Category: Inspirational

Would you like to save money for your family?

Today on The Morning Thing, we talked about money. If your family is like ours, you are always looking for money saving tips. Today, we shared multiple ways to stay on the family budget.

Check out the full article HERE.

17 Money-Saving Tips for Families on a Budget
1. Make a Family Budget Together

2. Trim Your Family’s Grocery Bill

Some of the ways you can trim your spending on food include:

  • Making a Shopping List. A shopping list saves money by helping you avoid buying products you don’t need. The simplest way is to track consumables as you use them. Keep a magnetic notepad on the fridge and jot down what you need as you run out. If you’ve got an Apple HomePod or Amazon Echo device, you can also create shopping lists by voice command.
  • Reading Sales Flyers. Review each store’s flyer and match what’s on sale with what’s on your list or plan meals around sale items. Or you can download Flipp to see sales flyers and make grocery lists by tapping to add sale items on the flyer to your list. It’s sometimes more cost-effective to visit multiple stores in one week to get the lowest prices possible.
  • Using a Cash-Back App. Install a receipt-scanning app such as Fetch Rewards or Ibotta on your smartphone to take advantage of cash-back offers from grocery and discount stores. After grocery shopping, scan your receipts, and the app applies any special offers to your account.
  • Starting to Meal-Plan. Meal planning is deciding what you’ll eat for all or most meals for the week so you always have food ready to go. It helps you avoid last-minute fast-food runs, maximize your purchases (so you waste and spend less), and even eat healthier on a budget.
  • Avoiding Grocery Shopping When Hungry or Stressed. Hunger and stress can make you do strange things, like buying lots of chocolate or gimmicky processed foods. Plan to go to the store when you’re well-fed and relaxed. That way, you can stick to your list and not overspend on food you don’t need.
  • Trying a Pantry Challenge. Part of saving money on groceries is making sure your family consumes everything you purchase. Every month or so, hold a pantry challenge during which you use up as many pantry goods as possible before you shop again. A pantry challenge cuts down on waste and lets you get a sense of how much you’re overbuying.
  • Reducing Waste. A 2020 study published in the Nutrition Journal found that the average American spends $1,300 on wasted food each year. Adopting better grocery shopping habits is one way to cut back on wasted food and money. Make a list of everything you throw out without using, such as spoiled leftovers or soggy lettuce, to get a sense of the full scale of the issue.

3. Never Pay Full Price on Products and Services

4. Cut Back on Subscriptions

5. Negotiate With Your Service Providers

6. Save Energy at Home

Some energy-saving habits to teach your family include:

  • Turning Off the Water. Teach your kids to turn off the water when they’re brushing their teeth or washing dishes rather than letting it run. You can make it easy for them to remember by putting little stickers on the wall or mirrors near the sinks.
  • Switching Off Lights and Devices. Another way to lower energy costs is to turn things off when no one’s using them. For example, turn off lights and televisions when they’re not in use. Put little notes by light switches to remind your kids (and adults) to flip the switch as they leave a room.
  • Adjusting the Thermostat. Teach your children the value of putting on a sweater when it’s cold out and wearing shorts and T-shirts when it’s warm. You can also set thermostat rules to ensure no one turns it up or down too much. A smart thermostat learns your family’s habits and can start to adjust itself, saving you money on bills. You can also program the thermostat to save even more. You can find models for less than $100.

7. Buy Reusable Goods

8. Go Thrifting

9. Hold a Swap

10. Get Stuff for Free

11. Get Deals on Gifts

12. Save on Parties and Celebrations

13. Take Advantage of Free Entertainment

14. Visit Your Library

15. Make It a Staycation

16. Right-Size Your Home

17. Sign Up for a Rewards Credit Card

WNZR encourages you to use this fabulous resource – Crown.org
Crown Financial Ministries offers budget calculators and tools, online courses and credit counselors to help you with your finances.
WNZR shares their feature My Money Life each weekday at 3:50pm.
You can listen to tips and insights from Chuck Bentley on how to manage your money life while still living on a budget!

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The Big Blue Crew shares encouragement to MVNU Students

Today is the first day of classes for Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Members of the WNZR Staff share messages of encouragement to new and returning students.
We hope that you have a great day and make this a great semester.
Remember to connect with WNZR to find encouragement every day.
Find us at 90.9FM, wnzr.fm, wnzr.tv and apps for every phone.

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August 2023 Spotlight on Mount Vernon with City Engineer, Brian Ball

Mount Vernon City Engineer Brian Ball shared updates on the City with The Morning Thing on Friday, 8/25/23.

You can hear the full conversation at the link below.

