Tag: tips

2017 · christmas · tips

5 tips to stay sane with THE ELF ON THE SHELF! 

JustBindy1 Comment

Hi friends…
It’s the 27th of November… Despite that being both of my brother’s birthday, it is also 3 days until DECEMBER!!
Meaning, if you have an Elf on the Shelf – his arrival is coming up rather quickly…
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For today’s post I have 5 tips to make your elf’s visit pleasant rather than stressful…

  1. Make a plan, but don’t be too strict. I set out a monthly plan so I have inspiration and a general idea of what will happen – but I know I can easily swap days around, I also leave a few days blank so I can see how our month is going and add in plans we come up with later on. I even coordinated a few days with my best friend, so our kids can have Christmas themed play dates on certain days that the elf will announce. Having a plan is my top tip or even just 25-30 rough ideas of how to stage it, or just make a Pinterest board of elf ideas you love & wish to recreate. Basically, just have some ideas going into December with what you want to do. (Also have a plan for nights that you can’t be stuffed doing much with it, or a plan in case you forget to move it!)
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  2. Don’t go overboard, do not set unrealistic expectations or plan too big… December is a busy and big month for everyone – add in planing and setting up an extra visitor every night can be a lot of work. Keep it simple.
  3. Use what you have, don’t feel the need to buy all new props for the elf. Raid your kids toys. Our Generation, Lego, Barbie, basically any toys are great for elf accessories and props – even your Christmas decor!
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  4. Have fun, with it. Don’t view it as a chore – encourage your husband to even think up a few stunts for the elf so you can set it up together. Don’t over think it, like I said in point 2, just keep it simple and just have fun. Remember why you are doing it, it’s meant to bring happiness not stress…
  5. Your family, your rules… Everyone does the elf on the shelf differently, some people let the kids touch the elf, some don’t… Sometimes the elf comes earlier than December 1st & others only visit for 12 days before Christmas. Some elves just do funny antics, some bring little gifts or treats and some announce daily activities or do a combination of all! Every elf is unique – do what works for you and your family. There is no set rules, the elf & it’s antics can be as simple or as extravagant as you want… Don’t compare your elf to others. Comparison is the thief of joy, even with elves!
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Do you do Elf on the Shelf? What is your top tip for staying sane while staging your festive little friend?
Let me know below or on my social media…
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Keep an eye on my social media, I will share a photo of our elf Kringle’s new house this week!
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10 tips for surviving a heat wave with kids.
2017 · how to · life · mothering · parenting · spring · tips

10 tips for surviving a heat wave with kids.

JustBindyLeave a comment

Hi friends,
We are at the start of a week long heat wave… We have had and are expecting temperatures in the low to mid 30s! (90ish degrees Fahrenheit temperatures) And for some places high 30s/low 40s!! And it’s only the first month of spring!! It’s HOT!

So today my brain is not working that great, I love spring, but summer heat – eh, not so much. I can handle temps up until about 30degrees, after that it just feels like death!
So I thought I would share some tips to stay cool in this heat…

10 tips for beating the heat with kids…

  • Stay hydrated! Keep your freezer stocked with hydralyte (or similar) ice blocks. These are not only great to have in case of sickness, but they are great on hot days especially for active kids… Keep water bottles filled up and water in the fridge.
  • Over heating/heat stroke. Be informed and aware of the signs of heat stroke in not only kids & babies but also elderly, pets and even yourself. HERE is a great article.
  • Netflix or movies. You all know I hate TV and it is a rarity in this house, I truly do not like my kids watching it, but sometimes you just have to give in. When it’s super hot and I need my super active little girl to rest in the heat of the day, I don’t mind popping a movie on for her to enjoy in the cool.
  • Crafts. Kmart has a fantastic range of simple & fairly mess free crafts. LuLu loves them and they entertain her really well. Doing a simple craft inside in the cool (under a fan, near open windows or even in the air con) is a great way to rest & cool down.

