Search Results for: blog budgeting do i have to give up my fun

Benefits of Bartering

My 8-year-old cries poor like the Pentagon before commencing a $10 billion nuclear weapon upgrade. Granted, she doesn’t get a regular allowance, but with grandparents like these, she wants for very little. Actually, she wants a lot, but as the only granddaughter, she typically gets it all, which is why I don’t give her an allowance. This, of course, has led to many heated discussions on money, spending habits and budgeting.  However, thanks to a recently covered Social Studies unit on our country’s earliest settlers, we’ve added a new topic to our financial discussions:  bartering. Bartering is the exchange of … Continue reading →

Mad Dash for Serious Summer Cash

My daughter is hunting for a summer job, so she can earn money to purchase this. She’s seven. I told her that if she picked up her toys, set the table for dinner and help fold towels, at least five days a week, I’d give her $5. She turned down my offer. “I want to walk dogs for money,” she replied dryly. “Not fold towels.” Well, then, I sure hope our neighbors don’t turn her down when she solicits her services or she’s going to be one poor kid this summer. And by poor, I mean the Bank of Mommy … Continue reading →

Happy Kids On The Cheap

With all of the expenses of raising a family, parents are often searching for ways to save money wherever they can. One area of the family budget where spending can often be reduced quite a bit is entertainment. Parents often believe that they need to spend more money to keep their children entertained and occupied than they actually do. Children are naturally curious, and often parents are pleasantly surprised by how simple things can capture their imaginations and hold their attention for hours. My favorite example of low or no cost family fun is a trip to the playground. Depending … Continue reading →

Back in Black iPhone App

I love my iPhone. I haven’t made a secret about that. I think I’ve talked about it enough in my writing. There are so many things I can do with my phone. I know I got along just fine before I had a cell phone at all and then did just fine when I had a simple phone that’s only fun feature was voice dialing. Now I don’t know what I’d do without my iPhone and all its smart phone features. There are many things I can do on my phone to shop for deals and make sure I’m getting … Continue reading →

Never Too Late to Set Up a Budget

Newlyweds are the most likely to set up a budgeting plan. This is especially true when they begin the adventure of saving for a house and then eventually purchasing one. But budgeting is something we can benefit from no matter how long we have been married. Lately my husband and I have come to realize that we need to get back onto a budget. Since I work as a freelance writer my work is kind of like feast or famine. I have my really good months where we can spend a little extra on things like going out to dinner … Continue reading →

Savings Bonds: The Sneaky Way to Save

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When I was in my late teens, I read a number of money-oriented books about saving, investing, and budgeting. Yes, I was a bit of a nerdy kid, but my family’s history of finances as a flash point led me to seek security in these books. It helped. I do save, at least I try to do so. We have an education savings plan, retirement savings, an emergency fund, and funds for specific shorter-term goals. Right now, our fund for buying blueberries is getting larger, just in time for blueberry season. Some of these savings plans offer decent interest and … Continue reading →

Single Parents and Birthday Party Budgeting

Having a birthday party can take a chunk out of your wallet. Having more than a couple of kids to give a party for can lead us to the poorhouse if we are not careful. This is true for parents everywhere, but a single parent or families with one income can feel the pinch that much worse. With the faltering economy being what it is most of us are leery about spending money unnecessarily. Just about every kid’s place in town now offers to “host” your child’s birthday party. This is great because that leaves the parents with one very … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: May 5th Through May 11th

Catch up on the latest tips and advice for frugal living! May 5th Frugal Cinco de Mayo Want to have a fun way to celebrate the day without spending a lot of money? Here are some fun ideas that you can use to celebrate today, Cinco de Mayo. Frugal Burgers The pleasant weather outside brings lots of great spring and summer food, especially food cooked on the grill. One of the favorite types of grill food is the hamburger. It used to be that hamburger in itself was frugal, but that is no longer the case. Exotic ingredients and fixings, … Continue reading →

Single Parent Holiday Tip–Break it Into Do-able Chunks

Time management during the holiday season is NOT the exclusive territory of single parents, but I have found over the years that there are some added stressors and challenges that creep up on a single parent during this time of year. While all of us can use some tips and suggestions for how to get through the season with a minimum of “overwhelm”–here are some tips for the maxed-out single parent: I have learned to start early, and instead of trying to do everything in a couple days, I break it up into more manageable chunks. This way I don’t … Continue reading →

Savings Quest for Kids

Want your kids to develop healthy money habits? There is a new educational website out there that will do just that. Best of all? This learning opportunity is in the form of a fun game. Kids won’t even realize that they are learning. My Savings Quest is a free interactive online game that teaches kids all about personal finance. it covers the basics of earning money, budgeting saving and spending. The game is a great resource for parents and teachers, and it would make a great addition to many home school curriculums. When you first start the game, you’ll be … Continue reading →