parenting – Page 5 – Luv Saving Money

Closet Organizing Tips From a Mom of 4

Growing up I was the oldest of 4. We lived in a small house. My sister and I shared a room. My brothers shared a room. Our rooms were far from spacious but it was enough. My mom seemed to be always cleaning, decluttering, sorting. I didn’t understand it at the time. Now that I’m a mom of 4 myself, I get it.

I could talk about organizing for a while. I feel like there’s still a lot of tips out there that I just haven’t learned yet. That’s why I’m sharing mine with you. If I can help one mom keep their sanity then I feel like I did something. While there’s lots of areas of the house to organize, I’m going to stick to closet organization for this post.

When we bought out current house we went from having hardly any closets to having tons of storage space. I thought, “Oh we have tons of storage space. I’m gonna be so organized” Now I wonder how we ever did it with the limited space we had before.

Just yesterday, I cleaned out and reorganized the master bedroom closet. It was a daunting task but I really felt like I did something when I was finished. So here are my favorite closet organizing tips

My Favorite Closet Organizing Tips

I go through mine and the kids clothes twice a year. Usually in the spring and again in the fall. We donate clothes that don’t fit and no one else in the family can use. This also gives me a good idea of what the kids might need coming up for the next season. Clothes that are stain, torn, etc are either repurposed as cleaning cloths or are thrown out.
Clear shoe boxes. This is my favorite. I get muti-packs when I find them at TJ Maxx or Ross Dress for Less. I can get a 10 pack for 12 dollars sometimes and it’s easy on the wallet. I store my shoes in those. It’s more uniform and visually appealing. I can see into the boxes to see what shoes are in there without having to open the boxes, and it keeps the dust off the shoes I don’t wear as often. They’re not just for shoes though. They’re great for organizing small toys, crayons, hair clips, whatever you can think of really.

If it’s not been worn in 2 years, get rid of it. I give myself 2 years. Sometimes there’s just a one size difference. Sometimes I think I’d wear the shirt or skirt in certain circumstances. But, after two years, if I haven’t worn it, it needs to go.
Belt/accessory/handbag organizing racks. There are so many depending on space. You can get some that hang on the wall, there’s organizers that hook over the door, there are even some that can simply hang on a clothes rack, like this purse organizer. I just ordered this accordian wall rack for my purses and scarves.

When going through your closet have 2 garbage bags with you. One for garbage and one for donations. I fille up a big garbage bag with things like really old pants that the elastic had dry rotted, broken hangers, packaging, expired products, shoes that have seen their better days, etc.
If you have a small closet or no closet at all, one thing my mother did was to pack up the clothes at the end of the season, put them in a garbage bag or tote marked with the gender and size and put the in the attic so they could be passed down to my sister, a cousin, or donated to someone in need. This cuts down on the amount of clothes you need to find a space for in the closet or bedroom and it’s not so overwhelming to look at.
As I said, in our old house we hardly had any closets or storage space. We ended up finding creative solutions that fit our budget. You can get tons of ideas from browsing storage and organization categories at your favorite stores. From moveable racks, to temporary and shelving solutions that can be cut to fit to fancy closet systems.

Everyone helps with their own closet/dresser. This allows your child to have a say. They may want to get rid of something you didn’t think they would. They might have sentimental value in a specific shirt or hoodie. Their room is their space. They should have say in how things are organized, what is donated, etc. After kids learn how and what to do they have sense of pride in taking care of their space which carries on later in life. Plus, things get done faster when the workload is split.
Organize like things together. Long sleeve shirts in one space, pants in another space, t-shirts in a different space. Even if it’s just making sections in a drawer.

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This post does contain some affiliate links. I will earn a small commission when purchases are made through my links.

Melvin Brewing Scholarship Opportunity: Apply Now

With my oldest son getting ready to start his freshman year of college this fall, I have my eyes trained on spotting scholarship opportunities. Of course, I have to actually get him to apply but at least I can say I tried right? The way I explain it to my son, no scholarship is too small. For every dollar he gets in scholarship or grant money that’s $1 he won’t have have to pay back later. $500 here, $1000 there can make a different in how much needs to come out of pocket for us and how much he needs to pay back later.

Some people only fill out the FAFSA and check with their local college (which is definitely the first and most important steps) to find scholarships but there are so many more scholarships out there. Local clubs, businesses, entrepreneurs, and more will offer scholarships. Some of the more niche or obscure ones can be harder to find. For example, when searching for scholarships, one might not think about a brewing company offering a scholarship but I know of at least one that I’m gonna tell you about here.

Melvin Brewing has been regularly offering scholarships for a couple years now. Since I’ve been writing about scholarships more I’ve been blessed to even have a few places contact me and want me to share about scholarships to my readers. Since we’re a money-savvy bunch I figure you’d want to hear about it.

