I love that this microwave has a soft close door. This is an awesome feature to have, especially in a busy home with an active family. The Breville Combi 3-in-1 Microwave has a clever touch like child lock. It is also 50% quieter while you're using it. You also have the ability to use preset features at your fingertips like  Smart Defrost, Smart Reheat & Smart Cook. The Wave 2-in-1 was designed to prepare your favorite dishes faster and more convenient. By using any of the three features for your desired look. The smart algorithms steer power to where it's needed to ensure your foot is prepared properly for the best results. 

You can learn more about The NEW! Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Microwave at Best Buy.com.

This year I attended a Derma E skincare event and it was really life-changing for me and my skincare routine. I learned that my skin wasn't in the best shape and I really needed to revamp my skincare routine. I am still using some of the same products from last year. However, I still have incorporated a couple of new products as well. If you follow me on Instagram, I love trying new beauty products and change up my skincare routine based on the products I've tried. What I will say is that I've noticed a great change with my skin, and I'm so happy with the products that I'm currently using. 

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

The Best Baked Drumsticks 

Sticky Herb Baked Chicken 

Garlic Ranch Chicken Wings 

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken 

Meal Plan
Meal planning saves me and my family a lot of money. One I'm not ordering out as much and we also have the items that are needed in our home which reduces that amount of time that we're at a grocery store.

Shopping List
Going to the store with a shopping list and only purchasing items on your shopping list. Eliminates overspending and purchasing unwanted items.

Crockpot Life
I did some research and found that a crockpot actually saves on your electric bill because of course, you're not using an entire oven. My goal is to make at least one crockpot meal a week.

Groupon for Dates
I never paid attention until recently. However, Groupon has some really great sale offers if you're paying attention to your alerts and emails. Combine a great deal with cashback with eBates and you're saving even more money. My goal is to also watch how much money we're spending on purchase dates as well and to not just buy because of the price if that makes any sense. Last year we took advantage of some really great deals one being our trip to a local brewery. It was a great deal and out of the norm of what we typically do.

Going out for Lunch
I've learned that most cases, lunch is mostly a lot cheaper than dinner options at our local restaurants and we actually save a by going on dates during the day. Is this ideal all the time? No, however, most restaurants offer lunch specials on the weekends as well and our favorite restaurant actually gives great lunch portions.

Flying Budget-Friendly Flights
I'm all for budget-friendly flights like flying United Airlines' basic economy or flying Spirit Airlines.  However, this year I actually became a cardholder for airlines and it's life-changing. Especially, when attending so many conferences throughout the year. My first checked bag is free which saves me $45 per person. The membership really does pay for itself.  Plus, priority boarding is such a game changer!!

Make Homemade
Last year I really tried to focus on creating more homemade meals. Since I eat mostly a plant-based diet. I typically make a ton of desserts, pie crust, and snacks homemade. It's great because I know first hand what's going in my food and I have more control of the sugar content.

Use Cash Apps
As prior stated, I'm a huge fan of Cash Back apps and my goal is to use them whenever it's applicable. Some of my favorite apps are Top Cash Back, Ebates, DOSH, and Ibotta.

Plan Ahead for Holidays
I am big on planning ahead for the holiday. and it's never too early or too late for you to start too. I want to get better at actually making and budgeting for the holidays in advance no matter how big or small it may be. I found myself. A little last minute with my gift for Michael this year and I could have actually made the gift weeks in advance since I had everything on hand. I also would like to make more DIY gifts in advance, because once the largest holidays come around I typically get really busy and the projects never happen.

Air Dry Clothing
I love air drying my clothes. Of course, it's a lot easier during the warmer months. However, I'm learning to airdry what I can during the wintertime and I've been really impressed with how well I've been doing.

Starting a Garden
For the last couple of years, I've started a garden. I try my best to start a garden indoors. However, I typically forget to water the plant. This year I plan on adding more items to my garden and actually starting in advance. I already purchased a couple of items and I can't wait to get started with it.

Amazon Prime
This is actually my second or third year as a prime member and I actually love the service. I have Prime Music which I love and it's nice to get the items shipped two days or receive a credit if I don't need rush shipping. The two-day shipping really comes in handy, especially during the holidays.

Created/Maintain A Routine
During the fall/winter, my routine has been all out of wack and I really miss having a daily routine. What I love about routines is that it actually keeps you on task and your time and money are accounted for. I have a schedule and a to-do list and know what I need to get done. I know what I need to work on next and what I'm making for dinner. I know what time I want dinner started by because I have a routine. It's not perfect. However, it helps me a lot with staying on task.

Homemade Gifts
This year I want to focus more on personalized homemade gifts. I have a silhouette machine and I need to use it. I did such a great job in the past years making personalized homemade gifts. I have to get back on track with making them and actually setting time aside to create them

Stock Up on Sales
I think I'm the self-proclaimed queen of sales. However, I have to get in the habit of stocking up on items that we use on a daily basis. I know the items that we need to keep on hand and typically run out of on a regular basis. Like spaghetti sauce, stuffing, pasta, and cream of chicken etc. Why pay full price when the items regularly go on sale.

Use a Toaster Oven
Last year during Black Friday. We invested in a toaster oven. I'm so happy that we did. I believe we paid under $20 for it. It's not high tech or anything. However, it does the job and it makes it so much easier when making small portions that require an oven.

Wash After 7:00 pm
I learned a couple of years ago that the electric rates change during the day. I also learned by washing after 7:00 pm at night that I could save money. I typically don't implement this as much during the warmer months. Because I'm typically air drying our clothes. However, it really comes in handy during the winter months with having to use our water and dryer a lot more. I would defiantly check with your electric carrier to see if your rates change.

Bring My Own Bag
This summer my state implemented a bag tax. I always try to remember to bring my own bag, and our Target still offers five cents for each bag you bring.

What are some ways you're saving money this year?

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Create a List

He's creating a list checking it twice... ok, of course, you're not Santa but it's so important to create a list, and know who you're purchasing for. Once you've created a list. Know the item(s) you would like to purchase for each person. It's never to early to ask your kids (friends/family) what they want for Christmas. Knowing what to look out for is going to save you a ton of money. Especially, if you start purchasing the items in advance before they become a hot holiday item. 

Follow Sales

Now that you have your list. It's so important to follow the sales AD for the stores. Especially, stores like Target. You should know the likely hood of that item going on sale. If it ever does. Somethings it's more important to purchase the item for peace of mind, especially, if it's a hot ticket item. 

It’s really bittersweet to be back home from the WOW Summit. It’s always so nice to connect with so many like-minded individuals. This year the WOW Summit was held in Texas. It was my first time visiting Texas and it was such a great experience. The weather was amazing. It was in the ’90s each day, in which Connecticut is starting to transition to fall temps, so it was nice to experience the warmer weather again. Below, I’m sharing what I wore while in Texas.