Category: Money

Book Review; Manifest $10,000 by Cassie Parks

6/25/2017

I was so excited when I received my copy of "Manifest $10,000", complete with Cassie's John Hancock scribbled on the inside!
If the name of the book didn't sell me, the rest of the front cover certainly did; "Learn how to manifest $10,000 by using the law of attraction and improving your money mindset." Yes please!
I looved that the book was not super long; it is only 94 pages, of step by step, and how to's.

In the last couple of years I started to learn about, and read manifestation books. They were all awesome for starting out manifesting, getting my head in the right place, and teaching me the general techniques and ideas behind it. "Manifest $10,000" by Cassie Parks however, takes manifesting money to a whole new level!
This book makes manifesting money seem not only within your grasp, but totally do-able, and fun!

I am about two months into the book, and am having a blast going through all the steps so far. Two of the items that I wrote down that I would spend part of the $10,000 on, were a good blush, and eyebrow makeup. After less than a month of doing the steps, I received a blush, and eyebrow makeup for free from Influenster! I was blown away! I can not wait to keep going, and see what else happens!

If you have been waiting for a sign to start manifesting, or to try something different in your life, this is it! Pick up this book and see what magic you can start manifesting into your life right now!
You can find "Manifest $10,000" on Amazon, in paperback or kindle edition.
And also check out Cassie's website.

*Disclosure*
I was given this book, and these are my thoughts on it.

Peace Love and Manifest $10,000
Jess <3

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Money Management Mondays Part 17

12/5/2016

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Welcome back to Money Management Mondays my lovely readers! Today I have the 17th installment of this money saving series, to help each of you in your own money saving paths!

To refresh your memory, here are the previous 16 Money Management Monday posts, you can go back and re-read them if you need to;

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.

Money Saving Secret #17 . Don't play the bank's games.

This one is very simple, but very effective!
Overdraft fees, and atm charges (or as I like to call them, the bank's games) can add up so quickly, costing you your hard earned money!
This great article from The Huffington Post tells us just how serious these games are when it reported that "... the average overdraft fee was $34, yet most overdraft charges occurred on transactions of $24 or less." Wow! It also opens the article by saying, "America’s three biggest banks continued their ongoing joke on poor people last year by collecting $6 billion from overdraft and ATM fees, and 2016 is looking even more bleak."
Holy canoly! This is just so hard to believe, that Americans willingly handed over $6 billion of their hard earned money last year, with nothing to show for it!
So what should you do about this? Stop playing the bank's games!
If you always keep track of how much you have in your account (either by balancing your checkbook faithfully, or just checking your online bank account a couple times a month), then the bank will not be able to take money from you! Simple as that! I personally, have a book, that in it I keep track of how much money I have in my checking, and it is a lifesaver! I keep track of every penny that comes out of it, and every penny that goes in.
As far as atm fees go, why pay them?!
The best way to steer clear of atm fees is to simply be prepared. You know that you are going to need cash next week, so get it out of the bank ahead of time. Or, simply use a checkbook or a debit card for when you need to pay for things, instead of getting cash out of an atm. And lastly, use an atm with no fees (like your bank's atm)!
Just be aware of the bank's expensive games that are taking your money, and don't play them anymore! This is your money, and you have important things to do with it!

Well I hope you enjoyed this latest Money Management Mondays post! See you guys next week!

I want to challenge you this week, to love others, and love yourself. Do one thing this week that makes this world a better place. You will not regret it. Peace and love to you!

*P.S Want more of these great tips all in one place? Purchase my "Create Your Dream Life" Ebook for only $2.99, with an instant download!*

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Peace Love and Money Management Mondays
Jess <3

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How to Make Money on Fiverr

10/17/2016

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If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that I despise working normal, soul-sucking, 9-5 jobs. I instead, prefer to use my god-given talents and interests to make a living. I write all about this in my first blog post ever, posted May 11th 2012.
And while I am not making 100% of my income from my passions yet, I am getting much closer to being able to sit on a beach all day! So if you want to become free, keep reading!

There are a lot of ways that I am making money right now; this blog, and my Etsy being two of them. But today I wanted to talk about a different means of earning money, that I have had people ask me about, because I am doing pretty well at it.
Fiverr can be one of the easiest, fun-nest, and most lucrative ways to make money on the internet. It doesn't require you to have your own website, you don't need to be a computer whiz, and you can get started in a day!
The basic gist of Fiverr is simple; "People will do anything for $5". And I mean anything! Need a fake girlfriend for your social media? Done! Want Christopher Walken to call your friend? Yes please! Needing a fairy to hold your sign? Sure thing! Having trouble finding Marilyn Monroe to sing happy birthday to someone? Well you've come to the right place!
All fun and crazy-ness aside, there is also a ton of gigs for graphics and design, digital marketing, translating services, singers and songwriters, advertising, and programming.

