Frugal Friday with Marsha -- New Year Check In

I didn't get here last Friday to write up a first Frugal Friday of the year last week, but here I am now.

Let's see what's been going on with me in the savings and being Frugal area:

1.  For some reason, for most all of 2016, I stopped using the shopping and earning apps.  I rarely used shopkick, checkpoints (bonus code is my email address marsha.seiberling@gmail.com), checkout51, savingstar, ibotta, or receipthog.  I have NO idea why I slacked off, but I am kicking myself for lost savings and earnings!!  So far so good this year on getting back to using them.

2.  I've been waiting for the grocery store to get in these net10 phones that they had on sale for $20.  Well, they got them in finally, but then they were on sale for $10!! I ended up buying 2.  Now I can run more apps....not necessarily more, but it frees me up to be able to spend more time in the apps since I moved most of my Swagbucks apps over to the new phones.  I've already earned back the $20 that I spent on the phones.

3,  A good deal at Dollar Tree!  Dollar Tree got in the Snackeez cups.  You've seen these on TV and you can find them in the As Seen on TV section at Wal-mart for $9.88.  I couldn't help but buy a whole case of 12 of them at just $1 each!!!  These will make a great addition to my gift stash for both birthdays and Christmas this year. (They got in both the smaller ones and the larger ones---I bought one of the 2 cases that they got in of the large ones)

4.  I decided that on nights when hubby is in bed and I can't turn on the light to read before going to sleep, that I would get back to reading the books in my Kindle app.  I started with one that I actually had just ordered a sample of.  I re-read the sample and looked through the index and decided to go ahead and spend the $2,99 to buy it.  It's a nice saving book called Six Dollar Family.
I'm already anxious to possibly get back to making my own laundry soap using the recipe she shares, as well as trying to make the dryer sheets too.
It's a lot of common sense book and I am enjoying it, so I will share the link to amazon here with you.

Frugal Friday With Marsha 1/3/13 AND TGIFF!

I hope this post finds you on a good start in to the new year.
So far so good on my goals and challenges, and I feel good about them.
The only one that is really frugal is the way I am saving money for my sewing hobby that I mentioned in last week's post.

On the subject of my sewing and crafts, I've been working to put projects into their own bags.  One gal that is in some of the sewing groups that I go to calls these PIGS (projects in grocery sacks).
What I hope to do is to put everything that I need into each bag that I need to finish the project.

I seriously have enough supplies to keep me busy for at least 5 years, and probably longer, in my craft room already.  I really am being serious about that!
I am going to try really hard to work with materials that I already have and not buy anything else.....period!  

I am making this a combination post this week.  I actually have a finish!   I don't think that I finished one quilt in 2013.  I did a few smaller projects----a few wall hangings, and a couple of table runners as far as sewing goes, but that was it.

This is my Penny Patch quilt that I did as part of a QAL (quilt a long).   You can click the button if you would like to click over and see what others made.    I made mine the lap quilt size.

 

I am also linking this post up to TGIFF (Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday)
 
Since this is a combination post this week, please feel free to share links in the linky this week that are also craft/sewing related if you would like!   Share posts that have to do with your New Year's goals.  And, of course share any posts you have done that are related to simple living and being frugal!

 

Squidoo Hopping Into the New Year!

How have you been doing with squidoo?  Did you make yourself any goals for the new year?
In my card file on a daily card, one says build or update a squidoo lens.   That would be nice, but instead I have changed it to do something squidoo related.

I haven't updated, or built any lenses this week.   I have, however, been visiting squidoo daily.
This blog and visiting those who link up will be my squidoo related today.

I will be building more lenses, book reviews for sure.  I have made myself a challenge this year to read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.   A lot of those will be made into lenses.....I'm kind of excited about that prospect too.
If you would like to read more about my challenge, it's posted over on bubblews.
52 Books in 52 Weeks 2014 Challenge.

I got a headstart on my goals and challenges for myself, and I feel like I am going in the right direction.  I just need to STAY in the right direction.  I'm thankful for online friends who have already been encouraging me and will continue to do so.

I can't wait to see what is linked up this week.  This week I am choosing again 2 link up my 2 bottom lenses in lensrank.



 

WIP Wednesday---First Post of 2014!

Here we are to 2014.
I have goals for my sewing and crafts.  
I'm still in the process of organizing my projects, but I am getting closer to being done with that.
I plan to do some sort of sewing each and every day, even if it's just for a few minutes.

Since my crafts involve selling them online, I really need to step up my game.  Not only in getting things done, but also promoting myself as well.

Here is what I've been up to this past week.

I have the binding on the Penny Patch quilt from the QAL (that was supposed to be done by Dec. 20) and I'm ready to start handing sewing it down.

At my last stitch group I got all of my applique bunny blocks squared up.  I still do have 5 of the 20 of them to finish embroidering around.
Everyone is asking me if I will have the blanket done by Easter---I don't honestly know!

I am getting closer to getting this toothbrush rug done.  It's an experiment one to find out how large a rug comes out when I have cut up an entire full size sheet set.  I actually love how it's all the same color.

 I am linking up with the following blogs:
 

Squidoo Hopping 12/26/13

I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas!   Here's also to a Happy New Year.

I read a post on bubblews yesterday and the person was pretty much making fun of those of us who make goals for the new year.  She wanted to know why we can't work on goals all year, or why can't we start now?
I commented that it just seems appropriate-new year, new you, but that I do try to work on my goals all year, and make new ones throughout the year.  And, that I have already started on the goals that I have written down.

Do you have any goals with squidoo that you would like to share?
Mine is the same as always-----to be more active.   I'm sure willing to give it a couple of months and see how things go anyway.  By a couple of months I mean a couple of months of payments, and I won't see for my efforts in January until March and for February in April.

