bring your weight back down to where it was before the pregnancy.

Breastfeed

Breastfeeding is one the best ways to lose weight fast. Not only is it a great way to lose weight while sitting on the couch, it's going to offer a lot of great nutrients for your baby. For every 20 ounces of breast milk your body produces, you will burn more than 500 calories. To make things easier, consider buying a higher-end breast pump. That way, you can sit back, relax and let the calories burn.

Eat Healthy Foods

Yes, it's so simple but so many moms don't do it. Instead of preparing a great meal, new moms settle for the local fast food joint. Since it's only natural to grab something quick to eat when on the go, it's best to stock your refrigerator full of healthy items. Consider stocking your refrigerator and cabinets with items such as ready-made salads, yogurt, cheese sticks, whole-grain breads and cereals.

Lots of Fluids

Make it a great habit to drink at least eight glasses of fluids a day. This is very important if you're breastfeeding. While water is a great option, it can get old fast. Consider other healthy drinks such as low-fat milk, 100 percent fruit juices or a low amount of sodas that contain very few calories or sugar. As for hot drinks, herbal teas and small amounts of decaffeinated coffee are a great choice.

Diet Pills

There are a lot of fad diets out there. While most stink, some work wonders. The problem is that you have to know how to find the highly reviewed products. Websites such as http://dietpilluniverse.com/ are a great resource to find pills that have worked for not only moms, but other consumers as well. If considering a diet pill, please talk to your doctor and take the time to research the ingredients and safety ratings!

Physical Activity

Like the healthy eating, make sure that you're getting enough exercise. This means running around the subdivision, using the elliptical or even watching that yoga video. Try to set at least one hour a day so that you can burn a few calories, and keep your heart healthy.

Losing your weight after a pregnancy won't happen overnight. Remember that it took your body nine months to get where it was today. It could take another nine months just to get back down to your original weight. Set small goals, lose a few pounds a months and try not to beat yourself up if you don't meet those goals.

Warning: Low Credit Score May Cause Wrinkles!

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:53:00 +0000

When you are having financial difficulties and can’t seem to make your bill payments on time, your credit score will suffer. There are a number of reasons why your financial obligations have become a struggle. If you are not making enough money at your job or if you are not controlling your spending and live without a budget, you may find times getting tougher every day. The cost of living in general is continually on the rise and as a result, consumers need to start changing their money habits or face the consequences.

The Face of Bad Credit

When you make late bill payments or miss bill deadlines altogether, it has a serious impact on your credit score and your overall health. Rates of depression, stress, and anxiety are just as much on the rise as gas prices and they lead to a multitude of serious aftereffects. Being constantly worried about how to make ends meet with no plan in sight tends to cause deterioration to your physical, mental, and emotional health that no expensive skin care routine can correct.

Many people say they feel 10 years older when battling overwhelming debt and financial issues but most often look 10 years older too. Stress lines and worry creases tend to take hold and people under duress tend to eat poorly. This physical toll can not only age you, it can also cause you to incur medical bills on top of the existing debt.

End the Vicious Cycle for Better Health
With low credit scores you not only get denied loan applications and financing requests, you also end up paying more money for things you need in your daily life. Auto insurance rates will increase when your credit score goes down and you may find it difficult to get a cell phone or utility services without first putting down a hefty deposit. You may also incur a higher rate on your credit card’s interest if you keep making late payments. Those penalty fees will certainly add up quickly, forcing a bad situation into a worse-case scenario.

The only way to get out from under the stress and the mess of debt and bad credit is to make a commitment to getting back on track. Here are a few tips you can do now to start back on a better financial road:

Know Where You Are

Obtain a copy of your credit reports and see exactly where you stand financially. It will cost you a small fee to obtain your credit score but it’s worth it to start your journey with the right information. You can also get a free credit scores online. Other services offer it for free as well but they’ll also tie you into some form of a free trial which later on becomes a paid subscription. Review all details of your credit report for accuracy and dispute the data that is incorrect with the individual credit bureaus.

Get Serious
Gather all of your bills and monthly income statements. Sit down and list all of your debts, balances due, and monthly payment information on a sheet of paper. Add up your monthly expenses and deduct your monthly income. If the number you get is negative, it is time to start cutting back on your spending. Start canceling your extended cable packages and luxury cell phone plans. Stick with only the basics until you can get over this financially difficult time. You may even need to take a second job to earn more money towards debt relief and credit repair. Make a commitment to budgeting your income and saving better.

