It’s not summer, but ice cream is still making its way to your freezer I’m guessing. With the holidays coming ice cream is the perfect easy dessert and can be used in all sorts of dessert creations or used as a side to pie. With that in mind, you should know how to get the biggest bang for your ice cream buck.

Go organic!: Dairy is a food category loaded with icky growth hormones and pesticides, and ice cream, being a dairy product is included here. Organic ice cream is more beneficial because it’s made with organic milk. Now all that …read more

Kids furniture can cost a pretty penny. Less expensive options include thrift store or garage sale furniture you can fix up. This is a great choice because it’s also eco-friendly. Your second option is to make furniture with other objects, not simply fix up a piece. The problem is that often parents get a decent piece of kids furniture and then have no idea where to start when it comes to creating a cool piece of furniture that a kid will love.
Following are some great ideas for DIY kids furniture that’s also totally low-cost.

DIY Inexpensive Kiddie Table & Chairs!- I …read more

Last week I posted about dollar stores not being such an amazing deal. Which I’m standing by, but it would appear than topics come at me in droves because I just saw a Consumer Reports video about the dangers (and sometimes deals) of dollar stores. If you frequent dollar stores this two minute video is worth a quick watch.

Some common dollar store dangers they pointed out were toys that children could easily choke on and lighters that look like toys. My biggest danger gripes at dollar stores are the beauty and bath care products – most are chock full of …read more

Recently I was talking to a friend.  In the conversation, I mentioned that I was going on a business trip to New York and regretted that I couldn’t stay a few more days and site see.  When he asked why, I told him that we had recently purchased a home and didn’t have any extra money at the moment.  He replied that he had always been a renter and always would be because he liked having the freedom and extra money in his pocket.

His comment really got me to thinking.  Would someone really be a renter forever?  Here are some reasons why I …read more

CBC TV has a long running show on air called Marketplace, a show that aims to, “Weed out wrongdoing against consumers, and puts pressure on people in power to set things right.” The show is usually pretty darn good offering advice on everything from how not to buy a puppy to how sweepstakes can cost you to new home nightmares and more. However, one episode not to miss is how not to fall prey to the seven sins of the marketplace.

7. Sin of Addition – companies adding on “must haves” when you just need or want to buy one item.
…read more

With me working part-time from home and having three little kids, my husband and I are looking for ways to save money on dates.  We need some time alone!

Here are few ways to save on babysitting.
1)  Go on a lunch date. This is our newest way to save.  Our three oldest children are in school and our youngest is in preschool part-time.  We finally have a consistent time that we can get out together.
2)  Trade babysitting with others.  If you know of other parents that have kids, offer to trade with them.  Everyone needs some time alone and they would …read more

If you can make sure that your denim lasts longer you’ll shell out less in the long run for new jeans and other denim clothing. Here are some tips…

Jeans are wearable more than once. Unless they’re seriously muddy or otherwise grimy, only wash them every 2 to 3 wears.
Turn inside out when you wash them to protect the color.
I’ve read that you should wash jeans in a small load but with a lot of water. The water conservation part of me thinks this is a terrible idea, but I’ve heard that it reduces abrasion with other clothes and keeps them …read more

Last December I moved to a small town.  There were a few stores around, but not the wide variety from which I have become accustomed.  The transition to this lifestyle was very difficult because I shop around for the best bargains on our groceries. 
With only one grocery store in town, I was left with the option of shopping there or driving 30 minutes each way.  My grocery bill had jumped 30% and something needed to be done.  It took me a few months to develop a system for saving money, but I think I’ve adjusted pretty well.

Here are some tips for saving …read more

Sometimes more than we’d care to, we have to tell our kids “no”.  They want a new dress, a new toy, to go out to eat, and to buy whatever they decide that can’t live without.  Raising kids can be very expensive and it’s important to realize that you can’t give in to their every request.  Not only will you put yourself into a financial mess, but you’ll also be depriving your child of important life lessons.
Telling our kids “no” is inevitable.  Here are some tips to make it a little easier.

1)  Use emphathetic and understanding statements. “I understand that …read more

Now that winter is closing in on us (it’s freezing here in Oregon!) it’ll pay to save energy in areas other than heating, which is likely going to be the bulk of your energy bill during the cold season. The good news is that heat is not your only energy drain. So many items in our homes run on energy that it’s easy to save all over the place. For example…

If computers are on your holiday shopping list go for a laptop not a desktop. Laptops use about half the energy of desktops and if you snag an Energy Star …read more