9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

DIY Christmas Gifts

 

As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a Christmas on a budget!

My sister is a Pinterest queen and each year she makes the cutest DIY gifts for all of us. And for so long, I kept away from making my own gifts because well… I’m not super crafty and I wanted them to be quality.

But, the past few years, I’ve come across some great gifts for us non crafty people, ones that your kids can help make, and ones that really do help save you money!

 

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but may provide me with a commission. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

Christmas Shopping on a Budget

 

When it comes to the holidays, I am ALL about DIY gifts for as many people as possible. While I want to make sure I’m still giving out awesome presents, I think it’s key to make sure I stay as close to my budget as possible. DIY gifts are a great money saver and help you give out memories as well!

 

The goal for holiday shopping is to make sure that you’re sticking as close to your predetermined budget, only using a cash envelope system (ALA Dave Ramsey) and doing your best to give quality gifts that are full of memories

 

Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

 

Now I know what you’re thinking… what if I’m not crafty at all? Shouldn’t I just save my time and spend a little extra buying gifts?

 

No Way!

 

I am definitely not the most Pinterest Mom out there but I can follow directions and put together some simple gifts that will make family members ohhhh and ahhhh when they open them!

 

First up, refer back to your initial Christmas shopping list and budget. You can use this to separate out the people you need to buy for (like grandparents, school bus drivers, or neighbors) that would be perfect candidates for DIY gifts.

 

Once you know who you want to make gifts for, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas!

 

One of my favorite DIY gifts that doesn’t require too much creativity are photo gifts! You can take family pictures or kid’s school photos and create photo albums, frames with that person and your children, or even calendars!

 

I use the Freeprints app where you can order 80 free pictures a month (and just pay shipping). They also have another app where you can get a free photo book a month (again, just paying shipping)

 

These are super easy to make and very thoughtful. You can get each of the grandparents an album, personalized frame, or take the pictures to Target and put them on a calendar for less than $10 a gift!

DIY Gifts For Teachers

 

Home DIY Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

 

Homemade Bird Feeders 

 

 

Candy Cane and Lime Swirl Bath Salts

 

 

 

 

Cotton Candy Lip Scrub

 

 

 

DIY Gifts For Parents or Grandparents

 

Salt Dough Ornament

 

 

 

Handprint Christmas Card

 

 

 

 

DIY Christmas Wall Decoration

 

 

 

 

DIY Snowglobe

 

 

 

Handprint Calendar

 

 

 

Clay footprint bowl

 

 

 

Shrinky Dink Keyrings

 

 

DIY Gifts For Kids

 

 

DIY Bouncy Balls

 

 

 

 

Money Basket

 

 

 

 

Make sure you sign up and join our 5 day holiday money saving challenge! We kick off soon and we’ll be sharing the top tips to MAKE money for holiday spending and keep on your budget!

Want to Read More in The Holiday Planning Series? 

9 Easy DIY Gift Ideas

3 Ways to Save Money on Gifts

The Complete Guide to a Christmas Budget

12 Week Holiday Savings Plan

Minimize Gift Giving with the 4 Gift Plan

Top Subscription Boxes for the Family

10 Awesome Gifts for Coffee Loving Moms

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

Christmas Shopping on a Budget

When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money on gifts!

Last year was our hardest Christmas we’ve had where money was super tight. We had to make a lot of decisions about who and what to buy for and I had to be very creative with our money.

At this point, my husband had been out of work for 5 months, we were on government assistance to cover food for our family and our unemployment had just ran out.

But I knew that there were gifts that I wanted to get for my kids and family members and that there had to be a better way to still enjoy gift giving (which I REALLY love) without breaking the bank!

 

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but may provide me with a commission. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

Best Rebate Apps to Use to Make Money

Rebate apps are one of my favorite ways to save money anytime I shop. I use so many rebate apps when I do my regular shopping so, why wouldn’t I do it with my holiday shopping?


If you’ve never used a rebate app, they are essentially apps that you can download on your phone for free and, before or after shopping, you can go to them and they’ll give you cash back on stuff you are buying anyway.

