June Extreme Cash Giveaway

Welcome to the June Extreme Cash Giveaway! I’ve teamed up with some rockstar bloggers to bring you the chance to win $200 cash!

The June Extreme Cash Giveaway will rock for four weeks which means you’ll have lots of time to complete any entries that you choose to do. Remember, all entries are OPTIONAL. As always, there will be daily entries that you can do as well, so bookmark this page and come back everyday for more chances to win! A huge thanks to our awesome co-hosts who made this giveaway possible: Oh My Gosh Beck!Lush to BlushThe Penny Hoarder and Military Wives Saving

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends July 14th  at 11:59 PM EST. Good luck! [Read more...]

Staycation Sunday-Sailing in Boston

Last Sunday was the perfect weather. It was a sunny, 80 degree day and my family and I had the privilege of sailing on a schooner around the Boston Harbor. There isn’t anything better than sailing in Boston!It was quaint with four of us, another family of three, and the three member crew. The captain normally sails in New York and was equally excited to sail on the harbor and see the city from the water. We sailed on the beautiful Adirondack III.

The crew was great checking in with us often to see if we wanted water or soda. They were knowledgeable and friendly pointing out certain prominent buildings in the city. After we got going we were able to walk around the schooner. It is in pristine condition, shiny and super clean. It is impressive and you can’t truly appreciate it until you see it for yourself.

The Adirondack III is 80 feet long and seats up to 41 people. I would recommend when making reservations to see how many are sailing. Although it is roomy, I believe it would be much more enjoyable with 20 or less.

It is a unique experience and a great way to see Boston. We did the day sail which is normally $42 per person. There is also a sunset sail for $38 (hour and a half as opposed to two hours on the day sail). [Read more...]

Savings Saturday-Don’t Stop Saving

I earn less during the summer and so does my husband. Therefore, I redo my budget for July through mid-September. I considered putting the emergency fund savings on hold. However, having it still under $1000 makes me nervous and I hate to lose momentum. I figure I need to find another $400 or so dollars per month to meet my needs so I came up with a plan.

1. Find another “side hustle”. I will look on Odesk, write more for Bubblews, and take on some extra mystery shopping. I should be able to make $200-$300 for my efforts.

2. I will pay off my credit card. I am down to $395 since my last update. My daughter (authorized user) owes me a $100 and she will pay that by the end of the month. I have a $55 payment scheduled next week. I also have $25 in accumulated change I will turn in next trip to the credit union and apply that to the credit card payment. This means I have $215 to come up with. I will see what I have left in the regular budget and just might hit up savings to pay it off. [Read more...]

Starting a Business

Starting a business is an exciting adventure. However, it can be difficult to dissect all of the intricacies and legal matters. I have family members starting a business in the Durham, NC area. I suggested it would be worth their time to meet with a Durham business lawyer.

By meeting with a professional, it will save them potential headaches and possible legal issues in the future. Knowing the laws when it comes to running a business is half the battle.

The Gro Project

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Gro Project is an educational project sponsored my Miracle-Gro that exhibits garden projects that are simple, even for those of us without a green thumb! I wouldn't mind learning how to garden, but have not tried in recent years. Writing about The Gro Project inspired me to see what, if anything, I could do living in apartment with no outdoor space to call my own. I found a few ideas, including how to grow herbs indoors on the Miracle-Gro website. From the site I got some great info on how to proceed and it is quite easy!

1. Herbs need sun so make sure they are near a south facing window that allows at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. They also need a grow lamp for a minimum of 12 hours per day.

2. Use Miracle-Gro's Moisture Control Potting Mix because it will release the moisture to the plant(s) as necessary.

3. For watering, let the mix in the plant's container dry out and then water it until you see the water pooling near the holes of the container.

Herbs can be grown indoors by transplanting from an outdoor garden, starting with seeds, or by purchasing seedlings a store or gardening center. We are awaiting new windows in our apartment next week. As soon as they are in, I plan on starting my indoor herb garden. 

Looking for some fun garden projects? Miracle-Gro has plenty to inspire you on their Pinterest page. For more gardening tips  and ideas check out the Gro Project video:

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