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How to Work From Home Remotely and Stay Productive With Kids

BearfruitBasics — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 23:14:31 +0000

Parents Juggle Responsibilities of a Flourishing Career and Their Families by Working Remote Have you ever felt the pinch of having to pick between either your career or your family? If you have, you’re not alone. Luckily, there are many remote opportunities that allow for a peaceful work/life balance. I’m blessed to have both experiences, being in office as well as work from home, throughout my career and motherhood. Once upon a time (especially before having young children), I loved getting dressed up and going to work in an office environment. I was excited to chat with my peers. In-person brainstorming sessions with my colleagues were exciting. Having this social environment helps keep my creative spark going. Family a Huge Motivating Factor to Work From Home As my family grew – and child care became too expensive and hard to come by – I explored different options. These options were mainly jobs that agreed with my stay-at-home lifestyle. As a mom, I wanted to work from home remotely. It was important for me to stay up to date with all the latest industry trends in marketing, while also being able to keep my house in order. Being home for my kids was my number one priority. While both options – working in office and remotely – each have their pros and cons, in my personal experience I believe that working from home outweighs commuting to the office. Remote work gave me a better work/life balance. Working from home gives me great joy, as I’m able to receive my children myself from school. I can adjust my hours and handle all of my projects around family time. Working remotely, I still reach my goals before any given deadline. I’m much happier being at home and in turn I give my best at work. Let’s discuss the pros and cons for working from home, in my opinion. Keep reading for some helpful advice to stay productive with kids in the house. Pros for Remotely Working From Home You Save Money Working Remotely Working remotely allows you to be frugal in many different ways. Save money on soaring gas prices, that impacts your car, bus, or train ride. Not to mention all the office clothes you don’t have to buy for your wardrobe. I don’t know about you, but I barely remember (or have the time) to pack a lunch. So, eating out was a constant when I worked in the office. Working from home, I cook my own food and save so much money! via GIPHY Be Happier in The Comfort of Your Own Home The best part about working from home – in my opinion – is being comfortable. We’ve all seen the hilarious TikTok’s on people dressed professionally waist up, but everything else (not in the camera view) might be underwear and slippers. The beauty of being in the comfort of your own home helps you be relaxed. Studies show that happiness makes people more productive at work, even up to 20% more productive than employees who are not happy. via GIPHY Be Healthier and More Productive The time not spent commuting allows you to be more productive at home, whether it’s catching up on some house work or getting a head start on your daily tasks for a successful day at work. By having better use of your time, you can develop some healthy habits as well. Maybe squeeze in an hour of exercise before work, or take your breaks outside for some sunshine and fresh air. I used to have an hour long commute, and working from home now allows me to walk my daughter to school instead of driving her there. Not only do I get some great quality time chatting with her, but I also walk just over a mile a day that I wouldn’t be doing otherwise. via GIPHY Cons for Working Remotely from Home Distractions and Interruptions However, working remotely with kids comes with its fair share of challenges – especially as mothers – such as being distracted. This Survey found that most mom and dads who worked from home early on in the coronavirus pandemic reported difficulties getting their work done without interruptions. Not to say working in the office doesn’t come with its fair share of daily interruptions as well, they are just different kind of distractions. via GIPHY Valuable In-Peron Collaborations The importance of being able to collaborate in person is not lost on me. Especially for execs like Elon Musk – who infamously gave his employees a return-to-the-office ultimatum. Working in an office with your peers still allows you to have an invaluable connection. With the rise of digital chats and video calls, working remotely has proven to be a great boost in quality of life while still maintaining your connection with your work colleagues. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other video chats allow employees to stay connected, even if it’s through a screen. via GIPHY Whether you’ve been working from home for a while now, or are a work-from-home rookie caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it still may be hard to stay focused outside of your work environment. Keep reading for some helpful tips and tricks I’ve found along the way to help you stay productive while you work from home – especially with kids. Work from Home Tip #1: Have a Dedicated Space for Your Home Office Not every one has the resources to have their own home office, and that’s okay! But if you can, it is truly a blessing to have your own room for privacy. Having comfortable furniture is a must. A computer desk, cozy chair, and lamps are great to set yourself up for success. Here are some options I have purchased myself and