Let's face it: Times are tight and budgets are shrinking. But there are ways to stretch, and even (gasp!) have fun doing it! This blog is about finding ways to get more from every household dollar, and enjoy every precious minute.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Life seems to be running circles around me, but there’s one thing that keeps me from falling off the brink to insanity. Meal planning - it saves my sanity - each and every week! When you get down to the nitty gritty of meal planning, there are two basic approaches...
With the New Year comes new ways to use household items. Try using rolls of clear adhesive shelving liner found in most grocery and discount stores to serve many different functions. Here are just a few neat things that can be done with this indispensible product...
Is your freezer packed full but you have no idea what’s hiding in there? Do your kids open the freezer door only to then say there is nothing in there to eat? If you are ready to save money and time, then let’s start organizing your freezer with my five easy steps...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
...reaching a clothes size I hadn’t seen since before our first child, I was faced with a new issue: buying an entirely new wardrobe without spending a fortune! If you are in a similar situation, or maybe you just want a wardrobe makeover, here are some things to think about now for when the time comes...
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Each New Year, many of us participate in the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions only to find ourselves with undone lists of things we wanted to do, accomplish or change in our lives at the end of the year. This year use my five tips to make and keep your New Year’s resolutions...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Boneless skinless chicken thighs are often on sale for less than $2 per pound and when they hit this price point, I stock up. Then I make round, after round, after round of this slow cooker chicken cacciatore...
It seems like everyone has a favorite thing to collect. I have several, but my favorite collections are those that not only serve my decorative senses but also have a practical purpose...
Here’s a fun project to make your own pocket-sized notebooks using repurposed materials. You could use these for anything from sharing favorite recipes, keeping track of birthdays, passwords, daily journaling and funny things your kids say or even log your car’s service record...
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Losing weight is inevitably always on someone's list of resolutions each New Year. Having lost a total of 70 pounds, I am currently in maintenance mode. However, for the New Year, I have a goal to continue with my overall fitness... Here are a few suggestions, all of which I personally did on my weight loss journey...
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
It’s that time of year when I get out all of my fine china and beautiful silver pieces for our holiday entertaining. Often when I get mine out I find that pieces did not get placed back where they belong or items are dirty, tarnished and may even have a chip or two. This year, when I return my china and silver to storage, I want to be a little more organized to help simplify my next use...
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
...Eating healthier foods and losing weight starts (in part) with what you put into your grocery cart. If you load your cart with the junk, you’re not going to succeed. But if you rid your cupboards, fridge and freezer of your trigger foods, and begin to fill them with foods and snacks like those listed below, you’ll be well on your way to success...
While packing up the holiday decorations, pack up other items around your home and put away any décor that feels heavy, dark or cluttering. January is a great time to refresh your surroundings with a clean, simplified look....
Thursday, December 30, 2010
When family and friends ask us for gift ideas for ourselves, truly nothing comes to mind. We are fortunate to be in a place where our needs are slim. However, they know that we also wait until our expensive items breathe their last breath before we make a purchase...
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
The cookies are eaten, the gifts are unwrapped and it’s time to de-clutter the Christmas fun in the home. That also means it’s time to “de-decorate” and get the house back in order...
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
...I have come to love and adore my husband’s family tradition. They spend an hour every New Year’s sharing highlights from the previous year, reminiscing about vacations, promotions, births, baptisms, and other amazing events that took place that year...
Monday, December 27, 2010
Once the after-Christmas sales are in full swing, you can usually find me in the crowds when holiday-themed prices are drastically cut, often as much as 90 percent off... Here are 10 simple ideas for repurposing holiday clearance sale items after Christmas...