Thanks to this beautiful weather we've been having lately, I've been in the spring cleaning mode and have been plowing through my room and closet and getting rid of stuff left and right! I've been packing up a lot of my winter clothes, and organizing everything that I can.... which is where the point of this post comes in!

I love to save my money, and am constantly thinking up different ideas to do with my spare jingle and dollars. In the past, I have put away $10 a week, so that when Christmas time rolled around, I would not be over stressed by all the expensive costs of gifts, decorations, dinners and traveling. I was recently inspired by the Stuck at Home Mom blog to try the "52 Week Money Challenge". It's really simple.. all you do is...

For every week of the year, you save that much in dollars.
So for Week 1, you save $1... Week 17, you save $17... and so on...

Get it? So by Week 52, you will have around $1,378.00 if you stick with it!
However, since I am using this for Christmas expenses, I will obviously have to dip into mine earlier, however I will continue to contribute the weekly amount! (I also realize it's May, so this may not be very helpful to you right now - unless you jump on board now, or take $171.00 and start from this week)

I made these spreadsheets in Excel to help me keep track of everything.

Right on track! $153.00 saved so far!

Time to take on WEEK 18, $18.00!

EDIT: I have provided a link to Google Docs with the template here!

If you're looking to help your kid earn an extra $344.50, you can upload the template that uses quarters here!

MORE TEMPLATE FOR THE 52 WEEK MONEY CHALLENGE CAN BE FOUND HERE!

Now obviously if I actually do complete this challenge, I'm not going to be needing all $1,378.00 for Christmas (I better not be!). I will put the excess money in either savings, charity, a jar of change, or maybe go on a little spending binge for myself ;)

I will try to keep you updated on my savings efforts!! (: 

and NOW.. for a fun savings story.

I currently use, own and operate an ancient 2007/08 Macbook. Yes, yes... the big old white brick that they don't even make anymore! I've had this thing since I was a sophomore in high school, and it has never ever let me down! I've never had a virus, it still runs relatively fast and it's never blown up or crashed on me! I was really hoping that this antique would last me another two years... however I think it's past it's prime. The ONLY problem that I have had with it (other than it weighing a bajillion pounds) didn't start occurring until last October. The problem? It ran out of memory on its hard drive. I know, I know... that can barely be considered a problem and all you computer savvy readers out there are probably like "Kaylie, just buy an external hard drive thing". Yea, nope. I'm using this silly "problem" as an excuse to upgrade. Currently, I have all my documents stored on jump drives because my computer literally won't let me save one more thing on it... and if it were to crash, all of my photos and music would be goners =/

So my reasons from upgrading from this...

to this...

are...

1) New, clean, fresh hard drive

2) A more updated system

3) Lighter computer

4) A teeny, tiny bit faster

I realize those are the most pathetic reasons you have probably ever heard as to why someone would want to update their computer, but I've been looking for a reason to upgrade for awhile now... so when the opportunity presents itself... snatch it! ;)

Anyways... now that I'm done boring you concerning a day in the life of my computer, I will continue with the point of my story... 

In October, when my computer started yelling at me for saving stuff, I decided I was going to buy a new one! I didn't want to dip into my savings because I'm keeping that money for more important emergencies like "I need a new car", "I need a house", or "I need to pay off some student loans"! My goal was to save $50.00 a week until mid May, and by then I would have enough to upgrade! 

WELL... ladies and gentlemen... it is almost mid May, and so far I have $1,350.00 saved up! That's only three weeks away from my goal! Sometime this summer, I will be able to treat myself to some new technology! My sisters both have them, and they love them... and my current Macbaby has been awesome for the past 5 years, so I'm pretty confident with the purchase.

Feel free to share any of your own ambitious, accomplished or proud "saving money" stories!!

--Kaylie

Blessings for Boston

Everyone please say a little prayer for the beautiful city of Boston. 

Two explosions went off near the finish line of the 117th annual Boston Marathon by Copley Square today.

