8 Activities for When You Can't Watch TV

Photo credit: Google images

So last week I heard a ridiculous commercial on the radio. It was this family talking about taking nature walks in a torrential downpour because hey – what else were they supposed to do since their satellite dish had lost a signal due to the storm.

It was laughable.  I know – they were just using a silly sales tactic, but it was absurd to think that there was nothing on earth that this family could do when it was raining and they didn’t have access to their regularly scheduled programming.

Here are 8 ideas of things to do rather than watch TV shows (regardless of the reason):

• Board Games:  If you don’t have any board games in your house – well, shame on you.  =)  Seriously though – it’s a great way to invest time together as a family and just have fun as a whole.  Make sure they are age appropriate of course, but there are tons of games for little ones on the shelves.  In fact, many of the ones for younger children are cheaper, so it shouldn’t be a big investment for a lot of fun. Even if they are too young to play, you can have your 3-year old count and move your Monopoly piece around the board for you or something similar to help involve them.
• Card Games:  If you can’t tell, I’m a game lover. Card games are great for all ages and more than just having fun, they can actually teach you things without it feeling like you are learning.  You can play Go Fish for number recognition. You can play Rummy or Gin Rummy for strategy.  You can teach various forms of solitaire for counting.  I’ll include in the card game category games like dominoes as well, where you can learn adding and counting in multiples of five.
• Build a fort:  Yep – out of couch cushions and sheets and tables and whatever you have handy.  Open up a world of imagination for your children – and join them inside if you dare. =)
• Read: You can take one of two approaches here.  Either read a book as a family.  If the little ones get bored, you can even have them act it out.  To encourage reading in your children who are literate, each family could also take time apart with their own favorite type of book.  Whether it is a classic novel, a newspaper, some silly teenage vampire romance (yes, I have read them too), a hobby magazine, or a comic book, reading is reading. And it’s all good for everyone.
• Crafts: You don’t have to be a domestic version of Hobby Lobby for this one. It’s amazing what types of crafts you can do with items you already have around your house. Just google “Crafts with Household Items” or something similar.  You’ll be amazed what you can create.  And don’t just leave it to the kids – join in for some real family time together.
• Movie: Just because you don’t have access to your TV programming doesn’t mean you can’t settle in for a family movie together.  Media is not all bad and it can truly create some great memories.  Pop some popcorn and watch something from your DVD collection. Maybe there are some oldies but goodies that you haven’t seen in a long time or that you’ve never shared with your children. Enjoy the time together!
• Video Games: Yes, mom. Those incessant video games. Sit down and play them with them. They will find your inability to conquer the Dragon King (totally just made that up – I think!) funny. You’ll get to see what it is they are doing all of that time. And you just might enjoy it! Even if they balk at the idea – they will remember that time that Mom couldn’t just over that giant chasm to save her life.
• Cleaning:  I know – this one sounds utterly mind numbing (unless you’re a clean freak like me).  Put a sock on the hands of the tots and send them around the baseboards.  Teach older little ones how to fold towels.  Let older ones vacuum the floors, clean the blinds, etc.  You never know – you just might get all of your spring cleaning tasks done without having to dread doing them.  Put it all to music so you can all dance around while doing it to make it a bit more enjoyable. Whatever works – just make the most of it!

 What are some other ideas of things you can do as a family if you suddenly find yourself not able to watch your favorite TV shows? 

Side note - it's really strange that my children have no idea what that image I used is all about! 

8 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

Photo credit: LeoSynapse

Yep - it's that time of year. Some people are itching to do their taxes, wanting the refund they deserve. Others are more cautious, either not knowing the outcome of their tax form calculations, or knowing they will be sending a check to the beloved IRS.

Some people will argue the ins and outs of whether you should try to get a refund each year or try to balance it as to not loan the government money interest free.

I get it. But we're not going to have that argument here and now. Right now we're just going to discuss what to do with the money that some of us will be getting back (I will!).

1. Start or Bolster an Emergency Fund:  If you don't have any type of emergency fund, this should be the first step you take with this money.  How much to put into your beginning emergency fund is up to you.  I am a follower of Dave Ramsey's teachings, so I'd say $1000 if you have debt (to cover  small emergencies) or 4-6 months of spending if you have no debt.  This would be a great place to use this windfall. 
2. Pay Down Debt:  If you are covered on the beginning emergency fund, throw that bad boy at your debt. It's a great way to make a big stride in paying down debt. There's nothing like seeing a much smaller balance after that check is sent. Successes like this one can motivate you on for months more.
3. Save for Retirement:  What a great way to go ahead and toss some money at your Roth IRA.  You might be able to cover all of your annual contribution allowance if your refund is enough. What a peace of mind this would give you to already have this covered!
4. Children's Education: Look into socking this away into an education fund for your children.  There are a number of different way to do this and since I'm not a financial advisor, I will not tell you the best way to do it.  There are plenty of people out there that can help you though, and this is a conversation worth having. 
5. Fund a Purchase: If you've been fighting the uphill battle of debt or if you've been looking for a way to live on cash alone, this money might be just what you need to afford something you've been hoping for. Whether it is a good used car that will allow you to get out from under a new car payment (and the accompanying new car insurance) or some furniture that your house actually needs, using cash will not only give you the freedom of paying without credit card interest, but you might likely be able to swing a better deal if you can pay cash upfront!
6. Donate it:  If you are blessed enough to not have anywhere in particular that you need to put this, why not bless someone else with it?  Give it to your favorite local charity or sponsor someone on a mission trip.  Not only will you have the joy of helping someone else with this money, but you'll be able to count it as a deduction next year!
7. Go on a Mission Trip Yourself: If you have the drive to help others but can't typically shell out the money needed for a trip, use your tax refund and sign up through your church for a trip to - well, wherever they are going. You will get some hands-on experience of serving others, but you might just change a life or two (including your own!). 
8. Splurge: This is the last way you could spend your money, but ONLY if you are in a good place in all of the above items. I don't mean that you feel okay about spending when you have debt.  I mean you have no debt, you have a full emergency fund, you live within your means, you have nothing that needs to be purchased with cash and you feel good about your giving.  Then - and only then - should you buy that next larger TV, or that new laptop, or that family vacation.  Yep - make sure you are financially secure before splurging.  But once you are, SPEND AWAY!  It's your money! =) 

What will you be doing with your tax refund?  Are you having to pay in instead? 

