tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20651206427201258202024-02-07T21:16:23.032-08:00Inquiring Minds Want To Know All There IsBrianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-81681775994961749852018-02-17T13:59:00.000-08:002018-02-17T13:59:10.209-08:00Bucket List Challenge #1 Publishing a BookTo anyone who knows me, I have been working on writing a book for the past nine years. Besides the fact that I like to write, have always kept personal journals, and wanted to share my story, I was inspired to do so after I became a sailor and had the pleasure and challenge of working in a non-traditional work place. <br />
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When I came off the ships because I became pregnant with my daughter, I decided to write my story mostly for myself, friends, and family. To share with them my thoughts and experiences and to hopefully paint a picture of what it was like on board a ship. I started by writing my biography from the moment I started my journey to the moment I stepped off the ship. After a couple of years I finished it and quickly realised I didn't want to share it with anyone let alone my friends and family. It was much too personal and I didn't want people to know "everything" so to speak. I knew I wanted to share some of my experiences because they were interesting, funny, and honestly too good not to share. But then I realized that I am only one woman, I can only write from my perspective and my experiences, but were there others like me? Surely there were other women who wanted to share their own experiences from their own perspectives? <br />
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I went on to canvas women sailor's to interview and the response was incredible. I received 20 e-mails the first day, all women wanting to be interviewed, from various ship types, different positions, and from different places in North America and beyond. Something sparked inside of me to pursue this venture, and to write a book filled with short stories about different women sailor's. Not everyone knows what it is like on a ship, and how challenging it can be to be a woman in a non-traditional role. So my bucket list challenge started and it became my dream to complete and publish this book on women sailor's.<br />
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I am proud to announce that after many years of blood, sweat, and tears, I can finally share with the world my first non-fiction book with true stories of women sailor's. It is currently being sold on Amazon.com on kindle and in paperback form at the below link:<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Women-Sea-Captivating-achievements-non-traditional/dp/1539643735/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518904081&sr=8-3&keywords=women+at+sea+book">Women at Sea on Amazon.com</a><br />
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If you like and follow my author page on Facebook Brianna Snider you can be in the loop on future contests and promotions and have a chance to win a FREE copy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/briannasnider2016/">Brianna Snider Facebook page</a><br />
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I am so excited to share my experiences as well as the experiences from all the lovely ladies I have interviewed. It feels so good to be finished and now to be able to check off my #1 on my bucket list.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-8859758997125932052017-04-29T18:41:00.001-07:002017-05-01T18:04:54.061-07:00Birthday GiveawaySo it was my birthday this week, and I feel like giving you a present! Like my author page on facebook for a chance to win a copy of the book I am currently reading and a $10 Starbucks gift card! <br />
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I am giving away a copy of the book I'm currently reading called Eat, Pray, Love, best selling book written by Elizabeth Gilbert. I am also giving away a $10 Starbucks gift card as well to try and get some more likes for my author page!<br />
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To enter the contest <br />
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1) Like my page on facebook<br />
2) Share this post on facebook<br />
3) Say what your favorite book is in the comments section. on the facebook post<br />
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I will draw a winner at midnight on Sunday May 7th <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v8/f4c/1/16/1f642.png" width="16" /> </span><br />
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Total estimate retail value is $30<br />
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To enter click on the link below:<br />
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<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span aria-hidden="1" class="_7oe"></span></span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/briannasnider2016/photos/a.424677454568924.1073741828.220245281678810/424677427902260/?type=3&theater">Birthday Giveaway</a><br />
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</a>Good Luck!<br />
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Brie</div>
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-22167559532006700162017-04-22T23:31:00.000-07:002017-04-29T18:54:49.154-07:00Bucket List Challenge #74 Get Lasik Eye Surgery<br />
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As far as I can remember I've worn glasses. In grade seven, when I could no longer see the chalkboard in class anymore, my mother took me in to the optometrist to get my eyes tested. I needed glasses. I wore bulky, bottle cap like glasses to see distance, and from then on I've either worn glasses or contacts to be able to see, drive, or pretty much leave the house. The first thing I normally do when I get up in the morning, is roll over to my bedside table and grab my glasses to see. Summertime, was often a pain because I like to wear sunglasses, and do fun activities, but often wearing glasses would get in the way. If I opted to wear my contacts, I would have to be extra careful as to not put heavy makeup on, could only wear them for the up to eight or nine hours at a time, and have to carry around eye drops around with me in my purse in case my eyes got too dry including the odd time I left my contacts in overnight.<br />
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Being at work proved difficult as I could not wear contacts staring at a computer screen all day long. I found my eyes would get irritated, red, and dry and sometimes my contacts would even try and pop out of my eyes from them being open for so long staring at the screen. For the last five or so years, I have had to wear glasses every single day at work often leaving me self conscious and awkward, until today.<br />
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Today, I did what I have been wanting to do for a very long time. I received Lasik eye surgery. For the longest time I was not sure if I was even a candidate for it. I also have two small children ages seven and four and because your eyes change when you are pregnant, I had to wait until one year after I had my last child to have laser surgery. My husband and I decided we didn't want any more children and so I went for my first consultation a month ago to see if I was a candidate. They did several tests on my eyes including putting numbing drops in my eyes and measuring my corneas with a metal tool (I didn't feel it). After concluding that I was a great candidate for Lasik we went over the cost of the procedure to see if it would be affordable. <br />
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The cost for the more advance Lasik was over $4000 (In Canada) but I found out my work would cover about half of it. The rest I could pay on a monthly payment plan over the course of five years would made it very affordable (approx. $83 per month). That was less than a car payment so I decided to bite the bullet and book my appointment for the surgery. I booked my appointment in one months time from the day of my consultation. It all happened so fast, and I didn't realize that when I went for my consultation I would be leaving by booking an appointment. I thought that perhaps I would think about it for awhile with the options I was presented with at my consultation and book the surgery date after I had some time to think. I didn't want to rush into anything.<br />
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As much as I wanted this surgery, I was very nervous about the procedure. I do not like being poked and prodded at the best of times especially when it comes to my eyes. I asked as many questions as possible and asked around to any friends that had previously had it done before. I wanted to know exactly what I was getting myself into. My mom had had the procedure done about 13 years prior and never had any complications. Of course since she had had it 13 years ago, the procedure has been modified and improved with new technology. <br />
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Everyone I talked to raved about how having the procedure done, changed their lives. How the procedure was quick, painless, resulting in great results being able to see with 20/20 vision. I was convinced I wanted the procedure but still nervous about the possibility of becoming blind (in rare cases).<br />
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Surgery day, pre-op before I went in. Wearing glasses for the last time along with several old pairs I've worn throughout my lifetime. I would be donating all of my glasses after the procedure to poor countries that can't afford glasses.<br />
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Surgery day came and I arrived at the clinic still very apprehensive. I received a ride to and from the clinic as you cannot drive after the procedure. The first thing they do is check your eyes again to make sure there have been no changes since your consultation appointment. They also take payment in advance as well as give you an Atavan to calm your nerves (an anti-anxiety pill). I opted for the pill as I was still nervous and later found out I was the first patient of the day which made me even more nervous. I was happy to get it over and done with, but nervous that no one would truly be able to tell me what to expect (I like to know what is happening/how it's going to feel/what to expect/etc.).<br />
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At least the man that was prepping me for my procedure had had it done five years prior and tried to explain exactly what to expect. By that time, the Atavan had kicked in making me feel like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was also given numbing drops in both eyes to numb the pain. I was then given a blue cotton head piece to wear and was lead into the operating room. There were two large machines set up, one for cutting into your cornea, and the other one was the laser to actually do the procedure. I was told to lay down at the first machine and placed my head into the head rest. The nurses placed tape over one eye and taped my other eye open. The lights were extremely bright and I had a hard time focussing on the blinking red light in the middle that I was supposed to focus on. I made mention of this and they dimmed the light a little so it was easier. As I lay there focused on the blinking red light, the doctor cut into the cornea of my one eye and created a flap that lifted up, and immediately did the second eye. All I felt was pressure, no pain, but I knew I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. After both eyes were completed, I was helped up to my feet and guided over to the other machine. I could barely see anything. It was dark and blurry, and I could feel my flapping corneas rub against my eye lids as I walked. It was the weirdest feeling.<br />
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The nurses lay me down at the next machine to do the second procedure. They taped the first eye shut and clamped the other open with a speculum. They then suctioned something on my eye ball that left my eye bruised and red after the fact. I had to stare up at a blinking green light this time trying not to move at all with the doctor quietly saying "don't move, don't blink, don't move, don't blink" in the background. The fear of going blind was real so I didn't dare move an inch. I saw the laser beam coming at my open eye and as the beam hit I began to smell the distinct smell of burning flesh (Not something I can really explain because I have never really smelled burning flesh but I think this is what it would smell like). I was told it would take about 10 seconds so I quietly counted to ten Mississippi's wishing it would go faster. After the laser did it's job the doctor came at me with a metal tool with a hook at the end of it and began readjusting my cornea back overtop of the section that had been lasered. My eye was still frozen, so technically it didn't hurt but it was the weirdest feeling seeing someone come at you with a hook shape tool and adjusting your eyeball. The exact same thing happened for the second eye but this time I knew what to expect, which made it worse I think. I just wanted it to be done. <br />
