SC Johnson Family Economics Blog

Save money, spend time

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.

My friend and I had decided that morning that we were tired of buying produce at the grocery store and having it go bad on us. As in – we didn’t eat it fast enough, so we’d end up dumping out the last portions. So we tried something different...

Creating a Mini Gift Wrapping Station

...I like to have my party giving supplies all in one area, creating an easy to access wrapping station. So when it's time for a birthday party or two, it's nice to have everything in one handy place. Here is how we are keeping our gift wrapping tools organized, in our own mini wrapping station...

How to Shop a Farmers’ Market

Recently, I asked a group of women who are all seasoned farmers’ market shoppers to share their tips with me. With their advice in mind, I know I’ll be a happier shopper....

Growing up, my family didn't have a lot of money, but we sure knew how to have fun in spite of our financial limitations! One of my favorite activities as a kid was the family picnic...The following are a few tips to make sure your picnic is a success...

Fun with Shrink Plastic

I remember crafting as a kid with shrink plastic. The best idea we could come up with back then was to trace the characters in the Sunday comics, color and bake to make key chains. Well, shrink plastic is still around and it’s more than just a rainy day project...

...It didn’t take long to realize that this is a much more efficient way to cook. There’s a cool French term for the technique – “mise en place”, which translates “to put in place”... 

Vintage Toy Truck Displays

...Vintage toy dump trucks have the largest hauling capacity, but most 13 inch or larger pick-up trucks have beds that can hold and haul most anything from potpourri and candles, to snacks at a potluck, to stacks of family photos or fireplace kindling....

I have three starving teenagers in my house and they are always hungry! I try to save money by buying fewer frozen foods so making burritos and freezing them has become a money saving snack in our home...

Pamper Mom for Mother's Day

As Mother's Day approaches, I'm reminded of my very favorite Mother's Day gift of all time. It wasn't expensive. It wasn't elaborate. But it meant something to this busy mom. What was it? Pampering!...

It can be tough to keep your kids’ puzzles organized, even frustrating. No one wants to get to the end of the puzzle and find that there are one or two pieces missing.... So I have come up with a few ideas to help those pesky puzzle pieces stay together, making for happy playtime...

Pesky Friends Called Weeds

Growing up, my parents had a big garden – and a lot of weeds!  I still hate weeding, to this day. So my husband and I get our kids to help us...  Here’s what we’ve experienced about these pesky friends...

How to Plan a Menu

Having a menu and grocery list planned out is a big time and money saver, not to mention how it saves your sanity. But it can feel like a daunting task... Try these steps to get the planning done quickly so you can move on to other things...

Using Recycled Items to Organize Your Home

We are re-purposing some items in our house for use in organizing while also helping to do our part for recycling. Here's a few of the items that are great for re-purposing and what they help to organize...

Family Pizza Night

...One frugal way to make sure your family connects at the dinner table is to schedule a weekly family pizza night. Gather the kids in the kitchen to help make and assemble the pizza...

Food Linens and Baskets

It’s fast approaching picnic and potluck season, so why not get cute with some fabulous food linens to dress up baskets to transport and display your delicious dishes and goods...

Learning to Bake with Yeast

...Here is a simple recipe to get you started. The ingredients are low cost and the recipe makes quite a few loaves of bread. Making a lot of bread doesn’t take much more time than making one loaf... Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did...

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