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***TOP 1.5 % Global Podcast*** Are you a busy mom who wants more time for what matters most, but you have no idea where to start simplifying your life? Do you wish you could nourish your family with healthy homemade food but are too overwhelmed and end up going through the drive thru......again? Are you concerned about the toxins in your home and food but don’t know how to find simple, natural options to support your family’s health? I am so excited you are here! This podcast will teach you how to live an simpler life, make your own natural products, simple ways to garden, cook from scratch, and preserve your food to save money and reduce the items you have to buy at the store to become more self-reliant and creating an income on your homestead! Hey, I’m Monica, I’m a wife, mom of 5 kids, grandma, nurse and daughter of the King! I was overwhelmed with my full schedule and knew I wanted to create more time for my family by simplifying my life. I started small by swapping toxic products for more natural ones, cooking simple healthy meals from scratch, and creating simple systems without the stress and overwhelm! And I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with you! So grab that cup of coffee, get cozy on the porch swing…..and let’s chat! Website: Claimingsimplicity.com Join our Community of Christian Moms https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/ Email -＞ monica@claimingsimplicity.com Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Episodes
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Hello!
When you live your life intentionally, there doesn’t seem to be the feeling of friction which creates so much less stress is this crazy fast modern world. If you listened to the last episode, you will understand when I say that social media is not something I want to be intentional about. I would rather spend time with my real friends than the ones that just like everyones posts. I just don’t want to take time away from what matters to me most and maybe that is you too. What keeps you on these platforms? I often wonder when people say they are busy, what they have to show for it. Busy scrolling or busy with the people they love. I hope it is the latter of the 2.
You can’t ever get your time back and making memories and being intentional is key. I am so thankful we bought a little piece of land just off the lake years ago and the kids were able to make memories from when they were very young. We cleared the land, worked on it with cash as we went, put in electric and well, built a cabin and spent hundreds of weekends just making memories with family and friends. The best part is that we didn’t have any internet service. Now our grandkids love all the memories we make up there and on our farm.
We like to go on vacations a few times a year at least with our 2 kids that are still at home as they get to have many experiences as we have traveled around the US to many different locations. They only have 5 years left at home, so we want to be intentional about that as well. We like to take a few weeks at a time so we can see as much as possible. Sometimes we fly, but we would rather drive so we can do more.
My husband & I have had weekends away, but we have our whole life to travel by ourselves after the kids are gone, so we like them to experience as much as possible while they are with us. We don’t spend alot of money when we vacation and many times it is a business expense.
We like to hike and have visited many many national parks and since we make our own food from scratch, we usually rent houses with kitchens that we can cook from scratch ourselves so we keep our energy up and stay healthy. If there are some unique places to eat at with a fun experience, we will stop, but for the most part, we don’t like to waste our money on high priced unhealthy meals.
I encourage you to look at what you are doing intentionally in your life. Is there some memories you would like to make, would you like to start cooking from scratch or learning some new skills? We only have so much time on this earth, so I challenge you to stop scrolling and start living life! God has so much more in store for you friend! You will be so glad you did!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Hello Friend
I want to give you 3 simple time management tips to put into place when cooking from scratch because I know it can seem a little overwhelming at first.
First, I want you to decide on 1 new item you want to make. If there is a recipe that you would like to make, but don’t want to waste time researching, please just email me because I have tried many and if I find one is simpler than another and just as good, I will stick with the simple one! I don’t want you wasting time on pinterest or social media because that will keep you from getting into action. Once you have that recipe,make sure you have all the ingredients or make a list of ingredients you need and when you will go shopping for them.
Next, put it on the calendar to make so you know exactly which day you will be doing it. Allow for time to prepare and make sure you know the cook time-one of the worst things that could happen is that you have it on the calendar to make and you didn’t realize how long it was going to take and can’t eat until 10pm!
