This month we have been getting really serious about our budget. We have been trying half-heartedly for about a year, but with unexpected car repairs (my husband was in an accident...he is fine!) and a recent slew of medical expenses (unrelated to the accident) that has completely wiped out not only our emergency fund, but our vacation savings as well, we have decided to get very serious about it.

I sat down one night this weekend and looked through our bank statements and jotted down every single bill/debt/expense we currently have. I put all of this in a spreadsheet and started doing the math. I then sat down with my husband and went over every single thing that could be negotiated or dropped altogether. The first thing we landed on was a cell phone bill. We currently had a plan that gave us more data than we could ever use (we're talking 10GB more that never got used each month). One 10 minute phone call later and our bill was reduced by $53.

Next we moved on to our phone and internet service. We very rarely use our land line, so this seemed to be a logical thing to cut. We called our provider and, again, in 10 minutes had our land line removed. This will save us $55 per month. The hardest part of this was just calling all of the doctor's offices, etc. to have our primary number changed.

In addition to these two reductions, we started looking at other ways to cut our monthly bills. We focused on our garbage service next. We were paying $21 a month for our service. To be honest, we were becoming very dissatisfied with our provider as they would often go 2-3 weeks without even picking up our garbage. They would always cite equipment problems as the reason. We let that slide for about 3 months (much longer than we really should have), so we called other local providers to get their rates. We switched to a provider that was cheaper and also had a better reputation. This saved us $4 each month. This took about 20 minutes.

We then moved on to our cable provider. We have not yet gotten to the point where we are wanting to cut the cord entirely but that might be coming soon. My husband is a wiz at negotiating rates with service providers. He has some tricks of the trade that work practically every time (would you guys like a post on that?). After talking to them for about 20 minutes, we were able to reduce our bill by $30 a month.

We had also been paying $40 a month for supplemental home owner's insurance. This was supposedly going to cover all of the little things that our original home owner's would not cover like any appliance that might need to be repaired or replaced and also had a lower deductible, so we thought that it would be worth it. Rant Alert: About 3 months after signing up, we had the perfect opportunity to use said insurance. Our downstairs AC unit went out...in the midst of a southern heat wave, no less. It took the company who contracts with the insurance provider 5 days to even come out to diagnose the issue. He replaced the thermostat and put freon in the unit. He said that he had to order a part and that it would be another two weeks before he could even order it! We then decided to contact another local company to come out on our own dime. They were at our home within 24 hours of calling. The first guy had wired the thermostat incorrectly when he replaced it, so the vent was putting out hot and cold air at the same time. He had also put way too much freon in the unit, which we were lucky that it did not completely destroy the unit. Twenty minutes, a drained unit, and one very small part replacement later, we had AC. We were able to get a refund from the insurance for the cost of the second repair. We waiting for the check to clear and immediately cancelled the insurance. This only took 10 minutes on the phone to cancel but it did cost us about 4 weeks worth of hassle. So that saved us $40 a month.

Summary:
Cell Phone Service:             10 minutes = $53
Cut Land Line:                    10 minutes = $55
Switch Garbage Providers:  20 minutes = $4
Cable Provider:                    20 minutes = $30
Cancel Insurance:                10 minutes = $40
Total:                                    70 minutes = $182

In addition to calling providers to reduce our monthly expenses, I have also taken up couponing again. I went overboard the first time by playing the drug store game and going from store to store to save a few cents (thank you Extreme Couponers!). Also, my youngest was not yet born when I began so I had a little more time to find and clip coupons and drive all over town. I think that I will take a little easier this go-round, but if I can shave $10-$20 off of each grocery trip and focus on getting toiletries for free or next-to-free, I can save roughly $30-40 each month while also maintaining what little sanity I have left.

Also, since it is summer, I have decided to start shaving heads in my family! I am the only person in the house without a Y chromosome, so I am bringing out the buzzers! That will save us about $60 every 5-6 weeks. Also, I am pretty low-maintain when it comes to my hair. I get my hair cut short once a year and then just let it grow out until my next annual salon visit. I do not color my hair, so I do not have that expense either.

So, there you have it. After a long, hard look at the budget, some time on the phone and a little creativity, we were able to reduce our monthly budget by about $277!

