Confidently Katie

What to Look for in Webhosting

When I started into this whole WordPress blog thing to say I was terrified would be an understatement.  I had no idea where to start and I was honestly nervous about it.  People kept telling me it was the only way to go if you wanted to really grow your blog.  But I had ZERO clue how to do this thing. People kept recommending “hosts” to me and I was like…what’s a host?

*Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links.  If you click on them and make a purchase you

That is why I am so grateful that I listened to these smart people and went with SiteGround as my host.

In case you don’t know, a “host” is basically just a fancy internet word for the place that your website lives.  It lives on their server and you go through the host to build your site connect your emails, manage your domain, and other back end administrative things. Having a good host is really important.  For me, there were some really important factors that went into choosing a host.

1// Their customer service had to be KING.  

I have worked in customer service enough to be very particular about customer service.  It’s really important to me that when I am choosing a service that if I need help, the people on the phone will be able to help me and they’ll do it nicely. I’ve had to call SiteGround customer service a couple of time (beginner ya’ll…) and they were so kind and so helpful.  They fixed my problems in minutes.

2//  It had to be pretty easy to use.  

I wouldn’t say that I’m technologically challenged, but I’m also not a pro.  Whatever host I went with it had to have a good knowledge base, easily google-able info, & be generally easy to figure out.

3//  It should work well with my chosen platform

SiteGround has auto-installers for WordPress.  It was so dang easy to set up.  All I did was put in my domain, click the platform I wanted and I got started.  I was in writing posts maybe an hour later.  It was so quick and easy.

4// It had to have good reviews and come highly recommended. 

This may seem a little silly, but I have seen SO many complaints about sites crashing, poor customer service, and all around poor hosting.  I was very worried about picking a host that would really deliver so I sought a host that everyone was raving about.

For me that host was SiteGround.  If you’re looking to start a blog, I would highly recommend giving SiteGround a try.

If you already have a self-hosted blog, why did you choose your current host?

6 Ways to Save in 2018

In 2018 I’ve decided to avoid spending extra money whenever possible.  That’s all well and good, but I don’t only want to avoid spending on things I don’t need.  I also want to save money on the things that I do need.  Over the last couple of weeks I’ve come up with an action plan and some ways to save in 2018.

Please be aware that I talk about periods & tampons in this post.  If that bothers you, maybe skip this one.

*This post contains some affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking through an affiliate link I make a small commission at no extra cost to you*

I switched to a Menstrual Cup instead of tampons

I typically go through 1 $7-$8 box of tampons every month.  Some months I go through more than that.  I also used to spend extra money on panty liners to prevent leaks meaning that I was spending another $6 every couple of months. That adds up to roughly $96.  That’s also not including the need to buy new underwear when they get ruined.  The  menstrual cup was a one time cost of $35 (which I bought in 2017! So zero cost in 2018!)  It seals perfectly and never leaks.  It is recommended to be replaced annually, but some say you can get several years out of them you care of them.  Click the photo to get your own.  I promise they’re not scary.

I got a Costco Membership

I know that not EVERYTHING is cheaper in bulk quantities, but some things are.  For example, Costco brand diapers are less expensive than Huggies but are very similar quality and come in the same quantity at Costco.  Stay tuned for the post about things you should buy at Costco instead of  standard grocery store.

I have an App Arsenal for savings

I use Ibotta & Checkout51 for rebates on items found in grocery stores.  I use the Smith’s (Kroger) app for coupons. My car insurance provides a discount for downloading an app that tracks my driving.  I use Cartwheel any time I find myself in Target unsupervised.

 

I sought out discounts on things I have to pay for

You would be amazed at the discounts I was able to get by doing a little bit of research.  For example, my work offers discounts on health insurance for completing some surveys and biometric screening.  I got $600 off my annual premium.  We also have devices in our cars that save us 5% per car on our car insurance.  We may even shop for new car insurance soon just to try and get a better rate.  You shouldn’t even pay more when you don’t have to.

I order my groceries

I gave the click-list a try and it really helped me to plan my grocery list better and totally prevented impulse buys.  Not only that, it was massively convenient.  I just pulled up, opened the trunk and they loaded my groceries.  They also accept paper coupons.  So not only can I shop with my digital coupons on the site, but I can add in my paper coupons on top for additional savings.

