July is Over: Things just got real!

I had so much fun and excitement in the month of July! There were holidays Birthdays, trips to the water park, sleepovers and cookouts. But as soon as August hit things got real. I just spent about 4 day moving out of my apartment and moving my parents out of there apartment into a house. Yep you herd it right I'm moving back in with the Rents. It's crazy out here in the renters market, so we figured we can get a bigger better place that would be cheaper for us all and allow us to save money for bigger and better things.

With that being said a sister still needs her space. So we're moving into a 4bedroom house but I have taken claim over the unfinished basement with plans of making it a quaint little studio minus the bathroom and kitchen. So check back to see up-dates on how I make the space my own.

Summer Savings!

Wanna know how to make the most of your savings this summer?

                   

            


Summer is the best time if the year. We go to the beach, have cookouts, party, road trips and lots of time with friends making memories that we will take with us throughout life. It has to be everyone's favorite season , unless u are fortunate enough to have sunny days all year round.
But lets not get caught up in the season because I find myself spending way to much money in the summer. Here is some saving ideas that I will use to save money and still make the most out if my summer.

1) $5 Savings Plan. I saw a savings plan that every person can do if they ready to start saving for the summer. It's so simple and easy to do if you are ready to start saving this is an excellent way to get in the groove of mangling your money better. Every time you have a $5 dollar bill in your possession you save it. Never spend your $5 dollar bills again and see how face they can add up. After awhile you'll be so used to saving your $5 dollar bills, it will become a habit. C'mon give it a try!!

2) ibotta. I just found this app  on the android app market ( sorry iphone users) n its free. Its almost like using a coupon but you do it when after you get home n you get the money directly to you that you would have saved with a coupon. Say they have batteries on there list  and u save 75 cents n u buy batteries u scan your receipt n the credit your account 75 cents!!! You can even complete more task to earn more money like taking a poll, writing a review or posting to Facebook for more savings!!! You can start a fund for yourself just buy buying groceries. I love this app!! Check it out.

3) Thrift Store Shopping. I remember in high school where you were judged by where you shopped and thrift clothes meant you had no money. I feel like a complete idiot for letting people influence me to buy nice clothes when at the end of the day I was still myself and none of them mattered to me. Ok that's enough about that, but thrift store shopping is not just about wearing the clothes, it's thinking outside the box and using what someone doesn't want anymore and making it into your own treasure. I love the idea of recreating something that I get from goodwill, all it takes is $1 picture frame and some paint and you have a whole new frame that's hip and up to date with your style. Why buy one for $15 when u can do it for a few dollars. Even with clothes, there's so many ideas on pintrest or the internet in general on recreating old clothes into something new and hip. Bring out your creativity this summer and save some money. Every person I went thrift store shopping has yet to regret it.

4) Couponing. We don't have to be extreme couponers to save money. There are so many coupons out there and I don't see how people don't take advantage of the money they can save. There's coupons for just about everything you do, groceries, shopping, restaurants, kids activities, the list goes on and on. I might love Ben and jerry ice cream but if I can get some ice cream for a few dollars cheaper best believe I'm turning my back in Ben and jerry. Also stores like giant eagle give you major perks for shopping at their store and buying their products, you buy groceries you earn fuel perks, or you buy fuel you earn grocery points.  Planning your meals ahead and using coupons accordingly will save you lots of money for the summer season, and something you candor may years to come.

Here's a few I like:

Coupons.com

Groupons.com

Livingsocial.com

5) Make a Plan. Everything that you purchase that ia not essential for living, you should have a plan for, going into the mallbyoumshould have a spending limit dont just go in there with out a plan or you will end up over purchasing. buy things within your spending limits. creating a goal chart is a good way to make a plan if you accomplish something tou fet to reward yourself with something you dont normally buy, add thongs to your goal chart and create goals for yourself, this will motivatemyou to domplete a task you be dying to do by rewarding yourself. nothing simple thats wont really restrict you, say things like losing 20 pounds, or getting a promotion at your job, golas that eill getter your life.Goal Chart. Another idea is to make a 30 day chart, you put items you want to purchase on your 30 day chart and after 30 days you can buy it, this will stop you from implies buying, give you time to think about it and look for a good deal. The goal is to stop buying everything you see that you like and restrict your spending habits by giving you time to analyze and consider if you really need it.

