How to Host a New Year’s Party at Home – Fun & Frugal!

Author | December 27th, 2023 | Holidays
Hosting a New Years Party that is Fun and Frugal

Are you posting a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day party at home and don’t have a huge budget? We’ll share with you what we make to eat, the games we play, and the fun we have.

We’ve hosted a New Year’s Eve Party full of Family Fun each year for the past 20 years of so. Recently we switched to hosting a New Year’s Day Open House. 

This party tradition started years ago and doesn’t look like it’s ending anytime soon. Even though our kids are grown, they love inviting their friends and helping put on a great event.

When … Read more »

The True Meaning of Gift Giving – Reducing Holiday Gift Pressures (with grace)

Author | December 19th, 2023 | Holidays, Gifts
Reduce Holiday Gift Pressure Christmas Tree Ornaments

If you’re looking for the true meaning of Gift Giving, how to enjoy Christmas and the whole holiday season without feeling obligated to spend gobs of money. We’ve got 7 ways to overcome Holiday Gift Pressure.

We believe that gift-giving is a tangible way of saying “I love you.” But we also believe that spending lots of money means that I love you more than spending time and carefully selecting an appropriate gift.

A Reader Question about Holiday Gift Giving Pressures

I really enjoy reading about how your family enjoys holidays like Christmas without spending a lot of money (we all know what … Read more »

How to Make A Christmas Budget that Makes your Holidays Jingle with Joy

Author | December 14th, 2023 | Holidays
My Christmas Budget - Six Saving Tips to Make Your Holidays Jingle with Joy

Are you wondering how to set up a Christmas Budget for Gift Giving? We’ll share that and some other tips for saving on gift-giving so that your holidays will Jingle with Joy.

Christmas is coming, and it seems to get here faster and faster each year. And for many families what accompanies the approach of the holiday is the accumulation of lots of presents and . . . lots of bills or credit card debt.

Is there a way to break the cycle of obligatory gift-giving and the weight of January’s debt regret?

Our Christmas Budget Doesn’t Include A lot of Gifts

TABLE … Read more »

Giving Money As A Gift: Is it Better to Give Cash or a Present to Kids?

Author | December 13th, 2023 | Holidays, Gifts
Gift Giving presents under a christmas tree.

Gift Giving for Kids, it’s an age-old question. Should we give our kids money for Christmas or should we just give them presents? You might be surprised by our advice to this family!

Question About the Holidays and Gift Giving for Kids

I have your three books and have read about the MoneySmart Kids System that teaches kids to manage their own money; I have a question regarding giving money for holidays (to your children). Do you give money to your children for holidays or do you have a rule to not give money?

Our Strategy with Gift Giving for … Read more »

Christmas on a Small Budget—30 Ideas For A Magical Holiday

Author | December 12th, 2023 | Holidays, Gifts
A great christmas on a small budget

How can you have a Magical Christmas and an extra special Christmas on a small budget if your bank account is less than enchanted?

We all want to make Christmas a special time of year for our kids and other family members. But we don’t want to wake up in January with huge credit card bills and a large dose of Christmas regret.

It really comes down to time versus money. If you don’t have the money to buy every present you want to give, then you’ll have to invest some time to make the magic happen.

If you can involve your spouse … Read more »

Great Holiday Entertaining on a Budget—Food, Fun, and More Festive!

Author | December 7th, 2023 | Holidays
Holiday Entertaining on a Budget doesn't have to be boring or costly!

Holiday Entertaining on a budget does not have to be boring! But does the cost of hosting a fund holiday party overwhelm you? These days with smaller groups of people getting together, you can save some money, and still put on a great event.

Here are 4 inexpensive ways to host holiday parties this year that are fun, frugal, and full of holiday cheer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Holiday Entertaining on a Budget does not have to be Costly!2 1. Progressive Dinners – Save Money & Stress3 2. Plan a Simpler Meal for a Large Group4 3. Pot … Read more »

Want to Know What to do with Inherited Money? 6 Smart & 6 Dumb Things

Author | December 6th, 2023 | Budgeting
Want to know what to do with an inheritance?

