Use a Crockpot for a Year and Save $3400!

Author | April 27th, 2023 | Groceries, Grocery--Cooking
Crockpot Savings - Use a Slow Cooker for a year and Save $3400

Using a crockpot for a year could save you a ton of money. But even if you used it just a few days each week, it could still save you more money than you ever imagined.  We’ll show you how this works and give you some other tips too.

This is the third of a 5-part Kitchen Tools series that will empower you to save thousands of dollars on your food budget.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What’s at stake when it comes to feeding a family?2 The Savings from a Year of Crockpot Cooking no Crock!3 Crockpot Cooking IdeasRead more »

10 Student Loan Forgiveness Programs: Get Debt Eliminated Legally

Author | April 26th, 2023 | College & Education, Debt Reduction
9 career choices that could result in student loan forgiveness.

Do you have college loans? Are you looking for a list of student loan forgiveness programs? Are you wondering if you can get loan forgiveness?

Student loan forgiveness isn’t available to everyone, but it is a great way to pay off student loans that have already been accrued!

We’ve scoured the loan forgiveness landscape and found 10 different programs that might benefit you.

Covid Student Loan Forgiveness

Covid-19 has changed the Student Loan landscape with payments being delayed and the prospect of a huge forgiveness program being approved by the US Congress. Currently, repayments are scheduled to start after May 1, … Read more »

11 Airbnb Hosting Tips & Secrets From a $30k Super Host

Author | March 3rd, 2024 | Make Money
Airbnb hosting tips from a super host.

Are you thinking of becoming an Airbnb host? Are you looking for expert Airbnb Hosting tips? Do you want to earn an extra $10,000 this year?

We’ve been Airbnb Hosts for 9 years. We are on track to earn $30,000 this year by renting out three extra bedrooms in our house.

Even though the travel industry struggled through Covid in 2020, we’ve had some of our best years ever as a host family. So if you’ve ever considered home-sharing, this is a great time to get started.

In this article, we’re sharing our top Airbnb hosting tips. We hope that you can turn … Read more »

Pack a Lunch in Glass Bowls: How I Saved $40,000 Bringing My Lunch

Author | April 20th, 2023 | Groceries
Here's a lunch time hack that could save you $1000 per year?

If you pack a lunch consistently you’ll be surprised how much money you can save.

Glass Bowls Provide Lunch Values

Having Glass Bowls so you can bring leftovers for lunch, is the second of our Kitchen Tools series. It will empower you to save thousands of dollars on your food budget.

Why glass bowls? When it comes to feeding a family, there is a lot of money at stake. The average family is spending $200 per person each month on groceries. That means that a family of four will spend nearly $10,000 on food this year! And using glass bowls for lunch can help … Read more »

Why We Love Junk Mail? Here are 3 Things You Can Do With Free Paper!

Author | April 19th, 2023 | Office/Computer
Why do we love junk mail? Find out how we save the planet and stretch our budget all at the same time.

We love junk mail. How ’bout you?

We love junk mail, especially insurance agents who send us unsolicited quotes on white paper printed only on one side.

Why? It’s simple.

They’ve just provided us with free paper for our printer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 How we use Free Junk Mail to Save Money2  A Funny Story about the Junk Mail Brother Printer3 Bottom Line for Recycling & Resourcefulness4 More Strategies for Dealing with Junk Mail5 What’s the value of all this effort?
How we use Free Junk Mail to Save Money

We have a Read more »

29 Free or Cheap Places to Get Copies Made (Near Me)

Author | April 18th, 2023 | Office/Computer
Copies Near Me: Over 20 free or inexpensive options to choose from.

Copies Near Me is a popular Google Search! You never know when you might need to make a Black & White or Color copy. And finding a place to do that inexpensively, especially if you don’t have your own printer can be challenging!

Even though the world is increasingly paperless, there are going to be times when you’ll need a crisp, clean paper document in your hands.

If you find yourself in need of a copier, then browse this list of 29 different places (in 4 categories) for the best free or cheap copies that will make your life easier!

