I can not believe that it almost back to school time already. It seems like school just ended, but I walked into the store the other day and there they were. All the back to school supplies. not only were they out, people were buying them. I am not that mom. I have never been that mom. I am the mom who is at the store the week school starts. Mostly because the amount of money I spend on school supplies makes me cringe. With so many kids in school, it adds up.

There is a simple way to save for back to school. So simple, you will won’t even notice it. It’s simple. Watch for sales on gift cards. Right now, Acme and Shaw’s has a great sale on gift cards. Save $10 off your next grocery purchase when you buy $100 or more of ANY gift card!* That means, when you get to the store, purchase the gift cards. You will receive a coupon for $10 off your next purchase. Use that to save $10 on your groceries. That that $10 and use it towards back to school. If you are able to buy a few offers and use the month you save towards getting all of the school supplies you can.

But, for this offer, you will want to hurry. Offer is valid 7/15-7/21. Try to purchase as many as you can during this time.

While you are looking for ways to save for back to school, enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card. You can use it to buy household items and then add that money to your travel fund. It only takes small amount to add up fast. Or blow it on something fun for yourself, because you deserve it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Simple Way to Save for Back to School appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

Most people trade in their cars to get a lower price on the car that they are buying. It makes sense. You don’t need the car anymore, and who doesn’t want to save money. Before you head to the dealership to see what you can get for the trade in value, do some research. Find out how to get the best trade for a car. It isn’t that dealerships don’t offer you a good deal. Most dealerships offer you a fair price. But knowing how to get the best price helps you in the long run.

Know the value: Everyone thinks their car is worth more than it is. Know how much it is actually worth before you get to the dealership. Because people tend to get overly sentimental about their possession, when they hear what the car is worth, it comes as a shock. Get over the hit easier at home, and then move on from there.

Clean up the car: I am not saying come in with a sparkling clean car. It isn’t worth your time or money to do that. But making sure that the car isn’t a pig sty helps. Think of it like curb appeal.

Bring your service reports: If you have done a great job taking car of the routine maintenance on the car, bring it. Show the dealership the paperwork. It shows that the car has been well maintained and this increases the value.

Get multiple offers, in writing. Find out what others will offer you. It will help you get the best price for a trade in where you want to buy your car. Get the offers in writing because the dealership might want to know for sure that someone else is offering that amount.

Know the season of your car: So while some people are looking for convertibles in the winter, more people are looking to buy SUVs. The dealership doesn’t want to put out a lot of money on a trade in that they can’t turn around and sell fast. The don’t want to take up the lot space or put out the investment. That means, they are less likely to offer you more for the trade in. As the nice summer weather is coming, people are thinking about riding with the top down and will be looking for the convertible. The dealerships want to give people what they want. So think about the season of your car when looking to trade in.

Getting the best trade in for the car always helps bring down the price you are paying towards the new car. Make sure to get the best price you can.

The post How to get the best price for your trade in appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post is sponsored by Aeropostale

<Sigh> It’s back to school time. Oh believe me, that sign is not because our summer fun is coming to an end. It is not because my sweet little demons, I mean angels, are going not going to home all say, arguing from the moment they wake up until the second they finally fall asleep… 3 hours after their normal bed time. It be trying to get them ready for back to school. There school supply list is 3 miles long, and of course my daughter has grown 2 sizes since last school year, so I can not even use those clothes. What is a mom to do?

Find a way to save money on back to school clothes of course.

Don’t Go Overboard: Ok, so I am bad at this one. My fiance is laughing his head off while he is reading over my shoulder. I am awful at thinking the kids need tons of things. The truth is, they don’t. Find a few pieces that can do double duty. A great top, like a graphic tee that works well with a pair of jeans or can be dressed up by adding a skirt and maybe a sweater over top?

Get good quality clothes: Sometimes we go for cheap. We all do it. We buy the kids the cutest top. It is awesome and it is cheap. But they wear it that first day, and even when they were not rough, the shirt comes home with a hole in it. It isn’t the kid’s fault. It is the way the shirt is made. Cheap clothes are not meant to last and no matter how much you saved on it, it is going to waste your money. Pay a few extra dollars, which won’t matter because remember #1, we aren’t buying that much, and get something that will last the school year. It is better money sense. And if you do it right, it won’t cost you much anyway. Things like sweaters and cardigans are great choices and help tees pull double duty, like in #1.

Shop the sales: When you get good quality clothes for a great price, you know that the clothes are going to last and not make a major dent in your wallet. Look for deals like what is going on at Aeropostale right now. Starting at 6pm tonight until 8/22, there is 30% off everything store wide at Aeropostale using code BTS30. That is HUGE! With all the great sales to begin with, using a discount code like this will save you huge amounts of money.

Back to School fashions don’t have to break the bank. Just think smart about it and save money. Here is an even better way to save money on back to school fashions. Don’t pay for them out of pocket. Enter to win one of 10 $500 Aeropostale gift card.
Giveaway Details:

The post How to Save on Back to School Fashion appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

There are always great deals on leasing cars. A lot of people don’t really get the difference in leasing a car and buying a car. Leasing the car is kind of like a really long term rental car. The person who is leasing the car pays the bank the money each month to use the car. The bank is the one who actually owns the car. The agreement is usually for 2 or 3 years. While you have the car, you are allowed to drive so many miles each year. Most of the time is 12,000 to 15,000. If these limits are too low, you can raise them, but that increased mileage gets built into the monthly payments of the car. Because the more you drive and use the car, the more the car deprecates, the lease agreement price is to pay for the car depreciation. The leaser is also responsible for the taxes and fees of the car.

