Gifts, gifts, and gifts!

So, I know I'm months ahead, but if you know me then you are not surprised! Anywho, some of the gifts I ordered for my wedding party arrived, and I am one happy girl! They look even better in person than they did online, which is rare for some purchases. I'm so excited right now! My how the small things can bring such joy. On top of this we have a tasting tomorrow evening, and I have a feeling it's going to go great!

So glad my online purchase didn't turn out like it did for this guy! Haha

Well back to my world of organizing, saving, and preparing!

Until next time,
-Solar 40

Budgeting, budgeting, and more budgeting!

This year I have been trying to stick to budgets for everything. Well if you budget, then you know that sometimes we can be tempted by things that screw up our budget or just fall off all together. I will admit that there were 2 months where I bought some things I KNOW I didn't and don't need, but I said, "I work hard and I deserve this" (I want this, screw my savings!). Well, thinking back, I should've said, "I work hard, I deserve to save and not screw my future retired life over by not sticking to my budget". I'm going to try to keep reminding myself of this statement going forward when I'm tempted. I've also tried to come up with ways to get some stuff I want without it coming out of my allocated budgets.

• Save gift cards that I get from others for holidays and special occasions, and use these to buy the extras
• Earn more reward points from survey sites I use, redeem them for gift cards and use those to buy the extras
• Shop online directly through Ebates and get cash back checks/PayPal deposits quarterly
• When the parents ask me if I want something while we are out shopping, go for the extras:) (Yes, I'm still spoiled)
• Selling clothes/shoes/accessories I don't and won't wear anymore
• Selling DVDs I don't watch anymore or that Grant already has

NOTE: These things might seem minimal to you, but let me tell you that I have gotten so much money from all of these. Few dollars/gift cards for small amounts here and there definitely add up quick if you don't touch/spend them, which is the hard part:)

I will say that there have been some things I needed that I saved for and was able to get because of my budgets, so there are definitely way more pros than cons to budgeting. And in case you don't already, create a SMALL budget for Just Because spending, and you will give yourself some wiggle room and not seem so tensed about it:) With this upcoming wedding, we have a budget for every sector of it and my goal is to beat each one of those budgets, so by the wedding I can say that I spent less and put that extra money in our Future Home savings:) I plan to post about my wedding budgets soon and how I have been finding ways to get what we want but pay less. So keep checking back for that!

Until next time, don't spent those pennies!

Solar 40

9.5 months to go!

I feel like time is flying by. I had over 13 months when I got engaged, but now it's down to 9.5! Eeek!!! However, I am super excited and the planning is still chugging along. Made some great purchases yesterday and marked some to-dos off! Woohoo!

• Welcome bags for OOT guests
• Bags for my bridal party/hostess gifts
• Gifts for the flower girls and ring bearer
• Gifts for the hostesses

Doesn't seem like a lot, but it was too me!! S/O to Oriental Trading, plus I got free shipping and earned almost 600 reward points!! Ha, you prob think I'm a nut to get excited over that, but if you know me then you know I love a deal and earning points for redemption:) Do you know of other great sites where you can get reliable wedding supplies, neat things? If so, please be so kind to share with me:) Thanks in advance!

 So, I mentioned the other day that I started posting on Wedding Bee, and let me tell you that in the short few days that I have been on there I have become addicted!! That's a good and bad thing. Good because I have gotten some great DIY ideas from there and bad because I want to read every post on there, HA! but that is not realistic since I work majority of the day. Either way I love being involved in that wedding community with brides from all over:) There are some savvy and stylish brides on there!

Well until next time, check out the welcome bags I purchased from Oriental Trading. I just had to show someone and who better than you all;)

-Solar 40

Wedding Bee Poster

 

Guess who is not posting on the Wedding Bee Boards, MEEE!!

Check it out:  To see my wedding bio, visit weddingbee.com.

Don't forget to check out the new Wedding News section for updates;)

I'll BEE back later;)
-Solar 40

I'm Back!!

I'm BAAAACCCCCKKKK, hope you all haven't forgotten about me!

I've been gone for almost a year and sooo many great things have happened! I'm back, refreshed, ENGAGED, planning a wedding, organizing my life on a higher level, beasting at improving my finances, steadily helping others, and learning, learning, and learning!

I decided to jump back into this and release all these million thoughts I have these days with all that's going on. Since we've been engaged, I have such a new look on relationships and marriage, and my organization skills have definitely gotten better as a result. My fiancé and I have been enrolled in wonderful and spiritual couples' classes at church since the start of 2012 and let me just tell you that we have definitely grown even closer to God and each other, while learning a lot from other couples and each other. I will definitely dive into several topics that have sparked from our classes.

I won't make the broken promise that I will be posting every day or even every week, but I will be at least posting something every month, whether it's just about me, music, the wedding, relationships, or whatever else comes to mind. So I hope you will check me out here and there when you get a chance.

Glad to be back,
Solar 40