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With that it was over, the whole procedure lasting about ten or so minutes. They checked my eyes quickly and then I had to sit and wait in the recovery room for about an hour with my eyes closed. They discharged me after about four hours in total (a lot of waiting at the beginning), and my ride then came to pick me up. I rested at home for the rest of the day wearing wrap around sun glasses they gave me to wear, as my eyes were very sensitive to light. I had to put four kinds of eye drops in my eyes every hour after I got home until I went to sleep and had to wear the sunglasses to bed sleeping on my back. The drops were for lubrication, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and for pain, if I needed it. <br />
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When I first got home I had a nap and couldn't really open my eyes for my first set of eye drops. I managed to get them in and it became much easier moving forward throughout the day as a napped off and on. The following morning, I woke up and could see fairly clear. It was still a bit fuzzy but I could read my alarm clock, and street signs without squinting. I had to go for my 24 hour post op checkup and got the all clear. They checked my eyes and told me I now had 20/20 vision. I couldn't remember the last time I had 20/20 vision. <br />
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I am beyond ecstatic, and very happy to not have to wear glasses again hopefully for the rest of my life. If I was to recommend this procedure I would say absolutely. It was quick and painless, and for ten or so minutes it was awful and uncomfortable but worth every penny and worth being uncomfortable for such a short time. It's day two and my eyes are still a bit sensitive to light, but I can now take off the sunglasses and can even have a bit of screen time (writing this article). I still have to wear the sun glasses at night time for the next four or five days while laying on my back, and keep up with the eye drop regime but I can return to work as of Monday (Today is Saturday). The recovery time is very quick.<br />
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Me post-op wearing my cool wrap around sun glasses they gave me to wear home</div>
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My poor beat up eyes mostly from the suction thing they placed on my eyeball. There is bruising and could take up to a couple weeks to completely disappear. My pupils are still very dilated</div>
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So, I crossed off another one on my bucket list and feel amazing doing it. It's something I've wanted to do for a very long time and finally had the drive and guts to do it. If you are thinking about having Laser eye surgery all I can say is DO IT! You won't regret it.<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=star123-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=B00JNYO5XW&linkId=38abc7bfe5d6754d767b57af39be6608&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; </iframe><br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-81073092360391761952017-03-16T21:28:00.002-07:002017-03-17T13:05:14.764-07:00Bucket List Challenge #64 Play Glow Mini Golf Glow Mini Golf<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QjJHB7TpucXuCybpnED7aP0OmHPMBnjs5fjKzZLwke8ujP4wmmEUZUqedkiKGuANP8CXim2Eik81ip8MJoHeFALIcnP6hCaZc57GHSSAUbkG63Kv63ZZjjdRvbpEeSa6G3O_YEZ_7Wsd/s1600/Glow+min+golf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QjJHB7TpucXuCybpnED7aP0OmHPMBnjs5fjKzZLwke8ujP4wmmEUZUqedkiKGuANP8CXim2Eik81ip8MJoHeFALIcnP6hCaZc57GHSSAUbkG63Kv63ZZjjdRvbpEeSa6G3O_YEZ_7Wsd/s320/Glow+min+golf.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Ever since glow anything even became an option, I had always wanted to try Glow Mini Golf. There was something about being in the dark, playing mini golf with florescent lights, loud music and neon glow paint that sounded like it would be fun. <br />
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Ever since having kids, my husband and I always try and do at least one thing as a family usually on Sunday. This weekend we decided to try Glow Mini Golf. Our kids seemed very interested and excited to try it and I had a coupon so we thought "why not"? <br />
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When we walked into the venue it was barely lit and the music was blaring. We were the only ones in there (as it was still early my kids are young). It was fun and there were colored paintings on the wall colored with glow paint reflecting off the lights. There were 9 holes, each with their own unique way of getting the ball into the hole. <br />
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Playing with a 4 year old and a seven year old can be challenging at the best of times but trying to get them to slow down was especially challenging. They wanted to run right to the next hole without waiting for everyone else. Fortunately, the music was inviting and enjoyable so they were mostly dancing in place at the end of each hole waiting for us to catch up. At the end on hole 9 there was an opportunity to get a free game if you got a hole in one but unfortunately none of us got one. The last hole ate our balls and it was time to go.<br />
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It was a fun family outing and for the most part a great experience with the kids. I don't know if I would be playing every weekend, but it is a fun indoor thing to do when you don't really have anything else to do or just want to get out of the house for an evening. At least I've tried it, and now I can say I have crossed another one off my bucket list!<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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-Brie<br />
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<a href="http://inquiringmindswanttoknowallthereis.blogspot.ca/2017/01/the-ultimate-buck-list-challenge.html">Ultimate Bucket List Challenge</a><br />
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<a href="http://inquiringmindswanttoknowallthereis.blogspot.ca/2017/01/bucklist-challenge-67-try-caviar.html">Bucket List Challenge #67 Try Caviar</a><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=tf_til&t=star123-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=B01N950BNN&linkId=0847437aa112d6215089cbb19cfd984d&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;nbsp; </iframe><br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-15529354958551270422017-01-30T21:12:00.000-08:002017-03-15T19:40:12.656-07:00Bucklist Challenge # 67 Try CaviarNow before you get ahead of yourself and think "wow this girl is really living the life of luxury" I will stop you right there. When writing my bucket list yes, there are a few things I've always wanted to try but either a) never had the money period or b) didn't have money for such luxuries. Usually I had to pay my cable or cell phone bill. I assure you my bucket list is full of exciting things such as travelling, bungee jumping, and more mundane things galore. <br />
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This one on the other hand has always stood out for me though, I don't know if it was watching all of the sappy love movies that usually included a snobby rich man falling for the poor peasant girl as I yearned to have that kind of money and lifestyle but I have always been curious as to what it tastes like simply just because. <br />
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I had no idea where to buy it so my first goal was to find a place that sold Caviar. I quickly realized I could buy it at a local grocery store in town and off I went. I had no idea how much it would cost and I had no idea what it would taste like. People have often described caviar as salty but when I asked the young man at the grocery store he had heard it tasted sweet. "I guess I will find out" I said to him. He went way in the back of the fish department where another fridge stood. He opened the door and took out a tiny round can about the size of a baby food jar lid.<br />
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The young man took out the big book he had sitting on the counter, flipped through a few pages and found the price of the caviar. "For white sturgeon caviar it's $29.99 ma'am" he continued. I thought to myself wow yes expensive but not as expensive as I thought it would be. "I'll take it" I replied.<br />
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I couldn't wait to get it home to try it with my husband and neither of us had tried it. "Lifestyles of the rich and the famous" I thought. "You only live once" I convinced myself. I had bought some table crackers to eat with the caviar along with some crab pate and white wine to wash it down. I figured we should have back up just in case it tasted horrible. <br />
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When I got home, my husband was excited to try is as well as he had never tasted the sweet or salty taste of Caviar before. For those of you who know me I don't usually like fish eggs. Something about those little balls of fluid in my mouth that goes pop, pop, pop, that I just don't like. <br />
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When we finally opened the tiny tin I thought for sure it would be gone with two bites. I was wrong, there was actually a lot in that tiny tin and it lasted a number of crackers later. The miniscule black fish eggs I was about to eat didn't look like the fish eggs you get with sushi, they were much smaller and had a bit of liquid encompassing the eggs. My husband and I each grabbed a cracker and placed a very small spoonful at the edge of the cracker. "Here goes nothing" I chuckled. "There goes a dollar" my husband replied cheekily. It was very salty, almost overpowering the cracker completely. "Not bad" I thought. I don't know if I would ever buy it again but for now I was living in the moment and I was going to savor every bite. I paid good money for it and wasn't about to let it go to waste. Finally we invited my parents who live in our basement suite up for a few bites as well before it was all gone and now I can officially say I've tried caviar. That's one more off this girls bucket list!<br />
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You only live once so why not try what this beautiful world has to offer. I might not be rich and I might not be famous, but this girl got to taste a bit if luxury even just for a moment. It was all worth it. What things have you tried lately? Share your story in the comments section.<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Other stories you might be interested in:<br />
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<a href="http://inquiringmindswanttoknowallthereis.blogspot.ca/2017_01_17_archive.html">The Ultimate Buck List Challenge</a><br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-51503107909849566262017-01-17T11:44:00.000-08:002017-03-17T08:11:10.711-07:00The Ultimate Bucket List ChallengeAfter reflecting on my own personal journey through life and realizing that my husband and I are not getting any younger we decided to venture on our own Bucket List Challenge. A Bucket List is a list made up of everything you have ever wanted to see or do before you die. Each individual Bucket List would be different and unique in their own way. <br />
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I've decided that I would create a Bucket List mini series and post our families experiences each time we see or do one of the items on our Bucket List. Maybe it will inspire you to do the same. Maybe it will make you think about how life is way too short and that you should go live in the moment of every day. Or maybe it will just get you off the couch and stop you from binge watching Netflix for just a moment so that you can go enjoy the sunshine or the rain or whatever may be on your list. Why not go dancing in the rain? There is no better time then right now.<br />
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Bucket List Challenge #1<br />
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I for one have always wanted to try Dom Perignon Champagne. It is one of if not the most expensive champagnes you can buy. An bottle may retail for approx. $280 CAN. So who can afford to simply "taste" such a champagne for that kind of price?<br />
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My husband and I had to utmost privilege to spend this past New Years with our good friends who live next door. They had purchased a 1993 bottle of Dom Perignon back in 2002 for next to nothing overseas. They had meant to drink it on several occasions including when their two lovely girls were born but always forgot. They had a 23 year old bottle of Dom Perignon just waiting to be drank. <br />
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Midnight rolled around and "pop" went the top of that delicious bubbling golden syrup. All of the adults were able to try some and of course take a picture with the bottle since it's not every day you get to indulge in such luxuries. This gave me the perfect idea to start my Bucket List Challenge. I had always wanted to try Dom Perignon but knew I would never pay $280 for a bottle. Now I could say I tried it with the help of my friends. <br />
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But I started to think about all of the other things I secretly had on my invisible list that I wanted to do before I die. No time like the present I thought and I started writing down everything I'd ever wanted to do in my little blue book that I keep with me at all times. I continuously add to it every day but there is such satisfaction in crossing things off my list that I had always wanted to do but never got around to do. Life is too short, I want to show my kids that life is meant to be lived, experienced, and seen. <br />