8 Unexpected Things That Make My Day

I love when the unexpected is perfect. Those little things...they really make my day.  Here are a few off the wall ones

1. Entering a public restroom to find the seat lifted. This typically means your tush will be the first to touch it since it was cleaned. (yeah...only works on women's rooms, fellas).
2. Parking within two spots of the front door without having to stalk fellow patrons leaving the store.  I know...it's better to walk for your health, but when you're in a hurry, this is perfection!
3. Finding an available register at the grocery store or Walmart.
4. Learning that a client/vendor/friend is taking me to lunch unexpectedly on a day when I wanted to get out of the office but was struggling with the idea of spending the extra money.
5. Finding a broken parking meter that I am allowed to park at.
6. A song that comes on the radio that I had forgotten was once one of my favorites. Yes, I crank it up and sing like a fool.
7. Pouring the perfect amount of milk into my cereal.
8. Clean sheets on a bed.  Love, love how tightly they are tucked, how smoothly they are fitted and how they smell like laundry detergent and bleach. Call me strange, but this is one of my small pleasures in life.

So there they are. Little things that no one does FOR me, but I just happen upon. Okay, so you can argue that #8 doesn't JUST HAPPEN, but it is one of my ultimate happy moments that has nothing to do with anyone's actions to make me happy. It's just a moment that I get to encounter as a side effect of having to clean the linens. And it is pure bliss.

What about you?  What would be on your list?

Photo credit: bosela

Pause to Remember

Like many others in the US today I will be enjoying a day off work spent with my family. But I want to ask you to take a moment of your time and remember the price that was paid for your freedom.

10 Bloggers I Would Like to Meet

I have a HUGE list of blogs I read. Seriously...it's crazy. Thank goodness for a reader service or I would be clicking all day long. I love all of the blogs I subscribe to, but there are some bloggers that I truly would love to meet in person one day. This is a list of those people. It started as a list of 8 for my "Monday 8s" theme, but I just couldn't trim it down any further, so you'll just have to accept this Monday 10 in its place.

1. Angie Smith from Bring the Rain: This lady is amazing. Such faith. Such inspiration. So real. So honest. So awesome. I'm sure you are already subscribed. If not, do it now.


2. Joy from When Does Daddy Get Home: Joy has become a personal bloggy friend of mine. I would love to actually meet her in person one day. =)


3. Jon Acuff from Stuff Christians Like: Jon cracks me up on a regular basis and really moves me at least once a week (on serious Wednesdays). He has a real gift for inspiring through humor as well as through thought-provoking posts.


4. J Money from Budgest Are Sexy: J has some great insight into the world of personal finance and now with Love Drop fully underway, he has impressed me even more!


5. Ninja from Punch Debt in the Face: Ninja is so honest and open on his blog it feels like I already know him even though I have no idea what he looks like. He blogs life as he lives it and draws great little stick figures.


6. Jamie from Jamie the Very Worst Missionary: I love that she is so anti-what I grew up believing a missionary was "supposed" to look/sound/act like. And she is being used by God to do awesome work. And she blogs about it honestly and openly without mincing words. And she moves people, including me. Brilliant.


7. Dan from Single Dad Laughing: I have just recently been introduced to Dan's blog and am moved by each and every post. This man has a gift. He's a bit long-winded, but never while reading has he lost my interest.


8. Abraham and Molly Piper from 22 Words and Molly Piper respectively: Okay, I'm cheating on this one, but since they are husband and wife, I thought it might be allowed. Abraham posts the most crazy and amazing things on his post. And often, some really moving ones too. Molly has a gift for sharing the trials and joys of motherhood while showing off their adorable children. Yep...I'm cheating and using them both on this one.


9. Shaun Groves: Shaun is an awesome musician, amazing writer, outspoken advocate for Compassion International and seems to be a pretty cool husband and dad as well. I think he'd be really interesting to spend some time with.


10. Courtney from Women Living Well: Courtney's writing snagged me up and wouldn't let me go from the first post I read of hers. I really don't remember how I came across her blog, but I know I've been hooked ever since.

There are tons of others that I would love to meet, but these would make my day.

What about you? Who would you just be thrilled to meet in person?

8 Things We Will Do With Our Tax Refund

Yep...we're expecting a refund this year. Like always. I know people will argue that getting a refund is like loaning money to the government interest free. And they are right. But I still like my refund. And frankly, the last few years have each been so different from the last, I'm afraid to make adjustments to try to balance it up so we're closer to the actual amount we owe for the year. So for now, I'll take the refund. This year it is for just over $4300.

This is what we're doing with it.

1. Replenishing the Emergency Fund. Our e-fund was knocked down from $1500 to $500 during a few rough months of having to pay for things with seriously reduced income. That's what the fund is for, but now it is time to restock it. -$1000
2. Getting the dog groomed. The dog is a shih-tzu and needs to be groomed. We are not capable. She needs trimming, shampooing, special skin treatment stuff, and nails clipped. This total package costs about $70 and hasn't been done since like November. -$70
3. Getting the wife groomed. Okay...not really groomed, but I needed a haircut and this was be my chance. -$30 (with tip) Is it just me or is it depressing that the dog requires more care than I do?
4. Paying for the tax filing. We use TurboTax Deluxe and this year it cost $103 because we had to file in three states (while Chip was working last year he had to fill in at a store in South Carolina for a little while causing us to pay SC state taxes). -$103
5. Date night. Chip and I have agreed that we are going on a real date when the entire refund gets in. The works...full night out, dinner, dessert maybe, paying for a sitter, the whole deal. It's been over a year since we've done this and we need it desperately. estimated -$150 (counting sitter)
6. Horde in the Emergency Fund. Chip is still not in the Army yet (he has to go back to MEPS), so we are still without income on one side of the equation. I really just want to sock the remainder away until we KNOW we can move it to the credit card balance.
7. Buy canvas photos. Back in October 2010 we had some beautiful pictures taken by a professional photographer who happens to be a neighbor and friend as well. She did a fantastic job. There were a few prints that I wanted to buy and at least 2 (maybe 3) that I wanted to have turned into framed canvas prints. But just when I was about to order, Chip lost his job. The order was put on hold. Our photographer friend did a WONDERFUL thing and gave us some of my favorites in 8 x 10 and smaller for us to enjoy. It brought me to tears. But I still want to order those canvas prints from her. After we're all clear on the Chip has a job deal, I want to order these and have them framed. Estimated damaged -$600
8. Pay off Debt! When Chip is getting an income again and we feel comfortable enough to do it, we will pay off debt with the remaining money. If we do not have to use any of it out of the temporarily fat emergency fund, this will leave $2337 to send to the credit card. I wish the whole $4300 could go, but this is what is more realistic.