 

I like them a lot because, they are super easy to use and often have great referral programs. Many of those apps give me cash back or even gift cards to some of my favorite places! Using the Fetch Rewards app (get it and use my code for $2! ---> Q1XNB) I’ve gotten hundreds of dollars in Target gift cards just for referring other people to the app!

 

Some rebate apps like Shopkick , will even have coupon codes, discounts or dollar cash back for stores that you couldn't find anywhere else. Whenever I am checking out at store, I always make sure to do a quick scan to see if I can save even just 10% on something I was planning on buying anyway!

 

You can head over and read my favorite money making apps and don’t shy away from using them! Even though you may only save a few dollars here or there, if you’re working to stick on your holiday budget, then those dollars matter!

Earn Money Shopping Online (and save on gifts!)

Let’s be real, we’re gonna do most of our shopping online this year. Going to the stores can be a real pain, particularly when you have little people in tow so, don’t feel guilty if Amazon Prime is your best friend! And if you don't have Prime, head over and grab a free 30 day trial!

Before you impulse buy just because you get 2 day shipping, make sure you’re shopping smart! Always make sure you’ve logged into EBATES  first. EBATES is another rebate site that will get you discount, shipping codes AND cash back at most stores. Again,these sites and apps are a no brainer since you're planning on spending the money anyway! You might as well just do one extra step to get the cash back!

If you’re planning on shopping Amazon, I really suggest utilizing Cyber Monday for your deals. You’ll be able to get the best cash back on your Ebates and Apps and catch some great deals! If you put items you know you want to buy in your cart, Amazon will alert you if the price drops. You can also use the Amazon app to create a watch list to know when they go on sale!

If you’re planning to shop off Amazon and know what stores you’d love to go to online, head over there RIGHT NOW and sign up for their email list. If you wait between 15-30 seconds, almost every website will have a pop up appear where you can put in your email and they’ll send you discount codes or shipping deals. They typically send them within the first 24 hours so if you sign up now, you’ll be able to get alerted of the deals before you checkout!

Good, Cheap Christmas Gifts

Besides just shopping online or in stores for gifts, this year I challenge you to be a bit more creative about what you’re buying and how you’re spending money.

We follow a 4 gift system where our kids get the gifts they want and need without us going overboard, wasting money, or getting them things they may never even open.

Once you come up with your Christmas Budget  go ahead and make a list of who you are buying for so that you can start to pre-shop for them. You can always get great gifts at consignment sales or DIY things to save money.

Also, don’t underestimate personalized gifts! Grandparents especially love those types of things with the kids’ pictures or homemade by them! You can save a lot of money but DYIing gifts that people will love!

When buying gifts for more than one person, think about doing a couple or family gift. Maybe they need an appliance or you want to go to Groupon and get them tickets to a family experience. They’ll probably enjoy it more, it’ll actually get use and save you money!

Our family also has just started doing a secret Santa to save money. This is where you only get a gift for one person and get just one gift in return. This eliminates a TON of spending for us and a lot of unnecessary clutter coming into our home!

And make sure you go NOW and sign up for my Kick Your Debt to the Curb in 5 Days Challenge! This will guarantee you some extra cash to add to your holiday budget!

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...

The Complete Guide to Christmas on a Budget for Moms

The Complete Guide to Christmas on a Budget for Moms

The Complete Guide to Christmas on a Budget for Moms

Christmas on a Budget

 

Christmas and the holiday season is full of so much joy but, it can also be full of so much financial stress. Without knowing how to save money at Christmas or how to have a fun Christmas on a budget, us moms can feel overwhelmed and stressed.

Last Christmas was a hard one for us. My husband had been out of work for 5 months, we had just had a new baby, and I was battling Postpartum Anxiety and Depression. We were on government assistance and barely had money to eat or pay our bills.

 

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but may provide me with a commission. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

 

But that didn’t mean we didn’t have an amazing holiday. We sat down at our family budget meeting and determined what our needs were for the holidays. As we talked about events and things that we had previously spent money on, we knew this year would be one where we would have to say “no” to some things, get creative about other things, and just replace some traditions with more frugal ones.

