Everything was tinted with the iridescent gold of a setting sun. I watched a large, gauzy cloud drift by overhead as the sound of cheerful revelry provided ambiance. It was one of those rare occasions on which I actually relaxed and chatted with some neighbors while our children relished a …
We recently had our big joint birthday party for Goofball and Tornado. Money is always tight with our debt issues, but especially so this year as I’m on maternity leave from work. Now, with a few years of practice, we have pretty much perfected the frugal and fun kids’ birthday party. We …
The hard work is paying off . . . we’ve started harvesting fresh vegetables from our garden. It’s a great feeling to provide your family with delicious, homegrown food without having to swipe the credit card. The first “fruit” of our labor was some crispy green beans. Then, in the …
I never realized how easy it is to make your own paint! I had seen this firework art project many times on Pinterest, but didn’t want to spend money on paint. After some quick searching online this morning, we were able to throw together a fun activity with things around …
My little Goofball just celebrated his fifth birthday. We had a great day without having to spend much money at all. I am a firm believer that children need time and attention far more than they need things or entertainment. We will have a party for him, shared with Tornado, …
It’s that time of year again. I need to start planning Goofball and Tornado’s birthday party. Their birthdays are about one month apart so we have one party right in the middle. Combining the two celebrations is just one way that we save money on birthdays. We did a great job …
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last update on our progress and plans. We’ve been having a lot of frugal family fun and working hard towards achieving our goals. Some of our money-saving strategies required time and preparation, but we’re finally seeing results from our diligence. Maternity …
I wanted to do something different for homeschool with my almost five and three year olds, so I devised an educational game for them to play together using our awesome little cash register. It teaches reading, colors, counting, and math skills. And it’s pretty fun too!
Do you reward your children by buying them toys or giving them money? A while back, I read this article that advocated for giving your children extra attention as positive reinforcement, in comparison to extrinsic rewards that reinforce materialistic tendencies. While I don’t believe good behavior needs to be expensive, …
I’m intrigued by homeschooling families. It’s not an option for me because of my status as the breadwinner of the family, but I’ve found myself imagining lesson plans and educational activities to do with my children. My father was a math teacher. During his summers off, he would give us assignments from workbooks. Also, I have several relatives …