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Every time I cross "another one" off my list I will share with you how I achieved it. Maybe you will do the same. I even challenge you to do the same. This blogger can happily say that she can cross the first one off her list. Comment and share what items are on your bucket list! Oh and stay tuned for our next challenge......<br />
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My husband and I enjoying the sweet smooth taste of Dom Perignon<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=tf_til&t=star123-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=B00YGGA586&linkId=20510abffbef27dde794725e7d92bc4c&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </iframe><br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-88382875356622283512016-09-18T13:06:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:35:42.057-07:00Going Debt FreeThe majority of the population in Canada I would say live a robust lifestyle full of necessities and non essentials. Mortgages in large cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria are more than double what they used to be ten years ago and people are finding themselves in more and more debt. How can we climb out of this mind numbing debt you ask? My husband and I were in what we thought crippling personal debt ($20,000 +) and we were wondering how on earth we would be able to get out of this debt if something didn't drastically change. Here's what we did:<br />
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1) First and foremost we absorbed most of our debt into our mortgage by remortgaging and taking extra money off our mortgage to pay our line of credit off. Some people will say this isn't the best way to do it because you are adding year/interest on to your mortgage but in our case it was the best possible outcome. With paying off our line of credit we were able to alleviate our interest payments on our line of credit (minimum $50 per month) and also any credit card interest we accumulated as we were able to pay off any extra money we had on our credit cards. Credit card debt adds up quickly if you don't pay them off right away as most credit card companies charge anywhere from 17%-21% which is extremely high. By keeping a balance on your credit cards every month 17%-21% adds up very quickly.<br />
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2) We created a monthly budget. This helps to keep you in check with your spending and if you do a budget right you can actually begin to save money every month to save for something bigger like a vacation or property. Create a budget that is reasonable and obtainable otherwise you will get discouraged and will not achieve your monthly goals. There are many websites around that can help you in creating a reasonable budget based on how many family members you have in your household/your income/etc. such as http://www.mymoneycoach.ca/budgeting/budgeting-calculators-tools/budgeting-spreadsheet. In our budget each month we will be putting money in our savings account for big trips and also to put extra money down on our mortgage each year.<br />
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3) Save for big purchases. Instead of using a credit card to buy a big purchase make sure you have enough cash for that vacation or big screen TV. We planned a trip to Vegas but we made sure we had the money to pay off our credit first before we purchased the trip. This should go for anything you do in life, don't spend money you don't have. Save first then spend.<br />
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4) Making gifts. I am quite a craft person so I like to make homemade baked goods and crochet items for baby showers/weddings/kids birthdays etc. if I can find time to do so. People always appreciate homemade items more then store bought gifts any day.<br />
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5) DIY- I love Pinterest and I love doing things myself. I get most of my ideas from online and have created awe inspiring and creative artwork/ crafts/ decorations/etc. around the house. If you are really handy you can even do household work by fixing items in your house yourself. If you are even unsure of anything or something you are doing could be dangerous always leave it to a professional.<br />
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I wouldn't say we are completely debt free in anyway right now as we still have a mortgage but slowly year by year as we are able to pay down extra money on our mortgage eventually that will be gone too. Right now all of our personal debt is gone and we can finally move forward in a positive way and living life to the fullest without worrying if we can afford to eat out or see a movie this week. We have incorporated it into our monthly budget now. You still have to live and enjoy life but do it in away that doesn't break you or the bank.<br />
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I hope this helps someone out there achieve some of financial goals and if you have a question or comment please comment below! Happy budget making everyone!<br />
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-Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-73358409541397671242013-08-13T13:03:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:33:04.069-07:00Going Gluten Free is for Me<br />
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Many of you are now commonly known as celiac. I have a few friends who are gluten intolerant as it is hard to digest. <br />
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I myself am not celiac but I do practice the gluten free way. Gluten is a "bad" carb and when digested actually turns to sugar in our bodies. I for one have been trying to cut out sugar as much as possible but I love carbs! I love bread, cereal, pasta, you name it I love it. I also eat way to much of it, if you think about all of the carbs that I eat which then turns to sugar on top of the refined sugar and sweets I am already eating, I am digesting an awful lot of sugar in my body. <br />
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SO I started eating more and more gluten free products which use rice flour, or quinoa, or other healthier alternatives. I have never felt better and I think I have actually started to lose weight or "thin out a bit" in my stomach area. I am not on a diet, it's more of a lifestyle choice to not eat gluten and I believe I am better off. I can't say that I never eat gluten as I am still a fan of regular organic bread (I don't like the taste of gluten free bread), but I try when I can to go gluten free and I hardly notice a difference in taste. I think some of the stuff actually tastes better to be honest. Probably because most gluten-free food is also organic or natural. <br />
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I have come to appreciate natural food. As natural as I can get it. No chemicals, no preservatives, and I have actually found myself making more of my own food and baked goods just because I know what I have put in it. That's the thing when you buy store bought food, you just don't know what you are getting, what you are eating, and what you are feeding your kids. <br />
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I read every single label on food that I buy. If I can't pronounce it or I don't know what an ingredient is I don't buy it. If an ingredient is supposed to be "natural" I wait until I get home and do my research. Knowledge is power and everyone should know where their food comes from and what they are eating. Our food is fuel for our bodies and the higher quality of "fuel" we eat or put into our bodies the better they run the healthier we will be. <br />
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It sickens me just what companies and big corporations try and pawn off as "food" when it's not even food but a food like product. People are slowly dying from all sorts of different diseases including Cancer which is a big one out there. I have had several people around me suffer from cancer and even die from it. I'm not about to let it take me or my young family, so this is me fighting back with healthy food. For my kids sake, for my sake and for my husbands sake. We no longer buy food with preservatives in it and stick to pretty much all organic food.<br />
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I think that if everyone took their health into their own hands the world would be a much better place. I think that people would start to enjoy food more as well as cooking and perhaps even gardening to grow real, healthy and delicious food. I have a much deeper appreciation for food now as we need it to survive. Organic food isn't as expensive as we might think but if it might save your life or your family's don't you think the extra $0.30 on those bananas was worth it?<br />
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You can't put a price on life itself. Certainly not your own life or anyone else's for that matter. I hope this blog will inspire some of you to try going organic, or gluten free, or just eating healthier in general. You will appreciate it, your kids will appreciate it and your body will thank you for it. <br />
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Do your research, be knowledgeable on what you are putting in your body, and get in touch with nature. Our world is a beautiful place even though some of us may take it for granted.<br />
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I hope you have enjoyed todays Blog!<br />
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Thanks for Listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-23743433097230754182012-11-20T12:23:00.000-08:002017-03-15T19:31:28.725-07:00Go Green, Go Organic!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am so sick of eating fake food, processed food, food with pesticides, and food that is chemically enhanced. I really don't know how the government lets companies get away with selling this kind of food to people. You would think that the government would want people to eat healthier to save on medical treatments and drugs. More and more people are getting diseases, illnesses, and the most common disease of all is Cancer. So many people I know now suffer or have suffered from Cancer. There has to be an explanation why this is happening more and more frequently. I think it has to do with the fact that we are eating poorly, not exercising as much and have more and more chemicals and pesticides in our bodies.<br />
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I have made a vow to myself and my family to start eating healthier which in fact means eating more organic foods and less processed foods. I am trying to stay away from buying anything with preservatives or chemically enhanced tastes/flavors. You would be surprised as to how much food actually has all of that in it. Unless it is certified organic you cannot be sure that the food you are eating is healthy. Even then you still end up eating a small percentage of pesticides with Organic Foods but the percentage is much much better then that of non Organic Foods.<br />
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One way to ensure natural and organic fruits and veggies would be to grow your own garden. You can actually have a garden all year round if you live in a more temperate climate like BC. Once the harvest has been done for all of the summer foods you can start planting the winter veggies. We had a fantastic garden this summer and had loads of fresh veggies all summer. We unfortunately didn't know when to plant for the winter garden and by the time we went to plant it was too late. Next year though, I would love to be able to have fresh veggies all year round.<br />
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Another way to buy fresh and organic, would be to go to your local farmers market and buy your produce. You can either freeze these to keep them from going bad longer or do a weekly shop so you always have fresh veggies. It also helps support local farmers and keeps your money in your community.<br />
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Make your own cookies, pies, jams, jellies, etc. Instead of buying already prepackaged items such as these make your own. You know exactly what you are putting in them and you won't be putting any preservatives in them. If you want them to last longer you can freeze them and have fresh pie for when guests come over. To heat them up just stick it in the oven on low for half an hour. The same goes for cookies, you can also use apple sauce instead of sugar to cut down the sugar. They taste amazing and again you can freeze them to make them last longer. I am just learning how to can myself right now but it's a great way to preserve fruit and veggies. The best time to do it is when all of the fruit is on sale in the summertime. Homemade just tastes that much better anyways.<br />
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Making your own food actually ends being cheaper in the long run too. Stores charge too much for things like this because of the convenience of having it on hand and pre-made.<br />
