Sometimes, money-saving strategies do not involve anything complex or extreme. In fact, sometimes, the simpler the strategy, the more likely it is that you will be successful in implementing it. One simple strategy for saving money is to stop and think before making any purchase, no matter how small. Impulse buying is so easy to do – you go into a store for one thing and before you know it, you have a basket or cart full of things before you get to the checkout counter. Advertisers design their in-store advertising and product packaging to grab your attention as you … Continue reading →

Did you know that there is a great way to save money that can also help you to keep a cleaner house? Your local thrift store can be a great place to get things that you want or need for prices that are better than you could imagine. The thrift store is also a great place to bring items that you have in your home that you no longer want or need, things that are just taking up space and creating clutter. Of course, you may not be able to find everything that you need at a thrift store when … Continue reading →

When it comes to finding things to trim in the family budget, entertainment is an area where many people could probably make a few cuts. Unfortunately, the very idea of scrutinizing your family’s entertainment budget may be very unappealing when you consider the people in your household that may be very attached to their entertainment of choice, be it television, video games, or movie rentals. That said, there are a couple of options that you could consider if you are thinking about how to save money on television. The first option is the most obvious – go without television. No, … Continue reading →

I am the mother of a toddler and an infant. I don’t enjoy going shopping with two little ones in tow. I am always looking for ways to save money, and I love having things we want or need shipped to the house. I admit it; I’m an Amazon Mom. I love getting diapers and other baby and kid essentials delivered in exchange for an Amazon Prime membership, which gives me free two-day shipping. When I was a little girl my friend down the street got deliveries from the milkman. I didn’t know why my mom didn’t do that since … Continue reading →

When a small item in your home breaks, it’s an easy enough thing to toss it out and buy a new one. But when something larger breaks down, you then have a decision to make. Is the item able to be repaired? Can you live without it or continue to use it in its current condition? Or is it time to get a new one? Sometimes the item isn’t really a need, but a want, and you really can live without it. Sometimes going through the hassle of a repair is more emotionally costly than financially expensive. Only you can … Continue reading →

While many of our goals for the New Year have to do with health, another top resolution that is made is concerning finances. As a mom with children in middle and high school, I know that saving money is important. It will be just another year and a half before my first one is in college and I would really love to help contribute. Sometimes it’s the small things that make the most difference. When you cut corners in small ways it can add up. It’s just hard to see the big picture when you are making small changes. I … Continue reading →

With the shaky economy this past holiday season there was some trepidation about what to expect in consumer spending. Would Americans still spend money during these tough economic times? The answer was a resounding yes. That’s because spending isn’t the problem. We will keep spending even when we don’t have it. I know because I have been there. I have been just as guilty as the next American of doing it. So while spending isn’t the problem, what is the problem is learning how to separate needs from wants. I think we have a tough time with this. While some … Continue reading →

I love shopping. I don’t shop for much more than essentials because I just don’t have the funds. The shopping I do beyond groceries and household supplies is usually for the children. I know I’m not alone in this. I think all parents find that they shop for the kids quite a bit. Christmas just ended. I’m very fortunate that I don’t have any bills left over and Christmas is paid for. Christmas added to my spending, though. Whenever I need to shop, especially if it’s an occasion where I need to shop more than I normally might, I look … Continue reading →

Nearly every Christmas, I experience a form of the holiday blues. It generally hits on Christmas night, after all the wrapping is cleaned up and the kids are in bed, and it’s just me and the Christmas tree. I start to feel a little sad that the miracle I’d hoped for didn’t happen that year or I didn’t get the gift I’d really wanted, or I wish I’d been able to see a certain relative – the cause varies from year to year, but its arrival is pretty predictable. I generally salve it by purchasing the item I wished I’d … Continue reading →

We recently found new homes for our cats. The newest, which we got when we moved to Texas five years ago, was accepted back by the shelter that adopted her out. We flew the other two to Caboodle Cat Ranch in Florida. We had to move the cats out because my husband’s allergies could not live with them anymore. It was sad but necessary; I’ve had all three since they were kittens and Whiskers was 13. Now we have to go about ridding our home of all traces of the cats so my husband’s suffering will completely end. I emailed … Continue reading →