The Fruitful Home

Freebies on Your Birthday

2012-01-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

It's always nice to get a little pampering on your birthday. Here are some ways to treat yourself.

Baskin Robbins- Join the birthday club to get a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream and a discount on an ice cream cake. Sign up at www.baskinrobbins.com.

Coldstone Creamery- at www.coldstonecreamery.com join the birthday club for a sweet treat.

Dairy Queen- join the blizzard fan club at www.blizzardfanclub.com/join for a free blizzard.

Red Robin- Join the Red Robin eclub at www.redrobin.com for a free burger.

Taco Bell- Some locations will give you a free combo meal on your birthday. Check to see if yours participates.

Starbucks- Ask for a Starbucks card, then register it online. You will receive the beverage of your choice . You can also get stars with every visit. Get enough and get free products.

Paneras- Get a My Panera card from a cashier and register online. You get a free treat just for signing up and another on your birthday.

California Pizza kitchen- On your child's birthday they receive a free meal.

Ruby Tuesday's- Receive a handcrafted burger on your birthday. Just sign up at www.rubytuesday.com.

Some museums, zoos, amusement parks, and cinemas offer birthday specials also. Just call ahead of time.

Winner of the Bath and Body Works Giveaway!

2012-01-28T13:04:00.000-05:00

The winner for the $25 giftcard is Missy. Please e-mail me your e-mail address or put it in a comment. Thank you.

Bath and Body Works Giveaway!

2012-01-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to announce that I'm having my first giveaway. I am giving away a $25 gift certificate to Bath and Body Works. Pamper yourself with something special now that the Christmas is over. I will be announcing the winner on my blog on January 28th. You have until noon of that day to enter. Just leave me a comment on frugal ways you like to pamper yourself. If you are the winner please click on the contact me form and email me your email address if I don't already have it. Earn an extra entry by signing up for my blog by email or sharing this giveaway on facebook or twitter. let me know in a separate comment that you've done that. Good luck!

My Little Steamer go Mini Review

2012-01-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

I recently bought a My Little Steamer. I just wanted something to do a quick touch up on my clothes. I hate ironing, so I thought this would be perfect. I liked the fact that it's small and portable. All you do is fill it up with tap water, turn it on for about three to five minutes and then it's ready to go. I was able to do about five to seven items depending on how big they were and how fast I moved! It is also a Good House Keeping favorite!

source: www.deseretnews.com

They can be found at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, www.hsn.com , and many other places. They even come in cute colors. The $20 price is a plus too!

50% off Gently Used Children's Clothes

2012-01-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

Mamasource.com has partenered with a website called thred UP. It's a website for moms to sell, buy and share gently used clothes, books, and toys. Mamasource is offering 50% off to first time users of thred UP. Click here to see the offer.

Help for the New Year From Sparkpeople

2012-01-04T10:33:00.000-05:00

I have been using SparkPeople for a few years now. If you want to use an online plan that is free I highly recommend it. You can keep track of your calories. It will tell you how many calories you have left for the day to consume in order to stay in your limits. Right now they have a January Jumpstart Challenge going on where you can keep track of your exercising habits. It can be found here.

A 31 day Unbreakable Resolutions calendar can be found here. I found the tips very helpful and plan to implement them into my goal setting.

Sparkpeople also has meal plans, personalized fitness plans and teams you can join to help you stay motivated and receive support. The message boards are also a good place to receive support. They also have a section on recipes. If you sign up for Sparkpeople you will receive helpful articles a few times a week.

picture from sparkpeople.com

I hope this information was helpful. I wish you the best with all your resolutions for good health in 2012!

Organizing for 2012

2011-12-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

The year is quickly coming to an end. One of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is to work on organizing projects. I love purchasing my new calendar for the family. This year I bought a magnetic page a week calendar by Workman Publishing. It only shows one week at a time with lots of space to write. I have mine on the fridge.

I also love organizing things in baskets and jars. The Better Homes and Gardens website has many free printable labels. Their website also has twelve months of storage projects and how to store holiday decorations. If you like to do crafts their are also many ideas on craft rooms.