And Last, if you family likes this meal and it was simple for you to make, put it into a favorites recipe binder. This will help you stay organized and make it easy to pull out when you need a quick from scratch meal.
Repeat this process until you have a few weeks worth of recipes and that will make it super easy to plan your from scratch meals easily.
The key to not getting stressed out about cooking healthier is do it slowly. Try 1 meal a week to start out if doing more than that stresses you out. You don’t have to eat perfectly, but when you transition slowly, you will have lasting change.
Chat soon!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
~Monica
Friday Jan 12, 2024
Friday Jan 12, 2024
Hi Friend!
I want to give you some simple meal ideas to cut your grocery expense and eat nutritious healthy meals without a lot of time in the kitchen.
Some simple ways to cook is instant pot meals, easy casseroles or hot dishes, simple crockpot recipes for soups and chilies, egg bakes and any kind of breakfast food.
Make sure you don't waste time in the kitchen so you can spend life living more intentional.
Below is instagram link if you want to check out what is happening in my life
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Love ya friend!
Monica
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Hi Friend
I want to talk about the 3 areas of your budget where you can easily save money.
First, as we have talked about before, food can be one of the largest expenses for some families and it is also an area you can save quite a bit when you focus on more intentional spending. If you go into the grocery store with cash, you can only buy items that add up to less than that, so using cash can help you from buying extra items you don’t need. Make a list of meals you can make with the items in your fridge and see if there are a few ingredients you may need to go with the meals for the week When grocery shopping, make sure you go with a list and stick to the list so you just get what you need. You can also just order online and pick up-that way you know exactly how much you are spending and are less likely to get unnecessary items. So much of our food gets wasted because we have so much excess in our fridges and can’t eat it all. Another way to save on food is do not go out to eat the whole month-that could possibly save you hundreds of dollars if you go out as a family just a few times a month. I don’t know if you can even go to eat as a family of 4 for much less than $100 each time, so that could be a significant saving for you if that is something your family tends to do.
Next, make sure you are not buying any unnecessary items. Do you really need anything from amazon? If there is an item you are thinking you need, see if there is another alternative. Can you make something to do the same thing? Do you have a place to put this item? Being very conscious of each purchase is key and as I said in a previous episode, make sure you do not have your credit card linked to an online shopping accounts so it isn’t quite as automatic for you to spend money. Make it a game to put an item in the cart without buying it so you can look at the total and say you saved that amount! Online shopping is just so convenient and can easily get you off of your budget.
Lastly, you can do without any new clothes, shoes, purses, makeup or anything you buy that is not a necessity. This may be hard for you, but I promise, it won’t kill you. It is so amazing how much money is spent on frivolous items-most times just to give you a status or look good. How many people do you know that will buy outfits just for a picture~this is so self focused. You know the people that spend money on things to make them look good or feel like they are better than someone else, but God looks at what you do for others, so I want you to remember that when you are tempted to buy these materialistic items. Giving is so rewarding-it gives you so much joy _J-O-Y_ Jesus, Others, You. This should be the order every day, but not just this month.
I hope you have an incredibly blessed day friend!
Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Happy Monday Friend
I am gearing up to make large batches of some of my soaps, lotions, laundry detergent, scent booster, stain removers, and I thought I would let you know how much money you can save by making your own products along with how much safer they are compared to anything at the store. I think of all the money I spent for years on products like dawn dishsoap, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and so many other items that I could make myself for a fraction of the price and am so thankful I learned about what they were doing to my health about 20 years ago. I make my products in bulk because I don’t do it very often so I make large batches! It takes very little time to make a large amount of products and uses such few ingredients that anyone can make these.
Today I want to talk about a few of my favorite ingredients when making my supplies.
White Vinegar
Castile Soap
Baking Soda
Washing Soda
Coconut Oil
Essential Oils
Start out with a few items so you dont get overwhelmed. You will be amazed how easy it really is!
I have a free non toxic cleaning recipe guide on my website to help you get started quickly and they are all super simple.
