Busy Moms Helper

Family fun, food, recipes, crafts, and free printables

subscribe

Danielle Hey y'all, I'm Danielle - the crazy behind this blog, where I share my creative life adventures as I survive life as a momma of 5 superheroes & wife to my best friend & fellow nerd. Life doesn't have to be perfect to be GREAT! You can reach me at danielle (at) busymomshelper.com - ABOUT -

Smart Money Smart Kids: Dave & Rachel’s New Book

by

I received a free digital copy of this book to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Guys I’m So. Dang. Excited! I’m part of the launch team for Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze’s (his daughter) new book: Smart Money Smart Kids. Now that I’ve read the entire thing (and am preparing to re-read it), I have to admit I don’t even know where to START in telling you guys about it! Seriously, there is so much amazing info in it for raising your kids to be smart with money, have a grateful heart, and basically prepare them for a successful future! The best way to begin something is just to begin, right? I think this ‘beginning’ should be mine and Hubby’s not-so-great financial history. So let’s just dive right in, shall we?

Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze's Smart Money Smart Kids, Book Review / by BusyMomsHelper.com / #money #parenting #kids #DaveRamsey #Finances

First of all, I’ve been a huge fan of Dave’s for awhile now. After reading his Total Money Makeover book, it completely changed how Hubby and I view our financial situation. Up until that point, however, our financial knowledge was very VERY limited. Starting our family while still in college, we used that as an excuse to rack up substantial student loans to cover our education and many living expenses. We also didn’t think much about going on several family vacations. Add to that our attempts at starting a large business that completely failed and lead us to bankruptcy…..ya, our financial situation was beyond critical.

After reading the Total Money Makeover about two years ago, we decided to turn our lives around completely. We started by moving to an area (and different state) where there was much more job potential (and a lot better pay) than where we were stuck in Utah. By doing so, we tripled Hubby’s annual salary. I have yet to figure out how we got by before….a mixture of amazing family support and the grace of heaven, probably!

We have now been working as hard as possible to get rid of our debt, which currently sits at an appalling $105,000 NOT including our home! The majority is student loans, then there’s one auto loan, a little credit card debt, and a chunk that we owe our parents (for daycare and such help while we were in school). This is not chump change, guys! We’re throwing as much as we can at this debt, and making many sacrifices along the way. No cable (not really a sacrifice), driving as infrequently as possible to save on gas and repairs, keeping a close eye on our utilities and groceries (see the 15+ Best Grocery Budgeting Tips Ever), and trying to avoid ‘extra’ stuff such as eating out and toys/games/etc. It’s a long process, but we’re determined to pull this off!

Now, I’ll be perfectly honest with you all: Hubby makes a pretty decent salary. Growing up, I never would’ve thought my family would have this income with just ONE spouse working. But think about it….this nice salary is going mostly to DEBT! To things that are in the past, instead of things we could enjoy now or save for in the future. Depressing, right?!

This is NOT what I want for my kids, so I want to arm them with as much knowledge, experience and attitude as possible in financial wisdom. That’s where Smart Money Smart Kids comes in! Dave and Rachel break it down into very specific, age-appropriate levels. With lots of personal stories and a back-and-forth type narrative, this is so fun to read! What I love the best, though, is that these lessons not only teach kids how to be financial smart, but it helps build their entire character in a way they can TRULY succeed in their life!

Here’s some of the things they touch on:

  • Build the desire in your kids to WORK, not be lazy. This will help them in so many ways throughout their life. Work isn’t really a four letter word!!!
  • Money doesn’t grow on trees. Kids need to learn that it does have a limit, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
  • Delayed gratification: learn to save! Set age-appropriate goals, allow your child to work towards something. Imagine their sense of pride and accomplishment when they’ve EARNED something by working for it.
  • Do you think it’s easier to give away money that’s not really yours anyway? Of course it is! Teaching your children that everything is really God’s money anyway will help foster a giving heart….now THAT will go far in their lives!
  • When their old enough, teaching your child the importance and benefit of a budget is crucial. Starting the habit when their younger will make it second nature when they’re grown and have much more at stake. Help them tell their money where to go, not wonder where it went!
  • Debt IS a four letter word! Just like in our situation where it’s taking EXTRA work, sacrifice and lot of years of our lives to get rid of, debt can truly ruin your child’s future. Raising them to avoid it altogether can do amazing things for them. This is one of the best things you can teach your child!
  • Student loans: AVOID THEM! There’s so many other options, and even Hubby and I (thinking back) could have paid for our college a dozen better ways than the loans. We just didn’t realize, and didn’t care. If I gave ONE piece of advice to my sisters and children on finances….avoid student loans!

Really, there’s TONS in Smart Money Smart Kids that every parent should utilize with their children. Heck, they even cover the different types of family situations (divorced, step-families, special needs kids, etc.). Seriously, they cover EVERYTHING you need to set your kid up for success!

Smart Money Smart Kids is available for pre-order NOW…and comes out April 22nd! So do your kids and all the future generations a favor and go pre-order it RIGHT NOW. It could be the best purchase you ever make for your child’s future.

