My friend Jen from Jlogged had this totally awesome and inspired idea.

“Let’s trade clothes!” her evite says.

If you’re keeping it, but it doesn’t fit you right – give it to someone who is likely to love it.

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So I go through my closet and drawers with this running dialogue in my head.

Love these shoes – never wear ‘em.

This jacket is great – it’s too big now.

These slacks are one size too small. Every time I look at them they make me feel I’m making no progress. It’s been a year. I’ll buy new pants when I actually get there. …read more

I want to introduce you to my Frugal Guru, Jen from Jlogged.com.
She recently redid her website to help people use their money wisely. If I want inspiration to stay on track with the family budget she’s my “go to.”
Jen’s one of the few people I can compare detailed notes with about income and out-go and saving and financing, etc.
She knows her business. Her business is living a larger life within her means.
And she lives a pretty good life, eats organically and reduces her carbon footprint, etc.
She’s doing Nablopamo and she’s writing about money for all 30 …read more

Where do you do your reading? Admit it, sometimes it’s in the john, if only because that’s the room with a lock on the door. Or perhaps the tub. When I’m having bowel issues a good book or magazine always helps me relax.
I’ve turned my entire bathroom into a library. The haphazard way of just putting books and magazines on the back of the toilet was driving me crazy. So, I added a magazine rack next to the toilet paper roll holder.
But, the part I love most about my library/restroom is the wallpaper. It’s the pages of a real vintage book. I …read more

I realized my daughter is starting Kindergarten in September and there will be this mad rush for school clothes.
I can’t really understand why kids need a whole new wardrobe for school. I mean, kids get clothes all year long these days right? It’s not like in my Grandma’s day when she saved up enough to buy her children two pairs of shoes a year, for school and Easter Sunday.
I went garage sailing and picked up about all she’ll need for about $12. I’m not about to blow a couple of hundred dollars for this consumerist tradition. I picked up a …read more

My beautiful blond boy woke up screaming at 5 a.m. I tried everything. A sippy cup of milk, a tsp. of ibuprofen, some Origel, a pacifier, sleeping in our bed, walking him back and forth.
Turns out he just wanted to watch some VH1. I turned on the Jump Start music videos – why don’t they play these more than just in the early morning? He shut right up. Snuggled up. And drifted off to sleep. I tried to go back to bed. Nope. Wasn’t gonna happen. Back to the living room and VH1 and right back to slumberland.
Heading off to an …read more