I know...many of these are unnecessary and the money is best spent sending it all to debt. But we've been doing a pretty good job of paying off that beast, and we'd just like to splurge on a bit of it.

What do you think of our spending? Are you getting a refund? If so, what will you do with it?

8 Free Traditions for Christmas

On a tight budget this year, we are looking for ways to carry on the Christmas spirit without digging into the wallet. These are some ideas for our family and yours to celebrate the season without breaking the bank.

1. Caroling: This age old tradition is not as prominent as it once was...which makes it more fun in my eyes. No one expects carolers these days, so they are a bit nostalgic and heart warming. If you don't live in a place with traditional neighborhoods, you can always visit a senior home or nursing facility and sing for the residents. They will enjoy the music and the visitors.
2. Christmas Parade: I remember as a child being in awe of our hometown parade and waiting for the day that I could be in it. And when my Girl Scout/Brownie troop got to ride in the back of a pick up truck while tossing candy to onlookers, I was on cloud nine.
3. Looking at Christmas lights: This is something we reserve for the night of the 23rd. Riding around neighborhoods looking for grand displays. Amazing what a show some people can put on!
4. Christmas movies: There is nothing that rings in the season like the first airing of Charlie Brown Christmas or the old claymation classics like Rudolph. You can throw in your favorite, whether it be It's a Wonderful Life or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, the family time spent huddled around the holiday movies is one I still treasure to this day.
5. Making homemade ornaments: Whether it is looping strips of paper to make garland, creating clothespin reindeer, or stringing popcorn together, this simple ornaments scream togetherness and home.
6. Live Nativities/Musical Programs: So many churches now put on living or drive through nativities that you are sure to have one around you. Or just visit several area churches for their Christmas musicals and programs. We must remember what this whole shebang is really all about, you know.
7. Baking and decorating Christmas Cookies: What child doesn't love to cut out cookies and add icing, sprinkles or candies to decorate--and then gobble them up?
8. Volunteer: Throughout the holiday season, people's giving spirit is elevated, making non-profits a very joyously busy place. Find a soup kitchen or homeless shelter who might love the extra help. Call your local Salvation Army to volunteer to be a bell ringer. You can assist in wrapping presents at one of the stations in the mall that raises money for a nonprofit by wrapping presents for shoppers. You might want to volunteer at an animal shelter so the employees can take some time off while daily care activities are still performed. You might check with a local hospice who might need help during the holiday season. The possibilities are endless, but you can match them with your talents and gifts and volunteer as a family!

Photo credit: danyba

8 Gifts on a Tight Budget

This year our Christmas budget is tighter than normal. But seriously...keeping our spending to a minimum should be a goal every year.

So to help out others who may be in a similar situation as us this year, or for those who just want to curb their spending on gifts this year, I am offering this list of gifts that are meaningful and heartfelt, but not damaging to the wallet.

1. If you are good at cooking, give the gift of something homemade...candy, bread, a lasagna, a fat batch of muffins...whatever your specialty is. People love to have fresh goods that they can't/don't make for themselves. And the love put into it is far more appreciated than some "mandatory" gift you found to buy.
2. If people are always raving about your cooking or baking, put together a recipe booklet full of your (or their!) favorites. It can be as simple as index cards and a recipe box, a three-ring binder with clear sleeves with recipes (decorated if you want), a lovely journal, or something even more home-made via Martha Stewart.
3. For unique treats of deliciousness, try the pies in jars or cobblers in jars found at not martha. Even though these are tiny, that's part of their charm and no one will complain about how tiny the gift was...it's that cool!
4. If you want to look at other "in a jar" gifts, check out this list at Organized Christmas to find not only recipes for goodies and soups, but bath items and journals!
5. Also on not martha you can find a great gift idea that would could be fun and extremely personal... marble magnets. Go check it out!
6. I found on Get Rich Slowly a suggestion for a hollow book for storing valuables. Using a hardback book from a thrift store, this would be a great gift that would cost you more time than money!
7. There is an entire blog devoted to making homemade bath and body products called Homemade Bath Products. Go check it out to find something to give for a pampering gift.
8. The gift of service...you can make up coupons or the like to keep up with it (for the recipient and you!). It could be something you specialize in...like music lessons...or something ordinary like a house cleaning or yard work. If could be dinner one night or coupons for babysitting. It could be organizing or taking down their Christmas decorations. These possibilities are endless and are best defined either by what you are good at or by what the recipient would most appreciate (dog sitting?).

So there is my list of suggestions.

What would you add to it? I need some ideas!

Photo credit: nicephoto

8 Financial Discussions to Have With Your Spouse (or Fiance)

Welcome visitors from the Carnival of Personal Finance #281: Halloween Candy Edition hosted by Consumerism Commentary. I hope you enjoy your stay here. You happened upon my blog at the beginning of a series of giveaways that will be going on. You can see the current ones listed in the right sidebar. Find something around here you like and stick around for a while. We'd love to have you!


Getting married is a huge commitment. You promise to put up with another person on their ugliest of days, take care of them no matter what, stay true to them exclusively, grow old and ornery with them, and figure out how to put up with their most annoying of habits that seem "cute" before about 2 years into the wedded bliss stage.

Sorry to glamorize it for you. =)

Seriously...don't get me wrong. I love my husband dearly and I am so glad that I can still call him my closest and dearest friend. But together we haven't always been smart with money. Some of it was out of stubbornness, some out of stupidity, and some out of naivety. So I'm going to tell you that there are (at least) 8 financial discussions that you and your betrothed should discuss before the big day. If you've already passed that day and haven't had these discussions yet, it's never too late to get started!

