Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Are These 5 Expenses Sabotaging the Family Budget?

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If money is tight right now, and there’s probably extra Christmas spending on the horizon, you might be wondering just how you’re going to make until the end of the month.

Now might be a really good time to look at five common budget saboteurs. We often complain about gas prices and groceries, but fail to see that some of our biggest expenditures are needless extras, and non-essentials. Take a look at your last bank or credit card statement and you’ll see what I mean.

Extracurriculars

While millions of Americans are receiving a “free” education this year their parents are spending a lot of money behind the scenes. Extracurricular expenses really add up. The first thing that comes to mind is sports, because that entails a lot of equipment, mileage, food and drinks. Here are a few simple ways to cut costs:

  • Buy comfortable sports insoles for cushion and support, rather than running out for an expensive pair of replacement shoes.
  • Shop second-hand stores for shoes, equipment, teamwear and accessories like laces and insoles.
  • Join local, community-based sports teams to cut down on travel.
  • Check to see if volunteering can reduce your child’s costs.
  • Remember that money doesn’t always translate into enjoyment; make sure this is something your child REALLY wants to do!

Here are some cost-cutting measures for other common expenses:

  • Don’t opt in to every school trip.
  • Look for used instruments or rentals.
  • Borrow a suit or dress from family/friends.
  • Ask a talented friend or family member to take photographs.
  • Set a strict budget for back-to-school clothing.
  • Use social media to find school supply giveaways in your community.

Eating Out

This is one of my biggest temptations, but all I have to do is remind myself that it can add up to hundreds of dollars each month, and I know that’s just not something we can justify as a family.

Here’s how you avoid the urge to eat out:

  • Make a weekly meal plan and buy only the groceries you need for it.
  • Figure out which days you’re most likely to eat out (Sunday, after church?) and make sure you have a meal waiting at home in the crock pot.
  • Order groceries online to avoid the impulse buys inside the store.
  • Eat leftovers.
  • Set aside a little bit of extra cash each week and then use it to go out to eat once a month, and then it becomes a guiltless treat!
  • Pack a lunch (or snack) for work. You’ll not only save money, you’ll probably also lose a little weight.

Cable and Cell Phones

We’ve never had cable.  I was truly shocked to learn that the average American household spends over $200 a month on it!

Whoa.

The cost of cable was already high, but now it’s risen over 15% the past four years. Is there any TV series or news program that’s worth that kind of money if you’re living paycheck to paycheck or have very little left over at the end of the month?

You could apply that $200 to outstanding debt each month. Spend it on your health. Your children. A local charity. An elderly person in need. Or invest it. Anything but throwing it at the boob tube!

Ditch cable and try something different.

  • Rent movies and TV series for free at your local library.
  • Borrow stuff from friends and family to watch.
  • Stream through your existing Amazon or Walmart+ membership.
  • Watch stuff for free on YouTube and Rumble.
  • Pick up an antenna at Walmart or switch to SlingTV for watching sports.
  • Pick a night (or two) each week for TV and/or movies. And that’s all.
  • Play more board games. Read books. Take a walk. Work puzzles.

My monthly cell phone bill is $29.89 per month. My teenage daughter’s? Just $14.00. We switched to Twigby several years ago and never looked back.

Think of your phone as a tool. It’s mainly for communicating (talk + text), and it has a few extra bells and whistles. Do you really want to keep paying over $100 just for that?

Contact me to find out how to get a $15 credit from Twigby.

Impulse Shopping

This can happen anywhere and it can kill your budget if you don’t get a handle on it. Here’s how to stop buying things you didn’t even need (or didn’t know you wanted) to begin with.

