Work at Home Moms Articles – WAHM Articles

The day has finally arrived and needless to say, I’m VERY excited about it. I’ve wanted to do a blog tour of my own for a long time, but never knew how to do it. I’m hoping this blog tour will not only increase the traffic to the WAHM-Articles site and blog, but I’m also hoping it will be of great value to the blogs we’ll be visiting along the way.

We will have seven blogs that we’ll stop at between now and the end of December. We’ll be talking all about article marketing. Please make sure you leave your comments on each blog and ask questions or share what has worked for you. Below is a list of the blogs we’ll visit and direct links to the blog.

Michelle Shaeffer

Sophia McIntyre and Shelly Hill

Amy Royce

Chris Carroll

Corrie Petersen

Tammy Embrich

Dee Bishop

The WAHM-Articles Blog Tour will be on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s during the month of December. We’ll post a general post in the WAHM-Articles blog with a direct link to the post of the day.

We hope you enjoy the blog tour and we also hope you learn something along the way just as we have putting this together. Please feel free to leave your comments on the blog we visit. We want to answer your questions and help you out as much as we can.

I want to thank the ladies who are participating in this tour. It would not be possible without them. I also want to thank the readers because without you we wouldn’t have a need for a blog tour. So thank you all!

Blessings,

If you’ve been studying frugal living for long, you’ve surely heard of Dave Ramsey and his plan to take “baby steps” to eliminate your debt and create wealth. These steps include:

1. Setting aside $1,000 for an emergency fund.
2. Paying off debt using his “debt snowball” which involves paying off the smallest debts first then using that money to pay off the next smallest until all your debts are gone.
3. Saving enough money to cover at least three to six months worth of expenses.
4. Investing a minimum of 15 percent of your total household income.
5. Starting a college fund for your kids, if applicable.
6. Working to pay off your mortgage early.
7. Creating wealth and generously giving a portion of what you have to others.

While these are all worthy goals, and frugal fanciers should work to complete every one of them, even beginning with one or two at a time will set you on the road to a more frugal—and financial secure—lifestyle.

Begin with step number one and get $1,000 in the bank as soon as possible for an emergency fund. This doesn’t include the “need” to eat out with your friends, or buy a new pair of shoes that are “such a bargain you can’t pass them up.” This is for true emergencies such as a car breaking down, a water heater going out, or a trip to the doctor.

Once you’ve got your $1,000 in the bank, then move to step two and start paying off your debt. Make a list of all your bills and begin paying extra on the smallest one each payday until you get it paid off. Then, use the money you’ve been paying on that debt and pay off the next smallest one. Before you know it, your credit card bills, medical bills, and other loans will be gone and you can get serious about saving.

Sure, it’s a better idea to do all of these steps at one (and following number seven will make the others happen more quickly), but even taking baby steps toward taking these baby steps will get you moving. And moving toward a more frugal lifestyle is always progress.

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Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop is a professional freelance writer whose work has appeared in hundreds of print and online publications. In addition, she is the owner of Business Support Group where she loves to use her writing skills to help others build their businesses… one word at a time.™

One of the best ways to tighten your budgeting belt and improve your financial situation without diminishing your quality of life is by cooking at home. In today’s “fast food” society, it’s easy to get caught in the drive-thru trap. But freeing yourself from eating out by cooking at home will do wonders for your budget—as well as your waistline and your family’s health!

While cooking at home may seem like a bigger chore than you can manage, especially if you’re a full-time WAHM, with a little planning you’ll be surprised how simple it really is. And you’ll begin to see savings immediately, which will make the minimal added effort well worth your time.

The first step is to make a list of all the foods your family likes. Possibilities might include meat loaf, tacos, sloppy joes, hot dogs, chili dogs, hamburgers, chicken casserole, roast and vegetables, sub sandwiches, grilled cheese, vegetable soup, etc. Write down every single food you cook at any time.

Now, take a monthly calendar with large blocks, or print a blank calendar page from the Internet, and create a monthly menu planner. Simply look over your list of foods, or go down the list in order and transfer one to each day’s block. You don’t need to record every single item you’ll prepare, just the main course, which will give you a place to start.

When you run out of options, start at the top of your foods list again. If your family likes a variety of foods, you’ll only eat the same thing a couple of times a month, and with family favorites, that may not be enough. So adapt your menu as needed.

This simple menu planning system will help you save money on your food bill because it lets you see in advance what you’ll fix for dinner each night. And planning the menu is one of the greatest chores involved in cooking at home.

Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop is a professional freelance writer and the owner of Frugal Fancy, a website offering thousands of frugal living articles, links and ideas to help you live better for less.