Ready to get started on Fiverr? Here's how!

First things first, you need to get your profile set up!
Your profile is where all of your gigs will be, and where people can read about you.
To do this, just go to fiverr.com and find the sign up button. You pick your name (mine is Chinagirl since I do some Mandarin Chinese gigs), put in an email address, and answer questions about yourself, and about your gigs. Take a look at my Fiverr profile to get an idea of what it will look like.

The next thing you must do, is to make your gigs!
This is the fun part! Your gigs are what you are willing to do for $5. Your gigs will be making you your money, and no matter how cool your profile looks, if you don't have any gigs, you will not make any money. So start thinking. It can be silly, or it can be serious, or it can be anything in-between. It does not cost you anything to create or post a gig, so make as many as you'd like! I still have a couple gigs that I've posted that haven't made me any money, but it's ok, because all it took was a little bit of time to make the gig.

Think of things you're good at doing, that other people want or need.
Are you a computer genius? Perfect! Tons of people need help with computer programming, website building. Do you speak multiple languages? Offer translating services. Are you a writer or a musician? There are plenty of things to do with those gifts! Are you artistic? Try drawing pictures of people or their pets!
I speak Mandarin Chinese, so I sing happy birthday in Mandarin for one gig. I also like to make and sell crafts, so I have a couple of my products on there. I also offer ads on this blog through Fiverr, and my most popular gigs are my modeling gigs.

Be unique!
There are literally thousands of people on Fiverr selling the same exact gigs. So offer something unique instead! It's fine to have a couple gigs that aren't unique, but try to come up with at least one that is unique to you. For example, one of my gigs is "I will sing Happy Birthday in Mandarin Chinese." In all of Fiverr, there is only one other gig that is the same, and it was just posted not too long ago. I also sell my record bowls on there, and again, there is only one other gig that does that.

Post the rest of your gigs.
Once you have a couple of unique gigs posted, you can add the rest of your gigs. Don't worry if there are a lot of people selling the same thing, just be sure to put your own unique spin on it! For example, if you type in "male model" in the search bar, over thirty different gigs will pop up. So how have I had over thirty separate orders for my dad and my husband's male modeling gigs? Because I made each of them unique from the other gigs. The other male model gigs simply said, "I will be your male model." So I made my Dad's gig say, "I will be your bearded male model." And Nick's says, "I will be your tattooed male model." So use normal gigs, but get specific, and get unique.

Now start making sales!
Here are some tips that I use, to sell a lot of gigs.

-Respond quickly. This is one thing I am working on! I have lost a couple sales because time was of the essence, and unfortunately I did not read, or respond to the person's message inquiring about a gig in time. So be sure to check your messages every couple of days, and respond to people who are asking questions about your gigs.

-Maximize your earnings. So just in case you lost interest because you're thinking that $5 isn't enough, this part is for you! In every gig you can make up to $1,000! You just need to find ways to upgrade the things you're selling! For example; In all of my modeling gigs for me, my dad, and my husband, the gig starts out at $5 (like every gig needs to). The $5 gig includes four pictures with one background. For $10, the gig includes 10 pictures, in multiple backgrounds. In every gig I also include an extra fast delivery time for $5 extra. None of my gigs total anywhere close to $1,000, but I'm in the process of revamping my Fiverr account, and I'm trying to think of different ways to upgrade even more!

-Sell your physical items. Yes, you can sell physical items, because you have the option to charge for shipping. So figure out some small (or large!) items that you can make multiples of, and sell. Especially around Christmas time!

-Scope out the competition. Search for gigs that are the same as yours. Study them and figure out the following; 1. What are they lacking that you could make sure to add to your gig? 2. What are some of their gig extras. Can you do them for cheaper? Or can you add on more gig extras? 3. What about these gigs are better than your gig? Adjust accordingly.

-Whatever you do, do it great. Like most businesses nowadays, you will be getting reviewed by your customers! Aim to make your customer as satisfied as possible. Always go the extra mile. Because I always go the extra mile, if you look at my Fiverr gigs, you will see some very satisfied customer reviews.

-Take great photos. For my modeling gigs, I obviously need to take great pictures for the customer. But even if your gig doesn't involve taking pictures, get a nice picture for your gig picture so it will grab your potential customers' attention.

Fiverr can be super fun. It's a great way to earn money doing what you love to do, and most of the time without even leaving your house! We have had a blast doing our various different gigs. We have received a lot of free products (the watch that Nick wore on our wedding day was a free product from a Fiverr gig!), and have been featured on a lot of cool websites and social media accounts (see them all on my modeling page).
Good luck on your Fiverr journey!

Peace Love and Fiverr
Jess <3

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A Financial Checklist for Traveling Abroad

7/24/2016

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A Financial Checklist for Traveling Abroad

Hello wonderful readers and fellow travelers out there!
Today I have for you a guest post from Frank Lee!
I like to talk a lot about traveling; all the fun places to go, and cool things to do, so on the opposite (but crucial) side of that, Frank is going to help you navigate through the very important, and sometimes tricky topic of handling your finances when you're traveling abroad! Be sure and take notes kiddos!

