Shameless Plug

Late last month, I decided to become an Independent Consultant for a company called Paparazzi Accessories.  I found them by mistake online, and when I learned more about the company, I was extremely excited to jump on board with them!

Paparazzi Accessories is a jewelry and accessories company that was started in 2008 by two sisters who loved jewelry and sold it at parties.  In 2011, they decided to take on consultants, and that is where I am today.  Paparazzi Accessories are fun, fashionable and most importantly of all...AFFORDABLE!  All jewelry is $5/each for necklace/earring sets, earrings, bracelets and headbands.  They offer a children's line called Starlet Shimmer and those pieces sell for $1.00/each!

I decided to join the Paparazzi Accessories team because I thought this would be a great opportunity for something to do while we are on the road, not to mention to help make up for the recent decrease in my income.  I like jewelry but I rarely ever buy myself anything because I am infamous for losing it!

When I received my starter kit from Paparazzi that included 100 pieces of jewelry, I was amazed at the quality of the product.  Paparazzi is able to sell their product at $5/piece because there is no overhead!  Similar pieces sell at Kohl's for quadruple what Paparazzi charges.  I will admit, some of the jewelry is a bit big and blingy for me, but it looks great on others.

I am writing this post to inform those of you who have never heard about Paparazzi Accessories about the product, and if you are interested, please feel free to contact me about the inventory that I have available!  Right now, I have over 200 pieces of jewelry and over 50 pieces of children's accessories in stock.

If you are interested in keeping up with the new product I have available, please feel free to "like" my FaceBook page, All Occasions Jewelry.  To view photos of the jewelry that came in my starter kit, please click on my photo albums.

Also, this Saturday, April 5th at 7:00PM EST, I am hosting my first FaceBook Party!  To join the party, please click here and select "join."

The Downside of Debt

In January, we took a loan out for the RV we purchased.  I justified the purchase at the time (we always do when we really want something, don’t we?) but when the first payment of over $1,000 was due in February, I was reminded of how much I hate debt. 

The day we signed the loan papers on the RV was the day that my husband was let go from his job of over 8 years and therefore we went without a paycheck for nearly 3 weeks until he was on payroll with his new position.  The very next week after his first paycheck I was informed that my hours (and therefore pay) would be cut by25%!  

It has been over a month, and we are still juggling our income and expenses to get on some sort of regularity, but the budget has really been kattywampus.  Part of the reason is that extra $1000 payment that is being sent out each and every month on top of a decrease in income.

I mentioned in the post about our RV that we will be paying off the house by October.  I have changed my mind about that.  I want the RV to be paid off – AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! I do not like the uncertainty that this $1000+ payment brings to our lives.     

To me, debt feels like I am trapped, suffocating and out of control with uncertainty peaking its head around every corner.  Debt has made our 6 month emergency fund a 3 month emergency fund and this is unsettling.

My new goal for this year is to have the RV paid off by October and I never want to be in debt every again (except for a (very small) mortgage if we choose to settle down in one spot again in the future).  

Review & Giveaway: Bartlett Soap Company

This time last year, I decided to try to take on a “No ‘Poo” challenge.  After a couple of months shampooing my hair with the baking soda and water paste solely, I decided to go back to using shampoo.  Late last year, I started using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (Lavender Hemp) and though I enjoyed the scent, it left my hair feeling greasy even though my hair was styling just fine. I thought maybe it was because of our well water.  I decided to stick it out because after all, I had a lot more to use until the bottle was empty!  I was perfectly content in keeping up with using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap until afriend of mine told me about a local woman who makes her own soap, lotion and shampoo. 

I looked at the Bartlett Soap Company’s website and loved the scents listed.  At the time, we were trying to save some money so I didn’t place the order right away.  It wasn’t until several weeks later that I emailed Jennifer to ask her some questions and placed my first order.

Jennifer, the owner of Bartlett Soap Company, is the nicest person you will ever meet: helpful, accommodating and an inspiration.  Jennifer started Bartlett Soap Company in her home October 2013 and was so successful she opened up a storefront in January because she spent most of her days delivering soaps locally!  As soon as I received my order, I found out exactly why her soaps, lotions and shampoo bars were doing so well in Tennessee.  The product is amazing!

About the product:

 Each bar is organically made using plant based oils like coconut, palm, avocado, olive, caster and shea giving the bars the rich soothing and cleansing properties needed to give your skin the pleasurable experience of fluffy lather, moisturizing, and the smoothing qualities that it deserves.

As soon as I opened the mailbox, the scent of the soaps came pummeling out.  It smelled soooo goooood!  I am sure the mail lady loved delivering this package! I used the shampoo bar a few days later and was pleasantly surprised at how clean my hair felt after just one use!  The greasy feeling from Dr. Bronner’s Soap was gone instantly and the light scent the soap left on my hair was very pleasant to get a whiff of throughout the day.  My hair styled no different than ever.  I was impressed from the very first time I used the shampoo!