  • Delete all shopping apps from your phone (unless they are absolutely necessary). Most stores have a website that you can use instead, and you won’t get constant notifications.
  • Delete games from your phone with in-app purchasing. You’ll also end up wasting less time.
  • Unsubscribe from retail email newsletters. Go find out what’s on sale ONLY when you actually need something and were going to shop anyway.
  • Turn off the “all notifications” option for Facebook groups that regularly share sales and deals.
  • Have a gracious way of saying “no” ever handy for multi-level-marketing and home-based business invitations. Don’t buy under pressure or for fear of hurting someone’s feelings.
  • Use online ordering for groceries and pick-up curbside; there’s less temptation to impulse buy stuff that you see inside the store.
  • Don’t take your children shopping, if possible. I’m always to tempted to get mine a little treat or toy!

Cut the Coffee and Coke

Here’s another shocker. One third of Americans spend more on coffee than they do on investing for the future! The average American spends $3.00 a day on specialty coffee alone.

As for sugary drinks (tea, soda, sports beverages), most Americans drink at least one a day. Unfortunately, the majority of them are already low income. Remember when a 12-pack of Coke was about three dollars? Now it’s close to eight!

Eliminating costs like this can add up to over $1,000 or more per year in savings.

Try these alternatives:

  • Brew coffee at home. Invest in a good quality thermal to-go cup.
  • Prepare tea at home. Black, green, herbal, chai – it’s inexpensive, delicious and even has some health benefits!
  • Switch to fruit-infused sparkling water (no sugar, no sweeteners); it costs 50% less than soda.
  • Gradually decrease the sugar you drink in tea until you can enjoy it unsweetened.
  • Drink milk (yes, good old milk) or coconut water instead of expensive sports and energy drinks.

Wrapping it Up

As you are taking the scissors to your budget, it helps to know there are online financial options if you get in a bind.

And PLEASE don’t miss out on one of the biggest ways to save thousands of dollars – opt for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage if you’ll be buying a home this year. The average homeowner saves over $100,000 in interest to the bank. You read that right!

And for those just starting out with a budget, this app is dead-easy, and free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post is a collaboration with our friends at Responsival

6 Essential Tea Party Tips

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No matter the occasion, an afternoon tea party can be the perfect answer to a social dilemma. Centered around a steaming pot of history’s most time-honored beverage, a tea party is versatile and seasonal, so you can adapt it to may different occasions:

  • Baby showers
  • Bridal showers
  • Anniversaries
  • Retirement
  • Birthdays
  • Gathering with friends

Choose the Theme

You can, of course, stick with classic afternoon tea, in the style of the English, pair with traditional treats like small sandwiches and scones and cakes. But there are many other ways to enjoy the ceremony!

Many years ago, my sister and I had a Victorian tea party for our children. Everyone wore a costume and the ladies put their hair up. Fancy affairs like that call for dressy attire and fine jewelry (one of my favorite trends right now is fun and versatile stackable rings). This goes for tea parties that celebrate weddings and anniversaries, too. 

teaparty

Here’s a charming photo of the late Queen Elizabeth enjoying tea; notice her gorgeous triple strand pearl necklace and sapphire brooch!

Princess Kate regularly enjoys one of England’s grandest traditions, and tends to choose more understated colors and elegant, conservative jewelry. Perfect pairings are the order of the day, whether that’s layered necklaces or coordinating, stackable rings.

Your tea party could be centered around almost any theme whether that’s seasonal, cultural or popular movies and music.

The Basics: Tea Pot and Cups

You might need to do a little bit of shopping for your tea party if you don’t already have a tea service. But it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, and you’re certainly welcome to ask around or borrow from a friend or family member. Soon after I was married, I decided to invest in a tea set that matched all my Blue Willow everyday pieces. Over the years, I’ve used my Blue Willow to serve tea and coffee to guests many time, so the investment has been well worth it. I encourage you to scout garage sales, thrift stores, antique shops and Ebay to find something really unique. Tea things can be part of a set, or mismatched for a whimsical flair. My mother had a set of tea cups that were all different and as a little girl I loved to pick a new one to drink from each time we enjoyed tea. 

tea3

Star of the Show: The Tea

I like to provide a mix of loose tea and tea bags for more variety. It’s fun to choose a flavor from an assortment of tea bags, but steeping fresh tea leaves also adds a layer of enjoyment and relaxation to the party. My family has been a huge fan of Bigelow over the years; if you have never tried the iconic Constant Comment or Lemon Lift, what are you waiting for? Another brand known for it’s quality and refinement is Harney and Sons.

