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Extending the Life of Your Food

I really hate to throw out good food, but it happens so often. Leftovers get forgotten in the back of the fridge, produce is bought with good intentions and then not used in time or food is left out too long on the counter. One time, we had to toss a whole bag of frozen food because both my husband and I had thought each other put the food away. Sigh. Minimizing food waste is a good way to reduce the food budget. Here are some of the ways that my family now minimizes food waste. Having a Plan If … Continue reading →

Learning to Be Smart with Your Money

As a single parent I can’t remember a time when money wasn’t tight. Child support doesn’t cover all of the kid’s expenses and just the everyday necessities add up quickly. In many cases the family has gone from having two incomes to one. You have to find a way to make sure there is food on the table, a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, not to mention all of the things they end up needing as they are starting school, etc. The bills just keep piling higher and higher. This is when it becomes crucial to have … Continue reading →

How to Downsize Your Finances

Downsizing your finances may be necessary if you lose income or find yourself with unexpected expenses. Downsizing can be either temporary or more long term. But one thing is clear, when you downsize, you will give yourself the breathing room you need to get yourself back on track. Downsizing can be a bit traumatic at first. You may be used to a certain way of doing things, and learning a new way can be challenging. But the nice thing about downsizing is that it gives you the time to make the choices you want to make that work for your … Continue reading →

It’s Always About Money

This time of year is always stressful financially. It is especially stressful when you are a single parent, you have to make that dollar you are stretching go even farther. Striving to be financially responsible is something you should do all year round. As a single parent it is doubly important that you do your best to manage your money. *Don’t keep secrets about money, talk to your kids. I remember when I was a child and my mother would tell me we couldn’t afford something and I would be resentful because I knew she had money. Because we never … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids About Saving

As a single parent we all know money is tight. There are so many ways to save money, but isn’t it so much easier if it is already a habit? By teaching our children the importance of saving we are giving them the tools they will need as they get older and having to deal with finances on their own. When we were young we never had an allowance. I remember feeling so jealous of all my other friend’s parents handing them money every week. If we wanted to earn money we had to work for it. We had regular … Continue reading →

Pinching Pennies

If you’re like most single-parents money is tight. Between diapers, wipes, formula, clothes, shoes, food, and all the other things we have to buy for our kids it seems like there will never be enough money at the end of the month to meet all of the family’s needs. Here are some tricks that I have learned that have helped ease our financial woes. Make a budget and stick to it. Every month I sit down and look at how much money we have to spend. Sometimes it helps to set that money aside in an envelope, once the money … Continue reading →

What’s Ahead for 2011?

I’m sure I’m not the only person looking ahead at the new year with a combination of excitement about all the possibilities and apprehension about the situation we find ourselves in, economically. You can hardly turn on a news station without seeing self-proclaimed financial gurus sharing their thoughts on this, that, and the other thing, while no one knows who the experts really are any more. But here are some facts that we need to face as we make our goals and plans for the coming twelve months: 1. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing. There are currently six million Americans who … Continue reading →

Financial Woes

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The financial challenges of raising a child with special needs can be overwhelming. Studies have shown that depending on the state of residence, 91% of families of children with special health care needs experience an added financial burden. Extra costs include therapies, rehabilitation, specialty doctors, hospitalizations, and medications. Low-income families are especially at risk for financial challenges. A large percentage of their income goes to caring for the child and if the money isn’t there, it can be the child’s health that suffers. Parents are forced to choose between paying the mortgage and paying for treatments. In addition, for many … Continue reading →

How to Be Frugal and Green

One of the nice things about frugality is that most of the frugal things that you do are also good for the environment. That is, frugal practices can also be green practices. Reduce, reuse and recycle are guidelines that frugal people have been following even before there was a green movement. But some frugal ways are more green than others. So the next time someone calls you a cheapskate or tightwad, point out one of the following activities and just say that you are being green! Water Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Not only will you save the … Continue reading →

The Biggest Ways to Save Money

Have you heard of the term, “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish?” Sometime we concentrate so much on saving pennies that we neglect where we can get the biggest savings. Here are some tips about how to make the biggest impact when saving money. While the pennies can add up, why not first concentrate on the dollars? Shelter, transportation and food are usually the biggest expenses in the average household, followed by entertainment. Combining Bills If you have home and car insurance, combine them with one provider to save hundreds of dollars a year. Likewise bundling other services such as cable, … Continue reading →