Traveling to Hawaii is expensive. Add Disney’s Aulani Resort (twenty-one acres of Disney magic on O‘ahu’s western coastline) to the mix, and we are talking about crazy money. Having been there, I can say that it’s worth it! You don’t have to spend as much as you think, as there are a lot of ways…
How to Become a Financial New You
This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust. All opinions are my own. Money can be a tough subject for some people. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck. Others have disasters or unfortunate events befall them (family death, divorce, natural disaster, etc.), some go through a time of incurring additional expenses (marriage,…
How I Get My Toddlers to Do Their Own Laundry
I have regularly involved my children in doing laundry for over a year now. Starting at about age 2 their laundry duties have gradually increased. Now that they are 3 and 5, they are doing the majority of their own laundry every week. Their duties include: Putting dirty laundry in the hamper. Helping me load…
Feed the Hungry: Stockings for the Homeless #LightTheWorld
My neighborhood is so wonderful. They have been very welcoming, kind, and have great attitudes about helping others. This area has been working for almost a year on shipping thousands of items to Zimbabwe in a large shipping container. The container had clothes, newborn packets for mothers with a lot of baby supplies, rubber snakes…
Medieval Birthday Party
Recently, my family and I attended the Medieval Times dinner and show in California. The kids who attended with us aged from 3-13 and they were all mesmerized—in fact, every child and adult in the arena that I observed and had a blast! This visit inspired my daughter’s Medieval Birthday Party. At the show Medieval…
Should I Have a Second Child? 7 Reasons Why Two Kids Are Better Than One
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine. My friends are just about to welcome their second baby. The first was quite an adjustment for them (as it usually is for most). They are a little nervous and apprehensive that this second one…
DIY Lego Roll Top Desk
My husband, Cam, is very good with construction and building things. His son takes after him and loves Legos. Cam wanted to make a DIY Lego desk or table for him for his birthday. He found a roll top desk for $20.00 on a local classified ad site. When Cam asked me what I thought…
5 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse About Money—Without Having to Talk
The following 5 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse About Money—Without Having to Talk have helped my husband and I be in the ‘know’ of what’s going on with our finances without actually having to broach the topic in a conversation. Communicating with a spouse about money is sometimes tough. More often than…
2017 Halloween Costume Reveal + 5 Fun Halloween Activity Spots for Kids in Utah & Salt Lake Counties
I wanted to share with you our 2017 Halloween Costume Reveal + 5 Fun Halloween Activity Spots for Kids in Utah and Salt Lake Counties Halloween was so fun this year. Kids this age (just about 3 and 5) are so so fun during holidays. They are old enough to realize that they are doing…
Aunt Elva’s Famous No-Bake Peach Pie
My dad’s aunt was known for her fresh no-bake peach pie recipe. It is so easy to make and delicious! Peaches are one of my favorite fruits as they are deliciously sweet and juicy. I am happy I get to share Aunt Elva’s Famous No-Bake Peach Pie with you. A key to making this as…
10 Ways to Save Big on Halloween Costumes
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love dressing my kids up and attending parties, carving pumpkins, and eating caramel apples. Although many costumes can be expensive, here are 10 ways to save big on Halloween costumes. 1- Borrow costumes from a friend. Ask friends if they have any old costumes that they’d be willing to…
How to Upgrade Your Dishwasher to Stainless Steel for Around $100.00
I was upgrading my friend’s home and he loved the dishwasher he currently had—the only problem was it was out of date/black. All of his other appliances were stainless steel. We searched around and the equivalent dishwasher in stainless steel would have cost him over $450.00. I decided to see if we could change the…
How to Teach Your Toddlers to Work, Earn Money, and Become Frugal
Children thrive in environments where they learn to help, have skills to do things, and feel like they contribute. Children should be taught the concept of earning something through work at a young age. I have been learning by experience how to teach toddlers to work, earn money, and become frugal. My daughter, Aurora, is…
Flipping an Older Cabin into Your Luxury Vacation Home
We all dream of a luxurious vacation home where we can bring our family and friends to make memories for years to come. Unfortunately, luxury homes come at a premium that most of us are not able to afford. But you don’t have to give up your dreams of owning a fantastic vacation home. Consider…
How You Can Use Your 401K to Start a Business (Tax-Penalty Free)
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Guidant Financial for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. How You Can Use Your 401K to Start a Business (Tax-Penalty Free) I am a business woman at heart. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. As a result, I am constantly thinking…