 

The #1 thing that allowed us to be able to not feel like the Grinch and enjoy the memories was the budget that we created and STUCK TO all season. This was a 100% cash budget that requires some creativity and, for me, to get smart about how I could bring in extra cash during the months leading up to it.

 

 

Once you look deeply at your budgets, you’ll be able to see where you can make some cuts in order to save for Christmas and beyond. Start with printing out last month’s bank and credit statements and use highlighters to color code your spending (for example, make purple eating out and green kid’s stuff). This will give you a bigger picture at where you can cut things out.

 

Instead of spending $10 a week on Starbucks, take that money you’d spend and put it in an envelope for holiday spending. If you were putting your Starbucks on your credit card… STOP. There is no point in finding ways to make extra money if you’re just going to use credit cards. You’re just taking that money from yourself right away. I know how hard the credit card mindset can be, and believe me, I constantly work on my money mindset, but you CAN make these changes if you’re serious!

 

 christmas budget for moms

 

 

Why you need a budget for the holidays?

 

It is so easy to overspend during the holidays. You have gifts to buy, events to attend, and parties to host, and soon your debit or credit cards can become your best friend. Come January, you’ll check out your bank statement and realized you’ve spent over $1,000 on things that you don’t even remember buying.

 

You need to go into the holidays with a budget in mind so that you are not full of regrets later on. If it’s within your means to spend a little more extravagantly, then go for it! But, if you need to be smart and frugal about where your money goes, that’s okay too!

 

The key here is that you develop your budget in advance, determine how much you want to spend that you can cash flow and stick to it! It is incredibly easy to not fully plan out your spending and then double your budget that last week before Christmas because you are just impulse and last minute shopping!

Using a Cash Budget Envelope System

 

It is SO easy to overspend when you don’t have a budget OR you choose to use cards instead of cash. By creating a budget and using a cash system for all of your holiday spending, you can prevent overspending, stay on all of your predetermined budgets, and feel a ton less stress.

 

We use a cash system for all of our budgets and financial organization. We used to use credit and debit cards ALL the time but the problem was that we really had no clue what we were actually spending. Our bank statements were often a transaction or two off, we would forget to write down the little purchases and we went too quickly into our wallets to pay with a credit card if we thought we ‘needed’ something.

 

christmas budget for moms

 

If you and your family commit to a cash Christmas, you have to make sure you’re all willing to stick to it. This also might mean that the way you previously have spent will need to get altered. If you can’t afford to cash flow the $500 fancy watch for your husband then maybe this year, you come up with an alternative gift (that I’m sure he’ll love just as much) at half the cost.

 

Really think about what your holiday needs and wants are and don’t feel like you have to spend a ton ‘just because’ it’s the holidays. When it comes to gifts for the kids, we follow a 4 gift system  and make sure our gifts are thoughtful and practical without going overboard. There is no need to overspend on toys that are most likely not going to get opened anyway (or forgotten about in a week or two).

 

Once A Month Meals

Create a Christmas Budget Worksheet

 

The first step you need in creating a budget for Christmas that fits you and your family’s needs is to create a simple chart to track all of your estimated spending and actual spending. I use Trello to do this and it’s a lifesaver!

 

On Trello you can create lists of who and what you are spending this season, save links for deals and items you need to buy, and track what you’ve actually spent. This will help you start to save and stay on track when it comes to spending. 

 

Using a Trello board makes it super easy because you can link all of your holiday stuff in one place. If you see a link on Etsy for a gift you love, come across a coupon code for something you need, or want to look at your budgets and shopping lists when you’re out at the store, you can just check it out on your mobile phone and BAM, it’s all in one place! You can learn more about Trello and how it makes my mom life easier over in my Trello course!

Simple Budget Categories

 

When thinking about what areas you want to budget for, the best thing to do is braindump all of the areas you know that you’ve spent money in the past. Do you have to buy gifts for each of your kids’ teachers? Does your job have a holiday party that you need to pay for a sitter and an Uber? Do you host Christmas dinner?

 

Start by writing down all of the areas you know that you need to save for. This will allow you to start figuring out how much is in your means to spend (because remember, the goal is a CASH Christmas!) and where you can start looking for deals!