I am going to share in the linky this week a couple of lenses that are down at the bottom on my lensranking.  

Happy Hopping!

 

Homeschool Journey--Still On Christmas Break

 I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and I hope your new year is off to a good start.


We've still been on Christmas break this past week.  I don't have any photos to share this week.


The usual things happened like attending church.  Christmas morning church was wonderful as we sang a lot of Christmas hymns in place of several things in the service.  We had a guest pastor (one of our own out of seminary and waiting on a call).  His sermon was on the timeline of Christmas.  It was quite interesting and he did it with congregation participation.  She attended her youth group meeting on Wednesday evening.  Other than that, she has spent a lot of time with friends....overnights.


Jasmine got out a diet and fitness journal just before Christmas and has read it and studied it cover to cover.  She says it's not a diet, but a lifestyle change.  As far as food the first changes I am helping her make is buying skim milk and low fat cheese.  She received a bicycle for Christmas from my husband.  She's not missed many days of going out and doing a little riding, despite her bad knee.  We've been fortunate to have weather mostly in the 50's as of late.  The next step is to get the exercise equipment back out of the closet downstairs so she can work on it daily.  You can also learn to maintain a healthy body and mind with these health and fitness related schools. My daughter and her boyfriend came and got a lot of their stuff out of the basement, so there is room to get the equipment back out now.


I'm always changing something in the way we homeschool.  Nothing new here, I've been changing and changing again since I started homeschooling my children in 1998.  I started this week by sitting down and writing out assignments for Jasmine for the week.  I used to do this all the time, especially when I was homeschooling 3 of the children at once.  Jasmine and I haven't ever done this since it's just been her left to teach.  What I am writing down are things she can do on her own when I am busy away from home, or we are away from home together, or on my husband's days off work.  This will help to ensure that a lot more school work gets done each week.


I'm going to hop along now...we have to be off to the DMV to get her ID and then to the post office to apply for her passport.  Then it's off to Bible study and after that a trip to the library to get books.  Please pray that she gets her passport in time to make the trip to England in March!!

Shop Hop Saturday--New Year's Edition

It's that time of year to really re-think goals...at least for most of it is.
After pretty much concentrating on Christmas the past couple of weeks, I'm more than ready to get myself back in to some sort of a normal routine.

There are my goals---not all having to do with "business"
1.  Clean and re-organize my house--and keep it that way.  This means putting things back where they belong, getting rid of excess that just isn't needed, and more.

2.  Quit smoking---easier said than done, but something I really need to be able to accomplish.

3.  Make my goal of reaching a minimum made online of $600 per month--this total includes the value of items that I get free for review and such.

4.  To reach #3 I need to be active in squidoo each and every day.  I need to keep up with working on my crafts and sewing daily.  I need to learn about different affiliates and how those programs work.  It also means better ways of getting the word out about the things I am doing online.

5.  Learn to say no when asked to do things outside of the home.  When I say yes, and doing so takes me away from home for hours at a time, my whole day ends up feeling like a waste.  Of course there are exceptions but it's been crazy.  Take me here, take me there.....

6.  Each Sunday I am going to make a list of school assignments for Jasmine.  These will be expected to be done by the end of the week.  These will be things for her to do on her own, in her own time, but preferably the times when I can't be sitting one on one with her for schoolwork.

I'm sure there are more things that I can list that I'm not thinking about right now.  No, I'm not going to go over this list in my blog over and over.  I may occasionally talk about the goals in with my regular posting however.

So...let's see.  I finally made it back into my sewing room 2 days ago after almost 2 weeks of no sewing.  I still hope to make it in there tonight, at least for some ironing and cutting to get ready for sewing.

I did post one item in my etsy shop--another set of the billowing blues washcloths.

I want to tell you about the Sweetheart Celebration coming up.  Time is getting close on being able to get your spot for just $5!!!  Please click the button on the side for more information.  I need to get myself better prepared for it.

I will be taking part in DNBuster and Friends Valentines Giveaway her blog.  You may also click the button on the side to find out more information about that.

I have one current giveaway up for Natural House cleaners.  If you haven't already, please enter to win.

I made a new page here on my blog.  It's Hand Made in 2012 (linky).  If you post with instructions on hand made items (including food), or you have made an item that you gave as a gift, please post to the linky.  I want to see LOTS of link ups and lots of inspiration.  Posts can be old or new, and do not need to be blog posts.  They can be posts at hubpages, redgage, squidoo, gather, etc etc.  You can also list you etsy or other stores where you sell hand made items.

I still have book reviews to catch up on here on my blog....music reviews and giveaways to get done, and more.
But, I am going to quit rambling for this week and spend the evening with my hubby for new year's eve.



Myspace Happy New Year Comments

Sunday December 28

Good Morning!
It snowed yesterday but by afternoon it had warmed up enough to melt it all away. Looks like the high's for the next 5 days jump around in the 40's and 50's and no call for anymore snow right now. Sounds darn good to me.
We have this week off school yet, then it's back to that grind.

Today's plans include continuing to work on the shopping bag that I am crocheting with the plastic bags, house cleaning, and whatever I can get done on the computer. I'm going up soon to put some chicken in the crockpot for supper tonight.

Here is part 2 of the photos of Christmas Eve at my brothers house...funner photos as gifts are being opened. Christmas Eve at My Brothers 2008 Part 2

Today I will feature the squidoo lens that I built which is a book review on the book Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. Good book, great author, I hope you will take a look see. Summer Sisters Book Review


glitter-graphics.com

Have a blessed Sunday,
Marsha