What are some ways you have reduced your monthly expenses?

The Day a Backpack Made Me Break Down

 
Today as I was dropping my six-year-old child off at school, I frantically looked around while my stomach turned to lead. I had forgotten to put his backpack in the car this morning. It had been a busy morning and, somehow, I had packed everything else but had forgotten one of the more important items that was needed for the day. I had managed to remember it every school day for eight whole months but, today, I left it hanging on the hook where it usually rests right next to the front door, packed with a snack and all. I shamefully told my son that we (more accurately, I) had forgotten his backpack. He looked upset, but said "it's okay Mom."

I knew how he felt because, as a child, I was exactly the same way. I was easily upset and something like forgetting a backpack was absolutely devastating. But he handled it better than I thought he would. I, on the other hand, absolutely lost it once he was out of the car. I broke down. How could I forget his backpack? It is not like this was something new. We have been doing this the entire school year. What was wrong with me? I am a horrible mother!

It took me until I got to work to regain composure. While sitting in the car trying to get to the point where I could pass off my red, puffy eyes as seasonal allergies, I began to reflect on what had happened. Why in the world would something as relatively benign as forgetting a backpack bring out the emotional nut-job in me? I mean, it is not like I left a child at home. I had all children with me, all were fully clothed and I had even managed to feed them. So, what was it about a stupid backpack? He is in kindergarten. Backpacks are ancillary.

I then realized that it was not the backpack that had me in tears, it was the feeling of being a failure as a mom. We are not supposed to forget things, we are supposed to have our stuff together. Let's be honest, we are supposed to be perfect. Whether this comes from our own beliefs or gets thrown at us from every aspect of our society, mothers are not expected to make mistakes. No pressure there.

As moms, we typically do a lot to make sure that our family is functioning to it's highest ability. Making sure the kids are dressed and ready for school, making sure lunches are packed, the house is clean, and there is dinner on the table, making sure that everyone is still breathing at the end of the day, just to name a few. It does not matter if you are a stay-at-home mother or work inside or outside the home. It gets overwhelming. To loosely quote an Everclear song: we "always try to be everything to everyone." The problem with this is that we simply cannot be everything to everyone. Also, in trying to do so, we tend to neglect our own needs. We forget to eat (or do not eat very healthy - I cannot tell you how many times I have stuffed a drive-thru burger in my mouth while driving because I did not have time for a "real" meal), we can never seem to find the time to exercise, we cannot remember the last book we read that didn't rhyme.

The backpack was just the straw that broke my proverbial back. You go for so long doing everything for everyone else at the expense of your own mental, emotional, and sometimes physical health. As a counselor, we often remind people of the rules of being on an airplane. In the event of an emergency, apply your own oxygen mask before attempting to assist anyone else. You must take care of yourself before you are even capable of taking care of others.

You are not selfish for wanting to have some alone time. Your family will not suffer if you lock yourself in your room and read for an hour (unless you have no one else to watch them. In which case, please make sure the knives and bleach are out of reach first). And, if you find yourself feeling like a failure sometimes, cut yourself some slack and remember: if everyone is still alive at the end of the day, you did a good job!

Now, time to take my own advice. I am booking a massage!

Please feel free to share any insights or wisdom you have for moms (or dads) who are feeling overwhelmed.

This weekend was Mother's Day. I am not really a fan of the holiday as I think that we should show moms appreciation all year rather just one day. But that might just be me!

Nonetheless, I thought that in honor of the holiday, I would share some of the things that I experienced just this weekend that further supports my point of being appreciative of moms all year.

1. I cleaned up a lot of pee from the bathroom floor because my six-year-old waiting just a little too long to run to the bathroom. It's okay though because he did "get a little in the toilet."

2. My 18-month-old decided to get a washcloth out of the drawer and proceed to dunk it in the toilet. Once completely soaked, he put it in his mouth. I had to chase him around to get it from him while he giggled maniacally. Then, of course, I had to clean the entire floor as the toilet water had dripped everywhere.

3. I had to scrape a dried-up booger off the bathroom wall because my six-year-old ran out of toilet paper and decided that the wall was the next best thing.

