photo by Digital Sophia

It’s no secret that most kids want stuff, and most of it isn’t anything they need. As a parent, you want your kids to be responsible, grateful and not think they are the center of the universe. You can’t possibly afford to satisfy every whim, either.
A common solution to the “gimmes” is to let them work for the things they want instead of running out and …

photo by crystl

DEAR SARA: My 10-year-old daughter wants a hotel birthday party. Last year, I had a great frugal birthday party for her. I used a coupon for free pizza, served soda I already had and purchased a cookie cake. I took my daughter and her cousins and friends to the city pool. It cost me only about $25 for her birthday.
This year, she was invited to two hotel parties …

photo by jbcurio

During my most frugal times, I discovered that creating a dinner that made two meals saved time and money. Think of it as planned leftovers or “Planovers”: One large meal doubles as a foundation for a second meal a.k.a. cook once, eat twice. Most people have a few recipes they enjoy after Thanksgiving for using up leftovers, such as turkey soup and open-faced hot turkey sandwiches. This is …

photo by ookikioo

When I began my frugal journey, I was highly motivated to tighten the tightwad belt, but sometimes I felt poor. This feeling was due to the transition from living above my means to living within my means. I was making leaps and bounds with my personal finances, but it took hard work and determination not to fall into the old spending traps.
A few tips that helped pull …