TABLE OF … Read more »

What is a Spoonula and How Can It Save You Money? Kitchen Tool #1

Author | April 13th, 2023 | Groceries, Grocery--Cooking
Clean up in your kitchen by using SpoonULas, they save time and money.

If you’ve never heard of a spoonula, hang on because you’re going to love it. In this article, we’ll tell you what a spoonula is and how it can save you money and we’ll introduce our kitchen tool series.

5 Kitchen Tools That Will Save $6000 #1 Spoonula

Saving money on groceries could revolutionize your family budget! Really, it’s no hype. And kitchen tools such as a spoonula, can certainly help save time and money!

As a matter of fact, there are dozens of simple strategies that can cut your grocery bill in half without clipping a single coupon. But, instead of shopping … Read more »

Allowance for Chores? How the 5/50/500 Rule Applies to Your Kids

Author | April 12th, 2023 | Kids & Money
Should I pay my kids for chores?

Should you give your kids an allowance for chores?

“NOOOOO!” … that was our first response.

But years later we reconsidered this decision because we discovered the 5 / 50 / 500 money rule.

There are rules that govern our lives, our world, and the universe. There are also rules that govern the earning, saving, and spending of money. Knowing how to operate within the rules usually means success and a more peaceful existence. Violating the rules has the opposite effect.

Preparing your child to live a financially independent life may not be on the top of your to-do list. But if … Read more »

How Frugal Living Can Help You Hurdle Toward Early Retirement

Author | February 20th, 2024 | Budgeting, Debt Reduction
Frugal Living Helps You Hurdle Towards Early Retirement!

Can Frugal Living make a difference in how soon you retire or is it just a waste of time? We’re going to give you one example of the power of frugal living as it specifically pertains to how soon you can retire.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 How Much Money Do You Need to Retire?2 A Retirement Rule of Thumb3 Building Savings is a Huge Hurdle4 How to Clear the Savings Hurdle5 How Fast Can the Savings Add Up?6 Frugal Living Reduces Your Retirement Savings Goal!7 Cut Your Insurance Costs8 Here’s A More Reasonable … Read more »

How to Live On One Income: 5 Tips for Parents Who Want to Stay At Home

Author | April 6th, 2023 | Budgeting
Mom with two kids and a dog in the forest. Can we live on one income?

If you’ve ever wondered how to live on one income or whether your family can afford to do it or not, the following 5 email questions should help you get your answer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 1. One Income for a SAHM Wannabe2 2. Convincing Your Wife to Live on One Income3 3. Living on One Income When Illness Hits the Family4 4. Living on One Income after Bankruptcy5 5. Living on One Income, Drowning in Debt & No Fun6 One Income Wrap Up

1. One Income for a SAHM Wannabe

First I would like to say … Read more »

4 Places Where You Can File your Taxes for Free

Author | April 6th, 2023 | Budgeting, Free Stuff
A block wall with a sign that says "Pay Taxes Room 108."

Finding free tax help and filing your taxes doesn’t have to be expensive.

If you’re a lower-income family, just starting out after college, a senior, military or former military family, there are lots of options for getting your taxes filed for free or for almost nothing. We’re hoping that you’ll check out these three options and be able to save a boodle! We’ve personally used two of the three services, and Steve’s dad was a volunteer with the last one.

Filing your income tax return doesn’t have to be a taxing (or expensive) proposition

Filing taxes is an annual ritual that most of … Read more »

10 Great Places to Buy Quality Used Cell Phones & Save

Author | April 2nd, 2024 | Utilities / Phone
Best Places to buy used cell phones samsung galaxy s8+ and iPhone 8

If you’re in the market to buy a used cell phone, try some of these sites to save a ton of money and get a quality phone.

To make your research easier, we’ve included pricing for a couple of the most popular used cell phones. We’ve also listed the number of phones each site had available at the time of publishing.

Our strategy was to focus on these two phones to get an accurate estimate of platforms that cell phones for less. Our research should apply to other makes and models of cell phones. 