4. My 18-month old, who normally loves mashed potatoes, suddenly decided he thinks they are akin to poison (however, he is not above putting a cloth soaked with toilet water into his mouth) and immediately spit the potatoes into his hand and spread it through his hair. He then had a Grand Mal tantrum when I took the remaining potatoes away.

Yep, just a typical weekend.

You know that magical fairy who comes in the night and washes the dishes and puts them away (gasp - all of a sudden there are clean dishes in the cabinets), who washes and dries all of the clothes and hangs them in their respective closets (oh my - a closet full of clean and pressed clothes ready for work and school!) and who tidies up the kitchen and living room so that no one trips over toys or steps on the dreaded Lego? Well, I have a secret...that fairy is me (shhh).

I do all of the housework and everyone goes about their days completely ambivalent as to what it takes to make sure that they have a clean house as well as clean clothes and dishes the next day.

But you know what? It is completely my fault.

Before my husband and I got married, he could cook, clean, wash and iron his clothes, and even knew how to mend them. He had lived on his own for years and was fully capable of taking care of himself. In fact, this was one of the things that made him attractive. However, as soon as we got married, in my eyes he became completely incompetent. He loaded the dishwasher the wrong way and didn't put the dishes up in the right spots. He didn't fold the clothes correctly. I even remember fussing at him once for vacuuming the wrong way (!?!?). He could not do anything right. And can you guess what happened? Yep. He stopped doing anything. And what's more, at that time, it was fine with me. If I did it, it got done the right way (i.e. my way).

I made him feel inadequate and incapable of performing the tasks with which he was actually willing to help me. Now that we have two boys and the housework is piling up in ways I could never imagine (I do two to three loads of laundry per day!), I have found myself burnt out and silently begging for relief. At first I would actually fuss at my husband for not helping. This was always met with the (very truthful) statement: "You won't let me help!" Ouch.

Can you believe that it actually took me a few years to piece that one together and realize that I had done this to myself? He started out helping, I alienated him and nagged and complained with each task he attempted, always telling him how it should be done. Now he doesn't help and I have the audacity to complain about it! Wow. That is sad and embarrassing to admit. We have since had several fights discussions about the housework and, swallowing my pride, I admitted that I was wrong and asked him to please help out whenever he could.

Because honestly, after ten years, two kids, and working full-time, I really don't care how the chores get done as long as they get done. Life will go on with a less-than-perfectly loaded dishwasher and the sun will rise if the shirts aren't folded exactly right.

So take it from me, before you complain about how your partner does something around the house (unless the house is in danger of being burnt to the ground while they attempt to cook dinner), remember: There are worse things than a husband who doesn't do chores exactly how you want them. For example, a husband who doesn't do chores.

Okay, I have owned up and confessed to the absurd things I have complained about. Now tell me: What ridiculous things have you yelled at your significant other about?

How I Plan to Cut our Gift Budget by 75% This Year

I have a somewhat large family. Each year, we celebrate no less than 15 birthdays. Then there are other gift-giving holidays that we celebrate like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, and Easter. And then, of course, there's Christmas. Also, as my oldest son is now school-age, we are being invited to more parties for his classmates. Needless to say, our gift expenses are quite large.

Over the past year, I have been trying to be more vigilant with our finances and, as part of that quest, have been looking for ways to greatly reduce how much we spend on gifts. I still want to provide the recipient with a thoughtful, quality gift, I just do not want to pay full price for it (or pay for it at all)!

So, here is my plan:

Take Surveys

I have discovered several wonderful survey sites you earn points for completing surveys. Once you earn a certain number of points, you can redeem these points for gift cards (such as Amazon) as well as having cash sent to your PayPal account. I began about a year ago and so far I have earned roughly $500 just from taking surveys. Some of these surveys also ask that you complete tasks for them for additional incentives. For instance, this past Christmas I just had to log my shopping habits for a month to earn an additional $30. I have even had some send me products to try for additional incentives. I will admit, taking surveys does take a little bit of time, but the good thing is that you can devote as much or as little time as you want (after all, every little bit helps). I have found that if you can devote about an hour or two a few days per week, you can earn some decent rewards.


