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#I have another $21 worth of coupons to use tomorrow
ruletheroost3 · 6 months
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People love to shit on people that buy frozen meals for being unhealthy or lazy but I've never been able to stack five different coupons with a sale and get $23 off $19 worth of fresh meat, fruit or veggies.
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wheresmynaya · 4 years
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Two Ghosts Ch. 23 | Brittana
Available on ff.net (x) ao3 (x) & below the cut!
“You think the girls are okay?” Quinn asks a little while later as she looks down at her phone, “They haven’t messaged us or anything.”
“Geez. Cut the cord, mom.” Santana quips mindlessly then realizes what she has said and looks to Quinn apologetically, “Shit, sorry.”
Quinn only shrugs as she says, “It’s fine.”
Santana’s not sure if she believes her or not, but she knows Quinn won’t talk about anything further if she doesn’t want. The topic of Beth hasn’t resurfaced in awhile, maybe even ever since they all reconnected, but Santana doesn’t pry. Maybe it’s off the table for a reason?
Quinn’s still busy scrolling but Santana finds the silence falling around them unsettling and looks to Brittany for help.
“Well, we haven’t had a call from the manager so that means they haven’t ripped up a bunch of pillows or had any noise complaints. That’s a good sign, right?” Brittany says as she recounts the time they all went to New York for Nationals and had the most awesome pillow fight in the history of pillow fights. They had been in deep trouble but it was so worth it!
“That’s true,” Quinn nods then begins to chuckle, “We were such little shits with Mr. Schue, we would’ve never gotten away with that if Sue was around.”
“You know what? I bet it was my speech that did it. I scared the crap out of them on the bus,” Santana says with her chin up, “They don’t dare defy me.”
Quinn sputters out a laugh, “Right, that’s exactly what it is. Well, I hope they’re at least having fun. We use to love these trips.”
“That’s true,” Santana nodded, “But I’m not sure how much more reality tv I can take tonight.”
“Should we watch a movie?” Quinn asks.
Santana ponders, “Depends, what do they got?”
“Well-“
“I think we should go explore the city!” Brittany suggests and hops off the bed, “It’s a Friday night after all. I’m sure Cincinnati has some kind of nightlife? At least, way better than Lima has to offer?”
Santana rolls the thought around then agrees, “I’m down for a drink. How about you, Q?”
“Yeah, I think we deserve some fun too!” Quinn grins and they all shuffle off to get ready.
\\
They find a lively bar within walking distance of the hotel and are drawn in by the familiar music blaring from the outdoor speakers. It’s a little crowded but Santana slips her hand into Brittany’s almost on instinct to make sure they don’t get separated as the three of them head towards the bar.
The feeling is electric and Santana can’t help but look back at Brittany when she realizes what she’s done. Brittany wears a coy smile as her eyes focus on their hands before slowing meeting Santana’s. The coy smile evolves into a cheek bunching grin and Santana can’t help but mirror it before turning back to Quinn leading the way.
Luckily, they’re able to snag enough stools for each of them to sit as they order their first round.
While they wait, Santana takes in her surroundings and notices that it’s a relatively nice place, completely unlike anything Lima has to offer. She missed places like this, they were a dime a dozen in New York but she really didn’t know how good she had it until she left.
To think that their go-to hangout on a Friday night in Lima now is the same place she and her friends use to fight over coupons for in high school is kind of sad really. Don’t get her wrong, she loves Breadstix with her whole heart. If she could, she’d totally be the spokesperson for it but it’s not exactly the place she’d choose to for a wild night out.
Not that tonight will be a wild night out. They’re young but they have responsibilities and there’s no way the three of them can turn up to Sectionals tomorrow with killer hangovers.
As Santana’s eyes roam the room, they land on a dancefloor and she knows Brittany’s bound to drag them off once they hit their second or third drink.
To Santana’s surprise, it happens a lot sooner than she thinks.
She barely has a buzz, but when the opening chords of Brittany’s favorite song began to play Santana knew what she had to do. Quinn hung back to watch their drinks while Brittany whisked Santana away to the dancefloor. They sway to the beat while Brittany’s lips move in time with the words and being able to do this again fills Santana with so much joy that she can’t help but laugh and sing along too.
It’s been so long since she’s felt this kind of happiness and she gladly soaks it all in.
“Dancing with you is the best,” Brittany cheers and her words slur a little as she pulls Santana in close. Santana doesn’t say anything, just continues moving to the beat with the biggest smile on her face.
Santana’s a little sad when the song ends and they go to rejoin Quinn at the bar. They happily sip on their drinks and only get approached by random guys wanting to buy them another a couple of times before they make their way back to the dancefloor, this time with Quinn in tow. The three of them dance without a care in the world and it’s kind of a cathartic feeling after the intense week of training they’ve had.
“Gotta pee!” Brittany tells Quinn and Santana over the loud music. They nod and go looking for the bathroom together. Brittany spots a neon sign that reads Ladies and leads the way.
There’s only one stall open so Brittany heads in while Santana and Quinn wait by the sinks and check over their make up. It’s not until Santana’s in her purse looking for her lipstick when she spots the time on her phone. It’s later than she expects but they don’t need to be at the convention center until noon tomorrow and figures they’ll be alright with one more drink.
“You look happy,” Quinn comments softly, catching Santana’s eye in the mirror.
Santana smiles and notices the sound of Brittany singing to herself in the stall. She lets out a chuckle and looks back to Quinn, “I feel happy. I haven’t felt this way in so long, Q.”
“Is it the alcohol or is it the awesome company you’re in?” Quinn smirks.
Santana just laughs and says, “Maybe a little of both.”
\\
Of course, Santana must’ve done something to piss off someone in the universe because that happiness doesn’t last very long.
After their bathroom break, the trio are headed back to the bar for one last drink when Santana spots a familiar brunette sitting atop one of the stools and a girl with dirty blonde hair sitting next to her.
Santana instantly fills with rage. Because if memory serves her right, those two little shits are nowhere near old enough to be in a place like this.  
“You have got to be shitting me,” Santana growls and Brittany’s quick to look at her, unsure of what has set Santana off so suddenly. She and Quinn scan the crowd but it doesn’t take Brittany long to find the source.
“Yikes,” Brittany grimaces while Quinn’s still searching. Brittany points over to the girls’ direction and Quinn’s jaw drops.
“They can’t be serious,” Quinn says in awe, “Is that Alex and Maddy?”
“Yup,” Brittany pops the ‘p’ and shakes her head at the sight.  
“I’m going to have to kill them now,” Santana says calmly although she’s anything but, “Quinn, start looking for a new Cheerios captain. Satan’s Spawn has finally corrupted her.”
“God, do you see anymore of them in here?” Quinn asks and starts looking around.
“Better not be,” Santana huffs, “I can understand Alex going rogue because she’s a walking headache and I’m convinced she’s out to get me despite our obvious similarities, but Maddy? She is meant to be the good one. My mind is blown. I’m going to kick their little asses all the way back to Lima.”  
Santana starts to wind up again but Brittany catches her by the wrist before she can stomp away, “Santana, wait. Just breathe for a second before switching into Snixx-mode.”
“But Britt…”
“Listen, I know you’re just being protective and I’m so attracted to you right now but-“
“Of course.” Quinn sighs.
“But getting angry first doesn’t solve anything,” Brittany says solemnly, “Just put yourself in their shoes. It’s not like we never went behind Coach’s back when we were their age.”
“I know, but they’re just kids, Britt, underage kids and people…they can be gross. I just want to make sure no one messes with them,” Santana replies and something in her makes her tone waver. Brittany notices the concern and she nods in understanding. Santana takes a settling breathe, “No one did that for us. Us three, we looked out for each other and we could handle ourselves but it shouldn’t have to be like that.”