With the lease, like rental car, you are expected to return the car in good condition. Regular wear and tear is expected but anything above that is charged to you, along with any additional miles that are over the agreement.

There are a lot of reasons why people would want to lease a car rather than buy one.

It costs less: Cars are expensive, but leasing is a less expensive way to have a new car. It costs less money down and the monthly payments are usually cheaper.

There is a low cost of maintenance: Because most leases end before the major repairs are needed and any major repairs that would come up are often covered by the warranty, so most of the time, there is no large repair costs to the leaser.

New Car Every Few Years: If having a new car is important to you, or you like the reliability that a new car can offer, leasing is a great option. People turn in their leases faster than the typical turnover for purchasing a car. So assuming there is no mileage overage or damage, people can turn the car in and leave with a new leased car.

No being “upside-down” on the loan: Here is the situation: Right now, my car is worth 8 grand. My loan is at 13 grand. I don’t want my current car anymore because it doesn’t fit my needs and constantly needs repair. I can’t easily trade in my car and get a new one because I am “up-side down” on my loan. It basically means I owe more than it is worth. Leasing a car keeps that from happening.

Leasing a car has its benefits. Look at the benefits vs the fact of not actually owning the car and having to watch mileage and wear and tear. Leasing a car might be a better option than buying a car.

The post Leasing a Car appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This is a sponsored post from Eastbay. This post contains affiliate links. All thoughts are my own.

Staying active can be hard. Especially when you are already so busy. Many people fall into the trap. I am one of them. I sit most of the day because of my job. I do try to stand and walk here and there but time is limited. I try to find fun ways to get in a little extra movement and activity.

1. Play with the kids: It seems like common sense, but get up and play with them. Go outside and chase a ball around. Play frisbee. Take them to the Playground and play on the equipment. There are a lot of You Tube tutorials of things you can do in order to get fit while on the playground.
2. Use video games: I know that sounds almost counter productive. Playing video games causes most people to sit. But with the wide variety of games out now that need movement in order to make the characters go, this can be a lot of fun. There are also work out video games, where you are getting a workout like at the gym, but you are at home. This is a fun way to get a workout in without the hassle of leaving the house.
3. Take a few extra steps: OK, so it might not be enough to call a workout, but take those steps. Instead of sending an email or calling a colleague in the same office, walk over and tell them in person. Walk over to the trash can and throw out one thing, instead of waiting until there are a few. Take the steps. Park your car at the far end of the parking lot, instead of looking for the closest space.
4. Get dressed. Sometimes getting dressed in your workout gear, even when you don’t really want to, helps. It gets you motivated. Sometimes just putting on my sneakers makes me walk more, even if I don’t go anywhere. If I actually get into my workout shoes, I am ready to get out the door. These walking sneakers will get you motivated to get up and go. There is something about wearing the right shoes that helps. Get them easier right now. Save 15% off all orders over $75 at Eastbay, using code LKS16949. Hurry because it expires 9/30/16. Since the clothes can make a difference, make sure to get decked out right. Don’t think your workout gear has to be baggy sweats. Check out these great Under Armour workout pants.Just a few simple tricks and you are moving more. Once you get used to moving more, use that motivation to keep moving and add more and more into your routine.

The post Simple Ways to Stay Active appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

We all want our kids to look cute…but at what cost?  Children’s clothing can be expensive, particularly when they only wear them for a short period of time before they’re into the next size.  So how can you save money on the clothes your kids need?

There are many different ways to save money, from getting hand-me-downs from friends and family to shopping thrift and consignment stores.  If you’re in the market for kids’ clothes, use these four tips to maximize your budget — and save big money on clothes for your children.

Take Advantage of Technology

Today, there are countless websites, apps, and other tools that let you buy and sell used baby clothing.  Using these sites can help you save quite a bit of money, even on higher end kids’ clothes.

On Facebook, look for local groups that buy, sell and trade kids’ clothes.  You’ll often be able to snap up great deals on clothes, outwear and even shoes, with the added bonus of being able to avoid shipping by picking up the items yourself.  There are groups that target specific types of clothes, such as inexpensive basics, trendy clothes and designer clothes.  Join the groups that have what interest you most, and look for great deals on the pieces you need for your little ones.

Beyond social media, there are great apps and websites that not only let you buy second-hand clothes, but sell them as well.  Kidizen, ThredUp, and Totspot are three examples of apps that allow you to shop for used kids’ clothes in good condition, and sell your own as well.  You can filter out the results for your children’s sizes, preferred brands and more, making it an easy shopping experience. Just be sure to watch shipping charges so that your deals aren’t eaten up by shipping, handling, and other fees. If you’re selling clothes on these sites, you can use your earnings to buy the next size up for your kids — which may result in your never having to make space in your budget for kids’ clothes.

Shop Offseason

One of the best ways to get great deals on things that your kids need is to shop for what you need for the coming year at the end of the current season.  It takes a bit of planning and forethought, but it can be a really good way to save significant money on things that your kids will need.

For example, in August, many retailers start offloading their summer clothes, including shorts, tees, swimsuits and more.  Jump on those sales to prepare for next year’s summer wardrobe needs.  In March or April, search for winter clothes to prepare for cold weather ahead.  You may end up with some clothes and gear that don’t quite fit, but the good news is that these items can be sold via a website or even at a local consignment store.

