How to Stay Motivated When Saving Money Feels Hard

 

Image source: Dreamstime.com

Saving money isn’t just math—it’s motivation, momentum, and mindset. You can have the perfect spreadsheet and still struggle when life gets busy, prices climb, or your willpower fades at 9 p.m. on a Thursday. The good news: motivation is a skill you can design into your system. With the right cues, rewards, and friction, saving becomes less of a grind and more of a set of habits that quietly compound in your favor. Here’s a practical playbook to keep going, especially when saving feels tough.

How To Balance Treats And Savings For Kids

Raising children means always having to juggle your priorities - you want them to have fun, enjoy little treats, and feel like they’re part of the activities their friends are doing, but you also want to give them a good financial foundation and start in life. The tricky part is finding that middle ground where you can do both without feeling like you’re failing at either. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about how to balance treats and savings for kids.

Solar Panel Basics: DIY vs. Hiring Experts

You may have been hearing things about solar panels, ranging from how it delivers you from the shackles of electricity bills to how costly it is. Looking past the cost of solar panels, you’ll realize that they are an almost perfect investment. However, I'm not disregarding the fact that there are some factors you need to consider carefully before purchasing solar panels. In this article, I'll be providing crucial information on solar panels for homes.

6 Ways to Save on Car Insurance

Car insurance, as you know, is offered for cars, motorcycles, trucks, or other vehicles as a means of protecting your vehicle. It provides protection financially against any physical injuries resulting from road accidents and protects against any theft cases and damage caused by natural phenomena such as floods, storms, collisions with objects, or natural disasters at large. The terms of insurance covers vary depending on the legal insurance regulations but it is something you need to have in nearly every state. But every insurer is not equal and there are ways to save on your insurance. Here, we outline six ways to save on car insurance.

Coupons and Deals at Home Depot

Home improvements and even just the basics of caring for your home can sometimes feel like a never ending, and sometimes even an expensive endeavor. From the day you first move in and set it up with you furniture, fixtures, and appliances to upgrading your decor and even home repairs down the road. There are so many factors that can make your wallet (and budget) feel like it could bust. Thankfully though there are ways you can save with offers deals, coupons, promo codes, and discounts.

Shop with Slickdeals to save big at Chewy

When it comes to our pets we all have our own special way of showing them how much we love them. And how important they are in our lives. One of those ways is through the food and treats we feed them, and another is through the toys and other needs we provide them with. As a "cat mom" I like to make sure my furry friends are not only happy when they are eating and playing, but also when they are taking a cat-nap. Thanks to the convenient shopping options at Chewy I can do that all from my easy chair.

Find great Walmart Black Friday deals at Slickdeals

I don't know about you but as the days pass and we get further into the month of November the more I start thinking about Black Friday shopping. And this year many stores are starting early online to avoid large crowds at their physical locations. There is definitely something that gets your blood flowing when your standing inside a Walmart waiting for them to unwrap those pallets of hot deals. But to me there's just as much excitement when I can score those deals in my PJ's at home under a blanket in my favorite chair.

Simple ways to make some extra money

Right now many people are looking for ways to make some extra money or you can say WFH opportunities. With the economy in constant disarray some are wondering if they'll ever be able to go back to a "normal" life again. Leaving some scrambling to find ways to help make up for lost wages, or even just make ends meet. So I thought I would share a few ways with you that I've been using myself to bring in a couple extra bucks.

Mealthy Black Friday & Cyber Monday Savings

Amazon.com Black Friday & Cyber Monday Mealthy Savings

*Offer Valid While Supplies Last

More Saving and Doing with Black Friday at Home Depot

Taking care of your home can sometimes feel like a never ending and sometimes even an expensive endeavor. From the day you first move in and set it up with new furniture, fixtures, and appliances to upgrading your decor and even home repairs down the road. There are so many factors that can make your wallet (and budget) feel like it could bust. Thankfully though there are ways you can save too, especially now that we are in the home stretch heading into Black Friday.

Save big at America's Incredible Pizza Company

Fun, Food and Family, America's Incredible Pizza Company is the place to find it all! Incredible Pizza Company delivers high energy and a quality experience for the entire family. After enjoying our freshly homemade buffet; enter their world famous Fair Grounds and play over 100 arcade and carnival style games. Race to the finish line while driving go karts, get lost in a friendly game of laser tag, get a hole-in-one while playing glow golf, and spin away on the bumper cars and more! So whether you're 6 or 60, enter the fairgrounds and have an incredible time while making memories that will last a lifetime!

