photo credit Guest Post by Kari Patterson from KariPatterson.com. This is the second post in a 3-part series.  On Monday, we looked at my humdinger of a frugal failure. Today let's think big-picture. If you have ever felt frustrated in your pursuit of frugality, you're not alone. Some of us are swimming in the sea of coupons, discounts, sales, and specials and still not achieving the frugal life we're striving for.  The deal is not working. We've got all the coupons, but the register is beeping and nothing is going through. And we're frustrated. We're saving our pennies but losing our joy.  We're gaining a dollar here and there, but Keep Reading

photo credit Guest Post by Kari Patterson of KariPatterson.com, the first in a 3-part series. I had the coupons printed. It was the last day to get the deal.  It was pouring down rain.  I pack my two small children in the car, fasten into carseats, drive to Rite-Aid. Unload, get them in the cart, safely maneuver around the candy aisle and the toy car display without a scene. So far, so good. We only need one thing so I head straight to the back.  I search the shelves until I find the two small pink boxes.  Check the coupon: $2 off two boxes Playtex tampons. Perfect, done.  I hope for a female cashier (am I the only one who hates purchasing Keep Reading

image credit Is it just me, or does fall sneak up and smack you in the head, too? Our agenda includes going back to school, music lessons, and Boy Scouts, entering the world of college, and keeping the toddlers from taking over. It's fair to say that we are in a particularly challenging season of life right now, and our old routines are not serving us well. To be honest, they aren't serving us at all. We have had a chore system in place for at least seven or eight years. It has served our family beautifully, through thick and thin (4 pregnancies), in sickness and in health. But our family has grown, the season has changed, and it is time to let Keep Reading