More Treasury Fun

When was the last time you got a whole lotta fancy on a frugalista’s budget? Right now you can gift your favorite young reader with a double dose of Fancy Nancy treasuries without breaking the bank. Best-selling author Jane O’Connor teams up with ultra-talented illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser to once again take youngsters on a resplendent ride to Fancyville. At the helm of the grandiose getaway is the one and only Fancy Nancy.  The girl with the vibrant vocabulary and whimsical wardrobe is back in Fancy Nancy Storybook Treasury.  The sturdy hardcover book features six stupendous stories filled with teachable … Continue reading

Basket Full of Fun

Easter is right around the corner and there is no shortage of egg, chick and bunny-shaped paraphernalia available to cram into your loved ones’ baskets.  But what if you don’t want to stick with the traditional basket or fillers this year? For those looking to hop down Bunny Trail with a few unique Easter or spring-themed treats, consider the following: Teacup:  Personalize plain, inexpensive teacups for your family members and friends and fill them with foil-covered chocolate Easter eggs.  Next, nestle a few artificial flowers inside, and then wrap the entire cup in organza or tulle. Bakery Boxes:  Plain, cardboard … Continue reading

How to Make a Weekly Frugal Food Plan

Food is quickly becoming one of the biggest expenses in the average family’s budget. Attack your food budget with a weekly money-saving plan. Each day pick a task that will help you save money on your food bill. Developing a weekly frugal food plan can reduce the cost of feeding your family. Below, you can see an example of my own weekly frugal food plan. You can use it as a guideline and customize it to make it your own, so it makes sense for you and your family. Sunday Go grocery shopping with a list and coupons. Distribute bulk … Continue reading

How Small Temptations Can Ruin Your Budget

Sometimes it’s not the big expenses that shatter your resolve to save money, it is the small temptations that will get you. It is those small temptations that I, personally, most have to guard against. For example, although my husband and I often like to stop at the Apple store and look at the iPads whenever a new one is released, we aren’t in danger of purchasing one any time soon. It just doesn’t make that much sense to spend that much money when our emergency fund isn’t, well, as fully funded as we would like and we still owe … Continue reading

Summer Reading Series: Tyler Makes Pancakes!

Where do your kids think pancakes come from? A box? Your pantry? A non-stick griddle? IHOP? Thanks to Food Network chef Tyler Florence your pancake-loving preschoolers–and the rest of the family–can now get a crash course on the true origins of the humble flapjack. The celebrity chef recently added children’s book author to his resume with his debut page-turner, Tyler Makes Pancakes! The perfectly penned picture book is a delicious read with its age appropriate dialogue and kid-friendly illustrations. However, more than just making you hungry for a stack of piping hot pancakes, the book teaches young readers where popular … Continue reading

Summer Birthday Fun

My birthday is at the end of August. Growing up I always considered it a curse to have a summer birthday. For many years I didn’t have a party with friends because they were either out of town on vacation or they were too busy getting ready to head back to school. Some twenty-plus years later, I’ve learned that having a summer birthday doesn’t have to be a bummer. Rather, there are plenty of ways you can infuse fun into an outdoor bash that makes the most of the season’s beautiful weather: Cupcake War: This year, my daughter is insisting … Continue reading

Make it a Kid-Friendly Valentine’s Day

Cue cupid; Valentine’s Day is just a week away. Love is in the air, but if you are planning to celebrate the holiday with kids, you are better off skipping the slow dances and romantic gestures, and instead, emphasize the fun factor. Get kids involved in all aspects of the party planning. Older kids can help blow up festive red, pink and white balloons, while you hang streamers and other cute Valentine decorations, such as kitten and teddy bear-shaped window clings. Preschoolers can also get in on the fun by assisting you in the kitchen. Create a healthy Valentine’s Day … Continue reading

Let the Valentine’s Day Fun Begin

Punxsutawney Phil is back in his hole, the NFL crowns its champ tonight, and 15-day celebration to usher in the Year of the Dragon wraps up at midnight. That can only mean one thing: Let the Love Day games begin. Valentine’s Day is just about a week away, and even though Wal-Mart and Target have been selling Love Day merchandise since December 27th, now is the time to really solidify plans for the heart-shaped holiday. If you are planning a Valentine’s Day party you’ll want to get your shopping list set. Think: pink, red and silver confetti to sprinkle on … Continue reading

Making the Most of Your Apple Haul

Making apple tarts, pies, and cakes is fun for the whole family, but what happens when you exhaust all of your favorite recipes and you still have more than 20 pounds of the shiny red fruit leftover? If you are my neighbor, you invite a bunch of kids from the cul-de-sac to your home and let them go wild making every apple craft known to man, including some of my family’s favorites suitable for children of all ages (and an adult to supervise), such as: APPLE CANDLEHOLDERS Materials: Large red apples Candles Waxed paper Potato peeler Apple corer Lemon juice … Continue reading

When Your Child Won’t Eat Anything

Many children who have some form of a sensory processing disorder struggle with food. This can cause some kids to absolutely refuse to eat much of anything at all, to the point where the child is on the verge of malnutrition. The more a parent can understand about what their child is experiencing, the better the chance there is that the child will, eventually, choose to eat something. It’s not unusual for children to go through a stage where he or she becomes a “picky eater”. Often, this is something that happens when a child is transitioning between baby food … Continue reading