Recently we went through a few household budget changes and finding cable television alternatives became essential. We added a new baby to the mix, restarting all of the baby-related expenses from hospital bills to diapers and feeding. With the addition if our third child and a simultaneous big increase in my husband's travel schedule, I also found myself using a house cleaner and babysitters more than I'd like to. We now also have two kids in preschool for the time being. Unfortunately all of this extra spending didn't come with an offsetting income increase. :=/ So lately I've Keep Reading
Archives for December 2012
Christmas Playdate Ideas for Kids
This time of year, I love finding ways to get into the Christmas spirit. And it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of playdates, especially themed ones. Enter: Playdates that help us get into the Christmas spirit! I'm thinking Christmas-themed crafts are the way to go. I have time to host several at my house in December, so I set out to find some preschool age appropriate crafts that can be done at a two-hour playdate. Here's what I came up with. Christmas Craft Playdate Ideas for Kids Here are a few Christmas playdate ideas I came across: Christmas Blessings Display Plate - I Keep Reading
7 Things You Don’t Really Need But Buy Anyway
Recently, as I was shopping at Target and buying yet another round of products to keep our household running, it occurred to me that I could easily stop spending money on things that we don't really need but are simply conditioned to buy. What first got me thinking about this were the dryer sheets I paid $4.99 for. Really? Do we really need little sheets of fabric softener to make our clothes smell and feel nice? I grew up hanging my family's clothes on the clothes line in the back yard. The clothes often ended up smelling like grass, fresh air, or even mildew if I accidentally Keep Reading
FREE KIDS ACTIVITIES – 8+ NO COST THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR CHILDREN
As a stay-at-home-mom, it can get a little nerve wracking to be at home every day with little adult interaction. But every time we leave the house, we inevitably spend money on something - sometimes it's lunch at Chick-Fil-A because nap time crept up on me while we ran errands, and I don't feel like braving a cranky lunch hour at home. Other times I spend money on admission to jump zones or indoor play areas. Sometimes I want (or have to..when I'm trying to spend less) think of ways to have fun without spending money. Below are the first 8 ideas of free (or almost free) ways to have fun Keep Reading
How to Find Money in Your Pantry or Fridge
Recently, I unveiled my Ultimate List of Ways to Save Money. It's a growing list of all the ways I talk about saving money around the house. Next up, doing a pantry challenge! #9 on the list: Do a pantry challenge every so often Soon after posting this, I received a comment that made me realize not everyone is familiar with the term "pantry challenge." I'm not sure where I first heard that term. It's highly possible I made it up, although I believe I heard about it in a local online deals forum. Basically, it's a simple tactic that I use to save our family $40 per month on groceries. It's Keep Reading