Topics included:

  • Updates on current construction and maintenance projects. He shares the progress of these projects:
    – Grange Avenue Sanitary Sewer replacement project
    – Stump and Northview Area project
    – Buckeye Addition project
    – Center Street project
  • Updates on tree trimming in the city
  • Updates on street sweeping in the city
  • City paving projects that will happen before winter.
    – Drainage improvements in the Industrial Park, Progress Drive
    – Dixie Drive
    – Plaza Drive, north of Coshocton Ave.
  • Update on the stoplight project on Mansfield Avenue near Dan Emmett Elementary School
  • Update on the Route 13 re-routing plan through downtown
    – The City has applied for funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
    – They have received 2.5 million dollars of congestion mitigation funds from the Federal Stimulus package. 
    – The goal is to have 20% of this project funded locally and the rest will come from a combination of federal and state funding.
  • He shared the savings projections for drivers.
  • A public involvement meeting is coming soon so that residents can ask questions and share opinions.
  • Update from the Mount Vernon Police Department.
  • Update from the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
  • Events planned for the city for the rest of August and into September.
  • The immediate goal for September includes the budgeting process for the City.

To stay in touch with the city, go to:

  • Website – http://www.mountvernonohio.org
  • Facebook – The City of Mount Vernon
  • Twitter – CityMV1805
  • YouTube – The City of Mount Vernon
  • LinkedIn – City of Mount Vernon, Ohio
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Tiffany Van Dame, MVNU’s Director of Student Life shares excitement for Move-In Day

WNZR joins Mount Vernon Nazarene University to welcome new students today to campus.

It is NEW Student Move-In Day!

Tiffany Van Dame, MVNU’s Director of Student Life talked with Allison Prouty about this exciting day. She shared an overview of this year’s schedule including what she is most looking forward to as students return to campus.

Tiffany also shared goals that she has for the 23-24 school year and exciting new things that are happening for the student body.

Tiffany shares a special message for students and their families. She also shares how we can pray for her and her team as the school year begins.

Enjoy the conversation!

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Dr. Matt Spraker talks to WNZR about MVNU’s New Student Move In Day

Today is a special day at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. It is NEW Student Move-In Day.

Dr. Matt Spraker, Vice President of Student Life talked to WNZR about the activities planned for this day and his goals for this academic year.

He also shared some exciting news about his office is intentionally reaching out to commuter students and striving to connect them to the student body and campus activities.

Dr. Spraker also shares a special message for new students and their families.

Listen to the full conversation here.

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What can you say “No” to for a Good Marriage?

Today, on The Morning Thing, Marcy shared some biblical insight from Author, Jennifer Waddle. She wrote an article for Crosswalk.com called “5 Things You Need to Say NO to for a Good Marriage”.
Click HERE to read the full article.

It is easy to say NO to things that bother us – a telemarketer, kids who want to stay home from school or a child asking for more candy on the shopping trip.

Jennifer challenges us to consider these 5 things you can say “no” to in order to better your marriage.

1. Say “no” to social media comparison.
Say “no” to the damaging effects it can have. Stop scrolling! Stop following and lead the way.
Start thanking God for your spouse.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17)

2. Say “no” to too much work.
Having a work/life imbalance is one of the number one problems in marriages.
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. (Colossians 3:23 NLT)

3. Say “no” to too many friends.
Discuss all friendships with your spouse and develop solid boundaries surrounding them. Say “yes” to only those friendships that are supportive of you and your spouse. 
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

4. Say “no” to extended family.
Consider these questions the next time you feel pulled to say “yes” to family members. They may help you gain clarity and decide when it’s time to say “no.”

  • Are you putting your family member’s requests above your spouse’s needs?
  • Is there a guilt trip involved in your family member’s demands?
  • Does this family member have a bad habit of expecting you to drop everything for them?
  • Do they respect your spouse and your marriage?

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

5. Say “no” to debt.

Here are some resources to help you say “no” to debt and maintain financial health.

How to hire a financial advisor
Take control of your finances and career
Master your money

Jennifer Waddle is a Kansas girl, married to a Colorado hunk, with a heart to encourage women everywhere. She is the author of several books, including Prayer WORRIER: Turning Every Worry into Powerful Prayer, and is a regular contributor for LifeWay, Crosswalk, Abide, and Christians Care International. Jennifer’s online ministry is EncouragementMama.com where “Discouragement Doesn’t Win!” She resides with her family near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains—her favorite place on earth.

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Today is National Senior Citizens Day!

How will you celebrate?

August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day on the National Day Calendar to recognize the achievements of the more mature representatives of our nation. The day provides an opportunity to show our appreciation for their dedication, accomplishments, and services they give throughout their lives.