 

By having it organized, you’ll also just get a better bird’s eye view of all that is coming up and some thing that maybe you should say no too. Now that you know what’s coming in advance you can search Groupon for deals on memories and events or start to look for sales for gifts you might need.

How to use the Envelope System

 

 

After you determine how much you plan to spend in each area, it’s time to start saving an putting cash aside. I suggest creating an envelope for each area so that you can separate the cash.

 

You can follow my 12 week system  to start saving cash each week and putting it in your envelopes. You can also start finding other ways to get cash (like selling things on Facebook Marketplace or using Apps  and, as it comes in, put it in envelopes instead of your wallet! This way that money won’t get mindlessly spent on Starbucks but intentionally spent on what you need.

 

The key to the cash system is making sure that all of the envelopes are labeled and you don’t borrow from another one! If you go overboard on buying baking items for cookies, you can’t take from the ‘holiday events’ envelope! This just means you’ll have to be strategic, find some coupons, or say no to something.

 

If you want some extra help getting your budget together for the holidays, and beyond, than make sure you sign up for the Kick Your Debt to the Curb Challenge! In 5 days, I’ll show you how you can save up to $500 (yes in just 5 days!) and start to get your finances under control!

 

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...

How to Save Money on Kid’s Clothes

How to Save Money on Kid’s Clothes

Back to School Money Saving Tips

 

The first few months of school can be crazy. I remember it as a teacher and I’ve experienced it as a parent. There are a bunch of events, everything has a cost, and you feel like you’re running out of money pretty quickly.

 

Depending on how many kids you have in school, your costs can add up fast. There are definitely ways to save money during this crazy Back to School Time that won’t leave you pinching pennies or feeling like you can’t get something you need.

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but may provide me with a commission. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

 

 

Your costs will vary depending on your kid’s age so take the tips below and adjust them to fit your needs. In our home, my stepson will be going into 6th grade (eep! Middle school!) and my 2.5 year old is starting preschool for 3 days a week! That means we have a variety of costs that will come up to keep on top of but luckily, we can start to plan ahead.

Tip #1 Create a Budget for Back to School Shopping 

The first thing I suggest you do is to create a budget for all things you consider Back to School. Spend 15-20 minutes and write out all of the costs that you remember from last year. I use a Trello board so that I can easily just reference what we spent last year but, if you don’t have a record anywhere, just estimate to the best of your ability. You are bound to forget things but, that’s okay, we’ll build it into the budget.

Once you’ve created your list, go back and highlight the things that are absolutely essential (maybe you have to pay the school for supplies upfront or need to pay for sports fees) so that you can really look at what you NEED vs what you WANT.

Now, don’t get me wrong I am not Scrooge, but I am someone who is trying to pay off as much debt as possible and I need to do an ego check every once and while to see where I’m spending unnecessarily. I’ve seen moms spend upwards to $500 on back to school clothes and supplies and, while your kids might need some clothes, you need to determine how much is reasonable to spend on them.

Determine what you will be spending per kid on clothes and stick to it. Take the money out in cash and don’t go over that budget. If you have older kids, you can make it a teachable moment for them and give them the money and let them try to find deals. This was a lesson that we taught my stepson since he currently is obsessed with name brands and realized very quickly that Walmart has just as nice things as Nordstrom.

 

Tip #2 Save Money By Shopping Online  

 

Speaking of clothes, there are a TON of ways you can save money when creating your kid’s back to school wardrobe.

 

If you’re going to shop online, I highly suggest signing into your EBATES  account before hand. EBATES will give you coupon codes and cashback just for doing the shopping you are planning on doing.

 

Also, whenever you log into a website, if you wait about 30 seconds, most stores will have a pop up that offers you at least 10% off your purchase. Make sure you give them your email (you can always unsubscribe later) so they can send you the code before you shop. It may take up to 24 hours for it to come to you so just sign up a few days before you plan to use it.

 

 

If the site you are on doesn’t have a coupon code readily available, you can always just search google and find codes for discounts or free shipping. I try never to pay for shipping if possible!

 

Tip #3 Shop discount or thrift stores for great deals

 

You can also get great deals in the stores if you shop smart. If you have an idea of the sizes you need, you can shop clearance racks in advance to grab stuff that they will need.