Think Simple

Kids are fickle creatures, and they are easily influenced by the latest hot cartoon, toy, or movie.  Avoid buying into crazes to save money on clothes, and stick with classic clothes to save money on their clothes.

Every time a new Disney or other big kids’ movie is released, themed merchandise can be found in stores all over the country.  While it’s tempting to buy your kid a shirt or pajamas with their favorite character on them, remember that their tastes change.  You rarely get a deal on a hot character item, meaning that you’ll be paying top dollar for something that they may stop liking before they’ve grown out of it.

Instead, focus on simple, classic clothes.  Plain shirts and pants can be jazzed up with smaller character items that aren’t as costly, like hair bows, buttons or even shoelaces. These items will last you through seasons and your child’s changing preferences, and will always look great.   Or buy one piece (ideally on sale!), and make your child happy while staying on budget.

Size Up

No, you don’t want your child walking around with sleeves that hang inches below their hands, or with pant hems that they trip on…but buying slightly above their current size can help you get more use out of their clothes.

It’s no secret that kids grow quickly — and often outgrow their clothes before they’ve gotten more than a few wears out of them.  So shop smart and buy clothes that give your kids room to grow.  You’ll end up getting much more use out of these clothes, reducing the cost per wear significantly.

The post Four Ways to Save On Children’s Clothes appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This is a sponsored post about helping you save money on Christmas shopping. All thoughts are my own.

I can not believe that it will be Christmas in 36 days! how is time going so fast. I really need it to slow down. I am not ready. I can barely wrap my head around Thanksgiving next week. Trying to get together money for Christmas is just too much to think about right now.

So, here are my ways of saving whatever I can on Christmas.

Shop the sales: I know this is a no brainer but sometimes when we are fussing and struggling to get things done, we forget the obvious. Look in the mail circulars, check out deal websites and look on deal blogs for great ideas.

Amazon: Whenever I am looking for anything, the first place I look in Amazon. While there might be a sale somewhere, sometime, that I can get it cheaper, my best bet is always Amazon.

Think outside the box: Just because you normally give someone a certain type of gift, why not try something different this year. Maybe there is something that they would also enjoy. Maybe a gift card to a restaurant that they wouldn’t normally pay for themselves. Maybe a nice day at the spa. These are great gifts that people enjoy because it is a treat that they would normally not buy for themselves. There are a lot of ways to save money on giftcards, so no one has to know what you really spent. If even the gift card seems out of reach, why not make them something. Pinterest has a lot of gift ideas. Even here on The Spring Mount 6 Pack, we have a lot of ideas for things to make under the craft section. Buying supplies is a less expensive way to give a gift.

Give food: I don’t mean give them a bag of groceries, although that works too. I mean make them their favorite dessert. Make them the desserts in a jar, the ones where it is like using a box mix except it is made by you.

Think Stacking: Ok, so what does that mean? Let me explain. There are a lot of ways, usually short term sales, that if you take advantage of them quickly, you can save more. Here is a great example of one that is going on right now, but like I said, it is short term. Starting on November 18th and ending on 12/1 a thrifty shopper who is thinking ahead can save even more.

So you go into Acme between 11/18-12/1 and buy $100 or more in certain gift cards and earn a $15 off your next shopping order (with $25 min. Purchase at time of redemption?

So here is how this helps you: Look at the gift cards that are included in the deal: Lowes, Best Buy, iTunes, Starbucks, Xbox, Amex and Toys R Us.

With the Lowes, iTunes, Starbucks and Xbox gift cards, remember I mention buying gift cards as a gift. Boom, there you go.

With the Amex and Toys R Us: the Toys R Us card can be bought and given as a gift itself, or use to towards buying gifts. The Amex card is the same way. It gives you even more room to buy gifts online or at most stores.

Then you get $15 off your next purchase at Acme and you can use that money towards another gift. It is savings Win/Win all around. Get more information here.

Here is a bonus to help you with you holiday shopping. Enter to win a $75 gift card to Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Save Money on your Holiday List appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

Whether you pay your premium monthly or by 6 months at a time, the insurance always comes due. I hate paying that bill. All the things I could do with that money. But in most states, it is the law to carry car insurance. Also, it protects you in case you are in a car accident. While you may have to pay car insurance, there are simple ways to get the payments down. Think about the insurance when purchasing a new car from Three Rivers Chrysler Jeep Dodge

1. Shop Around: Whether you are looking for new service or just want to see what else is available, you should shop around. Before purchasing or before renewing, always check to see what other companies have to offer. Each company charges a little different, and sometimes it can be a great deal.

2. Additional Discounts: Do you have other insurance policies, like home owners, renters or life insurance. If you use the same carrier, oftentimes, you can get discounts. Also, there are discounts for things like taking a driving course, student discount and using a plug in type driving tester.

Food Advertising by

3. Consider having a higher deductible: When purchasing your collision and comprehensive coverage, consider how much of a deductible you want to have.  A higher deductible means that your premium is lower. Sometimes, it can lower your premium by up to 30% simply by changing the deductible from $250 to $500. The difference can add up quite a bit.

4. Do not carry collision and comprehensive coverage:It is not always worth carrying collision and comprehensive coverage. If you have an older vehicle, it might cost you more to carry the coverage than it will pay you in the end.

