Guest post by Lou Manfredini, of Ace Hardware.
Your home’s entry is the next thing people see after they walk up to your home. Think of it as curb appeal… but for the inside.

This is Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man,” and if you came to my house about six months ago you would have found a pile of shoes, which my four children seem to think belong right by the door. I found that having a place designated to store things gives you a better chance that they will actually get put away. If you have the space, place a …read more

I don’t know about you, but we rarely hire someone to do work around our house.  We mow our yard and trim our hedges.  We fix our sheetrock, paint our walls, install flooring and do other things to our home. 
When someone tells me they paid someone thousands of dollars to paint their home I can hardly fathom it.  Personally, I don’t have thousands of dollars to pay someone.  Just a few weeks ago my husband and I were talking about getting our roof shingled.  We got an estimate for $4200.  Ouch!  I told hubby he should just take a week off …read more

Chore Buster – Organize your household chores.  A free way to delegate chores and make a chart.  If you don’t want to sign-in, you can click the demo option.
Bembo’s Zoo - Interactive site with letters and animals.
Free Smile – Nothing really thrifty here, except a little something to make you smile.
Mrs. FIXIT Home Repair & Household Tips

Doctor Wants to Help Patients Save Money – Sometimes doctors don’t know which prescriptions will be cheapest for you.  When you go to the doctor, take a list of prescriptions that your insurance covers.  See the article for other tips.
5 Do-It Yourself Home Repairs – The Charlotte Observer tells us how to fix some common household problems.  Some tips include how to relight a pilot light, how to install a toilet, and more.
Thanks to Simply Thrifty for the tips.

Attention thrifty mommies:  Home Depot is now offering FREE “Do It Herself” workshops.  These workshops provide a supportive environment for women to learn new skills that they can use to tackle home improvement projects.  Women will learn how to use power tools, build a deck and install lighting. If you attend the class, you will get a discount on products in the store.  The one-night workshops are held each season in the stores.  The next free workshop is scheduled for Monday, January 29th.
Other things available through Home Depot:
Free shipping on online order over $49.  This offer is valid through 1/3/07.  …read more

When I hear the words “sweat equity” a lot of thoughts run through my mind – oh my goodness, what hard work, turning a 70’s home into a modern home, the aggravation of the task, the cost involved, . . . and THE MONEY EARNED!!!!  Sweat equity is the way to get more for your home when you go to sell. 
Sweat Equity shows you how to determine which home improvement projects will return the most bang for their buck in your area.  Each episode ends with a reveal of the grand total—how much did the home’s value go up? With …read more