I recently set up a Mint account (it's free). Mint brings all your financial accounts together online or on your mobile device, automatically categorizes your transactions, lets you set budgets and helps you achieve your savings goals. Although I know I am not using it to it's full potential yet,
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This is the best time of year to make some extra cash by selling sweets and other baked goods for the holidays. With busy schedules and so many people not wanting to be in the kitchen, it is the perfect time to strap your apron on and profit from people willing to indulge their sweet tooth over th
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Although this clip is about keeping your farm dept free it applies to most of us that are in start up home businesses. Do things that take time and not money. Take care of your nest egg! Use your creativity to do for yourself. Get familiar with your product/skill/service before you jump in
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I LOVE this idea, let your imagination run! Think of keepsakes, small pictures, lock of baby's hair, small map of a special place, special date, names, finger print, etc... Make them smaller for charms on a bracelet, to hang from a pin, or to attach to a ribbon as a bookmark. How about make them
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Although this is an article about Canada, the United States is in the same boat, and they are both sinking! It’s hard not to laugh when Barry Smith starts telling stories about the hapless young workers he has to deal with. Smith, who runs Toronto-area roofing company RoofSmith Canada, tells
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Being self-employed makes buying insurance VERY expensive. A couple of years ago we decided to use Samaritan Ministries for our health care needs. Jeff is not on our family plan because he uses tobacco (cigars), so we carry a separate insurance policy for him, but our girls and myself are on a f
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We just watched the DVD Bring It Home Beauty Hair Edition Volume 1 it is GREAT! It shows how to style hair, how to cut long hair, bangs and a men's cut. It also shows how to do highlights! Right now you can get it for $10.00 on Amazon. Just think, for $10.00 and
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1. Define Success You must first know where you are going before you can start in that direction, otherwise you'll run in circles and probably end up where you started...confused. Some people have huge goals, others just want to get through the day. Some people want to be wealthy s
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We have just lowered the prices of all of our e-books! No reason not to get your copy today! How to Grow and Use Culinary Herbs $2.97 Tools and Tips for Successful Cake Decorating $2.97 What to Do When Your Daughter Hates Being in the Kitchen $2.97 How to Quilt in Five Easy
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Today I am baking enough cookies for 225 people that will be attending our 2nd Annual Christ Church Spring Conference. This year's theme, Covenant Community: A Biblical Alternative to Socialism. Baking cookies is not near as easy as it sounds when you live with the Cookie Monster, aka, Jeff Brodo
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I've told you about the Weckler sisters before, and their outstanding entrepreneurial spirit! Here is a recent TV interview they did. As you can tell they really are go-getters! Check out their website Sewing Kits 4 Kids!
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A couple weeks ago a quote was used in the sermon at church, it was so rich I just have to share it with you! Dr. Lightfoot shows that it was the custom of the Jews to bring up their children to some trade, yea, though they gave them learning or estates. Rabbi Judah says, "He that teach
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Everyone is an expert on something! Have you ever been told you should write a book based on something you know, or maybe about an experience you've had? Do you have a point of view that you are passionate about and you want your voice to be heard? Does writing a book seem unrealistic because of
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This is a great story, a true entrepreneurial story!!! This is a story of a 13 year old boy and how he rolling in the dough! If you have any entrepreneural stories please let me know!
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A couple weeks ago I posted why I believe older kids should have to help pay their own way. Today I'd like to break down how we do a few things and the benefits of living as a family. It is COST effective to live together and share: Auto Insurance - Our adult children can be on our auto insuranc
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Diana left this comment in the comment section of The Two Most Important Things in Education: As our kids are getting into the higher teens and they are getting income from various places we have struggled with what to require of them (for example a friend our ours has her children contribute hal
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Encourage enterprise, don't give the children everything they want! Let them find ways to make some money so they will appreciate the value of a dollar, the value of labor, and the value of good character. Children, just as adults, will not do things until they have to. :)
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Heard this song for the first time last night. I immediately thought of my young friend Ben, in Virginia, who just turned 17; he has restored an old Farmall tractor. Which made me think about the character he is building with that tractor. I love it when young men are doing manly thin
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Yes, it is the new year and the resolutions begin! We all have goals but if we don't have a plan it will be hard, if not impossible to accomplish them. For me, as I'm sure for most of you, weight loss (being more healthy) and time/money management tops my resolution list. Actually, planning ah
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Emma and I just signed on to be beauty consultants for Mary Kay. The truth is, Emma did, but because she is too young (16) according to their rules, we are doing it together (she uses my name and numbers). She has paid for her starter kit from her own money and will be doing all the work, I just ove
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A question from one of our readers: My daughter and I want to start a website that we would use to sell handmade items. But I was also thinking about selling baked good locally. Can you offer any tips? Thanks so much! My reply: To be real honest, it is HARD to sell handmade items
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Last week we had the privilege of attending the first Plants and Pillars Film Festival along with 160 other people. Photography by Bo Schultz There were 17 (I think that is right) films entered for judging. These were films that were written, directed, filmed and edited by young people, I be
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What an outstanding speech from a young lady that truly understands what a real education is!!! Erica Goldson presented this speech at her graduation ceremony; she was valedictorian of her class! Erica articulates well one of the biggest reasons that we educate our children at home! The section
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Lindsay Binegar, of Greenville, Ohio, started showed a hog at age 4 through her 4-H program. At 19 years old she was able to buy a $40,000, four-bedroom, two-bath house with a two-car garage which she is now renting out to her aunt and uncle. Lindsay saved every cent of her winnings, inc
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Well it is that time of year when the gardens are really taking off. Last weekend was the opening of our county's Farmer's Market, there is not a lot of variety yet... but there is LOTS OF YELLOW SQUASH! Olivia and Samantha have been reaping their harvest. So they ventured out to the market to