 

It’s tougher because my kids grow either super fast or super slow and I am never 100% sure what sizes they are in. My daughter has been in 2T for almost 2 years and my stepson has gone up 4 sizes this year!

 

Make sure you check out stores like Burlington Coat Factory or Ross where you can get nicer quality of clothes and some name brands for super cheap. Consignment and thrift stores always have great finds and things you would pay over 50% more for if you bought them brand new in a store. Really ask yourself if your kid needs a red shirt or if they need a red Ralph Lauren shirt.

 

Tip #4 Create a Capsule Wardrobe

 

Creating a capsule wardrobe is also a super smart way to stretch the clothes your kids wear while not having them in exactly the same thing. We know the truth, your kids (and probably you) only wear about 10-15% of what you own. So why not utilize the stuff you love and get rid of what doesn’t serve you.

 

The first step to creating your kid’s capsule wardrobe is to inventory what they have. Take a few hours and inventory all of their closets and dressers. I create a Trello board for all of the clothes so that I can know exactly what’s there when I need to shop or plan outfits.

 

Make your kids try things on (which we both know they’ll love), pack up what’s out of season, donate or sell on the Facebook Marketplace (extra clothing budget money!) anything that’s still in pretty good shape and really make it to they can see everything and, nothing is being stuffed in a drawer.

 

They do not need a whole month of new shirts but just a few staple pieces that they can mix or match. Take the time in advance to create 2-3 weeks of a clothing plan for them. Write down which tops and bottoms you want to mix and match and make sure you’re getting your bang for your buck when it comes to clothes.

 

back to school ideas

Tip #5 Do a Clothing Swap

 

If you have friends who also have kids around the same age as yours, see if you can organize a clothing swap. Have everyone come with over with gently used clothes and you can all swap what you already have.

 

I find for my stepson, this type of thing works better if he has no idea where the clothes came from (the same when I shop at consignment). I just take the clothes home and wash and fold them and tell him, “oh I got you these for back to school”. He just assumes I took that tags off to wash them and we’re good to go.

 

And while I know teaching him about being thrifty is important (and we do it very often in this house) I also know that I need to pick my battles and this is one I don’t feel like fighting.

BONUS TIP! Don’t buy clothes right away!

 

So often, we’ll do all of our back to school shopping weeks before school starts to get it done and 3 days into school, our kids come home saying they want something else that they saw their friend has.

 

If you can get a handful of new things and then wait a week or so, you can get the ‘back to school’ clothes on sale because stores are making room for the next season!

 

Don’t let back to school have you turning to credit cards and stressing over how you’ll be able to get all the things your kids ‘need’. Remember what matters, what they may really need, and stick to the budget. Once you decide on that budget DO NOT steer from it!

 

Did these tips help you??? Make sure you share in on your Facebook and PIN it ot come back to later!

 

 

 

 

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...

6 Ways to Make Money From Home (without doing surveys)

6 Ways to Make Money From Home (without doing surveys)

6 Ways to Make Money from Home (without doing surveys)

 

I was a teacher for 8 years and I loved it. But I was burnt out. I was finding myself crying on the way to work, not having time to see my family, and just felt so lost in my purpose. I knew I wanted to stay home with my kids and would do what I needed to in order to stay home with my kids.

 

Once I made that decision, nothing could stop me from finding a ton of side hustles that actually paid off. I work daily at my money mindset and knew that even a few dollars here and there would pay off.

 

I got started being a work from home mom with direct sales and network marketing. I found a product I loved and it felt super natural for me to share it with others. That allowed me to have the freedom to be home and now, I have multiple streams of income that help pay our mortgage each month and a ton of ideas on the backburner.

 

If you’re a mom looking to stay home with your kids, know that you CAN do it! Every little bit will add up and it is possible! Below are some of the ways that I make money and some that friends and readers have shared with me!