“Santana has a point,” Quinn nods, “We got away with too much.”
“I won’t kill them,” Santana continues, “But we can’t let this slide.”
“Okay. You’re right,” Brittany relents with a soft smile and loosens her hold on Santana’s wrist, “Let’s get over there.”  
The bartender is eying one of the girls’ ID but before he makes a judgment, Santana plucks it from his fingers. She glares at him with her eyes narrowed, “It’s clearly a fake. Do these girls look 21 to you?”
“Uhh..” The bartender stammers and quickly heads down to the other end of the bar to avoid the drama.
Santana rolls her eyes and thinks yeah you better run.
“Oh shit.”
Santana doesn’t know which one of them say it, but Maddy and Alex visibly pale as Santana turns her glare onto them.
“Yeah, oh shit is right.” Santana huffs while Quinn comes to stand off to the side of Maddy and Brittany stands behind them, successfully blocking them from running.
If they even had the balls to try.
Alex is the first to paste on a too-bright smile and try to de-escalate, “Hey Coach S, that’s a great dress. You look-“
Santana raises a single finger to cut her off, “Hot. I know. I don’t need you to tell me that. What I don’t know is why the hell you two are here?”
The girls stiffen and remain silent, too shell-shocked to speak.
“One of you better get to talking, Aunty Snixx is about to make an appearance.”
“Uh we just wanted to get out,” Maddy starts nervously, “Take a break from all the Cheer preparation.”
“Yeah! We’re kind of stressed out,” Alex adds, “An all the places in the hotel are overflowing with other squads and they’re kind of annoying. Plus, the girls keep hounding Maddy about being anxious for tomorrow and bitching about their boy problems or whatever. No one would leave us alone. I just thought she needed some time away to breathe, you know? We just wanted to get away to breathe.”
Santana eases – only slightly – at the word we and remembers the moment she shared with Alex back at Frank’s. She also remembers being on the Cheerios herself and the pressures of being on a consistently winning team and how it worsened when she made co-captain. She was a leader and with that title came a lot of responsibilities and that while balancing her studies and Glee Club and a personal life?
It’s a lot so she get’s wanting to escape. Especially with someone she finds comfort in.
She feels like a hypocrite for telling them off because she and Britt use to do the exact same thing when they were younger, only difference was that they never got caught and Sue didn’t come looking for them. Thankfully, nothing bad ever happened but that’s not always the case for everyone and that’s the thought she’s so hung up on.
Sometimes being the disciplinarian is hard work.
Santana shakes her head, unsure of how to proceed, then looks down at the ID and groans, “Who even made this? It’s pathetic, it doesn’t even look like you.”
“Let me see,” Brittany asks and looks over the tops of the girls’ heads, “Oh wow. Yeah, you should totally get your money back.”
Quinn tries her hardest to keep from snickering.  
Brittany then glances to Santana and notices her silence and it’s like something clicks: Santana’s at a loss for words. Being a mentor and having to discipline kids properly is new for all of them and they often find themselves stepping in when the other wavers, this time is no different.
Usually, it has been Quinn that picks up where Santana leaves off but she remains silent this time. In fact, it’s Brittany who speaks first.
Brittany takes on a more serious tone as she focuses on the girls, “You’re both very smart and we are confident that you should know way better than this, especially since we have specifically said no leaving the hotel without supervision. Are we wrong for thinking that?”
It’s one thing when Santana goes off on the girls, but it hits differently when Brittany chastises them. Brittany has a little bit of a reputation for being the fun one which has a lot to do with her easy-going attitude. Santana is mostly about discipline but sometimes Brittany surprises everyone. She just has that tone and it makes everyone straighten up. She has used it on Santana a few times before and even she hasn’t grown immune to it yet.
Maddy and Alex look down guiltily, “No, Coach B.”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought too, but here we are. You’ve both blatantly gone against our rules and that’s not okay. We didn’t make them because we want to be lame and suck all the fun out of this weekend, they are in place to protect you.” Brittany tells them with such authority that Santana isn’t use to. She feels proud and softens even further as she listens quietly to Brittany talk.
“Listen,” Brittany starts and her tone is softer, “Competition weekends are very stressful and I get wanting to take a break. Breaks are super important but sneaking out to a bar in the middle of the night isn’t the way.”
“It’s dangerous,” Quinn adds and the other coaches nod to agree, “We’re responsible for you girls during these trips and we can’t risk any of you getting hurt. Coach B is right, there are much better ways to wind down that don’t involve underage drinking or sneaking off to bars.”
“We’re really sorry, Coaches.” Maddy apologizes sincerely.
“Yeah. It won’t happen again,” Alex adds and she catches Santana’s eye, “I promise.”
Santana sends her a pointed look, “It better not. We can talk about punishment when we get back to Lima.”
Alex and Maddy frown but ultimately nod to agree. It’s probably a first for Santana that Alex has been so easy to reprimand and she wonders if that has something to do with Frank’s.
“Come on, it’s late.” Quinn says in a lighter tone, “I’ll walk you back to the hotel and we can talk about other ways to deal with stress.” She looks over her shoulder to Santana and Brittany, “You guys can hang out for a bit longer here if you want?”
“You sure?” Santana asks but the slight smirk on Quinn’s lips as she keeps a hand on the younger girls’ shoulders and directs them to the door answers that question.
“Yeah, I can handle these two trouble makers on my own.” Quinn teases and gives the girls’ shoulders a little shake which cause small smiles to spread across their faces.
Santana mouths a thanks before Quinn and the Cheerios head out the door, leaving her and Brittany behind.
She doesn’t really feel like staying at the bar although Quinn offered to give them some alone time. Her mood was kind of killed after seeing Alex and Maddy there, but she’s not quite ready to head back to the hotel either.  
“Take a walk with me?” Brittany suggests instead, “I think we passed a cool fountain on the way to the hotel earlier.”
“Okay,” Santana smiles and the pair of them head out to the street hand in hand.
\\
The air had gotten so cold during their walk that they had abandoned holding hands and moved to link arms instead, huddling together for warmth. It takes them 10-15 minutes to find the fountain Brittany had mentioned but when they do, they stand in front of it and stare up in awe. The drop in temperature also meant that some of the water had frozen while some still trickled through the cracks in the ice.
Santana wonders if Britt’s thinking the same thing: how the hell does running water freeze like that? But when she glances over at the blonde to ask, she finds that she isn’t even looking at the fountain.
She’s looking at Santana.
It makes her want to shy away, but it’s like she’s stuck in a trance. She finds herself smiling back.
“What is it?” She asks but Brittany just unlinks their arms and moves to wrap Santana into a warm hug. It takes Santana by surprise but she relaxes into Brittany’s embrace and circles her arms around her waist, hugging her back just as tightly.
They don’t say anything for awhile, but the silence is comforting. With the city sleeping, she feels like they’re the only ones in the world.
“Thank you for telling Quinn about us,” Brittany says softly a moment later, “I kind of felt weird leaving her out of the loop.”
“Me too. I’m sorry, Britt.” Santana replies, “I’m sorry for making you wait on me again.”
She doesn’t mean for the words to hold such meaning, but with their history it’s hard to miss. They’ve always had trouble with timing in their relationship, either someone wasn’t ready or someone was too afraid or someone wasn’t single. It has never just worked out.
Brittany’s brows furrow and it’s like she knows exactly where Santana’s thoughts are headed. There’s this look Brittany gives as she tucks some of Santana’s hair behind her ear that Santana can only describe as someone completely in love.
“Things are different this time,” Brittany tells her, “You’re not making me wait, we’re taking things slow and I respect that. You want to do things right.”