Are you coming into an inheritance in the near future? Or have you already inherited some money? Are you wondering what to do with inherited money?

We’ve been going through the process for the past few years and have learned a lot. We’ve also met with some incredibly wise and experienced estate and investment experts in the process. In this article, we’ve reached out to Attorney Lyle Soloman, the principal from Oak View Law Group in Rocklin, California.

How Inheritances Can Be Received

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 How Inheritances Can Be Received2 Reactions to Inheriting Money3 6 Smart Things … Read more »

How to Cook a Turkey Like a Pro: Video & Tutorial

Author | November 21st, 2023 | Grocery--Cooking, Holidays, Recipes
How to Cook a Turkey-Step by Step Directions for Saline Bath, Stuffing & Lacing, Searing & Tenting; and Cooking.

If you want to learn how to cook a turkey that is perfect every time, learn from Annette. She is a pro and has had lots of practice over the past 35 years. Annette has cooked more than 120 turkeys. In this video, she shows you her “secret” process to defrost, stuff, sear and cook a delicious roasted turkey every time.

7 Steps to Cooking a Great Thanksgiving Turkey

Print the .pdf Directions for Cooking a Turkey Here

Cooking a turkey is a simple task if you follow these steps!

In this video, Annette shares her secret method to … Read more »

College Savings: 10 Out-of-the Box Ways Cut the Cost of Education

Author | October 3rd, 2023 | College & Education
College Savings. Out of the box Thinking. Cardboard box with a college mortar board and diploma flying out of it

Are you’re looking for college savings when trying to get a university education? This blog will give you plenty of out of the box and unconventional options for college savings.

If you take to heart just a few of these ideas it could save you $10,000 or more.

The college landscape is changing so rapidly that savings can be found in the most unusual places. Especially if you’re willing to research and question conventional thinking and dig a little deeper.

This is blog #5 in our College Savings Series. Scroll to the bottom of this page for links to the entire series.

College Prices … Read more »

21 Winning Tips for Job Searching After a Pandemic

Author | September 11th, 2023 | Budgeting, Make Money
How to Find a Job During a Pandemic

Are you trying to find a new job? Does your job search seem different than other times?

Hunting for a job in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and in life after it has changed significantly. In this article, we’ll help you understand what’s changed, what’s new, and what has stayed the same for job seekers.

Job Seeking During the Pandemic and Afterward

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Job Seeking During the Pandemic and Afterward2 How Job Hunting has Changed due to the Pandemic3 21 Tips to Help You Find A Great Job Now4 Pandemic Job Hunting Wrap-Up & Resources

No … Read more »

9 Easy Tips to Freeze Milk and How to Thaw it Safely

Author | September 7th, 2023 | Grocery--Freezer Tips
Tips to freeze and thaw milk

How can you save money on milk purchases? For years we’ve frozen milk that we bought on sale in our deep freezer, and then defrosted it when we were ready to use it. Freezing milk is not that hard to do if you follow our tips. Learn how we freeze and thaw milk safely and quickly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 1. The Smart Way to Freeze A Gallon of Milk2 2. How Long Does It Take to Freeze a Gallon of Milk?3 3. Does Milk Go Bad as it Freezes?4 4. How Do You Thaw Frozen Milk?Read more »

22 Best Trusted Survey Apps: Earn Cash from your Phone

Author | September 6th, 2023 | Budgeting
A girl holding a cell phone taking a survey.

Would you love to find the best mobile survey apps that could earn you money? We’ve done all the work for you by researching and testing them.

Do you enjoy sharing your opinion about things? Most of us do.

We’ve researched the 22 of the most popular survey apps that pay you for sharing your views.

The promise of making some money for answering questions might sound too good to be true. And there are some instances where it is.

It’s true that some survey companies might be less than ethical. But the list below only includes legitimate survey companies with good reviews.

These survey … Read more »

8 Fantastic Ways for Grandparents to Influence their Grandchildren

Author | August 30th, 2023 | Kids & Money
How grandparents Influence Grandchildren. So many Great ideas shared here!

