It's a new year! Time to think about goals, resolutions and bucket lists. I'm not big on New Year's resolutions because it's too cliche for me but I do believe in setting realistic goals that our family can focus on and meet in a practical amount of time. Since we're a frugal blog let's talk about setting goals for your budget this year (or even the next 3 months) and how to put them into action. Then I'll share with you what goals my husband and I have for our family this year. First, start with these two steps: :: Create a budget. You can't achieve any financial goals if you don't know where your money is going. Sit down. Get honest with what Keep Reading
Financial goals and resolutions for 2012
Making Lemonade in December
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
{Simple Recipe} White Chocolate Red Velvet Cookies
Make these easy cookies for your next holiday party or gift package. Red Velvet White Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe & picture from Whipper Berry Ingredients 1 box red velvet cake mix 1 cup all purpose flour 2 sticks butter (softened) 1 egg 2 cups white chocolate chunks (also on sale at Fred Meyer) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add butter and mix until soft and fluffy. Slowly add cake mix and flour. Once combined, add egg and mix completely. Add white chocolate chunks, and mix for a minute or so until well combined. Form dough into one inch balls, and place into the oven for 8-10 minutes. (Yields 24 small 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