Happy Father’s Day to all you frugal (and even you not so frugal) dads out there. Hope you’re enjoying the day and doing whatever you want. I received a lot of wonderful emails this week. Thank you all for your good wishes! I want to assure many of you that while I did have to lighten my load in anticipation of my new full time job, I’m not giving up this blog. Simply Thrifty has a giant place in my heart and they only way they can drag me away is kicking and screaming. Here’s what I’m reading this weekend: Free yogurt today at TCBY at All Holiday Cafe The Neatnix Stuff Bucket at DeClutter It (I’d like one of these for gardening) 12 Ways to Cut Paper Clutter at DeClutter It Check out the newest addition to... [Read more]

Does your library have a summer reading program? Our does. This is the first year my son can be apart of it because he’s in first grade, and he’s looking forward to joining. Since we visit the library every week, we really won’t have to do anything extra. The summer reading program is nice because it gives our son a goal, and there are various prizes and goodies to help motivate him. This is in addition to him getting lots of reading in. Like most things at the library, the summer reading program is free. I only wish they had one for adults!   Image via stock.xchnge [Read more]

Today after running some errands, I treated my son to ice cream. While standing at the counter my son noticed a sign that said there was 10% discount if you sing. He asked the teenager behind the counter if he could sing a song and the teen told him to go for it. So my obviously not shy six year old sang “Supercalifragelisticexpealidocius.” The manager came out to listen and my son got a nice applause. There was no one else in the shop, but it was cute anyway. Plus we got a discount on our ice cream. I don’t know if I’d ever sing like that, but with my son around, we’re sure to always get a discount.   Image via stck.xchnge [Read more]

Today is my son’s birthday. We had a party with friends and family over the weekend, and tonight is just for the immediate family. He asked for barbecued burgers for dinner and said the leftover cake from Sunday is perfect and I shouldn’t get another, is this my kid or what? We bought some gifts we know he’d like such as a bird house making kit and a children’s book of gardening tips. I was thinking of some of the other gifts we’ve given throughout the years – the ones that don’t come wrapped in pretty paper or cost money. You see, my husband and I are creative types and encourage that creativity in our son. My husband used to be a carpenter and is still pretty darn good with his hands. Our son helps... [Read more]

How timely. Yesterday I talked about how Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family spent their evenings back in the day when there was no television or Internet. Soon after I posted, major severe storms rolled into our area. My husband and I shut down computers and televisions and unplugged appliances. Last year my sister in law’s house was struck by lightning and their modem fried as did many of the appliances. We weren’t taking chances. I read and he puttered around putting some things together handling little odd jobs. We also spent some time chit chatting and watching the lightning storm. We were both very content and didn’t miss television or the Internet at all. I suppose if this happened every night we’d miss it, but... [Read more]