Define Your Wants and Needs It is important to identify how you spend money. If you are prone to impulse buys in the shoe department or at the makeup counter, it is time to put a stop to your financially destructive money habits. Decide on the items you absolutely need to have to live and identify those things you just want to have. You can spend money on your needs but commit to saving up for those wanted items rather than put them on your credit card when you don’t have the cash. This method can go a long way to helping you get back in good financial graces.

Automate Your Bill Paying
Once you have budgeted your cash, you should be able to always ensure you have enough money in your account to set up automated payments. Busy people tend to forget their bills and end up paying late fees and penalties that also lower their credit score. By automating payments, you are guaranteed to pay all of your bills on time, each and every month. This will mean a great deal to your credit score over time. Your payment history is a big factor in your overall credit score.

Check Back In With Your Credit
Once you have started on a better money journey, you need to check back in with your credit score. Give yourself 3-6 months of consistent bill paying and better spending habits before ordering another copy of your credit score. See what a difference your change in money management habits has made and keep moving forward.

Getting out of debt and back to a good credit standing won’t happen overnight and won’thappen without a lot of hard work. Every consumer has the power to fix their finances without the help of a high-priced ‘credit fix-it’ company and has an obligation to creating a stable financial future for themselves and for their families. If you have been headed down a path of stress and worry that is causing you to lose your beauty sleep, it is time to make the changes necessary to a better money life.

This is a guest post written by Eliza Collins, a professional writer specialized in the personal finance space. Eliza’s experience includes working for financial institutions, private debt relief companies as well as years of balancing the family budget. You can read more of her articles at the debt settlement blog.

Coastal.com: Free $100 Pair of Prescription Glasses for New Customers

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:33:00 +0000

New customers of Coastal.com can get a free pair of prescription glasses (up to $100) with coupon code FIRSTPAIRFREE. You will need to pay for shipping but that seems to only be around $5.

New Mom Struggles

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:53:00 +0000

Charlize Theron adopted a baby boy last month! Congratulations, Charlize! She suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and I can't imagine how stressful it must be to deal with that on top of a new addition to the family.

I'm sure Charlize isn't alone in her struggle! Many new moms struggle physically and emotionally for a few days or even up to a few weeks. When that new mom stress is combined with an existing condition it could be difficult to cope. I've heard that many have found the psychological treatment from pchtreatment.com to be helpful. If you're struggling with depression or another mood, personality, or anxiety disorder it's a good idea to talk about this with a loved one and seek the help you need. It's important to take care of yourself so you can care for those that love you!

TOMS “One Day Without Shoes” Event April 10th, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:20:00 +0000

TOMS Shoes

You've heard of TOMS Shoes, right? These uber popular shoes are more than just fashionable and comfortable - they are giving! The TOMS company operates a not for profit called Friends of TOMS, which provides a new pair of shoes to someone in need for each pair that is sold. These donated shoes are given to children in need who would otherwise remain barefoot. One for One!

One Day Without Shoes

One for One generates awareness to the challenges of shoeless children by promoting a program called One Day Without Shoes. OneDayWithoutShoes is a grassroot, social media fueled (feel free to share this post!) effort to challenge supporters to go without wearing their shoes for an entire day. The upcoming One Day Without Shoes event will kick off on April 10, 2012. Shoeless people going about their daily routine draws attention to the challenges for these children and the opportunity to help them through the One for One program. Over 500 schools and 1400 companies will join in the effort!

TOMS & Autism United

TOMS has also partnered with Autism United so that every pair of shoes purchased through Autism United's website will not only give a pair of shoes to a child in a developing country but also a portion of the proceeds will go toward Autism awareness efforts. If you would like to join with them, visit Autism United today, get your TOMS shoes coupon code, and purchase a pair of TOMS shoes for yourself!

New Parent Preparedness Goes a Long Way

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:58:00 +0000

Expecting parents have plenty on their plates in the months and weeks leading to a newborn's arrival. While the immediate needs such as proper furnishings, infant care education, and securing the necessary supplies are important, it's critical that parents-to-be take the time to think about the future. After all, a baby is only a baby for so long.

Take a look at the cost of college today. Now try and imagine what it will be two decades from now. Establishing a college fund for your child is more important than ever. Even if the traditional brick & mortar university experience isn't the prevalent form of education in 2030, whatever replaces it is sure to require a pretty penny to pay for.

But don't forget about the learning itself. For instance, the best time to learn a second language is when you are young. If bilingualism is something you and your spouse desire for your child, then start thinking about how to implement that into their life from the moment it begins. With that said, it's equally important that you make sure you don't wind up expecting too much from the growing brain of your newborn.