5. Buy a Car That Cost Less to Insure: Some cars cost more to insure. There are many reasons that cause it, but if you are looking to reduce your insurance cost, look for cars that are safe and cost less to insure.

The post Save on Car Insurance appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

2017 is going to be a big year for us. And we have big plans. We just signed on a house. I am so excited and I love everything about the house. Except the fact that, well, it needs a total reno. We have to totally gut it and rebuild it before we can live in it. That means I need to pay my current rent, the loan on the house, and pay for renovations. That means we need a very strict budget. We also need to save every single cent we can.

How to create a budget for 2017:

Categorize your expenses: Start to list the biggest categories before listing the smaller expenses.

Make 2 budget sheets: Make one list for essential spending, things like your mortgage or rent, car payment, insurance, electric. Make another list for extras. Things like ordering out, getting new furniture and repainting the living room.

Once your lists are complete, see where you can cut some of the expense. Any item that is flexible, that you can decrease, put a star next to it.

Food Advertising by

Figure out how much you spend: go through your bank records, credit cards, and receipts. Don’t leave anything out. Add the expenses into 2 lists, just like with the list of spending. Figure out which ones are mandatory, like gas and food, and which ones you can decrease, like Starbucks coffee or ordering pizza.

Once you see what you are spending, compare it to what you are bringing in. Once you have your totals, see how they compare. Do you have money extra each month? Great put it into a savings account. If you don’t see how you can either decrease your spending or bring in more money.

Another way to help your budget is to find discounts on the things that you have to buy. I use Dealspotr.com because I can find discounts and coupons for just about everything I could need. Both in store and online. Since I do most of my shopping online, this is perfect for me.

All you have to do is sign up, and then start finding deals. but also, as you come across other deals, add them to the database. By doing that, you earn points, and then you can earn Amazon gift cards. As you use deals on the site, earn more points by validating the deals so others know they work or do not work. It is really that simple. Earn more points by referring friends to help them save money too.

The coupons even work at grocery stores too!

Creating a budget is the easy part. Sticking to it is much harder. So once you make your budget, try to use sites like Dealspotr when ever you have to buy something.

………………………

The post New Year New Budget appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This is a sponsored post from Tatu Digital Media.

I am not a fan of credit cards in most circumstances. I feel like that are a slippery slope for most people. No one starts off using a credit card thinking I am going to screw up my credit, but it happens often. People start wanting to buy things that they don’t actually have the money for and before long, they have ran the credit cards up to a limit that they can hardly afford. When you only pay the monthly minimum on a credit card, it doesn’t take long before you are in over your head and your credit starts to suffer.

If you a person who knows how to manage credit and can resist the urge to buy using a credit card, basically living in your means, then credit cards are a great way to make your money go farther. Credit cards that offer rewards can make it easier to get tickets to your kids’ favorite shows, go on free or almost free vacations, or even have free hotel stays for a fun date night. Some credit cards give cash back when you buy from certain stores or certain items, like food or gas. These are the kind of credit cards that are good to have, IF you can manage your credit correctly.

Shopping at the grocery store is something you would have money for anyway. So, after you know your regular grocery shopping limit, go grocery shopping. Most of the major reward cards give cash back or rewards for this kind of shopping. So that is exactly what you want. Take the money you would have spent at the grocery store, and put it in an envelope or special bank account. Save that for when the bill comes due. If you do this for everything that you spend on the credit card, you will always have the money to pay the bill off each month. Many credit cards offer 0% interest if the total bill is paid in the same billing cycle, not just the minimum.

Here is a way that you can maximize your rewards. Giant, Stop & Shop or Martins, the Ahold brand stores, are offering 2x’s the gas points when you purchase a Visa gift card from now until 3/9/17. That means if you use a reward credit card to make this purchase at the grocery store, you will earn 2 times the gas points, plus earn the reward points from the grocery store.

Trying to figure out if it is worth it or not? If the store you earn your gas points at lets you fill up to 20 gallons, take what your gas points are and multiply that by 20 gallons. So let’s say you shop the gas sales (buy 5 items from this section and earn .50 cents off gas, 4 items from this section and earn .40 cents off gas) and you earn .90 cents off of gas, which is very easy to do. Take that .90 cents and multiply it by 20 gallons. That means you are saving $18 in gas. But let’s say you buy the Visa Card and get double the gas points. Now you are earning $1.80 off gas and that means you are saving $39, plus still getting rewards on your credit card. That is a huge savings. Take the Visa Gift Card and save it to pay the credit card bill, or save it for when you redeem your credit card points and have spending money on a mini vacation.

Now is your chance, the deal ends 3/9.

As an added bonus, enter here to win
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post A Smart Way to use Credit Cards appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

There are millions of food blogs on the internet, and the odds that you check them out when looking for delicious cupcake and barbeque recipes are pretty good.  Besides the fact that you want to make these dishes in your own kitchen, the pictures on the blogs are what likely grabbed your attention in the first place, especially if you were already hungry! Just like any other photography niche, there are a number of tips you can follow in order to make your food photos really stand out against the competition. In this article, we are going to go over a few of those tips.

Use Natural Light Whenever Possible

Lighting is incredibly important if you want to take a good photograph, regardless of the subject. With food, the background and the lighting are going to determine whether the photo is good and attractive or a dark, unviewable mess. Use natural lighting whenever you can by taking a photo near a window, and also make sure any unnatural light sources are turned off before you snap your shot. Natural light will bring out the best colors and will make all of the photo elements appear as natural as possible.