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    Highly recommend all 3 of these packs! 
  • Water play. While Trent has been on shift we’ve enjoyed the little paddling pool, but when he is home we all get in the big pool. I use the little pool because it is a lot easier to manage on my own with 2 kids. If you don’t have a pool, a water table is a great play option (a big tub full of water & some Tupperware works too!) or even just a sprinkler or a water fight – kids love water. Try and find a shady spot, and let them have fun! If it is way too hot outside, fill up the bathtub and stay cool inside! (Pinterest is also full of water play ideas!) *Always supervise children around water.
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  • Sunscreen & hats! This goes without saying and I’m sure you all know this point, but sun protection is so important. We put sunscreen on every morning and reapply before going outside each time. We also always have wide brim hats (or legionnaire style for babies) I really like the brand Bed Head hats, that is the brand of LuLu’s swim hat & Tommy’s hat is by Plum (as was LuLu’s swim hat when she was a baby). The kids are always in swim shirts while outside for water play or light shirts that cover their shoulders for regular play.
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  • Cool meals. Plan your meals with the heat in mind, think cool & light foods salads, smoothies, burgers – meals that aren’t bulky and typical hot meals. Make some homemade ice blocks or fruit sorbet. Even treat yourself to a night off making dinner and have take away so you aren’t using your oven.  (My go to meal lately has been a BBQ chicken from Woolies or Coles and coleslaw burgers. Honestly the best easy meal!)
  • Get rest. This comes back to the movie point, but try and encourage your kids to rest & take it easy during the day. LuLu is super active and wants to play all day and she doesn’t nap – so the only way I can get her to rest is to let her to have some TV time. On normal days, her energetic enthusiasm doesn’t bother me, she can play & entertain herself but during this sudden heat wave, I don’t want her over exerting herself in the high temperatures, so I allow a movie so she rests.
  • Wash the dog. Our pets also will be feeling the heat, so get the kids & find a shady spot and give your beloved pooch a spring time bath. They cool down, you all will probably get drenched so you and the kids are cooling down and a job is being checked off your list. Reward your dog for being a good sport with a “pupsicle”!  (a big frozen ice cube full of dog treats/toys etc. I freeze ours in old ice cream buckets & add in a mix of dog treats, cat biscuits, chicken stock, toys etc)
  • Bed time. At bed time the temperatures are normally still high. We dress the kids in the very light clothing and don’t use any sheets,  as the temperature lowers during the evening we go in and cover them. We also keep the bedroom windows open to allow cool breeze to blow in but if it is super hot we run the air con.

How are you staying cool this week?
Let me know in the comments below or on social media…
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Stay cool friends, I am dreading to know what Summer will be like if this is only spring!
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2017 · cleaning · domestic engineering · housework

Tips on how to declutter & make money. 

JustBindy5 Comments

Hi friends,
Happy Monday – how was your weekend?
Mine was busy and productive.
I was motivated to start spring cleaning and decluttering our home… thanks to that sudden urge to “move the clutter” I made around $400 in 2 days!

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I just sold a few items we no longer use and voila a few extra hundred dollars in my pocket!
So I thought in this post I would encourage you to do the same. Go through your wardrobe, your cabinets, your home – sort out what you don’t use anymore or what you don’t really love and pass it on. You can make some extra cash and at this time of the year extra money is a good thing to have – we always find the end of the year is the most expensive!
I highly recommend when you are sorting through items you use the method of looking at the item and deciding do you actually use it, do you love it or is it very precious/sentimental? If not sell it.
If I haven’t used, worn or even picked up in an item in around 6 months, I really have a good think about it – unless it’s a seasonal item, I usually sell it. I am trying to become less emotionally attached to items as well and let go of the guilt and expectation that I “should be keeping” items just because they were given to me. If they aren’t being used or enjoyed I think it’s absolutely sensible to either donate or sell them. There are certain sentimental items I will probably never part with, but I am trying to let go of many things. My sister is a great motivator for this, she seems to lack the sentimental emotion so she gets rid of most things very easily, where as I tend to hold onto them – so if I am struggling with parting with items I just call her! So I suggest having a support person you can call if you are on the fence about an item.
(When I’m decluttering I donate some and sell others.)