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I want my kids to have a fighting chance in this world of living a longer life then their parents. The more good stuff you put into your bodies the more your body can fight off diseases and illnesses. I know for a fact that Cancer runs in my family and I am going to make every effort for myself and my kids not to get it. There has to be a better way, a more natural way. By being green and eating organic is the first step in the right direction. A step towards a better and healthier life.<br />
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I hope some of you will make the vow to start eating healthier and eating organic. Maybe if enough of us do it, we will force the companies to stop making chemically enhanced food. It's not food, it's not good for any of us period.<br />
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I hope you liked todays read. Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><em style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;">Image courtesy of digitalart at <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: default; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></em></span>Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-7864416271120460382012-11-02T12:36:00.003-07:002017-03-15T19:30:26.611-07:00Being Frugal by Staying Healthy<br />
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To be frugal means to save money right? So if you are constantly sick paying for cold medications, Kleenex, and drug prescriptions it's not exactly cheap. If you take care of yourself by eating healthy, exercising and taking care of your mental health you will save $$$$ in the long run. This not only applies to taking care of body but your teeth as well. Even if you have dental covered by your work you still have to pay anywhere from 10%-20% out of pocket. If you are constantly paying for fillings, crowns, and who knows what else it adds up. Take care of your teeth, brush 2-3 times a day and floss daily and you will save yourself hundreds.<br />
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<b><u>Tips to staying healthy</u></b><br />
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<b>1. Cut out the junk food- Not only is it unhealthy it is very <u>very</u> expensive to buy</b><br />
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<b>2. Exercise at least a half hour each day- This could be simple cardio or stretches</b><br />
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<b>3. Take your vitamins each day- If you are not eating certain foods or have a lack of certain vitamins, it's important to fill the gaps by taking vitamin supplements or taking a 1 a day multi vitamin.</b><br />
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<b>4. Do something for yourself every day- the stresses of every day life can get to you so by taking a few minutes each day to do something for yourself (especially if you have kids) can leave you a little less stressed and a little more sane. Go read a book, paint, light a candle and have a bath, go for a walk, etc. </b><br />
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<b>5. Follow your doctor or dentists advice. They know what they are talking about, they are professional and can help you stay healthy. Go for regular check ups.</b><br />
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<b>6. Everything in moderation- If you do want to have a treat or a glass of wine/beer once and a while it's ok, just don't go overboard. Everything in moderation.</b><br />
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<b>7. Get a good night's sleep- Sleeping and recharging your body is one of the best things you can do for yourself to help you stay healthy. It also makes you less grumpy when you wake up in the morning. The average adult needs 8 hours of sleep to recharge.</b><br />
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<b>8. Do something good for someone else. I know making someone's day always makes me happy and makes my day a lot better. Try thinking and doing something for someone else. It could be anything from helping with the groceries, giving a compliment, or even donating to a local charity. You could also go and volunteer in your local community. </b><br />
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<b>9. Try eating local and fresh veggies from local farmers markets or stores. Even better, try growing your own veggies if you have the space and teach your kids where and how to grow them. Each fresh and organic food is much healthier and supports your local community.</b><br />
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<b>10. Don't spend money you don't have. Going into debt is very stressful and can make any average person go insane. To keep your family happy and your relationships healthy just don't do it. Live within your means!</b><br />
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I hope some of you can benefit from these tips and maybe save you some money down the road. Keep up the good spending habits and stay healthy!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed todays read.<br />
<br />
Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-57959412577106261422012-10-28T10:05:00.002-07:002017-03-15T19:29:12.327-07:00Meal planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-V7_G7BWTTLpCugVAs2OY3gt4OhKwJvaAoPChlWrgPfYob6yzSi12KZ-MUmb_sxl19-bQuu6dnVPaodU6sHrZDOxUcTZ6NBHqXLmVQsf3KGl8kNk-ZM13c4FKkqNFJbcLnSdWjOq-tSP/s1600/Pasta+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-V7_G7BWTTLpCugVAs2OY3gt4OhKwJvaAoPChlWrgPfYob6yzSi12KZ-MUmb_sxl19-bQuu6dnVPaodU6sHrZDOxUcTZ6NBHqXLmVQsf3KGl8kNk-ZM13c4FKkqNFJbcLnSdWjOq-tSP/s320/Pasta+Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><b>Meal Planning</b></u><br />
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Most people who live on a budget plan their meals according to their budgets. Obviously you wouldn't be eating steak and lobster every night if you were making a minimum wage. I like to try and at least plan my meals for the week in no particular order. I do one weekly shop at my favorite grocery store (where I get all of my airmiles) and write out what different meals I can make with all of the groceries I purchased. I set a weekly limit of how much I spend on groceries and try not to buy anything else during the week unless we run out of one of the staples like milk, butter, eggs etc. I for a family of four I usually try to stay within a budget of $100 per week. I count how many meals I have bought to make sure it will get us through the whole week until next weeks shopping trip. For instance I will write out on the calendar:<br />
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Monday-Spaghetti<br />
Tuesday-Tacos<br />
Wednesday- Chicken Parmesan with Veggies and Rice<br />
Thursday- Roast with Veggies<br />
Friday- Pizza night<br />
Saturday- Fish Sticks with Veggies<br />
Sunday- Chili and Garlic Toast<br />
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My husband usually takes all left overs in his lunch for work so all he has to do it is heat it up for a hot meal and we don't get stuck eating left overs all the time. It also saves us on lunch meat every week too.<br />
Remember this is only a guideline and doesn't have to be followed exactly. It just gives you an idea for planning ideas and tell you what you have in your cupboards. It also keeps you from running out to the grocery store last minute because you can't think of anything to make for dinner. I will also right out what stuff we have for breakfast and lunches too to give people an idea of what what we have. For instance:<br />
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<b>Breakfast-</b><br />
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Cereal<br />
Porridge<br />
Fresh Fruit<br />
Eggs and Toast<br />
Bagel and Cream Cheese<br />
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<b>Lunch-</b><br />
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Soup<br />
Sandwich<br />
Noodles<br />
Grilled Cheese<br />
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Again, this just gives you some ideas and hopefully will make you stay home and eat rather then going out to grab fast food. It will save you money in the long run. I'm ALL about saving money. If you must eat out set limits for yourself for instance only go once a week or twice a month. Some people eat out almost every day at least one meal and it is such a huge expense. They do it even if they can't afford it and thats bad news. Just because it's convenient doesn't mean it's better or healthier. Usually by eating at home means you will be eating healthier in the long run as well.<br />
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<u><b>Fiscal Fasting</b></u><br />
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Yearly or monthly fiscal fasting saves you a ton of $$$$ on spoiled food. Every once and a while I go through my cupboards, fridge, and freezer and use up all of the food in the house before I go out grocery shopping again. I make sure I use up all of my produce that will go bad, soups and beans that may be expiring, frozen meats and things that may be getting a bit freezer burnt. The more I use the less I will have to throw out and the more money I save on groceries. It's really amazing just how much people actually waste by throwing out food every month. Also if you didn't buy so much food (only food you will actually eat) it can eliminate throwing away good food. I still do it even though I try not to. I'm bad at forgetting what I have bought in the fridge and letting it spoil. I try and make a list on the wall of all the food we have and some ideas on how to prepare it for my husband and for myself. Hopefully this will help us not throw as much food away. It also gets you thinking of fresh new ideas and lets you be creative in the kitchen. It's kind of fun to explore new ways on how to cook things with different food.<br />
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Hopefully you can all find ways to meal plan or do a fiscal fast. I try not to spend ANY money during a fiscal fast if I can. Just by doing this simple exercise a few times a year you will save hundreds of dollars on food. Think about the fact that in third wold countries all around the world, people are dying of hunger every day, yet we seem to be able to throw away tons of food worth hundreds and hundreds of dollars. It just doesn't seem right to me, doesn't seem fair.<br />
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If any of you have great ideas for simple meals by all meals please start posting!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed todays read!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-21667741219841916662012-10-20T23:17:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:27:08.488-07:00If it's free it's for me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everyone likes getting stuff for free but no one want to put in the time. There are a lot of services out there for free as well as ways for getting free stuff. Like I said in a previous post, I coupon and save money where I can. I also try and get things for free when I can as well. There are many ways of doing this:<br />
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1. Look in the free ads of your local paper or online resource- you have to be on the ball with this as the really good things go fast. I know usedeverywhere.com has a free section and they always have furniture, misc items, electronics, pretty much anything you could think of.<br />
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2. Look at the curbs when your driving around- In Victoria there has been a mass number of people who decided it was ok to dump their garbage or unwanted good at the end of their curb. Now there are no laws against this yet here but check to see whether their are laws where you live. It can be a great place to find treasures.<br />
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3. Sign up to receive free samples- Their are a ton of sites online that you can sign up to receive their newsletter and receive a free gift or sample. I do this and often get little soaps, body wash, feminine hygiene products, etc. Some dry foods companies do this so you can try a sample of their products and you can score some baby formula, cereal, granola bars, etc. Keep your eyes peeled for these deals.<br />
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4. For new moms, you can sign up for the Nestle baby program and sign up for a backpack diaper bag full of samples of formula, baby cereals and info on your newborn. They also include a bunch of coupons for future purchases. All this absolutely free. I would definitely recommend this.<br />
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5. Some movie theaters of a couple of "free" days a year for families. I know Silver City does this and sells treats for $2 in support of a local charity. This is a great free activity to do with your kids and it doesn't cost anything if you don't get any food or drinks. The movie is absolutely free. Check online about a theatre near you to see if they do this and make sure to mark it on your calendar.<br />
-Also check Starbucks for free cup of coffee day<br />
-And Seven 11 for free slurpee day<br />
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6. Check your local community centers and libraries for free fun things to do with your kids. There is always story time at the library that is a fun an interactive way to engage your child and it's totally free. There are also monthly family events around town that the community puts on as an incentive for parents to get out with their kids that are also free. Each month there are different activities depending on the season.<br />
