Tips for New Freelancers

When you are a new freelance writer who is hungry for work, it can be tempting to bid on any and all projects that you see. While enthusiasm is good, it is important that you take steps to safeguard your time and your work. While many freelance writing jobs are advertised by well meaning buyers who are willing to pay what they say that they will pay for work which meets their expectations, there are some bad apples out there. The best defense against unscrupulous buyers is to be selective about which projects you bid on. Here are a few tips that … Continue reading

The Little Things

My daughter’s teacher has the following quote taped on the front of her desk:  “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were big things.” Despite seeing the laminated saying each time I walked my daughter to class, it took me a good two months to fully grasp the meaning of that single sentence. As busy parents trying to keep our heads above the choppy waters of life, it’s easy to dismiss the little things our children do every.single.day.  What’s more, it’s even easier to ignore the many opportunities we have to strengthen … Continue reading

Creative Ways to Tip This Season: Free Gift Cards and More

How many people do you have in your life who are on your tipping list for the holidays? The hair stylist, school bus drivers, teachers, the trash man, the postal clerk or delivery person (there are rules on type and amount), the baby sitter or nanny, the coffee barista and anyone else who provides you a regular service, may all be expecting a holiday tip. At least one service provider of ours actually leaves an envelope just for the purpose. Most of us forget to add tipping expenses into our budgets and may be left with a surprise when we … Continue reading

Turn Up The Music

Do you like housecleaning? I don’t think it’s at the top of most people’s favorite things to do list, but there are times when I really enjoy it. Housecleaning is a totally mindless chore. If I just need to burn off some energy doing something I don’t have to think about, housework is perfect. After all, it takes very little brain power to scrub a toilet. It’s also perfect for those times I have a lot on my mind and just need some thinking space. I can scrub and shine while working through a problem in my head. The great … Continue reading

Save Money When Eating Out

Eating out can be a huge hit to any budget, but you can’t cook from scratch every night, right? It is fun to eat out. But, there are certain strategies you can use to save a lot, sometimes spending less than you would on groceries for a similar meal! Lately we have been eating out a lot. With our move to a new home and all that has entailed (no water for a few day, no refrigerator for a few more and then no power, heat or electricity when we were hit with a storm). We’ve try to do the … Continue reading