Making tea enjoyable for everyone means including plenty of extras like milk, real cream, lemon, sugar and alternative sweeteners. For an elegant touch, purchase sugar cubes for the occasion and serve them in a pretty bowl. 

Floral Décor

Your teapots and food will be doing a lot of the decorating work for you, but adding fresh flowers to your tea party is timelessly elegant. Seasonal blooms can be artfully arranged in a variety of containers; the most obvious trick is to go with your tea theme and pop the flowers into a pot, kettle or mug. If you are setting up a large tea table, go for a large arrangement. If you will be serving a small group from a tray, a tiny little arrangement right in the middle looks really cute.

If you’re a complete dunce at arranging flowers (like yours truly), check out these super simple tips from Cottage on Bunker Hill. You can make something lovely even if you only have a few stems of eucalyptus.

tea4

 

 

The Food

What you drink is the highlight of any tea, so finger foods are the obvious choice if you’ll be serving something to eat. Go for small, delicious and pretty to look at. Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth scones are a traditional but still popular offering; you can decorate them with a drizzle of icing or a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Add some butter and jellies and jams for guests to spread over the scone of their choice. Cut up mini sandwiches of all types or arrange cookies on a pretty plate.

Since a tea party is all about the tea, you don’t need to stress out about the food. Don’t feel like baking or running to the store? You can order sweet, elegant treats like chocolate covered strawberries delivered to your door via the Internet.

Display tarts or decorated cookies on tiered stands, or put a paper doily on top of an open cake dome. To dress up plain Jane desserts like muffins or bars, use a tiny dollop of whipped cream and some brightly colored berries.

cake

The Extras

The main reasoning behind tea time is socializing over a soothing brew, but you can provide some extras for fun, especially if you’ve planned this little shindig as a way to celebrate any special event in your life. Queue up movie or series that frequently features tea time, like Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs or any of the BBC classics. Add old world flair with Victorian parlor games like Forfeits, Pass the Slipper and Lookabout. 

So, while you might not be able to pop over to London for tea and biscuits, there’s no reason you can’t celebrate this lovely old tradition right in the comfort of your own home. Tea time is celebrated in many cultures and in many ways, and I think it’s a much-needed respite in our hurried society.

It’s time to stop and smell the tea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post was made possible by a partnership with Responsival.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

5 of the Biggest Ways to Save Money and Cut Costs

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If you already have a budget, or at least try very hard to watch your money each month, you’ve likely found that the higher cost of living right now means there still isn’t enough money at the end of the month.

Or perhaps you’re only just able to meet expenses, but there’s nothing left for fun…or savings. That can be very disheartening!

To free up more money, you’ve got to look for cost-saving measure that add up to BIGGER dividends. Here are a few.

Tackle the Big Ones First

Take a good hard look at the biggest bill you have each month. It’s probably your house or your car. These options help lower or eliminated home and transportation expenses:

  • Insurance: Lower your insurance cost across all categories by dedicating a little bit of time to compare rates. For example, cheap term life insurance rates can save you thousands of dollars over years and can even result in a bigger payout. With term life insurance, you only pay for what you need. Remember, life insurance is not an ideal investment plan! Invest elsewhere for better returns. While searching for cheap term life insurance rates and other products like home and auto, bundling them together can also save thousands.
  • Vehicles: Sell your non-essential car. This is the one that’s not used very often or has a payment that’s killing your monthly budget. You’ll pocket some cash and also save on insurance and taxes and maintenance.
  • Mortgage: Deciding if a refinance (not the cash out option) is financially wise. It differes depending on your situation. Twice, my husband and I have looked into this option only to find it didn’t pay off financially. We stuck with our high 15-year mortgage and found other ways to cut corners.
  • See if you can finally drop the monthly PMI insurance on your home. Is your mortgage balance down to 80% of the home’s original value?
  • Get out from under a high monthly car payment by selling it and buying a reliable used car for less. I know nicer, new cars are so sweet, but the payments aren’t. Imagine if you had an extra $400-$500 bucks a month! Yes, that’s the average car payment in America.