Add Depth Using Natural Shadows

A side effect of using natural light is the shadows that are cast because of it. These shadows can make or break your image, so it is important to make sure you harness the power of the shadow to improve your image. Shadows can add depth and create a sense of time as well, all adding to the overall impact of your image. If they don’t seem to be working in your current location, don’t be afraid to move and try taking your photo from a different angle.

Use Design Elements to Feature Photos

Taking a photo is one thing, but it is how you present that image, or images, to the readers of your website that is the most important thing. Even though you just took 4-5 of the best photos of your life, presenting them as single images on your social media feeds might not do them justice. Instead, why not take the photos and create a collage with them? This way you can draw attention to each of them all at the same time, while also adding a sense of style. If you share photos of your work on websites like Instagram and Pinterest, you’ll find that the collage style photo is especially popular.  You can then include the individual images on your blog.

Being able to make food from scratch is a great talent and one that should be shared with the rest of the world. Starting a food blog is a great idea and if you have a recipe to share with others, adding beautiful photos of your food is a great way to present that recipe to your readers.  Take these tips into consideration the next time you are thinking about taking photos of your food, and you’re sure to see results.

The post Tips for Taking Photos of the Food You Make appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post contains affiliate links.

Years and years ago, when I was pregnant with Willow, I started seeing blogs online. People were starting to get things to review and some people were making money. So I decided that maybe this was something that I wanted to do. I decided to start a blog in order to do reviews. Soon after I started, I was making money and soon after that, this became my career. I never had another income to fall back on so it was a make it or break it kind of situation for me. While it does take a lot of work, this has been a life changing opportunity for me. I support myself, Don and all the kids solely on what I make from blogging and doing freelance work for others.

So how can you start a blog and make money too? Getting started isn’t hard.

Decide what you want to write about: Pick a niche. Will you be a parenting site? Will you be a food blogger or a travel blogger? What are you passionate about? Whatever it is, that is what you are going to want to focus on. Don’t worry about what you think you should be writing about. Do what you have a passion for otherwise you won’t have the desire to keep going.

Think of the name: You want something catchy. You also want it to have something to do with what you are writing about. Once you pick a name, you will need to buy the domain and get web hosting. BlueHost makes it simple for you to get started. When you start buy your domain, it will tell you if it is available or not. BlueHost will walk you through buying your domain and hosting.

Choose your platform: I recommend WordPress. It is really the only platform that the search engines look at. It is also what sponsors will take most seriously. You will want wordpress.com not wordpress.org. By using wordpress.com, you will have control over everything with your blog. You can design it exactly the way you want. Get your hosting from BlueHost when you are buying the domain.

Pick your hosting plan: Once you start looking at plans, you are going to wonder which you should get. While basic will get you started, for only $2 more, the other plans give you more for your money and you will be able to grow your blog faster.

Get WordPress installed: Once you have picked your plan, for less than $6 a month, you will go to your CPanel (from a link that Bluehost will give you) and you will tell it to install wordpress. It is literally clicking a button.

Design: Now this is the fun part. You get to design your site. WordPress offers many free themes, or you can invest in Genesis, which I highly recommend at some point. It makes designing your site even easier. It helps you get more freedom in design, you can add other themes on top of it and search engines love all of the Genesis themes.

Get started: Start by creating your About Me page and if you know what categories you want to write about. Once you have that, now, get writing. Create your first post.

Tips and tricks:

Search engines love long content. Aim to write no less than 300 words, but 600+ is even better. But don’t add words for the sake of adding words. People will get bored and leave.

Add pictures. It isn’t just kids who like pictures. Pictures help keep your reader flowing through the content.

Also, break up the paragraphs. That way things do not run together.

And ALWAYS use proper punctuation and grammar. Use spell check before you hit publish.

Want more information on blogging? Here are some great blogging books from Amazon. Many of these books are free on Kindle Unlimited. There is a 30 day free trial and after that it is only $9.99 a month. Sign up now, read the books and go from there.

How to make money blogging

The post How to Start a Blog and Work from Home appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

Instagram has risen to greater heights in the past years, even surpassing its rival Snapchat and Pinterest. The widely used photo sharing social media platform has captured the interest of many that it reached 700 million active users in the first quarter of 2017. With this number, it is not surprising that businesses—big and small, dive in and use the platform to connect to their customers. In fact, many businesses found success using Instagram and many are following suit. Yet, like any other social networks, there is a need for a good strategy to rake in attention for your brand on Instagram. Smart branding, consistency, and a good taste for shareable photo content are just some of them.

For travel pages and travel business, Instagram offers a unique opportunity as visual content makes up most of the increased interest in travel and leisure. However, many travel pages still fail at maximizing this opportunity because they lack the right branding strategy. Here are some of proven effective brandings strategies that successful travel pages use in their Instagram posts.

1.    Location, Location, Location

Travel is all about locations—an obvious fact that many often overlook. When posting on Instagram make sure to highlight the location of your pics. Use the location feature all the time to inspire interest among target audiences. As well, the variety in locations also makes a travel brand attractive as it sends a strong message of promising service. Social Media today reported that 48% of users rely on Instagram to find travel destinations and this is something you need to take advantage of.