My tips for selling on buy, swap and sell sites (Gumtree, Facebook etc.) are…

  •  Take clear photos.
  • Be as descriptive as you can. Include sizing, measurements & state any flaws.
  • Price your item fairly. If I’m hoping for a certain amount (say, $20) for an item I will add on an extra $3-$5 so then I have negotiating room.
  • With pricing I normally do a quick google search of similar products to see what the average price is. That way I know I am pricing my item fairly.
  • Advertise the item in multiple local groups – even try surrounding towns groups.
  • Check your accounts regularly so you can reply to comments/messages in a timely manner.
  • When arranging inspections/pick ups, be wise and safe. I don’t normally give out my address until I know for sure the person is a serious buyer & I usually only have people come when Trent is home or I let someone (my sister, Trent etc) know that a person is coming to purchase an item. I also don’t let people in my home, I meet them on the drive way with the item or even better is to meet in a public place.
  • Don’t expect an instant sale. I just had a pair of boots for sale for 2 months & then just this weekend they sold. Sometimes it takes a little bit of patience.
  • Expect & accept that some people want everything for nothing, especially on buy, swap, sell sites. Honestly some offers are insulting – take it for what it is and just politely decline.
  • I would suggest not holding items for more than a day, because people are notorious for messing you around. I usually do first in best dressed. There is nothing worse than holding an item and then the person ends up being a no show.
  • Keep your post visible. Leave comments like “make an offer – must sell” regularly under your post, maybe once a day around a time many people might be online.
  • Don’t try selling something you are emotionally attached to, be prepared to let it go. If you still love the item you may not negotiate sensibly with it & this result in it not selling.

What are your best tips for selling your unwanted goods? I would love to know, comment below or on my social media.
Facebook.
Instagram.
Twitter.
Pinterest.
YouTube.
Snapchat; Bindy_30

I’ve just created another Instagram account @MWL31preloved where I will be listing some of our preloved items, mainly LuLu’s clothes this week (hopefully, once I get a chance to dig through my baby boxes and photograph all the items. LuLu has so many beautiful baby clothes and the chance of me ever having another baby is incredibly slim thanks to the fact I just don’t do pregnancy well, so I thought I should start thinning out my baby clothes collection!) If you are interested please head on over and follow or share with a friend that maybe interested!

I’m off to deposit my money in the bank, have a great day!
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PS: Bonus tip – keep hand sanitiser on hand to clean your hands after handling money. Money is gross and flu/gastro season is in full force!! Keep your hands clean!

#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2017 · honesty · life · motherhood · mothering · parenting · positivity · Uncategorized

10 tiny & easy ways to turn a bad mood around. {For Mummas & kids!}

JustBindyLeave a comment

Breathe, it’s just a bad day – not a bad life.

Hey Mumma’s,
The other week I wrote a post that many of you really liked, on how to reset & remain happy as a Mumma – you can read it HERE…
Well today I thought I would do a similar post on how to turn around a bad day/mood, for kids & Mummas…

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We all have bad days… Maybe you just had a really bad nights sleep, maybe your child isn’t in the best mood or perhaps something is happening in your life that is pulling your mind to a negative place and that in turn makes you feel & act not so great… Know what I’m saying? Been there? When we are in bad moods, this impacts our entire home… The tone we have, is the tone set for our entire home – if Mumma ain’t happy, no one is happy…
So the trick in these situations is to catch ourselves… Maybe you’ve just overreacted to your child or you just can’t shake the bad mood, realise what is happening and make a conscious effort to turn it around…

Here are 10 tiny & easy ways to turn your mood &/or your kid’s around…

  • Step out of the room and breath… Just remove yourself for just a few moments and collect your thoughts and calm down. Teach your children to do this too, often if we are in the midst of a melt down I try to remind our daughter to take a deep breath and stop and calm down… Easier said than done to a nearly 4 year old, but it works sometimes… A breathing technique I get her to do is “smell the flower (big breath in) and blow out the candle (big breath out)”
  • Start the day again… We do this if our little love wakes up and is a bit grumpy. We take her back to bed, lay her down and make it fun and tell her to lay there and wake up happy… She almost always opens her eyes giggling.
  • Tickles… If that doesn’t work, tickles help break out the smiles!
  • Hugs… If you aren’t feeling great emotionally, tell your child. Say you are feeling a little down and need one of their big magic hugs to help you & your heart feel better… This also shows them that it is perfectly ok to say you aren’t ok and to ask for some help.
  • Teach your kids a joke… This always makes me laugh, teaching a preschooler a joke is hilarious, the most basic jokes crack them up and it’s even funnier if you teach it to them and then get them to repeat it Chinese whisper style to someone else in the house… It rarely comes out the way you taught it & that just adds to the humour!
  • Give massages… My little girl loves a massage & she also loves to give a massage! (*This is also a great Mum hack – lay down squirt some lotion into your kids hands and voila – free massage!)
  • Have a random treat… It maybe a special food treat or going somewhere special. But ice cream before lunch or dinner normally makes anyones bad mood disappear!
  • Get outside or get wet… The thing I’ve noticed with kids, if they are outside or in water they are normally always happier… The same applies for most people I think. So if a grumpy cloud is above everyone in your house, drag yourselves outside and enjoy some fresh air. Or if it’s warm enough, swim, play under the sprinkler or have a bubble bath…
  • Turn up the music and just dance… We did this the other day, it was just one of those really long days where time felt like it was moving at a snails pace… So I dug out my old CDs from high school, put them on and turned the music up super loud and we jumped, danced and laughed for over 2 hours! It was great.
  • Put your day on hold… Let your day go, spend the day reading books, watch a movie, colour in – do what you need to, to lift your spirits and your kids. Everyone occasionally needs a day off, the laundry will be ok if it is left for a day and getting take away for dinner will probably make everyone happy – so just take it easy and go with the flow…