If you want to start with the basics of clutter free living I recommend the website www.flylady.net. It has a bit of humor mixed in with housecleaning. It talks about things like hot spots, which are those areas where things tend to pile up. It also breaks things into zones. One thing I liked is called the 27 Fling Boogie. Grab a garbage bag and go around your house looking for 27 things to throw away. Tie the bag up and deposit it in the garbage can before you have time to change your mind! It also suggests decluttering for 15 minutes per day.

Another website I discovered is www.lifeyourway.net. . It has many topics such as decorating, organizing, and blogging. It also has over 200 free printables for household mangement and Christmas planning. It also has frequent giveaways which is always fun.

Organized Home is a website I've been using for many years. They also have free printables to use for a household mangement binder. They can be found here. It also has recipes to make for the freezer and a form to keep track of what's in your freezer. It also has articles on time management. One of the things I really like about this website is the Christmas planner. It is very detailed.

Another website that I just discovered is Simplify 101. It has many organizing articles and workshops you can sign up for. They also have directions for a home reference binder.
I hope these organizing ideas are helpful. Happy Organizing!

Ten ways to give this Christmas season

2011-12-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season. We've had a lot of unexpected things happen, so I'm getting a slow start. I had to remind myself that the true meaning of Christmas is about giving. Here are some ideas to help you get in the giving spirit.

1 www.smallcanbebig.org is an organization that allows you to give to families in the northeastern U.S. that have been turned down by social service agencies because they make slightly too much money, but are very close to poverty.

2 www.givinganon.org sends an anonymous check on your behalf to someone you know who hasn't been able to find a job but may be too embarrassed to ask. I thought this was a great idea!

3 www.samaritanspurse.org If you forgot to fill a shoe box this year you can still help fill one online. Lots of children in struggling countries have benefited from this over the years. You can also order anything from a soccer ball to life saving food for people who are hurting around the world. Last year I bought meals for children in school and had it given in honor of my parents. It's a great gift for the people in your life who have everything.

4 www.toysfortots.org/donate/toys.asp Most people are familiar with this organization. Go to the website to find a collection spot near you.

5 www.soldierssecretsanta.org gives Toys R Us gift cards to families of deployed soldiers. Donate what you can.

6 www.hearts4heartsgirls.com gives an international doll to a child. The cost is $30. Each doll represents a girl from one of six developing countries. $2 will be given to the nonprofit World Vision to educate girls in your doll's country.

7 www.secondchancetoys.org cleans and redistributes plastic toys that are still in great shape to children in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.

8 www.worldvision.com has everything from a goat to a mosquito net that you can purchase for hurting familes.

9 www.pajamaprogram.org/pjdrive is an organization that gives pajamas to homeless shelters. You can throw a pajama party by asking each guest to bring a pair of pjs . There are 79 chapters nationwide.

10 www.punjammies.com makes pajamas created in an after-care facility for women in India who have been rescued, released, or escaped from a life of forced prostitution. Each woman is taken to a center where she can learn a marketable skill and become part of a viable business. Every purchase creates a fair trade wage, financial support for holistic care, and a chance for more women to enter the after-care center. They are $35.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how to share the season with those less fortunate. Check the post
100 more ways to make a difference throughout the year. The author of this site also started the Mercy House which helps hurting pregnant girls in Africa.

2011-12-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Creating a Stress Free Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching. I am doing my best not to obsess about having the perfect Christmas. My kids decorated the tree and I was o.k. with that. It actually looks pretty good! Here are some tips for creating a stress free Christmas:

1. Be realistic not idealistic. You do not have to be Martha Stewart. O.k. is good enough.

2. Take "me" time. Block out time just for you for reading, taking a hot bath, talking to a friend or whatever else makes you feel relaxed.

3. Go with the flow. Do not get hung up on all the "little" things.

4. Practice Moderation. Don't overdue it. Eating too much, spending too much will only make you feel worse later.

5. Make time for exercise. In the long run it will make you feel better and better able to handle things.

6. Eat Healthy. Make one or two things for your parties that are healthy. Take one to a party also.

7. Wrap a Few extra Presents. When you see a great gift at a great price pick up a few extra ones to have on hand.

8. Get some sleep. Do not sacrifice on sleep. This could affect judgement, memory, mood, and health. Aim for seven to nine hours.