used over the years. The quality is great and I personally love these choices. If you are looking for a desk, I highly recommend this L-shape desk. The bottom draw is large enough to keep your files organized, and there is a really neat bookshelf with plenty of space for storage underneath. Place your desk next to a window for some natural sunlight if you can! And if you want a computer mat for your desk, this one is what I ordered and was great quality: This is the exact same Serta chair I bought that fit nicely with the desk. My home office definitely makes work from home a paradise! Other Options When a Home Office Is Not Possible Conversely, not every home I’ve lived in had the space to have a whole room dedicated to my office. But with a little bit of creativity I’ve seen some people turn unthinkable spaces (such as a backyard shed) into their work place! I actually sold my larger home and “downsized” to live more simply. Currently, I have multiple work stations set up all over my house. For example, I have computer desks in my bedroom, living room, and even kitchen corner. Depending on where the kids are when I need to work, I’ll pick the quietest area of the house to settle down and complete my projects. As long as you have a space that the rest of the family respects that is set up for you, it works! This laptop desk was a present to my husband from his boss that encouraged him to work from home and take care of his mental health during the pandemic. After using this more than he did, I caved and bought my own. It’s perfect for lounging on the couch while catching up on emails. If you prefer a laptop desk that doubles as a bed tray, this is the one I use: Having a place where you can work without distractions is crucial to make your work from home job successful. Set it up with comfortable furniture to turn your office dream into a reality. Work from Home Tip #2: Have a Daily Routine and Stick With It Having a daily routine will help establish your responsibilities. Not to say you cant have a flexible schedule when working from home, but having some kind of plan and schedule will help you stay on task. As a working mom, I am fortunate to have a husband who understands when I need a moment to myself to dedicate some time to my job. If your hours are a little more strict, discuss with your partner to see if you can take turns with childcare. What works for us is having a “tag-team” schedule. One of us watches the kids while the other one works and vice versa. A great idea that came highly recommended from my veteran mom friends is to work during your child’s nap time. I can attest to this advice, as the best time for me to work is at bedtime. I love a quiet house and get so much done. See if knocking out a few hours of work at bedtime can work for you too! Hybrid Schedule: Work From Home and in the Office If you’re not able to work remotely full-time, maybe a hybrid schedule will work best for both you and your employer. Even before the coronavirus shut down many businesses, I was blessed with employers that allowed me to do some type of hybrid schedule. A typical week for me might have been half-days in the office and working the rest of the day from home, or a few days in the office and a few days working remotely. The key here is to keep open communication with your supervisor or boss. As long as you are able to perform your job duties without any problems, a hybrid schedule can be a great solution. Working a hybrid schedule gives you the best of both worlds by being able to see your co-workers some days, as well as having a better handle with things at home. Take advantage of work-from-home days, perhaps you catch up on much needed sleep, or get a few loads of laundry during your break time. Work from Home Tip #3: Create a To-do List To Stay On Track As mentioned earlier, having a schedule is crucial to having a successful work from home schedule, especially with kids. Creating a to-do list will keep you stay centered by itemizing all your assignments for the day. Treat your work-from-home day no different than if you were in the office. By asking yourself what needs to be accomplished for the day, you can stay focused and continue to excel in your profession. Work from Home Tip #4: Don’t Waste Time on Social Media This is probably the biggest fear for most employers – but please don’t waste time on social media when you are supposed to be working. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of “working from home” by not working at all. Don’t be that employee! via GIPHY Leave your errands for your break time, lunch, or after your work day is over. Try to limit distractions from the TV, your phone, and other electronics that you wouldn’t have access to working in office anyway. When working from home, being available and having your work completed when you say it will be completed is crucial to making your work-from-home gig successful. Employers have started monitoring their employees, and honestly, who can blame them? If you are on their payroll, your activity during work time shouldn’t be a mystery. Emails, browsers, and collaboration tools are all easily accessible. If you are given the opportunity to work from home, then please still give your all and report your time honestly and fairly. (The bible says, “Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!” Psalm 106:03) Work from Home Tip #5: Get Help With Childcare If Needed If you find that working from home has too many challenges with your children present, reach out for help! Friends and family members who are capable of watching your babies are more than happy to lend a...

