Part of being frugal is constantly re-evaluating your bills to make sure the services you pay for are serving your needs. Up next for re-evaluation in our house is our Phone/TV/Internet service. When we moved here two years ago, we signed a contract with Qwest/DirecTV for phone and satellite television. That contract will b

Over the last week I’ve kicked my cleaning and organizing into high gear, trying to get through the whole house, before I leave for BlogHer next week. This weekend I attacked the kitchen, defrosting the freezer and reorganizing every cabinet. I thought through where I wanted to place things, so I could use my kitchen [...

I’ve been consciously avoiding the news all summer, as I was on news overload at the beginning of June. But this week I read my local online newspaper for the first time in weeks, and I saw an article that made me sad. With the unemployment rate in our county hovering around 12% (and around [...] Did you like this post?

I’ve been scarce lately, but I wanted to take the time to remind you all that The Jensen Project is airing on NBC tonight at 8/7 c! It’s the second of the Walmart/P&G family movies, and it promises to be a good one! Make sure to pop some popcorn and settle in for a good time! [...] Did you like this post? Then c

Camping is a favorite summertime activity for kids. Even if you don’t have the time, money, or inclination to load up the camping equipment and head to the woods, your kids can still experience the joy of a campout…in the backyard! Here’s a recipe to make it work! Ingredients 1 Tent (improvise with sheets and a tree

Is it really July 9? This summer has been flying by! I was crazy to think life would slow down a bit, just because the school year was over. I think we’ve been busier this summer than we were during the school year! It’s all good stuff, though: camp, visits from relatives, playdates, park days…lots of [...] Did you

Now that you’re able to write the perfect eBay listing, it’s time to be proactive and think ahead to potential problems. Though most eBay sales will go off without a hitch if you’ve followed my advice so far, every once in a while you will need to deal with a problem. Preventing Problem Transactions The best time [...

After suffering from debt issues, you may want to start rebuilding your credit as soon as possible. However, you are likely to find a combination of cold shoulders and vultures – some put you down, and some want to bleed you dry. Unfortunately, filing too many (rejected) applications can also have a negative impact on

Independence Day is coming quickly, and many communities celebrate by holding a parade. Most kids love attending parades, but to keep them frugal and fun, you need to do a little advanced planning. Here are some tips to make your outing to the Fourth of July Parade a smashing success! Reserve Your Spot Early. Fourth of [..

Perhaps the biggest problem (in my opinion) with today’s society comes down to this question. Why do people stand in ridiculously long lines to buy a $300 phone? They want it now I suppose. Not tomorrow, not next week, but NOW! I saw lines at my local Apple store with literally hundreds of people in [...] Did you li

One year ago next month, my husband and I refinanced our house. We were due an escrow refund from Taylor Bean & Whitaker, which we received in late August. I deposited the check in early September and transferred the money to my ING Direct savings account. To make a long story short, Taylor Bean & Whitaker [...] D

One of the most popular vacation destinations for young frugal families is the home of relatives. Staying with relatives, assuming they welcome you as houseguests, is a great way to save money on lodging costs while getting away from home for a while. But just because you’re visiting mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, or y

You’ve done your research. You’ve taken great pictures. You’ve written a detailed description of your item. Now it’s time to sit back and watch the money roll in, right? Wrong! You still have a little work left to do. By the time you get to the payment and shipping forms when putting together an eBay auction, [...]