Every year, for the past 117 years, Boston holds one of the most prestigious and well known races in the world, The Boston Marathon. On Patriots day (the third Monday of April), the race is a day of excitement and support as thousands and thousands of runners take on one of the most important races of their lives. Being the world's oldest annual marathon, it is New England's most widely viewed sporting event and attracts runners of all types, and over 500,000+ spectators. After running through 8 towns (Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline & Boston), runners race to the finish at Copley Square.

Today, however, the the historic marathon has been changed forever.  

Just a few days ago, while Landon and I were walking around Boston, after noticing all the decorations and banners advertising and supporting the upcoming race, I mentioned to Landon that once we moved to Boston, we should train and compete in the marathon! It's so scary how things can change so much in the blink of an eye! 

So please pray for the runners, spectators, first responders, families, students, professors, professionals, citizens, and the terrorist. 

Bless this city.

--Kaylie

DIY Decorative Letters

When this small boutique in town opened, and started to sell these cut out wooden letters, I went crazy and started collecting the entire alphabet. They were so much fun to decorate, hence this post.

I started with the 'M', which was a wedding shower gift for Ashleigh.

I then made an 'N' for one of my sisters...

...and an 'S' for the other! 

All you need is the wooden letter, decorative paper, black paint, decorations and Mod Podge. Simple, Easy and Fun! 

--K

DIY Wedding Shadow Box

Sometimes at 2 in the morning, I find myself not sleeping, and up doing crafts instead. I don't know why, but that's just what happens. 

Landon's sister recently got married this January, actually 3 months ago today to be exact! I've known Ash for several years now, and I'd like to say we've grown pretty close and she's practically a sister to me! She likes the eclectic, vintage look, so her wedding theme was very neat! The bridal party was a blast, and the wedding and reception itself were so much fun! 

After the wedding, I made sure to keep the Save The Dates, Invitations, Wedding Program, and other random things. I wanted to compile them altogether and make her a wedding shadow box!

Well... month one passed and all the trinkets were sitting in my room collecting dust. I had good intentions for them, I just didn't have the time or energy to go out and collect the rest of the things I needed for the project. 

So finally, 3 MONTHS LATER (I know, I know... I put it off for awhile), TODAY, when Landon and I were strutting around Walmart in search for something to eat, I said "Hey Landon, I wonder if they have shadow boxes here?" So we went over to the picture frame section, and TA DA!! Who would have thought Walmart would have shadow boxes? Thrilled, I picked up a 12" x 12" one and began brainstorming. Now I HAD to finish the project, I had all the supplies! 

So now, here I am, covered in glue at 4 in the morning blogging about the Wedding Shadow Box that I made for Ash. (: 

First, I started with a shadow box. This one had a burlap background which was awesome! Went well with the theme.

Next, I collected all kinds of "memories" that had to do with the wedding.

Finally, I compiled everything together and VOILA!! a wedding shadow box! (: The flower pressed up against the glass and is kind of covering Jon's face... what can ya do..

This was such a fun project, and it's really neat for anniversaries, wedding gifts (3 month wedding gifts... oops), etc. (:

--K

A Great Time in the Hub, and some Maine Love

Ohio --> Boston -->  Kennebunk --> Boston --> Ohio

That would be the order of destinations over the past few days! Boy oh boy what a great trip it was!!

We left last Thursday night, (a 12.5 hour trip) and arrived at our hotel around 12pm. We stayed at the Revere Hotel, which is located on Stuart street, a stones throw away from the heart of the city. When we arrived, the hotel did not have our room ready, so we dilly dallied around the city, walked through the Commons, Beacon Hill, and grabbed a bite to eat! After checking back with the hotel the third time (yes, we really were that annoying --we were so tired.... all we wanted were naps and showers), they finally had our room ready! When we went up to our room, it was a clean room, but it had someone else's belongings everywhere. Backpacks, suitcases, iPads, iPods, everything! Apparently, the computer system messed up, so finally they put us in an unused room and we zonked out and slept for 3 years.

