January.... that time of year when your mailbox and email will be filled with tax forms and other paperwork that you'll need to prepare your annual taxes. It can be easy to miss something when you are checking your mail and email, because everything essential will be commingled with less important mail. Here are our tips to getting tax paperwork organized, included a free printable that can help you keep track of things.Note that this post is not guaranteed to be a complete list of what you'll need. Also, not everything listed will be relevant to your tax situation. This starting point is only appropriate for individuals, and not for businesses. Use this as a starting point, and be sure to consult with a qualified tax professional.Tips for Getting Tax Paperwork Organized Put ... View Post
Decorating Tips for Valentine’s Day: Plus Free Printable
Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to decorate for, because the pinks and reds of the holiday are such a bright spot in the dreary winter. Of course, Valentine's Day decor isn't nearly as involved as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Halloween, but there are still some fun ways to incorporate the holiday into your regular home decor. If you are decorating for Valentine's Day, it's probably best to start around February 1st. You'll want to take things down right after Valentine's Day, since it isn't a holiday with much longevity. Here are our decorating tips for Valentine's Day, plus a free printable to frame.This post contains affiliate links. A purchase through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us.Decorating Tips for Valentine's Day: Plus Free ... View Post
Valentine’s Day DIY Decor – Heart Tree
I love decorating for Valentine's Day. The beautiful red and pink accents of most Valentine's accessories are the perfect bright pop of color for winter. Since my house always feels a little sad after putting away my Christmas decorations, it's nice to have something else to look forward to. Looking for some fun Valentine's Day DIY decor? This heart tree, made with a branch, cardboard, yarn, and stones, is easy to make and looks so cute on a table.Valentine's Day DIY Decor - Heart TreeMaterials for the Heart Tree ? Small Dead branch with many small limbs ? Cardboard strong enough to support the yarn, but thin enough that you can cut through ? Scissors ? Thick yarn in red and white ? Clear jar or vase ? Red or pink jewels, stones or sand for the bottom of your clear ... View Post
Steps to Make This Your Year (Plus Printable)
It's the start of the New Year, which probably means you've made some resolutions, or at least some goals. After all of the spending and eating of December, January is a natural time to reboot and try to live a healthier, more productive life. While there's isn't anything magical about January 1st as a date, it is generally a good time to re-evaluate things.Want to make 2019 your year? Here are a whole bunch of tips and steps to take to improve things.Finances Look at your recurring expenses and see what can be reduced or eliminated. Are you still using that streaming service? Maybe you can cut cable or your home phone?Evaluate your savings plans, like retirement and college savings, and see if there are any changes to be made. Can you save more?Did you get a raise? ... View Post
Protecting Your Retirement
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Prudential and SheSpeaks. All opinions are my own.As moms, we have plenty of financial challenges. Parenting is expensive enough, and we also have to worry about college savings. It's easy to focus on the present and ignore the future. But retirement planning should still be a key piece of your family budget. It's always good to be prepared and start early.I recently attended an event in Copley Square Boston, hosted by the Alliance for Lifetime Income. The Alliance for Lifetime Income has been established, with Prudential as a founding member,to help raise awareness about the need for retirement income planning and to help educate about annuities.The event in Boston helped educate participants about protecting their retirement ... View Post
Burlap Ribbon Christmas Tree Decor
With Thanksgiving this week, it's almost time to decorate for Christmas. While many people have already started their Christmas decorating, I still have pumpkins outside! Once this week is over though, I'll start switching everything in our house over to Christmas and winter decorations. If you are looking for a fun, homemade decor for your home, this burlap ribbon Christmas Tree is fun to make and looks great. It's perfect for a rustic decor.Burlap Ribbon Christmas Tree DecorMaterials:Various types and widths of burlap ribbon with wire Styrofoam cylinder form Push pins Hot glue gun Scissors Pine cones or other small decorations for the top Instructions:Begin by cutting short lengths of your widest ribbon. These should be only a couple of ... View Post