Two weeks ago, Walmart flew me and the other Walmart Moms to Arkansas for the Walmart Shareholders meeting. Other than the jet-lag I experienced when I arrived back in Oregon, I had a fabulous time! It was nice to see my fellow Walmart Moms again. It was fun to see performers, such as Jamie Foxx, [...] Did you like this p

Many frugal living enthusiasts save money by taking public transportation or riding a bike whenever possible. Considering the cost of gas, driving can be a huge and often superfluous expense. Unfortunately, the reality is that owning a car is a necessity for most people. As a car owner, you understand the importance of havi

Father’s Day seems to have snuck up on me this year. Maybe it’s because I was out of town last week. Or maybe it’s because public school in our town is getting out a week later than usual. Whatever the reason, Father’s Day is this Sunday, and it’s coming whether I’m ready or not. Usually my [...] Did you like

This is the third post in my series ‘”How to Create the Perfect eBay Listing.” The first two parts in my How to Create the Perfect eBay Listing series have been focused on background work: researching and taking great pictures. Today we’re ready to start writing the listing. Ready? Let’s go! Write a Great Title Yo

Visiting a theme park is an expensive vacation. The tickets alone are often enough to break the bank. But a bad economy can inspire some good deals at popular theme parks. A theme park vacation will never be cheap, no matter what kind of deal you get, but if you’ve been saving and planning to [...] Did you like this pos

As this post is going live, my poor Pacific Standard Time body has been out of bed for a few hours. I’m in Arkansas right now, and I’m headed to the Walmart Shareholders meeting. Walmart flew me and my fellow Walmart Moms out to Bentonville for the meeting and some other business. I’m looking forward [...] Did you l

A month ago I told you all that Angel Food Ministries was coming to my area. I ordered a signature box and a produce box, and I promised to let you know what I thought. I picked up my boxes a couple of weeks ago, and now that I’ve tried the food, I’m ready to [...] Did you like this post? Then check these out:

This is the second post in my series ‘”How to Create the Perfect eBay Listing.” They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in the case of eBay listings, it’s definitely true. Your photos (or lack of them) can determine whether your item sells or not. They can make the difference between an [...] Did yo

In the midst of your picnics, barbecues, and other celebrations today, please take time to remember those who gave their lives so we may have the freedoms we do today.  Happy Memorial Day! Photo by respres. [...] Did you like this post? Then check these out:

I truly didn’t mean to leave you all hanging today! Once we got going, though, I was so busy I didn’t have time to blog!  So now, I guess I’ll reveal what we were up to today. My kids and I were on the set of the third Walmart and P&G Family Movie Night film, In [...] Did you like this post? Then check the

The folks at Walmart brought me and the kids up to Portland for a very exciting event today! It has a little to do with frugality and a lot to do with family moments. This is something I’ve never done before, and the kids are super-thrilled.  Any guesses? Just for fun, I’m going to leave you [...] Did you like this p

As students are wrapping up the school year, parents everywhere are wondering how to keep the kids reading over the summer. Fortunately bookstores and libraries are rolling out their summer reading programs, which often feature a nice reward for those who read a certain amount of books over the summer.  A little external m

Memorial Day is next Monday, and we’re making plans for a barbecue! My menu isn’t set in stone yet, but my husband wants to barbecue ribs. With that in mind, here’s my preliminary menu. Main Course: Barbecue Ribs Ribs on the grill can take hours, and if you don’t cook them just right, they can turn [...] Did you

Yesterday the bill for my son’s recent emergency room visit came in the mail. I almost passed out when I opened it. We were probably in the treatment room for less than an hour, and the total bill was…drum roll please… $1116.00 Wow.  For two stitches. $476 was for emergency room services, and $640 was for the [...]

What things do you consider to be necessities in your life these days? For me, Cable TV is a want. A flat screen TV is also a want. Ice cream maker? Tough call this summer. But what I found interesting is that according to the Pew Research Center, things that we use to view as [...] Did you like this post? Then check the

Over the weekend the town where I live hosted it’s annual community-wide yardsale. So after my son’s soccer game I drove around town, stopping at any sale that looked interesting. I was reminded of the bargains that can be found, if you take the time to look for them. I always like to have a list [...] Did you like th

We spent the emergency fund this week. Not the whole thing, but boy did it feel like it! The first expenditure was actually planned. We needed a new timing belt on our van, to the tune of $600+. Big repairs like that hurt, but it’s better than buying a new car, which is the alternative. Then [...] Did you like this post