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10 Best Flexible Work From Home Jobs for Moms

BearfruitBasics — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:06:00 +0000

As most mothers know, having children and juggling a career can become overwhelming and exhausting. It wasn’t until COVID-19 hit, that a wave of employers began allowing their employees to work from home. This opened up a world of opportunities where a lot of parents realized they were able to have a healthy work-life balance by working from home. Surveys show the need for flexibility for working parents. With the child care crisis, virtual schooling, and other inconveniences the pandemic causes, we see what many call the “Shecession”. The term Shecession was coined in regards about the many women losing their jobs in hospitality, child care, and other professions hit hard by the pandemic. Many mothers are the primary caretakers for their families, where they have no choice but to stay home with their children when schools and daycares are abruptly closed. I personally had to resign an in-office job that I absolutely loved with the most amazing people in order to find a work-from-home job that better suits my post-covid lifestyle. Working from home allows me the flexibility I need without experiencing mom-guilt from being in the office during a pandemic. As a mother, I believe that you can find well-paying remote jobs that allow you to make an income, whether you are looking for something full time, part time, or even contract work. There are many options out there that can suit your needs. Let’s explore 10 best work-from-home jobs for moms below and where to find them! 1. Graphic Designer I might be biased, because this is actually my work-from-home career. I work as a graphic designer and marketing specialist and am fortunate to work remotely. I’m able to take my kids to school, and pick them up and not have to spend extra money on after-school care. If you are creative, and enjoy making things such as flyers, advertisements, marketing collateral, logos,etc., then this job could be for you! Having the right skill set, you can apply directly to a company that is offering remote work. Some graphic designers charge per hour, while others offer a flat-rate fee per project. Social Media Management is a great, monthly income you can depend on if you also offer to post online for your client in places such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. You don’t have to be an expert in Adobe programs such as Photoshop to create stunning images. I highly recommend a design program like Canva, as it is super user-friendly. Their free plan includes so much. You can start your career in graphic design without expensive materials, as a computer, internet connection, and creativity are all you need. I use an Apple Macbook Laptop Pro, and I absolutely love it. Depending on your experience, I’ve seen jobs pay up to $75/hour! Start a collection of your designs (take a look at my graphic design portfolio to get ideas). Employers or clients will want to see your work and what you are capable of. If you don’t want to work with employers or clients, another option is to sell your design work online. 2. Freelance Writer Many companies are looking for freelance writers to help out with their content creation. Online job boards, such as Indeed.com, allow you to search with the filter for “remote” jobs. Search for job titles and keywords such as: Being a freelance writer, you’re able to begin with minimal start-up costs. Again, all you need is a reliable internet connection and a computer to get started. The bonus of this is being able to work from anywhere! (Poolside with a Virgin Piña Colada, anyone?) When it comes to starting a career as a freelance writer, make sure you keep your writing examples to create a portfolio. One of my best friends is a copywriter with two small children. I tend to write my blog posts at night time when the kids go to sleep and the house is quiet for me to concentrate. When you are ready, you can pitch to potential clients by reaching out directly to them with story ideas that would fit well with their content. Don’t be discouraged if they say no, or if your pitch doesn’t work out right away. Keep trying and don’t give up. Overtime, you can build a profitable business by writing for popular websites or magazines. 3. Virtual Assistant Being a virtual assistance is a great work-from-home option. The main role of this would be to provide administrative support for your employer or client. With online team management programs (such as Wrike and Microsoft Teams) it’s easier now more than ever to work remotely from home and still maintain a presence with your company. Some tasks you might be expected to do may include: handling emails, maintaining calendars, and even arranging meetings and travel for your client. Many virtual assistants are able to set their own hourly rate and choose a schedule that better suites their lifestyle. You can browse for positions using websites such as Flexjobs and Upwork. 