Buy Less Meat and Don’t Shop Hungry

Pound for pound, meat takes a big bite out of your food bill. Even replacing just one meal per week with something vegetarian can add up to big savings over the month, as much as $100 or more. Here are some tips for cheap meatless meals:

  • Make your chili with veggies only. Corn, butternut squash and rice add extra texture and heartiness. Use plenty of spices and you won’t miss the meat (as much).
  • Buy seafood wisely because shrimp and fillets can cost more than meat. Tuna is the cheapest option.
  • Take your favorite meals and make them meatless (pasta with marinara, burritos with beans and cheese, vegetarian curry, etc.)
  • Have breakfast for dinner: waffles, cheese omelets, quiche, fruit, biscuits and gravy, etc.
  • Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup will always be a classic American meal. Add a side salad to make it extra nice.
  • All jokes aside, any family on a budget needs to form a meaningful relationship with beans. I’ve been serving these in one form or another since my children were babies. Black beans, pintos, navy beans and refried beans are generally well-liked by children.

Also, take advantage of curbside pickup and online ordering. Buy only what you need and avoid walking through a store hungry and susceptible to impulse purchasing.

Switch to Cash for Your Spending Money

What about all that stuff you buy that’s too small to budget?

  • Postage stamps
  • A vanilla latte
  • A bag of chips and a drink at the gas station
  • A greeting card for your friend
  • Lunch at Chick-fil-a
  • A tube of mascara
  • A few items you forgot to buy in your big grocery trip

If using a debit or credit card for these items, then you don’t really count the cost. It can add up to hundreds per month, and since we have ridiculously bad short term memories, we don’t feel like we’re spending that much. Yet the average Starbucks fan spends about $1,500 per year, and that’s based just on the $3 beverages. Some specialty coffees and smoothies cost $6 or more!

Switching to cash for your miscellaneous spending money keeps you mindful that money is finite, and helps you say NO when it’s running low. It’s good discipline not just for you, but also for your children. You can honestly tell them (and yourself), “We can’t get any treats today, I’m all out of cash!”

Change Your TV or Phone Service

The average cell phone bill in America is over $100 per month. Start saving huge amounts of money TODAY by switching to Twigby (contact me to find out how to get a $15 Twigby credit). I’ve been a customer for two years and give it five full stars. And I love their “a la carte” option which allows me to decide exactly how much data and minutes you want to pay for each month (especially nice for limiting your teen’s phone). Click the graphic on my blog menu at right for full details!

And now let’s talk about cable. The average monthly bill is $200. What a drain on the family budget! And what a waste of time, with most Americans watching 2 or 3 hours every day! My family never did get cable; we have movie night once a week and spend $2.99 on an Amazon rental, or watch a DVD from our collection. It’s something to look forward to and eliminates the temptation of vegging out every night in front of the boob tube instead of getting quality, face-to-face time in with your spouse, your friends and your children.

Here are some relaxing and worthwhile things you can do at home instead of relying on TV’s and screens:

  • Read a chapter book out loud
  • Buy some easy-to-play instruments (they sell sets for children) and put on some fun music
  • Play a card game or party game with adult friends
  • Play a board game with the family
  • Weather permitting, enjoy a backyard game like bocci, croquet, kubb, spike ball or badminton

Spend on Needs, Not Wants

Sit down and make two columns on a piece of paper. One is for the things you NEED to budget for right now; the other is for the stuff you’d like to buy but don’t really have to.