"Traveling involves a lot of planning and forethought and while we take care of many things, we often forget to take care of the most important thing we need – our finances. There are some basic steps which you may not need to be reminded to follow such as making copies of your bank account information and credit card, but there are a number of other steps which can make you trip more enjoyable by keeping your money secure and accessible on a foreign trip. Having access to cash at hand along with other modes of payment in a foreign land can make all the difference between an enjoyable trip and a trip you regret taking. A lack of cash can make the journey much harder as instead of enjoying, your energies will be more focused on making ends meet and just going by.

Talk to Your Bank
One of the first things you need to do before you embark on a foreign travel is to make sure that your bank knows you’re going out of the country and your credit card is going to be used at multiple locations all around the world. Usually banks have red flags which are actually designed to keep your money safe but they can be counter-intuitive in this case as breaking your usual patterns can get your account frozen or it could result in your credit card being declined when you’re buying some essential items in a faraway place and have run out of your cash. This could lead to some very embarrassing situations so save yourself the trouble and talk to the bank about your travel and how long you’re going to spend in which country.

Set Up Online Account
An online account gives you the freedom to manage your funds from a remote location which is a very convenient option when you’re traveling overseas. The control of your account will allow you to stay on top of your transactions. It also gives you the ability to set up automatic payments and pay your utilities and other bills when you’re on the go.

Multiple Payment Methods
Although your method of payment depends on your destination but it’s always a good idea to stay prepared for the worst-case situation. Keep all your options open by carrying a credit card, a debit card and cash in both your currency and the destination country. You only need to keep small amounts of your currency and more of the local currency since that is what’s going to be the most widely accessible method of payment.

Check Exchange Rates
One must familiarize himself with the exchange rates before embarking on a journey to a foreign land to understand the value of the local currency against the foreign which will help in understanding the amount of cash one needs to take with him or her. Search for the conversion fees which you may have to pay to the money exchangers for the conversion of money and weigh it against getting the money converted in your own country.

Get an ATM Card
ATM cards are a great alternative to carrying large amounts of cash which is an unsafe thing to do in a foreign land. There is always the option of signing up for an ATM card with no fee from an online bank which gives you the freedom to take cash out without paying large sums of money in transaction fees. The important thing to remember is that you don’t necessarily have to open a new account in a different bank, you should consult with your own bank first as many banks often waive ATM fees for certain checking accounts.

Keep Cash Handy
Cash is the one thing which you can be sure about that it won’t leave you estranged in a foreign land. US citizens are lucky in the respect that a majority of the world is willing to accept US dollars at their face value and by paying in dollars you automatically save the conversion fee you may have had to pay to a financial institution. A lot of things which you may buy from the foreign destination can easily be bought from home at discounted prices from Groupon.
Although you can exchange your money at the airport but that’s usually an expensive option, the alternative is to withdraw money from an ATM. Just remember that no one rejects cold hard cash especially when you’re ready to pay. Keep a few hundred dollars with you for times when you can’t access cash any other way but keep it in small denominations to avoid becoming a target of a mugging incident."

Thanks for all the tips Frank! I will definitely be doing these things on my next trip abroad!

Peace Love and Finances
Jess <3

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Money Management Mondays Part 16

7/18/2016

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Welcome back to Money Management Mondays my lovely readers! Today I have the 16th installment of this money saving series, to help you each in your own money saving paths!

To refresh your memory, here are the previous 15 Money Management Monday posts, go back and re-read them if you need to;

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.

Money Saving Secret #16. Don't Make Excuses.

When I first started doing my money management series, and started selling my financial coaching packages, I had a very rude person e-mail me and tell me that I shouldn't be giving people advice on money, because I have no adult responsibilities, and that if she didn't have $700 in rent every month, then she too would be able to save as much money as me. Well, I went on to tell her that she doesn't know me at all, so therefore, has no right saying that I have no responsibilities, when in fact, I do. The second thing that struck me about this bitter angry person, was that she was making excuses as to why she's not able to save money. Who forced her to get a $700 apartment? Who said she couldn't get roommates? I obviously don't know her situation (as she doesn't know mine), but I do know that she is making excuses to me, as well to herself. She is telling herself that it's not her fault that she is living unhappily, and without money! She is not willing to question HOW she can change her situation, by downgrading to a cheaper apartment, getting roommates, picking up a second job, or any other money saving secret I have shared here!
When it comes to money, I have found that people are very good at making excuses. Whether it's to themselves, or other people.