2.    Using Hi-Res Photos and Watermarks

An Instagram feed can be overwhelming to a user’s eye with lots of creative photo content streaming. And in this kind of situation, attention is the name of the game. To get that much-needed attention, you have to have photos that call for it. High-resolution photos easily grab attention as it easily stands out. In addition, use watermarks of either your brand logo or brand name in strategic areas of the photo, some even use their social media or website URL. This is to ensure that wherever your photo goes, it has your brand name on it.

3.    Decide and Go for a Theme

Photos of places, skyscrapers, tourist spots and many others are all around Instagram and standing out can be quite challenging. This is why many successful Instagram travel pages opt for a certain theme that creates a unique personality for their pages. Determine your target niche and start from there. If your travel page is all about luxury, make sure it is portrayed in your posts. It can be themes of natural wonders, skyscrapers, daily lives, or whatever. The important thing is to stick to it and use your creativity around it. Curate content that speaks about the kind of travel experience that you offer—the one that appeals to your target market.

Instagram is a very helpful platform for those who know how to use it. Failure to use these strategies and others like it can only mean wasting of time and money. So be smart.

The post 3 Effective Ways to Brand Your Travel Page on Instagram appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post contains affiliate links.

So you have decided to start a blog. Great. You have started writing and you have some great content on your site. You have people reading it. But now you want to know how to make money blogging. There are a few ways that bloggers make money. A few ways are

• Ads
• Affiliate Marketing
• Sponsored Posts

I use a combination of these in order to make money blogging. In this post, I am focusing on making money with sponsored posts using networks. Networks act as a middle man to connect bloggers with brands. While the networks do want you to have readers and page views, you don’t have to have the highest numbers. These are some great sites to join in order to get sponsored posts.

Linqia: This network accepts bloggers even with very low numbers. You are paid according to your reach and you will earn more each campaign as long as you meet the goals from the last campaign.

Izea: Izea has changed over the years but it is still a great network, especially when you are starting off. You bid on the jobs that are offered and if they choose you, then you get paid the amount you bid. Sometimes you receive offers directly.

Blog Meets Brand: Blog Meets Brand tends to pay more for their campaigns. Like Linqia, you sign up and wait for them to notify you that they have something that fits your site.

PayU2Blog: I have never used this site but I know others who have. It is a great site when you are just beginning. The pay is lower than many professional bloggers accept, but it is great for when you are just starting out.

Massive Sway: Massive Sway does require a bit more page views but it is great once you get started. Once you are accepted, you can log in and apply for their jobs. The opps already have a set price and you pitch yourself as to why you will be a good fit.

The post How to Make Money Blogging with Networks appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post contains affiliate links.

********* For a limited time offer Get the Work at Home Bundle for $47. That includes this course***********

Ok, so I have written a few times about ways to make money as a blogger, but what if blogging isn’t something that you are interested in. Maybe you don’t want to have to pump out content everyday and you just want to make money online. That’s ok, because there are other ways to make money online that has to do with blogging but isn’t exactly blogging. You can become a virtual assistant for bloggers.

As a VA (virtual assistant) to bloggers you will be doing a lot of the back end things that bloggers pay others to do when they are too busy. Some of these responsibilities are

• Write or edit blog content. Sometimes you get hired to write this content and other times you can write the content and post it online to be bought by bloggers
• Manage social media accounts. Some clients hire people to completely manage their accounts and other times you could be hired to schedule things for the blogger.
• Write listing descriptions
• Create marketing graphics such as Pinterest images or for Facebook
• Read and respond to emails
• Promote products or services
• Do promotion for bloggers
• Create round up posts for bloggers
• Make printable for others
• Design graphics

So you love the computer and you want to work from home, and becoming a VA makes sense to you. Great. But you say you have no idea how to even begin. Even if you are starting from the beginning and you know nothing about being a Virtual Assistance, you can still become a virtual assistance.

You can either decide to learn as you go or you can invest in your future and take the Rockin’ VA Course.

Now I want to tell you before you get excited about the price. It seems like a lot. The course is $247. But if you purchase the course, and commit to working the course, you WILL MAKE MONEY! Not only will you make money, you can make $100 in your first day. That is even one of the chapters.

The course covers a large range of projects. While it does cover working with small businesses, it mostly focuses on building a client base around bloggers and website owners. While you don’t have to know anything about blogging and how to be a virtual assistant to a blogger, to succeed in this course you should have

• Basic understanding of social media
• Strong communication skills
• Self-motivated and pro-active in finding solutions independently
• Ability to research topics

The course also has a Facebook group that goes hand and hand that offers even more support and helps you further your ability to get clients.

If you are looking for a way to work from home and want to be a virtual assistant, I recommend the Rockin’ VA Course.

The post Become a Virtual Assistant and Make Money from Home appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post contains affiliate links.

Money is tight for everyone. For many people, there is only so much money they can make at work. That means that people have to find another way to make money on the side. Sometimes that means you have to think outside of the box.

You can always purchase this Work at Home Bundle. It features resources for working from home. I have personally taken one of the courses offered in this bundle, and I paid $259 for it. Get the whole bundle, the Rockin VA Course as well as all of the others, for only $47.

Are you looking for a creative way to earn some extra money? Luckily, there are a number of things you can do. There are a lot of ways to make money that can fit in your free time and does not require getting an actual 2nd job. Here are four creative ways to earn money:

1. Start a blog. If you love writing, why not become a blogger? You can write about beauty products, review local restaurants, or even write about being a pet owner. Write about anything that you have a passion for. Read here on how to start a blog. Use Google AdSense and affiliate marketing to earn some extra money over time. Here are some networks that even new bloggers can join to make money blogging.