Remember it is just a brief moment that isn’t positive – don’t dwell on a bad day or week.

I wrote this post last night, with the intention of making it live this morning… Well, wouldn’t you know it, today I was the person who needed this post. And you know what, I bloody suck at taking my own advice! For some reason today I just feel like I’m in a rut… Last night I was so full of motivation to have a wonderful & productive day today, I wrote a big to do list, I made plans & I was motivated… But people are mean, my camera broke & I just didn’t have a good sleep last night and I lost all motivation, to be honest today I’ve felt more down than I have felt in a very long time – sometimes it all adds up and weighs my heart & mind down. So friends, I’ll be honest, on most days something on this list usually can turn my day around – but today, nothing really did. And that is ok… Some days are meant to be bad & feeling down is ok… But I am determined for tomorrow to be a more pleasant & positive day… I am just reminding myself now as I finish up this post and sip my cider – it was only a bad day, that is all. Tonight I’ll go to bed and pray that tomorrow I will wake up with a refreshed mind, heart & outlook. But for now, the kids are asleep & I know it is ok to be a little down & just to feel it, it is so important to let the emotions come, pause & then leave. So if you are feeling down or for some reason today just sucked, I get it & I’m sending you a big hug. Tomorrow is a new day, wake up in the morning and don’t even think about today! x

I would love to know what your best tip for getting yourself or your kids out of a bad mood is?
Comment below or on my social media!
Thank you so much for reading!
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Don’t ruin a good day today, by thinking about a bad day yesterday. Let it go.

2017 · honesty · housewife · how to · life · motherhood · mothering · parenting · positivity · real · reflection · wife life

13 tips on how to reset as a Mumma & remain happy…

JustBindy5 Comments

She’s strong, but she’s exhausted. – r.h. sin.

Hey friends,

Today I come to you weary, exhausted & sleep deprived…
(So I do apologise if they post gets rambly & makes little sense.)
A certain little mister has decided to test out how little sleep Mumma needs to survive… Sleep deprivation is torture – one I would never survive – because I suck at being a human when I haven’t had sleep. Now I don’t need a great deal of sleep, but I do need at least 4/5 hours of unbroken sleep – heck even 3 is good enough… Otherwise I just don’t function right, my tolerance levels & patience grows incredibly thin and you know if you are a parent, you need high levels of those to survive!
So anyway, my current state has inspired me to write a blog post today on…13 ways.jpgHow to reset as a Mumma & stay happy…
We all need a hand sometimes, we all have rough days that test us so much we almost break (or even do) And this is ok, it happens. But the important thing is to remember not to stay in that place… To make a conscious effort to reset & refocus on being happy…

