Money Saving Mom (Crystal Paine) on the move

[starfish]

Crystal Paine says they are moving from Kansas to Nashville.

I wonder what's up....

I'm trying to listen to one of her podcasts to get more details and it's so boring that it is painful.

Any clues what they are planning to do?

She's come a long way from Biblical Womanhood.

[Curly Girl]

Crystal Paine says they are moving from Kansas to Nashville.

I wonder what's up....

I'm trying to listen to one of her podcasts to get more details and it's so boring that it is painful.

Any clues what they are planning to do?

She's come a long way from Biblical Womanhood.

Do you have a source for this? I can't find a blog post about it.

I'm surprised - all of her family and Jesse's family are local to them in Kansas, and he has his law firm (which probably isn't a huge business, but still - starting a business from scratch is a lot of work and businesses aren't portable, usually).

I am so curious to know what is up with her, especially where (if?) she goes to church and what her beliefs are.

[starfish]

She's been really vague about the whole move, and has not posted much at all about.

She mentioned that they will be moving in April, in a post about why there is no food in their refrigerator.

She announced the move in a podcast in January.

Here is the link : moneysavingmom.com/2014/01/say-goodbye-survival-mode-conference-call-replay.html

Before I attempted to listen to this awful podcast, I saw in the comments that she was moving to Nashville. But

I don't know why they are going there. And you are right about her husband. He will have to get licensed in Tennessee

if he still plans to practice. It's hard to move out of state and re-start your law practice. It makes me wonder if they are going

to work for Dave Ramsey or something.

Anyway, I tried to listen to this podcast about "say goodbye to survival mode" which is the title of her book because I wanted to hear about her move. It was an awful podcast

in my opinion because it was so boring. She and her business manager sound just alike. They are absolutely humorous, unless self-depracating remarks about proscrastination with the laundry is your idea of a hearty joke. Seriously, these people go on and on about

household chores. One of her loyal minions called in and talked about how a friend showed her how messy her house was, and then she felt better about her own house, and how could she bless others in this same way? I was what in the heck is she talking about.

They keep throwing around these phrases like "margin" and "grace". It just sounded like a lot of blather to me. I think her podcasts would be greatly improved if she had a funny man of a different race (what I'm going for here is diversity in every way) who would liven things up. I'm sure in person she does a fine presentation with her power points and infinity scarves, but she is way dry to listen to on the computer.

I don't know recall what church she attends in Kansas. Crystal has come a long way, and I wish her well in spite of my harsh words about the style and substance of her blogcast.

[charmedjenny]

I can't stand her. I called her out on Twitter for hawking cheap shit on her Facebook (specifically, moneysavingmom.com/2014/01/amazon-com-vintage-handmade-infinity-silver-owl-bracelet-3-19.html). Seriously, it's not saving money to spend $3.19 on a bracelet from China that's going to fall apart the 2nd time someone wears it. Especially, when you can go to Etsy, spend a little bit more, and support a real person. So, she blocked me (found out when I was entering a contest). Bitch.

[flojo]

She frustrates me a lot. DH and I have had some really shitty luck in the last couple of years (and some awesome luck too) and are realy struggling financially. We are currently living with my fantastic in-laws to make ends meet and are expecting in September (in a nutshell immigration = no money, plus DH unable to find a job in his field, plus I'm still in grad school).

As a result, I spend a lot of time looking at savings sites and ways to save money. I tried following her, but I constantly found myself frustrated because there were so many Jesus, terrible SODRT resources and "spend 9 hours to save 30c" type posts. I taught for a number of years and am working on an education thesis at the moment. So many of the resources she hawks are awful. There are some great, free educational resources out there, just not the ones she hawks.

Personally I prefer Collin at hip2save. She seems Christian but not fundie (ie about once every couple of weeks she'll share a deal on a christian book or veggie tales item. She sharea about 20 deals a day). Fundies really have a huge hold on the frugal blogs in my experience.

[starfish]

Her MSM site has gone downhill and she constantly hawks cheap stuff (what's up with Cents for Style? Family Member? or generous cut of the profits?)

Her blog is much less personal and has gotten extremely boring.

She's done a lot of appearances this past year at these prosperity type gospel seminars, so maybe that's where her interests are headed.