1. Debt: "Hey there, Baby. How high is that balance on your credit card?" isn't the sexiest pick up line. But it is something you definitely ought to know before taking on the legal liability of that card as the spouse. Yep...even if your name is not on it, the whole "what's yours is mine" rule applies unless there is some sort of legal pre-nup you guys have created. Crazily enough, there are some people who go into marriages having NO IDEA what they are getting themselves into debt-wise. It's not too rude or personal to ask the person you are about to wake up next to with morning breath. It's essential.
2. Financial History: Does your fiance have something in their financial past that might make joint accounts a problem? Believe it or not, some people go into their relationships without disclosing they have a foreclosure or bankruptcy in the past. They feel that now they are "past" it, they do not want to feel its pain again. However, a lot of bitterness will result if one spouse discovers they were clueless about a prior financial offense that might delay or incapacitate your ability to buy a car or house or furniture together.
3. Financial Goals: What is the plan? Do you both want to work forever? What do you want to do in retirement? Do you want to stay at home as a wife and/or mother? Do you even HAVE a goal? Sure, goals can change, but it is good to at least have these discussions to start the planning process. And these goals aren't written in stone, so they can develop and reshape as life requires. Just talk about it though!
4. Joint Accounts? Will you have a joint checking account? Will you have separate checking accounts? Will you have one joint one for the bills and separate ones for spending? You have to decide what works best for your situation and personalities and go with it.
5. Who will Handle the Account? If you go with a joint one, who is going to handle the bill paying, balancing, and overall being responsible that bills get paid on time and you don't overdraw the account?
6. Do You Have a Spending Limit? Once again, if you go with a joint account with no side spending accounts, how much can one person spend (single transaction, per month, per week) without having to check in with the other. This requires some evaluation of your spending habits. If you set a $100 limit, it doesn't make sense for one person to spend $99 each and every day without checking in, so you might need a weekly limit. Find out what works best for you.
7. When/How Will We Discuss Money? Money is a very emotional topic. Strange, but true. You don't want to do it when you are rushed or prone to being stressed. You shouldn't do it in bed (leave the bedroom for other things). You shouldn't do it while one spouse is preoccupied (during Monday Night Football, for example). Pick a time or place to do it and reserve your conversations for that time unless necessity requires otherwise.
8. Lastly, And Probably Most Importantly: The Budget: You will have new bills together as well as possibly more money via combined incomes. A new budget is required. If you've never lived on a written budget, this is definitely time to start. You or your spouse-to-be may feel that you've always had control of your spending without having to write it down. And that may be true. But now that someone else will have full access to your account(s) with you, it will prove trickier than you know to keep up with everything. Make sure those debts, goals, and incomes are reflected accurately in a written budget. It's okay if the first one isn't perfect. You can alter it to fit your needs as you figure out what your (as a couple) spending habits and needs will be. You will also change it as life makes you change it (raises, children, medical bills, etc). But get it in writing so you have a starting point.

Although these are the non-romantic details of a marriage, you cannot ignore those less-beautiful sides of this union. I promise you there is nothing less romantic than a couple who are constantly fighting over finances and making accusations because they never discuss how to do this together. No amount of love will conquer that.

Talk it out. Take control of your money rather than letting it control you and your relationship.

Photo credit: penywise

8 Ways a Bigger House Can Cost You

Bigger is better, right?

I mean, we live in a society where that is true in most things. We upsize our value meals; restaurants have increased their portion sizes over time; we like SUVs when we only have 2 children to transport. We've some home come to the "realization" that bigger must be better.

And I too have succumbed to this mindset in so many areas of my life. Including house buying. In the first house that we bought, we had three rooms that were only touched about 2 or 3 times a year. In the current house we have a living room that rarely gets used in any way other than an entry and a spare bedroom (yes, we have guests, but 90% of the year it is unused). It's crazy.

And it's costly.

So many others have figured it out before I have and have downgraded their homes. They have decided to live on less. Not out of necessity, but out of pure choice. To simplify their lives. They have figured out that owning a bigger house costs more. And in many more ways than the obvious. Let's look at eight ways owning a bigger house can stretch your finances.

1. Purchase Price: Of course more square footage will cost you more up front. This is pretty much a no-brainer, but I had to list the obvious.
2. Taxes: And certainly a larger house will require more taxes from your city, county, etc. This is really no surprise either, but one that is probably not on the forefront of your mind when buying a home.
3. Insurance: More area to protect/cover = more costly premiums. This also should be a given, but we don't all think about it going into a purchase.
4. Furnishing: If you have an extra bedroom that you plan to use as a bedroom for guests, you most likely will still buy a bed for it. A bed that no one sleeps in for the majority of the year. You will probably buy a nightstand, an alarm clock, a lamp, and maybe a dresser as well. That's several hundred dollars that you would not have spent if you didn't feel you needed a guest bedroom.
5. Cleaning: It's absolutely more costly to clean a bigger house. I don't mean in hiring a maid, although if you do this, you will pay more. I mean in cleaning products and in your time. And you do have to clean those "unused" rooms because dust collects, water in the toilets stain, and dirt from the A/C scatters.
6. Bills: Heating and cooling a larger home will surely cost more. You can close off vents and close doors to unused rooms, but now your heating/cooling system is not working as it was designed to and you may be putting unnecessary strains on the unit.
7. Maintenance: Which brings us to maintenance. The more sinks you have, the more possibilities to need to replace a faucet. The larger the AC unit is, the more costly it is to repair.
8. Clutter: The more walls you have, the more likely you are to buy things to hang on them. The more furniture you have, the more likely you will feel the need to buy some type of decor to accessorized it. And knickknacks not only clutter your home, they clutter your mind too. Have you ever met a collector of all chotchkies? Are they crazy to collect those items or crazy because they have collected those items? I think it is cyclic.

So there it is. My list of ways that buying a larger home can really strain your budget. Some are quite obvious, but some are not clear until you find yourself not wanting to clean those 4 bathrooms every week or change out those 5 light bulbs throughout the bedrooms. Owning a larger home can be a strain--especially when it is totally unnecessary for life.

Photo credit: hcampbellk

8 Items to Donate Other Than Money

If you find yourself here via the Carnival of Personal Finance #278 – Thanksgiving Edition hosted by Canadian Finance Blog, consider yourself welcome. Pull up a chair, grab a glass of sweet tea and look around. If you find what you like, you can always subscribe, follow me on Twitter, or Fan me on Facebook using the links in my right sidebar.

Money is tight for a lot of people these days. Because of the economic downturn our country has seen over the last few years, many non-profit organizations have suffered because people are clinging a little (or a lot) more tightly to their wallets. When these organizations depend on the generosity of others and those others are not as confident of their financial standing, many programs can fall apart or have to make drastic cuts themselves. Additionally, more people are qualifying for the needs that some of these organizations provide. Supply and demand is completely off balance.