9. Use your support system. When we feel overwhelmed it's important to stay in touch with our family and friends.. It can help alleviate some of the pressure.

10. Write on. Write down things that are frustrating you or things that make you happy. Writing helps you clear your mind and also has health benefits.

Hope these helped. Enjoy every moment!

I got my new kindle fire!

2011-11-26T19:37:00.000-05:00

I finally got my new kindle fire! I pre-ordered it about a month before it came out. So far I am happy with it. I mainly wanted it for checking my e-mails and searching the web. I've downloaded a few books too. The kindle fire does not have a camera, , GPS or microphone. I didn't really mind since I wasn't going to use it to take pictures.

Originally I wanted an iPad, but couldn't justify paying $300 dollars more just for three more inches of screen and the other things it did.. The only bad thing about it is you are limited to areas with Wi-Fi. I have not downloaded my music yet. I am not that tech savy, but I'm sure I will figure it out. Has anyone else purchased one? Let me know your thoughts.

Wednesday Blog Hop

2011-11-15T18:54:00.001-05:00

I am the featured blogger for the Wednesday blog hop at Life According to Damaris. Come by and link up!

Natural Cleaning Recipes

2011-11-15T15:56:00.000-05:00

I always try and use natural ingredients when cleaning. Strong ingredients and smells give me a headache and bother my asthma. I like to use things like:

vinegar

baking soda

hydrogen peroxide

tea tree oil

lemon juice

dish soap

Dr. Bronners castile soap ( can be purchased at www.amazon.com)

Toilet bowl cleaner:
Fill an empty dish soap bottle with half water and half dish soap. Use it to squirt around the bowl.

Glass cleaner:
Mix 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups warm water in an empty spray bottle. Spray and wipe with newspaper.

Hand soap:
Wash out old hand soap bottle and add about 1 tablespoon Dr. Bronner's castile soap . Fill the rest of the container with water.

If you have an old foaming soap pump you can save money by putting in about 1/3 hand soap and the rest fill with water and it will foam.

All purpose cleaner:
Mix equal parts white vinegar hydrogen peroxide. Add a touch of tea tree oil.

Scouring powder:
Baking soda

Glass cleaner:
Add a few drops of lemon juice to water.

Hope these ideas help!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-11-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

Some Fall Decorating Ideas

2011-11-07T19:27:00.000-05:00

I finally took some pictures of my fall decorations. I love the colors of fall!

I bought this glass vase at the Dollar Tree and filled it with gourds.

I also found this bowl at the Dollar Tree.

I downloaded this from adventures of a betty crocker wanna be

My Favorite Money Saving Magazine

2011-10-29T10:33:00.000-04:00

I just love, love , love All You magazine . It is full of tons of coupons, money saving ideas, work at home ideas, and great recipes. The magazine pretty much pays for itself. My magazine is usually pretty torn up when I'm all done with it! I also like the decorating ideas and cleaning hints.

You can also sign up for daily deals and sweepstakes that you can get sent to your inbox daily. I have found a lot of great websites from their magazine as well. Let me know if you subscribe and how you use your magazine!

New Creative Website

2011-10-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

I found a really cool website today called Creations by Kara. I joined the blog hop there today. Check it out!!

Delicious Pumpkin Bread With a Healthy Makeover

2011-10-26T09:31:00.001-04:00

Here is a wonderful, heathier version of pumpkin bread from Goodhousekeeping magazine. It is very moist. I made the first batch and my thirteen year old son and twelve year old niece made the second batch. It's nice having kids old enough to cook!

Yields: 1 loaf

Total Time: 1 hr 10 min

Prep Time: 20 min

Oven Temp: 350

Ingredients:

1 cup(s) (packed) light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 cup(s) pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup(s) canola oil
1/3 cup(s) low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine brown sugar and egg whites. Add pumpkin, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
In medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert pumpkin bread onto wire rack; cool completely.

The Envelope Method

2011-10-20T18:00:00.000-04:00

Paying for things with cash is usually better than paying with credit cards. I have been doing this for about a year now. I labeled my envelopes for groceries, vacations, charities and tithing, and miscellaneous. My husband takes care of the rest of the categories. I am linking to todays nest for printable envelopes that you can label. Do you use the envelope method?

