No Spend July with an update

Daddy's favorite team!

Well I had a "No Spend" post good to go, but my husband didn't edit it and then we moved so it didn't get posted! [editor's note: I have no memory of such a request. Carry on.] So here is how it went for us...

We weren't able to get all of our Emergency Fund finished but we were able to get most of it. Not spending was interesting; I'm hoping that next year when we do it I can be a little more diligent and organized. For instance, I think it would've helped a lot to get cash out for the whole month. Now don't get me wrong, we didn't spend anything – no eating out or do anything else that cost money. I just kind of felt weird when August 1 came and we ordered a pizza and there was no guilt with it!

Overall, I think it was a success and maybe we'll introduce a "no spend week" into other months, which will probably be easier since our lives are about to get crazy and we'll have little time anyway!


As for the update...

We are all moved into our rental house. It was a long two days as we emptied the Campus House apartment, cleaned it, unloaded it all into the new house and unpacked by ourselves. We were exhausted when my family showed up on Saturday to hang out for the weekend. But we have a house (with air conditioning!), fast internet and are no longer sharing a room with Cadence! Overall a successful move!

We are a few days from the student Leadership Team Retreat and then move in weekend. I think we are all ready for some craziness and for the real work to begin. We've had a wonderful summer of relaxing, learning and planning with the whole staff for the next year.

We have also made it to about $600 of the $1,000 a month we need support-wise.

If you are interested in reading about us, follow this link.

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If you'd like to become investors in our ministry and add your financial support (one-time or regular), follow this link.

Watching the train

A lot has changed in our family this summer, but I think we've come to a place where we can have peace again.  A time when we can think about the past but not dwell on it. A time to dream about ministry again. A time to remember what God has truly done for us. A time to be a family and enjoy the small things in life.

Earn Gift cards

 I wanted to post a couple websites that you can earn gift cards from. These websites are completely safe, I promise! I like to use these sites to earn Amazon, Target, Itunes giftcards and save them fro Christmas. Please use the links below and I will earn points as well.

Swagbucks
swagbucks.com/refer/mikalacasey

You can take daily polls, sign up for new programs or just use their search bar to earn points. Good Luck!

Recycle Bank
https://rcycle.it/5ttb5

You watch videos on recyclable materials, take pledges to be better at recycling or find a local recycle bank to earn points. You can earn coupons, gift cards and restaurant discounts!

Kelloggs Family Rewards
kelloggsfamilyrewards.com
 
This is an account through Kellogg that you enter codes from specially marked Kellogg products. Plus when you sign up to receive emails they will send you bonus codes on occasion. You can earn coupons, gift cards and special Kellogg product.

Pampers
Pampers.com

This is also a program that you enter codes from Pampers products (diapers, wipes and pull-ups). You can earn credit to Shutterfly, toys and magazine subscriptions. I am saving mine right now to get my niece a toy for Christmas!

Casey Newsletter

Thought I would share our latest newsletter! Just click the link to see it.


Casey Newsletter

No Spend July Week 1

Well, after week one of No Spend July it's not been too bad.  I will admit I am a little tired of cooking, so we are going to look for some new stuff this week! I stayed in my tight budget for food and we've only had to put $10 worth of gas in the tank. We got propane for the grill but used a coupon – it's to hot to do all the cooking inside anyways.

Funny story (well now anyway), I needed a Happy Hour pick-me-up so I pulled into Sonic... and then remembered I couldn't get anything and drove right back out!

Also, we got really tired of being in our incredibly hot apartment, but we couldn't eat out or go do anything (not that there's much to do in Warrensburg anyway) so we drove down to Office Depot and looked at a few things on our home and work office lists, and then wandered around Wal-Mart for an hour... just to be in the a/c!

Lastly, I do have to admit one major purchase – we bought new phones.
Now hear me out and tell me you wouldn't have of done the same thing: First, Josh and I have been saving our allowance for new phones, so this was cash in our wallets – nothing was taken from the checking/savings account. Secondly Target was doing an awesome trade in deal: we'd get the trade-in price, plus additional target credit towards a new phone, and a $25 gift card after purchase! So I spent $5 plus tax on a new iPhone 5! Ha, that's right! You would've done the same thing. But hey, I was honest and told you we spent some money...