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7. Check out websites such as Canadian Freebies, Woman Freebies and Smart Canuck and subscribe to their e-mails. This is a great way for someone else to do all the leg work and find the deals for you. They then e-mail you with all of the weekly or daily deals/freebies. I subscribe to a few websites and have entered a few contests and received a bunch of free samples and coupons from it.<br />
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There are many other ways to get stuff for free. These ideas are only a few of many. If you have any ideas on how to get things for free "legally" of course I'd love to hear from you.<br />
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Thanks for listening.<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-62130582308406387452012-10-16T13:56:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:25:27.909-07:00To have a pet or not have a pet that is the question!I'll be honest, I am a big animal lover. I had animals all throughout my childhood and loved the fury, cuddly hair balls coming and comforting me when I felt alone or depressed or just having a friend to play with. Before we moved into our house when we were still living in our condo, that was all I could think about was owning a pet again. Because we would now have a yard we could get a dog for our daughter. Boy was I wrong, the moment we moved into our house I still pondered a pet but the thought of being tied down and not being able to travel as much bothered me. Not only would we not be able to travel but our monthly cost would go up as well. It's not cheap owning a pet and when I put it all together it would cost us a few hundred dollars extra a month. We would have to provide food, treats, pet grooming, vet services, pet insurance, etc. and it was just too much. Another factor was that I was pregnant with out son at the time and I couldn't imagine handling a new born and a puppy or younger dog at the same time.<br />
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I'm battling the thought of still owning a pet. Should I get my daughter a small animal like a hamster or guinea pig? Should we go ahead with a dog? My husband is allergic to cats so we can't get a kitten unfortunately. Guinea pigs and hamsters smell and we wouldn't really have a place to put one. We have all laminate flooring so I would be afraid the dog would scratch the floors and damage our new leather couches. We are trying to to make our house nice and have nice things. We just bought a new dining table and chair set. I know with having two kids how hard it is trying to clean up after them, cleaning up crayon and pencil off the wall and washing and sweeping the floor two times a day. Do I really want to add to the mess by cleaning up hair from a shedding dog and "accidents" because we didn't let the dog outside for a pee. My daughter has enough accidents now and again that I have to clean up.<br />
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I would love to know how other families do it. Do we wait until the kids are older and can appreciate an animal, maybe even help take care of it? I'm really torn because I want my kids to have the same childhood maybe even better then I did when I was growing up. I didn't actually have a dog until I turned ten years old but I always had cats ever since I can remember. I also had a pet hamster when I was a young teenager.<br />
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I think at this point in the game, I will wait. Wait until we can fully afford everything that goes with having an animal as well as wait until my daughter is old enough to really appreciate it and take care of it. That will be her and her brothers responsibility. I hope this is the right choice because sometimes as parents we often second guess ourselves. I feel that for our situation it is the right decision and it gives us more time to do research on what the best animal/pet would be for our family. It should never be a quick decision and you should always make sure that you can provide a loving home for the animal for as long as the animal lives. I have seen too many posts about people giving away their animal after only a couple of years because they can't afford it or can't have animals where they live. People need to really be committed before getting an animal to keep the animal shelters from being overcrowded and keep poor homeless animals off the streets.<br />
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Hopefully others will do the same and I hope you enjoyed todays read.<br />
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Brie<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=tf_til&t=star123-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=B00J79POS8&linkId=185713e86337b34cb624bf9fa66b8146&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </iframe><br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-70267565258490811622012-10-05T23:41:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:23:23.359-07:00Teaching your Kids about Money<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So when do you start teaching your kids about money? The answer is simple.... As soon as they can comprehend the logistics of it. My daughter just turned 3 and I am thinking about going over money with her and teaching her what everything is called, how much it's worth etc. Also as soon as I feel she is old enough, I will give her an allowance once a week and teach her about spending and saving. They say giving your child $1 for every year old is what you should do depending on your financial circumstance. So let's say I start giving my daughter an allowance now. I would give her $3 a week every week. I would also make her save 10% in a piggy bank or open up a bank account to teach her about saving. The rest would be free money to spend on candy or toys etc but I would still instill my good spending habits on her regardless. (I am frugal you know).<br />
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So when do I start giving her an allowance? I think I am going to start off by teaching her some basic principles. See how she reacts with the information and if I feel confident she can handle it, I will then start giving her an allowance to spend as she likes.<br />
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Kids learn from our spending habits. Hopefully you will pass on good spending habits to them so that they will have the skills and tools needed when they get older to live on their own and be self sufficient. My parents taught me about living a frugal lifestyle, my mom was always couponing and always had a list while grocery shopping. We never had fancy clothes (usually shopped at a thrift store) and we never had the latest and greatest gadgets but we lived a good life and a modest one. I guess I have just acquired their spending habits and love them all the more for it. I don't care that my husband and I make "decent money", the only reason we are as well off as we are is because we manage our money wisely. I know people that make twice as much money as we do yet they are always in debt. Why? Maybe their parents didn't pass on good spending habits or money managing skills. As much as I don't like them for making more money then we do, I kind of feel sorry for them being in debt all the time. Being in debt is never fun.<br />
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Now, I'm not saying your kids will never get into financial trouble. Somethings they will have to learn for them selves and from their own mistakes. But at least if you give them the tools, they can get themselves out of trouble. I learned from my own mistakes and got myself out of credit card debt. I did it and will never do it again because I learned the hard way. I didn't go as far as having creditors knocking on my door or phoning my house but have a few thousand dollars in debt at 21% I felt like I was never going to pay it off. That's what I get for paying for a trip to Cuba with credit before I could actually afford it. Lesson learned!<br />
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I just hope that both of my kids will learn the value of a dollar early on and never take anything for granted. If they want those designer jeans they will have to get a job and pay for them them selves. If they want to go to College or University I will pay a portion but not all of it. They need to prove to me that they want to be there. If I just hand everything to my kids they will never learn, they will always rely on other people to buy things for them and bail them out. I want them to learn how to be self sufficient. That is my ultimate goal, if I die knowing my kids will be alright on their own I will die happy.<br />
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Take your kids to the grocery store next time you go and teach them about buying the necessities, taking a list with you, meal planning, etc. Talk about saving for a rainy day but that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Save some money but not all of it as you still need to have a life and live a little. You never know, you could die tomorrow.....<br />
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I hope all of you with kids will instill good habits. Maybe if you're more conscious about it you will think to teach them more often. Even if you don't think they are listening, trust me, they are =) I didn't always listen to my parents, but even to this day I still remember my parents talking about the value of a dollar and thank them every day for it.<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-85510541479453542242012-09-25T19:59:00.001-07:002017-03-15T19:21:54.470-07:00Princess Tea Parties<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYmzHt0ifj1Dhjtkx-8gJ6xz4iFsocTiBul6VxTrRJm3B-3Qdxd7vZ9BhHvRQakUZA3-73gG83jnJqTpsOMp1is_0HzVQnAmbbIqgFVxSMzQ04AnDb3ZpfNcCrpTiKyaVksdDrpGdRpYO/s1600/GEDV0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYmzHt0ifj1Dhjtkx-8gJ6xz4iFsocTiBul6VxTrRJm3B-3Qdxd7vZ9BhHvRQakUZA3-73gG83jnJqTpsOMp1is_0HzVQnAmbbIqgFVxSMzQ04AnDb3ZpfNcCrpTiKyaVksdDrpGdRpYO/s320/GEDV0235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For all of you parents out there, you know how difficult it is to keep your kids entertained all the time. I have been so busy all summer with wedding after wedding I felt like we hardly got to have play time this summer. My daughter and I were having a tea party one evening and came up with a grand idea! We decided that we would invite all of her little girlfriends over and have a really neat tea party with real cups and saucers and baked blackberry tarts. (We picked a bucket full of blackberries).<br />
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This was a great way to keep the kids entertained, keep my daughter involved and have some "playtime". It was a lot of fun to plan, inexpensive to put together and easy to execute. All of the dishes you see in the above picture were purchased at thrift stores. That way I don't care of one of the kids drop and break one and they are inexpensive to buy. They don't have to be matching, the new fad nowadays is pretty mismatched tea sets.<br />
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We made own own goodies, blackberry tarts, scones and peanut butter and jam sandwiches. We also had a candy bar on a separate table that the kids could grab a bag and take some home with them. (The parents sure loved me).<br />
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Next I wrapped individual knives,forks, and spoons in a napkin and wrapped a candy bracelet around it to hold it all together. I also laid out a beaded necklace and wand at every place setting. I purchased a color table cloth form the dollar store and paper doilies to put on top in the middle as seen above. It makes the table look fancy but it only cost me a couple of dollars. Then my daughter and I picked wildflowers in the grass to put in vases on the table as our centerpieces. A fun thing to do with your kids and costs nothing. It also makes for a beautiful vintage centerpiece.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbrhs8KyTrsA2QslyVQ0gXL06Q5l13t4Rz3XRJsOTrvWJAzgs_8Y5KpcxitSH66PupYqoaYdZImAjXVXAVaVR6IZJE0AmSOkJPTHI3idSQzbVYrD3UVW7bXzyT1MG1ing99f8OdzkM8gH/s1600/GEDV0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbrhs8KyTrsA2QslyVQ0gXL06Q5l13t4Rz3XRJsOTrvWJAzgs_8Y5KpcxitSH66PupYqoaYdZImAjXVXAVaVR6IZJE0AmSOkJPTHI3idSQzbVYrD3UVW7bXzyT1MG1ing99f8OdzkM8gH/s320/GEDV0236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also was busy cutting card stock to make bunting to hang up. I just bought a few pieces of different card stock from Michael's craft store and cut one triangle out as a guide and traced the rest. I then made holes in both sides at the top and strung them together with some colored string I purchased at the dollar store. I then printed out letters off my computer and glued them on and VOILA! It's simple and looks great! The cutting is what takes the most time. I also strung some bunting on the candy bar table.<br />
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Making and doing things with your kids is fun and a great way to spend time with your kids. I never had that luxury before as I was a full time working mom. Now that I've had my son, I'm still on maternity leave and so I have all the time in the world to spend with my kids and I'm loving every minute of it.<br />