15+ of the BEST Grocery Budgeting Tips EVER

by

As a busy mom, I try really hard to maximize our income the best we can. One of the most varying areas in our budget has always been groceries. So I’m often searching for smart ways to keep it as low as possible, without living on ramen noodles and pb&j sandwiches. Here’s 15+ of the BEST Grocery Budgeting Tips EVER that I’ve found, tried and loved!
15+ of the BEST Grocery Budgeting Tips EVER / by Busy Mom's Helper #Budget #Finance #Frugal #Grocery #Money
Now, maybe some of these won’t work for you. Don’t overwhelm yourself and try to do all of them at once. Pick a couple that would be best for your situation, then maybe down the road implement a few more!

Grocery Budgeting Tips

  1. Make a list, and STICK TO IT. Be strict with yourself on this, or at least plan ahead for which situations you are allowed to budge on (for example, if you see an item and you FOR SURE need that for a recipe this week, and you KNOW you don’t have any). I’ll admit, I struggle with this – thus bringing us to my saving tip number two….
  2. Only carry cash with you. Check sales/prices, check your list, and bring enough cash (don’t forget tax). I know that if I carry cash, I’m less likely to purchase things I don’t need because I would be horrified if I got to the register and didn’t have enough.
  3. Make sacrifices, or substitutions. For example, leave the cheese off your meat sandwich and use lettuce instead. Or splurge one day a week on a ‘gourmet’ sandwich with cheese, but in exchange take pb & j another day even if it isn’t your favorite.
  4. A name isn’t everything = be willing to try non-name brand items. Most of the time, I get generic-brand items for a lot less than popular brands, and really don’t notice a difference (other than the savings).
  5. Try to make fewer shopping trips. I know myself well enough to know that the more trips I make the the store, the more ‘extra’ stuff I buy. Now, I cannot bring myself to shop for the whole month in one day – although that is a goal of mine to work towards. However, Danielle @ Blissful and Domestic is amazing at this, so be sure to go check her out to see how she does a whole month at once. For now, I just do one trip per week (as best as I can) – so try what you can.
  6. Coupons – please know that I am Not. A. Coupon. Person. Seriously, I hate dealing with coupons, unless some kind person at the store says ‘oh, here’s a coupon for that item in your cart’ – imagine how often that happens, though. If you are then you’re my hero, and I tip my hat (not that I ever wear hats, but if I did) to you! I will note, though, that Ruth @ Living Well Spending Less says coupons aren’t where the savings are – it’s in the store sales. Go read her article for more on that – it’s GREAT!
  7. The biggest saving tip FOR ME – cooking from scratch as much as possible. Now, I LOVE pre-made dinners and such that make life all the less stressful and more convenient, but it does come with a higher price tag. If you can bring yourself to do a little more from scratch, it can really add up with savings.
  8. Learn which stores have the best prices for common foods. Checking the ads is a fantastic way to take care of this, especially since items can change each week. Sometimes, however, there are stores that just always (or mostly) have certain items cheaper. For me, I always buy milk at my local Aldi store because I’ve never gotten it more than $1.99 each. Compared to the other MAIN store I shop at, there’s is rarely down that low.
  9. Use what you have on-hand. Yes, I know stocking up is a great thing, but also be sure you’re utilizing things instead of letting them go bad. A good idea is seeing what you have then planning meals AROUND what is already on your shelf.
  10. Avoid the ‘snack packs’ and other sugary convenient kiddie snacks. I do get these sometimes, but am trying to do better. Getting on-sale produce, crackers, yogurt, etc. will not only help your budget, but also help your family be more healthy.
  11. Check your local bakeries later in the evening to see if they have any mark-downs for the day they’re trying to sell.
  12. Drink water. This is really REALLY hard for me! I love my Dr. Pepper, and juice. However, I AM trying to reduce my intake to only one Dr. Pepper per day, and doing mostly water the remainder. Still struggling, but progressing!
  13. Purchase produce when it’s in season (thus, on sale!) and FREEZE it for later. This way, you can stock up while it’s more cost-friendly, but enjoy those fruits and veggies year round.
  14. Eat at home more often. I love eating out, but my family has done really well as of late to eat at home a LOT more often, making eating out a special occasion or treat. Even then, we watch for Kids Eat Free specials, birthday deals, ‘happy hour’ dinner specials, etc.
  15. Eat less meat. Meat can be really expensive, so having it less often can really help the budget. Or just exchange your normally expensive cuts for a downgrade type cut – for example, instead of boneless chicken breasts do drumsticks and thighs. Or a cheaper cut of steak instead of a Ribeye.

Bonus Grocery Budgeting Tips!

  1. Go to the store WITHOUT YOUR KIDS. I have a hard time with this, since I have four little ones, but I do still try to get the shopping done when daddy is home to watch them (plus it’s a nice break for me from the mini van!). With kids, you’ll get more ‘can I get these’, whining, and be a lot more distracted.
  2. Go shopping AFTER you’ve eaten. When you’re hungry, you’re more likely to buy more items and buy things you normally wouldn’t care about. Going on a full stomach can even help you realize that certain things just aren’t necessary.
  3. Find a produce co-op, such as Bountiful Baskets. I started using this when we moved to our new house (had just learned of it from my Uncle), and it’s been a HUGE help with our grocery budget. You can get produce for a lot cheaper, stock up on in-season-so-low-priced items, PLUS it helps (at least it has us) your family eat more produce, which is great for your health.

What are YOUR Best Grocery Budgeting Tips?