“Yeah, but it’s not only about what I want,” Santana replies and pulls away to cup Brittany’s cheek. She regrets it because her skin is so cold against her warm hands, but she keeps it there as she says, “You have a say in how things go too. We’re not going to make decisions for each other anymore.”
“That never was a strength for us anyway.”
“Exactly.” Santana grins proudly and Brittany mirrors it.
“I can still thank you though.”
Santana can barely get out a reply before they’re kissing. It’s soft and slow and filled with many things still left unsaid.
Santana’s not sure who leans in first but it’s not like that matters when the tip of Brittany’s tongue slips along Santana’s lip. She inhales deeply at the feel and thinks about how nice this is. In fact, it’s kind of romantic because they’re the only ones there in front of this frozen water fountain and the glow of old-timey street lamps surround them.
It also reminds Santana that she should take Britt on a date soon. They use to love their Friday Night dates. It’s then that Santana remembers what day it is currently and her smile grows.
But she soon gets distracted as Brittany tangles her hand into Santana’s hair. She surprises herself when a whimper escapes and she can feel Brittany smirking against her as the kiss deepens. They haven’t really done something like this yet in such a public place since they’ve reconnected and the newness of it excites Santana. Her knees suddenly feel wobbly and her fingers dig into the material of Brittany’s jacket as if it’ll keep her from falling over.
She knows it’s not the alcohol, that buzz is long gone. The feelings fluttering in her stomach, the way her heart races, the heat settling lower than she cares to admit are all tell-tale signs of how her body reacts to Brittany. She feels like she’s in a daze with this spontaneous make out session and hopes no one is secretly perving on them but that’s only a fleeting thought when she feels Brittany pull away.
Santana pouts the instant she’s gone.
“We have to stop,” Brittany husks and Santana can’t think of anything worse right now. It must be written all over her face because Brittany bends down to press a kiss to the tip of her nose, “Don’t give me that look. You know I want nothing more in the world than to make sweet, sweet lady love to you right now but you’re so cold you’re starting to shake and so am I.”
Santana chuckles at Brittany’s way with words and concedes, “You’re right, I’m freezing my tits off. Let’s head back, make sure the girls haven’t taken Quinn hostage or anything.”
\\
By the time they head back to their room, Quinn is already tucked in bed with a fuzzy pink eye mask over her eyes. There are soft snores come from her side of the room and Santana scrambles to record her for blackmail later. They both do their best to stay quiet since Quinn isn’t as heavy of a sleep as she let on in the past and make their way to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
It should make Santana a little nervous to see Brittany strip down, especially while they’re in such close quarters but they’ve been getting changed together in locker rooms since they were kids and Santana’s worked on her leering a lot since then.
Although, when Brittany’s bra lands on the floor it takes a lot for Santana to keep her eyes elsewhere and focus on getting changed herself. Brittany gets fully dressed first and goes to the sink to brush her teeth while Santana struggles to pull her sleep shirt over her head. Their eyes catch in the mirror as Santana soon joins her side. Brittany gives her a sudsy grin as her blue eyes twinkle and goes to hand Santana the toothpaste.
And it’s something so small, but the way they move around each other during their nightly routine brings back so many memories from when they were younger. Memories of sleepovers and that one time Brittany came up to Louisville for a visit run through Santana’s mind and she’s so thankful that they’re at this place again.
When they finally slide beneath the covers a bit later, Santana’s nerves begin to intensify. The size of the bed is only a double so there isn’t much room for personal space and for a moment Santana’s hyper-aware of every little part of her that brushes against Brittany.
“You look nervous,” Brittany whispers and Santana instantly blushes.
“We haven’t done this in awhile,” She explains shyly.
“I know,” Brittany replies as her hand slides up to touch Santana’s, “It’s just me.”
Santana wants to tell her that’s why she’s nervous but there’s something about the way Brittany says it that settles her nerves. There’s this kind of softness there and Santana finds herself easing the longer she’s there.
When she finds her pinky hooking around Brittany’s, she’s able to relax even further and gives the blonde a smile in return.
They lie facing each other, watching how their blinks become slower and slower. Their legs tangle together, clean shaven skin smooth against one another’s, while their pinkies stay linked near their pillows. Similar to their moment by the fountain, cocooned in a comfy duvet, Santana feels like they’re the only ones left in the world.
Santana can’t get over how comfortable she feels although she had just been so worried about crossing a personal space line before. It’s silly, she thinks, how easily her mind can have her overthinking the littlest of things. Many things have changed between them, but Brittany has always had a way with comforting Santana and thankfully she still hasn’t lost her touch.
“You ready for tomorrow?” Brittany whispers so softly Santana almost misses it.
“I think so,” Santana answers just as quietly, “The girls have been practicing so hard.”
“Yeah,” Brittany mumbles and Santana can tell she’s close to falling asleep.
“What about you?” Santana asks, “Are you ready?”
“Totally,” Brittany grins, “We have a pretty awesome squad.”
“True.”
They fall into a comfortable silence and Santana watches as Brittany tries to stifle a yawn. It’s the cutest thing she’s seen all day and she wants to tell her but her eyelids feel heavy and her ability to form words is delayed.
Brittany snuggles down further against her pillow and says, “I really hope we win.”
They’re her last words as Brittany’s eyes finally close. She looks peaceful with her blonde hair curtaining her cheek, almost angelic. Santana has to reach out to check that she isn’t dreaming just yet, that Brittany is here and very real. That they’re doing this again; sharing a bed and falling asleep tangled up in each other. She has to make sure she hasn’t dreamt the whole thing up.
When Brittany doesn’t stir from her touch, Santana has to stifle a giggle. She always envied how fast Brittany could fall asleep. One minute she would be seemingly wide awake, chatty as ever, then the next she would be out like a light.
Santana on the other hand let her thoughts run wild until she’d exhaust herself from all the thinking. Tonight is different though, she doesn’t feel the need to tire herself out. Not when she has Brittany so close and everything feels so soft and warm.
“I think we will.” Santana tells Brittany although she knows she’s dead asleep now. She then goes to press a goodnight kiss to Brittany’s lips before snuggling in close.
Sleep finds her easily that night and it’s the best one she’s had in awhile, but that’s no surprise.
She’s always slept better with Brittany.
\\
Santana ends up being right about the win.
She never doubted it for a second, but their girls kicked ass with a damn near perfect score! The other squads didn’t stand a chance up against their stellar performance.
Santana remembered what it felt like to be in their girls’ position, that feeling of accomplishment and the relief from knowing that Sue would be in a much better mood after a win but being announced the winner as a coach hit totally differently. She was so overcome with pride and that feeling just multiplied as they all gathered to take a picture with their giant First Place trophy.
It was nothing but pure happiness as everyone exchanged congratulations. Santana even found herself welcoming a couple hugs from the girls which was so unlike her, but she didn’t care!
Nothing could beat this feeling of accomplishment.
Well, almost nothing.  
“We did it! We’re going to Regionals!” Brittany cheered and suddenly Santana was being hoisted in the air and spun around.
“Oh my God, Britt!” Santana squealed through her laughter, holding on to the top of Brittany’s head for balance. Being up that high, she felt like she was on top of the world.  
Most of the girls had been too preoccupied to notice them except for Quinn. She was giggling away from below with that same all-knowing look in her eye. Santana’s first instinct was to flick her off, but she was too happy to bring herself to do that.
Instead she smiled back and yelled, “Nice trophy!”
“The first of many under our reign!” Quinn called back as Brittany lowered Santana. She turned to the squad and held the trophy up a little higher, “Isn’t that right, girls?”
Then there was a sea of eager yes Coach and it was all the reassurance Santana needed, because this coaching thing?
Piece of cake.
9 notes · View notes
vvbrake · 6 years
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23. Process, Not Product. If you find yourself avoiding certain tasks because they make you uncomfortable, there is a great way to reframe things: Learn to focus on process, not product.