6) Stop purchasing disposable stuff. If can live in one time period it would be back in the 60's and 70's people valued what they were buying amd everything was made to last and when it broke they fixed it, they didn't have nearly as much waste as we do today and I'm sure they saved lots of money. Instead of buying a 24 pack of water buy one nice water bottle and refill it...you know what I mean? This will save you tons of money. Also look into making your own things cleaning solutions, face mask, bug replelient, lotion, lip balm, gue paint also everything you can think of can be made at home for cheaper then you will ever buy, and sometimes you have all the supplies already in your house. We need to stop being lazy and be more cost efficient and stop creating so much waste. It's worth the money you will save and still gets the job done.

7) going out for a fun. Whether its a date, with friends, or your family. There's tons of things to do this summer that you can save money doing. Why spend a whole bunch of money trying when there's things you can do for practically nothing. I love all the festivals and lil town carnivals, they are usually free. I know my son Cayden just likes to get out and be around people and he's a happy lil guy. If you spend a few bucks for food and a couple rides that beats cedar pints prices any day if you ask me. It doesn't always have to be some big expensive event to be a good time, I just want people to know that and in the summer there's almost something's going on every weekend if you take the time to look. If its a hot day, some communities have little ware parks or play water areas for kids. I jus found out about splash pad/spray grounds for kids and its free and that my town has one. 

Check out this link to find festivals for all my northeast Ohio fans Time for Fun or here  for Spray Grounds. Everyone else can use Google and tons of stuff will come up. :)

Lets not forgot about our good old fashion parks. I over Cleveland metro parks they are so beautiful and peaceful. Me and my son love to make the trip out to Solon to visit there metro park we call it our secret place, we go deep down in the woods and found the most amazing place. (Can't wait to bring Sareka there!!)) most of these parks host events for kids too, like nature walk at night, all free, just bring or own bug spray. Check out Cleveland Metroparks for more on there parks.



My Goal is to at least start the $5 dollar saving plan, I think it is an awesome idea.

What are you going to do this summer to Save Money?

Don't Hold Back

Lots of times I think we can be our own worse enemy. Have you ever talked yourself out of something? Or made excuses for yourself that seem totally valid and some really good excuses as to why you can't do something. I don't know about you but I know I have. 

Sometimes it's like my mind is against me. There's tons of things I want to accomplish in life and I have so many vivid images of what my life should be like or will be like in the future. But it feels like I am holding myself back at times from making things really happen. Or getting things done that really need to be done. 

I just want to encourage someone to stop holding yourself back from the things you want for your life. There is no reason to blame other people or certain circumstances for you not getting what you want or going where you want in life. 

Everyone is going around talking about others hatin' on your dream when sometimes we are the main one hatin' on the dreams we have for ourselves. Don't let your mind talk you out of doing the things you know you should be doing to get you to where you want to be. 

I know how hard it can be sometimes but you just have to remember that the good things in life don't come easy. 

Are you following your dreams? 

Share Your Amazingness!

If you didn't know you will know now, I'm an artist!  As much as I try to hide it I am sensitive and  selfish with my creativity.  So I was sitting here trying to figure out why I don't really share my art with the world and I came up with 2 of the main things that I believe is holding me back:

1. I am my worst critique: I am the hardest on myself and there's times when I don't believe my work is good enough.  There is always a teeny tiny voice in the back of my head that's just saying "oh there is someone out there that is so much better than you", or "no one is going to like this or appreciate this" or just "Reka you can do better". Sometimes I spend from as little as 20 min to as much as 2-3 days just staring at something I have created trying to figure out ways I can make it better before I reveal it to anyone, if I reveal it at all.

2. Not believing in myself: So this blog is maybe the first time I have admitted out-loud that I am indeed an artist.  I have never been that person to actually call what I do art.  I always say "it's just a way for me to express myself or clear my head", "it's just something I do for fun", or "hey its just me being creative".  I have always knew that I was a very creative person but I never considered myself an artist.  It seems like I have made every excuse to not be an artist and it's like I'm rejecting who I really am.

So my cure to end the plague of fear and self doubt from holding me back is to just put myself out there and be shameless with my art.  You either like it or you don't! Yes there are millions of amazing artists out there but I can't let their amazingness (yes that's my new word) hold me back from letting my amazingness shine through.  So I am going to believe that I am good enough and rock that confidence that is needed for others to believe it too. I am going to stop rejecting the title of artist and where it like a crown!  No more selfishness here, I will keep the sensitivity but just a little bit because a lot of me goes into what I do and to stop that is to stop the best part of my art.  What can I say I'm a bottle of emotions, open with care.

             So how are you letting you amazingness shine through? Or whats holding you back?