Here is a list of all of the survey sites that I have used that have the best pay out:

• SwagBucks
• I-Say
• My Survey
• Opinion Outpost
• Inbox Dollars

Scan Grocery Receipts

There are several apps for smartphones that allow you to earn money by buying certain products (that you would typical already purchase each week, such as milk, bread, bananas, cereals, etc.) and scanning your grocery receipts. Some items are brand specific while others are not. Since I began using these apps, I have earned a total of $150! Just for buying groceries and scanning the receipt! Some of these will send you a check once you reach a certain amount and others will let you redeem for gift cards (like Amazon and Starbucks) or have the money deposited in your PayPal account.

These are the apps that I use:

• Ibotta
• Checkout51
• Saving Star - this one is actually linked to your loyalty cards, so when you purchase a qualifying product and scan your card it automatically credits your account.

Handmade Gifts

This year I have also decided that I would attempt to make some of the gifts myself. I have never been delusional enough to think of myself as being crafty or creative, but with the help of Pinterest and my unhealthy addiction to craft stores (not exactly sure how that works since, you know, the creative ineptitude mentioned earlier!), I have actually been able to pull off some pretty simple, pretty inexpensive gifts that actually look good.

For instance, I made this wreath for my mother and grandmother last Christmas

I purchased a couple of grapevine wreaths, printed out some black and white photos, and used some 2x3 silver frames that I have collected over the years and attached them to the wreath using floral wire. Full disclosure: I bought a premade burlap bow rather than trying to tie one myself. Although it would have been cheaper to do so, the time, effort, and frustration it saved me was priceless! I found the idea for the wreath and the instructions here.

The entire project was actually quite inexpensive but does not look as such. Also, the fact that it is personalized (I used photos taken with my grandmother in her wreath and photos taken with my mother in hers) and sentimental, it was the perfect gift.

I have a ton of DIY gift ideas saved to Pinterest. I would love to have you stop by and check them out.

Shop Early and Shop the Sales

It is the beginning of March and I have already started shopping for Christmas! I keep an eye out for clearances and sales and make gift purchases all year long. For instance, now is a great time to find winter items on clearance as stores are making way for spring and summer items. I just recently purchased a few fleece pullovers from The Children's Place for $10 total. These will make great gifts for Christmas or for birthdays that occur later in the year. I also make a run through the toy aisles at Target occasionally to browse the clearance items that I then stockpile for birthday party gifts for my son's classmates.

I have done this for a couple of years now and have learned a few things. First, this is a great way to get awesome prices on things like clothes and toys. Second, this is A LOT better than making a run to Target on the way to a child's birthday party and paying full price for the first toy you can grab! Third, this can get out of hand if you are not careful and at least somewhat organized! I cannot tell you how many times I have lost track of what I have bought and ended up with way too many gifts. The upside is that you can always put them back for future gifts but this can get tricky if you have toys that are very age-specific or children's clothing that is a certain size.

For this reason, I have created a monthly event tracker on which I write down every gift-giving occasion. This helps me know who I need to buy for and when they will be receiving a gift.

Here is what I use (I like having the full pages to help me really visualize the events):

Jan-Apr

May-Aug

Sept-Dec

Then, once I purchase a gift, I log it into my Gift Inventory spreadsheet that I created in Excel to keep track of them. This prevents me from overdoing it and helps me remember what I have purchased (because keeping track of a small gift you bought in March for a Christmas gift is practically impossible!).

This is my Gift Inventory:

So hopefully with all of these resources combined, I can drastically reduce the amount of money I spend each year on gifts.

Also, I would like to know what you do to reduce your gift budget.

You may have noticed some new products links listed on My Messy Bliss. I just wanted to take a moment to say that all products being listed are those that I have purchased and that I thoroughly enjoy.

I have been trying to personalize my new Filofax and have been sucked into an accessory abyss. I have ordered stickers, Washi tape, and pens (I am absolutely in love with the '80's Glam Sharpies that I purchased).

Of course, I needed something in which to put all of these new accessories. I found that this travel cosmetic bag does the trick. I'll admit, it was a little flimsier than I wanted, but it works great when it is stuffed full of accessories (so now I have an excuse!).

As you can see, I have a place for all of my pens and Sharpies as well as my Washi tape, page flags and tabs, and other goodies.

