Our Life on a Budget...: March 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

Getting Rid of Stuff: Sale on FB Pages

Since January we have been trying to simplify. But not just simplify, redirect that attention to God. One thing we discovered is we have too much stuff, plain and simple. Stuff shoved in closets. Stuff under beds. Stuff covering every square inch of our house. So after gathering a bunch that we did not need, we decided to do 4 different things with the stuff… 1. Give it away. 2. Sell it on Ebay. 3. Sell it on online Garage Sale pages on Facebook. 4. Have a garage sale. Each had its pluses and minuses. But I think the biggest plus of all is that we don't have so much stuff in our lives to distract us from God :). For the next few weeks I am going to share a post on our experience with each… and I highly encourage you to simplify too, it has been a great experience!

So let's get down to it… Sell stuff online on Garage Sale pages on Facebook.

The pros and the cons- pros- make more $$$ than garage sale, can post anytime, do not have to have an abundance of stuff to sell, great for things not nice enough for eBay cons- takes longer sometimes, storing stuff while you are waiting to sell it, traveling and meeting with people, sometimes people back out
Find groups in your area. Sometimes you can just search for these. But I would really talk to people and have someone invite you to the ones they recommend.
Pay attention to specific group rules. Some groups have specific things they allow and/or specific rules to follow. Once I unintentionally posted something incorrectly and was booted from the group all together! And I lost the opportunity to sell other things that would have sold best on that board.
Find groups that sell specific things. I have especially found success with this with baby stuff. People always love to buy it used and you can post to with a group uncluttered with furniture, broken iPhones and DVDs.
Group things if you can. I try not to sell anything that I am not going to make at least $3 on. Then I also try to put like things together so that I can sell more items.
Plan your drop offs in a safe public place. I think this goes with out saying :).
Plan your drop offs for when you are already out. Making a special trip out to make a few bucks probably isn't worth your time or money. I always try to plan around when I am coming home from work or when I have to go to the grocery store.
Make a designated area/box for the stuff you are selling. Much like my eBay box, this kept all the stuff I was selling available and organized!
Post with pictures and price. The pictures do not have to be as thorough (especially in number) as eBay but they do have to be decent.
Post and repost. Most groups allow you to post and repost every so often. Repost at different times a day so different people can see your post.
Watch your time investment. I try to make at least $15 an hour with a goal of $20 an hour that I work. this includes the time it takes to take pictures, post and make the sale! Remember your time is worth money too.
* If you are unsuccessful, get rid of it! Not everything will sell… don't keep the junk laying around. Look out for my next post about garage sales… a great way to get rid of a bunch of junk stuff quick!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Adventure…

Sometimes I look around at what other people are doing with their lives and I wonder… have I missed out on all the adventure? I see people traveling the world, and exploring far off places… I wonder, have I missed the boat?

My day consists of caring for a 12 month old, teaching 6 preschoolers, investing in college students and hanging out with my husband. Throw in blogging, running and cloth diapering… and thats about it, day in day out. But after thinking about this, praying about this I realize God has called us to an adventure right now and it is called Statesboro, Georgia. Glamorus? No, but … I have come to the conclusion that it is okay. We are serving and striving to look more like Jesus right where we are. And in a few months we may be somewhere else… and that will be an adventure too.

Where is your adventure right now?

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

BD 12 month...

BD 12 months… aka 1 YEAR!!!!

Monthly Milestones

*Really standing all the time!

Just ignore the fact that I gave her some of my lollypop...

*Walking!!! You went from totally disinterested to walking in one night. I would not say it is your movement of choice yet, but probably by the end of the next month?

*First time at the kid's service at our church. You actually really watched and enjoyed it, just like the Christmas Eve service a couple of months ago!

*You really have gotten good at stacking toys!

*You are such a little communicator! You talk ALL THE TIME… we just don't always know what you are saying. Some words you say are mama, dada, hi, bye, milk, dog, woof and moo. Also there are some phrases we *think* you are saying like "I do it." But we maybe imagining it…

Then when you are hungry you walk/crawl up to your high chair! :)

Favorite Things…

*Animals of all kinds! We tried to show you how to feed the ducks… and you ate the bread… we were not surprised!:)

*Putting on and taking off your sunglasses… though you have not mastered doing it correctly :)

*BOOKS! This is the one thing that can entertain you the longest. You sit and "read" every single book on the shelf. The whole time saying, "Getcha, Getch, Getcha." Guess that is what we sound like when we read to you!

This is currently my favorite BD pic :)

*Eating.

*Being bounced on the bed!

*Walks :)

*Walking with daddy and mama :)

*You have started to REALLY like puzzles and blocks!

*DANCING… you crack us up with all your moves.

*Picking up anything that remotely looks like a cel phone, saying "hi" and proceeding to babble. Apparently mama talks on the phone sometimes...

Weight...

28 pounds of cuteness. I didn't realize just how heavy you were until I learned most one year olds weigh 20-22 lbs!

Height...

32 1/2 inch… tall girl!

Clothing Size...

Mostly 2t/24 months… sometimes we still wear 18m and we even can wear some 3t outfits! Maybe this means some of these outfits will fit again next year :)

Sleep Patterns…

You still nap from 12ish-2ish.

Sometimes you sleep through the night, sometimes you wake up once, sometimes you wake up twice. I think we average one wake up a night. Hoping we can get it down to none soon :)

Eating Patterns...

We made it a year breast feeding (still 7ish, 11ish, fish and once at night)! We plan on continuing until you self-wean.

You still LOVE to eat. We can't even keep food on your plate. The only things that you really reject are tart fruits ( blackberries, grapefruit, and the like). You are the girl at school with spinage, quinoa, and kale chips for snack. Yet you did have a cupcake on your first birthday… and LOVED it.

Outings and Celebrations...

* Some playdates!

*Garage sale!

Nicknames...

*Bails
*Baby girl (maybe this should change to toddler girl???)
*Little Bit

*Bailey Boo

*Bailey Boo Hoo

*Bailey, Bailey Drew (Sung to the tune of Scooby Doo)

Things others have said about you...

*"How old is she… about 2?"

*"She looks like a toddler"

*"She has so much hair!" / "she looks lil Cindy Lou Whoo."/ "Look at that water fountain."/"Those pigtails".

*"She is so big!"

*"She is so sassy!"

*"Look at those chunks!"

Things we have noticed about you...

*You love love LOVE kids and babies.

*You love eating and drinking real food… and you do like cupcakes:)

*You love seeing all different people! Little social butterfly.

*Persistent and determined... still

*The more people the better!

*You do like a little bit of alone play time.

*You love to smile and laugh.

*Books, books and more books!:)

For Bailey Drew…

Sweet baby… really sweet toddler. How can you already be a year old? It seems like just yesterday that we were holding you in our arms for the first time! This year has been the fastest. And it is

b a f f l i n g how quickly you have changed. When I look back at your newborn pictures, I remember that baby, but oh how you have grown.

We think back to before you were born… people always asked if we wondered what you would look like… I would always say, "That never occurred to me, but I really wonder what she will BE like." Your little, ahem, I mean BIG personality is noticed by children's and adults alike. I don't think "reserved" or "give up" are in your vocabulary. We love getting to know you.

You are walking now, though you still prefer to crawl, you are all about getting from point A to B as quickly as possible. Exploring, discovering and taking things apart… you are an expert! And the books, how could I forget the books… you love reading more than any activity, even independent reading :).

It is amazing how you get smiles wherever you go. You are our sunshine:). We pray as you grow and come to know your Savior, you will shine the love of Christ wherever you go.