In this article, we researched 8 different places where … Read more »

11 Fun Easter Traditions for Families: Crafts, Decor, & Activities for a Great Celebration

Author | March 31st, 2024 | Holidays, Crafts / Home Decor
11 Easter Traditions for Families - Crafts, Decorations & Activities. #EasterDecorations #EasterCrafts #EasterActivities

Are you looking for fun Easter Traditions for your family? Traditions are a type of glue that holds families together and builds enduring memories.

Fun traditions don’t have to be expensive, elaborate or logical – some can be downright silly. But for kids, having consistent events throughout the year is something that adds stability and anticipation to life.

Jellybean trails through the house are one of our favorite family Easter traditions.

Here are 11 different Easter traditions and crafts that are part of our family’s history.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Jelly Bean Trails2 Easter String Balls3 Marble Eggs4 … Read more »

14 Cheap, Easy & Quick Snacks for Kids—Homemade & Store Bought

Author | March 27th, 2024 | Groceries, Kids & Money
12 inexpensive and healthy snacks for kids.

Are you looking for some more affordable or cheap snacks for kids? This list of 14 different easy-to-serve snack foods should do the trick. Some are homemade and others are store-bought, but all are inexpensive.

These snack options have been time-tested with our five kids and should do well for your family.

Do you ever feel like you’re feeding a bottomless pit?We’re talking about those kids or teens with “hollow legs.”

Remember when they were babies and we fed them every two hours?  Well, the two-hour feedings start all over again in the pre-teen and teen years.

You want to provide nutritious and healthy snacking … Read more »

Need a Key Copy Made Nearby? 21 Places to Get Duplicate Keys Made

Author | March 26th, 2024 | Housing, Car Auto
Places to get Keys Copied near you - inexpensive and quick.

Have you ever found yourself frantically searching for a ‘key copy near me’ or wondering where you can ‘get a key made near you’ after a stressful loss of keys? 

You’re not alone. We’ve been there—specifically, when we lost not one, but two auto key fobs for our Toyotas. 

The experience wasn’t just nerve-wracking; it was also unexpectedly expensive. 

In this guide, we’re diving deep into the world of key duplication, sharing over 30 places where you can quickly and affordably get duplicate keys made. 

From home and car keys to those elusive mailbox and locker keys, we’ve researched home stores, grocers, drug stores, … Read more »

Free Stickers! 190 Tested & Easy Ways to Get Stickers Mailed To You

Author | March 20th, 2024 | Free Stuff
A mac laptop with free stickers on it.

Are you looking for free stickers? Do you want name-brand stickers from companies you, or your kids love? We do!

At MoneySmartFamily we love free stuff. Especially free things that our kids love or that can be given as gifts.

We’ve researched hundreds of companies and created this easy-to-use list. We update it every few weeks to keep it current and to make sure all of the sites still offer free stickers. 

108 Companies with sticker request forms on site. (page 1)
28 places to send a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) (page 2)
19 places with a … Read more »

34 of the Best Free Educational Websites for Kids

Author | March 20th, 2024 | Education, Free Stuff, Kids & Money
29 Free Educational Websites for Kids including science, history, reading, math, news, coding and more!

If you’re looking for great websites to enhance your child’s learning you’re going to love this list of the best free educational websites for kids.

It can sometimes be hard to find the ideal balance of fun and learning. The challenge might seem daunting, but have no fear the perfect learning website is out there.

Just check out this list of fun and information-filled sites to find the right website for you and your kids!

We’ve put this list into 7 different categories to make your search easier. See the table of contents for details.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 A Directory of Free … Read more »

How Long Should I Keep My Car? When Should I Buy a New One?

Author | March 19th, 2024 | Car Auto
How long Should I Keep My Car? - Should I Keep My Car or Sell It? 3 women pushing their black car next to a grassy field.

“How long should I keep my car?” is a question we are often asked. When things start breaking on a car many people think the only solution is to replace it with a new car. 

But is there a point in time when keeping your current vehicle becomes more expensive than selling it?

Making the decision to keep a car and repair it or sell it and buy another one is always tough. But if you follow our 3 step evaluation system, you’ll know the answer to whether it’s time to sell or keep your wheels.