In addition to education, new parents need to be thinking about the long-term health of their children. Not only should you be ensuring your newborn child is fully covered by your current healthcare plan, parents of the 21st century ought to be taking advantage of the wide range of revolutionary preparedness measures achieved in pediatric science. Look into umbilical cord blood banking benefits among other such breakthroughs.

Finally, new parents need to be looking ahead as far as the art of parenting goes. Don't just be learning how to take care of an infant – they grow way too fast for you to be focusing only on the relative fun stuff. Know how to handle your toddler talking back to you year before he tries to pull it off.

It's hard to take care of every task set before an expecting parent even in the eight-to-nine month window you have to prepare. With that said, it's critical that new parents take the proper steps to prepare for the future. After all, newborns will inevitably always grow up.

Thanks to Amanda G. for this guest post!

Is Early Retirement Possible?

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:06:00 +0000

I'm quite a long way from retirement but some people retire young and I'm anxious to know how they do it. Is it really possible for everyday people?

One this is for certain, retiring early is not going to happen easy! It's a goal, a very ambitious goal that must be worked at. To succeed at retiring early will take detailed planning, hard work, and massive dedication.

Live Frugally

Live on less than you make. This needs to be a steady habit because you'll be doing this once you retire too! This means more than just clipping a few coupons but a total life change. I know that this tip isn't sexy. People hope for something magical. But you know what? As simple and mundane as it sounds, that is the number one secret of money. Spend less than you make. Frugality is an important part of personal finance whether you decide to retire early or not!

Save a Lot

This goes hand in hand with living frugally. What you don't spend, you save. To retire early you'll need to have a lot set aside. How much you should set aside is up to your preferences, your lifestyle, what you hope to do during retirement, and (even though it's no fun to talk about) how long you think you'll live. Retiring early means you'll have fewer years to earn your money but it also means you'll have more years in which you'll have to rely on your savings.

To give you some idea of how much you'll have to save let's look at some numbers. The average life expectancy in the U.S. is around 75 years and the medium income is $50,000. If you are 35 and would like to retire at 60 with 80% of your pre-retirement income, you'll need to save just about $1 million. Not to mention that that is assuming you'll get the estimated Social Security payment and that might be a big assumption. You can check out a retirement calculator to fiddle with the numbers yourself.

Earn More

Frugality has it's limits, you can only trim away so much of your budget. Although, theoretically, there is no limit on how much money you can earn. You could scour the internet for the best franchise opportunities, develop the latest and greatest toy of the year, or sell your plasma. On the other hand you could find smaller ways to increase your income. Keep in mind that these sacrifices are short term and the pay offs are long term (this tip can be applied to paying off debt too!). What ways can you boost your income? What skills do you possess? How can you earn more money?

- Get a second job.

- Start a work at home business.

- Sell the things you have.

- Work longer hours/ask for a raise.

There are many ways to earn more income but you'll notice that they all require sacrifice. Online surveys will earn you a few extra dollars but to turn your skills into a real money-making endeavor you'll have to find something a bit more time consuming. Check out this list of fifty ideas to get you started.

Those are my thoughts but I want to know what you think. Are you working towards punching the clock early? Have you already retired early? I would l love to hear about the steps you took to make it happen!

How to Get a Ponytail Bump

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:41:00 +0000

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's 2012 Oscars' do.

I'm sure we would all love to have elegant up-dos or flowing wavy locks on a regular basis but the truth is most of us have busy schedules, long hours, and crazy mornings. Spending an hour on hair each morning simply isn't a reality.

That's why I love styles that make me look put-together and pretty, but only take about as long as my Keurig takes to brew my coffee. That is why I’m all about a stylish ponytail!

To create a stylish ponytail all you need is 1 bobby pin, 1 no-damage elastic hair band, a tail comb {a comb with the long skinny handle}, and your choice of hairspray.

Here’s all you have to do to achieve a smooth pony:

1. Comb hair into ponytail leaving a tiny section out from the base of the ponytail and wrap elastic band around the ponytail.

2. Add height to the crown area by inserting the tail of the comb through the hair above the elastic and lift away from the head {just a little bit at a time}.

3. When you've reached your desired volume, lightly spray any fly-aways and gently smooth over using the tail of the comb. Then take the left out lock of hair and wrap it around the base of the ponytail, covering the elastic band.

4. Place a bobby pin around the end of the wrapped lock and tuck underneath the ponytail and elastic to secure it. Lightly spray again if needed.

If you’re going for a messy ponytail don't comb your hair first but simply finger hair into ponytail and follow steps 2 – 4 above.

If you want a super sleek ponytail run a Hot Tools ceramic flat iron through it before you follow steps 1-4 above.

