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I’m Not Crafty at Christmas

Is it worth saving money on Christmas decorations if you spend all of that savings on band-aids and burn cream? It started out innocently enough. A good friend of mine was getting a group of us together to participate in a tradition in our small town, an annual wreath making session at the town hall. A professional crafty person would teach us how to make gorgeous holiday wreaths with a live wreath and all of the supplies included, for a mere $10. The township  actually covers most of the cost for this event, since the live wreaths alone cost more than … Continue reading →

Halloween Costumes on the Cheap

Ready to have some fun without the frightful prices that Halloween can bring? Believe it or not, it isn’t too early to thinking of ways to save on those Halloween costumes. With holidays seeming to creep up earlier and earlier these days, you might find that last minute waiting means that you just might pay full price to outfit your gang in Halloween costumes. Now that is scary! Here are some ways to save (hint: you don’t have to be a sewing Goddess, either) Use Themed Clothing This time of year, there are plenty of Halloween themed t-shirts and sweat … Continue reading →

How Christmas Creep Can Cost You

If you haven’t seen Christmas decorations and other items in your local stores yet, then my guess is that you’re living outside of the United States, or maybe even the planet. As soon as the back to school items went away (the first week in September!) the Christmas stuff came out. Forget Halloween, those items started being displayed in August. While all of my friends are hunting for those Candy Corn Oreos that have already sold out, I’m avoiding the stores as much as possible, so I can ignore the Christmas creep. There are a few ways that thinking about … 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 →

Free Stuff for Teachers

Are you a teacher or do you know one? If so, you might want to keep reading. Now is the time for teachers (including homeschooling teachers in many cases) to take advantage of all of the freebies and discounts that are available. Many name brand stores are featuring teacher appreciation days this week. During a teacher appreciation day, teachers can come into a store and be showered with all sorts of free gifts, coupons and discounts on school supplies. Teacher appreciation days are a great way to help balance the budget, when you are a teacher and are faced with … Continue reading →

Money Saving Ways to Prepare for Christmas Now!

Yes, the summer is still here, and temperatures may still be in the 90s or higher, but it is a perfect time to start making some preparations for Christmas right now. From gifts and decorations to food and entertainment, making the right moves now will be big savings during one of the toughest seasons for the budget. Stock up on the following items during the summer and fall, while you still can. Fresh Produce You’ll get the best prices on fresh produce right now, thanks to the bounty of late summer. Blueberries, strawberries, cherries, corn and other fruit and vegetables … Continue reading →

Take Advantage of Cyber Monday to Be Prepared

Are you snapping up the Cyber Monday deals and all of the other Christmas sale savings? Cyber Monday can be a great way to get your holiday shopping done and over without while saving money. But Cyber Monday sales and other Christmas bargains can also serve another purpose: getting items that will be useful to you and your family in an emergency. Here are some items that you should look for while you are shopping for deals. I’ve found some great Cyber Monday sales as well as coupon codes that can be applied to these items. Frozen and Can Foods … Continue reading →

Darn It – It’s February!

I dislike February for a number of reasons. First, it’s just sort of a gray month. Sure, you’ve got Valentine’s in there, and it sort of perks things up for a bit, but the rest of the month is just gray. There’s an impatient feeling about it, like it’s waiting for spring. Second, you never know if you’re going to have sunshine or snow. Is it jacket weather, or coat weather? The unpredictability is psychologically disturbing. And the reason I even bring it up today … February is a short month, and for most people, a short month means a … Continue reading →

Time Savings Tips to Prep Your House for Baby

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Getting ready for a baby in your home involves more than just baby-proofing. Sure, locking away dangerous cleaners, protecting electrical outlets and blocking stairs are all good ideas, but you will discover that adding convenience for your sake will help you keep your sanity. Taking care of a baby takes up a lot of time, so anything you can do now that can save you time later will make mommy-hood that much easier. 1. Cut down on the time it takes to clean your hardwood, tile or linoleum floors by investing in a quality steam mop, if you don’t already … Continue reading →

Is Your Home Ready for Company?

Yesterday, we were having a quiet day at home. The kids were playing, my husband was puttering around, and I was trying to catch up with writing work that fell behind because of the holidays. We were just about to get the younger kids down for a late nap when my husband got a phone call. His best friend that he hadn’t seen in a long while was in the area. Could he stop by with his girlfriend? This was a rare chance, and there was no way that we could say no. We also would really enjoy seeing him. … Continue reading →