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Holiday Party Survival Guide: Host, Gift and Dress Up for Less

Dec

2012

‘Tis the season to be jolly,” and that means a busy schedule full of holiday parties with friends, families, coworkers and neighbors. Depending on your social scene and business obligations, your calendar may quickly fill up with back-to-back festivities, all during the time of year that is most hectic and expensive for many. So how to stay financially sane during the holiday-party season? Below are several tips on how to host, gift and dress up for less from Andrea Woroch, a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips ...

Coupons vs. Healthy Eating?

May

2012

Someone once said to me that an easy step to feeding your family more healthy food is to only shop on the perimeter of the grocery store. That is because the perimeter consists of meat, produce, dairy, and refrigerated perishable items, while the inner aisles consist of processed, preserved and frozen foods. However, when I read articles or see stories about these “uber” coupon clippers” I have to wonder how someone can possibly accomplish such amazing savings if you DON’T shop in those inner aisles? For one thing, health foods (and when I say health foods I mean real health ...

My New Gardening Crew 1

Jul

2010

My husband and I recently made the decision that paying for a gardener in this crappy economy when we have four kids in the house is ridiculous. It’s not like we have acres of grass to cut, it takes more time to get out the mower, check the oil and fill it with gas then it actually takes to cut the grass. Most lawns in Southern California, if you have one at all, are about the size of a postage stamp anyway. Our kids are at the age now where they need to be given some more responsibilities around the ...

How a Family Benefits from a Recession

Dec

2009

There was an opinion piece in Newsweek written by Kathleen Deveny asking whether the recession could be good for families. The article merely explored the potential changes in parents’ roles, but it started me thinking and asking the same question on a bigger level. I started thinking about how the past year has impacted families across America and what real lasting benefits there may be to our children: Being smarter with money As parents, we try to teach our kids to be smart with money, to take some of their birthday cash or allowance and set it aside for savings. ...

Cheap Toys 2

Jan

2009

If you have a kid who finds more entertainment out of playing with cardboard boxes than the toys that came in them, then I have a tip for you. My oldest son was a cardboard kid. He would make forts and planes, space ships and boats, you name it, out of the boxes, by drawing, painting, gluing, pasting, poking, taping and sticking things all over them. But now, at the age of 10, he has officially graduated from cardboard boxes to something even more captivating and fascinating. Electronics! My neighbor had a garage sale with her kids today so her son could raise money ...