A reader asked us, “How Long Should … Read more »

8 Easy Pets for Kids: Choose the Best Pet for your Family

Author | March 13th, 2024 | Pets
Pets for Kids: 8 Different choices for Your Family!

How do you choose the best pet for kids or your family? In this article, we’ll share our experiences and a list of 8 easy pets for kids and families.

An easy pet is one that doesn’t require constant attention or nurture. And doesn’t cost a lot of money to keep happy and healthy.

We’ll give you a realistic view of the cost to purchase and keep a pet. We’ll also talk about the time commitment required for each one.

Pet ownership in America is huge! There are approximately 70 million dogs and 80 million cats kept as pets.

Of this number, about 7.6 … Read more »

Amazing Ways to Save Money & Eat Healthier this Year (13 Tips)

Author | March 12th, 2024 | Medical / Health
Save money - Healthy living healthy eating

We’re always looking for easy ways to save money & eat healthier. And to be more aware of the nutritional value of the foods we buy and eat.

Here are 12 ways can we save money & eat healthier without going to extremes.

It’s a well-known fact that some of the most common New Year’s Resolutions are to lose weight and to get finances in order.

We’re hoping that this blog will inspire you on both fronts if you’ve made either of these resolutions this year. You can lose weight by eating healthier and you can eat healthier without spending a fortune! So let’s … Read more »

19 Affordable and Fun Spring Activities for Families

Author | March 7th, 2024 | Recreation/Fun
A list of inexpensive Spring recreation and fun ideas

Spring Activities – if you’re looking for fun spring activities for families this is the place. Spring is a time full of awesome and affordable recreational events. It’s the time for plants and trees to come back to life. And in many parts of the country families can be outside to enjoy the more temperate weather and outdoor activities.

If we just look ahead at the upcoming calendar & holidays there are plenty of opportunities for fun on the affordable side.

EVENTS AND SPRING ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES

Are there special Spring events in your area that tourists usually attend? Well, maybe you would … Read more »

How to Find the Best Thrift Stores Near Your Location and Online

Author | March 6th, 2024 | Clothes
Thrift Store Deals - How to Find them Near You! #ShopThriftStores #ThriftStoreDeals

Have you ever Googled, Thrift Stores Near Me? If you have, you know that there are treasures galore at prices that will make your friends roll their eyes.

If you haven’t asked this question, get ready, because we’re going to help you find the most awesome deals ever. There are thrift stores near you, no matter where you live.

What is your favorite way to answer the question, “I love that jacket, where did you get it?”

Some people would be forced to name a regular store with a high sticker price, but if you are anything like me then the answer is … Read more »

Family Teamwork: How to Accomplish More, Faster, Working Together

Author | March 5th, 2024 | Kids & Money
Family Teamwork - working together - sisters baking

Does your family work together as a team? We raised five kids and found that family teamwork helped us accomplish things faster. It also helped build our kids’ work-ethic and confidence.

Teaching kids the value of Family Teamwork has far-reaching effects. It translates into club activities, sports, jobs, church and eventually into their own families. 

In this article, we’ll share some tools and strategies that we used for more than 25 years as we raised and released our kids.

By the way, we didn’t do it perfectly. We had some stumbles, we had some failures, but overall, our kids learned that when we work … Read more »

Paycheck Mistake? Don’t Wait Get it Fixed Right Now!

Author | March 1st, 2024 | Budgeting, Make Money
Paycheck Problems? A red brick will with large white letters spelling out "Tax."

Did your employer make a mistake on your paycheck? Have you been shorted some money or do you have one of these other problems:

Not enough tax withheld?
Vacation time not correct?
Overtime not correct?
Hours missing?

It’s not fun finding a mistake on your paycheck. But with a little work, most of these types of problems can be overcome quickly.

We received this question from a Free Email Newsletter subscriber and thought you’d find it helpful.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Question about IRS Paycheck Withholding Shortfall2 MoneySmart Answer:3 8 Things to Do About A Withholding Mistake4 Other Employer … Read more »