Picking a Paint Color for Your Front Door

It's officially been two years since we bought our home! 
{Where did the time go?!}

Among the many projects I knew I wanted to tackle after moving in was painting my front door!

I LOVE statement doors! I have many pins dedicated to choosing the right paint color and how to paint your front door. I'm the kind of person who has to gather waaayy too much information before deciding what to do. Kind of seems like a time waster but in the end it's really beneficial because I learn great techniques and new tricks as well as making a solid decision that I hopefully love for a long time. See how cute all these ideas are??

Follow Julie's board Front door on Pinterest.

We seem to be having a slew of random house projects popping up- not the fun kind either. I don't like that kind of stress so I resort to my therapeutic PAINTING in those stressful times. I must have been waaay stressed because I not only painted the door but my whole entryway too! It finally got a fresh crisp white coat- no more old yellowish off white. I'll show that off later!

As for the door, I quit being wishy washy and just went for it. I already had this paint color on hand from one of the amazing Ace Hardware free paint days for Clark + Kensington flat paint. I'm a huge fan. Clark + Kensington knows how to make paint with great coverage and less dripage. So this project was FREE! LOVE THAT!

Anywho, what do you think?? I'm loving the color contrast between the scrolly white screen door and the turquoise behind it! The panels to the side also have the same white scrolly metal "screen" so I'm debating on painting the inside of the side panels to match the door. But maybe that would be too much turquoise?? 

I also need a cute Welcome mat to match! Any suggestions on finding a budget friendly but adorable mat? 

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Must Have Money Saving App!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Such links may provide a small commission. Thank you in advance for any clicks or purchases from my affiliate links. I try to provide you with only the best of links with products I love and think you will too.

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I really should have shared this app right as soon as I found it! I LOVE it! I've casually used the app for a while now and have found it to be super user friendly. It appeals to my organizing side in a whole new way!

Why do I love ShopKick?? 

#1 Reason: You don't have to buy a single thing to make money from it! 

How does ShopKick work? 

Basically if you have a smartphone, you download the app here, have the GPS setting on and earn points(they call them kicks) when shopping!

 There are four ways to earn Kicks:

1) Walk-in points. (My fav) Just have the shop kick app open on your phone as you enter the stores listed from the app. You will get points(or kicks) anywhere from 25 even up to 200 just for simply walking into a store with your app turn off. 

2) Scan products. While the specified store click on the store icon and then click on products. There will be a specified amount of product Scan products. While I specified store click on the store icon and then click on products. There will be a specific list of products that you find it and scan as you're browsing the store. Kicks vary from 10-75 and sometimes more per product.

3) Click kicks. In the shop kick app click on products and there will be a full list of different product groups. Click on each individual product group scroll to the bottom and find an icon with an envelope. Tap or click on the envelope and it will reward you with kicks anywhere from 1-5 points, usually 1. Not every group will have the envelope icon but most do the icon is almost always at the bottom of the page.

4) Purchase Kicks. OK this one is not technically free but if you're making a purchase anyway you might as well try it out earn some free kicks. If you add your credit or debit card to your shop kick account it will track your purchases at those stores as long as you have your shop kick app open at the stores. Right now you can earn 200 points just for adding your credit or debit card to your shop kick account as well.  Honestly I have not done this yet and have earned plenty of points for kicks to earn free gift cards. The rewards vary. I've earned two target gift cards so far and have not used to purchase kicks feature.

Another feature I really like is that you can find deals in your area really easy by simply clicking the "Deals" icon. Above is a snapshot of just the first two stores with deals! There are lots of "Back To School" deals going on right now. You can save the deals to your profile too so that later you can quickly access them. Sweet! There are some great discounts from 20-50% off too! Check them out!

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$25 Credit to Ting.com! Frugal Phone Service!

Get a $25 Credit to Ting 

towards either your new phone purchase or your monthly service! 

*If you don't want to read my Ting story, just click the link to learn about it for yourself :) You'll be glad you did and you'll save A LOT on your wireless phone bill too!

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For months now we have been trying to decide what to do about getting new phones. 