But why stop there?! I also needed a way to carry all of this! Luckily I had an Organizing Utility Tote from Thirty One (anyone else addicted to these things?!) that fits everything perfectly.

 I have my Filofax and accessories ready to pick up and take with me whenever and wherever I may go!

Tell me: 
How do you organize your planner and accessories? I am always looking for great new ideas!

Monthly Bill Tracker

One of the goals that I have set for myself regarding the family budget is to always pay a bill as soon as it arrives (whether it be by mailing a check or using our bank's bill pay option). This has always helped me keep our bills in order and (mostly) ensure that I do not forget to pay one. One of the things that helps me stick to this goal is having a Monthly Bill Tracker. I write down the name of the company, when the bill is due each month, as well as the amount (averages for bills like electricity and water, which vary from month to month).

It helps to have something to look at to see how much money will be going out at what point during the month. This also helps me to ensure that I keep enough money in our checking account to cover each bill when it becomes due. The Bill Tracker can be placed in a home management or financial binder or can be hung up in a home office or command center.

(I have two versions: a more serious version and a playful version. If I can lighten up bill paying, I am going to do it! Both of these can be downloaded and printed for free.)

Simple Wine Journal for Your Planner

As I have mentioned before, I love planners! I enjoy personalizing them and creating custom pages that suit my needs. I also enjoy wine! I am not a wine snob by any stretch of the imagination. I like the way certain wines taste. I can tell you why I like one wine or another (mild, no after taste, a little fruity) but that is the extent.

I found that I needed a little something to keep up with the wines that I like but I really didn't need anything fancy. Really just the name (and maybe the price). So I created a simple printable for my planner to allow me to quickly jot down the name of the wine that I happen to be enjoying at the time, with a small section for notes if I would like to add any.

I hope that you enjoy!

Inspirational Quote

I have recently added this as my planner dashboard. Photos to come!

My Deal of the Day

Not an affiliate post


Okay, so I love a deal and I love planners. So you can only imagine my thrill when I was searching for an A5 Filofax (that I have been lusting over for quite some time) and found this one at Staples for $66.59 (just slightly higher than the price on Filofax.com but this one was out of stock there).

Filofax Weekly Organizer - Saffiano, A5 Size, Raspberry Leather

In addition, if I spent $75, I would get 25% off of my order with free shipping! So, I add $10 worth of stuff (some washi tape and some sticky tabs) to give me a total of $76. I apply the 25% off coupon code (check out Retailmenot.com for the code) and I get the entire order for $60! So let me recap: I got a $66 Filofax, sticky tabs, and a roll of washi tape for $6 less than just the planner would have been at original price! With the discount, I was able to get this planner for around $50. Yea!

Weekly Meal Planning

Between work, school, sports, and the general day-to-day stuff that must get done because my family really likes clean clothes and the Laundry Fairy has yet to visit my house, meal planning has proven itself a lifesaver time and again.

I currently use a weekly meal plan and am in the process of creating a monthly meal plan (more to come on that). It took me a few weeks to get the hang of menu planning and find a system that seems to work for me and my family. I actually use my Gmail account to help with this, but you could just as easily use Pinterest or good old-fashioned paper recipes, which is something that I think might be in my future.

But for now, Gmail it is! Before I really got into Pinterest, I would find recipes I liked through Facebook posts or cooking/food websites and would email them to myself. Since I was essentially spamming my own inbox with recipes, I decided to create a folder for them. Once we tried a recipe, my family and I would decide if we wanted to ever make that meal again. Depending on the decision, I would either delete the recipe or move it into a sub-folder that I titled "Tried and True Recipes."

So each Sunday morning, I do a quick pantry inventory. Luckily, I have found that since we make these recipes at least once a month, I am able to keep a good portion of the ingredients for these recipes on hand by stocking up on nonperishable staples that I know we will eventually use.

I then scan the grocery store circulars for sales. We do not have a newspaper subscription, so I use the Weekly Ads and Sales app, which is available for free in the Apple App Store (This app is currently not available for Android phones, but Retale is also good app that is available through Google Play), to view the store circulars.

Once I have done my preliminary research, I do a quick glance and, based on my pantry inventory and the weekly sales, round up about five or six of our "tried and true" recipes and perhaps hit up Pinterest for a recipe I want to try.