Go to claimingsimplicity.com and get your free recipes and I have many many more recipes, so if there is something else you need a recipe for, just let me know!!!!!!
Remember to leave a rating and review if you have not already so you can be entered into our monthly giveaway starting with the first one in February
Happy Cleaning Friend!
DIY Cleaners ->https://claiming-simplicity.ck.page/best-diy-cleaners
Oils -> my.doterra.com/monicabaker/
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Hello
There is something freeing about having time freedom. I remember when I did daycare and the income looked good until I subtracted all the expenses and when you divide that by working 40 or 50 hours per week plus the time for shopping for food and daycare items, I made less than minimum wage and the value of our house went down because of wear and tear! Most daycare providers realized that they can’t get ahead and without having benefits or retirement it didn’t make sense so now it is hard to find home daycares. There are just so many more opportunities for you to make changes so you don’t have to trade time for money anymore!
We haven’t retired my husband yet, but that is the plan eventually!! Right now, all my grandkids live within 2 hours, so if they need something, have programs, or need me to watch them, guess what-I can do it because over 20 years ago, I made that as one of my goals and priorities as a Grandma! You can change your life without having to sacrifice what you value! You are not going to make a full time income selling eggs on your little homestead unless you sell 20000 or so a year, but there are so many other ways to make money right from home without sacrificing time!
Blessings!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/
Friday Jan 05, 2024
Friday Jan 05, 2024
I try to batch cook as much as possible and I want you to spend less time in the kitchen as well if that is what you choose.
When it comes to cooking, you do have to do a little planning if you are cooking in large amounts. You may not have all the ingredients on hand when making large quantities, so that is the first step. Take a look at the ingredients you have on hand and then get a recipe and figure out how many other ingredients you will need to either double or triple that recipe.
Once you know what you are making, you will want to plan a day that week that you have a longer amount of time in your schedule to cook a large amount of food. I try to do bulk cooking at least once a week to keep a large supply of meals on hand and that is the reason we rarely go out to eat. If you prepare meals and they are convenient to make quickly, it is more work to go somewhere else to eat!
Once you know what you are making, you will want to make sure it can be frozen and it may only be a portion that you will freeze, for instance, when I make my chicken noodle soup, I freeze all of it except the noodle and then when I heat it up, I will add the noodles about 10 minutes before the soup is ready. Many of the items like lasagnas, eggbakes, tacos and even sauces freeze very well.
It also helps if you have a list of your favorite recipes that you can easily make into large quantities that freeze well. Start out by making just 1 meal a week that you double or triple and then if you would like, take 1 morning a month and make a few extra recipes that you could have throughout the month and you will add quickly to meal surplus so you can easily have meals ready on the nights when you don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal. This will not only keep you from eating out as much, but it will also help you to eat healthier.
I like to make all my breads for the month in 1 day and freeze those as well, so I'm not spending time taking all the ingredients and equipment out several times a month plus then I only have to clean up once from that too! Keep your meals simple and add more time back to your life.
I’m all about keeping everything as simple as possible and these systems that I have learned over the years have really helped with that so I have time to do other things that I love.
Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Happy New Year Friend
I’m sure many of you overspent for Christmas and the no spend challenge we do in January is just like a detox from spending! You can do a sugar fast along with a spending fast to get life back on track!!!!
If you really want to save money in 2024, you need to reduce expenses. This challenge is so different for each person, but I want you to really evaluate what you actually NEED to spend money on for the month of January. We all need to pay our bills and we need food, but i’m guessing you could go through your cupboards and freezers to clean out as much as you can and get creative with your meals and just buy the bare minimum ingredients you need. Last year I only spend $73 on groceries for the month for a family of 4 and I can link that episode below on how I did that and this year I’m trying to spend nothing.That is a stretch challenge, but we do raise our own milk, eggs, chicken, and pork now along with making all my own breads, noodles, pizza dough and all things sourdough which just uses starter, flour and water, so it shouldn’t be too extremely difficult when we already cook from scratch.
