Back to school, or back to the poor house?
by Tawra Kellam
Back to school is a time when many moms witness their money sprout wings and take flight, finding their homes at retail stores across America. I know that consumer spending is good for the economy, but I don't take it upon myself to keep the entire US economy propped up.
Luring Your Kids into Eating Healthy School Lunches
by Michelle Stern
Feeding children is a lot like fishing – you have to have the right lure, or they won’t bite! Packing desirable school lunches is a lot like the fine art of selecting an appealing lure while fishing. Try some of these stress-free strategies for packing lunches that are healthy for your kids and the environment. They’ll be sure to bite!
Holiday Mix and Gift Recipes
by Deborah Taylor-Hough
Looking for ways to save money at the holiday season? How about giving gifts specially made in your kitchen? My kids' 4-H Club made several of these gift items for a holiday project a few years ago.
Target Giving: Your Key to a Relaxed Holiday Season
by Colleen Langenfeld
Do you struggle with shopping for gifts each year during the holiday season? Is it more stressful than joyful? Would you like that to change? Then take a few minutes to consider a new approach to your gift-giving and find yourself putting the happy back in your Happy Holidays!
After Christmas Organizing
by Barbara Myers
The gifts have been opened. Leftovers chill in the fridge. Before you start focusing on the new year, try these tips to organize next Christmas.
Christmas On A Budget!
by Tawra Kellum
Between high gas prices and consumers’ fears of a financial squeeze, it seems as if a nice Christmas is out of the picture this year. Not so says Tawra Kellam, editor of www.LivingOnADime.com . To prove it, here are a few of her ideas from to help make Christmas memorable without breaking the bank!
Healthy Holiday Eating Tips
by Susanne Myers
Healthy eating during the holidays isn't easy. The time from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day has to be the hardest few weeks to stick to a healthy eating lifestyle or any diet for that matter. We are constantly tempted by sweets, treats and just way to much food in general. I would like to share a few tips with you that have helped me in the past to stay on track between now and the end of the year.
Christmas Bills
by Deborah Taylor-Hough
Do the phrases "frugal living" and "holiday giving" seem to be at opposite ends of the spending spectrum? Is it possible to spend no more in December than during other months? Will your family still love you if they don't find "the latest and the greatest" under the tree? Our families deserve the best we can give. But if we're paying our Christmas debts for the next five years, complete with all the stresses that usually accompany outstanding bills, what good is it? No matter what our personal financial situation, we all could use a few simple money-saving ideas for the holidays.
Healthy Easter Treats
by Susanne Myers
Easter Bunnies Bring More Than Chocolate Eggs
Easter baskets don’t have to be full of chocolate and peeps. Here are some great ideas that will fill your Easter basket without all the extra fat and sugar.
Bunnies and Ham and Eggs, Oh My!
by Jill Cooper
Ideas for your Easter leftovers
Inexpensive Easter Baskets
by Tawra Kellum
Easter is a great time of the year to celebrate. Here are some ideas for Easter gifts. Try some of them and if the creative juices start flowing, make up some of your own!
Healthy Easter Treats, Part 2
by Susanne Myers
Easter is right around the corner, and that of course means plenty of
candy and treats for the kids. Not only does the Easter bunny bring
sweets in the form of chocolate bunnies and eggs and of course the
always popular marshmallow peeps, but the kids also receive plenty of
candy at school and from grandparents. As parents, we want to provide
our kids with some healthy alternatives to all this candy for Easter.
Not only is it better for our little ones, it also eliminates the
constant whining for candy, or the stack of sweets that
lasts until Halloween.
Back to School Report
by Christine Steendahl
This downloadable Back to School Report is a guide to making the transition back into school easier on the whole family. From a stress-free morning routine to choosing afterschool activities, the Back to School Report has tips to make your back to school season enjoyable for everyone.
Treat Mom and Dad to the Best French Toast Fodder on Their Special Day
by ARA
How to show Dad you care with a breakfast - it's the ongoing question faced by families trying to plan the perfect Father's Day. Fortunately, a homemade and heartfelt breakfast of French toast offers a simple solution that pleases parents of all ages. How? Why? Three centuries of history paired with a few fresh recipe ideas provide the answer.