I then jot down the remaining necessities for the meals on my grocery list and head to the store, armed with a plan and coupons!

As you can see, this can be a time consuming process but it is worth it to not have to tackle the "What's for dinner?" conundrum that inevitably pops up every night. All they have to do is look at the cute weekly menu (downloadable below) I hang on the fridge to find the answer!

Weekly Menu Planner in Pink - Free Download

Introduction to My Messy Bliss

With trying to raise a young family, keep up my home and household, and work a full-time job, life can get a more than a little overwhelming. I try (like most of us) to keep it running smoothly, to look like I have even the slightest clue about what I am doing, but really I am just trying to keep my head above water.

I have so many great plans for my life and my family. I am trying to be as organized as possible and have a smooth-running household. Some of the things that I hope to accomplish are creating a workable budget, finding creative ways to save money and a meal plan strategy that fits my family, as well as trying to be healthier and happier! What I want to do with this blog is to keep track of my process and progress. Detailing what I am doing, noting successes and working through failures.

I am mainly starting this blog as a journal to keep me on point and motivated with achieving my goals (and perhaps inspire and receive feedback along the way!).

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About Me

I am a wife and a working mother of two wonderful (and messy) boys. My main goals are being more organized and finding balance as a working mother and wife with a home to maintain.

I want to share my experiences with you, both my successes and failures, and connect with others like me to be inspired and perhaps inspire as well.

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Publications, products, content or services referenced herein or on the Site are the exclusive trademarks or servicemarks of My Messy Bliss. Other product and company names mentioned in the Site may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

2. Use of the Site.

You understand that, except for information, products or services clearly identified as being supplied by My Messy Bliss, My Messy Blissdoes not operate, control or endorse any information, products or services on the Internet in any way. Except for My Messy Bliss- identified information, products or services, all information, products and services offered through the Site or on the Internet generally are offered by third parties, that are not affiliated with My Messy Bliss a. You also understand that My Messy Bliss cannot and does not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading through the Site will be free of infection or viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other code that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to the Site for the reconstruction of any lost data.YOU ASSUME TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK FOR YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND THE INTERNET. My Messy Bliss PROVIDES THE SITE AND RELATED INFORMATION "AS IS" AND DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS OR ENDORSEMENTS WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR NONINFRINGEMENT, OR THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH REGARD TO THE SERVICE, ANY MERCHANDISE INFORMATION OR SERVICE PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR ON THE INTERNET GENERALLY, AND My Messy Bliss SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY COST OR DAMAGE ARISING EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ANY SUCH TRANSACTION. IT IS SOLELY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EVALUATE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND USEFULNESS OF ALL OPINIONS, ADVICE, SERVICES, MERCHANDISE AND OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR ON THE INTERNET GENERALLY. My Messy Bliss DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE OR THAT DEFECTS IN THE SERVICE WILL BE CORRECTED.
YOU UNDERSTAND FURTHER THAT THE PURE NATURE OF THE INTERNET CONTAINS UNEDITED MATERIALS SOME OF WHICH ARE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO YOU. YOUR ACCESS TO SUCH MATERIALS IS AT YOUR RISK. My Messy Bliss HAS NO CONTROL OVER AND ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR SUCH MATERIALS.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
IN NO EVENT WILL My Messy Bliss BE LIABLE FOR (I) ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INDIRECT DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE, OR ANY INFORMATION, OR TRANSACTIONS PROVIDED ON THE SERVICE, OR DOWNLOADED FROM THE SERVICE, OR ANY DELAY OF SUCH INFORMATION OR SERVICE. EVEN IF My Messy Bliss OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR (II) ANY CLAIM ATTRIBUTABLE TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR OTHER INACCURACIES IN THE SERVICE AND/OR MATERIALS OR INFORMATION DOWNLOADED THROUGH THE SERVICE. BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH STATES, My Messy Bliss LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.My Messy Bliss makes no representations whatsoever about any other web site which you may access through this one or which may link to this Site. When you access a non-My Messy Bliss web site, please understand that it is independent from My Messy Bliss, and that My Messy Bliss has no control over the content on that web site. In addition, a link to a My Messy Bliss web site does not mean that My Messy Bliss endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content, or the use, of such web site.