  • Communicate & connect. Talk to your husband/partner/friend/tribe – whoever! Let them know where you are at. Take up offers of help. Trent & I don’t have a large support network – to be honest we have zero outside help, but we do have each other and we share the parenting workload evenly… He helps me so much when I am running on empty. A good chunk of the time I am the one keeping everything going, but when I am struggling he swoops in and saves me. He is incredible at getting up at night with the kids when I need help, because he knows I am terrible at life if I don’t sleep… Be honest with your husband/partner at where you are at, he can’t help if he doesn’t know.
  • Create close friendships/gather a tribe… You don’t need many friends, just 1 or 2 that get you, but if you are fortunate enough to have tribe – that is awesome too! Thankfully I have my best friend that I can have a good chat (whinge session) to about my current struggles and it is always so reassuring to have someone who understands & supports you without judgement and will listen during those real & honest talks. Aren’t Mumma friends the best?! I am so thankful for my Motherhood soulmate! (my latest column in Highfields’ style talks about this, you can find it HERE)
  • Make Mumma time a priority… Whether it be just driving to the store & doing groceries on your own, journalling, watching a movie, going to gym/church/a cafe on your own, taking a hot bath or walking the dog alone – do something for you. Do something where you won’t be interrupted (or hardly) and reset yourself… (Best time to do this is when your husband is home or you can get a babysitter/grandparents to watch the kids!) 
  • Take care of you, so you can take care of others… This point goes along with the one before, but you cannot pour from an empty glass… Keep your cup full. Take care of you!! In whatever way you need, make your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health a priority! Take care of yourself in a way that works for you! And Mumma, give yourself some grace! Stop being so darn hard on yourself!
  • Get out… As stay at home mums we are often just that, at home! I don’t often venture out with the 2 kids on my own, but when Trent is on days off we try to get out and do things as much as possible… This changes up our environment and recharges us a bit.
  • Remember your kids are and will be ok… Everyone has moments in parenting they cringe at or regret. Moments we yelled too loud or acted in a way we wish we didn’t… Your kids will be fine, it was only a moment. And if your kids are mad at you, remember they will live – having your kids be mad at you pretty much comes with parenting, it means you are parenting! You don’t have to be their friend every second. (If you react in a way you instantly regret or aren’t proud of towards your children, show your kids that it is good to be remorseful & apologise, explain feelings to them & how you felt overwhelmed. Be open & honest, you are setting an example on how to cope in a tough scenario. * example; “I am sorry I yelled so badly at you when you spilt your cereal. Mummy got frustrated & got mad too quickly, I realise that is was an accident & I am sorry.”)
  • Keep a happy heart & start each day fresh… Don’t hold onto bad behaviour, yes stick to punishments but don’t dwell on what’s happened. Move on. Strive to wake up every morning with a positive mindset and a happy heart…
  • Comparison is the thief of joy… Don’t compare, it is easy to see the instagram accounts and think “that mum has it together”… But everyone has struggles, their struggles maybe entirely different to yours but they exist. Keep in mind everyones social media account is their own edited version of their existence.
  • Get your priorities in order… Really weigh up what is important to you and your family. If you are burning yourself out trying to keep up with 10 different toddler activities during a week, is it worth it? Is exhausting yourself & making you cranky worth it? Everyones priorities will vary, so work out what works for your family. And learn to say NO – no to expectations, requests and even your kids. You do not have to do it all or be there for every single person.
  • Let it go, let it go… Go with the flow, some days are going to be absolutely incredible and some you will just want to cry. Go with it and pick your battles.
  • Savour the moment… One day you will long for this day back, don’t wish it away. Being in the trenches of motherhood is rough, but it’s beautiful and I am willing to bet one day you will look back on this fleeting season so fondly.
  • Remember you aren’t alone… Every Mumma has moments of great & hard times. Some moments we are a glowing, happy, engaged, doting mother who is fully focused on her kids and we are loving every second of motherhood. We wish these days would last forever. Then we experience the exhaustion, the feeling of barely being able to wake up because you are so tired and you swear you just shut your eyes, because you did! You feel like you are so touched out and just want to be alone in silence for 5 minutes – because silence & isolation sounds like a dream at this point. You feel like at any given moment you may just lose your mind because being over tired makes you a person you don’t really like. That mother exists too. Everyone has their own struggles, everyone (In one form or another…). I wish I was the first mother every single moment of my children’s lives – but I’m not, occasionally I am the second. Some days it’s challenging, but what counts is how we handle ourselves. Acknowledge it is a tough day/week/leap/month and work out a way to handle it… Go into survival mode, vent, ask for help, let it go – do what works for you, but know you are not alone. No one has a perfect day everyday and it’s ok for your day to not be perfect.
  • Treat yourself… Buy the flowers, buy the chocolate, buy the wine, get your hair done or buy the shoes. You are important – spoil yourself. (Because honestly, somedays you just need too!)

What is your best tip for resetting your mind after a stressful day/week? How do you maintain happiness as a Mumma? I would love to know, please comment below or on my social media!
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Instagram.
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Thank you so much for reading!
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How to save money on groceries. {video}
2017 · domestic engineering · housewife · how to · video · youtube

How to save money on groceries. {video}

JustBindyLeave a comment

Hi friends!

It is new video Friday!! Click HERE to watch my latest youtube upload!

