Birthday Girl Turns 6...on a budget

This month our daughter is celebrating her 6th birthday. Granted, birthdays are a huge deal for kids and some parents. For us, we really cannot afford to celebrate it at Chuck E Cheese, Pump it Up, or any party planning place. So what does our family do? We went to the park.

Have to have cupcakes to celebrate!

Not only did the kids get a workout on the playground equipment, I brought along Capri Suns (back of the pantry), bottled water, goldfish, snap peas, carrots, and craisins.

Does anyone look like they are having a horrible time? Not after homemade cupcakes ;)

Not only does this help your local park, but it helps your local economy too. What a way to celebrate a kid's birthday! Even the parents were excited about the beautiful weather and getting their kids outdoors to run around. The girls ran around playing freeze tag while the boys played on the equipment.

The only downside is parents want to drop off their kids...with only two adults there. Watching them is okay, it's the getting hurt part I worried about. Most parents were okay with this. Or maybe they can trust me since I volunteer in my daughter's classroom.

Financially, how did we do? The only thing I bought extra were the things I did not have which was... surprisingly nothing. I could have sent party favors home, but you know what? We didn't have the extra money. So I used what I had and there were no sad kids there. They got veggies and crackers, a small drink, and a cupcake. See- no big, lavish, expensive party for 2 hours. $10 to rent the shelter (I think) and basic snack foods with cupcakes. Win-win for everyone!

I put "Gifts Optional" on her birthday invites- she got so many gifts!

SAHM Income?

As a SAHM I'm not 100% a mom. I spend my very valuable time researching aka web surfing for DIY projects and experiments, writing a novel, submitting manuscripts to various agents, cooking, baking, sewing, teaching (my kids), volunteering at my kids school, photographer, and keeping my kids the ways of the world. Yes, I punish them with hard work.

So what the heck can I do to make an income from home? Let me know if you find that answer. I honestly have no clue. I know that if I had any sort of income from home, I would do it and excel at it as long as it doesn't involve other people. Ironic, isn't it? We have all these medical bills to pay off each month and to be honest, it's downright scary.

I've tried cake decorating, creating craft kits, and jewelry making for a little extra cash, but now I'm an official photographer. Is it for every stay at home mom? No. I'm not trying to dissuade you from becoming a photographer as a stay at home mom, but you need to have more than just a camera. You need personality.

Moving from the Midwest four years ago, I wanted to open a retail shop, but the costs to start one up are astronomical- on top of baby daycare. So after learning to decorate cakes, I found out I could not legally bake from home and now that California has the cottage food law, I can't have my dog or kids anywhere near the kitchen. Is that even a possibility?

Jewelry making was a joke. We have half shag beige carpet and with those seed beads getting sucked up in the vacuum, it's not a pretty sound.

On top of this all are kids. All the way from diapers to "Mommy, I want to help!" Then comes the crying and/or disasters from both me and the kids. Then hubby's infamous, "What's for dinner?" *bangs head on kitchen counter* Because I don't do anything all day, right?

This led me to photography. Hubby got me a really nice camera and said, "I know you can do something with this." Yes! A nice, great photograph-taking machine! I snapped pictures of the kids non-stop, learning the functions, researching various poses, props, locations, the whole nine yards.

You can take amazing pictures with your expensive camera. You can take amazing pictures with your inexpensive camera. It doesn't matter what equipment, props, or backgrounds you have. What matters is your marketing. I seem to know a little about everything, but yet I can't find a stable way to produce an income because I hardly leave the house. Being that one car family limits when I can leave the house in the suburbs during the day, but on the weekends and evenings, photography allows me to leave everything behind and focus on my job.

As for editing, I like to write and edit in silence, so that limits my time to nap time and bedtime. I can give 100 people flyers, postcards, and business cards with only 1 or 2 who will maybe respond. Unless you know people wanting pictures, don't waste your time saving for an expensive camera.

