Greetings dear and wonderful readers! Thank you so much for stopping in and reading the blog today! It is true that I have not been posting as much as I used to (oh the days where I posted once a week! And now it's down to only once a month!), but this is as much as I am able to post for now with all that is going on in my life, so I am ok with that! But if you simply can not get enough of me, and you must have more of My Peace Love Life, why not check out some of My Favorite Posts? These start all the way back at the beginning (including my first post!), and you have 15 pages of posts to read, if that doesn't keep you busy I don't know what will! Or how about re-reading all of my previous 17 Money Management Mondays (posted below)?!
As for me, here are some of the things that have been keeping me busy;
As for me, here are some of the things that have been keeping me busy;
-Tatty Zaps
Tatty Zaps, otherwise known as our tattoo shop that we opened last year! Nick has been doing a fabulous job of running the business, but I get to help with the social media aspect of it, and the finances, which has kept me pretty busy.
-Work
I have a lot of finance based goals for myself this year (including pay off my credit cards, which I did in March[!], and have $3,000 in an emergency fund [which I now am over halfway to!]), so it was important to me to keep working outside the shop, no matter if it is doing good or bad. So I have been working my normal waitress job, as well as working as a cater waiter, and doing focus groups whenever I can!
-Instagram
I have been doing a great job of keeping up with my Instagram page lately, and am loving doing it! I am very excited to keep growing my Instagram.
-My book
Yes I am writing a book! This has been taking up a lot of my time and energy lately, but I am just so excited about it, I am loving writing it! I am not exactly sure when it will be ready, but I do know that it will be released this year, so keep your eye on here and my Instagram page to be kept in the loop!
-Nick LaPinta
My husband turned 30 on Wednesday, so we of course celebrated his Birthday then and had a wonderful time, but I have been planning something else for him as well! With our business and our finances as they are, we knew that we couldn't do anything big on his actual Birthday, so I have been planning for some time now a big 30th Birthday surprise for the end of the year. I can't tell you what it is, because duh it's a surprise! But stay tuned for later this year to find out!
-Etsy
I have been making my wonderful t-shirt pillows and selling them on my Etsy Shop the last couple months. I have also just recently begun selling my pinup pictures on there too.
Tatty Zaps, otherwise known as our tattoo shop that we opened last year! Nick has been doing a fabulous job of running the business, but I get to help with the social media aspect of it, and the finances, which has kept me pretty busy.
-Work
I have a lot of finance based goals for myself this year (including pay off my credit cards, which I did in March[!], and have $3,000 in an emergency fund [which I now am over halfway to!]), so it was important to me to keep working outside the shop, no matter if it is doing good or bad. So I have been working my normal waitress job, as well as working as a cater waiter, and doing focus groups whenever I can!
I have been doing a great job of keeping up with my Instagram page lately, and am loving doing it! I am very excited to keep growing my Instagram.
-My book
Yes I am writing a book! This has been taking up a lot of my time and energy lately, but I am just so excited about it, I am loving writing it! I am not exactly sure when it will be ready, but I do know that it will be released this year, so keep your eye on here and my Instagram page to be kept in the loop!
-Nick LaPinta
My husband turned 30 on Wednesday, so we of course celebrated his Birthday then and had a wonderful time, but I have been planning something else for him as well! With our business and our finances as they are, we knew that we couldn't do anything big on his actual Birthday, so I have been planning for some time now a big 30th Birthday surprise for the end of the year. I can't tell you what it is, because duh it's a surprise! But stay tuned for later this year to find out!
-Etsy
I have been making my wonderful t-shirt pillows and selling them on my Etsy Shop the last couple months. I have also just recently begun selling my pinup pictures on there too.
1. Don't own a smart phone.
2. Don't have a car payment.
3. Don't smoke cigarettes.
4. Don't play the lottery.
5. Purchase my Financial E-Course.
6. Live Cheaply
7. Be Positive about Your Money.
8. Financial Course.
9. Decide what is important to you.
10. Simplify Your Christmas Shopping.
11. Save (and Roll) Your Change.
12. Don't Drink a lot.
13. Keep Track of Everything you Buy for an Entire Month.
14. The No Spend Month.
15. My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel.
16. Don't Make Excuses.
17. Don't play the bank's games.
2. Don't have a car payment.
3. Don't smoke cigarettes.
4. Don't play the lottery.
5. Purchase my Financial E-Course.
6. Live Cheaply
7. Be Positive about Your Money.
8. Financial Course.
9. Decide what is important to you.
10. Simplify Your Christmas Shopping.
11. Save (and Roll) Your Change.
12. Don't Drink a lot.
13. Keep Track of Everything you Buy for an Entire Month.
14. The No Spend Month.
15. My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel.
16. Don't Make Excuses.
17. Don't play the bank's games.
And now for #18 in my Money Management Monday Series; Redefine Your Birthday List.
You remember how when you were younger, adults would ask you what you wanted for your Birthday (or Christmas, or Hannukah, or Easter, or whatever), and you would immediately answer enthusiastically about the latest toy or hot wheel or doll you wanted? Now as an adult when someone asks what you want for your birthday you probably think something like, "How about you pay my rent, buy me a new alternator for my car, or help me out with some of my student loans?!" You of course don't say these things, and instead mumble an unenthusiastic, "I dunno." Sound like you?