4. Customer Service Representative Many companies have an abundant need for customer service reps. One of my first jobs out of college was working for an insurance company. I was translating Spanish phone calls and helping callers understand their insurance paperwork. Although I was able to work from home, this job definitely requires very minimal distractions. Having a work-from-home job in customer service might work better with older children in the household that understand you’re not able to be interrupted while on the phone. If you can set up a quiet, dedicated space that you can work from, it will be worth it. Moms with small babies or toddlers in the house might need a sitter or help from family while working. You can check out job listings on linkedin.com to see remote customer service work. 5. Babysitter/Nanny Speaking of sitters… As a mother, who is better qualified for childcare than you are? A wonderful work-from-home job, that offers little disturbance to your every-day home life, is to be a nanny or babysitter. If you love children and are staying home with your own children, why not get paid to help out another mom who needs childcare and watch their kids as well? If you are looking for local families in need, you can check out care.com to make a profile. Facebook groups also offers opportunities to connect with local moms that are desperately looking for childcare help. Some states have regulations regarding the number of children you are able to watch. If you are starting a business, you’ll want to look into getting a child care license. You can also go through first aid training to make you more qualified. Having references of people you have worked for in the past will be a huge help when you start looking for families that are in need of day care services. 6. Online Teacher/Tutor Being an online teacher or a tutor is a fantastic job opportunity for a stay-at-home mom. If you love teaching children, and have a knack for English, Math, History, Science, or any other school subject children need tutoring in, then this job is for you! You might be required to have a college education, depending on the company that hires you. Pay range will depend on your experience, but you can research the median wage for online tutors in your area for a general idea of what your pay rate might start at. Being an online teacher or tutor is not limited to just children. If you consider yourself an expert in a certain area, you can think about coaching others to reach their full potential as well. As a virtual teacher or coach, you can use video services to communicate with your clients. FaceTime, Skype, or Google hangouts allows you to work from the comfort of your own home. Start by advertising your services and create an online presence by being active on social media. Hang out where your target market is, and develop meaningful relationships to bring on clients. 7. Data Entry Clerk Data entry is pretty self-explanatory: you’ll be tasked with responsibilities such as entering information from documents into a software system on your computer. If you are willing to deal with the tedious task of data entry and consider yourself to be detail-oriented, data entry is pretty straightforward. It can be an entry-level job with little to no experience required. Some skills that will make it easier for you as a data entry clerk are: Data entry jobs require that you enter and transcribe large amounts of information in a precise and timely manner. You can make a great living once you become a highly skilled specialist with reliable services in data entry. Look for data entry job positions online at indeed, linkedin, careerbuilder, and other job boards. 8. Start an eCommerce Business Online If you are an artist or maker, you may want to think of opening a store. Many stay-at-home moms find great joy in selling their handmade items online. Share your passions by opening up an online store or creating a profile on a popular eCommerce company, such as Etsy. Popular objects that many successful stores sell include jewelry, art, accessories, vintage items, and clothing. Keep in mind, success will not happen overnight. If you enjoy what you do, try not to run out of steam until you see some traction. If you love crafting, think of doing things that people will pay good money for quality items. For example, you can create special, unique gifts or custom products that are memorable things people can order for their loved ones. Starting an online store will require a lot of dedication where you’ll have to wear multiple hats: photography, copy writing, and great customer service are just a few of the skills you will need in order to launch an eCommerce business. 9. Selling Flipped Items If you love shopping, and know how to find a great deal, then maybe selling flipped items is for you! You can turn this into a stay-at-home job by buying low and selling high. Being frugal and knowing how to negotiate will help you get larger profits in the end. Turn your passion for thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales into a lucrative reselling business. You can flip small items from valuable collectibles and jewelry, to larger things like furniture. Some things have great bones that just need a fresh coat of paint to take it to the next level. Sell your great finds on places like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. You can even create a Facebook business page for free to showcase your current finds available for sale! 10. Pet Sitter A flexible job that you can do from your home is to become a pet sitter. Pet sitting offers you a a paying gig that works around your schedule. If you love animals, and are a responsible pet caregiver, this job can be very rewarding. You can choose when you work, set your daily rate, and even pick which days you are available for pet sitting. Try online pet sitting companies, such as Rover.com, to sign up and offer pet sitting services to your local friends and neighbors. You can interview your client with their pet to make sure it is a good fit for you and your family before you take on the job. Conclusion In conclusion, there are many opportunities for moms who are looking for remote, work-from-home positions. Mothers should not have to pick between their careers and families. Finding the perfect balance looks different for everyone. Whether you are looking for a full time career, or just a quick gig to make money for the moment, there are plenty of work-from-home opportunities out there! I hope this list has helped you realize that you can make a reasonable living, or an income for either pocket money or to help out with your family’s finances. Let me know in the...