We spent a good amount of our time eating and walking. When we weren't doing that, we visited neat places like The Old North Church, the Harbor Walk, the Wharfs, Harvard, North End, Beacon Hill, Quincy Market, the Commons, etc... there was so much to do! Not to mention, the city is the most beautiful city in the country, historically rich and amazing! (: 

(Look how far the squirrel is stretching his little leg just to get a nut)

(Part of the Harbor Walk located by the Wharfs in North End)

Everyone in Boston (for the most part), was so nice!! If we were lost, or had a question, they would stop what they were doing, whip out their smart phones and google it right up for us, and then point us in the right direction! 

On Monday, we traveled from Boston to Kennebunk, and made some pit stops along the way. Besides the many restroom breaks, we stopped at the liquor/lottery store in NH on 95, where we tried our luck with some lotto tickets. I think altogether we won $40 (that's exciting, because we NEVER win stuff)! We then traveled on and took Route 1A right up the beautiful East Coast (Maine mostly) on the very twisty roads. We stopped at Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine and visited the neat shops, and then climbed the rocks on the coast. They also had a neat bike/walking trail that ran along the coast, but we preferred risking it and climbed those beautiful rocks! I highly recommend visiting, the view was beautiful!

I don't think it gets more beautiful than this!

From Perkins Cove, we traveled to Kennebunkport, and visited the Bush's summer home at Walker's Point. What an amazing location to have a compound (...if only I was a president), surrounded by water and beautiful houses and views. The road was pretty quiet, but I'm SURE it gets quite busy when the summer season hits! Also, I've never seen so many black SUV's before in my life... this is the real deal. (: 

This was about the closest that we could get. They probably have netting and stuff surrounding the compound in the water. It just seems to easy to get there, and is SO close to the road.

(Met up with Daddio - he biked there because he is practically Neil Armstrong, not to mention he just about beat me there and I was driving)

Back in Kennebunport, we visited a super neat shop that had the neatest things that are all created by American artisans. I fell in LOVE with this piece!

We then dined at a neat restaurant that overlooked the water. 

The next day we headed back to Boston, took care of some things (or didn't), and then we began the 12.5 hour trek back to Ohio! 

What an amazing and very productive trip to New England! I will certainly be going back soon!! (:

Budget Chart & Calculator

If you're like me, you like to document and organize pretty much every aspect of your life in order to live a more simpler lifestyle. I have everything stored and organized into different documents, that are organized into different files. One document that I use frequently (and will use much more next year), is a budget chart that I created in a computer class that I had to take once upon a time. It helps me organize my projected income and expenses month by month.

I inserted codes so that when you change a number (like your monthly income during the school months or summer months), it will change that data too and make it more accurate. It will calculate your monthly and yearly total income, along with your monthly expenses. 

For this chart, I randomly filled out the first month, but you can insert your own numbers. It will calculate all of your expenses (rent, food, utilities, etc.), and then subtract that from the total income that you insert. It will also calculate your total 'Net Cash Flow' and show you how much you have left to spend (or save)! It also keeps track of your savings too, and will calculate what you start with, how much you deposit, withdrawal, and the ending balance. 

This is a 'Home Savings Projection', and calculates the amount you can save if you deposit X amount of money per month. 

AND, last but not least, if you are a homeowner, this here will calculate monthly mortgage payments for you. All you have to do is insert your annual interest rate, payments per year, interest rate per periods, number of years, number of payments and the loan amount! I randomly filled in some numbers to show you how it works! (: 

If you are interested in using any of these documents to help organize your lifestyle and budget it a little... here is the link to download them! They are all in one Excel document, and organized in three different sheets. Budget Chart
(I do give credit to the Microsoft Applications class at NWSCC for giving me the outline and instructions to work with to create the document)

Enjoy!! & Happy Budgeting (:

--K