The 2013 Back To School Social Party

Greetings fellow party-goers! Welcome to my blog.

For those of you who do not know, VoiceBoks is hosting a social networking party. There are going to be some great speakers and prizes! If you are interested, use coupon code twentyFive for 25% off of Tier 2 or Tier 3 passes.

A little about me and my blog. My name is Raine and I have a six year old son named Ryder. We live in Salem, MA, and, man, is it a good time! I am a single mom and I suffer from depression and panic disorder. I am more of a listener than a talker, mostly introverted, and a pessimist. I am also a great mom, down-to-earth, and, on occasion, funny.

This space here was originally all about being a single mom. I do still talk about the difficulties of single parenting, but recently I've been talking more and more about mental health. I like to think of my blog as somewhere I, and hopefully others, can connect with people in similar situations. A place where you can go to know that you are not alone. A place where, at some point, we can attain peace together.

How To Afford Your Summer Vacation

Today I have my first guest post ever! Shaye from Simply Shaye has some great ideas for us single moms to help the finances a bit.

As any single mom knows, summers stay busier than ever. I work 40 hours a week, or sometimes 45 if I need to fill in for someone. The kids are growing up, but they're bored and it's a hot summer. We absolutely cannot wait to go on vacation! Yes, that's right! Last summer, I shrugged and asked "How can I afford to take us on vacation? My salary is already stretched six ways to Sunday!" Then, I found some reliable ways to make money at home.

For all the other single moms out there, you CAN go on vacation this summer! Use the talents you have, whether it's hobbies like photography or crafting or writing: the money adds up, whether you're a stay-at-home mother or in the workforce like me. And don't forget to save money. It's not always how much you earn...Check out these 4 unique ways to supplement your summer bankroll:

Dog Boarding

No, this does not seem like work to me, and you will love this! Offer your services to a loving pet owner. Taking a pet to the kennel can be traumatic. Find a quite room or space for someone else's dog or cat to stay in your home. This is a win-win for everyone. You get to play with the puppy, the puppy has fun (and gets frequent walks if necessary on a leash) and the owner has a stress-free vacation.

Freelancing/Writing

If you like to write, check out oDesk for writing assignments that add money to your vacation account every week. You decide how much freelance work you'd like. You stay at home, at your comfy desk or kitchen table. If your kid is like mine, this option works out very well. You make money for vacation and it doesn’t really feel like work.

Take a Hike, Give Up the Gym

Ah, the ties that binds. My gym and I were together for more than 10 years, but when I added up all the days I couldn't get there--because I work, have a child, and like to make extra money--spending $50 per month did not make sense. Now, I have a new pair of running shoes and I’ll workout from home!

Drink Tap Water

Okay, that's harsh. But think about how much you spend on bottled water! We spent more than enough on bottled water. Every Tuesday morning, we collected the water bottles for recycling. There's so much waste associated with bottled water. Your municipal water authority makes sure the water is potable--but if you're worried, call them or buy a water filtration device for the kitchen tap. We use Brita, and our water tastes great. Check out http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water_wasteful.asp now!

Now, you see? Make a few savings adjustments can make you a little extra money. The thousands of dollars you save pays for a nice vacation. You and your children deserve it!

Shaye is a single mom that has a passion for family, budgeting, healthy living, fitness, and travel. She loves finding new ways to cook healthier and stay fit, all while doing it on a budget. She has a beautiful son and one eccentric dog, but wouldn’t have it any other way.. Follow her blog at http://simplyshaye.wordpress.com!  

Crush

I am a blusher. Bad. Even the smallest thing makes me blush. It is quite embarrassing sometimes. It is nowhere as bad as it was when I was younger, but I still blush. Sometimes it is just the completely wrong situation for blushing. I can't help it though.

I loved math class. Not because of the math, no, that sucked. Because John was in math class. John was a year older than us, but in our advanced math class. I'm still not sure how that worked out, but who am I to complain? He was a soccer player and a track athlete and I really liked him.

Because it was an advanced math class, it was the same students in the same level of math every year, so every year, for three glorious years, John was in my math class. One year, I sat next to him and was his math partner, whatever that meant.

So, because of this huge crush, I knew that every time I went into math class I was blushing. I could feel it. I went into the bathroom one day and my face was super red. I almost refused to go back to class. But I couldn't leave my math partner to derive on his own.