I joined an MLM

I have a LipSense addiction.  And by joining, I get 20-50% off on all my orders…So I wait until some friends need some LipSense, and I add to my collection.  I do still spend a bit, but my friends & other customers help me earn a bit of it back.  And when I’m really working it on my sales the cost of my own addiction is a drop in the bucket.  If you’re thinking about doing this I highly recommend you go and read this post about what to consider before joining and MLM. 

How are you trying to save money this year?

My 2018 Reading List

This year I am determined to do more reading.  In an effort to reach my goals, I created a book club!  So far it’s pretty small but that’s okay.  We’ve got a few good ones on the list that I am really excited to read.  Here’s what’s on my reading list this year:

*Just so you know, I’ve made all the book links affiliate links.  If you feel like clicking through to make a purchase I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you*

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

I’m sure you’ve heard of this one. It’s the book that the new hit Hulu series is based on.  I loved the series so I decided I needed to give the book a chance too.  I’m sure there are a lot of differences. If you aren’t familiar, it’s about a dystopian society where the men and women are not longer fertile, so they have created an extreme patriarchal world in which handmaids are the ones who carry and birth the children and they are given to the high ranking families. It’s pretty messed up and I can’t wait to read it.

Room by Emma Donoghue

Room is about a a mother and son (I think) who are in a room together…Always.  I picked this one because the synopsis was very cryptic and totally intriguing.  I suggest you check it out if you want to know what it’s about. 

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

I’m about 1/4 of the way through this one and it’s such a page turner I have to keep myself from staying up all night to read it.  It’s about 6 people (plus some others that surround them) who go to a barbecue that changes their lives forever.  I don’t really know how, but apparently it happens…

She Means Business by Carrie Green

Turn Your Ideas into Reality and Become a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur.  I will probably pick this one up pretty soon.  Lately I have been so into the self development and growing a business.  I think this book will give me some motivation to really make things happen in my business.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

This one is actually young adult fiction.  It’s about teens in detention.  I’m pretty excited to read this one.  Most of the teen fiction I have read as an adult is by Sarah Dessen so I’m excited to read something a little different.

What’s on your reading list this year?

5 On Friday: What I’m Up To

Happy Friday, everyone!  It’s time for some 5 on Friday.  I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty glad that Friday is here.  I know it was a short week…but still.  I have drill this weekend, so I’ll be running around playing Army this weekend, but it will be better than sitting in my desk at work all day!

*Ps…This post contains a few affiliate links.  If you click on these links and make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

What I’m reading…

I just started reading Turtles All the Way Down by John Greene.  It’s January’s book club book! If you want to join in on the real life book club, head over to my book club post!  We’d be happy to have you.

What I’m listening to…

I’m really into The Goaldigger Podcast with Jenna Kutcher.  I’m all caught up on it so I’m patiently waiting each week for her new episodes to come out.  I’ve also been rocking out to Maroon 5’s album Red Pill Blues.  I listen to it mostly when I go to the gym and it really improves my work out.

What I’m pinning…

I’m mostly pinning wedding inspiration, but I’ve also been looking for new recipes.  Because I’ve been working so hard to focus on our financial health, I’ve been meal planning and Pinterest has been an amazing resource.  I’ll share some of my ideas here in the coming weeks.  It’s amazing what some people come up with.  Some of my very favorite recipes I found browsing meal ideas on Pinterest.

What I’m wearing

I’ve been obsessed with some new dresses I bought from Old Navy.  I seriously want to wear them every day that’s how cute they are, but it’s a little chilly so I have to choose the days I wear it wisely!  I normally pair them with tights which helps!  I have  this yellow one (it’s on sale too!)and this striped one.  I can’t find the pink one that I have, but I’ll share some photos. Seriously wish I could buy every variety!

What I’m working on

I am working on so many things!

+ I’m working on a debt crusher spread sheet to provide as a free resource to all of my amazing readers as well as a no spend free challenge that anyone can join in on.

+ I’m working on a wedding budget creator for the clueless bride (aka me) and other wedding planning resources

+ I’m working on a some killer email content for you all

+ And I’m working on some giveaways in my LipSense Facebook group!  I’m giving away tons of awesome products FREE every day and on the 11th day I’m giving away a big grand prize that I will announce this evening when I go live to announce today’s winner.  There is still time to join in on the fun! Click on over to Lost in the Gloss to learn more!