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I hope that all of you with kids take the time and spend it with them, get to really know them, and have fun with them. I can't stress that enough. All I wanted to do when I was working was spend time with my daughter and now I am doing just that and taking full advantage of it. It probably won't be forever because I'll probably have to go back to work at some point, but I certainly won't waste the time I have now.<br />
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I hope this inspired some of you to throw a random party for your kids and their friends and get creative!<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-82311773878194087292012-09-23T23:05:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:20:18.677-07:00Coupon Trading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Coupon Trading is a great way to save money. I personally started coupon trading on online forums and it works great! I even put out an ad myself on our local Usedeverywhere.com and Craigslist. I never meet anyone in person to coupon trade just trade by mail and it seems to work just fine. If you're scared of giving out your address I guess you could use a PO Box but not necessary. I don't have a PO Box I just use my address. Coupon trading works best when you have big coupon books like the Entertainment Book or Coupon Saver Book. There are tons of coupons I will never use in there and so why not trade them for coupons I will use? Since I shop once a week at Safeway I like to trade for Safeway coupons. On average I save between 30%-40% every week when I do my big shop once a week. It's not as much savings as some of the extreme coupon shows down in the US, but nonetheless in Canada it's pretty good savings. It's better then a swift kick in the butt right?<br />
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I've had so much response in regards to my ad that I've already made my money back three fold on the purchase price of the coupon book. It's a great way to get coupons you want or need and get rid of ones you don't need or won't use. You can also do this with friends and family if anyone gets the newspaper with coupons in it you can trade with them.<br />
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Another way to trade is to have coupon parties and invite all of your friends to bring unwanted coupons. Someone is bound to be able to use them. I am actually going to be hosting one in a few weeks where all of my girlfriends will come over for some wine and treats and swap coupons! I can't wait! It's a fun way to get together and trade and hopefully someone will find a use for all of the unwanted coupons out there. You could put a fun spin on it and have a martini couponing party if you'd like.<br />
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There are some great websites out there with downloadable coupons and you can usually find coupons from merchants on their websites as well. I usually get flyers and coupons in my weekly paper as well, so there are a lot of great coupons out there. It's just whether you can use them or not. Remember coupons is like having cash in your pockets and it's not just for the poor or middle class. Anyone can use coupons and why not? It's almost like the companies are handing out free money but in coupon form. Who can say no to free money?<br />
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Happy Couponing!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-34314321999708255522012-09-21T10:21:00.001-07:002017-03-15T19:18:04.244-07:00Saving on Christmas/Holiday ShoppingIn this day in age, everyone is trying to find ways to save money. For some strange reason though they seem to splurge on Christmas, Birthdays, and other holidays. Why is this? The average Canadian spends anywhere from $1000 to $3000 on Christmas presents. Holidays and buying material items are so over rated. Why spend thousands of dollars when Christmas is supposed to be all about family and togetherness. My husband and I barely spend $300 on Christmas presents. How you might ask? Every Thanksgiving we always put all of the adults name in a hat on both sides of our family. Each person picks one name and has a spending cap of $50 per present. In total my husband and I each spend $100 each for both families and then we buy one larger present for our daughter from "santa" and then we also buy a few stocking stuffers for everyone and my husband and I don't buy gifts for each other. We always buy a "gift" for a needy village like a goat or a pig to show our kids about charity and the value of donating.<br />
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Another easy and fun way of doing gift exchanging is everyone buying a gift $10 or under and putting it in a pile in the middle of the room without any names on them. Write numbers on pieces of paper from 1-10 etc depending on how many people brought gifts and put them in a hat and shake them up! Each person takes a number and in that order starting with number 1 they pick a present and unwrap it. The next person can either steal the first present from the first person or get a new one and unwrap it. The last person to pick a present can steal anyone of the presents or take the last wrapped gift. This is a fun and cheap way of getting a gift and not spending a lot of money. It's amazing what you can buy for $10.<br />
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For Birthdays, we usually get together for dinner with the family. Instead of giving presents, we all chip in $50 per person except for the Birthday man/woman and put it into a Birthday account. It's amazing how quickly it adds up. We then take the whole family and go on a family trip. This coming February my family including my parents, my sister and her husband, my husband and I and our two kids are all going to Hawaii with our Birthday fund. It's a great way to travel if you don't have a lot of spare cash and for me I'd rather go on a family trip then to buy a silly present for someone who may or may not stuff it into the corner of a closet.<br />
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It's easy to have a lot of fun with little cost. You could try only putting in $25 dollars if $50 is to much or more if it's too little. Play around with it a bit and see what you come up with. Remember it's all in fun and make sure everyone is on board if you are going to do it. It's not fun when someone is left out because they can't afford it.<br />
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A great way to save for Christmas is putting a little away into an account every month until the end of the year. That way Christmas won't come as a shock and you have money to spend. You can also buy Christmas presents when sales come up throughout the year. It's a great way to buy products cheap an you don't have to wait until they jack up the prices at Christmas time.<br />
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Another way to save around the holidays is to bake or make your own gifts. Are you really good at making jams or cookies? Then why not make some for everyone on your list? Canning or baking costs are minimal when you have a lot of people to buy for. Make your favorite treat and share in the magic of giving! My holiday favorites are Church windows made with colored marshmallows, shortbread cookies, antipasto (my mom makes some every year), and of course homemade chocolate chip cookies. Feel free to post some of your holiday favorites!<br />
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Next time you have a Birthday or holiday come up, why not make a card instead of buying one. Homemade cards are a lot nicer and more thoughtful then store bought cards. They will probably end up in the recycling eventually so why spend $6 on a card when you can make one for pennies? Be creative, come up with your own ideas on how to save money!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed todays read!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-34548947459859665042012-09-12T09:05:00.000-07:002017-03-15T19:15:53.622-07:00Becoming Domestic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those of you who know me personally know that I am not very domestic. At all in fact. I have just had my second baby and am now home for awhile now and so I must learn. I have an entire household to run including taking care of my three year old daughter, taking care of my two month old son and keeping my house clean. On top of that I need to learn how to cook. I don't do much of the cooking myself, my husband does most of it. I guess because he is working full days and I am at home now I need to start cooking. It's only fair right? </div>
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Well the other day my daughter, son and I went and picked blackberries and filled an entire bucket. "What do I do with these?" I said to myself. I guess I'm going to have to make a pie! Man do I love a good blackberry pie with a little bit of vanilla ice cream. </div>
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So I found a recipe online and got my husband to pick up the ingredients yesterday after work. Last night I baked my first blackberry pie and boy was it good! I was pretty proud of myself and my husband even went back for seconds. There is a picture of the final result up above. I even made it look pretty!</div>
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The recipe I found was this:</div>
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<b>Blackberry Pie Recipe</b></div>
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<b>1 Pie shell</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">5-6 cups </span></b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackberry" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">blackberries</span></b></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">, rinsed, picked clean, patted dry (if you use frozen berries, defrost and drain them)</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are)</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 teaspoon lemon juice</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 teaspoon lemon zest</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4f1f06; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/4 teaspoon almond extract</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">3 Tbsp quick cooking instant tapioca</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b>Preheat oven to 400 degrees</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b>Mix all ingredients together and let sit for 30 minutes.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b>Pour into pie crust and place on middle rack for 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes are up turn the oven down to 350 degrees and put on for another 15 minutes.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b>Serve with vanilla ice cream!</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Makes for one yummy treat. I think I will have another piece today! Of course my daughter helped picked the blackberries and helped make the pie so she will get a piece too. I think it's a great way for kids to get involved and learn all about baking. If they are a part of the process, they are more inclined to eat whatever it is you made. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. I also made dinner last night for my family. I made one great spaghetti sauce and we all had a delicious dinner. I used a lot of herbs and veggies from our little pallet garden. It turned out really well and I will probably do it again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">I sure am turning domestic, and I love it! </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Hope you enjoyed todays read!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Brie</span></span></div>
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-35642576070645408742012-09-10T09:53:00.000-07:002012-09-10T09:53:22.371-07:00Which Mortgage to pay off first?When you have more then one Mortgage the question is which one to pay down first? For me it's simple. We have a condo that we rent out where the rent pretty much covers our mortgage and strata fees in full minus about $100 a month. We also have a house where we currently reside. Because our mortgage is being paid for on our condo we don't really have to worry about it since our renters are paying it. So what if you have to pay interest on the mortgage? You don't have to pay out of pocket for it. Your renters pay it.<br />
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As for our house, we pay the mortgage, and we also pay the interest, therefore if we pay our mortgage down sooner the less interest we have to pay on it. In full, saves us money in the long run. I like saving $$$. Who doesn't in all honesty?<br />
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And so, I believe it is better to pay down whichever property you currently reside in. Saves you money in the long run. Our house also has a bigger Mortgage on it as well and so the interest costs would be greater. Paying it down sooner would in fact save even more money. I can't stress enough how important it is to pay down your mortgage sooner. Even if it's only an extra $50 or $100 a month. Those extra payments go directly onto the principle which brings your mortgage, interest and number of years down quicker.<br />