21+ Delicious Pulled Pork Recipes
My friend, Rachel, called me the other day asking me for pulled pork recipes. I told her I only had a few but would search the web for more. As a result, I rounded up 21+ delicious pulled pork recipes and decided to share them with you as well. I was pleasantly surprised to find over 21 awesome…
Fall-Apart-Tender Pulled Pork
My husband, Cam, is always making very flavorful and tender smoked meat for our family. I’m so excited to share one of his amazing smoked-meat recipes with you. I call it ‘Fall-Apart-Tender Pulled Pork’. It is very delicious. The meat is infused with amazing flavor from the smoking and seasoning process. It is very tender and…
How to Make Money from Home with Contena
Welcome to Money-Making Stay-at-Home Moms: How to Make Money from Home with Contena There are 38+ interviews in this series (see links to additional interviews below). Today I’m continuing my Money-Making Stay-at-Home Mom Series (this is 38) by adding an awesome company to it. Working from home by writing for Contena. Freelancing for Contena is a legitimate…
Financial Illiteracy—Why It’s a Problem and How to Avoid it
“Financial illiteracy is not unique to any one population. It affects everyone; men and women, young and old, across all racial and socioeconomic lines. No longer can we stand by and ignore this problem. The economic future of the United States depends on it.”—President’s Advisory Council. Below you will find tips and links to resources…
4th of July Wreath
4th of July is such a fun holiday! I love celebrating the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. I like to see the red, white, and blue colors, enjoy summer temperatures, and celebrate at BBQ’s with fireworks. My friend gave me the idea of this cute and super-easy 4th of July…
How to Cut Watermelon Smart
Everyone in my family loves watermelon! We are constantly eating it in the spring and summer time. Although I don’t love the drippy mess all over the kitchen floors, clothes, and faces, watermelon is totally worth it. In an effort to cut down on the mess and make eating watermelon a bit easier on us, I…
Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potatoes
My husband is an amazing cook. He created this insanely-good Creamy Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potatoes recipe that I’m so excited to share with you today. Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potatoes are a wonderful blend of sweet (brown sugar), creaminess (sweet potatoes and sour cream), and cinnamon. The depth of flavor from the ingredients is amazing. The texture of these…
Dating Post Divorce
I’ve held off on writing about my dating post divorce experiences because I wasn’t sure how to. I am now married again to a wonderful man and together we are working through another phase of life: blending families. I’m ready to share my experiences. I thought many of these tips that I found extremely useful…
7 Natural Remedies For Swollen Feet During Pregnancy
There are many things that you will have to endure as you prepare to welcome your bundle of joy into this world. One of the most common pregnancy ailments is that of having swollen feet or what experts refer to as edema. Although normal swelling of the feet does not pose any significant danger to you or…
Estate Planning for Blended Families
I have two kids from a previous marriage and my husband has four from his. As we have become a blended family, the need to draft a will has become too difficult to do on our own. So, I reached out to a friend who is a lawyer and specializes in estate planning. I’ve asked him a…
7 Extremely Effective Ways to Save Money Booking a Disney Cruise
Today, I welcome my friend and Disney Travel Expert Danielle who shares 7 extremely effective ways to save money booking a Disney Cruise below. The phrases “Disney Cruise” and “saving money” don’t typically go together! As a seasoned Disney cruiser (I’ve done 7) and as a busy, active travel agent I have…
How to Smoke a Papa Murphy’s Pizza
I was compensated for this review of Papa Murphy’s. All opinions are 100% my own. #DealsAt425 #Ad My boyfriend and I have a combined six kids. Eating out with 8 people is not only very expensive, it can also be somewhat disruptive to those around us. Although we all really love a variety of food and flavors,…
DIY Coffee Filter Banner
Are you looking for an inexpensive, easy, and versatile banner for a birthday party, gathering, or celebration? This D.I.Y. coffee filter banner is a great option! It can be customized in length, size, colors, and can be made for just a few dollars. My super creative friend Kim made these adorable DIY Coffee Filter Banners…
Why Financial Literacy Is Not Enough
This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust. All opinions are my own. When I started back to college after a four-year-break, I struggled. I could understand the literature and topics but my grades were not doing well. On my mid-term report card I was averaging a C across the board. After seeing my…
15 Ways to Save Hundreds and Get Free Food At Kroger
This post is sponsored by U.S. BANK and Kroger. I love to shop at Smith’s Food and Drug Store aka Kroger. There are many reasons why I love to grocery shop at Smith’s, but the main one is that the savings opportunities are awesome! There are so many ways to save and many opportunities to…