However, there are things other than money that you can donate if you are currently finding yourself a little more strapped for cash but feeling bad about not being able to help as you wish.

1. Clothing
Whether it be stuff your family has outgrown or items that you just are not using, there are a number of places that will gladly take your gently used clothing. You can always do a standby of Goodwill or the Salvation Army, but there are thousands of others.

You can send clothing in good condition to local homeless shelters. Maternity clothes can go to crisis pregnancy centers. Business attire can go to organizations like Dress for Success (women) or Career Gear (men).

You can even donate unwearable clothing to The Socity of St. Vincent de Paul, as decent items they cannot pass as good quality are sold as rags.

Items that are torn, stained or unwearable can be donated to PlanetAid, who resell these to textile manufacturers to be repurposed as carpet padding, insulation, shop rags, and other byproducts. I actually used to work at a textile mill that did this. It was a great learning experience for me since I did not know that type of business existed previously.

Worn out sneakers (any brand) can be donated to Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. This organization repurposes the material into sports surfaces—like tracks, tennis courts or playground padding. Since 1990, more than 25 million pairs have been collected.

2. Building Materials:
There are a number of organizations that will gladly accept the remainder of the flooring that you didn't need after the installation or some tinted grout mix that just didn't match your tiles but you were not allowed to return. Habitat for Humanity specializes in building homes for underprivileged families and can always use supplies and will gladly accept large donations of supplies. For smaller donations, you can give to their ReStore organization and all proceeds from those purchases help fund their building projects (and you can get some great deals there!). Make a Wish foundation also accepts donations to assist in building items to help children's dreams come true.

3. Electronics:
Of course many local organizations working with children will accept decently up to date computers and you should check those out in your area. If you can't find anything locally on your own, you should check out Recycles.org and they can assist you in finding something in your area.

What about cell phones? Cell Phones for Soldiers will rebuild/refurbish usable phones and distribute them to servicemen and women returning home from overseas. Non-usable phone are recycled and the profits are sent to military personnel overseas in the form of a calling card. 1 broken phone = 60 calling card minutes.

4. Eyeglasses:
What do you do with an old pair of glasses? You obviously cannot use them (effectively) anymore. OneSight, whose mission statement is to "restore and preserve clear vision for more than 314 million adults and children in need worldwide who cannot see clearly" could certainly use them. You can donate individual pairs of glasses at any: LensCrafters, ILORI, Optical Shop of Aspen, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical or participating local practitioner. Find the donation location nearest you today! Seriously...how easy is that?!

5. Clicks and Searches:
A number of sites now online will allow donations to be made because you simply clicked a few buttons. It's donating some of your internet time...and I know we all have that to spare. You can use The Hunger Site, Care 2, Ecology Fund, Free Rice, The Solar Site, Bhookh or you can search around on The Nonprofits, which lists 76 click to donate sites for non-profits in one area and you can choose the charity that fits your heart's passion.

There are also ways to use search engines to donate to your favorite causes. Because you're searching anyway, right? So instead of making Google more and more popular (is that possible) and earning Swagbucks (yeah...I do it too), use Dreamer, Do Great Good , GoodSearch , and/or Livoogle.

6. Body Parts:
Don't laugh. I'm serious.

But I'm not talking about your big toe. I mean blood, plasma, platelets...all those things that various blood banks across the country are always in need of are a great donation. It takes a minor amount of time on your part. You don't need anything you don't already have. You get a free cholesterol screening and juice and cookies along with your donation. And if you give during a drive you might score a free tshirt. But you're giving life. Literally. Blood and its components don't last very long so the need is constant. Search one of these national blood banks for a donation location near you: United Blood Services or American Red Cross. Also you might want to search (use one of the search engines above!) for a local blood bank.

Or you can donate hair. If you have 8 inches of hair (or more) that you can cut off you can donate it to Beautiful Lengths (free wigs for female cancer patients), Locks of Love (hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 suffering from long term hair loss from any diagnosis), or Wigs for Kids (12 inch minimum - creates custom hairpieces for children with hair loss).

7. Shop for Free and Donate Items:
I have discussed many times through my pharmacy and grocery shopping posts of old that I would frequently use coupons, sales, and rebates to score items for free. It's great to get something you need for free, but what happens when they keep putting peanut butter on sale and you can get it for free with a mail in rebate or coupons, but you have a peanut allergy (totally a hypothetical situation...you rarely get peanut butter for free!)? You can still "buy" it for free and donate it. I've done this with a lot of grocery items and personal care products. If I don't like a brand of shampoo and don't need shampoo for free, it goes in my donation pile that gets sent to our church's pantry once a month. Just do a search (remember those search engines listed above!) for Free Walgreens or Free at CVS or the like and you'll hit THOUSANDS of websites and blogs telling you what you can get free this week. Go "buy" these and donate them.

8. Your Time:
All of the above organizations (and thousand more) would love your money and your gifts. What they are usually desperate for though is volunteers. Find an organization that really grabs your heart and then ask how you can volunteer. Maybe you can love on pets, mentor a child, cook a meal, build a house, mow a lawn, clean an apartment, tutor a child, sort through donations, or a number of other tasks. You don't have to be particularly gifted in any field. There is always something to do and usually two hands are needed for that task. Maybe you can sort mail, run errands, do some filing, clean a pet cage, help people fill out forms, vacuum a non-profit's office building, or serve a meal.

There are so many needs in this world. Many of them on the other side of the world. Many of them next door to you and me.

Give someone a hand even if you don't feel you have much to give. You will both be blessed for it.

• If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one. - Mother Theresa
• If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart - Arab Proverb
• They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing - Hindu Proverb
• Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood. But everyone has something to give. - Barbara Bush
• I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. - Maya Angelou
• No one has ever become poor by giving. - Anne Frank
• A handful of pine-seed will cover mountains with the green majesty of forests. I too will set my face to the wind and throw my handful of seed on high. - Fiona Macleod
• I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. - C. S. Lewis

Photo credit: dolmansaxlil

8 Financial Benefits of Being a Parent

In the final leg of my three part series entitled Financial Benefits of Being...
we're going to cover being a parent.

So what are the financial benefits of having children?

Ha ha ha. Seriously?

Whew! Let me wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes because that one really cracked me up.

You want the truth? There are none.

