Finances & Budgeting

Halloween Costumes :: 3 Ways To Save As the air turns crisp, okay not "crisp," but a little less hot and the pumpkin spice everything fills the air, shelves and headlines, that can mean only one thing, it is almost Fall and Halloween is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about costumes. Are you looking for some easy for yourself ideas? Suggestions for costumes for the family? Or maybe you are just hoping to find an option that fits your budget. Here are some other ideas for finding affordable, fun costumes:  Shop Secondhand or Consignment  I stumbled upon affordable, new in packaging, costumes at a children’s resale shop. I originally went to Once Upon a Child in...

Celebrate With Claire’s! :: Birthday Parties For Girls On A Budget Birthday parties can get expensive especially with the rising cost of inflation in just about every aspect of our lives; so as a parent(s) on a budget it’s important to try to seek out an avenue to celebrate your little princess that doesn’t break the bank! Most people don’t know this BUT Claire’s offers birthday parties for just about every budget, and it’s super easy to book too! All you need to do to secure your spot is to purchase $50 in gift cards. What To Expect You’ll choose your time and theme (side note: you can schedule a party before the store opens if you really want that VIP treatment at...

Buy, Sell, Trade Groups :: What Does It All Mean? What do you do with all of the things you are ready to let go of? Maybe it has some life left in it, maybe you want to make back a little bit of the money that you spent. Perhaps you want to try out something new, but aren’t ready to pay full price or maybe there is something specific you want but it is no longer available from the manufacturer where do you go? Where do you look?  In the past we may have looked to eBay or craigslist; searched resale, consignment or thrift stores or asked around, but for the last few years there has been online resource for...

A Budget-Friendly Birthday They Won't Forget There are a couple of times a year that my family has clusters of birthdays and holidays stacked together. For me, it’s May and June when we have kids’ birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father's Day, grandparents’ birthdays and even our wedding anniversary. Not to mention school and summer camp registration fees and end of school graduation events. Without even blinking, the bank account is drained and we are well on our way to disappointing someone’s special day if we don’t have a plan in place. Wait, it gets worse. Two weeks ago my car decided to unexpectedly become the most unreliable hunk of metal that I owned. The nerve!! In the middle of our most expensive...

Each year, almost immediately after Halloween, our calendars become full with holiday commitments, leaving hardly any time to stop and breathe until after the New Year. Around this same time of year, thanks to social media, we fall into the comparison trap and evolve into a wannabe Pinterest perfect Christmas super mom. You know her, and you may even become her when the end of November rolls around. She wants to make meaningful holiday memories with her family in all the ways---baking cookies, crafting ornaments, taking Santa pictures, and hosting holiday parties, all while trying to budget and shop for the perfect gifts for loved ones and juggle her normal non-holiday related responsibilities. AND don’t forget to MOVE. THE. DANG. ELF. We tend...