Acres of Apples, Frugal to the Core
by Jill Cooper
I've always dreamed of having an apple tree in my back yard. You know the old saying, "be careful what you wish for?" Now that I actually have my own apple tree, I stand in my yard watching the apples piling up around me thinking, "Oh no -- What do I do with this mess now?"... I have had to come up with some yummier "apple disposal" methods. If you find that you have a few dozen more apples than you know what to do with, these recipes... will help settle your frugal dilemma.
Frighteningly Frugal Fun!
by Tawra Kellum
The average American family spends over $100 per year on Halloween goodies. As your kids drag you through aisles full of ghosts and goblins, the scariest thing about Halloween is threatening to leave bite marks in your pocketbook. No wonder so many moms flee screaming from the store... It can be much less expensive and a lot more fun to devise your own chilling creations. Here are a few tips that you can use to stave off the greenback gremlins and exercise your creative muscle.
Be Creative With Halloween Decorations!
by Jill Cooper
We like to have fun at Halloween and not scare the wits out of everyone, so we try to keep our decorations cute and funny looking. To us, Halloween is a time for children to dress up and for one night a year be what they always dreamed of being, whether it's a fairy princess, a ballerina, Superman or even a robot. They get to be on the "stage" for one night to show everyone how beautiful, strong or funny they look. And to end a perfect night they get tons of candy, bags of candy and did I mention, a whole bunch of candy??
Here are some ideas of things we did to have a whole lot of fun for very little money. You can use these same basic principles for any holiday decorating.
Holiday Timetable: Get a Jumpstart on Holiday Planning
by Marilyn Moll
For many of us, planning Christmas festivities such as shopping, cooking, baking, gift making, and hospitality can automatically cause a great degree of anxiety. We, at The Urban Homemaker, don't advocate complicated or expensive holiday celebrations, and wish to encourage your family to focus on the true meaning of the holiday season. To do so while making preparations for the upcoming holidays, this twelve-week simplified timetable could be used as a checklist and is designed to be flexible in order to assist you.
New Year Organizing
by Martha Matthews
It’s the beginning of another new year. What better time to get organized. Try these helpful tips to get your New Year started in the right direction.
To Roast or Not to Roast!
by Tawra Kellam
Whether you have found yourself with more pumpkins than you know what to do with or you are one of the people who had to buy pumpkins and duct tape them to the vine, these tips for roasting and using pumpkins are sure to help you make the most out of them.
St. Patrick's Day Menu and Crafts
by Mary Ann Kelley
Dinner menu and kids' crafts for St. Patrick's Day
Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!
by Heather Diodati
Here are a bunch of unique ideas for St. Patrick's Day goodies and gifts.
Thanksgiving Feast
by Jill Cooper
It's really hard to find ways to save on your Thanksgiving dinner because, let's face it -- It doesn't get a whole lot cheaper than a turkey dinner! Still, I have found some ways that you can save and today I'll pass them on to you.
Prepare a Romantic Dinner At Home For Valentine's Day
by Christine Steendahl
Remember those pre-child days when you would go out to a fancy restaurant or spend the weekend at a romantic get-away to celebrate Valentine’s Day? That may not be an option this year, but you can still enjoy a romantic dinner with your spouse. Here are a few ideas on how you can easily create a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home.
Valentine's Day on a Dime
by Tawra Kellam
Using a little imagination, you can make your Valentine’s day a little more fun and a lot less expensive. If you want to add a little personalized romance or if you don’t have the time or money to buy all the pre-made things in the store, here are some ideas from livingonadime.com to help you make the day special.
$7 Gourmet Valentine's Dinner for Two
by Tawra Kellam
Even when you don't have much cash on hand, you can have a special dinner for Valentine's Day. You can create a special Valentine's Dinner for 2 people for under $7.00. The secret to a frugal romantic dinner is the setting.