Work At Home Success Website

2011-10-16T18:01:00.001-04:00

I have found a website with a vast amount of information on it. I came across the book The Work At Home Success Bible in the All You magazine. I ordered it on Amazon. (I will let you know what I thought of it after I get it.) The website that goes along with it is called Work At Home Success and it has all kinds of free links and downloads for finding the right work at home job. Some of them are for telecommuting jobs, freelance work and regular job searches. I recommend you check it out!!

The Work At Home Sourcebook

2011-10-11T15:35:00.000-04:00

Recently I found this book at the library. The Work at Home Sourcebook is full of helpful ideas for work at home opportunities. It has more than 1,000 companies listing contact information and job descriptions. I recommend it. It can be found at www.amazon.com.

How organizing your craft room can save you money

2011-10-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

My dad helped me put up this peg board which I trimmed with pretty pink ribbon. I got the things in between the pegboards at Ikea. I liked the fact that everything is all out in the open. I tend to forget what I have if i can't see it. I have my stamps on shelves, and my papers out, stacked in cubbies. When you know what you have you are less likely to buy duplicates.

Some Pretty Fall Decorating

2011-09-25T20:53:00.000-04:00

http://adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-fall-mantle-and-fall-scripture.html

Here are some pretty printables you can print and frame for some pretty Fall decorating! Click on the link above.

Rummage Sale Finds!

2011-09-16T19:17:00.001-04:00

I picked these up at a church rummage sale. I picked all this up for $3.00! I am hoping to repurpose them into something I can sell on etsy or ebay. Maybe I'll even keep one for myself!! I will keep you updated. What do you make out of garage sale finds?

Made First $200 on Ebay!

2011-08-31T08:56:00.000-04:00

Someone had given my daughter two boxes full of American Girl doll clothes a few years back. She is now fifteen and decided to part with most of them. I had never sold anything on ebay and thought it would be complicated. If I can do it anyone can! You just need to sign up for an account and have a paypal account also.

Take a look around your house. You may be surprised what you find to sell. Start small. It's much easier to send small packages. My husband just visited his mom in the hospital and visited the gift shop while there. They were giving away Precious Moments porcelain baby crosses. He brought home a whole bag full for me to sell on ebay!

Let me know the treasures you find around your house!

7 Back to School Savings Tips

2011-08-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

1. Take a look around your house to see if you have any leftover school supplies from last year. I found a pack of 50 pencils, some brand new high lighters, and some erasers.

2. Visit www.taxadmin.org to find out if your state has a break from sales tax during certain days in August.

3. Visit www.gutenberg.org for many great works of literature that can be downloaded for no cost.

4. Reuse last years things. Some notebooks and folders are still in good shape.

5. Sign up for one free year of Amazon Prime benefits at www.amazon.com/student . This includes no cost two day shipping and other deals.

6. Visit www.studentrate.com for free notifications about local and national deals and giveaways for students only.

7. Check out The Limited, Banana Republic, Loft and J.Crew for 15% off a new school wardrobe.

My Walgreen Deals for the Week of August 14th

2011-08-14T18:23:00.000-04:00

Walgreen Deals:

Kellogg cereal 2 for $4- Had mfc coupon for $1 off 2($1.50 each)
Reach toothbrushes 2 for $2- Had $1 off reach toothbrush( 1 free, 1 for $1)
Mead envelopes ct80 - had in store coupon (0.69)
Penway crayons 24ct.-had in store coupon (0.29)
Omega Smart 50 ct - had mfc. coupon for $2, price was $10 and got $10 register rewards ($2 profit)
Sure deodorant 2 for $3 with in store coupon, had mfc coupon for 1.00 (0.50 each)
Crest toothpaste- original price $3.49, had $1 mfc. coupon and $1 register rewards ($1.49)
Aussie conditioner- sale, $3- had $1mfc coupon ($2)

Total: $10.47!

How Do You Make Money From Home?