So, what I want you to do today, is make a list of all your excuses and reasoning for why you can't be saving money like a mad-person and living a happy, financially free life. For example; 1. My rent is too expensive 2. I smoke a pack of cigarettes a day 3. I just like shoes too much etc. Write the list. Then study that list carefully. Are any of the reasons good enough reasons? Is there any way to get rid of any of those excuses, or to at least diminish them? Think carefully, and figure out for yourself if these excuses are just that; excuses.

custom bobbleheads

Peace Love and Finances
Jess <3

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My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel

5/9/2016

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My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel!

I have been to 15 countries and counting.
I am no expert by any means, but I think, that I have figured out the magic formula to saving money for any vacation, to anywhere in the world! Without going broke, without having to make $100,000 a year, and without having to save for your entire life just for one vacation!
This one magnificent secret of mine will prove to you, once and for all, that in order to travel the world, you do not need to have a great paying job, be famous, or inherit a butt load of money. It will show you that even if you are working for minimum wage, have never traveled before, and have no rich uncles dying any time soon, you can still go on your dream vacation!!! How exciting is that?!! I'm excited! And you should be too!
Read below to find out my #1 secret to saving money to travel, and start planning your dream trip today!

In Australia. 2006

My #1 Secret to saving money for travel is.....

Figure out the exact amount of money you need.

In Vanuatu. 2006

Ok stay with me! Let me explain!
The reason most people don't go on fabulous vacations and adventurous trips, is because they get it in their heads that travel is a luxury they just simply can't afford. This is however, not the case, and when you figure out the exact amount of money you will need for your vacation, you will be able to visit anywhere in the world!
Just do as I say below, and it will all become clear!

How to figure out the exact amount of money you need for your dream vacation;
-Find a notebook. This is now your travel notebook! Write down where you want to go, how long you want to stay there, and what activities you would like to do while there.
-Now get online.
Search prices of airline tickets first, as this is usually the biggest expense. Write down the average price (not the most expensive, and not the cheapest, just the price you see popping up the most). Try plenty of different websites.
-Find out if you need a visa to visit the specific country. If you do, write down the price for that.
-Write down the price of hotels. If you're feeling adventurous and want to save money, use hostelworld. Write down the price of the hotels, and multiply that by the amount of nights you are staying there.
-Write down the price of food (multiplied by the number of times you will be eating), bus fares, taxis, and all of the tourist activities you want to do. This is way easier than you think. Literally type into google; Food prices in Germany, Eiffel Tower ticket price, taxi fares in Costa Rica, etc.
***Note, if you are going to an all-inclusive resort, then you won't need to write down all these things. Just the flight, any activities that cost extra, and the cost of the resort***
-Once you have all this written down (be sure to aim a little high for everything. If you have some leftover, you can simply put that towards your next trip. There is nothing worse than having to cut a trip short because you figured too low for expenses!), add it up!
This is the magic number. Most likely, it is much lower than you would have expected! See! Traveling isn't too expensive for you!
On the next clean piece of paper in your travel notebook, write this number down. Underline it. Circle it!
Next you...

In Thailand. 2008.

Figure out exactly when you would like to take this trip. 16 months from now? 10 months from now?
Take your magic number, and divide it by the number of months you have decided on.

And that number my friend, that little tiny number you see before you, is all the money you need to put aside every month, to go on your dream vacation.

Most likely (unless you choose a very expensive country, and only give yourself a couple months to save), that number is smaller than your rent! Smaller than the price of going out drinking every weekend, smaller than a $5 Starbucks a day coffee! Wow!!!

In China. 2009

Here is an example for you! I want to take a week-long trip to China. In total I need; $1,390 (an average of $800 for the flight, $120 at most [China is dirt cheap, plus I like to stay at hostels] for hotel and food, $270 for my visa, and $200 for activities).
I want to leave for my trip in ten months.
1,390 divided by 10= 139
So the grand total I need to set aside every month, is only $139!
Only $139! Less than $35 a week, less than $5 a day, set aside for less than a year, and I would be able to go on a week-long vacation to China, a vacation that most people could never dream of!
(Can you tell I'm getting excited!!!)

In Costa Rica 2001

So every month, in a separate savings account (bonus, you will be making interest on your money!), a piggy bank, or in an envelope hidden in your underwear drawer, set aside the amount of money that you need.
Now any country, any experience, any trip, is attainable.

In Fiji 2006

Ok so, what if you've read this, figured out your magic monthly number, and are saying, "I can't save that amount of money a month!"

Here is what I have to say to that;
-You're lying. Ok, maybe not. But! I do find it very difficult to believe that an adult person, with a job, can not save an extra $100 a month!
-Read my complete Money Management Series. You should be able to save at least $100 a month with most of my money saving tips.
-Give yourself longer to save. If you need $1,500, but can't save $150 for 10 months, instead, save only $100 for 15 months! Still doable!
-If after all of this, you still can't manage to scrounge up an extra $100 or so a month, then you don't want it bad enough. You would rather spend your money on cigarettes/alcohol/shoes/clothes/going out to eat/starbucks etc.etc etc. And that's ok. If travel isn't your priority, then you will not be able to save up money for it, and you don't have to. If your daily Starbucks is more important to you than travel, then continue buying your Starbucks. But, if travel is a priority, then I know that you will be able to find a way to save that money!

