Homemade Cleaning Recipes: Wipes

Make your own laundry detergent; prepare some homemade cleaners; make your own baking mixes. Whatever it is that you currently buy at the store to keep your home running, from baby wipes to toilet cleaner, chances are that there is a homemade version that will save your money, be gentle on your cleaning surfaces and your family. Non-toxic cleaners are healthier and easily made. Plus, who doesn’t like saving money in the household budget? I’ve gather some of the best and complete homemade cleaning recipes and make your own blog posts on Families.com. Bookmark these posts, so you can come … Continue reading →

Nutritious Food on a Limited Budget

Think you are forced to choose between an affordable grocery bill and healthy, nutritious food? Think again! There are many easy ways to get your family the healthiest food you can, all while spending less at the grocery store. On Tuesday, my friend Amy delivered our half of the CSA farm bounty. Our two families split a farm share, and we alternate pick up. This means that we get fresh, organic produce each week for a cost of about half of what it would be in the store. Among all of the good food were the sweetest organic raspberries that … Continue reading →

Earning Money for Furniture

I’m trading in my clutter for some nice, new bedroom furniture. I’ve always dreamed of some gorgeous bedroom furniture. The set we have now belonged to my husband for more years than he can remember. As a bachelor, he purchased it at an estate sale. He was going for more function than form and the idea that bigger is better, I think. It does have a ton of storage, I do have to admit. In fact, the headboard with its attached sets of doors and drawers have more storage than we have clothes. I’ve taken to storing books in them. … Continue reading →

Is Giving Meal Choices a Good Idea?

Plenty of parents I know make up separate meals for the kids and the adults or older children in the family. One mom and dad actually make an average of three different dinners each night, just to make sure that everyone in the family eats. Now I understand that certain childhood disabilities, from diabetes to autism, may require special diets, and in those cases parents have to do what they have to do. That isn’t what I am talking about. More so, I am referring to families with healthy, average children who have fallen into the pattern of becoming short … Continue reading →

Inexpensive (and Easy) Summer Meals

For my family, summer is not all about cooking, unlike during the winter holidays. Instead, it is about spending time outdoors, going on summer adventures, visiting with friends and family, days at the park or pool, and nights on the grass watching a movie or music concert under the stars. It is about inviting the neighbors over for a campfire and smores, catching lighting bugs, trying to get all of the ice cream drips before they run down your arm, and re-experiencing the feel of a light breeze coming off of the ocean. Still, we all have to eat, so … Continue reading →

Saving $600

Last week was a rough one. From a fallen tree to the truck’s transmission going bad, it has been one challenge after another. That is why we were pretty much exhausted by the end of it and almost lost $600. My family and I ran some errands on Saturday that kept us out pretty much all afternoon. We did want to make sure that we made it back home in time for the town’s free firework show at the park. So, with just enough time, we left the kids in the car and ran in to the house to grab … Continue reading →

Build Your Own Fire Pit

When our store-bought fire pit became a victim of one nasty storm (a tree limb fell on it and crushed a big dent into it), we started to look around for a new one. The problem was that it was out of season, so such things weren’t easy to come by, unless we wanted to special order one in the hundreds of dollars. The one we had was a clearance item at our local grocery store and cost us less than $60. It was functional and decorative and served us well. We looked around a bit and couldn’t find anything … Continue reading →

Sentimental Clutter and the Possessions Journal

It is one thing to let go of clutter and another to let go of your things. after all, there is nothing good about clutter, but getting rid of the first toy your son every played with is a little tougher. The problem is, the clutter and your things can be one and the same. Letting go of excess not only creates a more balanced and serene home, but it can also leave you better prepared financially. With an organized home, you are less likely to replace things that are lost or buy things you don’t need in the first … Continue reading →

Beware of Settling

Do you have to settle for something that you don’t really want, all because you want to save money? Of course not. There is a difference between making do and living with something you hate. I’ve always told my husband that unless something was an absolute necessity, I would often choose to do without rather than deal with something that I didn’t like. For example, I would be happy to look at a half empty living room instead of filling it with Aunt Ida’s putrid green couch. At the same time, if the washing machine broke down, I really won’t … Continue reading →

Saving Money at the CSA

Today was my first pick up at our CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) farm. My friend Amy and I met there. Sharing a full membership can be a great way to save money. Often, a full membership is less than the cost of two half memberships. Plus, if one of you goes on vacation, the other can still pick up, so that week’s share isn’t lost. With Amy and I, we are going to alternate weeks. One week she will pick up the items and then drop my half off to me, the next week I will do the same for … Continue reading →