But seriously, if she wants to help her readers with having more time and money she needs to recommend that 1) they get their kids vaccinated so they are not constantly fighting illness with 18 kids underfoot 2) maybe get some kind of real employment instead of falling for whatever MLS is going around and 3) put the kids

in a school so they are not trying to constantly home school the aforementioned 18 kids and 4) hire household help if they can afford it.

Crystal can afford it and should hire someone to help her with all that laundry. Of course, then she wouldn't have anything to talk about on her blogcast...

But I am still wondering what the Paines are up to. She has gotten so vague about it. It has to be a mystery!

[starfish]

I took a longer look at her blog, and I noticed that she no longer writes any of the weekly menu/grocery trips stuff anymore. She has outsourced this type of post to her sister. Her sister is married with one small child, and most people write in the comments that her shopping tips and menu planning are not helpful. (Crystal used to do the same kind of menus though. These people are not big eaters, they eat a lot of starch with little meat or fresh vegetables. The sister does a little better on these accounts).

Most of the deals are from other sites. There are numerous links to deals offered by her partners. Crystal writes the occasional post on personal organization type topic, but there is very little of her personality or family life on this blog. I guess she doesn't need to anymore due to the fact that she has a gazillion followers.

I also wanted to add that she mentioned on her blogcast that her oldest child enjoys wearing "cammo" clothing. Now that's stepping out beyond the Duggar/Vision Forum stereotype of fundie.

[Daisy]

I think she outsources all the menu planning/grocery shopping posts because she doesn't eat cheap anymore. Right before she stopped I noticed steak and fish on her menus a lot. Which is fine, with the money the blog has to be pulling in there is nothing wrong with eating well. But she can't really admit that because her whole site is about saving money and living and eating cheaply. I think the more successful the blog is the less she can relate to her readers

[yetanothermeg]

Just clicked on the weekly menu plan. Not much info there, no recipes for these meals. Really phoning it in. Also, two of the dinners are listed as: date night and dinner with family so no meals provided for those nights.

[fun2beme]

I used to check out her site but got turned off when it just became links to specials and lists of ideas from readers, which is a shame because I found a lot of her earlier advice to be helpful.

I also notice her style has changed a lot - wearing jeans, coloring her hair, etc. Nothing wrong with that but she's really come a long way.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Go to orgjunkie (I'm an organizing junkie) on Mondays for a wealth of menu plans--some with costs. I think believes she's a celebrity now. It happens.

[DGayle]

I can't stand her. I called her out on Twitter for hawking cheap shit on her Facebook (specifically, moneysavingmom.com/2014/01/amazon-com-vintage-handmade-infinity-silver-owl-bracelet-3-19.html). Seriously, it's not saving money to spend $3.19 on a bracelet from China that's going to fall apart the 2nd time someone wears it. Especially, when you can go to Etsy, spend a little bit more, and support a real person. So, she blocked me (found out when I was entering a contest). Bitch.

The links she has are affiliate links. If you click on the to look at the bracelets, and then buy ANYTHING AT ALL without closing the window and opening a new one and going to amazon.com directly, she gets a cut of it, 4% on the low end. So by peddling things that aren't in line with being a money-saving mom, like cheap jewelry that won't last and isn't needed, SHE is making money if you stay on the site and buy something else. She's being dishonest in her intentions.

[starfish]

She flew to Colorado yesterday to tape an interview with Focus on the Family.

Her situation is so outside most of her fundie followers that she must have difficulty relating anymore.

But I'm still wondering what she will do in Colorado. I think her husband got a job with Dave Ramsey,

and she can do the blog anywhere. But this is just merely unsupported conjecture.

[starfish]

Crystal reports that they have just moved to Nashville and she has photos of the moving van on her blog along with photos of her new rental home. It looks very nice. She says says she and Jesse have been planning to do a "family business" instead of having separate businesses. What does that mean???? Has Jesse shut down his law practice?

She also says she wants to do more personal posts on her blog. (Clearly she read my earlier posts about how boring the blog has become,hahaha. I mean how many "Cents of Style" links can one blog post? ).

OK my fellow FJites who live in Nashville---you know your duty to the hive! Be on the lookout for the Moneysaving Mom!