We’re all about being realistic and frugal. In this article we’re looking for practical ways that grandparents can positively Influence their grandchildren – some of these ideas are amazing!

We asked our Facebook friends how they’ve seen Grandparents influence Grandchildren in a positive way. Our goal was to build a brainstormed list of ideas to encourage grandparents to be active participants in their grandchild’s life.

If your child’s grandparents (your in-laws or parents) could help your family with their financial and relational resources, what would you wish for?

This list is full … Read more »

Grade B Eggs – How to Save on Buying Eggs at the Grocery Store

Author | August 29th, 2023 | Groceries
3 Ways to buy Eggs at the Grocery Store for Maximum Savings! Learn what Grade B eggs are and how they can help you save money.

Do you know what Grade B Eggs are? And do you know how Grade B Eggs can save you money?

Eggs are a regular breakfast food in our house and millions of other homes across the country. But Egg prices go up and down on a regular basis and can sometimes rise as high as $7.00 a dozen. This can put a strain on the family’s food budget, especially if you like eggs.

How to save money with Grade B Eggs

How can a family enjoy a breakfast favorite without breaking their budget?

We’ve discovered a few ways to save on eggs that you … Read more »

115 Successful Dropouts from High School and College

Author | August 9th, 2023 | Education
College and Highschool Dropouts who became great successes!

You won’t believe some of the people on this list of successful high school and college dropouts.

Can dropouts from high school and college become successful contributors to society?

People like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, and MGM co-founder Marcus Lowe are prime examples of successful people. These are people who didn’t go to college or didn’t finish college.

Is education important? Yes, Of Course.

But is a formal education; public, private or parochial school, and college—are they critical to success. Yes . . . and No.

While researching the education chapter for our book The … Read more »

50+ Best Inexpensive Retirement Gift Ideas for Men & Women to Kick-Off The Golden Years

Author | July 11th, 2023 | Gifts
Best Retirement Gift Ideas #RetirementGifts

Do you need some retirement gift ideas? Are you looking for gift ideas that are cheap, fun or decadent?

We’ve collected some of the best-rated, inexpensive 5-star retirement gifts out there from Amazon,  Etsy, and other sources. We’ve found cheap, funny, touching and a few expensive highly-rated gift ideas for you to choose from.

The average cost of the gifts we have listed is around $30. Some are a little pricier, but if you get a group of people to pitch in, you can still stay around $30.

To give you lots of options to save money and to find personalized gifts, we’ve … Read more »

2022! Chick fil A’s Cow Appreciation Day: Dress Like A Cow & Get FREE Food

Author | July 4th, 2023 | Free Stuff, Recreation/Fun
Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A Abbey & Joe Economides got a free meal.

Chick-fil-A has an annual Cow Appreciation Day – sometimes called  “Dress LIke a Cow Day” others call it “Chick-fil-a Day.” It occurred each year at the beginning of July. And it was celebrated by more than 1.8 million people.

But Covid changed all of that. Since 2020 Cow Appreciation day has been canceled. Each year we check with the Chick-Fil-A website and update this post.

2023 Cow Appreciation Day Has Been Canceled

Posted on ChickFilA.com in 2023:

Chick-fil-A® restaurants are not hosting Cow Appreciation Day this year, but the Cows are back in new and exciting ways. To learn more about … Read more »

Is Buying a Timeshare Really Worth It? Are They a Scam or a Good Investment?

Author | June 28th, 2023 | Vacation/Travel
Are timeshares worth it. How can you get out of a timeshare?

Are Timeshares Worth It? Are they a scam? Or are they a good investment?

Are you considering buying a vacation property? Or are you trying to get out of a fractional ownership property that you either no longer use or can no longer afford?

We’ve experienced the buying, using, and trading of timeshares for more than 25 years. Although we’ve never been an owner, we’ve observed a master vacationer—Annette’s dad Syl.