2. Write a book. Have you always dreamed of writing the American novel? Self-publishing programs, such as Kindle Direct Publishing, make it easy for anyone to publish their book. Whether you write a romantic suspense or a recipe book, you can publish it and watch your sales roll in.

3. Sell your homemade jewelry. If you have a knack for making jewelry – or anything else, for that matter – why not sell it? You can sell it online through Etsy or at local flea markets.

4. Sell your graphic designs. If you’re skilled at creating graphics, you can sell advertisements, logos, book cover designs, and more. You can start your own website or sell your designs through Fiverr.

These are just four creative ways to earn money. Whether you decide to start your own baking business or become a florist, the key is to put your creative talents to good use!

The post 4 Creative Ways to Earn Money appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

This post contains affiliate links.

College fund savings can be difficult for many families to build. It’s not easy saving up for college, as you may already know. However, when you have a plan you definitely increase your chances of getting to your goal. It can take tens of thousands of dollars to get one child through college and if they want to extend their education past that, this number will only rise.

So what you can do to build a college fund savings?

Here are some tips:

1. Start saving early. It’s never too soon to start saving for college. Seriously, if you begin when your child is born, you have 18 years to save and sometimes, that’s not even enough. Even if you don’t have a lot to start with, go ahead and start saving. It will also get you into the habit of doing it so that you continue to do it regularly, even when you have more to put in.
2. Save your money in the most efficient way. While stats have shown us that more parents are saving for their kids’ college than ever before, most are not saving in the best ways. This means they could be getting a lot more for their money and efforts. Stats show that more than 40% of college fund savings are in low-interest or no-interest accounts like savings and checking accounts. A 529 college savings plan is a much better way of meeting your savings goals.
3. Always apply for financial aid. 60% of undergraduate students get some type of financial aid and this can reduce the amount you owe by 20-40% in some cases, making the amount you need to save up for less.
4. Avoid drawing from retirement funds. If possible, don’t dip into retirement funds to pay for college. If you have to, do so sparingly. Withdrawals will count as income on the next year’s application so taking too much can hurt your chances at financial aid the following year. It also depletes the retirement fund, which is never a good option for parents.

With these four smart tips for college fund savings, you can do it right. Even if you can’t pay for all of your child’s college, every little bit helps take the burden off.

Here are some books from Amazon that focus on saving for college.

The post 4 Smart Tips for College Fund Savings appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

I work from home. So basically all the work I do is online. It is how I support my family. I have learned a lot of places to make money online over the years. I have also been scammed out of money over the years. These ways to make money online are real and many of them I use myself or have used in the past.

Freelance writing: If you are able research a subject and write about it using correct grammar, there are a lot of places online that will pay you for your writing skills. There are a lot of opportunities to write blog posts, articles, social media updates, to more formal types of topics. Some people are able to write enough each week that it becomes their full time jobs.

Selling items: There are a lot of places online that offer marketplaces. Amazon, Ebay and Etsy are just a few. Using these online market places, you can sell used items that you have gotten from yard sales or your own house, create and sell beautiful crafts, or sign up with companies that provide the items and you just market them for sale to get the profit. These market places make it easy to sell online and earn a full time income or just a little extra to help ease your budget. The amount you can make depends on the amount of time you want to invest.

Affiliate programs and programs that pay you for referrals. Do your friends and family and followers on social media know you as the go to person for recommendations? Affiliate marketing is earning money when people you refer to a website buys the products or service. You earn a commission from the things that they buy or sign up for.  Some sites, the amount are small others offer higher percentages. There are also sites that pay you Ebates and Ibotta that pay you for using their service and referring others to it to.

Become a Virtual Assistant: A virtual assistant is someone who helps another person as an assistant but they work from home. It is a great way to make extra money and bloggers everywhere are looking for assistants. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to start. Rockin’ VAs teaches you exactly how to become a virtual assistance. While the course seems pricey, there is a section on how to earn $100 in a day. I tried the course, and I thoroughly recommend it. The ideas, and tips that these ladies teach are exactly what bloggers are looking for. Not only do you learn what you need to know, the course also connects you with people who are looking to hire and buy.

Or look into the Work at Home Bundle. This bundle contains the Rocking VA Course and so much more that you can use to learn to work from home on many different types of things. This course has so much packed into it. It is worth the $57 and then some.

Blogging: I always save blogging for last. Yes, you can make a money from blogging, I don’t want to lead anyone into the wrong idea. Blogging is hard work and it takes time. I earn all my income from blogging and being a VA, but it took a long time. And a lot of hours. Like any business, it takes time to get to the point where you can “quit your day job”. It is possible if you are willing to work for it. If this is something you are interested it, start by joining Blue Host to get started. You will need your domain name and web hosting service. Blue Host can help and it is inexpensive to get started.

The post Ways to make money online appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

Reducing waste is a great way to save money on your groceries but many people don’t put the thought into it at all. You could be throwing a lot of your money away in food waste. Are you searching for a way to save money on the foods you buy? There’s no denying that it’s a huge part of your monthly budget. The best way to save money on food cost is to reduce food waste. Not only will it save you money but it’s the right thing to do. It’s sad to see so much food thrown in the garbage when so many people around the world are starving, many of which may be living right in your own community.

