image credit We all know the familiar saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." This is all fine and dandy in the summertime, but who wants lemonade in December? Not me. I want sugar and spice and everything nice. At least that has been my attitude lately. Leave the crummy stuff for the other eleven months out of the year. December is supposed to be this magical month where nothing goes wrong... right? My little family is in month four of living with my parents, and my husband is in week two of recovering from gum surgery. Our stockings are buried in a storage unit instead of hung by the chimney with care, and my husband is just Keep Reading
The Best Gift to Give your Family
photo credit Guest Post by Kari Patterson I had gotten up early. Everything was ready. The baby Jesus doll was hidden. Gifts were wrapped. Cinnamon rolls were formed, rising, ready to bake. My 4-year-old son was the first to rise. He shuffled downstairs, carrying his new Lightning McQueen car he'd received for his birthday just four days prior. I bound over, excited. “Good morning, sweetie! Do you know what today is?” He rubs his eyes, scrunches up his face. “Can I play with my toys?” I continue, “It's Christmas! Isn't that exciting?! And now you get to look for baby Jesus!” He runs over to the couch, hides his face in a pillow. Keep Reading
Frugal Homemaking for December
DIY Wreath & Bow Making Did you miss out on your local wreath fundraiser this year? No worries. Make your own! Follow these simple wreath and bow making directions. As you know, you could easily drop a serious wad of cash on holiday decorations. Try this: skip the craft stores and shop your closets and backyard instead. Combining the great outdoors with items you already own is a beautiful, frugal option for decorating your home. Fill pitchers or vases with tiny tangerines, use fresh cranberries or small nuts in candleholders, or pile large pomegranates on a cake stand. Tuck greens on shelves or arrange branches in large vases. Candles, Keep Reading
DIY Frugal Wrapping Paper using Fruits & Vegetables
Guest Post by Erin Klones One of my favorite Christmas traditions is wrapping presents. Every year, I put on my favorite Christmas movies (Elf and Christmas Vacation) and have a marathon wrapping session. But as much as a I love wrapping presents, I hate the thought of literally throwing away money on pricey wrapping paper that just gets tossed into the garbage. So this year I decided to try an alternative to traditional holiday wrapping paper. I created my own frugal wrapping paper using fruits and veggies. For this project you will need: A roll of brown mailing paper ($1 at Dollar Tree) Acrylic Paints A variety of fruits and Keep Reading
Herd Mentality Spending
image credit As a kid, my dad spent his summers working on his grandparent's ranch. His stories about the sheep have always fascinated me. They tend to move in a herd, not always in a logical or rational way. When one sheep makes a move, the herd often follows, without a clear reason or direction. Sometimes the results are humorous, other times they are tragic. I'm not a big fan of crowds, but I have an unnatural love for Black Friday. I think it's fun to be in the middle of all the rush and energy and craziness. But Black Friday and all the holiday shopping that follows can also lead to a budgeting disaster. For example, 5 am on Black Friday Keep Reading
What to Wear for the Holidays
image credit Guest Post by Kari Patterson One fabulous holiday outfit is really all you need. That is, that one thing that always looks right. That always makes you feel like a million bucks, that makes you stand a little taller, walk a little surer, the one that gives you the confidence to enter a room and handle whatever it brings. Because what we wear really does matter, doesn't it? And sometimes something that seemed like a good idea at the time can later make us want to burn all the holiday photos of that year: The year we wore more ornaments than the Christmas tree. The truth is, we don't want to look like Christmas trees, but we do Keep Reading
Pacific NW Christmas Events: SW Washington & Western Oregon edition
Jen from Thrifty NW Mom, Karrie from Happy Money Saver and I have teamed up to bring you the most comprehensive list of Christmas Family Fun in the Pacific Northwest. In this post, I have listed Christmas events, kid-friendly outings, bazaars & craft fairs, and concerts in Western Oregon and SW Washington. Head to Thrifty NW Mom for a list of Puget Sound events and Happy Money Saver for a list of Eastern Washington and Central and Eastern Oregon events. PORTLAND METRO America's Largest Christmas Bazaar, November 25-27 & December 2-4, Portland Artisans in the Grove Holiday Market, November 2 & December 3, Forest Grove Christmas Keep Reading
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