24. Clarity about what matters the most in your business provides clarity about what does not.
25. Use the 80/20 rule. Give 80 percent of your effort to the top 20 percent (most important) activities. Another way is to focus on exceptional opportunities that promise a huge return. It comes down to this: give your attention to the areas that bear fruit.
26. Assume and expect every project will take 10x the resources and put effort into it accordingly. Literally, the amount of resources you think a project will consume, multiply that by ten and that is what is required. (Source)
27. Opportunities are everywhere, people just don’t see them. Whenever you hear people complaining or you observe inefficiencies, those are great opportunities to start a business!
28. If you have a great idea but someone is already doing it, don’t worry and do it anyway! There will always be competition, and you should aim to be better than them, not to run away from them.
29. Forget chasing big ideas and instead try to take something and make it better. Starbucks, McDonald’s, Walmart, etc. are all iterations of ideas and businesses that had existing for many years.
30. The price of freedom is money. Whether you want to buy a nice car, start a non-profit foundation, or work on your personal dream project, not having to worry about money is what lets you focus on those things. Figure out what you want so that you can work backward and figure out what you need to get there.
31. You have free time and indentured time. Indentured time is for stuff you have to do: brush teeth, shower, commute to work, work, etc. Free time is everything else. Money buys free time and eliminates indentured time.
32. A terrific way to grow your business is to have amazing customer service. When you surprise and delight your customers with your service, they will do your advertising for you. Figure out what kind of service your customers expect and then exceed it: if they expect a call with hours, try to call within 1 hour; if they expect to have to search for your contact number, put it in bold at the top of the webpage; etc.
33. On the flip side, no matter how awesome your product is, if people deal with crappy customer service then they’ll be left with a bitter taste in their mouths.
34. If you don’t produce, you won’t thrive — no matter how skilled or talented you are. If your work isn’t online, it doesn’t exist.
35. There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.
36. Don’t approach your business from only one angle. You don’t want to have a single strategy for your business success (e.g. “I’m just going to compete on price”). You want a multi-pronged attack where you work on your marketing, your execution, your product, your customer services, your ideas, and so on. You can raise prices, lower costs, sell more to existing customers, find new distribution channels, and so on. Don’t just focus on one thing to the exclusion of everything else.
37. Strategy is about choices. It’s about knowing what to do and what not to do and when. Being able to make these choices well and execute them effectively over time is the hallmark of great companies.
38. People fear failure because they overestimate the worst-case consequences. But the worst case of failing at business is usually going back to work or trying again. That’s not that bad!
39. The Mediocre is filled with hope: hope that your stocks go up, that you get a promotion, that your employer stays in business, and so on. Hope is not a good plan. If you don’t control the variables in your plan, then you can’t control the outcome.
40. People don’t take action because they’re waiting for *someday*. Someday I’ll start a business, someday I’ll do this or that, etc. The problem is, *someday* never comes. Making plans but not acting on them is dangerous and paralyzing. Make *someday* today.
41. percent of all companies that ultimately become successful had to abandon their original strategy—because the original plan proved not to be viable. In other words, successful companies don’t succeed because they have the right strategy at the beginning; but rather, because they have money left over after the original strategy fails, so that they can pivot and try another approach. Most of those that fail, in contrast, spend all their money on their original strategy—which is usually wrong. (Source)
42. When you chase opportunities, you will occasionally fail. What matters is what you do after you fail — do you try something new, or do you give up and move back to the Slowlane? Oftentimes, a failure drives you in a better direction (e.g. the discovery of penicillin or Flickr pivoting from being a video game to being a photo-sharing service).
43. There are smart risks and idiotic risks. Stupid risks have limited upside and unlimited downside. For example, not keeping a backup of your work saves you a little bit of time and money, but it can be devastating if you lose your only copy. In contrast, smart risk don’t have a lot of downside, but have big upside potential – investing in your own business is a good example.
44. You’re only poor if you give up. The most important thing is that you did something. Most people only talk and dream of getting rich. You’ve done something. (Source)
45. Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you grab your wife around the waist and dance a jig. (Source)
46. Superstar lawyers and math whizzes and software entrepreneurs appear at first blush to lie outside ordinary experience. But they don’t. They are products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy. Their success is not exceptional or mysterious. It is grounded in a web of advantages and inheritances, some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky – but all critical to making them who they are. (Source)
47. It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it’s the biggest nine and ten-year-olds who get the most coaching and practice. Success is the result of what sociologists like to call “accumulative advantage. (Source)
48. Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities. (Source)
49. You can make two types of choices: what to think and what to do. The first step to making better choices is to work on how you think and perceive things — that will dictate the actions you decide to take. For example, if you want to build wealth, you first have to believe that you can do it, that you don’t need to wait until you’re retired to be a millionaire, and so on.
50. People who react to your goals and dreams with doubt and discouragement should be ignored. Befriend people who are where you want to be and who encourage you and inspire you to be your best. Find a mentor. A lot of times, your spouse will be you biggest detractor or your biggest supporter.
51. When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity… you cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others (Source)
52. Understand: people will constantly attack you in life. One of their main weapons will be to instill in you doubts about yourself – your worth, your abilities, your potential. They will often disguise this as their objective opinion, but invariably it has a political purpose – they want to keep you down. (Source)
53. It is very difficult to make really big, important, life-changing decisions because we are all susceptible to a formidable array of decision biases. There are more of them than we realize, and they come to visit us more often than we like to admit. (Source)
54. In business, sometimes you’ll put up a good business and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go in order to move forward.
55. Teaching people doesn’t subtract value from what you do, it actually adds to it. When you teach someone how to do your work, you are, in effect, generating more interest in your work. People feel closer to your work because you’re letting them in on what you know. (Source)
56. If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy. Working hard for success is like kicking a drug habit or stopping drinking. It’s a decision to which we must re-commit every day.
57. If you want to be successful, you have to be willing to disappear for a while.
58. You will never know true freedom until you achieve financial freedom. It is the ability to live the lifestyle you desire without having to work or rely on anyone else for money.
59. In the future, the great division will be between those who have trained themselves to handle these complexities and those who are overwhelmed by them — those who can acquire skills and discipline their minds and those who are irrevocably distracted by all the media around them and can never focus enough to learn. (Source)
60. We are irrationally prone to jump to conclusions based on rule-of-thumb shortcuts to actual reasoning, and in reliance on bad evidence, even though we have the capacity to think our way to better conclusions. But we’re lazy, so we don’t. We don’t understand statistics, and if we did, we’d be more cautious in our judgments, and less prone to think highly of our own skill at judging probabilities and outcomes. Life not only is uncertain, we cannot understand it systemically, and luck has just as much to do with what happens to us — maybe even more — than we care to admit. When in doubt, rely on an algorithm, because it’s more accurate than your best guess or some expert’s opinion. Above all, determine the baseline before you come to any decisions.
If you like this article, I recommend reading The Millionaire Fastlane. Some of these pieces of advice are influenced by the ideas from that book and it is also considered as the best book on ‘wealth creation’ for beginning entrepreneurs. I also made a list of the most powerful books dedicated for self-development.
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abeetomoney · 7 years
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26 Ways to Save More of Your Paycheck Each Month
I’m often asked how to save money, and my response is always ‘live more frugally.’I’m surprised how many people, especially millennials, don’t know what this means. It’s not that they can’t try or won’t try to live more economically – it’s just that they don’t know how. So I’ve written this article to share my tips and tricks on how to live a more frugal live.To start, I must add that living frugally doesn’t mean I’m cheap, or tight with money, or don’t want to spend. It simply means I’m economical – always searching the best price.To be certain, living a frugal life isn’t for everyone. It’s not easy, it requires constant action and it quite frequently involves not doing what you want to do. (My biggest lament is giving up my gel nail polish pedicures. A gel polish in my state is around $26. Gels last approximately two weeks, so multiply times two, then multiply that times twelve – that adds up to $624 annually (not including tips)! That could pay for a plane ticket to Spain, or, more practically, my car insurance for the year.)