What are you up to this lovely Friday?

How to Repair Your Relationship With Money

About 6 months ago I started into a spending fast after reading a book by Anna Newell Jones.  It totally changed the way I think about money, but I had a hard time actually putting it into practice.  I had a bunch of little incidents pop up that only ADDED to my debt, we moved into a new place and we needed some new things…and it just spiraled from there.  With that being said, we also had some good luck and things were looking really good financially, but now with a pending trip to Hawaii, our wedding, and plans to buy a home, it’s time to review my currently relationship with money and work to repair it. 

Improving or repairing your relationship with money isn’t an overnight process.  It takes time to and effort to really make a change.  Money isn’t everything.  It really isn’t.  But we need it in order to live our lives.  We have to spend at least some money to survive our day to day lives.  I think that something with that much power deserves some respect…Here are the steps you can take to really change the way you think about money.

1// Understand where your money is going

The first step of a spending fast is to know what your current spending habits look like.  Take a look at your bank statements for the last 3 months, or if you’re like me, look online.  Your bank or credit union may even have an app or other tools to help you analyze your spending categories.  Most of my spending tends to be eating out and miscellaneous Target trips to pick up things we “need”.

2// Analyze why you’re spending there

When you review your spending habits, pay attention to the dates where the spending occurred.  What was going on in your life?  Were you stressed out?  Did you just go through a big break-up?  Did you manage your time poorly and not pack your lunch for 2 week?  What caused you to spend where you did?  Knowing why you’re spending can help you try to prevent these situations where you’re “forced” to spend outside of your planned occasions.

3// Determine your wants and needs

Writing down what you need to spend money on and what you want to spend money on can help you realize what is truly essential.  This list will look different for everyone.  My “need” list will include my gym membership, but someone who never goes to the gym might put that on the wants list.  Understanding what you could live without can help cut down your expenses and avoid that completely unnecessary overdraft.

4// Write down all your payments and debt amounts

Knowing how much you owe can help ground you.  I know that when I wrote down how much I still owed on my car made me stop eating out real quick. I started taking that money I would spend on Taco Bell and started throwing it at my car payment and now my car is paid off. It took time and some sacrifice, but it is so worth it.  I am so happy every time I get in the car that I own.

5//  Make a plan

Have you heard that old adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”?  It’s so true.  Make a plan for what you’re going to do when you’re tempted to spend money.  If you’re allowing for certain “fun” expenses, how are you going to determine if it’s worth the money?  If your biggest spending weakness is food, how will you avoid that needless spend?  Maybe you’ll pack a lunch or avoid leaving the house hungry. Maybe you’ll explain to your work friends that you only eat out for lunch once a month.

Whatever your plan is, make sure you have one so that you know exactly how to handle spending when these situations arise.

6//  Track your spending & savings

I use a spread sheet to track how much I’m spending and saving.  I document every dollar I spend, I regularly check my bank account. This helps me see how I progress, how much I “save” week over week, and keeps me encouraged to continue.  I’ve also recent been playing around with “YNAB” or “You Need a Budget“.  I only just downloaded it on the 1st so we’ll see how my free trial goes.

7//  Increase your income & decrease your spending

This is a total Dave Ramsey  thing…but seriously it will help!  Find some things you can sell that you aren’t using.  Facebook has made this so easy these days.  Take a few pictures and post what you can live without.  Take surveys, consider starting a low cost business, become a secret shopper, get a part time job, work that overtime etc etc.

To decrease your spending where you must spend, use coupons and your local grocery store apps, use  Ibotta (seriously it’s free money!), avoid shopping hungry, compare prices.  Call your credit card companies and see if you can lower your interest rates (and then cut up the card!)  shop around if your car insurance is high, consider refinancing your mortgage and so many other things!

8//  Stay motivated

Personally I listen to Podcasts and read the success stories of others to stay motivated.  If you ever need a boost or you’re thinking about quitting, it helps to know that so many other before you went through the same journey and made it happen. You could join a support group on Facebook.  I’m in one and it really helps keep me motivated.  I can also bounce my plans off of other and see how they are crushing their debt and saving money.

