Piecing together ways to save money, protect the environment, and keep kosher.
(updated 3/17/17) I came across the website Jewish Life Organized after reading an article in one of the national Jewish magazines around Pesach time a few years ago. I am always trying to make my preparations for the holidays more organized and efficient. This site has all that and so much more! The author, Rivka Slatkin, is wonderful! She... Continue Reading →
Certain times of the year are the best times to buy various things based on sales and availability. Here is your tip sheet for this coming month: ∞ Cars: September is when new cars begin arriving at the dealers. They will then discount their older models to make room for new inventory. RV deals are... Continue Reading →
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. There are some weeks when money is tight and we try to plan the menu around what we have in the house. Here is a sample of “go-to” recipes we like... Continue Reading →
(Updated 2/14/21) ShopSmart Magazine ceased publication July 2020. I am an avid reader of magazines. My love of magazines dates back to my preteen years when I was obsessed with tv, movies, and girl issues. Now I am a mom, wife, and teacher, and I look for magazines not only to entertain me, but to inform me.... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
We love to find new recipes in our cookbooks or magazines. The trouble is where to put all those cutouts and how to remember where you got that great recipe that you want to make again. I am sure you have all had this experience. I have created a two-part system to organize our recipes. 1) Recipe... Continue Reading →
During my research on saving money, I always come across free resources, products, and services. Many sites also will link you to free samples and other freebies. However, I do not want them to be the focus of my blog, because the savings vary greatly (and there are many freebie blogs and articles already out... Continue Reading →
Surviving on a tight budget 