Living frugally is essentially saving today so that I can afford what I want tomorrow
. It’s about saving for retirement, for my next vacation, or (worst-case) that air conditioning replacement in my car.As I said before, frugal living takes commitment. Commitment to always turn that light off before you leave the room. Remembering to not turn the water on full when rinsing dishes. Maintaining grocery lists staples per store so you always get the lowest price for each item. In short – it can be hard work!However, it’s work that is rewarding financially and therefore, is worth the effort.So how do you live frugally? How do you save more money day-to-day?I’ve compiled the following extensive list of ways I save money every day.Please note, this list is not for the faint of heart. My lifestyle is very low-maintenance compared to a lot of people and, as such, my frugal life may not be suitable for every individual. However, even if you pick only one item from the list below to start saving, it will put you one step closer to a frugal life.Always remember, saving one penny at a time adds up in the long run!
1.) Use a credit card that offers cash back. With 1% cash back on purchases, this can quickly add up. And some cards, like Chase Unlimited, offer up to 5% cash back on select stores or items throughout the calendar year. All you have to do is activate within the app and start saving!
2.) Turn off your water heater during the day. This one never occurred to me until a landlord said if I could remember to turn the water heater off in the morning before leaving for work, then turn it on when I returned home, it could save up to $10 a week! She was right, too – I immediately saw a decrease in my electric bill and I’ve been using the trick ever since.
3.) Turn those lights off! Again, a basic idea, but it’s true. Don’t leave every light on in the house. Flip the switch – save a few bucks.
4.) Don’t run the water! Yes, I’m sure you heard that a lot growing up, I know I did! My parents were always reminding us to not turn the water on full blast, to turn it off when soaping up hands or dishes. This was redundant when I was a child, but as an adult, it saves me a lot of money. Don’t flush money, literally, down the toilet.
5.) Compare grocery costs and keep a list. It may surprise you to compare costs in one grocery vs. another – and perhaps not a good surprise! For instance, our local grocer costs up to .30 more for basic vegetables and fruits than WalMart. This may not seem like a lot, but a simple thing like creating a grocery list by store will help you remember where to buy which item at the lowest cost. You’ll be surprised how much you can save! I save up to $75 a month shopping at our local Aldi vs. WalMart.
6.) Buy a used car and pay cash. Okay, a lot of people have to have the latest auto, I get it. I’m not one of those people, and I’m okay with it! I bought (and always have) my car used from a neighbor, gave him cash, and now I have no monthly auto debt. As a side note, the auto insurance is WAY less for older cars, too – so it’s a double bonus!
7.) Shop around for better car insurance. You may be surprised how much less you can purchase your auto insurance just by shopping around online. I was!
8.) Buy used. This, obviously, doesn’t apply to everything, but if possible, buy it used. For instance, a few years ago I needed a new washing machine. Instead of running up my credit card, I looked at local flea markets and yard sales and found one for only $50! I bought that machine three years ago and it’s still running strong! Remember, new isn’t always better.
9.) Shop outlets for clothes. Okay, I love to clothes shop. Love, love, love! I really enjoy the name brand and designer clothes, which can really put a dent in my savings. However, a few years ago, a friend turned me onto outlets and I haven’t looked back! Fortunately, I’m within a thirty minute drive of two outlet malls, and the savings have been fantastic. I found two Banana Republic blazers for $10 each – they were on clearance and 60% off the lowest marked price! I found a $199.99 Ann Taylor dress marked down to $29.99, again, a mark down on already reduced clearance prices. The savings on clothes alone have been fantastic, and as I work in a office that requires me to wear suits on a daily basis, this has been a great find.
10.) Look at local thrift stores. I’ve saved a lot of money by thrift store shopping. Of course, there are a lot of things I wouldn’t recommend buying at a thrift store, but there are so many great ways to save on some things. For instance, when I adopted my dog a few years ago, I needed a crate for him to sleep in. The most inexpensive one online or in-store ran $40+. I walked into our local Molly Mutt Thrift Store and found a crate for only $10 (just had to give it a thorough cleaning and disinfecting when I got home). And they were having a wooden nickel sale (show the wooden nickel and get the daily discount) which gave me 50% off the item. I got it for only $5! Thrift stores are also a good place for dinner ware, coffee mugs, kids games (just wash them first!) and furniture.
11.) DIY furniture and knick-knacks. Unless you’re buying an antique, furniture and decorative items have very little, if any, resale value. Why not look to Pinterest for some DIY ideas on how to paint that old coffee table you found for $5 at a local yard sale? Or perhaps repaint a vase you found for $.50 at a farmer’s market? The DIY tutorials online are endless, and there are SO many unique and fun ways to make your own home decor! Not to mention the bragging rights when friends come over.
12.) Merchant Coupons. Not every store has or offers coupons, but before you shop, do a quick browse on their website or do a Google search to see if they have any discounts. Macy’s, JC Penney’s, Ulta, Michaels Arts & Crafts and Kohls, just to name a few, almost always have a coupon code or barcode to have the cashier apply at check out. You’ll be surprised how much you save with this trick.
13.) Take advantage of happy hour. For those of you who enjoy dining out, you know how quickly those restaurant tabs add up. So plan your dining, if you can, around happy hour. You’ll find a drastically reduced food and beverage menu. I’ve found that this can almost halve my final tab – just remember to leave a tip for the waiter!
14.) Groupon it. While I do not use Groupon excessively, I did recently stumble across a local business offer for $12 beginner horse back riding lessons for children. As their initial lessons start around $50, this was phenomenal! I think they are a great resource, especially for local restaurant discounts and events. Worth looking into!
15.) Free admission days. Want to go to a museum but don’t want to spend the $12 admission cost? A lot of museums offer free admission day – our local art museum is the last Saturday of every month. Just remember to put it on your calendar so you don’t forget the date!
16.) Workout outside. Have a gym membership but rarely use it? Try finding a local park that offers a fitness trail as an alternative. We have a local park that offers outdoor elliptical, weight training and walking trails – and while enjoying the fresh air!
17.) Buy it used. Okay, I know I’m saying this a lot, but it’s my go-to frugal advice for people trying to save money. If you don’t have to have it new, buy it used. Bicycles, surf boards, pool tables, trampolines… the list goes on. There are so many things that are bought that end up as dust collectors or garage space consumers. Save yourself some money and buy it from someone who needs the extra space in their home. Your pocket book will thank you.
18.) Save your pocket change. This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people discard, drop or just leave their coins anywhere in their home. Start a coin jar and see how full you can get it. (This is also a great money saving tactic to teach kids how to save!)
19.) Switch to a low-cost cell phone provider. The large providers too often bundle packages to make it seem you’re saving when in reality you’re not. Shop around and see if you can find an lower price option. I use Cricket Wireless and I’m amazed how much less their prices are than Verizon or AT&T.
20.) Shop after a holiday. This handy trick has saved me a LOT of money over the years. Wait until after a major holiday to snag wrapping paper, gift bags, bake ware, etc… Michaels Arts and Crafts often marks their Christmas items down to 70% off. Add that to a 20% off your total purchase coupon and the savings are amazing! Next year you’ll be stocked and ready to wrap gifts, bring cookies to the office party or decorate your home all at a discounted price.