In The Bahamas 2005

This year me and the husband have already had a mini vacation at Kalahari Resorts, we just booked a week long vacation for our one year anniversary, to an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic (!!!), and we have a couple other trips in the works! We are so excited about it! And we are able to do all of this, using the secret that I just shared with you!
(Psst! If planning a vacation seems scary or too complicated for you, message me about World Ventures, the travel club that me and my husband joined. They have thousands of super affordable "Dream Trips", all around the world, and all you have to do is pay one lump sum for the already planned hotels, activities, and sometimes even food!)

I am just so excited for you! I hope this post has inspired and excited you! Let me know below in the comments what your dream vacation is, and what your magic number is for it!
I would absolutely love to hear all your magic numbers, and your plans for your destination!

Peace Love and Vacationing
Jess <3

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Tips to Survive a No Spend Month

2/22/2016

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Welcome back to Money Management Mondays my lovely readers! It's been a while, and today on the 14th installment, I will be talking about why you should do a no spend month, and how to survive a no spend month!
Here are the previous 13 Money Management Monday posts;

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.

Money Management Mondays Part 14. The No Spend Month!

The no spend month is something I've seen popping up around the blogosphere a lot lately, and it sounded like a great idea, so me and the husband decided to give it a try! There are a lot of different ways you can go about doing your no spend month, but the basic gist of it, is that you don't spend any money for an entire month (duh!)! Hehe. Some people go all out, not buying gas or groceries the entire time, literally not spending a penny the entire month. But you need to conform the no spend month to fit your lifestyle, because if you don't make it work for you, then you won't stick to it, simple as that. So me and Nick decided that for our no spend month, we will still be buying gas, because we need to get to work, and we will still be buying groceries, because I'm hypoglycemic, and I need to eat a lot, and we eat pretty healthy, so we need to buy vegetables and other such perishables. But anyways! We did our No Spend Month, and it turned out really great! We saved a good deal of money! I was so stoked when I was doing my budgeting all month, and kept realizing that I had so much extra money to budget, because we weren't spending it! Wohooo!

So if you would like to try a no spend month, figure out what will work for you, choose a month, read these tips, and then prepare for some money saving!

So here are my top tips for surviving a no spend month!

Just because you can't buy anything this month, doesn't mean you can't look at nice things riiiiiiight?

Do your no spend month during the winter.
In the winter months, you'll be invited to hang out with people less, because most people like to hibernate indoors all winter long, and plus, it will be easier to stay curled up inside not spending money when it's freezing cold and snowing outside!

Use gift cards during your no spend month.
This is one reason why doing your no spend month right after Christmas is such a great idea. During our no spend month, me and the husband went to go see a movie with a gift card my brother gave us for Christmas, went shopping for new clothes for Nick at Express, with a gift card given to him by his sister's boyfriend, and I went to a coffee shop and used a gift card given to me by my brother to pay for it! We got to go out and do stuff, and not spend a dime!

Try out all those recipes you have saved to your pinterest board.
Since you can't go out to eat this month, you're going to have to do cooking at home. So now's the chance to try out all those recipes that you keep promising yourself that you'll make one day but never do. Just be sure to make a list of the ingredients that you need for each recipe, so that when you go to the grocery store, you buy only the things that you need!

Use ingredients already in your cupboards.
Some people that spend absolutely nothing all month, will only use the food they already have in their cupboards and freezers. Go through your cupboards and freezer, make a list of food you have, then plan your meals around that! You will spend very little on groceries that month, and use up food that was just sitting around collecting dust!

Play board games.
For Christmas my mom gave Nick a board game called "Crazy Categories", and we love it! We've played it with a bunch of different people, and it's a great way to have fun while staying home and not spending any money!

Return Things.
Me and Nick still had some things from our wedding (8 months ago haha!) that needed returned to the store. The store does not take returns, but they will do in-store exchanges. So during our no-spend month, we brought our items that needed returning, and exchanged them for things that we needed for our home, and a couple of birthday presents that we needed to buy for people. And we didn't spend a penny!

Invite people over to your house instead of going out.
On the 3rd day of our no spend month, our good friend from Atlanta was in town, and we wanted to hang out with him! So he came over to our house, Nick cooked some food, we ate, drank some beer (that was already in the fridge from the month before!), talked, and had a grand time!

Get crafty with your gifts.
During our no spend month we had 3 people that we needed to buy gifts for. We did end up getting a couple things for the people (see the above "return things" tip), but I got really crafty with my gifts and it turned out really well! For example, Nick's little sister had her birthday, and we gave her a cupcake candle (that we got when we exchanged things), and I made her a cupcake pillow, and a hairbow. She absolutely loved them, and everyone was passing around the pillow and marveling at its hand made-ness!