 

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but help me fund this page. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

 

Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

Ways to Make Money From Home 

 

1. BestMark

 

Best Mark is a legit way to make money as a secret shopper. While the money may not add up quickly, you put in your zip code and when shops in your area come up you can complete them. In my area, I am always getting shops to go to the local Best Buy or the casino that is just a few miles away. For some of the shops, like the casino or a restaurant, they will reimburse you up to a certain amount on food and also pay you. You have to complete a phone survey once your shop is complete. If you are interested in this and sign up, I suggest grabbing opportunities as soon as you see them in your inbox! They are first come, first serve n go very fast!

 

2. User Testing

 

User Testing is a way to give feedback to websites about usability. You can log into your portal (which is the only way you know if they have any available reviews) and once you hear the ding, jump on it! This is another site that is first come, first serve but if you qualify for the review, you can earn $10 for each review. You are given instructions to go to the test website and audio record your thoughts based on questions that they provide. I’ve made a few hundred dollars over the past few months just doing this once and a while! Sign up here!

 

3. VIP Kid

 

VIPKid is a virtual teaching community where you teach English via the internet to students in China. You do need a bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible and their interview process is very extensive! I made it to the end of the process but ultimately, decided that the hours (either super early in the AM or after kids went to bed) didn’t currently fit into my schedule. You can earn a part-time income through easily if you’re willing to put in the work!

 

4. APPEN

 

Appen is a virtual site where companies hire assistants to complete basic data entry jobs for them. You can apply for data entry, research, social media and more! Pick things that you are skilled in and interest you and, if a job becomes available, they’ll email you to apply. I’ve applied for a few jobs that came in but never actually gotten picked so I can’t 100% tell you how much you’d make. You can check it out for yourself here!

 

5. Network or Multi-Level Marketing

As I said at the start of this post, I got into entrepreneurship via network marketing. I know what you’re thinking… “network marketing isn’t for me, I don’t want to sell to my friends, doesn’t everyone do that”. And I hear you.

But I want you to hear me out. Network Marketing is NOT for everyone. I’ll just put that out there. But I believe if you have a product you love, that you’d buy anyway, and you want to share that passion with others, than I truly believe you can be successful in direct sales.

I’ve been about to make over $100,000 in the 5.5 years that I’ve worked as a health and fitness coach because I loved the products, saw my own results and wanted to help other women feel amazing. If you think this option is for you, check out a product and ask the distributor if they have an option to get a discount and sell it. If you are curious about health and fitness, email me at coachingwithcara@gmail.com and we can chat more!

6. Create Your Own Products and Courses


While I loved what I did as a health and fitness coach, I knew that God had a bigger purpose for me to impact women on a larger scale. Because of that, I began to branch out and currently work more as a virtual life coach. For me, this has been the main way I bring in income, helped me reach more women on my own schedule, and lets me us the spiritual gifts I know God has gifted me.

The main ways you can make income this way is to start your own blog OR create a course on your own. I started my blog after a few years of thinking about it in just 3 weeks at 2 am while I was nursing my newborn! If I can do it, so can you! There are many ways to monetize a blog and I learned so many of them in this awesome course; Blog by Number. I HIGHLY suggest anyone serious about getting a blog up easily and quickly to take Suzi’s course. She makes it super simple from start to finish and really walks you through how to get it off the ground.

When I got started with my blog, the first thing I did was pick my domain and where I wanted to host it because, as you’ll find, the first few names you love might be taken. As soon as I thought of “A Purpose Driven Mom” I headed right to Siteground and grabbed it up for the year!

Once I got my blog off the ground, I started to create my own products. You actually don’t need a blog to make your own e-book or course, but I highly suggest having an email service provider and that be the first investment you make in your business! I LOVE Convertkit! It’s super easy to use (I am NOT very tech savvy) and super affordable!

If you are ready to make your own e-book or e-course you can easily head to Canva or PicMonkey to get it off the ground! For hosting courses, I host all of mine on the Teachable platform.

It can be super overwhelming to get started on your own blog or products so, if you want to talk about if it’s an option for you, email me at coachingwithcara@gmail.com {Subject Line: Consultation} and we can set up a free 20-minute consultation to talk through your ideas! I also offer business coaching to any moms to want some step by step help and you can email me to talk about payment plan options!

