Search Results for: blog becoming a hermit

Becoming a Hermit

One thing that this recession and the rising prices of gas has done to me lately is to have turned me into a sort of hermit. I’ve really been extra conscious of going anywhere that involves driving or spending money. I’ve been making fewer trips to the grocery store. I used to have an elaborate system for checking sales with coupons every week. But now, even with coupons, the prices are pretty high. The loss leaders aren’t as impressive anymore, and products that I could usually get for free or at a really low cost are now not worth the … Continue reading →

Are You Suffering from Frugal Fatigue

For myself, and I date say my fellow families.com frugal bloggers, frugality is a way of life. For most American’s however, frugality is a reaction to personal purse strings. The nation as a whole has been cutting back for the past one to two years, and many of them are sick and tired of it. Being frugal is more of a burden than a rewarding endeavor, and they can’t wait until they can get back to their old spend-spend-spending ways. The reason people are becoming tired of being frugal is that they have cut back to an extreme level and … Continue reading →

Care and Feeding of a Live Christmas Tree

Live Christmas trees are becoming more and more popular as people become more environmentally conscious. Live Christmas trees are sold with the root ball in tact to be used as Christmas trees for the holiday and to then be planted afterward. Instead of paying for a tree dispose of after the holidays and then buying a new tree to plant for the year, homeowners can kill two birds with one stone with the purchase of a live Christmas tree. When choosing a live Christmas tree, be sure to consider what evergreen trees will grow well where you live. Also, avoid … Continue reading →

Defending Your Teens Bad Behavior

Four teens pull up to a McDonald’s Drive through and attemp to Rap their order. Apparently, they had spent too much time on YouTube watching different McDonald’s rap videos. They apparently didn’t watch the whole video to see that no one actually understood what the rappers wanted. The people at a Utah McDonald’s were not amused and asked the “musicians” to speak clearly. When the manager asked them to speak their order or leave they became beligerent used foul language and eventually sped off. The police were called, the young men were tracked down, and citations, similar to speeding tickets … Continue reading →

EBay makes online auctions worthwhile again

I have always used EBay to make money saving purchases. When my video camera battery died, and it was no longer available in the stores, I did not buy a new camera, I got a new battery on EBay. When the cat popped a few keys off my daughter’s laptop, I didn’t spend $100.00 on repairs, I got new keys from EBay and found an online tutorial for installing it. Instead of buying a $1000 projection screen for the basement, I purchased fabric and screen building instructions from EBay and made the perfectly good screen for $40.00. EBay has saved … Continue reading →

Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

According to ABC news, teens who volunteer reap academic rewards. “esearch confirms that teens who learn early to be social, caring, and responsible perform better in school. Volunteering improves their chances of graduating at the top of their class, armed with critical leadership skills. It also makes teens feel good about themselves.” Recently I touched on Volunteerism as an opportunity for jobless bored teens to find something to do this summer. Finding volunteer opportunities isn’t always easy, so I thought I would give more information to help you on your search. FamilyEducation.com gives 10 Great Volunteer Ideas for teens which … Continue reading →

Flu Kits

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With all the talk about swine flu in the news lately, you may have heard mention of a “flu kit” — basically, a bunch of stuff to keep handy in case you come down with some form of influenza. The things in your flu kit can help keep you comfortable while the virus runs its course. So what might you want to put in your flu kit? Medical-Type Stuff A thermometer. Fever may be your most noticeable (and bothersome) flu symptom. Fever/pain medication, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Avoid giving aspirin to children. Tissues. The flu can spread quickly … Continue reading →

Nintendo Teaches You to Drive

Yesterday, I finally changed my driver’s license over from Connecticut to Pennsylvania. While I didn’t have to take a knowledge test, I did have to stand in line for nearly an hour. During that time, I glanced through the drivers manual. While I already new all of the information that was presented in the thick book, it struck me that the book was very thick. There is certainly a lot of information to know, from what a buggy crossing sign looks like (we are in a state with a large population of Amish) to how to safely enter and exit … Continue reading →

Gas Saving Roundup

Will you curb your vacation plans this summer because of gas prices? I’ve already cut back on driving here and there now that gas prices have reached the mid $3 range, but analysts say that things will only get worse. Gas prices predicted to rise to $4 a gallon this summer, just in time for the vacation season. Here is a round up on ways that you can save gas, starting today! Avoid buying overpriced gas Okay, so it all seems overpriced, right? But as you probably know, some gas stations charge more than others. How can you find out … Continue reading →

Addressing the Rise in Prices

In an earlier article posted today: Food and Gas Price Report, I discussed the latest information from the U.S. Department of Labor about our rising cost of food, energy and other goods. Here, I will offer some strategies and ideas for addressing the rise in prices. Let’s first address the rising food prices. To combat these prices and continue to provide food to your family you can (be sure to check the links for more information): Find substitutes for more expensive items, such as using dry milk for baking or drinking, giving up organic milk, baking your own bread, consuming … Continue reading →