We'll see what the second week brings us. I know we won't be eating out again and not using the car and I will continue to delete my groupon emails!

How are you doing with no spend July??

Pinterest project...Book shelf

Alright it's official: I am back to my creating/crafting mindset again! We've been living in an apartment these last six weeks, so it was nice to move around and do something creative. I wanted to share the process of my latest project with you so I decided to  blog about it and explain it step-by-step. This whole project only cost us $6 and this is how I did it...




First, I took an old laminate bookshelf – just one of those cheap ones with fake wood grain and cardboard backing that you can buy at Wal-Mart – and sanded down the laminate. Not much, Just enough to rough it up so the primer and paint can soak in. This took about 30 minutes. Don't forget to do each of the shelves.








Second, you prime. You need to buy a primer that works on laminate and soaks into the wood. I used Zinsser Water-Base Primer (pictured below), which cost about $6 at Lowe's. I did two coats, but honestly I would only do one next time.

Thirdly, paint it any color you want using regular paint from your local hardware store. I used a leftover gallon from Josh's office, so it was FREE!

 

Finally, for the backing Josh used an old pallet. Now I have connections which got me free pallets (sorry, no handouts!), but you can go to Lowe's and they can sell you one of theirs from a previous shipment – usually just for a few bucks. Also, be sure to check out local industrial parks and businesses. Anyways we cut down the boards, I arranged them and nailed it down. The finished product looks great! I'm excited to get it in our new place.

I hope you enjoyed the process and be sure to ask any questions you may have about how to do this for yourself!

No Spend July

Monika told me the other day about a blog she had read about "No Spend July" and we decided we were going to do it with them! First, the blog we got it from is smallnotebook.org and if you search for "no spend July," you will come to her posts from last year.

I recently went through Dave Ramsay's Financial Peace University and then relayed everything to Josh. We won't do everything he talks about, but all of his cash envelopes, budget set-up, and ways of paying off debt we will try to follow. The first baby step is getting a $1,000 emergency fund, and that is what our "no spend July" is going towards.

We are actually starting ours July 8th because we will have a friend in town and also a quick trip to Muncie, so not spending any money that week isn't possible! We are hoping do this through the first couple days of August. Basically, all you are allowed to spend money on are your bills, gas (but limit it) and groceries (get out limited cash for the month). There will be no eating out, no dates (unless free!), no traveling, no extra activities, no shopping!

I think there are two things we are wanting to get out of this experience. The first is how to live simply. What can we truly go without? What things do we under-appreciate in our lives? What things do we do in excess?

And secondly, we are wanting to jump-start our Emergency fund! This is a great way to be able to put aside the money for something specific. My sister is saving it for a trip with her hubby for his birthday. Why not use the money for Christmas? Or maybe a trip? Or maybe you need to just put it in savings for those car tires you know you will need soon.

Want to join us? Challenge yourself! Maybe you only do it for two or three weeks, but try it. Let me know if you are because I would love to hear stories! I will try and update each week on how we are doing.

Funny Family Fact

A couple weekends ago  I was at my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary along with 150 other people! Some I'd never met and some  I hadn't seen in 10+ years. And yet all those people got to hear this story. My mother loves to tell this story and it is kind of funny. You could watch my mom talking to a guest at the party and then turn and point to Josh, Josh and Joshua.

Five years ago I married Josh I. Two years ago my sister married Josh II and currently my youngest sister is dating (very seriously) Josh III! Yep that's right, my parents could have three sons-in-law all with the same name. So of course trying to have a conversation and talk about one of the Josh's is complicated, and now there are two grandkids and we are trying to figure out how to define them.

So here is what we have...
My Josh is called "Josh" or "Uncle Josh"by all. He was the first so he gets the #1 title, he does like to make sure the others remember who was first in the family. Monika's Josh is also "Josh", Uncle J for Cadence and Josh II. And then lastly we have "Joshua" – Kristin's Josh.

I know you guys all really wanted a random fact about my family! Hope it made you smile!