3. Indemnification. 

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless My Messy Bliss, its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, suppliers and any third party information providers to the Service from and against all losses, expenses, damages and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from any violation of this Agreement (including negligent or wrongful conduct) by you or any other person accessing the Service.

4. Third Party Rights.

The provisions of paragraphs 2 (Use of the Service), and 3 (Indemnification) are for the benefit of My Messy Bliss and its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, suppliers, and any third party information providers to the Service. Each of these individuals or entities shall have the right to assert and enforce those provisions directly against you on its own behalf.

5.Term; Termination. 

This Agreement may be terminated by either party without notice at any time for any reason. The provisions of paragraphs 1 (Copyright, Licenses and Idea Submissions), 2 (Use of the Service), 3 (Indemnification), 4 (Third Party Rights) and 6 (Miscellaneous) shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

6.Miscellaneous. 

This Agreement shall all be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of The United States of America applicable to agreements made and to be performed in The United States of America. You agree that any legal action or proceeding between My Messy Bliss and you for any purpose concerning this Agreement or the parties' obligations hereunder shall be brought exclusively in a federal or state court of competent jurisdiction sitting in The United States of America . Any cause of action or claim you may have with respect to the Service must be commenced within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arises or such claim or cause of action is barred. My Messy Bliss's failure to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right. Neither the course of conduct between the parties nor trade practice shall act to modify any provision of this Agreement. My Messy Bliss may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement to any party at any time without notice to you.

Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE.© 1999-2015 PriorityDigital.com Prepared for: My Messy Bliss ,All rights reserved.

My Messy Bliss Privacy Policy

http://mymessybliss.blogspot.com/ Privacy Policy

This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their 'Personally identifiable information' (PII) is being used online. PII, as used in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website or app?

When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address or other details to help you with your experience.

When do we collect information?

We collect information from you when you subscribe to a newsletter, respond to a survey or enter information on our site.

How do we use your information?

We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:

      • To personalize user's experience and to allow us to deliver the type of content and product offerings in which you are most interested.

      • To improve our website in order to better serve you.

      • To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site feature.

      • To send periodic emails regarding your order or other products and services.

How do we protect visitor information?

Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible.

We use regular Malware Scanning.

We do not use an SSL certificate

      • We only provide articles and information, we never ask for personal or private information like email addresses, or credit card numbers.

Do we use 'cookies'?

We do not use cookies for tracking purposes

You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser (like Internet Explorer) settings. Each browser is a little different, so look at your browser's Help menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.

If you disable cookies off, some features will be disabled that make your site experience more efficient and some of our services will not function properly.

However, you can still place orders .

Third Party Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information unless we provide you with advance notice. This does not include website hosting partners and other parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others' rights, property, or safety. 

However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

Third party links

We do not include or offer third party products or services on our website.

Google

Google's advertising requirements can be summed up by Google's Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/1316548?hl=en 

We have not enabled Google AdSense on our site but we may do so in the future.

California Online Privacy Protection Act

CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law's reach stretches well beyond California to require a person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting personally identifiable information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals with whom it is being shared, and to comply with this policy. - See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf

According to CalOPPA we agree to the following:

Users can visit our site anonymously

Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page, or as a minimum on the first significant page after entering our website.

Our Privacy Policy link includes the word 'Privacy', and can be easily be found on the page specified above.

Users will be notified of any privacy policy changes:

      • On our Privacy Policy Page

Users are able to change their personal information:

      • By emailing us

How does our site handle do not track signals?

We honor do not track signals and do not track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third party behavioral tracking?

It's also important to note that we do not allow third party behavioral tracking

COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)

When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under 13, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children's privacy and safety online.

We do not specifically market to children under 13.

Fair Information Practices

The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.

In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:

We will notify the users via email

      • Within 7 business days

We also agree to the individual redress principle, which requires that individuals have a right to pursue legally enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or a government agency to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.

CAN SPAM Act

The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.

We collect your email address in order to:

To be in accordance with CANSPAM we agree to the following:

If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can

and we will promptly remove you from ALL correspondence.

Contacting Us

If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.

http://mymessybliss.blogspot.com/

United States

brooke.hindman1@gmail.com

Last Edited on 2015-03-09