The Foundation of a Good Christian Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to have my friend Penelope share a post with you today! I'll let her get to it...

I'm a big believer that a good marriage is the foundation of a strong family, and that a couple that has a healthy marriage will have happier lives. I write about happy marriage tips on my site Penelope's Oasis, and am also a proponent of a covenant marriage, which has as its basic premise that marriage is a beautiful union between two people that should be respected by both, worked on, and held in high esteem. Every marriage goes through seasons of change, periods of hardship, but if you are Christian and married a great person, you probably want your marriage to weather the storms and last forever. Here are four tips for Christian Marriages that I hope you appreciate and enjoy:

The foundation of a good Christian Marriage

1. God is the center of the marriage, and the center of the family If you, your desire for nicer things, your friends, your job, or anything else come first, your family and marriage will suffer for it. If you are a family the remembers God, prays together, strives to be better people together, this alone will motivate you to always want to keep your marriage and family intact, and when you are already following Christian teachings (fasting, praying, tithing, etc) you automatically understand the concept of compromise and sacrifice that is often necessary in making a marriage work for a lifetime.

2. You put your marriage first You are not just you anymore. When you became married, you and your husband became one, and your life goals and plans must be made together. When you make plans without each other, don't consult each other for major life decisions, or put other things first (like your parents, your job, your needy best friend), you are tearing asunder something that God has joined (and no one, including you, has the right to do this). When you allow others to come between you, to turn one of you against the other, or worst of all, to make you prefer them over your spouse, you are committing a serious sin (and in essence, hurting yourself). This is a very challenging idea, because many of us have a hard time disappointing our parents or a boss for our spouse, but just as it's often hard to put God first when life becomes hectic, we still have to, and we have to put our spouse before others too.

3. Follow Scripture and trust in God Even if your spouse seems to be doing their own thing. If you married a man that doesn't do things the way you like, sometimes this is a great way to grow as a Christian. We can't change people, we can only inspire them. One of the most important characteristics of a Christian wife is patience, and if you find your husband is doing things that make your head scratch, it's a great opportunity to grow closer to God by simply accepting your husband's quirks, and praying. He may be doing the right things, but getting to the same destination via an unusual road, or he may have to go through some fine-tuning with God on his own, but by being a supportive and loving wife who prays for her husband and wants the best for him, it often inspires a man to get there, faster, and he'll probably be a better man and husband because of his travels and challenges. When you don't understand what your husband it doing, just respect him (as Scripture says to) and trust God. It's incredible how things work out when you do.

4. Honor your marriage Today it's especially hard to prevent outside influences from assailing the marriage bond. From a society that doesn't really respect the concept of marriage, to individuals who may actively seek to break you up, and a media that is filled with unbiblical ideas about sex and marriage, it is not only often hard to honor your marriage, you are sometimes even mocked for it. Those who are divorced or live together are especially not understanding of couples who have rules about what is considered appropriate contact with members of the opposite sex, or what is ok to do while married. While of course you wouldn't want to judge others (unless you've been in their shoes, you don't know why they made the choices they've made), this doesn't mean you should lower your standards or look to appease others with different opinions at the expense of honoring your marriage to the highest degree. Your friends may think it's ridiculous that you won't "innocently" flirt with men, or your boss may be annoyed that you aren't a "team player" because you won't stay after work for happy hour with your co-workers, but you don't want a marriage like everyone else has, so you can't be a wife like everyone else is. If you want a marriage that is truly beautiful, and a spouse that honors you, you have to maintain standards that keep it there, no matter what.

What do you think is important for a strong marriage? If you have tips to share, I'd love to hear them, or hear feedback on the ideas I shared.

Summer is Coming!

noreply@blogger.com (MrsAshley) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:19:00 +0000

Starting today I am counting down to summer. There is exactly 123 days until summer 2012 begins! It starts on Thursday, June 21 2012. I. can't. wait!

Today we got our first taste of warm weather. It wasn't the summer temperatures I yearn for but I'll take sixty degree weather any day in winter. It was a lovely sunny day and I enjoyed it immensely. My family and visiting in-laws enjoyed a nice relaxing walk in the sun. While on our walk we passed a girl scout selling cookies by the road that we just had to buy. It was a clever marketing strategy, I'll give her that!

I am all ready for the summer sun. I've already bought my little girl a cute bathing suit, bright nail polish, a sun hat and comfy sandal shoes. All she needs now is an inflatable swimming pool and summer's warm rays. In case you're wondering, yes, I'll post pictures of my cute bathing beauty for you all to see!

Obviously, summer is my favorite season but what's yours? Do you love summer as much as I do?