I do realize that sometimes you just need to spend money...
That's just how this world works. But if you can wait, wait! A lot of times we think we need something, then later realize that we could have done without it, or could have gotten it from someone we know, for free or very inexpensive. So just try to hold out on any and every purchase, and when the month is over, see if you still "need" it! That's one reason why the no spend month is so great, it forces us to slow down and actually think about our spending!

So! You've picked out a month, you've read the above tips, and you are ready to start saving money!
Now what? Next, you should decide what you want to do with the money you save! This is very important, because if you don't make a plan for the saved money, then most likely as soon as the no spend month is over, the money will just get spent, and the entire no spend month will be for naught!

Here are some things you can do with the money you save;
1. Put it towards paying off debt.
2. Put it towards something special you're saving for, like a vacation, a house, a car, or your wedding.
3. Use it to pay off bills that keep piling up.
and anything else you can think of! Just make sure that you have something in mind before you start the month!

How about you? Have you ever tried a no spend month? If not, would you like to? If you have, how was it? And what were your tips for surviving it?

Be sure to check out this new fashion blog; Pamela Kurt!

Peace Love and No Spend Month
Jessica <3

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10 LITTLE Ways to Save BIG on Your Wedding!

8/17/2015

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Hello future brides! My name is China Barbie, and I am here to tell you; "Your wedding does not have to bankrupt you!"
I got married in June, and I paid full price for almost nothing for my entire wedding! So I have here the tips and tricks I used for my wedding, that helped me save BIG!
You can use one of them, or you can use them all! Either way, get ready to save some money!

Tip #1- Work for your Vendors!
I have a friend who worked at a country club for a couple years while going to college. The only reason she worked there? So she could get a discount on her wedding reception!
I worked a second job at a Chinese Restaurant for a year while I was engaged, just so I could get a 30% discount from them on our food!
I worked for our photographer whenever he needed help, to get money taken off the total cost.
I also got the kegs of beer for our reception at cost because I got them from the sports bar I work at!!!
I put this tip as #1, because this tip saved me almost $1,000!!!
This is a very simple, and very smart move! And! If you get a second job, you can put your paychecks from that job directly towards your wedding!

Tip #2- Become a Crazy Coupon-ing Bride!
This is one of my favorite tips I used for my wedding! While I was planning my wedding, I never went into Joann Fabrics without at least one coupon on me, and it saved me a ton!
Here are my biggest bridal coupon-ing secrets!

-Go to www.joann.com/coupon any time before you go to Joann Fabrics (which is the best place to buy wedding stuff!), or sign up for their text alerts by texting 56266.

-For our Save the Dates, I just printed out our picture in postcard sizes at Office Max. I receive coupons from them bi-monthly, so I got 20% off of my entire Save the Date Prints!

-I bought a lot of fun wedding stuff from Oriental Trade (you know, that awesome bulk-buying magazine you used to get as a kid, that had a bunch of themed party supplies, and glowsticks?!!). Well, they actually have a lot of nice wedding stuff!!!
Go todealcatcher, or retailmenot, search Oriental Trade (or any online store you're looking to buy from), and get your free coupon codes!!!

Tip #3- Rent!
Renting is one of the biggest ways you can save on your wedding (and not have 100 glass jars sitting in the back of your closet for the next ten years!)!
I do have my own wedding rental business (here), but you don't have to go with mine, check out any rental business in your area, and start saving!

Tip #4- Pay in Cash!
When I bought my wedding dress, I received ten percent off for paying in cash, and another ten percent off for paying in full!!! I saved over $200 by paying in cash!
Whenever you're paying for a big ticket item, simply ask if they offer a cash discount! The worst that can happen is they say no, you say ok, and you move on!

Tip #5- Make it Yourself
Diy-ing your wedding ensures that not only will you spend less money, but that your special day will truly be special and unique, and not look like every other wedding you see on Pinterest!
I made (ok my fiance helped out too!) our centerpieces, all the flower bouquets, our cake stand, my garter, the table runners, my veil, the flower girl's basket, our guest book, the hairbow I wore to the reception, and the bridesmaids purple ribbon wraps!
This tip saved us such a large amount of money! Plus, it was super fun!

Tip #6- Buy in bulk
I went to Zinck's, an Amish outlet fabric store, and bought the roll of lace you see above, for $5.00!!! The lace was over 200 yards long!!!!
I used this lace for everything! That's the great thing about buying in bulk, it (very inexpensively) helps seamlessly blend all the elements of your wedding together!

#7. Use your bartering skills
Nick actually tattoed our officiant for his services!
I received a discount from our videographer, and day-of wedding coordinator in exchange for advertising their businesses on this blog!
Just figure out what you're good at that people want, and offer it! Just be sure that when you ask, be super nice about it, and make sure that neither of you come away feeling ripped off!