2011-08-11T17:13:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to work on my tutoring business lately. My hearts desire is to work completely from home so I can make my own schedule and work around my kids schedules. Isn't that most mothers dream? Right now I only have three students. Hopefully when the school year starts more opportunities will show themselves. I have business cards at my chiropractor's and an ad on Craigslist. I am also going to put my business card up at Panera's. I'm also looking for a part time preschool or daycare job to give me a little money while I'm working on things. I will keep you posted. What ways do you make money from home?

Walgreen Deals

2011-08-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

I got all this for $25:

6 sets of erasers for 29cents (coupon in Walgreens ad- can buy up to 6)
2 packages Bic mechanical pencils (In ad coupon for 99 cents ; also had mnf cpn for $1 off of two)
3 boxes of splenda 100ct (in ad cpn for 2.99 a box; also had 3 cpns for $1 off)
20 Wexford ink pens for 99 cents (in ad cpn)
2 bags Werthers candy (buy one get one free)
8 bic razors orignally 6.99 (They were buy one get one 50% off; had 2 $2 cpns)
2 axe shower gel ( buy one get one 50% off; 2.50 cpn for 2)
2 pkgs. jello 50cents each (inad cpn)
2 cans mandarin oranges 50cents (in ad cpn)

I saved 50% on my total bill. I know this isn't as good as an extreme couponer, but it's a start!

Great Old Navy Deal

2011-08-01T08:11:00.003-04:00

Just found out about an Old Navy deal going on right now. Spend $20 between the dates of August 1 through August 18 and get $10 to spend between August 25 through August 29. Spend $40 and get $20 cash back to spend! It goes all the way up to $100! This would be a great time to do some back to school shopping and save money!

Gluten free shopping

2011-07-30T17:11:00.000-04:00

My doctor just recently told me she would like me to try a gluten free diet. She thinks it may help with a few chronic health issues I have. I'm glad that they have more gluten free foods in the grocery stores now. The only thing is they are so much more expensive. I guess if I stick to more whole, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables I can't go wrong. I bought some gluten free buns that are Udi's brand. I have not tried them yet. I will let you know what I think. I bought some tortilla and rice chips. I do realize just because it's gluten free does not mean it is healthy! If any of you have any suggestions or tips on how to save money while eating gluten free I will certainly welcome them.

The Coupon Mom

2011-07-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share a book I found very helpful ,when it comes to saving money on groceries. It's called "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Grocery Bills in Half" I had visited her website before and thought it was a great site, especially since it's free to use. The book covers things like wholesale clubs, how to use her site, using coupons, supercenters,drugstore deals, and even recipes. It also has a number of websites in the back of the book for brand name foods that give coupons upon request.

I just recently started using Walgreens and Cvs register rewards, which I love. You just have to remember to use them before the rewards expire. You can find her site at www.couponmom.com.

New money saving blogs!

2011-07-09T08:46:00.000-04:00

I have found some new blogs and websites that I have found helpful.

www.commonsensewithmoney.com

www.obsessvecoupondisorder.com

www.mummydeals.org

www.afullcup.com

www.shesaved.com

www.jessicacoupons.com

www.mycoupons.com

www.cheapchicas.com

www.beautyticket.com

www.couponmom.com (my favorite!)

There will be more to come!

Great website

2010-05-07T11:06:00.002-04:00

I came across this website called Project Girl. You can find it at www.theprojectgirl.com. . It has a little bit of everything. You can find free digital scrapbooking downloads, menu planners, chore charts, food journals, etc. She also has a few projects such as card making. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Keeping your coupons organized

2010-04-13T13:28:00.005-04:00

I have tried several ways of keeping my coupons straight. It seems like each way always ends up failing. I finally decided to put each category of coupons in an envelope and then put all the envelopes inside a small coupon carrier that closes. I take the inserts out of the envelope first. I labeled each envelope with the category on the front. My categories are as follows: Baking supplies, drinks, meat, dairy, canned & boxed foods, breakfast foods, beauty & meds & frozen foods.

It is easier for me to have them in separate envelopes. I can pull one out at a time depending on what section of the store I'm in. I pull out the ones I'm going to use for sure and put them in the front of the coupon organizer. The ones that I don't end up using I put in the back and refile later.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Some New Money Saving Websites

2009-07-09T08:23:00.002-04:00

I came across two new websites in the April issue of Redbook. The article was about living debt free. The first website is www.beingfrugal.net. It had an article about Christmas in July that I found helpful. It had lots of good ideas about saving now. The other website is www.momadvice.com. The writer invites you to a challenge of not spending for a whole month. Can you do it? I think I may just be up to the challenge. Happy Saving!!