How do you plan to repair your relationship with money and destroy your debts?

 

A Year in Review: 2017

2017 was an incredible year.  It was our first full calendar year as parents.  From January to December, I was a mother  I can’t believe how the fast the time has gone.  They tell you that happens, and they’re right.

Here are a few of the highlights from 2017:

Corey, Clara, & I started going to to a local Christian church called The Well. It was my first time (besides basic training) attending a church that wasn’t an LDS church.  I love it so much and it has really made a big difference in our lives so far.  I’m so excited for another year at The Well.

Corey and I at Christmas Eve Services on our “Well-iversary”

We took a family trip to Philadelphia to see my future sister-in-law graduate from Drexel, my other future sister-in-law get engaged, and to meet more of Corey’s family.  

Clara with her Auntie Cassi and the classic “four generations” picture.

I got my became a Senegence Distributor.  This was a pretty surprising one for me.  I never thought I’d do a thing like that..but I fell in love with the products and wanted to be able to share. 

 

Clara turned one! I am still in disbelief over all the amazing things Clara did this year, but turning one was a huge milestone.  I know it was inevitable, but as a first time mom, it was a big deal! We had a fun party with a bunch of crazy kids running around and some wonderful gifts from our friends and family.

We took a trip to Missouri.  This was a lot of fun.  I got to see where Corey grew up, his parents got to throw Clara an awesome birthday party (complete with a pony!), we went to a Springfield Cardinals game, and I got to be there when my future sister-in-law said yes to her wedding dress.  We also went to Branson and went on a showboat.  That was awesome too!  

Clara’s second set of plane rides!

Clara with the other Post Girls

My Nephew was born! We were so excited when we found out my sister was pregnant. There were a lot of complications with her pregnancy and we were so relieved when he was finally born.  It happened so fast that I almost missed it.  Luckily I made it just in time to take a few pictures with the camera that I bought a few weeks before. He was born on my Grandma’s birthday, so that makes him pretty special.

My little sister turned 21!  We did a bar crawl in downtown Salt Lake City for it, and we had so much fun! We ate good food, sang some Benny and the Jets karaoke, and drank tequila shots at the dueling piano bar. Hopefully we’ll do it again sometime soon.

A few other things worth mentioning…

++I paid off my car

++I dyed my hair blonde and then back to dark brown

++I got engaged 

++We watch the office start to finish for the first time.

++I got my wisdom teeth out

++I started lifting

++I decided to get out of the Army

++I figured out how to bake

I can only hope that 2018 is a lit as 2017 was!  I have so much to look forward to with a pending trip to Hawaii for my cousin’s wedding, a trip to Vegas for Corey’s birthday, a visit to Missouri for Caitie’s wedding, and planning my own wedding throughout the year!  I think it will be pretty okay.

Goals for the New Year

Goal setting is important to me.  I never start into a big project until I know what my end goal is.  This applies to my work life, my home life, my blog life etc.  It’s important to set goals so that you aren’t shooting aimlessly into the dark night.  Goals keep you focused on the outcomes you want.

Goal setting is easy.  You sit down, you write specific, measurable goals, and you set out to achieve them.

That last part though?  Achievement?  Not always so easy.  We write down our goal and then we forget that we even set it.  We didn’t create an action plan for those goals.  The goal wasn’t quite as important to us as we originally thought and it fade into the background.

In 2018 let’s say “goodbye” to forgotten goals and say “Hello” to crushing them.  Today I’m going to share my goals along with my simple guide for how to set and achieve your own goals.

5 things to consider before you set your goals:

  1.  Consider the past year.  What about it would you go back and change?  Would you take more time off of work?  Do you wish there were more photos of your family get-togethers?  Do you wish you had more family get-togethers?
  2. Consider what you can control.  There is no use in shooting for goals that are beyond your control.  Make sure that whatever you want to achieve is within your realm of influence.
  3. Consider the potential impact of working to achieve this goal.  Will it mean 10 hours a week in the gym? Will you have to spend more money to achieve it?  Will you have to spend less money to achieve it?  Will it affect the life of others around you?
  4. Consider how you will measure your progress.  How will you know when you achieved this goal?
  5. Consider how you will hold yourself accountable.  Are you the type who can easily be held accountable to yourself, or do you need a manager to help make sure you’re on track?