 

There are a TON of ways for moms to make money from home that doesn’t involve doing surveys that pay pennies (though I have done those too!) and really can make a difference to either a business or someone else! And again, if you want help figuring out your next steps, let’s talk! Just email coachingwithcara@gmail.com and we can set up a consultation! I love to help moms figure out how they can make money from home, fit it into their busy schedule and make a difference!

 

Oh and if this helped, do me a fav??? Hit the SHARE or PIN button!!

Make Money From Home as a Stay at Home Mom

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...

How to Change Your Money Mindset

How to Change Your Money Mindset

What is a Money Mindset?

“Everyone has debt.”

“You need debt for your credit score.”

“I mean, who doesn’t have student loans?”

“You’re supposed to have a mortgage forever.”

“That’s what credit cards are for!.”

Statements like these are what is keeping people in lifelong debt. And it’s what kept me in debilitating debt for years. I grew up in a household where the phrase “we don’t have enough money for that” was played on repeat and where I saw my parents go into bankruptcy and struggle to pay bills. And for many of us, we just assume having debt is what life is ‘supposed to be like’.

Well, what if I told you, YOU had the power to change that narrative. You could get yourself out of debt and start to shift the money story that your family has? You can be the change for your financial legacy and your children’s story. But you have to start with your mindset.

This post may contain affiliate links which cost you nothing extra to use but help me fund this page. To read my full disclosure head on over here.

What’s holding you back?

A lot of times when we have a negative money mindset, it stems from the way we grew up. And honestly, as a parent now, it is frightening to think about how much impact I really do have on my children. How much what I say (and don’t say), how I interact with them, and just our day to day life really will make a difference in their future.

And for most of us, when it comes to money, it all comes down to how we were taught to treat it. If you think about money, does it make you anxious? Is money something you and your family don’t talk about at all? Are you constantly complaining about what you don’t have? Do you do it in front of your children?

Because I guarantee, if you dig into it, and think about how your parents were about money around you, you’ll see yourself looking into a mirror. And it’s up to us to start to change that story for our future and the future of our children.

To determine why you think the way you do about money, ask yourself some questions about how it was for you growing up…

  1. When you think about finances, what emotions are brought to the surface?
  2. Did you grow up in a household where people talked about money?
  3. Did you ever hear the phrase ‘we can’t afford that’?
  4. Did your parents argue about money?
  5. Did you ever feel like you didn’t have as much as a friend or another family?
  6. Did you see your parents stressing over bills?
  7. Did your parents ever talk to your about creating a budget?
  8. Did you earn an allowance?
  9. Did your parents buy you whatever you wanted?
  10. Did you ever have to have a job to pay for things yourself?
  11. Did you ever have to go without important life staples such as food or heat?
  12. Would you consider yourself spoiled?
  13. What would you have changed about the way your parents talked about money?
  14. Did you ever have a period of lack where your family struggled to have a place to live?
  15. Do you harbor any unforgiveness around money and your parents?

As you dive into these questions, realize how your parents interacted with money played either a negative or positive role in your money mindset. They either left you a really great example of how to be frugal but smart about money,how to have an abundance mindset even when the money might not be there, and how to work hard to be able to make smart purchases OR they made you feel insecure about money, that bills and finances are something to stress over and that there will never be enough money for you and your needs.

And honestly, this may really sting. I know for me, I grew up with a really negative money mindset and can vividly remember times where it was ingrained in me that I will always struggle with money and felt very financially insecure. I am someone who struggles with anxiety and, for me, money issues are a HUGE trigger. WHen I have to spend money at all, I become that little girl again hearing my parents argue about bills and feeling guilty for buying anything.

Can I ask you… are you still becoming that little girl too? Do you blame your parents? Are you holding onto those mindset that they taught you? If so, the next step to changing your mindset is…

Forgiveness 

 

Maybe you didn’t realize until you started going through the questions that a lot of your mindset was shaped by your parents or maybe this is something that you struggle with day to day. Whatever the case, I want to encourage you to LET.IT.GO.

 

If you hold onto this spirit of unforgiveness about finances towards your parents, or maybe their boss for making them work long hours but not paying enough, or someone who borrowed money from your parents and never paid it back, or anyone that impacted your mindset, then you will never be ready to move on financially. You will always be that little girl afraid of money and feeling inadequate when it comes to finances.