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How to Travel on a budget Stress Free

BearfruitBasics — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 11:26:01 +0000

The Stress-Free Frugal Traveler’s Guide: How to Travel on a Budget Time off for the holidays, but you’re bougie on a budget? Does the thought of spending too much money hinder your ability to enjoy a family vacation? If so, this blog post on how to travel on a budget is for you! If you want to live a luxurious lifestyle, but don’t want to break the bank – or rack up credit card debt – there are tons of ways you can travel with a small or very limited budget. We just got back from an amazing, adventure-packed vacation visiting family in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Our plans to visit the UAE went from a far-away unreachable dream, to a realistic trip to paradise. Surprisingly, there are many affordable methods in traveling stress-free, even when you’re not swimming in dollar dollar bills, y’all. For those of you that don’t already know, I gave up my full-time, corporate America job to be a stay-at-home mom. I work from home doing Marketing and Graphic Design. With my husband’s full-time income, we try to budget for one big vacation a year; it’s important for us to get away from time to time. Having a “family escape” to enjoy the fruits of our labor and, most importantly, enjoy time with each other is vital in strengthening our bonds with one another. Our trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai was hands down one of the best and memorable vacations we have ever done. We follow these tips and advice to aim to have a stress-free vacation by learning how to travel on a budget. Travel on a Budget: When Is the Best Time to Fly? Firstly, did you know that there are best days to fly? Flights tend to be more expensive during the weekends, due to more people being free to travel. Try and fly during the week, Tuesday through Friday if possible for a cheaper alternative to stay within budget. If you are planning on leaving the country, it’s important to know when is the best time to fly to your location. Depending on your final destination, there are busy seasons and off-peak seasons. Aim to plan your travel when it’s not the busiest season and during off-season. This allows you to find plane tickets within your budget. Research to see when peak season is and what the weather will be like, to see if it aligns with your vacation desires. For example, if you are aiming for beach weather, try for the end of summer. Prices are more inexpensive but still warm enough to have salty hair and sandy toes. You can visit your destination’s official website to discover more information on weather conditions and any events that you might find relevant in order to catch them on your vacation. Visit Family Members or Close Friends Overseas If you are fortunate enough to have family or friends in a location you’ve never been to before, go visit them! There are some places that are naturally cheaper than others to travel to, but if you have the advantage of crashing with the fam, then by all means go and enjoy! Knock out two birds with one stone by having family time as well as indulging in a new place. Our magical adventure in Abu Dhabi and Dubai would not have happened had we not been able to lodge with our loving and generous cousins overseas. They allowed us to stay in their guest room and eat and drink all their juice and snacks. The amount of money we saved simply by being able to live at their loving home was THOUSANDS for a two-week stay in the UAE. Talk about a stress-free, living-on-a-tight-budget answered prayer! Uncertain if you can stay with someone you know? Another route to traveling on a budget is to find housing for much cheaper than a hotel. Airbnb is a great alternative to a hotel, as it offers multiple variations of lodging and activities. I have personally used them multiple times. We book housing and activities for our whole family to stay. Some places are pet friendly, where I’ve been able to bring my German Shepherd dog, Leo, too. This helps me stay within budget by not having to spend money on dog boarding. Book Well in Advance to Travel on a Budget Booking in advance really helps you save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Not only do you get the best deals when booking so far ahead, but you get additional options or promotions that might not be available to you if you procrastinate. Take advantage of being able to pick which possibilities work best for your family and budget by planning months in advance. Although last minute deals can be a great surprise, often times booking ahead of time allows you to find cheaper transportation, activities, and accommodations all of which permits you to stay within your travel budget. Pack Light but Clever When it comes to packing, I suggest to pack light but clever. Most of the time, you won’t use everything you pack. Think of clothing items that have multi-purpose use that you can wear several times. Airlines charge extra if your suitcase is overweight or if you have too many bags to check. That’s why it’s important to pick a good travel bag to store all of your things conveniently. It’s important to look up your