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I'm not rich by any means. I'm also not poor. I can afford to put down an extra $115 down on my Mortgage every month which I have budgeted into our monthly budget. It's not much but it saves me $40,000 in interest and pays off my mortgage 4 years sooner. So now my 30 year mortgage turns into a 26 year mortgage. The more I put on it the sooner my Mortgage will be paid off.<br />
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If I can save someone thousands of dollars in interest costs alone I will be happy. If I can keep your money where it belongs in your pocket, mission accomplished. I hate seeing people waste their hard earned money. I see too many of my friends and family members in debt and for what? I big screen TV, or a new kitchen that they just HAD to update? Why go into debt for material items? They just need to learn to be better with their money. Everyone would be that much richer if they didn't have debt repayment they had to budget into their monthly budget. If you didn't have that car loan of $200 a month or that credit card debt charging you 21% in interest you would be so much better off! Those things are not necessary to survive and certainly not necessary to live a nice life. They are extras, mire luxuries which if you can't afford, shouldn't have.<br />
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If I can get through to at least one person I will be happy and my job here is done.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed my rant today.<br />
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BrieBrianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-8779664967956343752012-07-28T22:53:00.001-07:002017-03-15T18:56:42.349-07:00Starting NowSo today I wrote a letter to my mortgage company asking them to up my payments on my mortgage to increase what I pay off on the principle owing. Today was my first step in the right direction and I am excited to be on my way to paying off my mortgage sooner. I want to be worry free, debt free and not owe anyone else any money. That is my ultimate goal, to be self sufficient, be financially free and live my life to the fullest with money to spare.<br />
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On top of what I am paying extra on my mortgage I will be putting any additional big money that I come into on my mortgage as well. I can't stress enough how important it is to pay off your mortgage sooner rather then later. Just by upping my payments an extra $115 per month I will be paying my mortgage down 4 years sooner and saving over $40,000 in interest costs. That is a lot of money and I want to keep it where it belongs....in my pocket. I want to be able to take my kids on a family vacation once a year and with an extra $40,000 in my pocket over the course of the next 25 years there will be a good chance that I can.<br />
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I work hard for my money and I want to keep it to do things that I want to and not send it down a big dark black hole only to never see it again. I'm sure most of you feel the same way. Why should the big corporations have and take all your money? Why let them win? Fight back by paying your mortgage off sooner and by being debt free. I'm not saying put ALL of your extra income on your mortgage and not have a life for the next 25-30 years. That would just be silly. No, all you have to do is budget it into your monthly payments at a reasonable amount that you are comfortable with. Leave yourself with enough extra money to still have a life and to be able to go out once and awhile and really enjoy life to the fullest. I don't mean to sound cliche at all but save for a rainy day keeping in mind that you could still kick the bucket at anytime. It's all in moderation. You can't spend every single penny you have thinking you will die tomorrow, when you very well could live to 100. It's all about balance.<br />
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I hope that if you do own your own home and have a mortgage on it that you will consider paying it off earlier. For your own sake. Follow me as I pay off my mortgage years at a time and hopefully reach my goal of paying off my mortgage before I turn 40. That gives me exactly 12 years from now to do so. Every single extra penny I put down on my mortgage will help achieve this goal.<br />
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Please leave a comment and let me know if you've found ways to put extra money down on your mortgage, I'd love to hear from you.<br />
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Thanks for listening and happy saving!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-59104803586927945472012-04-29T18:42:00.000-07:002017-03-15T18:55:18.687-07:00How to Pay off your Mortgage EarlyMy husband and I have decided we are going to try and pay off our mortgage before we turn 40. (We are both 28 now) So paying down our mortgage in 12 years, is that possible? We signed up for a 30 mortgage so can we knock off 18 years off our mortgage? We we are going to do everything in our power to throw money at it in the next few years. During the first few years of a mortgage it is so important to put as much extra money down on the principle as you can. You will save yourself thousands of dollars in interest. For most people, during a 30 year mortgage you are usually spending almost as much as the purchase price of the house just in interest. The bank has to make their money somehow.<br />
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To put down as much money as you can on your mortgage you can:<br />
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1. Put any lump sums you acquire towards your mortgage. This could be money you win, come in to, get back on your yearly taxes, acquire by selling big ticket items etc. Most lending companies will allow you to make one large payment of up to 30% of the mortgage price once a year.<br />
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2. Start by cutting monthly costs and add an extra $25-$50 per mortgage payment. This will add up and will go directly to your principle.<br />
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3. Changing your 30 year mortgage to a 15 years mortgage will make your payments more each month but if you can afford it you will be able to pay off your mortgage quicker and reduce your interest by half which in turn will save you thousands of dollars.<br />
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4. If you don't already do so, pay bi-weekly instead of only twice per month or even once per month. This will make 2 extra payments per year which would be applied to the principle and help you pay down your mortgage quicker and take years off your mortgage.<br />
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5. If your mortgage comes up for renewal, refinance with a lower interest rate. Keep paying the same payments your were making before (or more) thus paying more down on the principle.<br />
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Give yourself an overall goal. To pay off your mortgage within a time frame by a certain date. This will give you something to look forward to and work towards. As long as it is reasonable even if you don't pay your mortgage off before the date you set, to be even close to that is an accomplishment in itself. I personally want to pay off my mortgage long before I retire so I can then focus on saving for retirement. If I can reach my goal of paying off our mortgage before we turn 40 then I will be a happy camper. If I can do it even sooner that would be even better.<br />
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I wish everyone good luck in their venture to pay off their mortgage early. With a lot of hard work, a little good luck and determination you will. That financial freedom will set you free and set you up for a great retirement. I challenge everyone to take the test and pay off your mortgage in at least half the time of your original mortgage contract. You will be laughing in the end.<br />
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I will keep everyone posted on my own challenge to see if I can pay of my mortgage within 12 years. We are already putting our tax refund down on our mortgage and upping our bi-weekly payments. I will start a tally of how many years down and how much interest saved.<br />
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Thanks for listening,<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-74304692500031893382012-03-31T21:01:00.002-07:002017-03-15T18:53:41.601-07:00Urban Suburban<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A lot of people want to find new and exciting ways to make their yards more efficient and more green. Living in the city doesn't make it an easy task to grow a garden or grow plants in general. Less space, less resources, and less nature period. I found this new way of creating raised garden boxes and I think it's a great way to save space, save time weeding, and it doesn't hardly cost anything to start if anything.<br />
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If you can find free pallets (a lot of business give them away for free) you can start and grow your own little garden. Keep in mind if you're going to be growing veggies, you need to make sure the wood hasn't been treated with any kind of chemical.<br />
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1. To start just get a pallet and staple back cloth on the bottom to keep the dirt from falling out of the bottom.<br />
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2. Place on either gravel or grass where ever you like.<br />
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3. Fill with dirt and plant your rows for veggies or flowers<br />
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By planting this way, it saves on weeding because the weeds cannot grow in between the rows. It also looks pretty neat and saves on space especially if you have a tiny yard. You could even put one on your sun deck or patio!<br />
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Green houses are also a great way to have fresh herbs and tomatoes all year long. Put a small lean-to on a deck or patio and let the fresh taste of spring and summer enter your home all year long. Buy one from a local hardware/garden store or make your own from old windows or sheets of glass. Be creative make your garden yours and own whatever it is you would like to create. My hope is that after this season we will have fresh veggies, herbs, etc and be a bit more self sufficient at home. By doing this I hope my family will be happier and healthier and I hope to include my daughter every step of the way to show and teach her just exactly where her food comes from. I've even gone as far as buying her a little watering can and shovel to keep her involved in the process. I think this is a great way for kids to learn about their surroundings and the environment.<br />
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There are so many other ways to be more efficient and green. Stay tuned for pictures and more ideas on how to create an urban garden in the suburbs.<br />
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Enjoy your day!<br />
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Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-16049175579052985612012-03-21T22:10:00.001-07:002017-03-15T18:49:44.710-07:00Be Your Own BossI am like everyone else. A slave to working Monday to Friday, 5 days a week and expect my pay check in the mail every two weeks. I have just recently started my own little business on the side and have been in business for the last 2 years. This I do on my weekends off while I am still getting a full paycheck so that I do not lose any income. The point of this would be to try and be my own boss, to get away from the every day grind of work. I want to have my freedom, do what I want when I want to and have fun. Starting your own business certainly isn't easy, it's actually quite the challenge but very rewarding in the end. You have something to call your own that's yours, kind of like your baby. You watch it grow and give it the power it needs to succeed. You thrive on it doing well and making you money.<br />
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I started a small business from my home doing party rentals where I bought a bunch of stuff and started renting it out. I have a proper supplier and buy things regularly to stay in the loop. I was amazed just how quickly my name got around and how many clients I ended up getting in the first and second year.<br />
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I was so proud of my accomplishment, basically starting from scratch with no money up front I was able to get my business going. My hope is that one day I will be making so much money and have so much business, that I won't have to work Mon-Fri anymore so I can spend more time with my kids.<br />
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Find something you love to do, do what makes you happy and try and make a go out of it by selling your product or providing your services. There are a lot of people out there looking for good, quality, local items or services and even though the economy isn't the greatest, people still have to go about their everyday lives. Pick something you are really good at and thrive!<br />