I was just trying to think the other day when the last time we have gone out to eat was and I can’t even remember. When you cook from scratch, eating out isn’t that exciting~especially when you think about the ingredients they use-we feed our animals non gmo feed ~which is expensive and have to drive almost 2 hours to get it and order some online, but it is important to us what we put in our bodies as well as what we put on our bodies, so we choose to eat at home as much as possible, but it you eat out often, that is an area you can save so much money in just this one month!
Another great way to save some money would be to unlink your credit card from amazon, or any online store you may easily order online from. This one extra step could help you think a little more about your purchase and if it is really something you need. Our culture thinks we NEED so much more than we actually do! Don’t buy anything with credit cards. Just try it for a week or 2 and see how it goes for you. You might enjoy spending less money once you see how much extra money you really have.
There are so many great benefits to spending less. When you stop bringing clutter into the home, you also declutter your mind. One of the biggest benefits from spending less is that you may become less focused on wanting more and learn to be content with what you have. I suggest you try it for just one month.
EPISODE 74: https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-2vz43-c15ea5
Great to have you back!
Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/
Friday Dec 29, 2023
Friday Dec 29, 2023
Hey Friend!
So many people ask how I have so much energy, so I just want to share with you my top 7 things I do every single day to feel my best and have consistent energy so you can too in 2024!
Engage in activities that spark your creativity. It could be painting, writing, gardening, or anything that brings you joy. Expressing yourself creatively is a fantastic way to recharge your energy.
Get up early and start your day with a few minutes of quiet time. Whether it is enjoying a cup of coffee, praying, or taking a short walk, these peaceful moments can set a positive tone for the day. Embrace the calm before the chaos.
When life gets hectic, its tempting to grab quick snacks, so make sure to choose nutrient rich options such as protein, fruit or nuts. They are not only good for your health, but also provide sustained energy to keep you going.
Cultivate a habit of gratitude by jotting down 3 things you are thankful for each day. It is a wonderful way to shift your focus to the positive aspects of life, even on the busiest days.
Diffuse PURE essential oils that promote energy and motivation-I have been doing this for many years. My favorites are citrus oils like grapefruit, lemon, lime and orange because they are so uplifting, refreshing, energizing and all natural.
Don’t underestimate the power of water! Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining energy levels. Keep a water bottle handy throughout the day to remind yourself to sip and stay refreshed. I try to drink at least 100 ounces per day and during the winter, I actually drink warm water so I drink enough because I hate to be cold!
Prioritize quality sleep by creating a cozy and dark sleep environment and aim for a consistent sleep schedule. A well-rested you is a more energized you! If you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, I do have some suggestions that have helped me and I will link those below as well!
It seems like a simple list, but if you arent doing all of these, start with just one and then once you are doing that consistently, add the next one. This is called habit stacking if you are not familiar with it. Once you create these systems one at a time, they become your habits!
Happy Happy New Year and Stay Safe!!!!
Monica
Favorite Home Products to get started:
For Sleep: https://doterra.me/X6TEh2
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Hello Friend!
I know you can get overwhelmed with all the projects you may have on your homestead or farm, but if you begin by planning in the less busy season, you will feel less stress because you actually have a plan!
First, Start by listing all the projects outside you want to do this year. I will add everything I can think of when I am planning for the new year
Next list any more animals we want to get and now this year, I will add to the list when we plan to breed our animals.
After that I will add any inside projects we need to get done
I will add the things I want to learn or try in the kitchen and try to plan my canning as much as I am able and the things I want to add to the garden.
If you take time to write these things down and then plan a date or time frame for them, you are going to have less overwhelm because you know exactly what it is that you want to plan for the year and you will be prepared.
Simplifying all the systems is key!
Blessings to you!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
You Tube -> https://www.youtube.com/@claimingsimplicity/