We came up with the idea for these easy make-ahead smoothies the year my son started school and our mornings got crazy. My husband is gone before anybody wakes up which leaves me one hour to get myself and three kids five and under fed, dressed, packed up for the day and out the door. I found myself falling in to the temptation of offering cereal and a banana every morning often enough that we wanted to have some healthier options for a quick breakfast. Inspired by an expensive, sugar-filled smoothie kit I saw in the freezer section at the grocery store, we created our own smoothie kits. Basically, I put all the smoothie ingredients ahead of time in Keep Reading

5 Ways to Tighten Your Budget Belt A few years back, I wrote about my life as a couponer, from reluctant to ridiculous to relaxed. Many of you could relate, sharing your own stories and observations. I loved reading all of your comments. It reminded me of the great amount of wisdom hanging out in this virtual community every day. You are some seriously smart shoppers. It also reminded me of the many options we have to cut back our spending in ordinary, everyday areas. Spending less can be tough. However, it is possible to make simple cuts that will still allow you to live well. Today I’m going to share a few from my family. This is not rocket Keep Reading

  Just in case you haven't heard, I wanted to let you know about this really cool resource we have available for you. It's my special Household Hacks email and (of course) it's absolutely free! I know that the word "hacks" means different things to different people, so here's what our new series is all about: Simple tips and tricks to help you efficiently manage your home while staying on budget. To me, "hacks" isn't a cheat so much as a way to do what you need to do in less time, with less struggle while not spending a bunch of money. I have some pretty helpful tips that are super simple (I'm not interested in elaborate Keep Reading