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In the mean time, by working on the weekends I am making more money and thus have more money to spend on things (or more money to pay down my mortgage). A few extra payments a year makes all of the difference. You'd be surprised.<br />
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If you are thinking about owning and operating your own business there are a few key points you may want to note:<br />
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1. Pick something you love to do, do your research and make sure there is a market for it in your area.<br />
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2. Have a game plan, create a business plan and make goals for yourself<br />
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3. Make sure what you are doing is legal, apply for a business license in your home town<br />
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4. Apply for loans, grants, anything you can to help fund your new found business<br />
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5. Advertise, advertise, advertise! Get your name out there, promote yourself, make business cards, do as much free advertising as you can, put flyers on windshields, advertise on the a free website, etc<br />
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6. Work hard, put your blood sweat and tears into your new found business and be consistent<br />
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7. Make customers come back, spread the word and give you a testimonial. Repeat customers and word of mouth is probably how my business has survived. Word of mouth is huge as people often want verbal references.<br />
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8. Be organized! Make sure you file all receipts, keep up on your book keeping, create proper contracts, and most importantly be professional.<br />
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9. If it is a home business you have started up make sure you claim a portion of your bills etc. For instance if you have one room in your house you use for your business, take the square footage and make it into a percentage of your house. Then deduct that percentage from all of your bills as business costs. It adds up! Bills include but not limited to; mortgage interest, property taxes, heat/hydro, internet, water, maintenance and repairs, telephone/cellphone, etc.<br />
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10. Watch your competition and price accordingly. To stay on par with everyone else you must make sure that you're prices are not outrageous. Products and services are only worth how much someone is willing to spend. If there is someone down the street selling the same thing for 1/2 the price they are bound to go to them instead. Stay in the loop and price accordingly.<br />
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I really hope you all find your passion and can do something you love to do while still earning a profitable income. It is a lot of fun, a lot of hard work and dedication but worth it in the end. You have something to be proud of and have a sense of accomplishment. This is personally speaking and I am going to continue with my business in hopes of it's great success. I hope one day I can be a full time stay at home mom with my kids and work from home. That is my ultimate goal. In the mean time, I strive to be great, put all my energy into my "baby" and hope that it will continue growing for years to come. How else am I to pay for my mortgage?<br />
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I hope you've enjoyed, thanks for listening.<br />
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Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-63599154067588960452012-03-15T21:43:00.000-07:002017-03-15T18:47:25.694-07:00The Laws of AttractionSome people are firm believers that the laws of attraction are very real indeed. I am starting to believe it myself actually. The whole thinking behind the laws of attraction is that if you will it and you think and stay positive, positive things will come your way. If you think negatively and are always depressed or cursing the world all the time, bad things will come your way.<br />
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Last year something incredible happened to me. I had never won anything in my entire life, mostly because I never thought I would win. Then last April I was called #9 into a radio station for some tickets to a concert. This was only the beginning. All month the same radio station had been doing promotional advertising and giving the chance to win a brand new 2011 Chevy Cruze away. When you heard the beep (could be in the middle of a song) and you were caller #9, you got a ticket to go to a party where you were one in 100 to try and win the car. Well that following week after I won the tickets I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work due to a car accident. When I heard that beep in the car I started to try and call in to be caller #9. By some strange force I knew I was going to be caller #9. I kept trying, I tried about 3 or 4 times before finally getting through and low and behold I was caller #9!!! I was so ecstatic I was bouncing up and down in my seat (passengers seat). My husband was trying to cool me down as he knew there was still only a 1% chance of me actually winning the car. When we got home I was still bouncing and just knew I was going to win that car! I picked up my ticket to the party the next day and was still vibrating from all the excitement. As we walked in the parking lot to the radio station the car that they were giving away was sitting in one of the parking stalls and we walked right past it. As we walked past it I said to my husband "that's my car right there, I am going to win it, it's all mine!" Of course my husband was skeptical and didn't want me to get my hopes up but I didn't care, I just knew.<br />
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The following week was the party. I dressed for success as I knew I would probably be getting my picture taken when I won the car. I wore my lucky red lipstick because the car was red and I knew it would be good luck. When my husband and I got to the party we grabbed some pizza and pop and took a good hard look at the car we would soon be driving home. Everyone's name got put into a bin when we arrived and the order that they were drawn was the order that everyone picked their square. There was a board with 100 squares on it and everyone got to choose one square when their name was drawn. Some squares had not so smiley faces, some had other prizes behind them and there were five squares that had keys behind them. If you got a key you would be one of the five finalists who could try and actual key in the car. If the car turned on it was yours to take home. Most of the squares had already been taken when it came to be my turn. I was probably #75 in choosing my square. Four of the keys had already been chosen and so there was only one key left. I just knew I was going to get a key. I still had hope. I knew it in my mind when I stepped up to the plate. Low and behold I picked the last key. I was jumping up and down like mad because I knew, I just knew that car was going to be mine. I went over to the other people who picked keys and stood and waited until all other squares were picked. Once they were all picked, everyone turned their attention to the five people who had all won keys. We were each given envelopes with actual keys in them to try in the car and we tried in order. I was key #4. So key 1,2 and 3 all went and tried the key in the car and busted. No such luck. I turned to the guy behind me and said "well only a 50/50 chance" shook his hand and wished him good luck. I knew as soon as I sat in that car that the key would turn for me. It would start up the car and I pictured my reaction and what I would do. The time came for me to turn the key, sure enough it turned the ignition and started the car. I was so excited I literally screamed as loud as I could. The whole thing was being recorded live on the radio where I'm sure some of the listeners thought someone was being murdered I was screaming so loud. It was mine, the car was mine. At last!<br />
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I thought like the car was mine and could visualize me winning from day one. I just kept positive and kept my eye on the prize the entire time. I don't think it was just pure dumb luck, I think it was a lot to do with my positive thinking and wanting it so bad I could taste it.<br />
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If you are reading this and are thinking yeah right this was just a once in a lifetime thing, it'll never happen again. Well think again! Just the other day I was listening to the radio and if you were caller #9 you can have the chance to win some cold hard cash. I thought to myself I am going to be caller #9 and I am going to win some money. I let it ring a few times and finally I heard a hello on the other end. I was caught be surprise and as I was driving I quickly pulled over and stopped the car. I was caller #9 again? Wohoa! I thought to myself. Ok, now let's win some money. I had to open different envelopes and tell the radio VJ to keep going or to stop. I got to envelope # 4 that had $444 in it. I could have one farther but thought to myself let's not be greedy. I could loose it all! So I stopped and walked away with $444 worth of cash! I visualized myself winning and I won!<br />
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I never was a believer in staying and thinking positively but I sure am now. I think that the laws of attraction work and that if you send out positive vibes you will attract good vibes back to you. Either in luck, health, money, love, whatever it may be it will come with positive thinking. You also have to be very determined in your goals and do whatever it takes to help you achieve your goals. You can't just sit around and wait for things to come your way. You actually have to try. "You have to play to win"!<br />
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I hope this inspires some of you to be happier in your thinking and to think positive thoughts. Draw all of the positive energy towards you. Keep negative thoughts away and enjoy life.<br />
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Good luck in whatever you choose to do.<br />
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-Brie<br />
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Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065120642720125820.post-6136283542342898912012-03-03T20:12:00.000-08:002017-03-15T18:46:24.596-07:00Be all that you can be!I have learned that it's who you are inside that makes you a good person. Not your religious beliefs, or your background, or even whether you have come from a good family or not. It is what you do with your knowledge, your education, your experience to make this world a better place. Whether you volunteer, help people in your line of work, or even make someone's day great by giving a tiny compliment, it's these small acts of kindness and generosity that make this world a great place to live.<br />
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Even though there is so much hurt and suffering still going on in the world, if you can make a difference in one person's or one family's life it makes all the difference. If everyone did this in their everyday life, the world would be better for it. I have my own morals and beliefs and I strive to be a better person everyday of my life. I know I am not a saint by any means and I know I am definitely not perfect but I feel that I am an overall good person. Not saying I don't make mistakes from time to time either.<br />
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For instance, today we decided to help another person by becoming a Sponsor to a child in need that lives in Africa. One small step in the right direction and I feel pretty convinced that this act will make a difference. It certainly makes a difference in one persons life. It could have made the world of difference for all I know, I don't know. If everyone did something like this (and I know not everyone can afford to do this) the poverty crisis across the world would be slowly diminishing.<br />
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All I am saying really is be everything you can be. Be the best Doctor or Lawyer or Firefighter. Whatever your job may be, be the best at it and strive for excellence in everything you do. One day you too can change the world, make a difference in someone's life. Be educated, go out and learn first aid because you never know when you may have to use it. It may save one of your family member's or a total strangers life one day. Donate where you can to a charity of your choice. Pick something you believe in with all your heart and fight for your cause.<br />
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Live in peace and harmony and you will ultimately feel good about yourself. Think of others and not only yourself and you too will feel empowered.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed today's read. I would love to hear about all the ways you have changed the world one step at a time.<br />
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Thanks for listening!<br />
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Brie<br />
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<br />Brianna Sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09341215403023984013noreply@blogger.com0