Today we were spared two large repair expenses with two quick fixes. The first was not having to replace several broken vertical blinds. The boys have not been so careful with our blinds and as a result several have broken at the top where they attach to the unit. Thankfully, the local window blinds/shades store ... Continue Reading →
Gas prices got you pumped… down?
Stopping for gas is not a pleasurable experience these days. I groan when I see the price rapidly climbing when I have only gotten a small amount of gas. And if you have a larger family and need a larger vehicle, your price per fill-up is even higher. So how do you save on gas?... Continue Reading →
My label maker is my friend
When I first started teaching, I bought a label maker. I used it to label all of my art supplies and other teaching supplies in my big cabinets. I loved to open the doors and see all my neatly arranged and labeled plastic containers. Now I do the same in my home. Labeling has many... Continue Reading →
Birthday parties without the (wallet) blowout
Our triplets’ birthday is coming up soon and I have been trying to start planning their party. This is the first year that they are actually aware that they are having a birthday and that there will be a party. I was so disappointed to realize that doing a party away from home was quite... Continue Reading →
Revamp and wear again!
(updated 4/22/17) Don’t you hate when you have a favorite piece of clothing that gets worn out, doesn’t fit anymore, or gets a stain you can’t get out? There are ways to salvage that piece and still wear it. Why not take something old and make it new again? For example: ∞ Add a belt, scarf... Continue Reading →
When did we repair that last?
One of my favorite self-help and motivational websites is Flylady. Flylady gives a lot of great advice for how to keep your home clean and organized and to keep on top of life’s tasks. She has many tips and control journals for managing daily, weekly, and monthly routines, no matter what type of family or job... Continue Reading →
Don’t go broke, teachers!
Being a teacher can be costly, because you often spend your own money to get things for your classroom. Here are a few tips I have used over the years as well as some from Scholastic.com: BOOKS FOR YOUR CLASSROOM: - Swap books on http://www.paperbackswap.com (see my previous post on “My favorite find – swapping... Continue Reading →
Happy birthday to you, and you, and you
It seems like every time I turn around, my son has a birthday party to go to. It can be hard running out to buy a gift so often. It can also be expensive if your child has a big class. I have been wanting for a while to find a great gift that I... Continue Reading →
Substitute this
What do you do when you are cooking and you realize you are out of an ingredient needed for the recipe? Instead of running out to the store (and sometimes paying more than you normally would), check out these handy substitutions. I combined lists from two different sources, so the list is quite large. Click... Continue Reading →
Beans and barley are not just for cholent
Buying kosher canned beans can be expensive (if you can find them), especially if you have a large family. The same is true if you buy prepared mixes for rice, noodles, other grains, etc. In our house, we use a lot of dry ingredients and we eat vegetarian most weekdays. Bulk ingredients can sometimes take... Continue Reading →
Surviving on a tight budget 