Here are four ways to reduce waste and save money on food:

1. Plan your meals and create a grocery list. By planning your meals and writing a shopping list, you can cut back on how much you waste in a couple of ways. It helps reduce impulse buying and it prevents you from overstocking foods you already have plenty of.
2. Avoid cooking more food than you need at meals and save the leftovers. Instead of cooking big meals that you can’t finish, reduce the amount of food you cook for each meal. When you do have leftovers don’t throw them away. Save them to go with or to be the main course later in the week. Frittatas are great for using up leftover food. Try this Easy Skillet Frittata Recipe
3. Organize your fridge and food pantry. When you keep everything organized and rotate foods, you can see exactly what you have and you can keep up with the expiration dates easier.
4. Track your waste. It’s easy to throw away a lot more food than you realize, especially when you don’t see what other members of your family are throwing in the trash. By keeping track of your food waste, you’ll see exactly how much food and money you’re throwing in the garbage. It also makes it easier to implement plans to cut back on waste.

For those times when you accidentally buy more food than you can eat before it spoils, consider donating it to a local food bank. This way, instead of wasting it, you’re sharing the food with others who need it.

The post Saving Money on Food: 4 Ways to Reduce Waste appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.

When you want to get approved for a loan so that you can buy a home, you need to make contact with banks and learn who will say yes and who is going to offer the best repayment terms. In exchange for mortgage approval, you have to be willing to provide a very detailed financial history. Bank account statements for the previous three to six months will need to be printed and copied. Tax records going back anywhere from two to three years will also have to be submitted. Lastly, mortgage companies that you contact will want to know how much you get paid and how often you receive a paycheck.

An FHA mortgage calculator can be used to reveal what you can safely afford to buy, which could help to get your loan processed and approved with less intrusion into your financial history. In some ways, it can be much easier to get approved for an FHA mortgage than a traditional loan, but you need to know what factors banks are going to be considering more closely and figure out if you can meet all requirements first.

What Is The First Step In Mortgage Approval?

You either need to be pre-approved for a mortgage or take the time to fill out a mortgage application in order to get started. Mortgage pre-approvals can help to accelerate the mortgage approval process, but they don’t guarantee that you can buy a home at all. What mortgage pre-approvals really say is that a particular lender is interested in doing business with you based on what they gleaned via your most recently updated credit report. If a derogatory line has been added to your credit report, a credit card has been maxed out, or you recently changed or lost employment, your pre-approved mortgage status could be obsolete.

When Do Mortgage Companies Ask for More Supporting Information?

Initially, you should be asked for all required information in order to get approved for a mortgage when your application is submitted. Lenders don’t typically ask for excessive amounts of information, but they do ultimately want to be able to render a yes or no decision both fairly and swiftly. If you claim to make a certain amount of money, but only provide proof of a portion of it, mortgage lenders will likely ask for more support to prove your total income. If you are a business owner and your tax records only go back two years, more tax returns could be requested so that the mortgage company can better judge whether your company is stable. Lastly, mortgage applicants who have changed employment, job titles or even locations might need to prove that they have a dependable source of income. Sometimes a letter from your employer detailing your promotions or job relocations will suffice and other times a verbal explanation can be useful.

What Kind of Red Flags Make It Hard for Mortgage Applicants to Get Approved?

You won’t automatically be disqualified for mortgage approval if your application contains one or multiple red flags, but it will be a bigger challenge. For instance, mortgage applicants who have a lot of debts are thought to be harder to qualify. Since most people are careful to review their credit reports and make all necessary improvements before they look for mortgages, submitting an application when you either already know that you are debt or have overlooked this fact can hurt your chances.

Next, new business owners almost always have trouble when they want to get approved for a mortgage. You might be looking to buy residential property or want a mortgage to buy your business headquarters, but either way you are asking a mortgage lender to trust you when you don’t have a lot of financial information that can be analyzed. Banks may traditionally ask new business owners to wait until two tax returns become available or require them to put a lot of money down in order to get a mortgage application approved.

Do FHA Insured Mortgage Have Restrictions?

If you go through the application process for mortgage approval and you get a favorable response, know that FHA loans do have restrictions that you should be privy of. FHA loans are predominantly for personal residences but there are sometimes that commercial loans can also be qualified. Additionally, you cannot get an FHA loan if you are looking only to purchase investment properties. In other words, you need to be looking at buying a property that you will either live in or work in if you expect to get your mortgage application approved. Many times, FHA loan approvals are easier for applicants because they are told what they need to do and what information to have on hand to get their applications approved, but not all applicants will have the same needs.

How to Find Out Which Kind of Mortgage Is Best for You Individually

You can apply for an FHA mortgage if you already know which homes in your area are within your price range, you have a fair credit rating, and income that can be verified going back two years. Business owners also can get better results when applying for FHA insured loans when there are commercial properties available locally that meet FHA requirements. On the other hand, you may need to start applying for mortgages that are offered by traditional banks, business lenders and real estate investors if you can’t supply the information that is needed for FHA approval. It is better to have more than one option available if you are set on getting mortgage application approval.

It isn’t necessarily easier to get an FHA mortgage application approved than any other type of application as there are set requirements. However, the good news is that FHA mortgage applications can’t be precluded because of income limitations or even bad credit histories. As long as you satisfy all outstanding debts and are able to come up with the down payment that you need to purchase a home in your price range, you can count on getting approved for an FHA insured mortgage.

The post Is It Easier to Get Approved for an FHA Mortgage? appeared first on The Spring Mount 6 Pack.