Get a 99 cent All-You-Can-Eat Buffet with a $15 Game Card Purchase at America's Incredible Pizza Company. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Can not be used towards a private birthday party, fundraising event or private group event. Valid at our Oklahoma City, Memphis, Springfield, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Tulsa locations only.

Download and print your coupon today!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product to share my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brand.

Stretch your dollars with Five Back Visa Gift Cards #5Back17 #Giveaway Ends 12/15

It's the holiday season so who wouldn't want to add a little more stretch to their spending dollars? I know I sure take advantage of all the offers, sales, and specials around the holidays. And there's nothing better than buying something on your list and getting a little bit back on your purchase. That's how Five Back Visa gift cards work. They are accepted everywhere Visa debit is accepted, and users earn up to 5% back to their gift card when they shop and dine with preferred restaurants and retailers! If you're already doing holiday shopping why not? It's what I like to call the "Spend and Earn" method. Kind of like a rebate, but you don't have to mess with the hassle of mailing it in and waiting weeks for you money to come back. With the Five Back Visa your earnings are deposited right back on your card ready for you to spend at your next stop.

How it works:
Five Back users earn up to 5% back to their card when they shop and dine at preferred retailers and restaurants including AMC Theaters, Gap Brands, Old Navy, Sephora, Bass Pro, Nike, Williams Sonoma Brands, Outback and MORE! To find a full list of participating retailers and restaurants visit: fivebackgift.com

Get yours today!
You can get your Five Back Visa gift card at Office Max, Giant Eagle and Albertsons Family Stores including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Tom Thumb, Shaw's, Jewel and ACME. Or you can buy it online at giftcardmall.com. (One time $5.95 Purchase Fee added at time of purchase.)

Win it:  One lucky reader will win a $50 Visa Gift Card. This giveaway will end December 15th at 12:00 AM EST. Prize fulfillment will be made by the sponsor, I am not responsible for prize delivery or lost or stolen deliveries. Open to residents of the US.

Entry Method:  Please use Rafflecopter form to enter.

Evergreen Elf Christmas Tree Water Monitor #ad #EvergreenElf

As we all know time around the holidays can be super hectic. And trying to remember all those small details and things we're supposed to do isn't always easy. So if there's something out there that can help alleviate one of those daunting tasks wouldn't you want to check it out? Well, that's exactly what I did, and am here to share with you today! It's called Evergreen Elf, and it helps monitor your Christmas Tree stand water level. The innovative and interactive Christmas Tree water monitor will alert you when the tree is dry, saving you the hassle of climbing over presents and under branches to check the water level in your tree stand.

The facts:
Every year, millions of dollars in damages are directly related to Christmas tree fires, causing tragedy during a time of joy. This fire risk can be reduced by ensuring that the tree is never thirsty.

About Evergreen Elf:
The Evergreen Elf Christmas tree water monitor has both a visual alert and a fun audio alert, works with most available commercial tree stands, and the interchangeable batteries are designed to last the entire holiday season. The Evergreen Elf’s engaging personality helps make watering a fun activity for the whole family. This year, forget sticking your hand in that dirty water. Get an elf to help – Evergreen Elf!

Evergreen Elf helps make watering your Christmas tree a fun activity for the whole family. Just check out this video to see for yourself how valuable this little helper can be!

Buy it: Be sure to use my special code TILTONELF95 when checking out online for extra savings!

Connect with Evergreen Elf: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received monetary compensation or product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Stay leak free this summer with Energizer MAX!

This is a sponsored post by Mirum. Opinions are 100% my own.

My daughter and I were at Walmart shopping the other day and on the way to check out we saw the big battery center display. It immediately prompted my daughter to remind me we needed new batteries for her replacement light up Pillow Pet. I say replacement because we had to get her a new one after the batteries leaked inside her old one. I tell you what it was one sad day in our house when she went to turn it on at bed time and it wouldn't light up. I figured no big deal it just needed batteries, but after unscrewing the cover to the battery compartment I found a big mess. The original batteries we had used in it were generic ones given to her with the pillow as a gift. And sadly to say they had decided to leak all over the inside of the battery compartment totally destroying all of the metal parts. It was all crusty, rusty and just plain nasty inside there. I know that what's inside of a battery is nothing you want to be messing with so out it went pillow and all. Let me tell you it was a lesson learned about using cheap batteries.