My first order with Bartlett Soap Company
(Left to Right) Lotion Stick, Mens All-In-One and 3 Shampoo Bars
The sliver on top is the shampoo bar I have been using since the beginning of January!
They last a long time!!

The soap is the same way.  I purchased the men’s all-in-one soap to use as shampoo, soap and shaving…for myself!  I like masculine scents and this all-in-one definitely has a pleasant aroma.  The lotion stick is really thick and lasts a long time!  I use it as chapstick as well as on a dry patch I get behind my knees in the winter and it works wonderfully.

Now to the fun part: the giveaway!

I am so impressed with Jennifer and her product that I wanted to let everyone know about my new favorite soap and shampoo as well as give away one of her shampoo bars to one lucky follower.

Please note that her shampoo bars sell FAST!  I have been waiting for several weeks for more to be available, and they are available this very moment - but only 5 are left!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Winner to be chosen March 23rd at 12:00AM EST and announced on FB and Twitter shortly thereafter.

Good luck!!

DISCLAIMER:  I was in no way compensated for this review or giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

Planning the 2014 Garden

Each year I say I’m done with gardening but when spring rolls around, I am ready to start planning for the year’s garden.  In years past, I have gone crazy with the amount I have tried to grow and it lead to me feeling overwhelmed and eventually I give upand let the weeds take over.  This year, we are keeping it simple!

Todd despises spring because he knows I will have requests for the upcoming garden.  He stated that the best part of last year’s garden was when he got to mow it down!  So while having dinner in early February, I sprung it on him that I wanted to try pallet gardening.  He immediately rolled his eyes and sighed.  “But wait,” I told him.  “Hear me out!  I only want to grow 4 vegetables this year.”  That got his attention.  After thinking about it for a couple of minutes and my promising that he wont have to do too much work to prepare for the garden this year, he was on board.

So, what does pallet gardening look like?

You can go to one of my favorite blogs, One Hundred Dollars A Month and take a look for yourself.  Mavis is an awesome gardener!

PHOTO CREDIT: One Hundred Dollars A Month
Please check out this website to learn exactly how to pallet garden!

What we are planting this year:

We are planting only 4 varieties of vegetables this year.

1. Squash (zucchini and yellow squash) by seed
2. Yard Long Green Beans by seed
3. Cucumbers by seed
4. Tomatoes by seedling

Supplies Needed:

• Pallets
• Compost/Soil
• Seeds/Seedlings
• Trellis

The only expenses we will have this year for the garden will be a half cubic yard of  soil (approximately 1,000 lbs) and the seeds/seedlings.  I expect to pay no more than $50 for the garden this year.  We have pallets that we got for free last year from Todd's place of employment.  We have also been composting, so we have some great compost to add to the soil we will purchase.  For our climbing vegetables (green beans and cukes), we will be using pallets!

PHOTO CREDIT

Please note: the pallet garden is great for vegetables with shallow root systems.  For tomatoes, we will be stacking 3 or 4 pallets on top of one another to create a taller raised bed for their root system.

One great thing about the four items we are growing this year is that these vegetables (yes, I know tomatoes are not considered a vegetable!) are prolific.  I have a hard time sticking with something that I cannot see results quickly.  With this produce, we will start to see results fast and a lot of them!  The first garden Todd and I ever had was a raised garden and it was the best garden we have ever had.  I am hoping that we can duplicate those results this year with the pallet garden while keeping the weeds away!

Plans for the Established Fruit

We have several fruit trees, bushes and grape vines.  My goal this year is to begin transplanting the fruit to the house next door so that when we are at our home base in the RV, we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.  This will include transplanting blueberry bushes (right now, they are just twigs!), red raspberries, blackberries, and cultivating concord grape vines from clippings off our established vines.

This year, I really want to focus on providing our fruits and vegetables with the nutrients they need to grow well and provide us with an abundance of produce!

What are your plans for the garden this year?

What vegetables are you going to grow?

Are there any fruits you will add to your garden?

Saving Money: Pet Care

Since the beginning of November, Todd and I have been scrutinizing our expenses.  We realize that our dream of full time RVing will not be possible if we are frivolous with how we spend money.  I am almost positive that my mother is rolling her eyes right now as she’s reading this (I love you, mom!) because she already feels that we go above and beyond frugality.  For us, we believe there is always room for improvement and we have found a way to cut down the expenses on one of our largest expenses: the animals!

Presently, we live amongst 7 animals.  Please do not report us to pet hoarders!  It’s not like that at all, though sometimes at night when we are all in bed (oh yes, we fit in a queen sized bed with two large dogs and 5 cats) it feels like we may have taken in one or two (or 5!) too many strays.  I believe that when we decided to take in all of these animals, we chose to take on the responsibility of feeding and caring for these animals to the best of our ability.

Recently, we have found ways to save money on caring for our critters.