baggage allowance with your airline company so you know the weight and the luggage pieces allowed before you get to the airport. There is nothing more stressful than having to move items around and/or pay extra because you didn’t check the terms prior to boarding. Conversely, although you should pack light, it’s vital to still take everything you need so you are not wasting time or money trying to find something you forgot at home. Here are some ideas for simple things that you can take with you to save money later on: Ask Locals for Ideas on What to Do There are plenty of free experiences you can partake in, but you have to research and know the best spots. In my experience, asking locals for their opinion on what to do has been a great source of budget-friendly knowledge. Don’t be scared to meet new people and ask what local things are worth doing. There are plenty of art galleries and museums that are free, or charge a small entrance fee for visiting. Places like beaches, hiking trails, and city monuments tend to be free of charge as well, depending on where you visit. Find Reasonably-Priced Restaurants or Pack a Lunch! Most hostels, rooms for rent, Airbnb’s, and some hotel suites have access to a kitchen. By eating in, you can save money by stocking up on groceries and cooking at home. This option is so much cheaper than when going out for a night in the town and eating out. You can eat breakfast at home, then pack a lunch if you’re on a tight budget and go explore! However, if eating out is an important part of your vacation and experience, you can still eat well on a budget. I highly recommend checking out restaurants in advance. You can read google reviews, find an online menu, and even check out prices ahead of time to see if the new food spot falls within your dining-out budget. Again, ask locals where they like to eat for traditional food that doesn’t break the bank! Shop at Local Markets When traveling abroad, the well-known malls and plazas tend to come to mind or may be much easier to find. However, shopping at local markets or souks tends to be much cheaper. Not only can you find better prices, but you’re more likely to find homemade products where you can support locals and their small business. Asking for a deal if you buy in bulk is always a nice way to save a little money, but definitely recognize when a price is fair and worth their hard work and craftsmanship! Shopping locally allows you to have a closer experience with people who actually live where you vacation. A lot of small businesses are family owned. They are ecstatic to share their products with someone who appreciates their work. Local shopping allows you to feel good about saving money, but also support ethical, smaller entrepreneurs. In Conclusion To wrap it up, if you put a family vacation on hold because you can’t afford it, please know there are viable options that you can take to travel on a tight budget! Don’t procrastinate and find good deals in advance. Check different days for flights, seek lodging with friends or family, and shop local for a true, authentic experience. Please remember, it’s not the worse thing in the world if you end up using your credit card (within reason) to enjoy an amazing, lifetime experience. If you found this article helpful, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our recent blog posts and be entered to win our giveaways.

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Five Easy Ways How to Be Frugal (and Not Cheap!)

BearfruitBasics — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 01:50:30 +0000

Firstly, let’s get one thing out of the way: learning how to be frugal does NOT mean being cheap. Being frugal means you are thrifty and economical. You know how to get the best value for your buck by carefully spending what you have without being wasteful. Being frugal means getting quality things for amazing prices or deals. “Okay, Guess How Much I Paid For This?” That is my go-to question every time I show my family or best friends something new I bought. (Well, something new for ME). The hilarious thing is that everyone knows I’m the queen of frugal city, so giving me a low-ball number tends to be the best way to go. There Is a Difference Between Being Frugal and Being Cheap Being cheap – in my humble, honest opinion – means that you want to save money, regardless of what product or service you get. You’re not really interested in the value of your item, only the cost. The problem with being cheap, is that you might buy something of less quality because you’re excited about not spending too much money. Learning how to be frugal is different than being cheap because you look for ways you can still get a great bargain without compromising the quality of the product or service you are looking for. Five Different Ways How You Can Be Frugal Whether you are a single-earning household, or have multiple streams of income, saving money and spending smart can be a talent that you are interested in tapping into. See my five tips below to learn more: How to Be Frugal Tip #1 Buy Used Instead of Brand New Items My first tip in being frugal is one that I practice often. I love owning gently used, second-hand items. You can get clothes, books, cars, even jewelry