Melvin Brewing is a brewing company that wanted to “bring the beer of the future” to Jackson, Wy. They started off as a little business but soon grew become award winning brewers. They’ve been in business since 2009. They are a company with heart that are involved in many philanthropy projects.

Melvin Brewing is currently offering a $1000 scholarship to students who are currently enrolled full or part-time in college. To apply for the $1,000 Melvin Brewing Scholarship students need to write a 500-word essay that answers the question, “How do you plan to use the funds from this scholarship in your journey to continue your education?“

It does not say that the applicant has to be 21 to apply only that they need to be enrolled in a college. But, parents should be aware that it is a brewery site.

Apply for the Melvin Brewing scholarship here

Deadline is March 30, 2021. The winner will be selected the first week of April 2021. The winner will have 2 weeks to respond before a runner up winner is chosen.

If you’re business is offering a scholarship open to students in the US please feel free to contact me: Angie at angwith4 at gmail dot com. I’d love to feature your scholarship on my blog. I was horrified to find out that a local club in my community would regularly offer $1000 scholarships to local kids in our school. A friend of mine said her daughter was the only one to apply. When I contacted them about it they actually stopped doing it. I’m not sure if it was lack of interest or lack of funds. But I don’t want a business to stop offering scholarships on lack of interest. Let me help!

This post is sponsored by Diamond Links. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Steps To Take When Looking for Scholarships for College

I have 4 kids. My oldest of which is heading to college in the fall. It’s been a whirlwind experience trying to navigate the whole application process for college and for scholarships. Even though he’s already been accepted and we put money down already we’re still having to take more steps that need completed before he actually starts. Guys he has new student orientation on the 19th! He still has to do some kinds of counseling session in regard to his student loans he qualified for. The whole pandemic thing made this process a little weirder too.

When I thought of the whole scholarship process I thought of it as filling out scholarship application after scholarship application hoping to get just one. Don’t get me wrong, there still plenty you can apply for on your own but the one he got was already applied for when we filled out the FAFSA. Let me explain.

Every year before starting college until college is finished you need to fill out the FAFSA. It’s important to fill it out completely and honestly. This helps schools make decisions on awarding scholarships and financial aid (among other things).

My son actually got a decent yearly scholarship from his college thanks to the FAFSA. As long as he keeps his GPA decent he’ll have the scholarship all 4 years.

My son’s high school also had their own form to fill out for scholarships specific to his school and the area. Colleges will sometimes offers scholarship awards to high school graduates for specific majors too. This was one form to fill out to determine scholarships for many.

In both of these scenarios only one form was needed to throw his name in the hat for many scholarship opportunities. These are the two major things to do . But, it doesn’t have to stop there. You can seek out and apply for individual scholarships as well. There are scholarship specific to majors, hobbies, religion, heritage, geographic area and more.

The David Ebrahimzadeh scholarship, for example, is a scholarship to recognize students seeking a degree in real estate! They’re accepting applications now. So don’t discount your career path in regard to scholarship opportunities.

Also local businesses, clubs, and even your own workplace may offer scholarships. My son applied for a scholarship through my husband’s place of work.

This post is sponsored by Diamond Links. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Beware of COVID-19 Scams: Utility Scammers

With COVID-19 comes a lot of new problems. Some we adjust to, some are temporary. I’ll never understand how scammers can do what they do to innocent people. Which is why I wanted to pass on this information I received from The National Consumer League (NCL).

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) has issued a warning today for consumers about a reported increase in scams by con artists posing as utility company representatives who are threatening to shut off subscribers’ power service if they don’t make an immediate payment.

The anatomy of the scam is highly consistent: a consumer receives a call from someone claiming to be with the electric utility company. The caller warns the consumer that their power is about to be shut off over an unpaid bill. The only way to avoid this is to pay up immediately, typically via wire transfer, gift card, or some other difficult-to-stop payment method. So what can we, as consumers do?

Such a call can be very scary—particularly for those who may need electricity to power medical devices or run their small business. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers are having trouble keeping up with their bills, which may make them even more vulnerable to this scam. And even for consumers who are confident they’ve paid their bill, the impending threat of a shut-off at the height of summer heat can cause a panic.

To avoid becoming a victim, consumers should:

Not panic. According to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, electric utilities in all 50 states have placed moratoriums on disconnections during the COVID-19 crisis, either voluntarily or in response to government orders. If someone contacts you claiming that they’re about to shut-off your electricity, it’s a scam.
Contact the power company. A utility will never initiate a disconnection without contacting you via the mail first. If you received a call from someone claiming they’re about to turn off your power, hang up and contact your electric company. Their toll-free phone number and website address is typically listed on your electric bill.
Beware of unusual payment methods. Anyone who asks you to pay an overdue electric or other utility bill via wire transfer, gift card, bank-to-bank transfer, bitcoin, or any other unusual payment method is almost certainly trying to scam you.
Not give out personal information. Utility imposters may offer to connect their victims to federal assistance programs or payment plans to help pay their overdue bills. They just need to “verify” the victim’s information. In reality, these scammers are trying to gather the information they need to steal your identity. If you suspect something is amiss, hang up and call your utility company directly.