Spay/Neuter

Prices for spay/neutering can vary.  We have paid over $250 for one of our kittens to be spayed whereas we have paid less than that amount to have 3 kittens spayed/neutered at a no-kill shelter.  After being unhappy with our local vet, we decided to look elsewhere and found a place that spays/neuters cats for $35 (boys) to $45 (girls)!  They have a program that if you have more than one cat, you buy one spay/neuter and you get one free.  We have had 6 of our animals spayed/neutered at this no-kill shelter and have been very pleased with the results and how our animals bounced back after their surgeries.

Kitten Kaleidoscope!

Food

We purchase very high-quality food for our dogs that is formulated for their breed to help keep their joints healthy and to maintain a healthy weight.  We could buy the food at a pet store for $55+/bag; however, Amazon carries the same brand for $44/bag! We also found that our cat food is $8/bag less expensive at BJ’s versus the same exact brand at WalMart.  In other words: shop around!

Vaccinations

Our vet charges an arm and a leg to vaccinate our pups; however, there are clinics that are offered at Pet Supplies Plus that come around every few weeks to vaccinate dogs and cats starting at $10!  By doing this, you avoid the fee that the vet charges just to see your pet, and it helps your pocketbook!  Also, the no-kill shelter offers these vaccinations for a fraction of the price as well.

Flea Treatments

Flea treatments for the dogs are extremely expensive at $10/dog per month and we have been purchasing product from WalMart for the cats.  I found that Fipronil has the same ingredients as Frontline and Advantage flea and tick control.  This can be used for both dogs and the cats.  We purchase this product in bulk (30cc’s) from a seller on eBay at $52.97 delivered to our door and administer it ourselves.  The treatments last us 5 months for all 7 critters to be free of fleas and ticks.

Buddy and Lana on Christmas Morning

Cat De-wormer Treatment

Our cats are great hunters and because of this, they tend to get worms from their prey a couple times a year.  We have tried the $8/bottle over-the-counter product from WalMart and Tractor Supply with no luck until we take the cats to the vet to get treated.  After doing some research, I found that Praziquantel is a generic form of de-wormer that kills tapeworm and is used in many vet clinics and shelters to help cut costs.  We now purchase 20 capsules of Praziquantel a year from a seller on eBay to keep on hand and administer to our cats when they have worms.  The cost is $19.99 and each of our 5 cats can be treated 4 times!

Grooming

Being Labs, our dogs do not need groomed; however, they need their nails trimmed.  Lana has black nails so it very difficult to cut her nails without having a bleeder.  Buddy’s nails are easier to trim because you can see the quick; however, he cannot stand to have them done.  I wait until he is zonked out before I can cut his nails.  We didn’t purchase any fancy schmancy nail-clippers, just regular ones that can be found at the dollar store or WalMart. 

I have yet to find an alternative for the dogs for their heartworm medication: if you know of anything, please let me know!

I want to make it clear that even though we save money on flea treatments and de-wormers, we take our dogs to the vet twice a year (for their heartworm shots and general checkup) and cats when needed.  I believe that when we took these strays in, it became our responsibility to care for them and to keep them healthy!

DISCLOSURE:  These items have been provided for informational purposes only.  Please note that I am not a veterinarian.  Please consult your veterinarian before administering these items to your pets.

What do you do to save money on your pets?

Silver Linings

The beginning of 2014 has been a tough one in our home.  January 17th, Todd was let go from his job of over 7 years.  He was fortunate enough to find a new position that same week and started his new job a few weeks later.

On Valentine's Day, I was informed that my hours at work would be cut starting the next week, therefore, my pay would be cut...by 25%.  To say that I didnt see this coming would be a lie - the company has been selling less and less with each passing month with February being nearly dead.  Over the past couple of months, I've witnessed a coworker lose 25% of his pay (and maintain his hours), another one let go and yet another who had his hours cut by 25% as well. 

After the shock of learning that my hours have been cut for a job that I have been going to for over 11 years, I quickly realized the silver lining that this provides me (and Todd).  They include:

1. More time in the mornings to spend with my husband and our fur-family. 
2. Time to be able to get out when the sun comes up in the morning with the pups to get exercise in each day: there are no more excuses!
3. Time to get my chores done...before work!
4. Time to focus on starting the business that has been floating around in my head for the past 6 months.
5. No more alarm clocks needed in the mornings since I dont have to leave until 9:30.
6. No more rush hour traffic!
7. Less time away from home and my fur-babies.
8. The realization that we live as we do (watching/minimizing our spending and having an ample emergency fund) for times like these.  

The truth of the matter is that I have not been happy where I am working for many years.  This very well be the push that I need to get out there and find a position closer to home that is more in line with how I best do business (creating and maintaining strong relationships) and an employer who is willing to foster my yearning to learn and grow as a professional. Todd was able to find this in his new position and comes home every day saying, "Why didnt I do this sooner?"

I am thankful to have a husband that supports me in whatever I decide to do: stay with my current employer with the limited hours or find a new position.

What are you grateful for today?