No Spend November had me thinking about all of the ways to save.  One idea I did not mention but am finding new surprises at all of the time is our local library.  We have an avid reader in our family, so instead of buying all of the books we have made it a habit to go to the library once a week. 

It always starts the same, we look at the books.  After we fill our library designated bag we check out.  As time went on we added taking a quick look at the DVD section, you can find movies or TV shows old and new.  As long as you have a DVD player at home you are all set to have a movie night – another money saving idea.  This we do not do that often as we do not watch much TV but it is nice to do once a month.

After we look at the DVD’s now we look at the puzzle section which we found located near the check out.  They have many puzzles to choose from, yet another weekend activity at no cost to you.  Along the lines of puzzles, they have games you can check out as well.  And if you want to go outside and play they even have a section of Lawn Games you can check out. 

Last week I saw a few more things that made me say wow.  They have baking tins you can check out, they had themed ones for Thanksgiving and the holidays plus many others.  And right by the self check out we saw a seed box, it has packets of seeds you can check out, they said you can get 3 packets per visit.  They also have the option to donate seeds, what a wonderful way to be a part of your community.  And in the monthly email I get from the library I just saw that you can now check out a Mobile Sound System, perfect for Karaoke night entertainment.

Who knew the library could be so cost effective.  From books to teach you how to do and make things yourself to save money by 7providing countless options of ways to entertain yourself.

*JAJ TIP*  Being a planner I am usually on top of things, but sometimes we have so much checked out I lose track of due dates.  First, always get a printed receipt so you can keep track of what you checked out and the due dates.  Not to worry if you forget the due date, most libraries will email you and auto renew for you unless there is a hold on the item from another library patron.

*PLANNING TIP*  Before heading out to the local library you may want to make a list of what you want to look for.  Maybe it is just to familiarize yourself with a certain section, but go with intention.

*TECH TIP*  Go to your towns local library website to see what they have.  Your library may have more or less than mine.  Also, once you have a library card and online access setup you can usually place a hold on the items you want to check out.  Pro tip, if there is a sister library they can bring items over as an option as well.

Last year when I heard the phrase “No Shave November” it gave me an idea.  Spending seemed out of control at the time so I decided to make it “No Spend November”.  The timing was good because it was before the holidays and after the back to school/end of summer days.  In a nutshell, I stopped spending for the month on any non essentials.

It is harder than you think.  Any time you leave the house, watch TV or go on social media you see enticing ads that make you feel like you need or want certain items.  So finding things to do around the house, like clean or exercise are good ways to keep you engaged in other activities that do not cost money or prompt you to spend money.

Over the month a good idea would be to do coupon clipping for future item purchases.  Maybe look around the house at things you wanted to buy and see if you can use something you have already instead of spending the money.  Take old clothing that you no longer wear and donate or sell them on a site to make money instead of spending it.  If you sell something you may even have the money to buy something new you had been looking at.

It is definitely a challenge but one worth taking on as you can only benefit from it by enjoying your savings.  If the timing isn’t good, try another month.  This year my “No Spend” month is October because I was writing this and figured why not do it now so I have money saved for Black Friday in November.  So adjust this idea to best suit your life’s needs.

*ENTERTAINMENT TIP*  Most of the money we spend is on eating out and entertainment.  So instead of going out, stay home.  Have a movie/game night and make dinner followed by theater snacks like popcorn and candy.  Maybe add in going for a walk, this is also a great way to get out without having to spend money, so maybe incorporate that in your cost saving plans.

*JAJ TIP*  Read this previous blog post for ideas on how to clean out and sell or donate your used items.  http://www.justaskjen.net/step-it-up-september

*TECH TIP*  Check out this blog I wrote about “Shopping Smarter” for more money saving ideas.  http://www.justaskjen.net/start-shopping-smarter

Being a Girl Scout Leader the last 4 years has taught me a lot.  So, in return I am trying to give back by teaching my girls about things that I have learned over the years.  I am a firm believer in giving back and not always with money.  Some times it is better to give back with action instead of just talking about or donating to a cause.

This summer my daughter surprised me by wanting to do her Summer Funshine project by herself.  I wanted to assist her in picking a local charity and finding out what they needed help with, then my Girl Scout prepared the rest.  Since The Ark of Chicago has given back to the community for so many years it was an easy selection for us.  Their site was helpful to us by clearly stating their needs and offering documents you could download to print and use.  The Ark has a food pantry so we thought what better way to help than by collecting and donating items to fill the pantry.

Since we live in a building, we had to make sure we had permission to make and place a box in the lobby.  Our amazing door man helped us by making sure all residents knew about it and where to find the box to place the donations.  It may not seem like a lot but we were able to fill a big box (about 4 full shopping bags) of items on the list.  I am very proud of my Girl Scout and all of the residents who live in our building.  At the end of the day it is about teaching the young ones to give back and to be a part of their community.  This drive helped us get to know more of our neighbors and make everyone feel good about helping their community.  It’s all starts at home.  If we are good as a community we can be good to other communities. 