We were with Verizon but haven't been under contract for over a year. We don't move hastily into decisions that involve contracts. 

Our service was about $65 for two "dumb" phones. We haven't ever moved up to the smart phone stage. Smart phones just had a lot going against them in our minds... mostly just $$$... too many dollars going out the window for the service. We could have signed a new 2 year contract with Verizon and got free iPhones but we would be paying AT LEAST $100 (that's with a 17% discount) for two smart phones. 

It just made my stomach churn to think about throwing away a $100 bill every month for stupid "smart" phones!

Thank goodness a friend of mine told me about TING!

Instead of paying $100+ with Verizon, we'll be paying about $65 (or less!) for two smart phones and a dumb(basic) phone!

Advantages of TING:

• NO CONTRACTS
• Frugal Plans
• Not locked into a specific plan
• Uses Sprints Network
• Some Sprint Phones are compatible 
• about HALF the price of what Verizon and other companies would charge
• Smart Phones at a SMART PRICE!!
• You can transfer your current phone number over too- at no extra charge!
• You can also use your own wireless network(or hot spots) without it going against your data usage!

For a visual of how Ting works and to calculate your savings, click this link or watch this video below.

We will pay $56 + surcharges for 2 smart phones and 1 basic phone!!! 

If we are under that, they won't over charge us either... and if one month we use extra, no big deal, we won't be locked into a higher plan. Right now we pay $100+ (with a discount) for 3 phones, all basic phones too.

I'm so excited to have a Smart Phone for so many reasons and so glad that Ting makes it affordable!
And remember, when you use my link you'll get a $25 credit towards your new phone or monthly service with Ting! 

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Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe- amazing!

It's time for me to make more of my...

Homemade Laundry Detergent

It is simple and only takes a few minutes(even less if you have an automatic cheese grater) i did mine by hand.

Recipe for one batch:

(I make 3-4 batches at a time)

1 Fels-Naptha Bar 

2 cups Borax powder

2 cups A&H WASHING soda

I also blended it through my Magic Bullet just to create a finer mixture. Then I put mine in an old ice cream bucket, not the cutest but it was free and it's actually quite handy- plus that means I enjoyed a good treat:)

One normal load is just 2 tablespoons(1/8 a cup)- Large or EXTRA dirty, 3-4 Tablespoons

I bought the 40 oz. box of Borax at Target for only $3.35(compared to Harmon's $5.99) but they didn't have the rest of the supplies so I bought the rest at Harmon's- not the cheapest place to buy it all(just the closest to me)... I've heard Wal-mart has it much cheaper($1 a bar of Fels-Naptha). 

So lets do the math here(I know math this early in the morning-my head hurts):

1 bars Fels-naptha=  $1.99(or even $1 from Wal-mart)

1/4 box borax(assuming there is 16 cps worth)= $0.84

1/4 box washing soda(assuming 16 cups worth)=$0.82

Total of $2.66 per batch if you buy Fels-Naptha at Wal-mart or $3.66 if you buy from Harmon's

Each load costs as little as 5 CENTS!!!

Correct my math if I'm wrong.

If you are a couponer like me... you may have seen the great deal on Tide for $2.99(after sale and coupon)... that was for the 20-40 loads per bottle. Assume it's 40 loads at $2.99(which is RARE, btw)

that is .07475 cents per load! Still more than the homemade detergent! 

Yup... and like I said THAT TIDE SALE IS RARE! 

Here are some tid bits I learned while using it so far:

*it doesn't leave really any scent after being washed... I add a "scent booster"-  I have read you can add in a scented bar of soap like dove or whatever you like.

*the shredded fels-naptha kind of separates in the mix so give it a stir when you scoop for the wash.

*For HE you are supposed to use 2 Tblspoons and for regular I have read that you should use a 1/4 to half cup... I actually have been using 2 Tblspoons in my NON HE washer and it has been fine.

*It worked great on throw up and nasty explosive poop stained sheets- yes it happened... like 3 times over the holidays.... both came out great.

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While you are visiting be sure to enter the following giveaways:

Summer Patio Giveaway

250 Business Card Giveaway from Uprinting

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