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This weeks video is a groceries on a budget | grocery haul video…
On this particular week we had our normal bills to pay, which we always plan for, but then some unexpected ones popped up and that is life – that happens… But it meant our groceries that week had to be a little more thought out…
I try to be budget conscious when I am shopping anyway, but on this particular day I was more focused on sticking to the list and not buying any extras… Our usual grocery shop is about $200/week – week and a half… That includes, dog food, cat food, cat litter & nappies & wipes… Those 5 things are so darn pricey, added with a lot of fruit & veg and meat = pretty expensive groceries! We often try to stay in front of needing extra pet food so if we need to, we can skip a week of buying them…

Tips for saving money on groceries…

  • Write a list and stick to it… If you go in with no set list, you may buy unnecessary items & not what you actually need.
  • Meal plan & shop from your kitchen first… Write out your meals for the week and shop from your fridge, pantry & freezer… Make meals around what you have left and write down what you need for the rest of the meals.  
  • Go meat free… Now anyone who knows us knows we love meat, we eat a lot of it… But not every one of our meals is a meat based meal… During a week we often have 1 or 2 meat free dishes, such as cannelloni, risotto, pumpkin soup etc… Not eating meat can be a wise money saving move, as meat is expensive.
  • Hunt… If you can & if it appeals to you. We have delicious fresh venison in our freezer that my husband was able to get for us. Not everyone can do this or wants to do this, but if you can, it is a great way to have some beautiful free range meat for very little money. (This also applies to growing your own, have a veggie garden or some chickens for fresh eggs!)
  • Budget… Occasionally if I am watching what we spend, I set a goal for my total and I write down the price of every item I buy as I shop (yes I am that woman) that way I know if I am over spending and also when I get to the check out there is no surprises – I also find it motivating to try and beat my “goal total”…
  • Check specials… Each week I check where nappies are on sale, they are normally our most expensive item so I look at Coles & Woolworths online before I leave the house and see who has them cheaper, normally that is a saving of around $5.
  • Keep a well stocked kitchen… Always remember ingredients you use regularly, like pasta, sauces, flour, sugar, spices, meat etc and keep them on hand and stocked up. And if you can, buy them when on special and stock up! If roasts are on sale I often buy 2 at once and one goes in the freezer for the following week.
  • Buy in season produce… Now, I don’t always do this because I have a certain little miss who loves blueberries all year round, but the smart thing is not to pay $7 for a small punnet of them and wait until they are affordable and that is when they are in season… Also check out farmers markets for great fresh produce!
  • Try and shop on the outside aisles & skip the middle or some aisles… Sticking to the fruit & veg area, meat department & the dairy/freezer section can help save us money & be healthier! Avoiding the middle aisles that are full of preservative filled foods is better for us and our wallets. That being said, I do still wander down them, but I very often skip the soft drink & chip aisle as we don’t really buy soft drinks or lots of chips – only on the odd occasion, or I walk quickly down the middle aisles knowing exactly what I need and not browsing each item…
  • Try to be focused when shopping… Know the item you need, get it – perhaps have a quick look for a cheaper alternative but don’t be distracted by items you don’t need or can’t afford.
  • Check out the discount trolley… Occasionally they will have things like cat litter or pet food marked down super cheap because it may have been torn… Even sometimes they have end of line, discontinued products there that have been marked down super cheap! Try to only buy what you NEED though, not unnecessary things just because it is “on sale”… If you genuinely need it now or will do in the very near future it is a smart move, but buying “just because it’s cheap” isn’t actually saving you money.
  • Don’t buy ready made… Sometimes premade/chopped/sliced items are great time savers… But you have to weigh up money for time sometimes… I tend not to buy grated or sliced cheese, veggies and most of my pasta meals I make the sauce for. (Except spaghetti Bolognese/cannelloni – but I have to get back into making tomato pasta sauces)
  • Use rewards cards… I always make sure to scan my flybuys or everyday rewards cards, each amount of points adds up to be money off in the future and this can be super helpful – especially around Christmas time… I think these sort of loyalty cards are well worth having!
  • Make your own… Household cleaners are so insanely expensive and we can make wonderful alternatives that work just as well! I have been making my own laundry powder for well over a year now & I do make my own cleaners as well. I have recently bought Method glass cleaner & timber polish, only because I am struggling to work out a recipe for those that works well… A bottle of white vinegar is just over $1 & a packet of bi-carb soda is around the same amount… With those 2 ingredients you can clean almost anything. I use both of those to clean my toilet, together they can be used with a bit of dish soap to clean the bath/sink/shower/grout. Vinegar + water + essential oil of your choice (optional) makes a great disinfectant. Vinegar is also a fantastic fabric softener.
  • Bake your own… I often bake our morning/afternoon tea treats instead of buying them… Firstly because I feel better letting LuLu eat a treat that I know what is exactly in it and secondly I find it to be cheaper… My pantry is always stocked with baking supplies so it is easy for us to whip something up.