You need to be outgoing (and good with kids if you want to photograph kids) and get to know your community-build a network. This will block out the other photographers and keep you above the already saturated SAHM photography market.

I love taking photographs, don't get me wrong, but don't make my mistake by being introverted and almost anti-social. You have to jump right in and keep going no matter what it takes to get ahead of the game. I love taking nature photography-one of the hardest photography genres. I've never sold one nature photograph due to not meeting new people in my community who could possibly help me out.

So think about if a home business is the right choice for you. I know its not for me. I'd rather be making/creating something, not marketing and forcing sales. I would love to be able to make an income from home, but I probably won't make any if I continue to not meet new people in my community.

April's First Half Grocery Bill

The month of April I had to buy household cleaners, snack foods for my daughter's class, and get ready for a birthday party this Saturday. How am I going to do that with $400 this month? Well, in reality, I only have $200 until the 15th (second paycheck).

Did I make it to the second paycheck before running out of money? Nope. But I have learned a few things along the way.

We did have to skip on getting party favors (bag of marshmallows, carrot, raisins, and pretzel sticks) to make an Olaf. We can't afford to get small waters for kids ("melted snow"), but we do have two pitchers that we can make Kool-Aid in one and another for water, so we can do the "melted snow" thing!

What did we buy? I can hear everyone asking.
Winco: Gluten Free Chocolate Cereal (for the kids) $3.57 Kid's breakfast
             Organic 1/2 gallon mik                                 $3.48
Fresh & Easy: Green Enchilada Sauce                      $2.39 (should really learn how to make it)
             Organic Apples 4pack                                  $3.99 snack
             Sour Cream                                                   $2.79
             Red Onions (4 or 5 pack)                              $2.49
             Tortillas    (not sprouted or wheat)                $2.69
             Avocados <3 <3 <3  Too many                     $7.78
             Annie's Snack Mix (Clearance)                    $2.00
             Vine Tomatoes                                              $1.99
              Dried Fruit Cherries                                     $6.59
              Dried Fruit Apricots                                     $5.49
              Snickerdoodle Cookies                                $ 2.69
Trader Joe's
              Ground Beef, Grass Fed    1 lb.                    $6.99
              Pork Sausage, Sweet Italian                         $3.99
And Sam's Club
              Jimmy Dean Egg Sandwiches                     $10.78
              Mexican Cheese Shredded 5lbs                   $15.12
              Canned Anaheims 2 Cans                            $4.86
              Parsley Flakes                                              $3.88
              Nutty Bars (Daughter's School Snack)        $3.48
              Brown Eggs, Cage Free   18pack                $3.98 (probably only thing organic in my cart)
              Snap Peas                                                     $4.78 (snack and birthday party)
              Colby Jack Cheese Block                            $8.98 (snack, cooking, and birthday party)
              Bananas                                                        $1.36
                                                       Grand Total:     $116.14

Wow. What a difference compared to last week! Daddy and Daughter were complaining there are no snacks for school and work. *rolls eyes* Hubby was also complaining how empty the fridge looked when he opened it. It was the day before I went shopping and creating a meal plan before going really, really helped. I was able to get what I needed- minus junk food for the party.

 Sam's Club was the biggest money sucker of them all. It may look like I spent a lot there, but I was able to find items for Saturday night's dinner, plus some food for other Mexican food dinner nights (that can be frozen). I know I should have gone there in the first place- shame on me! I'm suppose to be buying healthy and organic. What the heck happened? A

Next week we will be heading somewhere...can I buy organic on my weekly allotment? Can Jenn get back on track?

It should be easier now that the birthday party is done, out of town guests are gone, and household supplies are made. Whew. Yay vacation time!

Dreams

No one really knows where you're going to land up in one, five, or even ten years. Ten years ago, I wanted to be an architect. Five years ago I wanted to be done with my college degree, and last year, I wanted a business where I could stay at home with my kids while they were at school. Sounds like everyone's dream doesn't it?