Here’s one last bonus tip before you jump into your goal setting:  Consider creating an overarching theme for your goals.  Mine is “Consistency”.  Every goal I set requires consistency.  That means that I will need routines in place that will allow me to produce the results I want to see.  Good luck and may you set your goals with the confidence that you will be able to achieve them!

Here are my big goals for 2018

1// Improve time management

Time management has been a huge struggle for me in 2017.  I have never felt like I’ve had enough time to complete everything that needs to be done.  I’ll know that I’ve achieved this goal when I can sit down and read a book and not feel stressed that I should really be doing something else.

2// Spend more consciously

Starting January 1, I’m restarting the spending fast…I’ll share more about how I’m going to do that and how you can zero in on your big financial goals in 2018.  This goal comes with a support group and simple steps to follow, however it will have a large impact on my life and my family.  It will be important to be prepared for that. I’ll know I achieved this goal when I pay off 100% of my debt.

3// Maintain a consistent fitness routine

Looking back on 2017 I feel I could have been much more successful with my fitness goals had I just been a little more consistent.  Consistency means a minimum of 4 days a week at the gym, weighing and measuring my food, and daily tracking of my macros and water consumption in MyFitnessPal.  This will have a big impact on my life, but hopefully the time management goal will help me out with this one.  I’ll know I achieve this one when I reach my specific fitness goals.  I’ll talk about those more in a future post.

 

4// Keep a clean house…and car…

If anyone in my family is reading they’re laughing at this one.  I struggle to keep things clean.  I don’t know why, but I have such a hard time keeping shit clean.  I am bound and determined to find some ways to DESTROY this goal in 2018.  Again, I think the time management goal will help!  The impact here will be on me and my family.  Corey is going to become a professional at cleaning.  I’ll know I achieved this goal when my house and car are clean for longer than 2 weeks in a row and I’m not overwhelmed by laundry piles or lunch containers.

Engaged?!

Yes. You read that correctly.  Corey and I are engaged (finally).

I’m so excited to share our planning process.  I’ve been pseudo planning a wedding for a while now, but now that things are official I’ve been able to really get started.  But really, the best part of being engaged is knowing that in 13ish short months we’ll have officially sworn to spend the rest of our lives together. I like thinking about that.

Here are the answers to the frequently asked questions about our engagement:

1//  How did he propose?

Corey propose in the comfort of our living room with my family all around.  I had just finished eating the dinner I’d made for everyone and we were relaxing and giving my dad some gifts for his birthday.  Corey handed me a wrapped gift and Clara gave me a note that says “Will you marry my, Daddy?”  She’s a very well trained 15 month old.  It was the perfect proposal.

2// Did you pick out your ring?

Nope! Corey picked it out all by himself.  I gave him a few idea about what I wanted in an engagement ring and he went to Shane Co. and picked one out that he thought I would love.  He was so right!  I am in love with his choice, but more than that, I love that he knows me well enough to pick something out that is so me.

3// When are you getting married?

Our date is tentatively set for January 19th or 2019.  That date is subject to change depending on venue availability and pricing.  Our wedding budget isn’t huge so if we can get a better deal with a different day, we might make some changes.  Don’t worry, we’ll send out some save the dates.

4// Are you getting married in Utah?

Yes!  Corey’s family is spread out between the Midwest, The South, and the East Coast and mine is mostly in Utah so we decided that it’d be best for us to get married where we live.

5// Um can I come?

We’ll be perfecting our guest list for the next little while.  If you’re dying to join us for our wedding, please let me know so I can put you on the list!

6// Are you going to share about your wedding planning process on the blog?

Duh!  I have a whole series planned out for this event.  I’ve already learned so much about wedding planning from wedding blogs, podcasts (yes, there are wedding planning podcasts), and Pinterest.  I’m beyond excited to share everything I learn along the way with all of you.  That way you can learn from my mistakes…and my triumphs.

Have you planned a wedding?  Do you have any words of advice to share with me?  Bonus points if you got married around Salt Lake, Utah.