This activity can also help Girl Scouts fulfill requirements for larger awards (like Bronze, Silver and Gold).  Since the goal is to improve life for everyone the Girl Scouts can use this in their life going forward and become pillars in their communities for the work they do 🙂

*JAJ TIP* Give back by setting up your own drive…you can make back to school backpacks, holidays gifts for families less fortunate, food drives, shoe drives, the list is really endless when you start to think of all the ways you can help others.  Trust me as a Personal Concierge I have learned that the list of how to help people has become quite lengthy.

*PLANNING TIP*  Think about what you want to help/improve in your community then think of how you can accomplish that.  Contact charities and companies in your community to find out what they need.  From there you can plan better.

*TECH TIP* Go to the site of your favorite charity to see if they talk about their needs and if they have any marketing pieces you can use for your project.  For example: Items needed List, Boxes for item collection or maybe signs you can put out.

I have always felt it was important to learn languages at a young age.  So when our daughter was just about to turn 3 years old we started the program at the Instituto Cervantes Chicago which 6 years later has far exceeded our expectations.   

The elementary school we are at begins teaching Mandarin at age 3.  We thought learning two languages would be confusing and therefore should pick one.   However, doing Spanish in the Summer at the Instituto and Mandarin at school during the rest of the year we have found no issues.  In fact her Spanish may be better than her Mandarin because of the program at the Instituto.  Learning while creating beautiful art projects, being able to apply the learning to your daily life and making wonderful friends while being in a fully immersive Spanish speaking program is bound to teach the language in no time. 

Let me take a moment to speak about the teachers…they certainly know how to hire the perfect teachers for the different age groups.  Over the 6 years we have been there we started with one teacher, had the second level teacher and now we are onto the older kid teacher.  Each instructor has been perfect for the age group they are teaching.  They have all become our friends over the years, we walk in to happy smiling faces every day, all of us greet one another in the hall with compliments (in Spanish of course), hugs and kisses.  It is the best way to start the day!

I cannot say enough about this program!  Keep reading for more helpful tips.

*JAJ TIP* This year the Instituto started offering an after camp enrichment. The normal day ends at 2pm, this enrichment extends the day until 4pm.  Giving the kids an option of Theater or Poetry, this after camp class is sure to engage your child in another way that will promote their learning even further.  Plus it is 2 more hours a day they are learning and speaking Spanish.

*PLANNING TIP* Start Young, the younger the better.  And look for a fully immersive program.  It may be intimidating at first, but in no time you will see that it is a faster way of mastering the language. You can go week by week at the Kids Summer Camp, but I highly recommend doing a few weeks in a row in order to gain the most as far as learning.

*TECH TIP* Go to https://chicago.cervantes.es/en/Cervanteskids_spanish/children_courses_spanish.htm to sign up for classes or camp today.

I am always on the hunt for unique experiences to give as gifts, especially for my parents who have everything.  This year I searched and searched until I came up with the perfect idea for their anniversary.

I like to look for shows, plays, concerts and the like at hotels, arenas, gaming facilities, comedy clubs or anywhere else offering a fun day/night out.  I like to be original when booking these events not duplicating what we have done in the past.  It seems that as the years go on everyone’s needs change.  The age of parents goes up making walking and big crowds not the ideal place.  On the opposite end of the age spectrum you have kids that may not be good audience members at all shows/outings.  So when I came across Guy Bavli’s show at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas I was excited because it would accommodate all of the above as we have young and old in our group. 

Guy did not disappoint.  His quick wit and pure skill excited and entertained everyone for the entire hour and a half long show, leaving us as either “skeptics or believers”.  Audience members could participate, but were also given the option to bow out if they did not want to.   Performing in front of others at the age of five the Israeli born illusionist wanted to amuse and awe others so he learned and perfected his act over the years citing Uri Geller as one of his biggest influences.  He has been on countless television shows displaying his many talents for years and now has decided to stay local and take up residency at The Riverside Hotel while offering appearances at corporate and private events as well.

I highly recommend making the trip to Las Olas to see this marvelous mentalist!

*JAJ TIP*  I suggest spending a little more per ticket for VIP, which will secure you a table and optimal viewing for the show.  It also includes a drink ticket which can be used at the hotel bars as you wait to be let in for the show.

*PLANNING TIP*  Go early and have dinner before the show, as a guest of the show you receive 20% off at the Golden Lyon Pub or Wild Sea Restaurants on property or you can travel out the hotel’s front door and dine at one of the many delicious restaurants on Las Olas Blvd.