Also check out the blog Domesblissity, Anne who writes the blog is so full of knowledge on leading a sensible life & saving money! I learn so much from her posts!

I would love to know what your tips are for saving money on groceries…
Please leave me a comment or let me know on my social media!
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Thank you so much for reading!
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2017 · marriage · wedding

6 tips for a strong marriage. {6 year wedding anniversary}

JustBindy1 Comment

In you, I’ve found the love of my life & my truest, closest friend.

Hello friends!

Yesterday Trent and I celebrated 6 years of marriage – for the past month I’ve been thinking it was 7, whoops! But it is 6!

Wedding photo

I thought in this post I would share 6 tips for a strong marriage… Now I am not claiming our marriage is perfect, we are human! But 6 years and still going strong is a great sign!

  1. Be each other’s best friend. Trent is my absolute best friend, I have my 2 best girlfriends – but he knows me on a level no one else does and I swear we can read each other’s minds! I can be thinking of something and he just does it or appears with it… (Or maybe he is just amazing at knowing when I need a glass of wine!)
  2. Keep dating your spouse. This! Remember this!! Do not let it go, ever! It is so easy to slip into habits where we get super comfortable with each other & all romance & effort goes out the window… Don’t do that – sure get comfortable, but don’t get so comfortable you stop making an effort! Tell your partner you think they are hot, let them know you are thinking of them, do unexpected surprises for them – even just buying their favourite drink or chocolate while at the shops – little things count! If you would’ve done it back in the “dating days” – do it now! Doing it now is even more important!
  3. Build each other up. Brag about your husband, tell him he looks great, tell him about how awesome he is – let him know you value and absolutely adore him. Compliments go a long way! Building up your partner gives them confidence and motivates them to be even better as a person… If you are constantly negative and have nothing nice to say about the person you chose to marry – well, nothing positive will come from that! They will lose confidence and motivation. The words we say are powerful, chose to build your husband up – not tear him apart.
  4. Trust, respect & understanding. A marriage is nothing without out these 3. You need to be able to trust each other, respect each other & have a clear understanding on how you want your life & marriage to be. If you aren’t on the same page with these – you need to be! I trust Trent completely, we have a respectful relationship where we understand our roles & we work together as a team in every aspect of our lives…
  5. Be each others strength & be strong together. There will be hard days. Really, really hard days – everyone has them… There have been times in our marriage that I feel would’ve possibly broken other people, moments that have shattered us & each time we’ve come back stronger. Our marriage has had some absolutely wonderful highs & some heartbreaking lows – each time I am so thankful to God for Trent. He has been strong for me countless times & together we are so strong.
  6. Communicate & forgive. This is basic, but learn to talk to each other… Don’t sit in silence and stew with anger – be open & honest. Learn to disagree respectfully & agree to disagree. Also forgive, no one is perfect – yourself include, so learn to move on & forgive.
  7. Bonus point – HAVE FUN. Learn to laugh… Sometimes if you don’t laugh you’ll cry, especially when you are parents. Be silly, play jokes & don’t take life too seriously… Have fun & happiness is contagious. (Ladies, remember if Mumma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy! Our tone controls the tone of our home!)

What are your tips for a great & strong marriage?
(Trent would like me to add in here, “happy wife, happy life” – that’s his tip.)
I would love to know your tips, please comment below or on my social media!
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Snapchat; Bindy_30

To celebrate our anniversary yesterday we had a “couple photoshoot” with Tina from “Tina Ebenal Photography”. We have so many sweet images of our kids but it’s rare to get a photo of “just us” – so this was a real treat! Tina was wonderful to work with, very professional, calm & knowledgable. We’ve had a sneak peek of some of the images and they are beautiful!

Tina Ebenal photography

Tina Ebenal Photography
You can see more of our photos and find Tina on Facebook, Instagram & her website HERE.

Have a great week!
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