Yes, you get tax credits and deductions that you don't get without the children, but not more benefit that what you spend on the little creature throughout the year.

But you know what? Having a child is worth far more than any money that it drains from your pocket.

There is a love and pride that you cannot experience outside that of being a parent.

There is a sense of responsibility and frustration that do not otherwise exist.

There is a smile that does not cross one's face until a child makes it appear.

There is a sense of accomplishment when you see your child becoming the person you are struggling to help them learn to be.

There is the benefit of having another person love you so unconditionally that you feel forever blessed and in awe of how this amazing person was allowed to enter your life.

So I cannot think of a single financial benefit to being a parent.

But I can tell you...it allows you to experience a completely different type of wealth. One that money could never buy.

photo credit: syposinc

8 Financial Benefits of Being Married

This is the second of a three part series called Financial Benefits of Being...

And today we'll cover being married.

1. Living Expenses Per Person. It does not take twice the space for two people to live versus one. Two people do not use twice as much water or electricity. So if two people = two incomes, it is far cheaper to be married than to be single as far as living expenses go. (on the other hand, if two people = one income, the advantage lies with being single obviously).
2. Accountability. This is a huge advantage financially. There is someone else to keep your spending in check. As long as you two learn how to discuss money without fighting, there is great wealth to be found (literally) in having someone to check in with to reign in your spending.
3. Financial Stability. If both people in the marriage are working, panic does not have to ensue with the loss of work or sudden layoff occurs. There is another source of income to work with until the partner who has lost a job can get back on their feet.
4. Tax Benefits. You notice how it benefits most people to file married filing jointly rather than each filing singly? The government rewards you for being married on your tax filing status with slightly lower tax rates. With the slowly disappearing marriage penalty, this is becoming more and more true.
5. More responsibility. It seems that with marriage, people realize it is time to "grow up" a bit and think about the future. Of course it doesn't always take marriage, but too often, it does for many. Marriage usually initiates the purchase of a home to build equity, contributions to retirement to start, savings for future children's educations, and whatnot.
6. Exempt from estate and gift taxes. There are rules about the amounts that cap off these rules, but basically you can give money to a spouse, while alive or posthumously, without the huge tax penalty that would incur if you gave it to anyone else. Anyone remember Shawshank Redemption?
7. Reaching Goals Faster. If there are two incomes in the marriage, goals can be achieved much more quickly that with a single individual.
8. Men Are More Dedicated to Their Jobs. Studies have shown that with marriage (and even more so with the addition of a family), men are more dedicated to their employer and to a job well done in an effort to provide for the family. This results in more raises, promotions, and bonuses than their single counterparts.

So there are eight that I found? Can you recommend any others?

Photo credit: andreyutzu

8 Financial Benefits of Being Single

If you're visiting from the Carnival of Personal Finance #272 – Yogi Berra Edition! over at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff, welcome! It's a bit crazy around here right now because I'm hosting a huge back to school series of giveaways. It's a lot of fun, but all of the fun really fills up my blog! Look around and get comfortable. I'm still posting my "regular" stuff amidst the giveaways, so you can find that here. Feel free to enter some of the giveaways if you want as well!

This will be the first part is a short three-part series of Financial Benefits of...

And today we will discuss the financial benefits of being single. While it is true that it is cheaper per person to live in a relationship, there are financial benefits of being single. Here is a quick list of those:

1. You make all the financial decisions. Yes, this can be viewed as stressful, but it is not as stressful as having to consider someone else in your financial decisions. You can decide what you want to do with your money as selfishly as you want to do so. If you want something, you don't have to consult with anyone else.
2. No need to change anyone. If you are naturally a saver, you don't have to convince someone to be on the same page as you and curb their spending. If you are naturally a spender, you don't have to justify your purchase to anyone but yourself.
3. No need for life insurance. Unless you just have a large estate that you want to leave to a nephew or something, there is no need to invest in term life insurance if you don't have to worry about taking care of anyone if you die suddenly.
4. You don't have to carry another person's liabilities. That's right. You don't have to worry about the late payment on someone else's credit card or the tax fraud they might incur or the possibility of being sued because of their actions. It's all about you.
5. You don't have to ask permission to go to the ATM. That might be harshly stated, but if your spouse is the one who pays the bills rather than you, you might have to check with them before spending to make sure there aren't plans for the money that is currently in the bank (as in, the bills are all due tomorrow).
6. Health insurance is WAY cheaper for one person than for two. And especially cheaper than for a family. YIKES!
7. Single person = Single living space. Once again, I know it costs less per person to share a living space, but the smaller the space needed, the less the rent. And if two people does not equate to two incomes, it is cheaper to live being single. Same goes for utilities.
8. You can deal with a smaller car. Yep...those SUVs and vans and full size family sedans cost more, cost more to insure, cost more to fuel, cost more to maintain. So if you aren't required to have one for the room, you can get by with a much cheaper ride.

Obviously, regardless of your marital status, you must gain responsibility and accountability for your personal finances if you are going to rule them (rather than letting your money control you). However, the above reason as just a few ways it is financially beneficial to be single.

Do you have any to add?

Photo credit: sundstrom

8 Fairy Tales You Don't Want Your Children to Read

Many fairy tales have some rather sinister beginnings. Luckily, these tales have been updated by children's book publishers and Disney to create more happily ending tales oblivious to their frightening sources.

Here are eight stories that you would not read to your children in their original form. Source: List Verse

1. The Pied Piper: In the tale of the Pied Piper, we have a village overrun with rats. A man arrives dressed in clothes of pied (a patchwork of colors) and offers to rid the town of the vermin. The villagers agree to pay a vast sum of money if the piper can do it – and he does. He plays music on his pipe which draws all the rats out of the town. When he returns for payment – the villagers won’t cough up so the Pied Piper decides to rid the town of children too! In most modern variants, the piper draws the children to a cave out of the town and when the townsfolk finally agree to pay up, he sends them back. In the darker original, the piper leads the children to a river where they all drown (except a lame boy who couldn’t keep up). Some modern scholars say that there are connotations of pedophilia in this fairy tale.


2. Little Red Riding Hood: The version of this tale that most of us are familiar with ends with Riding Hood being saved by the woodsman who kills the wicked wolf. But in fact, the original French version (by Charles Perrault) of the tale was not quite so nice. In this version, the little girl is a well bred young lady who is given false instructions by the wolf when she asks the way to her grandmothers. Foolishly riding hood takes the advice of the wolf and ends up being eaten. And here the story ends. There is no woodsman – no grandmother – just a fat wolf and a dead Red Riding Hood. The moral to this story is to not take advice from strangers.