*TECH TIP*  Go to https://www.masterofthemind.com/fll22/ to purchase your tickets today.

This summer I am vowing to stop stressing about projects that need to be completed at home and am going to start simplifying the daunting task by breaking it down and then getting started one step at a time.  If you have something you have been wanting to complete but keep putting it off you should continue reading.

Start by writing down something you really wanted to get done around the house.  For example, I sell our new/lightly used clothes.  I have a closet full of clothes that need to be added to the selling site.  I have had to do this for a couple of years now but I just keep adding items to the closet without posting.  When I am not sure how to do something or how I would like to proceed I tend to put those things off, sound familiar?

Since I have trouble getting rid of things like clothing, purses, shoes, etc I use a third party consignment app to sell my items.  It leaves me with a satisfied feeling knowing the buyer is happy and enjoying what they purchased and that I got the price I wanted for the item(s) sold.  The added bonus is that I then have money to go buy something new that I can one day resell for money.

Last month I started making a list of what I wanted to get done:

1. Sell as much as possible by creating unique listings
2. Continue reposting items weekly
3. Organize the clothing closet
4. Redo photos for older listings
5. Sort clothing and pull old clothing that hasn’t sold
6. Donate pulled clothing

This helped by giving me a place to start.  I started with #1.  I have been listing 2-4 items a few days a week for the last two weeks and have even sold a few pieces.  As I list items I am organizing the closet when I put those items away, helping me to naturally move onto another task on the list I wanted to complete #3.  Now that I have begun I am finding it less daunting to tackle a few things a week instead of looking at everything and trying to do it all at once. 

If you are stuck, maybe try following my lead and take a dreaded task and break it down into “TO DO STEPS” and then get to work.  As I type this I am going to list more new items, it leaves me with such an accomplished  feeling.

*JAJ TIP* There are a few sell your own items sites/apps.  I have used Poshmark for many years and have been very happy.  Download it today and give it a try.

*ORGANIZATION TIP* Go about it the old fashioned way and grab a piece of paper or a notebook if you prefer, divide it into steps and leave space in between the steps. This way you can make notes about ideas you come up with on how to do/make it better/easier in the future.

*TECH TIP* If you are putting a task off because you do not know how to accomplish it, you can always use Google, Grok or whatever form of AI you would like to help assist you in your research.  Be specific with what you need so you can get more tailored advice.  For example: I can search “Poshmark listing creation ideas” see what I find and add to my notes to implement when ready. 

Have fun and happy summer!

Kids and adults alike could benefit from a good exercise and discipline program. Might I suggest looking into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons/classes.  Gracie Barra has classes all over the country and is a phenomenal program.  Starting at 7 years old, I have watched my child grow from a tiny little thing to a lean fighting machine.  King of the mat one called her.

Now, almost 10 years old and on her 4th belt, she looks forward to seeing her friends, getting stronger and perfecting her techniques.  I always pictured Jiu JItsu as a boys sport, but it is becoming more of a girls/women’s sport as well.

Gracie Barra offers a variety of packages/plans to choose from.  One option they have is a an afterschool program which I cannot say enough about this program.  I have watched kids start the year with serious behavioral issues change into kind and polite children by the end of the school year.  Any parent would be blessed to have this as an option for their child’s afterschool activity.

*JAJ TIP*  Go to https://graciebarrawear.com/ to purchase all your gear.  Be sure to keep an eye out for Limited Edition gear, it never disappoints.

*PLANNING TIP*  Plan on going at least twice a week, and eventually possibly three days a week as you get stronger and better at it.  Adults, consider it part of your weekly workout routine.  For kids, I do this as an after school enrichment 2-3 days a week. The best part about Gracie Barra is that you buy as a package and you can go any day of the week you want and in some cases to as many classes as you want.

*TECH TIP*  Go to https://graciebarra.com/find-a-school/ to locate a training facility near you.

As we approach playoff and Festival season I figured I would share some tips and tricks to help you better prepare for a successful outing.

From what to wear to what to bring, whether you’re inside a freezing hockey arena or taking in a concert out in the summer heat, you can never be too prepared.  If it is hot consider things like cooling towels, fans and loose clothing.  Cooler inside events be sure to pack a sweatshirt.  And don’t forget to dress for the event.  Make it more special by purchasing something new to wear so that you have a memory of the event in the future.

Timing is also very important, especially if you are like me and do not like waiting around.  Some times it is a good thing to arrive early to find good parking and to allow for time to walk around familiarizing yourself with everything being offered.  At times, like when I have older people with me who are less mobile, I like to know where the handicap parking is, when the doors open and when we can go to our seats.  Usually you can find all of the answers to this on their website or by even calling and speaking to someone directly at the venue.