 

You have to give forgiveness to those people in order to move on. Maybe your parents didn’t realize how much you heard of conversations whispered in the kitchen, or realize how much it would impact you (I mean as parents, how often do we think about it?) or understand just how much the words we put into the universe impact how our minds are shaped. Or maybe they did; maybe they thought they were teaching you these incredible lessons to ‘harden you’ in the world, or maybe they wanted you to see what hard work really meant (but in turn just taught you that you have to struggle no matter what).

 

Today, I want to encourage you to write down those people’s names and experiences in a journal. Brain dump all of the thoughts you have, all the emotions both positive and negative, and at the end I want you to write out the words… I FORGIVE YOU.

 

Because especially as parents, we don’t realize how much we impact our children in the long run. And just because they may have said things that could have impacted our mindset negatively, it really is up to that person's personality to either become resistant or have negativity ingrained in them. And even if you felt it was deliberate, most of the time, our parents DID THE BEST THAT THEY KNEW HOW.

 

If you felt a sense of peace after this activity, I want to challenge you to give that person a  call today to talk about it, to say that ‘this is how I felt, and I’ve been holding it in for a while but I'd like to move forward. Giving forgiveness is the first step!

 

How can you change your money mindset?  

 

Visualize 

 

After you’ve made the decision that you’re ready to move forward, forgive anyone who might have had a negative impact on your money mindset and took part in creating those money blocks, the next thing you need to do is visualize your future.

 

What do you want it to look like? Why do you want to be debt free? What would you do with your money if you didn’t have any bills each month?

 

When you take the time to dream big, and to actually picture what things could be like and how you would feel without money stress, your brain start to realize that these things can actually be a reality. Take 10 minutes today and either journal, draw or just dream what a debt free lifestyle would feel and be like for you.

 

15 minutes a day 

 

Whenever someone comes to me and says that they need to adjust their habits to be successful, I always suggest they start small and just with 15 minutes a day. So often, we become paralyzed because we don’t feel like we can ‘do it all’ so we don’t even do anything at all. Don’t let perfectionism stand in your way of making a change.

 

Start with just taking 15 minutes a day to adjust your money mindset. The best way to do this is to inventory what you are putting in your mind. If you are spending your time around people who complain about money, or brag about what they have, or only watching TV where consumerism is in our faces every single moment than your mindset will reflect that.


If you intentionally choose to put positive money thoughts into your head, over time, positive money thoughts will start to become your reality. I Like to listen to a good podcast every day that helps me learn financial tips, develop a more positive money mindset and start to dream big and realize that I CAN become debt free if I truly work at it.

 

You can do this through podcasts, youtube videos, books or audiobooks or any of the great free resources at your local library. Don’t let the fact that you ‘don't have money for a new book’ stop you from changing your mindset now!


Take 15 minutes while you are folding laundry, cooking dinner or waiting in the drop off line at school and, instead of scrolling social media, daydreaming, or listening to music or news that doesn't fuel your soul, and turn on some podcasts that will do just that!

 

Some of my favorites include;

Money for the rest of us

Journey to Launch

Afford Anything; build a better life

Suze Orman Women and Money

The Dave Ramsey Show

Optimal Finance Daily

Money for the Rest of Us

Planet Money

Chris Hogan's Retire Inspired

Money Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life

 

Did these tips help you?? Hit the SHARE button or PIN it so that they can help other moms too!

 

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

9+ Easy DIY Christmas Gifts

by | Oct 15, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

DIY Christmas Gifts   As a mom, I absolutely cherish the DIY christmas gifts from my kids. And I know that grandparents and other family members think they are super cute too! Not only do homemade gifts warm people’s hearts and make memories but, they help you have a...

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Gifts

by | Oct 8, 2018 | Financial Fitness | 0 Comments

Christmas Shopping on a Budget When it comes to buying cool gifts, it is key to look for gifts on a budget so that you don’t overspend and over stress. Whether you need to buy Christmas gifts for a big family or just one or two, if you shop smart, you can save money...