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Do your kids constantly ask you for money? Do you ever hear, “I’m bored”? Do your children spend money on foolish things that disappear in no time? Do they spend money as fast as they can get it? If so, then it is time that your child learns the value of a dol
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There are three things that all of us need to be doing so that hard economic times (and they will come and go throughout our lives) will not devastate us. First, live debt free. If you have debt, do all you can to pinch every penny to get the debt eliminated. The best source for how to go about doi
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This weekend we catered 2 events, one was a Senior Piano Recital and then a wedding. The bride wanted a paisley cake with ivory icing. The cake was vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. The Groom's cake was a beach scene because that is where he proposed to her. The cake was chocolate; the
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Several years ago I saw a tote bag that was crocheted with plastic bags, it was SO COOL! My first thought was that it would be perfect for a beach bag because it could withstand getting wet and just shake it out if it got sand in it. It's one of those projects that I keep saying I'm going to do, a
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How many people do you know that hate their job, or are even working a job that they do not love? How many kids do you know that are full of energy and ideas, who struggle sitting in a classroom all day? Take 20 minutes and watch this. His message is great, but I do not condone cheating, etc... bu
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With the arrival of spring comes everyone's desire to purge their homes and garages of clutter! Not only can we purge unwanted items but we can make money from them! My husband is a natural born salesman, you can almost see his adrenalin rushing when he is selling! And yard sales - (that's what we
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I'm going to start a new series called, How to Work It Out. We all know that character and a good work ethic is important, but how to go about practically living that out is sometimes hard to figure out. With this series I'd like to spotlight some parents that are (or have finished) equipping their
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There is some updated information about The Plants and Pillars Film Festival, you can see them HERE! Check it out!!! This is a great opportunity for young people who love the camera, whether they are behind it or in front of it!
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As parents we need to constantly be looking for ways to encourage our children to use their interest and natural ability to have an enterprising mindset! As they get older apprenticeships and internships are a wonderful way to advance their education while at the same time they are realizing the i
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If you have a child that has a bend towards film making, here is a great opportunity to put their creativity into action! The Pritchett family are very dear friends of ours...and they have a house full of creative folks!!! Plants and Pillars Productions Get the video camera out, write a gre
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Everything requires training which means that nothing is immediate or effort-free. In early America most people learned their family's trade or they participated in an apprenticeship. Boys would live and work with a master craftsman for at least four to five years. Once the appre
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Beekeeping and making honey is a good project for older boys (and girls). Selling your honey could be a good money making project from home. If you don't want to keep bees your son could build the hives to sell. HERE is a good site that several free patterns. THIS is a really good
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Before you read any further I want to make clear this is just a list that we are aiming for, as is the list for our daughters. This list may change a little as time goes on. Our only true requirement for our children to receive our blessing on their marriage is that they and their spouse be Ch
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We all want to give our children a good start in life and that includes the skills and character they will need for marriage and family life. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10 The normative is that most women will get marrie
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Thank you Angie for passing these along! Throw Pillows made from cloth napkins. Here is a great list with a BUNCH of easy to sew patterns. Be thinking Christmas gifts! Another favorite site of mine to find ideas and tutorials is Sew Mama Sew!
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Now that the gardening is over for the most part, and cool weather is settling in, it is time to be working on some indoor projects; perhaps some sewing projects. How about making a list of people you can make gifts for rather than buying gifts? Napkins made earlier th
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In our family we always have some kind of money making endeavor going on, and rarely is it a one person show. We all help each other get our projects off the ground. Now that fall is arriving the harvest and Christmas festivals will begin. We usually set up at a few each year to sell
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Teaching your child to be a thinker and a leader will consist of thinking out of the box. Equip them with knowledge and skills to make things happen, not wait for someone else to make things happen. Although the Nine Week Home School Entrepreneur Course is being marketed towards home
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I get e-mail quite often asking for advice on how to make money from home. First, let me tell you that no matter which route you take it will consist of A LOT OF WORK! So if you are not afraid of learning, making mistakes and working hard, then working from home may be just the thing for you.
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Yesterday I posted about teens and low expectations. A good look at American history over the last 50-100 years and what we've done to the family can explain a lot . Last night we watched a documentary about a family that moved away from the typical American lifestyle to a simple life.
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Last week we had an abundance of produce to can, in fact so much that I had to part with some of it to the Prittchet Family...I just didn't have time to get it all done. Emma and I did get 21 quarts of vegetable soup... and 7 quarts of squash relish. I used this re
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Here are a couple of young girls, who together with their parents, are meeting the need for kids to learn basic sewing skills, with a simple project; while at the same time they are creating a business for themselves. Here is my interview with them and be sure to check out the product review
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This is a great interview with a very talented 11 year old! Because handiwork is one of my passions in life I could easily make this a VERY LONG post!!! But I will refrain for the time being and let you meet Brianna, a girl that is using her youth in a way that is productive and purposeful!! My comm
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Bartering is trading goods or services without exchanging money. We love bartering! In fact many times I'd rather barter than exchange money. I have been on a hand craft trading Yahoo group for years. I've traded my handiwork (crochet, quilts, marshmallow guns, etc...) for all sorts of th
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I love this interview! When I was growing up our family raised and showed collies, so I can really identify a lot with the things that Katie talks about here. Hope you enjoy getting to know my 'real life friend' Katie! Don't miss her giveaway at the bottom of the page!
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Our family's choice:
The best way to have a good idea is to have LOTS of ideas,
then to actually put them into action!