Live Cheap Dream Big

Living the dream on a shoestring budget

Category: Live Cheap

30 Day Blog Challenge

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On June 20, 2020

In Dream Big, Live Cheap

Today is Day 30 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge to create and publish a blog. I did it!

I signed up for this challenge because 1) it was free, and 2) I wanted to set up a blog for my retirement lifestyle. Specifically, I want to blog about my journey as a novel writer and as a quilter.

If you have thought about publishing a blog but just didn’t know how to go about it, I recommend taking this challenge. Go here for more details.

While the challenge is free, there is a cost to set up a blog. I set aside $500 for hosting and Constant Contact for the first year, but it can be done with less. The costs are lower if you commit to a longer contract for your hosting. This is good if you want to help yourself commit!

The 30 Day Blog Challenge community offers a Pro membership. There are new courses being added all the time. If you want to continue your journey in this community, plan for that cost as well.

The information in the challenge is solid. The course includes WordPress training as well as blog training – you’ll know how and what and why to do each step.

The support and feedback are excellent. It’s a bit scary to publish a personal blog but having the encouragement with each post I published gave me the motivation to keep going. Each time I had a technical question (I had a few!) I received help and more information within 24 hours.

My Results

Over 30 days I have a theme uploaded and customized, and I have learned more about WordPress. I have published 13 posts and created several pages. Now my task is to go back and edit those posts and pages to further refine the purpose of my blog.

I made valuable connections that will last past the 30-day challenge. In my Covid 19 self isolation lifestyle this is big deal!

I have an account with Constant Contact again. I was a Constant Contact Partner before I retired, and now I will be again. I have missed working with this system! If you have ever considered using Constant Contact, let me know. I’m happy to show you what it’s all about – and help you get a great deal too.

I have a rough plan to take me through to the end of the year. I have specific weekly, monthly, and annual goals – and an action plan to go with it. This is familiar from when I had my business – but I haven’t done this kind of planning since retiring my business.

Best of all, I have proof that I can quite easily commit to publishing regularly. I did it for the past 30 days, I can do it for the next 30 days, and the next. My takeaway is that I need small bite-sized goals and a chunk of non-negotiable writing time.

My Next Challenge

On Monday I am starting a new challenge to write 500 words a day on my novel. This challenge goes for 31 days, and at the end I will share how it went too.

It seems fitting that I do this challenge next, as the novel I’m rewriting now was first written in the NaNoWriMo challenge of 50,000 words in 30 days. I like a good challenge!

Why Challenges Work

Getting a head start on the technology is valuable. Knowing what to do and having the instructions for how to do it makes the work so much easier. There is less pressure when the options have been laid out for you. Fewer opportunities to second guess or allow doubts to stop you in your tracks.

Having someone on your side is powerful. Knowing that your efforts will be seen and encouraged takes a little bit of fear away. It’s ok to screw up today – you’ll get it right tomorrow. The 30 Day Challenge provides this kind of support.

Many people don’t have strong supporters and encouragement. Or they can’t trust them to be 100% unbiased. I highly recommend being part of a mastermind group to pick up where this challenge ends.

A mastermind group is 100% focused on your success as defined by you within the group. When done well, the group isn’t sidetracked by personal life events unless it is affecting your goals. You can get my Guide To Creating Your Mastermind Group by subscribing to my newsletter – the sign-up is on the right of this screen.

I am creating a private Facebook Group to provide a supportive and encouraging place for creative makers – hobbyists as well as business owners. It’s my version of an informal mastermind/accountability group. If you are interested in learning more about my group, get in touch with me.

Are you ready to take a challenge? If you want to publish a blog, check out the 30 Day Blog Challenge.

Why You Need Templates

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On June 8, 2020

In Admin, Live Cheap, Marketing

Systems are the backbone of administrating a business. I consider it a win any time I can automate a system. That’s why I love templates and forms.

What takes needless time? Needless decisions!

You remove a bit of decision making each time you use a template. Even though you may not be aware of it, those seconds and minutes add up. Tiny decisions add stress and waste time…did I put this information in the first paragraph or the second paragraph last time? Should the date be in YMD format or MDY format?

Cut yourself some slack! It’s easy to present yourself with a consistent professional image just by using a template.

How Microsoft Word Templates Work

Since I do the majority of my work using Word, my templates are built using Word. It’s helpful to understand how Word templates work

DOC versus DOT

A Word document will have a filename of xyzfilename.doc. The DOC extension means that it is a Word document and you can edit that document easily. When you save it, you pick the folder. When you want to edit the document, you go to that folder and open the document.

A Word template will have a filename of xyzfilename.dot. The DOT extension means that it is a Word template, and it will automatically be saved in the Custom Templates folder. You can choose a different location but I advise against that.

“Edit” Versus “Create New”

When you want to edit a template, you go to the Custom Templates folder and right click on the filename. Choose OPEN. Make your edits, save and close it.

When you want to create a new document based on the template, it’s a different process. Click on File, New, New from Template, and the list of all your custom templates will appear. Click on your template, and a COPY of that template is loaded into a document with a DOC extension.

This is the critical difference between a document and a template. Each time you open a document, the document is loaded and you can edit, save, etc. When you use a template, you are loading the pattern into a blank document. You can make all the changes you want in that document and the template stays exactly the same.

Other Types of Templates

Templates are really just patterns that can be reused. They are like paper sewing patterns and digital embroidery files.

