photo by ppdigital During my frugal journey, I learned that simplifying and decluttering were the keys to being better organized. It’s easier to keep a home neat and tidy when there’s not a lot of stuff in it. Being the perfectionist that I am, I became a minimalist. I used to pride myself on having [...]
photo by kb35 Anyone who shares a home with someone else knows there are some things you simply do differently. One person puts the toilet paper over and the other under; one person turns the thermostat down and the other wants it warmer. These little things can drive you batty because you just know there’s [...]
photo by audreyjm529 Are you going stir-crazy waiting for spring? Bring on the sunshine, cue the butterflies and give me the sweet scent of hyacinth. I’m done with short days, heating bills, gray skies and cold and flu. I enjoy the four seasons, but sometimes winter is too long. It’s not surprising that some people [...]
photo by fantomdesigns “A promise made is a debt unpaid.” — Robert Service Time passes quickly. The days become weeks, and the weeks become years. Have you ever thought back to the dreams you once had? If you set aside your dreams for your list of a million-other-things and decided to wait for your turn [...]
photo by superfantastic Birdwatching is a frugal activity that can be a great way to connect with your family. It’s fun and builds values of appreciation and respect for nature. It’s more than simply watching birds. Birdwatching can include learning or knowing bird names and their category, range of habitat, activities, field markings, patterns, and [...]
I’m one of those people that does mental check-ins and asks myself this question on a regular basis. I know there are others that wonder if there is “something more.” My brand of “something more” and “is this it?” is like this uneasy feeling that gnaws at the back of my mind. Sometimes it’s a [...]
We’re one of those families that eat together. *gasp* The television is off. In fact, we don’t have a television anywhere near the dining room table. I’m flexible about many things, but I’m fanatical about us sitting and eating together. I understand busy schedules prevent many families from eating meals together every day. It’s important [...]
A few years ago, my mother came to visit. Our relationship is complicated, so needless to say, the tension was running high. My husband and I were bickering (about who knows what) and later in the evening, my mother commented on how she couldn’t understand why we were fighting. She mentioned that in her opinion, [...]
When entertaining overnight houseguests, you want them to enjoy themselves, be comfortable and relaxed, and especially feel welcome. You might think you’ve got it all covered. Perhaps, you’ve anticipated their needs, such as remembering their food preferences and/or dietary restrictions, setting out scented soaps, crisp, clean linens and fresh flowers. What about making an extra [...]
photo by crystalflickr If you have young children, creating an activity box is a creative way to keep them from becoming bored during rainy days or times they can’t get outside to play. The box can contain items that you don’t use often, so the activity box creates extra excitement when it’s brought out and [...]
photo by barkdog Frugal living is fun. When practicing frugality, you’ll have stories to tell that are especially funny to fellow frugalitarians. These stories are validation that money-saving strategies can be applied to your life seamlessly. If you have a funny frugal story, share it with me. Here are a few that have been shared. [...]
photo by crd Maybe, for a wee bit o’ fun, you wear something green, buy a shamrock shake, or drink green brewskies or Irish coffees on St. Patrick’s Day. This year, serve your family more than last-minute green vegetables. Put on a leprechaun hat, and cook a hearty feast. These recipes are deliciously festive, but, [...]
photo by laffy4k I have a confession. It’s my homekeeping weak spot. I can’t throw away my kids’ art projects. I save more than the typical handprint art. I cherish the stick-figure drawings the most. I have them organized in near perfect evolution. The drawings started out as crooked circle heads with dots for eyes, [...]
photo by grongar DEAR SARA: Can you make cinnamon buns from pizza dough? — Kelly J., California DEAR KELLY: Yes, you can. Here’s a recipe to try. 1-pound bag prepared pizza dough (or homemade) Filling 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed and thawed to room temperature 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup finely [...]
photo by Al Pavangkanan Sometimes, sales are so great you want to stock up. But you hate to wipe out the store shelves. The first tip is one solution. You can’t pick and choose exact amounts, but you can buy a lot at one time. I visited the Web site in the first tip and [...]