Some simple ways to save when cleaning

2009-06-17T08:45:00.003-04:00

I have recently been thinking of ways to save money and be kind to the enviornment at the same time while cleaning. Here is what I have found.

1. Use old body wash scrubbers to clean your shower and bathtubs. They are mildly abrasive.

2. Use old toothbrushes to clean around grout and faucet handles.

3. Use ripped up or stained t-shirts for rags.

4. Use baking soda and vinegar. They are cheap and are earth friendly. You can find some recipes at www.organizedhome.com and www.eartheasy.com.

5. Reuse paper towels when appropriate. If I have a small spill of water I save it to clean up another spill.

6. Cut sponges in half.

7. When I'm having trouble getting soap scum off the shower I use an old credit card after spraying with cleaning solution. It scrapes right off.

I hope some of these ideas were helpful. Let me know if you have any great ideas!

Start Saving!

2008-12-02T15:50:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I had family from three different states visiting . It was really nice.

I wanted to share with everyone about a website I signed up for. It is www.vocalpoint.com. So far I have received coupons for free clairol hair color, free crest toothpaste, buy one, get one free tuna fish, coupons for free drinks, etc. So sign up and start saving!! Let me know if you've come across any new sites!

Trying to save money at the grocery store

2008-08-21T10:19:00.002-04:00

I went to the grocery store the other day with my coupons in hand. I was buying groceries for home and groceries for our trip to a beach house we are going to next week. I saved $45 in coupons but my bill still came to $122. That's high for me even without coupons.

I think it's because I bought a lot of snack type foods for the trip I normally wouldn't buy. I've been packing for the past few days. At least we will have one relaxing time together as a family before the hustle an d bustle of school and my new job. More about that later. I hope everyone is enjoying their last warm days!

2008-06-03T18:19:00.003-04:00

I have dappled in many home based businesses trying to find the right fit to accomodate my children, husband, and myself. I have to admit I’m still working on that. I have found some things that look promising though and I’d like to share them with you.
Here are some websites that pay either cash or reward you with gift certificates, etc.
www.zoompanel.com
www.testspin.com/home
www.surveyspot.com
www.opinionplace.com/main.adp?
Here are some companies that hire virtual call agents:
www.LiveOpts.com
www.Arise.com
www.workingsolutions.com
www.ACDDirect.com
Do your friends look to you for advice about things your passionate about, such as scrapbooking, cooking, or animals?You may want to consier becoming aan online expert guide. Check out these websites:
www.beaguide.about.com
www.Chacha.com
www.atjustanswer.com
If you have a college degree and the skills to tutor online, this job may be for you. Go to www.tutor.com. If you pass there probationary period you can earn between $10 to $14.
Also consider selling some of your children’s clothes or your own at a consignment shop. Do you have cd’s or books that are still in good condition? Try selling them on www.amazon.com.
Hopefully these ideas will help a little. Let me know if you have found anythting helpful.

Where Do I Go From Here?

2008-05-29T20:09:00.008-04:00

I have been working part time at a preschool since December. I have really enjoyed working with the three and four year olds. I decided to stop for the summer and spend that time with the kids. They are getting older but I'm not ready for them to stay home alone yet. If it was just my daughter it might be different. She will be twelve this Sunday. My son is nine. My goal is to try and find ways to make money at home this summer. I am going to have a garage sale for starters. I am also trying to start up my tutoring business again. It seems to be hit or miss. I am going to put fliers around my neighborhood and post some on some bulletin boards. I will keep you posted. If anyone has any ideas for making money that doesn't cost money let me know. Have a great weekend. Hopefully it's sunny where you are. I am going to enjoy all my newly planted flowers and shrubs!

It's Been Too Long!

2008-05-24T19:13:00.002-04:00

I am going to start posting on this blog more. I have another blog that can be found at www.mirandakay.wordpress.com. It's called Mothering from day to Day and is for moms with chronic illness. Actually anyone who needs to be uplifted or wants to make life simpler would benefit. This blog will be about a little bit of everything. Thoughts about being a mom, simpifying, making money from home, saving money, etc. So get ready for some good stuff!