#8. Go to a Bridal Show
Bridal Shows are so much fun to go to!!! You will eat way too many free samples of cake, get to see lots of adorable ideas of set-ups, get to meet with and talk to vendors face to face, and get bridal show coupons and discounts!!!
I got 20% off my entire bill at the rental business I got my tablecloths and coffee maker from, because I got their coupon at a local bridal show!

#9. Support Small Businesses
I am an avid supporter of small businesses in general, but for your wedding, it is actually a really smart move to go with a small business! When you hire a small business, not only are you getting their full attention, but they work extra hard to make sure that you're happy with their services! You can also most likely get a great price, because they don't have a lot of employees and overhead to pay for! I used mostly small businesses for my wedding vendors, and I was extremely happy with all of them! I have a complete list of my vendors at the bottom of the page!

#10. Don't Use "Wedding Services"
As soon as something is marked as "wedding", the price shoots way up!
For our reception hall, we used a rental hall, instead of a wedding rental hall. It only cost $450, and we could bring in our own food and drinks, which saved us a lot!
Our ceremony venue was a theatre, and we saved money by using that instead of a wedding venue!

So those are some of my tips to have your dream wedding on a budget!
And my last tip, is just to think outside the box! Sit down with a pen and paper, and write exactly what you want your wedding to look and feel like. Make sketches, and make a plan! Use that great brain of yours!

My Vendors!
These were all the vendors I used for our wedding, and I could not have asked for anything better! Take a look, I highly recommend all of them!

• Photographer:
Lisa Austin from Graham River Productions.
Our pictures turned out amaaaaazing (as you can tell here. And here!).
http://www.grahamriver.com

• Videographer:
Captured Occasions.
Not hiring a videographer is one of the top regret of brides! Make sure that's not one of yours! Watch ours here. This video literally made me cry! It was so incredible to be able to watch our big day together! Captured Occasions is a small business, the owner Rachel was the person who actually was at our wedding! She did absolutely incredible! I highly, highly recommend her!
http://www.reellifeonvideo.com

• Wedding Planner:
Perfectly Planned by Val. I planned my own wedding, but I hired Val for my Day-of-Coordinator. I very much recommend getting yourself a day of coordinator! It takes all the pressure off you on your big day! She yelled at everyone for me so that I didn't have to, and made sure everything ran perfectly!
http://www.perfectlyplannedbyval.com

• Ceremony Venue:
Lion's Lincoln Theatre
https://www.lionslincolntheatre.com

• Reception Venue:
The Oaks Club
http://www.the-oaks-club.com

• My Dress:
Unusual Junction's Universe Bridal and Prom
http://universebridalandprom.com/

• My Shoes:
White Converse All Stars

• My Headpiece:
I made my veil, and the bow I wore at the reception. I bought
the fabric for both of them at JoAnn Fabrics.

• My Jewellery:
My mom bought me my pearl necklace from a second hand store (not
sure if it's real or not, it was only $10 so I'm guessing not!),
and I bought my pearl bracelet from Eden Ministries, the organization
that I work with, that helps get women and young girls in China's red
light district help and an escape from prostitution. I also bought one
for my mom and mother in law.
https://edenministry.org

• My Hair:
Abby Warther Hair Studio. Bri Scott did my hair, and she did amazing!
I am absolutely obsessed with my wedding day hair! I get so happy every
time I see it!
http://www.awhairstudio.com

• My Make Up:
I did my own makeup. After a terrible experience with an airbrush artist
who made me look way too tan, and not look like myself at all, I decided
to just do my makeup myself. I was super nervous about it, but it turned
out perfect, I looked like me, and I am so glad I was true to myself and
did my own makeup!

• Groom’s Attire:
Hollister Slim Fit Jeans, a George long sleeved white button up shirt,
black and white OP shoes, black dickies perry suspenders, a black American
Commodore Tuxedo Jacket with tails that I bought him at a garage sale
for $.25 (!), and a V6 watch.

• Bridesmaid’s Dresses:
The bridesmaids wore black dresses and black shoes. They didn't
match at all, I just told them the requirements, and they bought
whatever shoes and dresses they wanted. My sister got her dress at a second
hand shop for $10! They also wore black and white scarves that I found
at vintage shops, tied around their necks, and purple ribbon tied around
their ankles.

• Cake:
The top tier of the cake stand was a delicious white cake made by Katy's
Kreations, and the donuts were from Krispy Kreme, which Katy from
Katy's Kreations picked up, dropped off, and arranged beautifully.
I have wanted a Krispy Kreme Donut Wedding Cake since I was a little
girl, and I was not disappointed one bit!
https://www.facebook.com/KatysKreations

• Flowers:
I made all my own flower bouquets and flower arrangements from fake
flowers I got at the Flower Factory.
https://www.flowerfactory.com/

• Stationery:
The invitations were party invitations from Party City. We made our
own Save the Dates and printed them out at Office Max.