for amazing deals once you start looking outside of the traditional places that sell them brand new. Pawn shops offer jewelry, electronics, instruments, and power tools you can find for a fraction of the price in comparison to buying brand new from a store. You can even go online and easily search for used items. Sellers offer direct shipping or it might be available for pick up if it’s local. A few online places I highly recommend browsing before buying something brand new in order to stay frugal are: Another tip I love that I want to share to be frugal is buying refurbished. I buy refurbished electronics items all the time! My latest purchase was this renewed vacuum cleaner, that I was able to grab for a fraction of the price because it was refurbished! How to Be Frugal Tip #2 Do It Yourself Another frugal tip of mine is doing things yourself. I believe in paying professionals what they are worth, and I stubbornly stand by the saying, “you get what you pay for.” However, if you feel that with a bit of time, dedication, and elbow grease, you can do something yourself, then do it! Some easy projects you can save your dinero on are: If you are lucky enough to know someone who is knowledgeable in the area, reach out to them first. For step-by-step lessons on how to fix something, paint something, or simply just to learn how to do it solo, YouTube is the clear winner here! How to Be Frugal Tip #3 Shop Smart A huge money saver in our family is shopping smart. What do I mean by that? If you absolutely have to purchase a big ticket item (and let’s face it, we all get smacked with an unexpected expense at some point in our adult life) shopping smart is the way to do it. Before going to pricey department stores, check out outlets first. Chances are outlets have the same thing you are looking for only for a fraction of the cost. My friend got a significant price discount off a brand new fridge because it had a ding in the front door. Now a magnet happily covers the imperfection and she is as happy as can be. If you can wait to schedule big purchases around holidays, I can guarantee you a huge deal! Holidays to look out for (just to name a few) include: Shopping smart is the best way to get what you need at a fantastic deal without compromising the quality. How to Be Frugal Tip #4 Up-Cycling Old Furniture If you haven’t heard of up-cycling before, it basically means taking something old, broken, or unwanted and repurposing it into something new. In order to up-cycle, you have to see the potential. Others might see a beat up or worn-out piece of furniture, but you can see it revived and being brought back to life. A good tip is to look at the “bones” of what it is, to see what it COULD be. Imagine pieces with a fresh coat of paint or different knobs and handles. Can something be rescued and repurposed? For inspiration, you can find thousands of examples of up-cycling furniture online. My favorite places to find furniture to up-cycle are: Some ideas you can try to up-cycle are: All of these ideas are just the tip of the iceburg. When it comes to up-cycling and re-purposing items, the sky is the limit. How to Be Frugal Tip #5 Plant Your Own Food / Cook At Home Planting your own food might not be for everyone, so I’ve also added “cook your own food instead of eating out” as another way to save on money. Growing your own food can be as simple as having a kitchen herb garden, to a more complex backyard set up with raised garden beds. Learning to grow your own food can drastically reduce your grocery bill. You would have to learn all about gardening, when to plant and when your crop is ready to be harvested. (This is on my to-do list of learning myself!) The other option of being frugal with food is to cook at home instead of eating out. For my own sanity, we have “Pizza Fridays” every Friday, where I clean the entire house and order two pizzas for everyone to eat so I get a day off from cooking. As a family, we also enjoy going out to eat from time to time. But of course, eating out adds up. In order to be frugal, I’ve started becoming more and more adventurous when it come to cooking in my kitchen. Instead of going out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, I look up tasty meals such as Blackened Salmon Tacos or Korean Beef Bulgogi. I buy all of the ingredients myself (you guessed it, for much cheaper than going to an actual restaurant) and get my cravings satisfied while learning to be frugal at the same time. For when you do want to treat yourself and your family for a fun night out, don’t forget that many restaurants have their own local coupons, reward systems for loyal customers to redeem points or free meals, and even deals on groupon you can take advantage of. In Conclusion In conclusion, we’ve learned that learning to be frugal is NOT the same as being cheap. I encourage you to buy used, up-cycle, do things yourself, shop smart, and grow your own food – or cook your own meals and eat more at home. What are some ways you like to stay frugal? Let me know in the comments below! If you found this article helpful, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our recent blog posts and be entered to win our giveaways.

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