On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 declaring August 21st as National Senior Citizens Day.

National Day Calendar gives us 5 ideas on how to celebrate:

  1. Spend time with the senior citizens you know. Let them know they are appreciated and loved.
  2. Today is a good day to volunteer at a retirement home. Share your smile with those who may not otherwise get a visitor today. 
  3. If you are a senior citizen, check for special discounts and promotions that may be offered at stores and restaurants in your area.
  4. Talk to a senior citizen and learn about their life. Let them share their life story with you. You might be surprised on what you learn about them.
  5. Use #SeniorCitizensDay to post on social media.

Friendship.us shared stories of successful seniors. Check out these amazing stories!

‍10 Stories of Successful Seniors

Aging gracefully by accepting that getting older means slowing down and not looking or acting younger than you are is absolutely outdated! As these successful seniors show, aging gracefully is really to live with purpose and make the most of life.

1. Colonel Harland Sanders – Established the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain at age 65; nine years and 600 franchises later he sold his share for millions.

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder – Began writing “Little House on the Prairie” at age 65; it later became a beloved television series.

3. Estelle Getty – After years as a relatively unsuccessful actress, she achieved widespread fame at the age of 63 as Sophia in “The Golden Girls” television series.

4. Grandma Moses – The American folk artist whose work was featured at the MoMA in New York and who graced the cover of Time in 1953, didn’t even begin painting until she was 78.

5. Yuichiro Miura – In 2014, he became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest at age 80 and has said he would like to try again at age 90.

6. Rosemary Smith – A rally race champion in the 1960s, she became the oldest person to drive a Formula 1 car in 2017 when she was 79.

7.  Doris Self – Recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “oldest video game champion” at the age of 58 by scoring 1,112,300 points in the arcade game Q*bert.

8. Smoky Dawson – Known as Australia’s first cowboy and a pioneer of Western music, he became the oldest person to compose, record, and release a new album at 92 years old.

9. Mohr Keet – This WWII veteran became the world’s oldest bungee jumper in 2010 at the age of 96 (he didn’t begin jumping until the age of 88).

10. Harriette Thompson – A cancer survivor who ran her first marathon at the age of 76, and at 91 years old completed her 15th marathon becoming the second-oldest marathon runner in U.S history.

Click HERE for more information on National Seniors Day.

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Praisestock 2023 is this Sunday!

WNZR is honored to be part of Praisestock 2023.
Praisestock is an annual outdoor live Christian worship event highlighting outreach in the community.
Location: Ariel-Foundation Park, Schnormeier Event Center
Date: Sunday, August 20, 2023
Time: 10am – 6:15pm

WNZR’s Alyssa Sidle talked with Directors Dave Ewart and Ben Staats about this wonderful event. They share the schedule, the importance of having local praise bands this year and whey this event is so important to the community.

2023 Lineup
10:00am: Welcome and Community Worship Service (led by Salvation Army Worship Team)
12:00 noon: Salvation Army Worship Team
12:45pm: Dave and Jen
1:30pm: Faith Outpost Worship Team
2:30pm: Chestnut Ridge
3:30pm: First Church of the Nazarene Worship Team
4:30pm: Covenant Christian Church Worship Team
5:30pm: Trinity Assembly of God Worship Team

Between performances, various Christian-based organizations in the community will be featured in an interview format.

Times are tentative and subject to change. Event will proceed rain or shine.

Food vendors will be at Praisestock.

  • On the Rise BBQ –  pulled pork, BBQ beef sandwiches and  signature dishes
  • Sweets n Treats – slushies, snow cones, frozen bananas, frozen strawberries with chocolate, popcorn, drinks, etc.

Exhibitors will be there representing about 25 faith-based organizations throughout Knox County and Central Ohio to discuss their mission and successes. They will answer questions you might have. Many will have special treats or activities for the kids too! (Yes, kids are welcome!)

Here’s a tentative list of exhibitors planning to attend next Sunday:

– Food for the Hungry

– Risen Thrift

– Springs of Love

– Mental Health & Recovery

– Protect Women Ohio

– Center for Christian Virtue

– Hospice of North Central Ohio

– The Least of These Ministry

– KNCM (Knox Network of Christian Ministries)

– WNZR

– Starting Point

– The Lazarus Life Ministry

– Interchurch Social Services

– Hope Now Furniture Bank

– Touch Point

– The Escape Zone

– Place 4 Grace

– Revive Ohio

– Operation Christmas Child

– Joy of Living Camp

– Habitat for Humanity

– Gospel Supply

– Gideons International

– FootPrints for Jesus

– Life Wise Academy

– MMS Aviation

– Salvation Army

Find out more at praisestock.org

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