21.) Open multiple savings accounts. Have one account where you pay your bills from and another savings account where you move any money left over at the end of the month. This will help keep your money separate and you can see how much you’re saving vs. how much you’re spending each month. I just did this recently and it really works as a great visual to let me see exactly how much I’m saving.
22.) Eliminate cable or paid TV services. This one is really hard for a lot of people. For me, it’s extremely easy because I just don’t have the time to watch a lot of television. Another option is to utilize your Amazon Prime membership and live stream movies and tv shows there. A lot of libraries offer free DVD rentals as well. While many people no longer have DVD’s, for those of us who do (yes, that would include me), it’s a great way to watch movies for free.
23.) Make coffee at home. A simple thing like a cup of coffee every morning can really take a hit on your savings, even at McDonald’s where coffee is a $1. Assume a cup of coffee every week day, multiply times four and then again times twelve – that adds up to $260. That could pay a few months’ water bill!
24.) Pack a lunch. Instead of always buying a restaurant or fast food meal during your lunch break, bring your lunch instead. As a single mom, this is a huge money saver. I pack my own lunch for work as well as the boys’ school and daycare meals and we save a phenomenal amount as opposed to eating out.
25.) Check if your employer offers any employee benefits. Some employers offer 401k match, childcare reimbursement, healthcare coverage, college tuition payment and more! My employer, for instance, offers up to $240 a month in childcare costs. They put it right into my paycheck each pay period! So if your employer offers benefits, make sure you check again and see if there are any offers you can take advantage of.
26.) Find free weekend events. This one is actually really easy to do. If you have kids, check out http://www.macaronikid.com for a local calendar of events – usually free! The library and bookstores frequently offer free children’s book readings. Weather permitting, find a local park for the kids to play on Saturday. For the adults, discover a unique hiking trail, walk the greenway, see if there are any live music concerts with free admission in your town, go to the library and borrow a book or movie, and check a local events calendar online to see what free weekend events your community offers. I’m always amazed by the variety of free events and entertainment that are offered in my community, and you might be too!
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chocdono · 8 years
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All The Best EASY Valentine’s Ideas in ONE Spot
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that is so much fun (I mean, it’s all about the people you love! hubby! family! friends! and also chocolate, don’t forget the chocolate) but this is one holiday that sneaks up on me and my good intentions every single year! Because the projects around here don’t take holiday breaks, and I’m guessing they don’t at your house, either. So, this year, we’ve teamed up with 20+ amazing friends to make Valentine’s Day as easy as click and print — for sweetheart valentines and date ideas, to kids valentines and crafts and class party printables, to super easy printable valentine’s decorations.  Literally everything you need for an awesome and easy Valentine’s Day bonanza!
We call it the
ALL THINGS VALENTINE’S DAY
Blogger Bundle
The BEST Valentine’s Day ideas in one place! 
AND we have the BEST deal for you, too! But you gotta act quick. The timer on this deal is ticking down FAST!
  See what we mean? Everything you need! What you’re looking at is almost 200 pages of printables for you, all in one handy dandy Valentine’s Day bundle. And OF COURSE, we slashed the price! So much that you’ll think it’s a typo. It’s not. The deal is JUST THAT AWESOME.
20+ crazy, cute printables—ONE crazy, low price!
You can get over $200 worth of ADORABLE items for only $15-$20!
We’re NOT KIDDING! Gorgeous wall art and decor, creative gift ideas, cute classroom valentines, craft and activity ideas for the kids, romantic date ideas, and MORE all from your favorite bloggers! You’re waiting for the catch, right? Well, there is a teeny, tiny one…
You’ll have to ACT FAST—this deal only lasts for THREE DAYS!
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
This is a 3-Day sale, buuut the price goes up a little each day. So, you can snag it today because the price is going up tomorrow! Here’s the breakdown…
Buy on the 25th for only $15
Buy on the 26th for only $18
Buy on the 27th for only $20
After that, this deal is GONE FOREVER!
So basically what your mama always said is true- procrastination doesn’t pay!
Wait too long {like after the 27th at midnight MST} and this deal will be gone FOREVER!
And now, the big reveal. Everything that’s included in this awesome bundle.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
This baby seriously has EVERYTHING you could ever WANT or NEED for Valentine’s Day! Including…
Beautiful Valentine’s prints to decorate your home.
Romantic gift ideas for your sweetheart.
Cute and creative classroom valentines for kids and teachers.
Meaningful activities and an advent for making memories.
Darling party printables and decor.
AND SO MUCH MORE! {See EVERYTHING below!}
Um, one page of wall art ALONE can be around $20 on Etsy! And you get ALL THAT JAZZ for the same price? This is a no-brainer!
WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING INCLUDED?
I thought so! We are so in l-o-v-e with every last bit of this printable bundle.
1. Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt by Ashlee Marie – Chose from two different Scavenger Hunts for your spouse OR kids! The Kids’ Scavenger Hunt will have them hunting for Valentine’s related items, and the String Scavenger Hunt leaves a trail of string with lots of sweet love notes!
2. Valentines Wall Art by C Dot Love – These 3 Valentine’s printables are perfect for displaying together or separately. You can trim to 8×10 for framing OR put behind a mat in a larger frame. (I’m thinking it would make for darling bedroom decor!)
3. Our Love Story by Kristen Duke – We just LOVE this next one. Check out this cute printable Love Story Journal. With places to write down “His Version” and “Her Version” this is a keepsake you’ll want to keep forever!
4. Valentines Happy Mail Kit by Crafting Chicks – Send some LOVE this Valentine’s Day using this adorable Valentines Happy Mail Kit. This printable kit includes a banner, cupcake toppers, and mailing label.
5. Woodland Creatures Valentine Craft by FaLaLa Designs – Help your kids create their own Valentines with this simple craft. I can’t even get over how CUTE these little critters are. The heart they’re holding even opens up to deliver a personal message.
6. 3 Valentine’s Prints by Family Ever After – Still need more festive decor to get your house decked out for V-day? We’ve totally got you covered. Print and frame all 3 of these cute Valentine’s prints, available in 4×6, 5×7, AND 8×10 sizes.
7. Love Coupons by Inspiration Made Simple – Give your honey some love coupons this Valentine’s Day! It’s a fun gift that keeps on giving. And who wouldn’t love some spoiling and pampering from their sweetie? It even has a page of blank coupons so you can personalize it with your own ideas!
8. Chocolate Bar Valentine Variety Pack by Less Ordinary Designs – Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day staple, and giving candy bars just got a whole lot cuter with these printable wrappers. This pack features 5 different designs sized to fit a standard bar of chocolate (normally around 1.55 oz). These wrapped bars of chocolate will be a sweet way to give a unique Valentine’s Day treat!
9. Valentine’s Party Printables by Love The Day – If you’re hosting a party this Valentine’s, this pack has everything you’ll need! We’re talking: Party Flags, Cupcake Wrappers, Drink Labels, AND lots of different Party Tags! (I think I’ll throw a mini-family party just so I can use them!)
10. Valentine’s Dinner for Kids by My Sister’s Suitcase – Let the kids enjoy a special dinner that’s just for them! Included in the Dinner Kit: printable Invitation, Coloring Placemat, Straw Flags, Mini Banner, and a Tic Tac Toe game (for a little after-dinner activity).
11. Heart-on-a-String Lunch Kit by Paging Supermom – Why not send the kiddos to school with a little extra LOVE in their lunch this Valentine’s Day? The Lunch Bag Seal, Sandwich String Charms, and Juice Box Wrap are sure to make it a lunch they’ll remember! (I’m thinking the hubby would love it too!)
12. Love Checks by Petite Party Studio – These darling love checks from “The Love Bank” make the perfect, meaningful gift for your Valentine. They even come with a cute checkbook cover to put them in! How fun is that?!
