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.
Friday, September 14, 2012
As autumn approaches, the prices of fall fruits and vegetables plummet.
At our house, we do our best to take advantage of these savings by
bringing more variety to our diet and eating seasonally....
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
...Are you ready to begin filling your box full of freebies? With the use
of technology today, you can collect freebies without having to clip
coupons or mail away for free offers. You can easily sign-up for
multiple websites that will inform you of daily freebie offers
available...
Monday, September 10, 2012
One of the earliest crafts I remember making when I was a kid is a fun
yarn-and-fork pompom. The tiny puffs are only about 1-inch in diameter,
but have a multitude of crafty applications...
Friday, September 07, 2012
I love all things that can simplify and ease tasks in my daily life,
such as the one-dish dinner. In fact, I love it so much that I started a
sister website to my blog “$5 Dinners,” called “One Dish Dinners”
where I share my favorite simple, easy one-dish dinners. Below is a
little taste of one of the recipes...
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
...If you’re like me, getting your children’s clothes organized can feel a
bit daunting. To help me stay organized, I’ve created a hand-me-down
system. Here are tips to help you begin organizing and storing your
children’s hand-me-down...
Monday, September 03, 2012
...Since most students will be moving into small dorm rooms that offer few
of the comforts of home, help ease their stress by putting together a
special gift basket just for them. If you don’t have a basket prepared
for the initial journey, consider filling a basket with lightweight
items...
The end of summer means leaving our leisurely summer days behind and
shifting to our busy school schedules. Getting ahead in the kitchen by
creating meals and then freezing them is a quick, easy and mess-free way
of making a dinner that leaves me feeling less frazzled come
dinnertime...
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
...To help me stay organized, I’ve created a “life file” to safely organize
and store all of those important documents. This not only helps me to
easily find a document when needed, but it will also be helpful should
there be an emergency...
In my opinion, there is nothing quite as embarrassing as forgetting the
name of someone you just met. Though there are a lot of techniques and
exercises for remembering the names of people you meet at a function,
many of us still have a great deal of trouble. Luckily...
This recipe includes so many wonderful flavors, it is worth turning your
oven on in this heat for 20 short minutes. The zucchini is perfectly
soft. The herbs are powerful and the perfect addition to this otherwise
“bland vegetable"...
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
... If you’ve ever lost luggage, remembering the brand and other details
can be difficult to recall on the spot. There are many other common
activities, such as where you parked your car or what size vacuum bags
you need to buy, that can be quickly accessed just by using your cell
phone camera...
...Seasonal fruits and vegetables arranged in a simple bowl create
wonderful displays for the kitchen, dining room and family rooms. Or,
think outside the box (or bowl) and use more unusual pieces to hold
those fresh picks...
I discovered quinoa about a year ago and can’t get enough of it. I
especially love to make it for my family during the summer because it
does so well as a “summer salad.” It’s light, filling and generally
takes on the flavors of whatever it’s cooked or mixed with...
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
It’s hiding in our closets, stuffed in our drawers and piled in our
laundry rooms. It’s called clutter and, over time, it has been known to
take over our homes. It is time to take our homes back, which is why I
am encouraging my family and yours to participate in the 20 Bags in 20 Days Challenge....
Over the years, I’ve heard several women state that they have a sewing
machine, or access to one, but don’t know how to sew.... The good news is that there are many smaller and simpler
projects using a sewing machine that can be accomplished with just a few
basic techniques....
Seafood tends to be on the expensive side, but I like to splurge every
now and then. The key to keeping your grocery bill and dinner costs low
is to pair more expensive ingredients, like salmon or shrimp, with
inexpensive side dishes. You can still make a delicious seafood spread
for under $10!..