NCL asks consumers to share their stories by filing a complaint at Fraud.org via its secure online complaint form. Complaints are shared with NCL’s network of nearly 200 law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can and do put fraudsters behind bars.

Scammers like these are everywhere. Knowledge is power. Please share this information with friends and family.

About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneering consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Ideas For Finding Staples During the Pandemic (And Maybe Save Money)

People from all walks of life and across the board like to save money on things they needs or want. Why pay full price if you don’t have to right? With this pandemic it was almost impossible to find some things for a while. Things like: cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable masks, and even common grocery items like chicken, hamburger, and toilet paper were scarce.

More recently while heading to the store it’s been a little relief to see toilet paper, chicken, hamburger, and occasionally cleaning wipes on the shelf. It’s not the selection it used to be and the shelves aren’t full like they used to be though. If I see cleaning wipes I’ll grab a container while I’m out.

Watching numbers rise all over the country and seeing some states back track on opening phases and starting schools online makes me wonder if another shutdown and possibly scarcity is in our future again in the next few months. But how do you save money on these things and get what you need without being greedy?

Here are some ways I’ve found to make sure my family of 6 is taken care of without financial hardship.

Chicken: Going directly to the source and/or buy in bulk. We have a little country store near us that offers bulk meat deals near us. Also a small family owned grocery store that periodically offers bulk meat deals. I just ordered a 40 lb case of boneless skinless chicken breast for $48! That’s only $1.20/lb The last time I ordered it was $39.99 for a 40 lb case! When I get it home I break it up into freezer bags with about 2 breast in each bag. That case will last my family of 6 for 2 month or more. More recently I read an article where chicken ownership has become more popular among homeowners. I know my sister got chickens. You get gets and chicken in that deal!

Hamburger: Again the bulk deals are great. Some of the same places offering bulk chicken deals will periodically offer bulk hamburger deals. Another idea: My husband and I went in with my in-laws on a 1/2 a cow from a local farm. We ended up with about 35 lbs of ground beef, tons of steaks, soup bones, and roasts for $400. That was about 2 months ago and I haven’t even gone through half the meat yet. I figure if it lasts us 6 months then it will have cost $60/mo for all that meat. But I have a feeling it will last longer than that. I’ll have to let you know.

Milk: Milk delivery has picked up. In fact, we now have a milkman and we don’t have to leave our house for milk, butter, ice cream, sour cream, and lots of other products. They are even selling frozen pizzas now for a small business. The prices are very reasonable and you get a bigger discount the more you order. Milk can also be frozen. You just have to take a cup of milk out of the container to allow for expansion.

Not everyone is on-board with this option but I honestly love coconut milk and almond milk. It lasts a lot longer in the fridge too. I’ve been buying Silk unsweetened coconut milk and it doesn’t expire for 2 months! Plus you can find sales on it as well as coupons from time to time.

Fruits/Veggies: It’s summer so it’s certainly easier to get your hands on items. With roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and home gardens. Growing your own fruits/veggies is a great way to save money though. Land isn’t even a necessity anymore with container gardening and so many in-home options. Things like Aerogarden and Click and Grow Smart Garden have been becoming more popular because you can grow fruits and veggies all year long in a compact space. My husband is all into gardening right now and is talking about setting lights up and stuff in the basement. This might have to be a Christmas idea for him.

Another thing to consider with veggies/fruits is trading with neighbors. One year I had a huge crop of zucchini. I was trying every zucchini recipe I had. I even shredded some to freezer for later. But still too many. I gave some to neighbors and coworkers. In return I got things like rhubarb, tomatoes, and green peppers. It worked out nicely.

Currently, with things becoming available, it seems almost every company is putting out some type of hand sanitizer. My suggestion is to buy an extra bottle now for safe keeping (please be considerate and don’t buy out stores!). I also buy one extra pack of toilet paper than I would normally buy just to keep stock or buy in bulk when I can.

If you’re looking for ways to save money on groceries check out the article I linked to or search the term “save on groceries” in my search bar! I’ve done a few articles 🙂

Guys I’ve even recently started seeing deals on disposable face masks from reputable sites. Office Depot right now has a 50 ct box of disposable masks for $14.99 and free shipping. I ordered it myself and received it within 3 days!

The bottom line an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take advantage of the deals now. Stock up with what you NEED for your family but be considerate.