Well today on our Money Management Monday, I want you to redefine your Birthday list (and Christmas list, and Hannukah list, and Easter list), to not only save you some money, but to actually have an answer when someone asks what you want!
My husband and I, along our Money Management quest have discovered a way to redefine our Birthday lists, to save us a ton of money over the years, as well as answer that pesky and ever-present "What do you want for your Birthday?" question. Today is a very simple Money Management Monday. Here it is!
You remember how when you were younger, adults would ask you what you wanted for your Birthday (or Christmas, or Hannukah, or Easter, or whatever), and you would immediately answer enthusiastically about the latest toy or hot wheel or doll you wanted? Now as an adult when someone asks what you want for your birthday you probably think something like, "How about you pay my rent, buy me a new alternator for my car, or help me out with some of my student loans?!" You of course don't say these things, and instead mumble an unenthusiastic, "I dunno." Sound like you?
Well today on our Money Management Monday, I want you to redefine your Birthday list (and Christmas list, and Hannukah list, and Easter list), to not only save you some money, but to actually have an answer when someone asks what you want!
My husband and I, along our Money Management quest have discovered a way to redefine our Birthday lists, to save us a ton of money over the years, as well as answer that pesky and ever-present "What do you want for your Birthday?" question. Today is a very simple Money Management Monday. Here it is!
I keep a special notebook in my desk, and whenever I realize that Nick or I need anything, I immediately write it down in the book. Whenever I catch myself thinking, "I would really like to have this or that", I write it down in the book! Once you start doing this, I think it will surprise you the amount of items you have written down, it did me! Then whenever I get asked by someone what Nick or I want for our Birthday, I just pull out this list, and I have a very specific, good amount of present ideas to give them!
Making these lists has drastically cut down on the amount of things Nick and I purchase for ourselves, thus cutting down drastically the amount of money we spend!
Here are some examples of things we have received for gifts, and didn't have to spend any money on;
Here are some examples of things we have received for gifts, and didn't have to spend any money on;
-I no longer spend money on cds (yes I still listen to cds) or records (yes I collect records), or dvds (yes we still watch dvds).
Whatever cd just came out that I want, I ask for it for Christmas! I love love love opening cds!
-An umbrella.
I lost my cheap little umbrella before moving to Atlanta, and soon found out that when you live in a city and walk a lot, you need an umbrella! So I added it to my list, and for Christmas my Mom bought me one of those super awesome reversible umbrellas, and whenever I use it people are always jealous of it!
-Most of our kitchen appliances.
I don't know about you, but spending my hard earned money on any kitchen appliance does not make me happy! We fortunately got most of our kitchen appliances as gifts when we got married (which was awesome!), but anytime we've needed any other appliance we just ask for it! And our families are really good about buying us fun new appliances that we haven't even had to chance to ask for!
-Socks.
I can not even remember the last time Nick or I bought socks. We always get them as gifts, and as an adult, I love getting socks! I'm not the only one am I?
-My sewing machine.
-Clothing, accessories, and shoes.
I don't usually even ask for clothing, accessories, or shoes, but my family always gets them for me (and I always love what they buy [they know me so good!]), cutting out the need for me to go out and buy lots of clothes, shoes, or accessories throughout the year.
-A French press coffee pot.
After I dropped and broke mine, my Mom swooped in and saved the day by buying me another one for Christmas!
-Home decor items I want, office supplies, plants (real and fake!), car parts, bedding, and lots more! Though you can take it too far-my family still makes fun of me for when I asked for toilet paper and canned goods as gifts right before we moved to Atlanta! Hahaha live and learn!
Whatever cd just came out that I want, I ask for it for Christmas! I love love love opening cds!
-An umbrella.
I lost my cheap little umbrella before moving to Atlanta, and soon found out that when you live in a city and walk a lot, you need an umbrella! So I added it to my list, and for Christmas my Mom bought me one of those super awesome reversible umbrellas, and whenever I use it people are always jealous of it!
-Most of our kitchen appliances.
I don't know about you, but spending my hard earned money on any kitchen appliance does not make me happy! We fortunately got most of our kitchen appliances as gifts when we got married (which was awesome!), but anytime we've needed any other appliance we just ask for it! And our families are really good about buying us fun new appliances that we haven't even had to chance to ask for!
-Socks.
I can not even remember the last time Nick or I bought socks. We always get them as gifts, and as an adult, I love getting socks! I'm not the only one am I?
-My sewing machine.
-Clothing, accessories, and shoes.
I don't usually even ask for clothing, accessories, or shoes, but my family always gets them for me (and I always love what they buy [they know me so good!]), cutting out the need for me to go out and buy lots of clothes, shoes, or accessories throughout the year.
-A French press coffee pot.
After I dropped and broke mine, my Mom swooped in and saved the day by buying me another one for Christmas!
-Home decor items I want, office supplies, plants (real and fake!), car parts, bedding, and lots more! Though you can take it too far-my family still makes fun of me for when I asked for toilet paper and canned goods as gifts right before we moved to Atlanta! Hahaha live and learn!
So what do you think, are you ready to whip out your own notebook (or a new notes in your phone) and start redefining your Birthday list? And Christmas is really just around the corner, so why not be prepared for that too?
Peace Love and Money Management
Jess <3
Jess <3