I've got my bachelor's degree and change diapers for a living. I wanted to be an architect and I build towers of legos. As for a business...I have an official photography business. Does it allow me to work part time and be at home with the kids when I need to? Yes. Do I have a lot of customers? Not one. But that's okay. It's not about the money. It's about being able to spend time with the kids, have a somewhat clean home, and able to cook for my family.

Hubby pays the bills, so any luxuries will have to wait until either my "business" takes off or I get a "real job". I'm okay with that. Yes, I've struggled with wants, but in reality, my family is a phone call, Facebook message, or Skype away. I've learned to adapt and get rid of the excessive junk out of my life through the past years.

I'm not close or even Facebook friends with every person I meet. I have my acquaintances, close friends, and family somewhat nearby. I didn't become an architect by profession, but have built a worthwhile home and life around me. What more could a girl ask for?

We are currently putting over $400 extra towards our car debt and then once that is paid off, that extra $750 will goes towards paying off the student loans. This will take around 2 years. 2016. Then my daughter will graduate high school in thirteen years. We have so little time with them in the grand scheme of things. So let's sit back and enjoy the ride as we get rid of those debts and enjoy life as its suppose to be. :) God and life is good.

Decluttering

Simplifying Life in General. It all starts with your house, your rooms, your cabinets, and drawers. Scary isn't it?

A few household items

De-cluttering. It seems like a scary word for most of us, but slowly and surely, we can make it happen! It takes one day at a time and a goal. My goal when I first moved to our new house over two years ago was to be organized and simplified- much unlike our last house of chaos. We've lived here for a little over two years and it seems the only organized room in the house is the guest/kids bathroom. 

I have so many projects and goals that I want to do with my life and to me, it seems, they all need done right away (please don't tell me I'm the only one who does this)! Then I get overwhelmed and give up. Well, not anymore. Let's look on the positive side. The guest/kids bathroom is organized. That's one less area/room that's done! 

I'm also trying to simplify my pantry and eat healthier. We don't buy junk food (I haven't bought potato chips over a year) and the pantry seems full of canned and bottled food. Olive oil, canned oranges (for salads every night), jello, and a TON of condiments. We are always buying fresh produce (patiently waiting for the garden to produce) and it seems we are always spending hubby's hard earned money on bills, gas, and groceries- in that order. 

I went to look in my pantry to organize it and under the kitchen sink. The twenty bottles and cans of cleaners, detergents, canned and bottled never-expiring food made me realize we have so much and waste it all! We really need to get back to the basics! How did people survive in the 1950s? They didn't buy bottles of ketchup or run to the store because they ran out of butter!

One of my cabinets

I'm determined to go green- maybe not 100%, but a little at a time. Do I really need to spend $30+ on Tide detergent or $20 on dishwasher detergent gel pacs? I would love to spend that $50 on a Christmas gift for my husband or re-plaster the house (stucco exterior).

Our four year old daughter is starting to think that everything you ever need is at the store and that Daddy will always be able to buy those things. That's not how my husband and I grew up. Our parents did buy most to everything (food and household cleaners) at the store it always seems a lot of money went down the drain, all over the floor, etc. I don't want my kids to waste their money and support the outrageous advertising for commercial products. So in order to save money (I'm a stay at home mom with a 2 and 4 year old) I'm willing to experiment and teach my kids (and husband) that homemade is worth the effort!

I've done a lot of online research and I'm not going to make all these tomorrow, but weekly. I will have weekly goals and other projects on the list, so please be patient with me. 

My monthly goals are practically a to-do list. I'm not forcing myself to work only on certain days or hours, but as long as I can cross it off the list (I love lists)! These goals will be done Monday-Friday only- unless I need hubby's help. 

Each month I will clean and de-clutter one room, garden and pull weeds (sections), experiment with a new household/homemade cleaner, a from-scratch food, and overall, teach my kids and hubby what its like to not be reliant on commercial products.

The overall goal is to become organized, de-cluttered, and somewhat self-reliant with a two- and four- year old mixed in! 

My weeds never seem to stop growing!