Keep reading below for more helpful ideas and suggestions from Just Ask Jen.  Happy planning!

*COMPANIES I PROMOTE*  For any event you will probably need tickets. The venue and their website is the first place to look for tickets.  After that Ticketmaster sells tickets but I love to look at Stub Hub, Seat Geek and Fever as well.  Some times they may have better seats and even better pricing for certain events and/or packages.  Live Nation and Vivid Seats are two other sites I have heard about but have had no experience with.

*PLANNING TIP*  Before you venture out to your event, you should look at the website for the venue to see what tips/tricks/advice/info they have that will help you plan.  Specifically be sure to look at arrival times, directions for parking and/or transit options, food and restroom information, and if needed bag allowances.

*SHOPPING TIP*  Once you find the bag allowance dimensions you can go to amazon and search “arena festival bags”, they have great inexpensive options.  I have also heard good things about https://www.clutchwomen.com/ which sells stadium compliant bags.  Think of all the things you want to bring with and then get a bag that size with compartments for all you need.

Grocery cost seems to be a hot topic these days. Items have skyrocketed in price leaving buyers to choose between needs vs wants.  I never used to know the cost of items as readily as I do now. I bought what I needed and items cost what they cost.  Recently my grocery store placed a screen at the checkout line making it easier to see the cost of everything.  It has been a game changer and prompted me to start shopping smarter.  I thought I would share my ideas with you in hopes that it will help you spend less and save more.

Growing up I was always a coupon clipper.  Grocery store, home store, restaurants, there were so many I had an organizer to keep track of them.  Nowadays there are digital ways to save that also cut the time of clipping, sorting and storing.  Grocery and other stores have apps that allow you to clip and store digital coupons right there. 

Another idea I recently implemented is a “Buy on Sale” section on my lists (this idea can be applied to any category, I started with groceries).  These are items I buy more than one of or not that often and that I do not need immediately but would like to have on hand if I can get it at a discount.  I suggest you start small, take a month and make an effort every time you go to buy something, stop and think “will I use this item in the next week?”  If you answer no, you may want to consider buying it at another time. I did this last November, I called it “No-Spend-November”, and I was amazed at how much wasteful spending I was able to cut.

*JAJ TIP* A few years back I started this process with clothing.  Any time I was in a store about to buy something I would rethink the purchase and say to myself, “learn to shop in your closet”.  I started pairing things differently giving me new outfits at no cost.  I am impressed with how little I buy these days and how happy I am.

*PLANNING TIP* I suggest before going shopping, you review which stores/venues you will be visiting and see if you have an app with coupons and promotions to see what savings you can benefit from.

*TECH TIP* When buying on-line, google coupon codes for the site you are purchasing from.  There you will find sites with codes you can try.  I do this with pretty much all of my on-line shopping.  I cannot even tell you how much I have saved for myself and my clients over the years. 

I highly recommend starting with these simple steps to start saving money and time in turn giving you more money and time to use doing things you love.

Planning your spring break activities?  Going to Disney World in Orlando?  If so, I’ve got you covered.  If you want to spend a day away from the Theme Parks might I suggest taking in a fabulous show and making a day of it. Cirque Du Soleil has their Drawn to Life show at Disney Springs, and it is such a great way to introduce the kids to these types of experiences.

From the moment you arrive at this permanent tent you are transported, feeling like you are in a theater.  You are seated with a giant book as the main focus on the stage.  The excitement builds for what you are about to witness.

Before the performance begins there is interaction with the audience so come prepared to possibly be a part of the show.  Our child is shy and did not want to be involved, but regrets that decision to this day.  So if your child is asked and says no, you may want to give them a nudge and let them know it will be the experience of a lifetime.

The story, the acrobatics, and the characters were all so engaging that they transported us to a place of feeling like we were part of the story.  This 90-minute show has no intermission but you never even notice as you are engaged the entire time.  They serve very unique theater/circus snacks if you like to snack during shows – WE DO. I highly recommend trying the green popcorn and/or the pretzel shaped like Mickey Mouse, my family still talks about them to this day.  Enjoy this unique experience and planning for it!

*COMPANIES I PROMOTE* If you decide to eat before or after the show might I suggest The Boathouse at Disney Springs. Go to  https://theboathouseorlando.com/ for menus and reservations.  There was something for everyone to eat there and the atmosphere was perfect for the day.

*PLANNING TIP* If you want to make a day of it, you can shop, have lunch or dinner, and then see the show; or vice versa.  Go to https://www.disneysprings.com/ to start planning now.

*TECH TIP* Go to https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/usa/orlando/drawn-to-life/buy-tickets to learn more about the show, parking and how to get tickets.  While at this site it would be a good idea to sign up for their Club Cirque Newsletters to stay in the loop about new and upcoming shows.