13. Cheap Date Night Printable Set by Printable Crush – Plan out weeks of inexpensive, fun, and creative date nights with this Cheap Date Night Printable Set! It has everything you need for a fun night out, or a night in, including a dating journal, photo props, gift tags, games, surveys, and more!
14. Red Dot Alphabet Bunting by Remodelaholic – This fun red dot bunting printable is so versatile! Use it to create the perfect Valentine’s Day mantel. Create a banner with you and your honey’s name, the word valentine, or another fun saying! Bonus- The pretty red color is also great for patriotic holiday, birthdays, or even Christmas!
15. 3 Love Cards by Smitten By – No need to buy Valentine’s cards this year, this printable pack has everything you need. Including: A DIY Scratch-off Card (with instructions), an “I Love You” card, and an “I love you because…” card! Good luck choosing just one. Clearly you need them ALL!
16. Valentine Advent Boxes by Somewhat Simple – Count down to “LOVE Day” all month long with these 14 ADORABLE Advent Boxes. Fill them up with sweets & treats, activities to do as a family, or anything your heart desires!
17. Valentine’s Dinner Printables by Tatertots and Jello – This printable pack is jammed packed with goodies for a memorable Valentine’s Dinner. Including: Cupcake Toppers, Banner, Plate Toppers or Silverware Holders, Place Cards, Straw Toppers, and even 2 5×7 prints!
18. EPIC Valentine’s Essentials Bundle by That Crazy Oil Lady – Do you LOVE essential oils? Whip up some crazy-awesome Valentine’s recipes in the kitchen and in your home with the Valentine’s Day Essentials Kit, Kids Scavenger Hunt, Printable art, and Valentine’s Cards! These beautiful recipe cards are great to create some sexy, sensual, and romantic moments, gift to a girlfriend for her Bachelorette party with some essential oils, or use as a gift tag along with the recipe you make yourself when you give it to your spouse! This beautiful bundle includes framable wall art as well! Also included is a set of 8 Valentine’s cards, ready for your personal touch, and a fun Scavenger hunt game for the kiddos!
19. At-Home Date Night by The 36th Avenue – Can’t get out for Valentine’s Day? This printable pack has absolutely everything you need for a romantic night in- no babysitter required! Including: Invitation, Menu, Napkin Rings, Coasters, Food Toppers, Small Banner, Bottle Wrapper, AND Valentine Print.
20. Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure Date by The Dating Divas – Get ready for an adventure! That’s right, we have your Valentine’s date already planned out for you. Just print the clever “Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure” booklet, hand it to your honey, and let him decide how the night will go.
21. “Dine & Be Mine” Bedroom Fun by The Dating Divas – Surprise your sweetie with this sassy but classy way to spice things up on Valentine’s Day! Give him the invitation to a night of romance, then present him with the romantic Menu of Services and his Love Cash. Now what man wouldn’t love THAT?! *wink*
22. 4 Valentine’s Day Prints by The Girl Creative – Add some instant V-day decor to your home with these 4 different, GORGEOUS Valentine’s Day Prints. You can print and frame all 4 in both 5×7 and 8×10 sizes! (These are so beautiful, I’d leave them up year round!)
23. You Color My World Valentine’s Pack by Thirty Handmade Days – You won’t believe all of the cuteness included in this pack! The Bag Toppers and Sticker Labels are perfect for pairing with a box of crayons as valentines for the kids’ classmates and friends. The two gift card holder templates are perfect as a cute teacher gift… AND the Valentine’s coloring page finishes off the set!
24. Valentine Gift Wrap Set by Whimsicle Designs – Your Valentine gift-giving just got a whole lot easier (& cuter!!) This darling set includes 5 gift tags, 3 bows, & 3 wrapping paper sheets! (And hey- you can use most of it even AFTER Valentine’s Day too!)
25. Valentine Monster Bingo Yellow Bliss Road by – Add some fun to the holiday by playing this cute but simple game with your kids. Bingo set includes 6 different Bingo Cards as well as the Calling Cards. (This would be a FUN one to bring to class parties too!)
26. Printable Coupon Book for Kids! by How Does She – Don’t forget your kids this Valentine’s Day. This coupon book allows them to cash in on a variety of fun activities! It’s a wonderful, simple way to make sure each kid feels loved this Valentine’s Day!
  See?! Told ya! EVERYTHING you could ever want or need this Valentine’s Day, all in one AH-Mazing bundle! Buy now and save BIG!
$200 worth of stuff for only FIFTEEN buckaroos!
Three super, duper important things to remember:
The price jumps up tomorrow! It’s only available for TWO MORE DAYS! Midnight MST on the 27th, this deal is gone FOREVER!
What are you waiting for?!
  Happy Valentine’s Day!
The post All The Best EASY Valentine’s Ideas in ONE Spot appeared first on Remodelaholic.
from mix1 http://ift.tt/2jYZWlQ via with this info
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sherlocklexa · 8 years
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All The Best EASY Valentine’s Ideas in ONE Spot
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that is so much fun (I mean, it’s all about the people you love! hubby! family! friends! and also chocolate, don’t forget the chocolate) but this is one holiday that sneaks up on me and my good intentions every single year! Because the projects around here don’t take holiday breaks, and I’m guessing they don’t at your house, either. So, this year, we’ve teamed up with 20+ amazing friends to make Valentine’s Day as easy as click and print — for sweetheart valentines and date ideas, to kids valentines and crafts and class party printables, to super easy printable valentine’s decorations.  Literally everything you need for an awesome and easy Valentine’s Day bonanza!
We call it the
ALL THINGS VALENTINE’S DAY
Blogger Bundle
The BEST Valentine’s Day ideas in one place! 
AND we have the BEST deal for you, too! But you gotta act quick. The timer on this deal is ticking down FAST!
  See what we mean? Everything you need! What you’re looking at is almost 200 pages of printables for you, all in one handy dandy Valentine’s Day bundle. And OF COURSE, we slashed the price! So much that you’ll think it’s a typo. It’s not. The deal is JUST THAT AWESOME.
20+ crazy, cute printables—ONE crazy, low price!
You can get over $200 worth of ADORABLE items for only $15-$20!
We’re NOT KIDDING! Gorgeous wall art and decor, creative gift ideas, cute classroom valentines, craft and activity ideas for the kids, romantic date ideas, and MORE all from your favorite bloggers! You’re waiting for the catch, right? Well, there is a teeny, tiny one…
You’ll have to ACT FAST—this deal only lasts for THREE DAYS!
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
This is a 3-Day sale, buuut the price goes up a little each day. So, you can snag it today because the price is going up tomorrow! Here’s the breakdown…
Buy on the 25th for only $15
Buy on the 26th for only $18
Buy on the 27th for only $20
After that, this deal is GONE FOREVER!
So basically what your mama always said is true- procrastination doesn’t pay!
Wait too long {like after the 27th at midnight MST} and this deal will be gone FOREVER!
And now, the big reveal. Everything that’s included in this awesome bundle.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
This baby seriously has EVERYTHING you could ever WANT or NEED for Valentine’s Day! Including…
Beautiful Valentine’s prints to decorate your home.
Romantic gift ideas for your sweetheart.
Cute and creative classroom valentines for kids and teachers.
Meaningful activities and an advent for making memories.
Darling party printables and decor.
AND SO MUCH MORE! {See EVERYTHING below!}
Um, one page of wall art ALONE can be around $20 on Etsy! And you get ALL THAT JAZZ for the same price? This is a no-brainer!
WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING INCLUDED?
I thought so! We are so in l-o-v-e with every last bit of this printable bundle.
1. Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt by Ashlee Marie – Chose from two different Scavenger Hunts for your spouse OR kids! The Kids’ Scavenger Hunt will have them hunting for Valentine’s related items, and the String Scavenger Hunt leaves a trail of string with lots of sweet love notes!
