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Fun Items for Frugal Dress Up Play

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There is a quick and easy way to entertain your preschooler for at least half an hour or so. Let him or her play dress up! Preschoolers tend to love this activity because it lets them “become” someone else for a while. Dress up is a great opportunity for using one’s imagination. Here are some frugal ideas for dress up play. Frugal Dress Up Ideas for Preschoolers Old Costumes Previously worn Halloween costumes are great for playing dress up in. Your child can become a princess, a superhero, or both in the same day. Reuse the Halloween costumes that your … Continue reading →

Frugal Tips for Summer Activities

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Summer vacation is a great time for families to go out and do things together. Visiting amusement parks, dining out, and staying in hotels can end up costing a lot of money. Travel expenses can quickly add up, too. Here are some frugal tips that will help your family enjoy summer vacation without having to go into a lot of debt. Pack some snacks. Make use of your child’s lunchbox this summer. It is the perfect container for easy to eat snacks that your family can bring along on car trips. Instead of stopping the car at the nearest fast … Continue reading →

Is Giving Meal Choices a Good Idea?

Plenty of parents I know make up separate meals for the kids and the adults or older children in the family. One mom and dad actually make an average of three different dinners each night, just to make sure that everyone in the family eats. Now I understand that certain childhood disabilities, from diabetes to autism, may require special diets, and in those cases parents have to do what they have to do. That isn’t what I am talking about.  More so, I am referring to families with healthy, average children who have fallen into the pattern of becoming short … Continue reading →

8 Frugal Ideas for the Easter Basket

Pack those Easter baskets for less this year. Here is a list of frugal ideas you can use. Homemade Treats How about some easy-to-make homemade peanut butter cups or bunny-shaped homemade chewy granola bars. These recipes and more can easily be found on Pinterest. Homemade treats are not only less expensive, but they are also free from all of the chemicals that store-bought treats have. Coloring Books Coloring books are so inexpensive, and there are many Easter themed ones out there. The provide a nice foundation for any Easter basket and can be had for a dollar or less. Stuffed … Continue reading →

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Want to see four dozen cookies disappear almost instantly? Craft this recipe, sit back and enjoy the rave reviews. Oh, and as a bonus, this recipe is particularly frugal. Buy your oatmeal in bulk, and each four dozen batch will cost less than one small package of cookies at the store. Everyone loves oatmeal raisin cookies, and the bulk baking makes it perfect for your next cookie swap. For a festive variation, make larger cookies, and when they cool, scoop softened ice cream between two cookies to make an ice cream sandwich. Roll the ends in cinnamon sugar if you … Continue reading →

Six Critical Skills for Frugal and Eco-Friendly Kids

These are frugal times, and these are times when environmental consciousness is rising. How can you prepare your kids to live as adults when times are more frugal and much more ecologically conscious? This generation of parents has lost a lot of the skills that our grandparents had. I know I have, and I’m trying to regain them. Here are six ways that you can help your children become frugal adults. By modeling these skills and allowing your kids to help, you’ll give them great know-how for the future. Preparing Food Prepared food is something that is easy for kids … Continue reading →

Every Little Thing Counts

Many times when we think of saving money, we think in terms of the biggest impact. This can be a good strategy. If you can find a way to save hundreds of dollars per month, say by paying off debt, you can get on top of your finances much faster. At the same time, we shouldn’t neglect the little things. They can really help you to save money and get ahead. For example, if you spend just ten minutes each morning (or the night before) making homemade lunches, you can easily save $30 to $50 or more per week, which … Continue reading →

Our Frugal Monday Night Dinner

One of my goals this year is to spend even more time in the kitchen doing some cooking from scratch. While this does take time, it reaps many benefits. I can serve my family good healthy food with minimal preservatives, and for a price that we can afford. Since I do most of the cooking for our family of five, I need to find filling meals that will stretch. The cost of food seems to be growing weekly, and the stores have more and more rules that make saving money with coupons not as easy as it used to be. … Continue reading →

Deals for Frugal Summer Travelers

Many frugal travelers avoid leaving their hometowns during the summer season because they know that vacationing in June, July and August is not cheap. In fact, many top vacation destinations jack up their prices to make the most of summer crowds. However, every once in a while you will be able to find scorching hot summer travel deals like these: CANADA From now until the end of October, the Best Western Primrose Hotel Downtown Toronto is offering a super tour deal. For just $533 per person you will receive three nights accommodations at the 335-room hotel located near beautiful Allan … Continue reading →

How to Be Frugal When the Power is Out

Yesterday was pretty tough. I had two wet loads of laundry, a sink full of dishes to do, and about five hours of online freelance work when the power went out. My husband was working from home, as well. A tree limb had fallen on the power lines a few houses down from ours, and it blew out the transformers, leaving our neighborhood without power from 11:30 in the morning until about 5:30 in the afternoon. That is six hours without power. We were tempted to turn the generator on, as many of our neighbors did, but with gas expenses, … Continue reading →