Want to earn easy Amazon Gift Cards? Join Dealspotr

I have to admit that I'm usually very skeptical when I read about "earn money quick" opportunities. But someone I know and trust posted about Dealspotr so I knew it was a site worth checking out. Sign up was super easy and by the time all was said and done I had earned $15 towards Amazon Gift Cards. That was just upon my first visit to the site.

Unlike many earn quick opportunities earning points continues to come pretty easy after the initial sign up. It's really all up to you how much and how quickly you earn. You get the most points for sharing with friends and having them sign up from your link. You also get points for spotting "hot" deals, sharing deals, and various other simple tasks. As you can see from my dashboard I've already cashed in 50,000 points which is equal to $50 in Amazon gift cards! AWESOME RIGHT?! Today I've already earned 409 points and it took me all of about five minutes.

Another nice thing is if you're an influencer (have a blog) you can earn bonus points when you sign up. I did this upon initial sign up and quickly went to silver status. I am currently working on my Gold Status which includes even more benefits!

You'll earn points as soon as you do these simple tasks:
Confirm your email: 5,000 points ($5)
Reach Silver Status: 10,000 points ($10)

It truly is that simple and easy to do. It's like they say the proof is in the pudding so here's a photo of one of the Amazon gift cards I received.

So what are you waiting for? I'm sure you'd love to get emails with Amazon gift card claim codes like mine. Check out the link below and get signed up today so you can start earning too. If you've already signed up but aren't yet an influencer you can still upgrade via the link below to earn the extra benefits.

New users to Dealspotr: Click HERE.

Existing Dealspotr members (wanting to upgrade): Click here and then enter "SMTILTON" in the promo code box.

*You must use the above links and personal promo code to get an extra +5,000 points when you join.

Disclosure: I received the products featured in this post for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions state are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Don't let Energy Hungry Appliances rack up your utility bill!

If you’re like a typical American, you probably have nearly 30-40 appliances in your home that your routinely leave plugged in. The unfortunate thing is that most of these appliances you hardly ever use. Did you realize that even when these appliances are turned off that they are still devouring energy, racking up your utility bill?

The average U.S. household spends $110 a month and over $2,000 a year on energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Experts say that most appliances that remain plugged in only consume low levels of electricity, but some appliances, such as your TV and computer use quite a bit of electricity even when you’re not actively using them. Now each appliance on its own probably won’t affect your monthly bill too much, but with 30 devices sucking up energy altogether, the costs start to add up.

Many of our eyes grow a little larger every time we see that Total number at the bottom of our monthly bill. Once we’re able to register the reality of the number our mind frantically tries to conceive how such a number could be possible, I mean, do we really run our A/C that much?

Electricity Match created an info-graphic that gives you an overview of appliance usage in the home and how much electricity major appliances actually use and how much, on average, it costs you each month. The info-graphic also gives great tips and hacks you may not have thought of yet that will help you cut down on your monthly electric bill. 

Start your day off right with a hot cup of joy (coffee)

I like to start my day off with a hot cup of joy... I mean coffee. To me it's joy though because of how it makes me feel in the mornings. It's part of my morning wake-up process and if I don't have it my day is really thrown off. I like the warmth and the flavor of a good cup of coffee and how it makes me feel as I sip it down. I'm actually a bit on the particular side too when it comes to the brand and roast of my coffee. I don't like anything real dark or strong. And I've found there are many of the flavored coffee that I'm not fond of either. It's really just a trial and error thing on my part, and luckily my husband is one of those that will drink pretty much any flavor and brew of coffee.

Thankfully there are brands like Dunkin' Donuts and Folgers that offer such a wide selection of flavor choices to choose from. I love being able to pick up a package of K-Cups and try out something new knowing that I'm not stuck with a full sized can of coffee if it's not my style. Above is just a small sampling of some of the Folgers flavors available at my local Meijer store I saw last time I went to get groceries. I love that they change flavors by season too so I'll never get board of trying something new!

You can find Folgers K-Cups and Dunkin Donuts K-Cups in the grocery isle with the regular coffee.

Buy it and save now!
Save $1 with an mPerks coupon (must sign up for mPerks to access coupon) from Meijer for Folgers and Dunkin Donuts.

Like Folgers on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ZerOOH
Follow Folgers on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1lTY23R

I received this product for free from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. You can join Smiley360 here!

New Technology Slashes Electricity Bills for Texans

I don't live in Texas myself, but if I did I would definitely be checking out this company. I know I personally am always looking for new ways to save on monthly bills for my family.