2. Valentines Wall Art by C Dot Love – These 3 Valentine’s printables are perfect for displaying together or separately. You can trim to 8×10 for framing OR put behind a mat in a larger frame. (I’m thinking it would make for darling bedroom decor!)
3. Our Love Story by Kristen Duke – We just LOVE this next one. Check out this cute printable Love Story Journal. With places to write down “His Version” and “Her Version” this is a keepsake you’ll want to keep forever!
4. Valentines Happy Mail Kit by Crafting Chicks – Send some LOVE this Valentine’s Day using this adorable Valentines Happy Mail Kit. This printable kit includes a banner, cupcake toppers, and mailing label.
5. Woodland Creatures Valentine Craft by FaLaLa Designs – Help your kids create their own Valentines with this simple craft. I can’t even get over how CUTE these little critters are. The heart they’re holding even opens up to deliver a personal message.
6. 3 Valentine’s Prints by Family Ever After – Still need more festive decor to get your house decked out for V-day? We’ve totally got you covered. Print and frame all 3 of these cute Valentine’s prints, available in 4×6, 5×7, AND 8×10 sizes.
7. Love Coupons by Inspiration Made Simple – Give your honey some love coupons this Valentine’s Day! It’s a fun gift that keeps on giving. And who wouldn’t love some spoiling and pampering from their sweetie? It even has a page of blank coupons so you can personalize it with your own ideas!
8. Chocolate Bar Valentine Variety Pack by Less Ordinary Designs – Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day staple, and giving candy bars just got a whole lot cuter with these printable wrappers. This pack features 5 different designs sized to fit a standard bar of chocolate (normally around 1.55 oz). These wrapped bars of chocolate will be a sweet way to give a unique Valentine’s Day treat!
9. Valentine’s Party Printables by Love The Day – If you’re hosting a party this Valentine’s, this pack has everything you’ll need! We’re talking: Party Flags, Cupcake Wrappers, Drink Labels, AND lots of different Party Tags! (I think I’ll throw a mini-family party just so I can use them!)
10. Valentine’s Dinner for Kids by My Sister’s Suitcase – Let the kids enjoy a special dinner that’s just for them! Included in the Dinner Kit: printable Invitation, Coloring Placemat, Straw Flags, Mini Banner, and a Tic Tac Toe game (for a little after-dinner activity).
11. Heart-on-a-String Lunch Kit by Paging Supermom – Why not send the kiddos to school with a little extra LOVE in their lunch this Valentine’s Day? The Lunch Bag Seal, Sandwich String Charms, and Juice Box Wrap are sure to make it a lunch they’ll remember! (I’m thinking the hubby would love it too!)
12. Love Checks by Petite Party Studio – These darling love checks from “The Love Bank” make the perfect, meaningful gift for your Valentine. They even come with a cute checkbook cover to put them in! How fun is that?!
13. Cheap Date Night Printable Set by Printable Crush – Plan out weeks of inexpensive, fun, and creative date nights with this Cheap Date Night Printable Set! It has everything you need for a fun night out, or a night in, including a dating journal, photo props, gift tags, games, surveys, and more!
14. Red Dot Alphabet Bunting by Remodelaholic – This fun red dot bunting printable is so versatile! Use it to create the perfect Valentine’s Day mantel. Create a banner with you and your honey’s name, the word valentine, or another fun saying! Bonus- The pretty red color is also great for patriotic holiday, birthdays, or even Christmas!
15. 3 Love Cards by Smitten By – No need to buy Valentine’s cards this year, this printable pack has everything you need. Including: A DIY Scratch-off Card (with instructions), an “I Love You” card, and an “I love you because…” card! Good luck choosing just one. Clearly you need them ALL!
16. Valentine Advent Boxes by Somewhat Simple – Count down to “LOVE Day” all month long with these 14 ADORABLE Advent Boxes. Fill them up with sweets & treats, activities to do as a family, or anything your heart desires!
17. Valentine’s Dinner Printables by Tatertots and Jello – This printable pack is jammed packed with goodies for a memorable Valentine’s Dinner. Including: Cupcake Toppers, Banner, Plate Toppers or Silverware Holders, Place Cards, Straw Toppers, and even 2 5×7 prints!
18. EPIC Valentine’s Essentials Bundle by That Crazy Oil Lady – Do you LOVE essential oils? Whip up some crazy-awesome Valentine’s recipes in the kitchen and in your home with the Valentine’s Day Essentials Kit, Kids Scavenger Hunt, Printable art, and Valentine’s Cards! These beautiful recipe cards are great to create some sexy, sensual, and romantic moments, gift to a girlfriend for her Bachelorette party with some essential oils, or use as a gift tag along with the recipe you make yourself when you give it to your spouse! This beautiful bundle includes framable wall art as well! Also included is a set of 8 Valentine’s cards, ready for your personal touch, and a fun Scavenger hunt game for the kiddos!
19. At-Home Date Night by The 36th Avenue – Can’t get out for Valentine’s Day? This printable pack has absolutely everything you need for a romantic night in- no babysitter required! Including: Invitation, Menu, Napkin Rings, Coasters, Food Toppers, Small Banner, Bottle Wrapper, AND Valentine Print.
20. Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure Date by The Dating Divas – Get ready for an adventure! That’s right, we have your Valentine’s date already planned out for you. Just print the clever “Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure” booklet, hand it to your honey, and let him decide how the night will go.
21. “Dine & Be Mine” Bedroom Fun by The Dating Divas – Surprise your sweetie with this sassy but classy way to spice things up on Valentine’s Day! Give him the invitation to a night of romance, then present him with the romantic Menu of Services and his Love Cash. Now what man wouldn’t love THAT?! *wink*
22. 4 Valentine’s Day Prints by The Girl Creative – Add some instant V-day decor to your home with these 4 different, GORGEOUS Valentine’s Day Prints. You can print and frame all 4 in both 5×7 and 8×10 sizes! (These are so beautiful, I’d leave them up year round!)
23. You Color My World Valentine’s Pack by Thirty Handmade Days – You won’t believe all of the cuteness included in this pack! The Bag Toppers and Sticker Labels are perfect for pairing with a box of crayons as valentines for the kids’ classmates and friends. The two gift card holder templates are perfect as a cute teacher gift… AND the Valentine’s coloring page finishes off the set!
24. Valentine Gift Wrap Set by Whimsicle Designs – Your Valentine gift-giving just got a whole lot easier (& cuter!!) This darling set includes 5 gift tags, 3 bows, & 3 wrapping paper sheets! (And hey- you can use most of it even AFTER Valentine’s Day too!)
25. Valentine Monster Bingo Yellow Bliss Road by – Add some fun to the holiday by playing this cute but simple game with your kids. Bingo set includes 6 different Bingo Cards as well as the Calling Cards. (This would be a FUN one to bring to class parties too!)
26. Printable Coupon Book for Kids! by How Does She – Don’t forget your kids this Valentine’s Day. This coupon book allows them to cash in on a variety of fun activities! It’s a wonderful, simple way to make sure each kid feels loved this Valentine’s Day!
  See?! Told ya! EVERYTHING you could ever want or need this Valentine’s Day, all in one AH-Mazing bundle! Buy now and save BIG!
$200 worth of stuff for only FIFTEEN buckaroos!
Three super, duper important things to remember:
The price jumps up tomorrow! It’s only available for TWO MORE DAYS! Midnight MST on the 27th, this deal is gone FOREVER!
What are you waiting for?!
  Happy Valentine’s Day!
The post All The Best EASY Valentine’s Ideas in ONE Spot appeared first on Remodelaholic.
from car2 http://ift.tt/2jYZWlQ via as shown a lot
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