8 Gift Ideas for your Toddler

My family has always been into BIG Christmas.  We’ve always gotten (and given) lots of gifts, and to be honest, we’ve really gone overboard quite a few times.  That’s not a bad thing, and I will never look back on my childhood Christmases and think…”Man I wish I’d gotten fewer of the things I begged my parents for all year.”  But as a parent (in a small house with hardly any storage who struggles to keep things clean)  I’m not really looking to buy lots of toys.  Instead we’re going for useful gifts that will benefit her and our family in the long run.  This might mean a few new toys

**This post may continue affiliate links for which I receive a small commission for if you purchase items from those links.**

  1.  Upgrade that Car Seat!   Clara is growing steadily, but she’s all the small side.  She’s almost 18 months and is still pretty comfortable in her infant seat BUT, we took advantage of some Black Friday deals and decided to upgrade!  This carseat has a zipper cover that you can toss in the washing machine.  Clara won’t really appreciate it just yet, but it was a good opportunity for us a to spring for the upgrade. She’ll be riding comfortably in no time.

2.  Memberships to local parks and recreation.  Our family loves to get out and have fun on the weekends with all of our kids.  We make memories and have experiences that will outlive any toy.  This year I’m thinking we’ll get a membership to the Hogle Zoo. This membership also give discounted entrance to other zoos around the country too! Find out what your local recreation areas can offer you.

3.  Fire 7 Kids Edition with Kid-Proof Case  You may think that this is a little over the top, but these things are loaded with educational games and entertainment for DAYS!  My niece has one and is completely obsessed. She can navigate it better than I can.
4.  Clothes for the season.  Clara is growing out of clothes faster than we can buy them.  That means that we have to get her new stuff every few weeks.  I think Christmas is a great time to look at what she’ll need for this year and take advantage of the winter deals.

5.  Bath tub toys & tools.  As Clara gets older, she enjoys tubby time more and more and all those wet squishy toys get moldy.  Now is a great time to take a look at her toys and send the ones that are worse for wear down the road and upgrade  to a few new things.

6.  Books! I’ve started collecting books for Clara to read as she learns and grows.  She loves reading stories and I’m so excited to show her the new books we got her on Christmas morning. I also get her a different Christmas story every year.  Last year was the Polar Express.

7.  Christmas ornaments.  As our family is still new and we don’t have much for Christmas decorations just yet, I started a tradition where I get a Christmas ornament for Clara and Corey each year.  This way when we have a tree filled with ornaments, we can look back on the years that they got them and what great memories we had.

8.  Potty Training tools.  This one may not apply to everyone, but I think Christmas is a time for new beginnings.  And for us, that means kicking the diapers to the curb.  Clara isn’t walking just yet, but when she does, we’ll be ready to start potty training with all the tools we need.

And there you have it, 8 unique gift ideas for your toddler.  What’s on your list for you kids this year?  Are you more traditional and like to get them the latest toys, or are you looking for the most useful things you can find?  What will be under your tree on Christmas morning?


Book Club 2018

When I was in the 6th grade, I was wandering a store with my mom.  She told us we could pick out a book, so I did.  At the time, I wasn’t all that into reading for fun.  In fact I didn’t really enjoy reading at all.  It had always been sort of difficult for me and I hadn’t really read anything that I liked enough to justify my struggle.  But it all changed after I read that book.

That year I read maybe 10 or 11 books.  Over the summer I spent my days in the library.  In 7th grade I read a book every day.  Literally every day.  I was basically Matilda.  But as time has gone by, reading has faded into the background.  7th grade was a long time ago and I’m a parent now.  No time for reading.

That’s about to change.

I’ve decided to start a book club beginning in 2018.  As it turns out, I’m an obliger and I need external forces to keep me accountable.  And a book club is how I’m going to do that.

So here’s how the book club works:

You can be a part of the book club whether you live near by or you’re reading remote.  If you’re near by we’ll be setting up one day or night each month where we can get together, eat snacks, and geek out about our favorite parts of the book.

If you’re remote, we’ll have comment threads in the Facebook group to do the same thing.  What I love about this is that we can talk throughout the month as we read and not just one time a month.

I’m putting together a list of 20 or so books that I’ll post in the group and we’ll vote on which ones we want to read throughout the year.

Join the group to get started!