Joyfully Thriving

Grace-Filled Frugal Living

Free Summer Reading Programs

It's that time of year! Summer is here and the kids are finishing up school. One of my favorite parts of summer as a kid was working through all the reading programs we could find. Free summer reading programs are a frugal source of fun while encouraging reading. Really, what's not to love about free summer reading programs? I love that so many of the free summer reading programs are available for babies and toddlers now because creating a good reader starts long before they enter school. As an avid reader myself, I am also glad that several of the book programs include adults now. Yes, the … Read More...

8 Ways To Save Cash for a Car on a Tight Budget

I've long had a dream to pay cash for a new car but I didn't really believe that we could do it. I sincerely wanted us too, but just didn't know how it would happen. But we recently did it. For the first time ever, my husband and I paid cash for a car! I am excited to share more of how we did it - and some truly effective ways to save cash for a car, so you can do it too! Here's our car story. I'm a stay at home mom married to a Lutheran school teacher. We have 3 kids. When we became pregnant with our third, we bought new car seats so I could fit all 3 kids in the back of my Mercury Sable. … Read More...

Grocery Shopping in Pictures Returns – April 2019

Many years ago, I started sharing my grocery shopping trips here on the blog. It quickly became one of the more popular features, but it took a lot of time for me to write those posts every week. Since some readers didn't have access to the local deals either, I eventually decided to drop it. Still, I continue to receive questions about what I am buying with our grocery budget every month. So, after many requests, I've decided to revive the grocery posts for those who are interested! My goal is to give a brief summary of each trip (with a picture) and specific prices so you can see exactly … Read More...

Everything You Need to Know about How to Make Money with VIPKID

I know many moms (myself included) who want to stay at home with their kids, but still would like to make some extra money for their family - from home. It is one of the reasons I love blogging! I get to write from home and encourage other moms to save money, and amazingly, make money in the process. (If you want to learn more about my blogging journey and how I blog on a budget, my blogging advice is here.) I know blogging is not for everyone. That's okay! I have a friend who has become a top sales woman with Premier Jewelry, and that has been a blessing for her family. She is excellent at … Read More...

The Most Important Rule for Saving Money

It feels like a trick question, doesn't it? Really? Is there really only one best way to save money? Actually, no there isn't. But there IS a best way to save money that everyone can do and it is truly simple. That makes it the most important rule for saving money in my frugal book. What is it? Save something today. There are thousands of different ways to save money, and blog posts have been written about them all. There are thousands of different ways to make money, and a google search will reveal them all. So why am I writing about THE best way to save money? Because we often … Read More...

4 Birthdays in 3 Weeks – A Spring Update

After a busy and exciting March, it's time for a update on our family! Would you believe I now have a 5, 3 and 1 year old? I'm having trouble believing it myself. All of our kids have March birthdays, with my birthday following the beginning of April, so we celebrate 4 birthdays in 3 weeks in our family. Like I sad, it was a busy and exciting March! Lily started off the birthday celebrations with her 1st birthday. My Mom flew up from Texas, arriving on Lily's birthday, just in time for her party! We had our friends / her baptismal sponsors over for dinner with the grandparents. Lily was … Read More...

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