Ideas to make life simpler!

2008-02-20T15:31:00.001-05:00

I feel overwhelmed at times. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all afford a maid? I only work three days a week and I still feel behind. Laundry piles up, kids reports and homework need to be finished, dishes, cooking, grocery shopping. The list goes on. One of my most stressful things is feeling like I’m drowning in papers. My kids seem to bring home tons of them.

I finally thought of some things to help steamline all the stuff that comes in. Maybe some of these ideas will help you or spark your own ideas.

1. My kids like to do their homework on the dining room table, but i was getting tired of it being clutered with everything. I bought an inexspensive organizer with three shelves. It’s short and freestanding. I put it in the corner of my dining room. I gor some pretty magazine holders from ikea and labeled one for both my children. I put all their papers in there. Once a week we go through them. If they can’t find something I tell them to go there. I also got a small plastic box and put sharpened pencils, glue, crayons, and scissors in it. When they are done with their homework they can put everything back in the box.

2. I also was having a hard time deciding what to do with my papers. It seemed like everything I tried did not work for me. I did not take the time to file papers in my filing cabinet. Also I was afraid if they were completely put away I would forget about them. I deccided to use the magazine holders again and put labels on them. I used one for household things, bills, school papers, and health related papers. Of course you could use whatever titles you wanted.

Hope this was helpful. Let me know of your ideas!!

I also wanted to share a website that I really like. It is www.mommysavesbig.com. Check it out!

The Importance of Family Dinner

2007-12-02T19:32:00.000-05:00

I have found a great article on the importance of family dinners from www.menuplanningcentral.com/tanya. Here it is:

The Importance Of Family Dinner

You've probably heard the saying “The Family That Plays Together – Stays Together”. While that's certainly true, there's another important activity that the whole family should be doing together – eating dinner. With weird work schedules and after-school activities, family schedules are becoming crazy. When it comes time to eat dinner, everyone just grabs something wherever and whenever they get a chance. Unfortunately, this means that you and your family are missing out on some important bonding and more.

Here are a few interesting facts in regards to family dinners.

“The average parent spends 38.5 minutes per week in meaningful conversation with their children… “(A.C. Nielsen Co.) By simply eating dinner together each night and making an effort to talk to your kids, you can easily more than quadruple that time. You get to know your child better and isn't that the whole point of having a family?

“Family dinners are more important than play, story time and other family events in the development of vocabulary of younger children.” (Harvard Research, 1996) The dinner table has always been the social center of families, so it is no wonder that that's where our kids learn to talk. It gives them “real live” demonstrations and practice not only in speech but also social interactions.

“Frequent family meals are associated with a lower risk of smoking, drinking and using marijuana; with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts; and with better grades in 11 to 18 year olds”. (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2004.) By spending more quality time with your kids over dinner, you will quickly be alerted to any changes in your child, but you also develop a better relationship with your kids. Wouldn't you want your child to come to you with his problems instead of turning to drinking, drugs, or considering taking his life?

“The more often teens have dinner with their parents, the less time they spend with boyfriends or girlfriends, and the less likely they are to have sexually active friends”. (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University – 2004) Not only do your teens have less time to hang out with boyfriends and girlfriends, having a good relationship with you makes them less likely to search for closeness by becoming sexually active.

“Adolescent girls who have frequent family meals, and a positive atmosphere during those meals, are less likely to have eating disorders”. (University of Minnesota, 2004) It is up to you to help your children develop a good relationship with food. Not only can you significantly lessen the chances that your daughter will develop a eating disorder, this is also your chance to teach everyone in the family good and healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

Isn't that reason enough for you to bring the family dinner back? Sure, it can get a little tricky getting everyone together with our crazy schedules and having a hot meal cooked at the same time. But it is well worth the effort and once you get in the habit of eating dinner together as a family, it gets easier and no none would want to miss it.

Let us help you get dinner on the table with our 12 week Ultimate menu pack. Grab it today at www.MenuPlanningcentral.com/tanya

Hope you enjoyed it.