Homemade foods tend to be healthier and often cost less than their prepackaged counterparts. Thus, whenever possible, I try to make homemade varieties. Sometimes I wonder if it is really more affordable to make homemade versions. This week my husband and I crunched some numbers so we could compare the cost of homemade versus prepackaged … [Read more...] about Cost of Homemade vs. Prepackaged Breakfast Sandwiches
Managing Finances
7 Money-Saving Modifications to Popular Christmas Traditions
For many Americans, the "most wonderful time of the year" is also the most expensive time of the year. Just how expensive? Experts estimate that the typical American spends between $1,000 and $2,000 on Christmas each year (source). Thankfully, you don’t have to have a couple thousand dollars on hand to celebrate Christmas! We’ve never … [Read more...] about 7 Money-Saving Modifications to Popular Christmas Traditions
The Most Important Things to Consider When Buying a House
Though it is often fun and exciting, house hunting is a very serious endeavor. If you make a good choice, you’ll own a secure, comfortable home that meets the needs of your family. If you make a bad choice, you’ll own a hazardous, uncomfortable home that doesn’t meet the needs of your family. My husband and I have been house hunting … [Read more...] about The Most Important Things to Consider When Buying a House
Choosing to Have Simple Kids’ Birthday Celebrations
My daughter, Amaris, will turn 1 year old in less than a month. What a bittersweet milestone! Though it may be trendy to celebrate a child’s birthday with an elaborate party that includes a bounce house, mobile petting zoo, food trucks, and party favors, we’re choosing a much simpler approach. We’ll go on an outing as a family and enjoy … [Read more...] about Choosing to Have Simple Kids’ Birthday Celebrations
10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Celebrate Your Anniversary
My husband and I are on a tight budget, but we still want to do something fun to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Thankfully, I’ve thought of a number of fun ways to celebrate without spending a lot of money. Fun and frugal anniversary celebrations Relive your first date. What did you wear on your first date? Where did you go? … [Read more...] about 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Celebrate Your Anniversary
Which Documents to Keep and Which to Toss
As we prepared for a move earlier this summer, my husband and I sorted through stacks of paper as part of our attempt to purge our home of stuff we didn’t need. Over and over again we found ourselves debating if we should keep various documents. It’s obvious that we should keep records like birth certificates and our marriage license, but … [Read more...] about Which Documents to Keep and Which to Toss
How to Have a Genuinely Enjoyable Staycation
A week and a half ago I presented several reasons why staycations aren’t as lame as you might think. Today we’re going to explore some ways to make staycations fun and interesting. I believe that one significant reason staycations have a reputation of being boring is that vacationers often don’t treat them as true vacations. Instead, … [Read more...] about How to Have a Genuinely Enjoyable Staycation
Why Staycations Aren’t as Lame as You Might Think
A couple of days ago I was looking into staycation ideas. I was surprised to see how many writers view staycations negatively! They described them with words like “stupid,” “boring,” and “pointless.” I’m certainly not a staycation ambassador, but I think the concept of vacationing at home or nearby deserves a much better rap than it is … [Read more...] about Why Staycations Aren’t as Lame as You Might Think