• Caterers:
Ming Hing, a Chinese Restaurant that I worked at, was our caterer.
Everyone loved having Chinese food, we got so many compliments on it!
https://sites.google.com/site/minghingorrville/home

• DJ:
Our friend Kevin started his own dj company, Synchronicity Sound, and
he did so great!
https://www.facebook.com/synchronicitysound

Peace Love and Weddings
Jess <3

Money Management Monday Pt. 13!

11/17/2014

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Welcome back to Money Management Mondays!!! I have here for you, my 13th installment in this great series! Re-read through the previous twelve tips below to refresh your memory (click on each one to read the post)!

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.

If you are like most people, by the end of the week (or every two weeks, if that's when you get paid), you have no money left, nothing to show for it, and NO IDEA where all your money has gone! Well, if that sounds like you, then this money saving secret is for you!

Money Saving Secret #13. Keep track of everything you buy for one month!

If you write down every penny you spend for an entire month, you will see just exactly where your hard-earned cash has gone! And when you look back over your list, you will start to think, "Wow, I spent $100 on McDonalds in only one month?!!", or "I dropped $50 on energy drinks?!!" Once you start seeing the actual dollar amount of every purchase you make, and see it all add up, it usually makes you a little more cautious of how you spend your money, and that, is GREAT!

Want more of my financial tips and tricks? My e-book, "Creating Your Dream Life" contains just that, along with; How to set goals, How to develop self-confidence, How to travel the world, How to be healthy and good-looking, How to make a budget, Inspirational quotes, How to make more money (without barely doing anything!), and TONS more! Buy yours today, Here! For only $19.99!

Try doing this for only month, and I guarantee you will be shocked at the results! After the month is over, look over your list. Study every penny you spent, and start plotting ways you can cut back on all the un-necessary money spent. For example; if you spent an obscene amount of money on pop and snacks from gas stations, maybe you can plan to go to an outlet store, or a warehouse, and stock up on drinks and snacks that will last you a couple months, but cost the same as you spent this month! Or maybe you can start packing your lunch at least two days a week, so you can cut down on the amount of money you spend on fast food! Get creative! Have fun with it, finances are FUN! Once you have your plan of attack all written out, next month, try it out, and keep track of all your expenses again! I think you will be VERY excited to see all the money you saved!

Peace Love and Money Management
Jess <3

Other My Peace Love Life Articles You Might Like...

MMM Pt. 11

MMM Pt. 12

MMM Pt. 10

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Money Management Mondays Pt. 12

4/28/2014

0 Comments

It's been a while since my last Money Management Mondays post, so in case you forgot, here's the previous eleven money saving tips (click on each one to read the post)!

Money Saving Secret #12 . I don't drink a lot.

This one is HUGE! It is a huge reason a lot of Americans don't have any money. Alcohol costs a LOT. Especially at bars. Especially if you go out once or twice a week, every weekend!

This is a huge one, because I know more people than I can count, that make decent money, but once the weekend is over, have nothing to show for it except a hangover!

When I DO go out, I have a GREAT time, but I don't have to go out all the time to have a good time! I have found fun things that don't involve going out to bars or clubs, I actually prefer not being at bars or the club on the weekend! Sometimes I even go out with friends after work and don't drink at all! I still karaoke and have a great time, but I simply drink water (sometimes cranberry juice!), and don't spend any money at all!
For as long as I can remember, I have always said, that I think people who drink all the time, are very boring, and un-imaginative people. They simply go out and drink every weekend (and a couple nights during the week usually), because they simply can not think up anything fun-ner to do! They can't even have a good time without a drink in their hand! I can not imagine going out and drinking every single weekend, that to me is so BORING! I prefer to have different experiences, go to different places, and enjoy life SOBER!

Oh wow, I almost forgot that this was a post about saving money, not my personal soap box about how I feel about alcohol! Haha. But seriously, just take a little bit and think about what I was just saying...Go and read my post "12 Ways to not be Bored this Summer", to get your creative juices flowing, and start having some sober fun!

And now for the money side of things!

Let's do some math here (I love this part!). If you go out let's say once a week, and spend let's just say $50, not only is that $200 a month (!!!) but you are spending $2,400 in one year...! $2,400!!! That is enough for a plane ticket anywhere in the world!!! So that means if I have to listen to you complain that you will never be able to afford your dream vacation, I will simply point out the drink in your hand, and the $2,400 that you're wasting.
If you cut down to only drinking once a month (which not only your wallet, but your body will thank you for), you will now only be spending $600 a year, which will be saving you $1,800! You just have to decide, if it's more important to you to get drunk every week, not remember what happened, and do damage to your liver, OR, to save up almost $2,000 for anything you want!!!