3. The Little Mermaid: The 1989 version of the Little Mermaid might be better known as “The big whopper!” In the Disney version, the film ends with Ariel the mermaid being changed into a human so she can marry Eric. They marry in a wonderful wedding attended by humans and merpeople. But, in the very first version by Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid sees the Prince marry a princess and she despairs. She is offered a knife with which to stab the prince to death, but rather than do that she jumps into the sea and dies by turning to froth. Hans Christian Andersen modified the ending slightly to make it more pleasant. In his new ending, instead of dying when turned to froth, she becomes a “daughter of the air” waiting to go to heaven – so, frankly, she is still dead for all intents and purposes.


4. Snow White: In the tale of snow white that we are all familiar with, the Queen asks a huntsman to kill her and bring her heart back as proof. Instead, the huntsman can’t bring himself to do it and returns with the heart of a boar. Now, fortunately Disney hasn’t done too much damage to this tale, but they did leave out one important original element: in the original tale, the Queen actually asks for Snow White’s liver and lungs – which are to be served for dinner that night! Also in the original, Snow White wakes up when she is jostled by the prince’s horse as he carries her back to his castle – not from a magical kiss. What the prince wanted to do with a dead girl’s body I will leave to your imagination. Oh – in the Grimm version, the tale ends with the Queen being forced to dance to death in red hot iron shoes!


5. Sleeping Beauty: In the original sleeping beauty, the lovely princess is put to sleep when she pricks her finger on a spindle. She sleeps for one hundred years when a prince finally arrives, kisses her, and awakens her. They fall in love, marry, and (surprise surprise) live happily ever after. But alas, the original tale is not so sweet (in fact, you have to read this to believe it.) In the original, the young woman is put to sleep because of a prophesy, rather than a curse. And it isn’t the kiss of a prince which wakes her up: the king seeing her asleep, and rather fancying having a bit, rapes her. After nine months she gives birth to two children (while she is still asleep). One of the children sucks her finger which removes the piece of flax which was keeping her asleep. She wakes up to find herself raped and the mother of two kids.


6. Goldilocks and the Three Bears: In this heart warming tale, we hear of pretty little Goldilocks who finds the house of the three bears. She sneaks inside and eats their food, sits in their chairs, and finally falls asleep on the bed of the littlest bear. When the bears return home they find her asleep – she awakens and escapes out the window in terror. The original tale (which actually only dates to 1837) has two possible variations. In the first, the bears find Goldilocks and rip her apart and eat her. In the second, Goldilocks is actually an old hag who (like the sanitized version) jumps out of a window when the bears wake her up. The story ends by telling us that she either broke her neck in the fall, or was arrested for vagrancy and sent to the “House of Correction”.


7. Hansel and Gretel: In the widely known version of Hansel and Gretel, we hear of two little children who become lost in the forest, eventually finding their way to a gingerbread house which belongs to a wicked witch. The children end up enslaved for a time as the witch prepares them for eating. They figure their way out and throw the witch in a fire and escape. In an earlier French version of this tale (called The Lost Children), instead of a witch we have a devil. Now the wicked old devil is tricked by the children (in much the same way as Hansel and Gretel) but he works it out and puts together a sawhorse to put one of the children on to bleed (that isn’t an error – he really does). The children pretend not to know how to get on the sawhorse so the devil’s wife demonstrates. While she is lying down the kids slash her throat and escape.


8. Cinderella: In the modern Cinderella fairy tale we have the beautiful Cinderella swept off her feet by the prince and her wicked step sisters marrying two lords – with everyone living happily ever after. The fairy tale has its origins way back in the 1st century BC where Strabo’s heroine was actually called Rhodopis, not Cinderella. The story was very similar to the modern one with the exception of the glass slippers and pumpkin coach. But, lurking behind the pretty tale is a more sinister variation by the Grimm brothers: in this version, the nasty step-sisters cut off parts of their own feet in order to fit them into the glass slipper – hoping to fool the prince. The prince is alerted to the trickery by two pigeons who peck out the step sister’s eyes. They end up spending the rest of their lives as blind beggars while Cinderella gets to lounge about in luxury at the prince’s castle.

Photo credit: ibeeby

8 New Uses for Clear Nail Polish

In my quest for finding interesting uses for common items, I found another real winner at Joey Green's Wacky Uses that I wanted to share with you.

Clear nail polish. I LOVED these ideas and had only ever heard of one of them!

1. Stop a run in nylons. Paint the snag immediately with clear nail polish.
2. Protect shirt buttons. Dab the center of each button with clear nail polish to reinforce the threads so buttons stay on longer
3. Laminate prescription labels. Keep prescription labels clear and readable by painting them with clear nail polish.
4. Prevent rust on toilet seat screws. Paint the screws with clear nail polish.
5. Thread a needle with ease. Dip the end of the thread in clear nail polish. Let dry, then thread.
6. Repair a small dent in a window, auto windshield, or wood floor. Fill hole with a few drops of clear nail polish, let it dry, then add a few more drops until full.
7. Prevent the bottom edges of shaving cream cans from rusting. Paint the bottom edges of the can with clear nail polish.
8. Tighten loose dresser drawer knobs. Dip the end of the screw in clear nail polish and replace the knob in the hole to dry snugly.

Any others you want to add?

Photo credit: rbatina

8 Interesting Uses for Chalk

I truly love finding interesting and new uses for everyday items. In my investigation of such things, I ran across a list of uncommon uses for white chalk at Joey Green's Wacky Uses. I wanted to share those with you.

1. Clean ring-around-the-collar. Mark the stain heavily with white Crayola Chalk. The chalk will absorb the sebum oil that holds in the dirt.
2. Prevent silverware from tarnishing. Place a piece of Crayola Chalk in your silver chest to absorb moisture.
3. Prevent tools from rusting. Place a few pieces of Crayola Chalk in your toolbox to absorb moisture.
4. Remove grease. Rub Crayola Chalk on a grease spot on clothing or table linens, let it absorb the oil, then brush off. Launder as usual.
5. Prevent costume jewelry from tarnishing. Place a piece of Crayola Chalk in your jewelry box.
6. Prevent a screwdriver from slipping. Rub Crayola Chalk on the tip.
7. Fill a hole in a plaster wall. Insert a piece of Crayola Chalk into the hole, cut it off even with the wall, then plaster.
8. Repel pests. Draw a line of Crayola Chalk around windows and doors outside your home, and around water pipes inside your home. Ants will not cross a chalk line. Also, slugs will not cross a chalk line.