How a paper pattern works: You put the paper pattern for a top on fabric, cut it out, put the paper pattern back in the envelope, and sew the fabric. If you decide to change the sleeves for this top, you make those adjustments in your fabric – not the paper pattern. If you decide you want to make this adjustment again, you trace a copy of the sleeve pattern, make the adjustments to the copy, and put the copy into the pattern envelope for next time.

How a digital embroidery file works: You load the embroidery file on to your embroidery machine, thread the machine with your chosen colors (which may or may not be what the file has recommended), and start sewing. If you decide you want to make a change to that design, you load the file into special software, make a copy of the file, and edit the design. The new design is saved with a different name and the original file remains the same.

Just as sewing patterns and digital embroidery files make it easy to get a consistent design, they also save a boatload of time. Imagine if you had to create a new pattern every time you sewed a top. Imagine if you had to create a consistent quilting pattern from scratch with every row – a pantograph or digital design makes it so much easier and faster!

Are you convinced yet? If you have ever used a pattern of any kind, you will definitely enjoy using Word templates.

Template Ideas To Save You Time

Did I mention I love templates? If you need ideas about templates than can save you time, download my Template Ideas To Save You Time. Let me know what you think!

P.S. If you want to know when I have a new guide or report available, head on over to the subscribe button.

Do You Need a Mastermind Group?

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On June 7, 2020

In Live Cheap, Marketing, Resources

What is a mastermind group?

  • Imagine meeting a group of people who freely share ideas, techniques, and resources to help you succeed.
  • Imagine a group of people who cheer you on as you work towards your goals.
  • Imagine a group of people who support you when your idea fails, and who help you re-imagine an idea that will succeed.

That’s the essence of a mastermind group. A small group of people who are invested in your success, and who depend on you to do the same for them.

I have been a member of several mastermind groups. Without exception, I have succeeded – and exceeded – in my goals more easily than if I had done it all on my own.

There is safety in numbers. There is also more opportunity. The image on this post shows how animals gather in a group. Each animal looks in a different direction, on the lookout for dangers as well as opportunities.

When people gather with a common constructive goal, the results have been proven. People are more successful.

Mastermind groups are successful for businesses, but they are also used for all types of groups.

Want to Join a Mastermind Group?

I created a private Facebook group that will be an informal mastermind group. Hop on over and check it out.

You can get my Guide to Creating a Mastermind Group as a free welcome gift when you subscribe to my email list. On the right side of your screen you’ll see where you can enter you name and email. Make sure you click the option to receive my email updates. Your guide will be on its way to you immediately by email. Use it to create your own mastermind group tailored specifically to your goals.

I belong to a fiber art group that meets twice a month. I have increased my skills and artistic expression as a result. I have been encouraged to try new techniques – and even when my results are laughable, they see and validate my progress.

Why I Love Mastermind Groups

This is a paper pieced house that is intended to become a wall hanging (the pattern is from https://www.quilterscache.com/). It started as a project with my fiber art group, but it turned out to be a major learning opportunity for me.

I was new to paper piecing. I printed the patterns at the wrong sizes – so the pieces didn’t fit together. Eventually I started over with this project. Then I lost it. It is somewhere in my quilting studio, but who knows when I will find it again!

My point is that I never would have pushed on with this project if it hadn’t been for my fiber art group. They encouraged me even when they saw my mismatched sizes – and provided tips for how to print patterns correctly. Now they remind me to keep looking for it so I can finish it.

Regardless of your goals, having a cheering section is going to make your work a lot more fun.

Four Ways To Save Time

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On May 27, 2020

In Live Cheap, Marketing

If you spend LESS TIME working on your business, you can make MORE MONEY working with your clients.

Bonnie taylor wachowicz

Marketing agencies want to know one thing about your business before doing anything else. What’s your budget?

If you have a big budget, it’s all systems go.

If you are running your business on a shoestring budget, it’s a different story.

My Live Cheap Dream Big philosophy is pretty simple. I look for ways to save money or time, so I can spend my money or time on activities that are more fun.

I don’t spend a lot of money on my marketing, because I know how to do most of it myself. With my admin background, I also know how to spend less time getting those tasks done.

Are you spending your time well?

How would you like to have an extra hour or two every week?

Here are four ways to save time simply by being consistent in how you run your business.

  1. Be consistent with how you describe your service or product.
    Develop and use your “elevator speech”. Be ready and able to describe each of your products and services in 10 words or less. Be ready to expand that description when you are speaking to a potential client. When you can explain your product/service clearly and easily, you can spread that information everywhere. Be just as clear about who benefits from your product/service.
  2. Be consistent with your marketing time.
    The best way to spend less money is to spend less TIME on your marketing. With a good marketing plan you can eliminate hours every month. You’ll know exactly what to promote, and you’ll know where to promote it.
  3. Be consistent with tasks.
    Define the steps for each repetitive task in your business. Follow the same process every time. You’ll be able to get things done more quickly, and you’ll also have a clearly defined system that can be used by someone else. When you are ready to step back from doing a task yourself it will be easier to outsource it.
  4. Be consistent with appearance.
    Use the same descriptive words, the same branding (colors, logo, taglines, keywords, etc.). The more consistent you are, the easier it will be to build brand recognition.

You can save a lot of time simply by planning ahead. Yes, it takes time to set up systems but you’ll benefit from having extra time for clients every week, every month and every year going forward.   

Need a hand? Get in touch with me to learn more about how I can help.

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