I’ve never been one to spend a bunch of money on books. I might spend $50 per year. I know there are some of you that spend hundreds or maybe even thousands. Hopefully you will find a few tips from this list that you can try to save money on books.

1.  Borrow books from friends. Of course, be willing to let them borrow your books too.
2.  Shop yard sales and thrift stores. Sometimes you can find some great deals in those stores.  Once while shopping at Good Will, I found a bunch of Scholastic books and some curriculum.  It was …read more

Last year, after being totally frustrated over numerous fundraisers, I wrote a little rant with 10 reasons why I can’t stand school fundraisers.  I understand though that schools need to raise money for things that our kids can enjoy such as playgrounds, picnic tables, and media items.  After speaking with some parents and personally critiquing some fundraisers, I’ve come up with a list of parent-approved fundraisers.  I know that you won’t agree with every suggestion on the list, but hopefully you’ll find an idea that you like.

1)  Grocery store customer cards – Some stores, such as Food Lion have a program for …read more

Recently at Keeping the Castle, I told about my decision and journey to switch to cloth napkins. The switch has gone well and the family is accepting of the napkins.

One concern that some have about switching to cloth napkins is the cost involved. Here are some ways to save.
1)  Shop for used napkins.  You can find napkins at thrift stores and yard sales.  Many times you can find interesting fabrics and laces that you can no longer find in the stores.
2)  Make your own.  Use scrap fabric that you already have or make them from an old sheet.
3)  Check the …read more

The National Retail Federation reports that Americans spend nearly three billion dollars on Halloween. Three billion dollars?!? :gasp:
Here are some money saving tips to help you enjoy Halloween a little cheaper.

7)  Do it yourself.  There are lots of costumes and decorations that you can make yourself.  I like this idea because it means that your costume will be unique and not like everyone else’s.  Check out this list of 50 do-it-yourself Halloween ideas.
8)  Look online or in magazines for ideas.  Sometimes I have a hard time getting creative but it’s easier with the help of others.  Some of the sites …read more

I have read that the average family spends about $40-50 on Halloween. Of course, this is an average and it varies upon where you live and how many children you have. I’m sure there are some people that spend way more than this amount.
It doesn’t take long for Halloween expenses to add up. Here are some ways to save.

4)  Shop yard sales.  When I moved last year, I had an entire table of holiday decorations.  There were Christmas ornaments and decorations and Halloween costumes.  These unused items frequently turn up at yard sales.
5)  Shop after-season clearance sales.  Of course, it is …read more

It doesn’t take long for the cost of Halloween decorations and costumes to add up.  Although it may not seem like it, Halloween is just around the corner.  Here are some tips to save.

1)  Check out the selection at close out stores.  One year my husband stopped in a close out store and found Spiderman and Backyardigans costumes for only $5 each.  Those costumes would have cost us at least $40. The kids were thrilled!
2)  Borrow from a friend.  Check with your friends to see if anyone has any costume pieces that you can borrow.  Sometimes you can borrow enough for a whole …read more

Just this week, I visited our local thrift store/Christian ministry.  I was looking for jeans for my children.  I just can’t find it in myself to pay $10-15 (or more) for a pair of pants when I know I can get several almost new pairs for that price.  I did pretty well during my shopping trip.  I was able to get 12 pairs of pants (mostly jeans) for only 12! 

I was pretty pleased with the jeans and so were my kids.  Here are some reasons that I like thrift stores.
6)  I don’t have the guilt.  I can’t force myself to pay …read more

This week, I visited our local thrift store/Christian ministry.  They sell donated items and use the money to help those in the community.  Since it is time to begin swapping out the children’s summer clothing, I decided to shop for pants.  No matter how much buying ahead I do, we never seem to have enough jeans.  I just can’t justify paying $10-15 for a pair of pants. 
You never know what you’ll find at a thrift store.  This week, I was blessed with some bargains.  I found 12 pairs of pants for my kids for only $12!  That’s $1 per pair.

I enjoy …read more

Many times we want to give someone a special gift, but our budgets are limited.  Gift baskets can make nice gifts without costing a lot of money.  Of course, you will need to make them yourself.

Here is a gift basket that I recently helped my mom make for a birthday present. Included in this gift basket is a mug with matching plate, two boxes of tea, a devotional book, $10 Target gift card, and some peppermints.

Even making this gift basket yourself, you could easily spend $50 or more on these items. Here are some tips on spending less:
1)  Look for used baskets …read more

Turkey Butt has been very sick with the stomach flu. Her doctor gave her a prescription for anti-nausea that has helped but we are still trying to get Gatorade and Pedialite down her. Her favorite drink is strawberry milk and I can’t let her have that on such a queezy stomach until she is better. Our doctor says if she isn’t better by tomorrow, then she iwll have to be hospitalized. Not exactly what I wanted to hear.
So here is what I am trying and I hope it will help you as well to be mindful …read more