Do you know of any to add to the list?

Photo credit: RGD_90

8 People to Know in Your Community

1. Neighbors (at least 2)—Someone to lend a key to in case you lock yourself out. Someone to borrow a miter saw from. Someone to walk the dog when you are going to be at work later. Someone to get your mail when you are out of town. Somewhere you child can go when the bus is late. You need to know who lives around you.
2. Doctor—Great to have someone to call to ask medical questions without needing to pay a copay for an office visit. I also have had doctor friends write prescriptions for me after doing an informal, non-office consultation for things like allergy problems and such.
3. Handyman—You need to know a “Mr. Fix-It” for those annoying little problems around the house. Maybe he’ll knock it out for free. Maybe he’ll charge you, but come over outside of work hours. Maybe he’ll teach you to do it for yourself. This is much better than paying full price for a contractor.
4. Clergyman—Sometimes you need someone to really talk to. Sometimes it cannot be your spouse or your best friends because they are the subject matter. Sometimes you need someone to listen and your mom is not the best listener. Sometimes you need advice with a theological spin. Sometimes you need to know someone who can just pray for you. This is a great someone to know.
5. Butcher/Produce Guy—These guys can let you know when you can get the best deals, what the best cut of meat for your meal is, when the freshest mangos will be delivered, and how to prepare your food for optimum results.
6. Local Businessmen—I like supporting local businesses. I’m all about mom-and-pop joints. Often you end up with perks that you don’t get with chains. Sometimes you get inside info on sales, sometimes you get donations for your local charities, and sometimes you get new and fresh local produce from the farmers. Regardless, you need to know the people who make the businesses in your community thrive.
7. Lawyer/Judge—They can’t give free legal advice as your lawyer. As a friend, they can offer some off-the-record hypothetical situation that might give you a good idea. And you might need them to help with a traffic ticket sometime (ahem).
8. Teacher—Know your kids’ teachers. They are often great people and can offer you a world of insight into who your child is while you are not looking. Assume they do care for your child and have his/her best interest at heart—they don’t get paid enough to do it, so they must love it.

BONUS: I didn’t add this as a bullet in the list, as it might be a duplicate of someone already on the list. But ALWAYS know someone who owns a truck. That way, you don’t have to buy one yourself.

What other people would you add to this list?

8 Uses for a Rubber Band

If you are passing through thanks to the Festival of Frugality #241: A Midsummer's Night Dream Edition over at Yes, I Am Cheap, I want to talk a moment to welcome you. If you like this post, you'll find a series here that runs on Mondays called my Monday 8s where you can find other similar topics. Feel free to stick around and get comfortable!

Sure there is the standard use for a rubber band--to hold items together. But these simple yet sometimes annoying little tools can truly make our lives easier if we're a little creative.

Here are some of the most practical and creative uses I have seen.

1. Add Friction – Wrap rubber bands around an object, like a remote control, to keep it from sliding off a smooth or slick surface.
2. Bookmark – Wrap the band around one of the outside covers (front or back...whatever works best for where you are in the book) and wrap it around to the page you left off reading. Perfect bookmark that won't fall out!
3. Grip for a Stubborn Lid – Place a rubber band (either a thick one or several thin ones) around the rim of a jar lid and twist off that stubborn lid.
4. Eraser – If you fold one several times, you can actually use it as a make-shift eraser in a pinch.
5. Childproof Cabinet Doors – Simply wrap several rubber bands tightly between the left and right cabinet door knobs to keep little people out of cabinets that they should not get in. This is a great temporary fix if you have children visiting.
6. Thumb Through Papers – Wrap a rubber band around your index finger a few times the next time you need to flip through papers. Funny that there is a specific product for this when a rubber band works great!
7. Hold onto Your Bottles – Wrap rubber bands around shampoo, conditioner and body wash containers to make it easier to grip them in the shower.
8. Mark Your Containers – When you are done painting (or something simliar), wrap a rubber band around the outside of the container at the level of the paint so you will know at a glance how much is left.

These are some of the more useful ones I found. Do you have any to add to the list?

Photo credit: johnnyberg

8 Organizational Tips that Can Make Your Life Easier

Here are eight tips that work for me. Adjust them as needed to work for you and enjoy the pleasure of a less stressful existence.

1. Bins for toys. Labeled. Since Patrick is a bit OCD like his parents, his natural tendency is to put everything in its proper place. And since he has to put away all of his toys before bedtime (there is another free tip within a tip), we have a cleaned-up family room every evening and morning.
2. Create a meal plan. Whether you use e-mealz (like I do) or create your own, write down a plan for the week. Assign a day for each meal based on your personal schedules and the use-by date on your produce, dairy and/or meat.
3. Prepare the night before. Make lunches, lay out clothes, put together items for work, locate your keys, put mail out that needs to go in the mailbox, and do anything else that might hold you up in the morning.
4. Junk mail goes in the garbage before it touches the countertop. We still have a stack of mail, but at least we know it might be relevant to our lives if it is in the pile.
5. Pay bills at the same time each month. Whether that is on a particular date of the month or after each payday, pay all of your bills that will come due before the next scheduled bill-paying day. If you need to schedule the payment for a later date via your online banking, that is fine, but be sure you remember that and don’t create an overdrawn situation.
6. When you are doing a whirl-wind clean up (like company is coming over quickly), be sure to put away things in their rightful home and don’t just stash it somewhere. Take it from me…you won’t be able to remember where you put it later.
7. Seasonally, I go through my stash of next-season children’s clothes so I know what we have for the kids. Make a list if you need to. That way, when you find seasonal sales and deals you won’t stock up on things you already have…regardless of how good the deal may be!
8. Have a regular schedule. You can alter it seasonally if you need to work around soccer practice, dance lessons, or whatnot. But have a weekly routine that works for you. Do chores and/or laundry on the same day, so you don’t find yourself running low on items. Cook ahead if that works for you. Just be consistent and you will not find yourself facing (as many) unexpected situations that leave you frazzled.

What do you do to make your life more organized? I need to learn some more tricks!

Photo credit: Chiot's Run