Need a boost to your resolution resolve? Thanks to a (devoted friend and) reader who requested I make this a post. It was originally a message to my email readers
It’s the END of January. Can you believe it? Have you been sticking to your resolutions or have they fallen to the wayside? I think you’re pretty normal if they did fall to the wayside. But Productive Mama is here to help!
Are you trying to save money this year? Or manage your time better? Here are a few ways that could easily make a BIG difference.
- Call those utility and/or insurance companies to get your rates reduced. Sounds fun, right? NO! No, it does not. I have someone else call FOR me. BillCutterz will negotiate your rates for you and has for me for two years and here’s my detailed review.
- Cut your cell phone bill. I hear about people paying SO MUCH for their phones. We have three phones with unlimited phone, texts and data and pay about $60 per month. If you think, “Oh I don’t use my cell phone much” or “I just have mine for emergencies,” I’ll bet Ting could still save you money.
- Get control of your food budget OR eat better. Even the simplest menu plan will help with these. And right now you can get my Extra Flexible Menu Planner on any page of ProductiveMama.com. It’s designed to be used in a variety of ways, yet be simple enough as to not overwhelm someone just starting to incorporate menu planning into her life. And it comes with examples so you can figure which way might best suit you. ALREADY A SEASONED MEAL PLANNER?
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- Use PlanToEat! It will compile your list, save your favorite recipes, show what’s stocked in your freezer and even help you cook from what you ALREADY HAVE IN THE PANTRY! Here’s my full review.
- Freezer Meals. If you’re already doing well with menu planning, try doubling a recipe or taking advantage of a sale to stock your freezer. The financial and time savings are substantial. Curious but a little overwhelmed?
- NEVER done freezer meal cooking before? Here’s a FREE workshop from Erin Chase (yes, the $5 Dinners lady).
- Familiar with freezer cooking but get bogged down with the planning, list-building and meal creation? Or don’t like the freezer meal recipes you’ve seen? Then you should check out MyFreezeasy, also from Erin Chase. A small investment leads to huge savings in time and your grocery budget.
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- Start a freezer meal club! It’s so much easier to prep several the same meal and you come home with a set to get you through a month. Need help? Check out my Freezer Meal Club Guide and Success course.
- Use that new Instant Pot! Here’s how I use mine. Oh my word, it will save you so. much. time. And money. Especially if you are NOT inclined to meal plan. Here’s a great post on using the Instant Pot to achieve your resolutions. I’m also linking to some of Wardee’s great posts about the Instant Pot to help get you started. Maybe you’re still stalled and a bit nervous? Here’s a great course for just $12 if you need to get over your electric pressure cooker hesitation.
- Try a pantry challenge. Yes, I know, I just walked you through one. It was a crazy time of year to try one. You can do one ANY month when you expect funds to be tight and you’ll likely save a few hundred dollars. You don’t need MY help. You can do one on your own. I promise! I don’t make them scary because I let YOU set the rules!
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- Get your homeschooling more organized! Check out my review of Homeschool Planet, a great way to keep your lessons organized and keep track of where each kid is. I loved using it to print out lists (or have them check them of on a tablet) of each day’s assignment.
- Move more! Here’s my review of Essentrics/Classical Stretch, a program that has helped me alleviate chronic pain and feel great!
Even if you don’t make resolutions, hopefully these ideas will benefit you and your family on your journey to productive mamahood.