Examples of needs:

  • A new kitchen faucet, because yours leaks
  • A pair of boots, because yours have a hole
  • A pair of cleats, for your son who’s in football
  • A night guard, because you grind your teeth while sleeping
  • A gift, because your mother’s birthday is next week

Notice these expenditures have a certain urgency to them. Or they solve a legitimate problem. Some might even be non-negotiable.

Examples of wants:

  • Another blu-ray disc for your collection (it can wait)
  • A bigger microwave (handy but not urgent)
  • A new recipe book (not essential)
  • A different purse (not essential)
  • Your favorite hoodie, in another color (it can wait)

And so on. Tell yourself that putting off wants is temporary, just until cash flow improves and/or debts are eliminated. You can always treat yourself in other ways that are cheap, or even free.

Examples of free (and cheap) ways to relax and enjoy life:

  • Rearrange a room just for fun (have one of your children help with moving furniture)
  • Go for a walk or a drive alone. Wonder aimlessly for a while.
  • Watch a favorite old movie while your spouse takes the children out for a walk or plays a game with them
  • Visit a church. Pray, meditate and enjoy the peace.
  • Visit a museum or library.
  • Buy a bouquet and create a few small arrangements to place throughout your home
  • Sign up for a free online beauty consultation, or head for your favorite department store for beauty samples and demos
  • Attend a free concert or benefit performance
  • Visit yard sales
  • Check the free section on your local Craigslist and see what’s available!

For more practical money-saving tips for families on a budget click here.

 

 

 

 

 

This post is made possible by a partnership with Responsival

Summer Reading with TAN Books: St. Gianna and St. Claude

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Yesterday I woke up and went about my day not even thinking about what day it was. This has happened more than once in the past few weeks, and that’s a sure sign that summer has arrived! My days fluctuate between getting random “back burner” projects done and reading a lot more, particularly on scorchingly hot days with 40 mile per hour gusts (it’s a Kansas thing).

And that brings me to the reason for this post. TAN shared a couple of new titles with me and so here are my thoughts on those!

An Exemplary Couple: Saint Gianna and Pietro Molla

by Valentina de Marco

Well known in pro-life circles, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla is a shining example of self-sacrificing motherhood. When a tumor was found on her uterus during pregnancy, Gianna opted to have it removed so that her child’s life would be spared. She turned down the recommended treatments: abortion and hysterectomy, “choices” that would have greatly improved her prognosis. After her daughter, Gianna Emanuela, was born, postpartum infection set in and Saint Gianna died a week later. She was canonized in 2004, at the very twilight of John Paul II’s papacy.

Feeling less like a story and more like a documentary, An Exemplary Couple includes letters, messages, Magisterial documents and eyewitness accounts. From these, you’ll gain insights into the distinctive features of this holy couple’s Christian courtship and marriage. It’s a quick read, but an inspiring one. What were their aspirations? What made their marriage and family life tick? And perhaps most importantly, what formed Gianna into the heroic woman that the Church now universally honors? I especially enjoyed reading Pietro’s reflections, as the husband of a saint. It’s not often we get a glimpse into that perspective!

This new hardback is available for purchase now at TAN books for $24.95; the eBook is about half the cost. And you can always save an extra 15% on regularly priced books like this one when you use my code ZH15.

Seeking the Heart of Christ

by Saint Claude la Colombiere

With June, the month of the Sacred Heart, now in the rear view mirror, you can keep this devotion alive by reading this beautiful classic penned by the confessor of Saint Mary Margaret. Saint Claude was a great champion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and each chapter of this little book is very pithy. I worked through it very slowly and although the end is in sight, I plan to keep it by my bedside table to pull out again from time to time. There are many gems here, like this insight on the human conscience from Chapter 4: “It is the voice of grace, this advice, this good counsel you receive in the depths of your heart…disdain can oblige this friend to be silent, and even to change its friendship into hate and fury. When this friend speaks, it speaks all; when it no longer speaks all it is silent.”