Over the past 25 years, he has accumulated 6 different timeshares. He owns actual weeks at properties and timeshare points. We’ve worked with him, trading, banking, and negotiating for alternative weeks at … Read more »

Want to have fun around the Dinner Table? Try these 11 Different Ideas!

Author | June 27th, 2023 | Groceries
Around the dinner table: Making Eating Together Fun. A family making pizzas for dinner together.

If you want to make eating together as a family fun, you’ll love some of the things we do around the dinner table.

The family dinner hour is going the way of the dinosaur and black & white movies. But is the desire to eat meals together an old-fashioned, outdated notion? And with today’s faster-paced, non-relational lifestyle is it even possible?

Eating meals together is a mainstay of a cohesive family unit. Without this time of connection, you could end up with a group of disconnected people just living under the same roof.

Many families aren’t able to do a sit-down family dinner … Read more »

Great Fathers Day Ideas: Serving & Teaching Your Kids to Work

Author | June 7th, 2023 | Housing, Holidays
Fathers Day building memories and things with your kids

The typical Father’s Day celebration is to wait on Dad, hand, and foot, hand him the remote control, and let him do whatever he wants for the entire day.

Try a Different Kind of Father’s Day

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Try a Different Kind of Father’s Day2 Ideas That Turn Work into Play3 Best Gifts Ideas for This Father’s Day4 Learning to Do Home Repairs5 Tools that Steve Likes

This Father’s day we’d like to encourage Dads everywhere to have a different idea or outlook on the day. We’re challenging you to make it a day when you … Read more »

How Does A Budget Work Like a Dam to Protect You Financially?

Author | February 7th, 2023 | Budgeting
Hoover Dam provides water to millions of people. We explain how our dam budget helps us survive dry times.

Did you ever ask yourself, “How does a budget work?” Do you like the word “Budget?”

We often hear people refer to budgets in negative terms. Words that imply pain or restriction or deprivation. 

We have a different view of the way budgets work.

We look at a household budget as a positive thing.

It’s a tool that preserves our money and lets us enjoy life and the things we have.  We think a budget is very similar to a dam on a lake. Keep reading and find out why.

A BUDGET Like a Dam?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 A BUDGET Like a Dam?2 … Read more »

Cute Valentines Day Date Ideas That Are Inexpensive & Fun

Author | February 1st, 2023 | Holidays
Creative Valentines Date Ideas Couple standing in front of Love statue kissing.

Are you looking for some cute Valentine’s Day Date Ideas that don’t cost a lot of money? We love the idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day and those precious relationships that you have in your life. But we look at Valentine Recreation a little differently . . . are you surprised?

Valentine’s Day falls on a different day each year, but it’s a good time to get your husband to do something more romantic . . . especially after watching the Super Bowl last week.

Valentine Recreation with Thought

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Valentine Recreation with Thought2 Concerts3 Inexpensive Eating Out … Read more »

Dressing Up for the Holidays for Less: Holiday Party Outfits Savings

Author | December 6th, 2022 | Holidays, Clothes
3 sparkly holiday blouses—red, silver and green, hanging on hangers.

Holiday party outfits can be expensive, and everyone wants to look fantastic for the holidays. How can you get a great Holiday look without spending a fortune of money? We’ll share how you can dress up for the holidays with a minimal cash outlay, and look fabulous in the process.

Reader Question About Holiday Clothing Expenses

I know that I’ll be invited to several holiday parties this season and will need to get dressed up. And there isn’t money for new clothes right now. But I want to look good, and not put a balance on my credit card. What should I … Read more »

Stores Open On Thanksgiving Day – Black Friday Shopping [2021]

Author | November 10th, 2021 | Holidays
Thanksgiving Day Shopping Stores open and closed.

Are you wondering whether your favorite stores are opened or closed on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday? Check out the list below.

This year is going to be very different with some HUGE players taking a step back and staying closed on Thanksgiving Day. Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Kohl’s are among the most notable ones. But keep reading to see the entire list of 57 stores.

Another big change has been the stores releasing Black Friday pricing and starting sales as early as Halloween.

There are deals to be found, they may not only be on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

List of Stores … Read more »