If you live in a deregulated market in Texas (and millions do), there is a new technology company that is helping people save 40-60% off their energy bills.

First, take just a few minutes and use this savings calculator to learn what you could be paying based on your usage. Energy Ogre is a one-of-a-kind technology company. The technology scours the current offers in Texas and finds the best deal for you. Homeowners, apartment renters, business owners are all saving some SERIOUS money.

Important Note: Energy Ogre is NOT an energy provider and the company doesn't get paid by any energy provider for preferential treatment. They only find the best deal for the end consumer. They are a highly rated company with 5.0 reviews.

After using the calculator and learning how much you can save, you have the option to pay Energy Ogre $10 a month to become your "administrative assistant" and make changes on your behalf. This takes the hassle out of dealing with your energy providers and you just sit back and save big money!

Check out what the press is saying about Energy Ogre!

Here are a just a few of the reviews that you can read on Energy Ogre's Facebook Page. 

Alisha: "My bill got up to almost $200 a month in the summer in a small one-bedroom apartment. Now my bill has never been even close to $50 a month. I am so happy and thankful for this company who helped me save some much needed money for other bills!"

Bernie: "Went with Energy Ogre 3 months ago, previously w/TXU for years @ .095 / KWH - bills ran anywhere from $160 - $300 - first three months w/ Energy Ogre - bills were Sept - $49, Oct.- $59, and Nov.-$57 - and we're an all electric house."

Adam: "Energy Ogre is the best! I got out of a contract with an early termination fee and still saved lots of money!"

Houston Business Journal: "Houston-based Energy Ogre’s focus is on electricity but at its heart, this is a technology company that uses analytics to find a rate that fits their clients’ demand profile."

Kathy: "Got my first bill after signing up with Ogre and my bill dropped from the high $200's to $85! I was in shock .. but very happy!"

The personnel behind Energy Ogre have been involved with the Texas electricity markets since well before they deregulated in 2002. This group has built power plants, scheduled fuel and electricity and even owned and managed Retail Electricity Providers in the recent past. In 2013 they decided to create Energy Ogre to help end use customers fully unlock the benefits of the deregulated electricity markets.

Have you tried a delivery from Boxed yet?

A friend of mine recently introduced me to a cool online shopping site called Boxed. Basically it's grocery and household products that you can purchase in larger quantities at a value. Some things yes you can find better deals on in store when you're using sales and stacking coupons, but there are some things that are awesome values.

Shop Boxed!
Right now you can get a FREE $10 credit with code 05RFP. (Plus FREE shipping on your first order)

Who couldn't use $10 in FREE groceries? I know that's what got me to give it a shot myself. So head on over to Boxed (or download the Boxed app) and check it out for yourself today!

Get #MoreforTeachers at Staples during Teacher Appreciation Week!

Did you know that most teachers spend more than $400 of their own money each year to provide supplies and materials for their classrooms?  It may sound like a lot but it's true. There are many things that aren't included in the standard school supply list that are used in the classroom by teachers that they have purchased themselves. They purchase these items to help provide students with better learning opportunities and to make their classrooms more educational. Thankfully places like Staples care for teachers and are showing it with special teacher appreciation week only specials just for them!

During Staples’ Teacher Appreciation Week, teachers can get an exclusive coupon that provides 40 percent back in Staples® Teacher Rewards on popular items including school supplies, teaching and art supplies as well as cleaning and supplies for the classroom from brands teachers love such as Sharpie, 3M and Crayola.

The discount applies to in-store purchases only, made from Sunday, August 2 through Saturday, August 8, and excludes technology, Staples Less List & Extreme Deal offers.   The Refer a Fellow Teacher offer extends the savings to other educators.

Also during this week Staples Teacher Rewards members can purchase a customizable Staples brand teacher planner for only $24.99 (regularly $39.99) with discount code, online only.

Teachers can download their 40% back in Staples® Teacher Rewards coupon and find information on the customizable Staples brand teacher planner at www.staples.com/classroom.

In addition to the 40% back in Staples® Teacher Rewards, teachers can use the Staples Less List, the back-to-school 110% Lowest Price Guarantee and Extreme Deals to save even more!

To sign up for free Staples Rewards membership or for more information about the Teacher Rewards program, please visit StaplesRewardsCenter.com.

Be sure to hop on over to the giveaway that's being sponsored by Staples where 3 winners will each win a $50 Staples Gift Card.

This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media.  All opinions expressed above are my own and are not influenced in any way.