[SpicyCat]

Great. Another nut job to add to the already large number of them here.... *sigh* She'll blend in well, another skinny blonde.

[starfish]

Whenever fundie couples talk about starting a family business, I envision Amway.....

I'm just surprised he moved or closed his law practice. And why could they not do a family business in Kansas?

[starfish]

Great. Another nut job to add to the already large number of them here.... *sigh* She'll blend in well, another skinny blonde.

SpicyCat, you need to befriend her, get the scoop, and report back!

[Queen Of Hearts]

If McMama has taught us anything, it is that you can make good money with a popular blog. I'm betting Money Saving Mom makes a lot more than McMama ever could have wished so that site could easily support their family. But why move?

[SpeakNow]

Great. Another nut job to add to the already large number of them here.... *sigh* She'll blend in well, another skinny blonde.

I know! Why does Nashville have to have all the but jobs?

I'll be on the lookout.

[hoipolloi]

I'm just surprised he moved or closed his law practice.

This doesn't surprise me. Mr. Paine, Esq. is NOT the sharpest knife in the legal drawer: http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/the-dim ... toryPage=5

Chances are good Crystal's income from her blogging & website exceed Jesse's income from his law practice.

[DGayle]

I can't stand her. I called her out on Twitter for hawking cheap shit on her Facebook (specifically, moneysavingmom.com/2014/01/amazon-com-vintage-handmade-infinity-silver-owl-bracelet-3-19.html). Seriously, it's not saving money to spend $3.19 on a bracelet from China that's going to fall apart the 2nd time someone wears it. Especially, when you can go to Etsy, spend a little bit more, and support a real person. So, she blocked me (found out when I was entering a contest). Bitch.

Ugh, that bracelet. I don't need to click the link. So many of my mom-friends on Facebook posted it last month and kept sharing it around and I finally wrote a huge rant, and tagged all of them, about how it's not saving money to buy something you don't need and only want because someone pointed out how cheap it is, and it's not saving money even if you wanted an owl bracelet because it's going to break quickly, and if you want to save money, don't follow blogs that send you to affiliate links trying to get you to impulse-buy stuff you weren't in the market for.

Sometimes saving money means learning to evaluate the reason you're planning to order something. Is it because it's cheap? Is it something you were already looking to buy? Is it similar enough to something you already own that what you already have will work? Is it something you will regret not buying a month from now? Would you even remember it exists a month from now?

A few of my friends ordered it and said to look at how much they were saving! I replied by saying I saved almost $4 not buying something none of us wanted until someone told them to buy it.

Edit: LOL, oops, I already commented about that link.

[DGayle]

I think the more successful the blog is the less she can relate to her readers

This happened with Gwyneth Paltrow and her claim that her life is harder than the typical working mom. Even other moms in Hollywood were panning her for that one. Oh my god, she has to work a few months at a time once every year or two! And then can relax in luxury and vacation when she wants and have personal chefs and massage therapists at her beck and call! Her own blog went downhill. I remember when she started suggesting a nice gift would be folding 1,000 paper cranes for a friend (who has that much free time?), and hawking her cook book that was mostly her family stories and reminiscing about her childhood with very few recipes, and those that there were calling for things like duck eggs.

[salex]

This doesn't surprise me. Mr. Paine, Esq. is NOT the sharpest knife in the legal drawer: http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/the-dim ... toryPage=5

Chances are good Crystal's income from her blogging & website exceed Jesse's income from his law practice.

Oh, he's one of Phill Kline's acolytes---that is not a good sign.

[starfish]

He worked for Philllll Kline not once but twice.

If you look at his business blog, it's all about mentoring people setting up small businesses. I think

he wants to be more of a life coach/motivational speaker than an actual attorney. He probably hates

going to court.

[starfish]

I think the move is Jesse's idea. Crystal has mentioned how sad her children are at moving.

But she is really vague on why they are moving, and has said nothing more than this wish-wash about

having an opportunity to pursue a family business. When she was still writing up her weekly menu planning

ideas, they had dinner with family like 3 nights out of the week. You know she's sorry to move.

She's also mentioned another sister named Olivia. I've never heard of her.

I wonder if Jesse had a falling out with his family.