This passage immediately called to mind that dramatic scene from Pinocchio, when the exasperated wooden boy throws a hammer at the embodiment of his conscience, killing the poor Talking Cricket. What a foolish puppet he was to silence that “voice of grace” at the very dawn of his life!

Saint Claude’s poignant reflections will cause you to search your heart more deeply, while enticing you to explore the depths of the heart of Christ, to get to know better the Man who gave His all for us.

TAN’s translation of Seeking the Heart of Christ is hardbound with a beautiful marbled ivory cover, gold-stamped and featuring easy to read typeset inside. It’s on sale right now for just $10.00!

What’s on Sale Now?

Check out TAN’s $5.00 Summer Reading List!

Giveaway: Leave a comment and let me know what you think, or if you have any questions about these two books. I’ll be giving away a copy of each book and choose 2 comments at random on Wednesday, July 9th.

CONGRATULATIONS to the two winners: Andrea won the Saint Gianna Molla book and Angel won Saint Claude!

Starting Your Own Neighborhood Soccer League

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Just to the south of our house lies a huge hay field, and we’d never done much with it. But a couple of years ago, my husband and a couple of friends decided to put together a community soccer club and suddenly that big field became very essential!

Being a part of a smaller soccer club will save your family time and money, plus you’ll get to have more control and flexibility. If you’d like to start something similar in your neighborhood, read on!

Start with the basics:

  • Decide on an initial schedule of practice days and times.
  • Find a free or low cost field to play in. Check with your local churches and schools or use someone’s yard.
  • Line up a few volunteer coaches.
  • Send out an email to interested families, and be enthusiastic and positive!
  • Line up a few volunteer coaches. Remember, the internet is full of free resources and the most important job qualifications are zeal and dedication!

Next steps:

  • Send out an email to interested families, and be enthusiastic and positive!
  • Coaches get together to create teams
  • Put together a supply list

Equipment:

Each family can provide a ball and pair of shin pads for each child. Jerseys are optional, but one very inexpensive way to go about it is to purchase the sleeveless ones that don’t have to fit perfectly, and children can just throw over their play clothes. Each team will need a different color. We started with a blue set and a red set from Amazon.

Footwear doesn’t have to be pricey; we buy cleats for our boys at a local store for less than $15 per pair, and they offer store credit for trade-ins. To keep them fresh, and the foot properly supported, you can high-quality soccer cleat insoles.  A good, flexible soccer cleat insole can boost performance by offering stability and helping to prevent injuries and fatigue.

Invest in made in the USA athletic knee socks. The importance of long socks extends far beyond keeping leg muscles warm; they also absorb sweat and provide a little bit of protection from the elements. Athletic socks also cushion and prevent irritation from rubbing against shoes during active play.

 

You’ll also need pylons to set up the parameters (a soccer net is optional).

You’ll probably find that many families will be willing to chip in and help cover any other costs that arise. And if you have a need, don’t forget to email the group and ask first if someone already has that item and would lend it out.

Setting up Teams

You’ll need to create teams based on age, and this will roughly equate to ability. Shoot for at least 8 children per team.

If you have a lot of little children who want to be involved in what their siblings are doing, then by all means create a toddler team! One or two parents can take charge of this outfit, which will be a lot more about fun and running off steam than about skill and competition.

On the Field

Our typical get-together consisted of practice first, then a drink break and then a game at the end. It took a about an hour. If you have a toddler team, they’ll fizzle out a lot more quickly.

More ideas:

  • When you and the coaches feel the team has progressed to a decent level, arrange a game with another league or club in your area.
  • Make sure someone in the group is in charge of taking quality videos and photos.
  • Have an awards ceremony at the end of the season; ribbons or medals can be purchased at Walmart – with your Walmart+ membership, it all ships free right to your door!

As you can see, our neighborhood league didn’t cost a lot of money; the most necessary elements are dedication and planning.

And as word gets out, you’ll have more and more people eager to sign up.

Have you been involved in a neighborhood sports league? I’d love to hear your thoughts!