WANT TO WORK FROM HOME? CLICK HERE FOR THE STEP-BY-STEP PLAN!
Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List.

Summer Bucket List

Classic View
Grid View
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 22, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Green Smoothies, Sidewalk Chalk, Snow Treasure, and a game of Old Maid (Day 6)

Read More

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Green Smoothies, Sidewalk Chalk, Snow Treasure, and a game of Old Maid (Day 6)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We had a very laid back Friday full of lots of frugal family fun. Here’s a little peek into our day:

We made our favorite Green Monster Smoothies.

So good and refreshing — especially after my daily run!

We went outside and played with sidewalk chalk on the deck.

We were hoping that maybe we could make the Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk by spraying the drawings with vinegar as outlined here. But apparently it only fizzes if you make Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint with baking soda. So we’ll have to try that idea again sometime soon!

But everyone had fun drawing and spraying, regardless!

While the children played, I read a few chapters of one of our current read-alouds — Snow Treasure. We are loving this book, by the way!

After playing outside, we came in and Kathrynne and I played a rousing game of Old Maid together.

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 21, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Marshmallow & Toothpick Structures (Day 5)

Read More

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Marshmallow & Toothpick Structures (Day 5)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I was inspired by Angie from Creating Our Home for today’s project! And I’m so glad we tried this because it was a huge hit — especially with Kathrynne.

All you need is a bag of mini marshmallows and some toothpicks. You might have both on hand, or you could pick them up at the Dollar Store or Walmart very inexpensively.

Show your children how to connect the toothpicks and marshmallows together to make structures and then let them be creative and see what they come up with!

I gave each of the children their own bowls of marshmallows to make it easier (and to prevent any possible arguments over who gets the marshmallow bag!).

And don’t forget to have a snack of marshmallows at the end!

I think Silas enjoyed the snacking on marshmallows at the end best of all! 🙂

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 21, 2012 comment

We Paid Cash: A New-To-Us Car

Read More

We Paid Cash: A New-To-Us Car

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We paid cash!A testimony from Jessica who blogs at Jess and the Boys

In May 2009, my husband and I committed our first (of many) major money mistakes. I cringe as I even type this because looking back, I’m shocked that my common sense did not kick in at the time: we purchased two brand-new vehicles from a dealer on the same day.

We had just had our first son in March and I had quit my job as a case manager at girls’ shelter to stay-at-home with him. It’s safe to say we could not afford one new car, let alone two!

We were hit hard by a job loss that subsequently led to quite a bit of credit card debt and being several months behind on bills, but have slowly crept our way out of the red. One of our major goals, along with paying off the cards, has been to get rid of at least one of our car payments and pay for a car with cash.

In the fall of 2011, with the birth of our second son approaching, my husband and I decided enough was enough and sat down to discuss how we planned to get rid of the car. We knew if we sold it, we would want to buy an older SUV in cash and install a navigation system.

Here are some of the ways we saved:

  • We stopped pulling my husband’s sales commissions as they came and let them build until the time was right or a good deal crossed our path.
  • We scoured our budget to see where we were spending too much and made an action plan for reducing the overspending.
  • We automated our savings withdrawals directly to an online savings account.
  • We cut out all eating at restaurants, averaged the amount we spent every month and put that into an online savings account; we’ve learned to get creative with our at-home dates.
  • We reduced our monthly grocery bill by eating less meat, having weeks of eating from the pantry instead of shopping, and cooking based on deals at the supermarket versus what we felt like having.
  • We shopped around for car insurance to lower our monthly payment.
  • I started doing some work from home — designing invitations, websites, and other odd jobs for an old employer to earn extra income.

By chance, my cousin happened to be looking for a new vehicle last month and was inquiring about my car; I jumped at the opportunity to let her know it was for sale! After a test drive, she was sold — both my cousin and the car.

Later that month, it just so happened that we came across a stellar deal on a Chevy Tahoe, one of my dream cars. My husband had saved up enough commission to buy the vehicle in cash, and our growing pile of cash was enough that not only were we able to outfit the Tahoe with a navigation system, but we added a DVD player as well!

It has been three weeks now that I’ve been driving it and I love it, especially since it reflects the fact that we are learning from our previous mistakes. With a positive attitude and some resourcefulness, I know we will have our second car sold and move even closer to our number one goal – being debt-free.

Jessica is a stay at home mother of two who lives in El Centro, CA. She shares stories about her life, recipes, home projects and other things at her blog, Jess and the Boys.

Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 21, 2012 comment

How to Have Productive Mornings When You Have Early Risers

Read More

How to Have Productive Mornings When You Have Early Risers

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jessica of Mothering With Creativity

In lieu of the recent posts about waking up early, and being a part of the many commenters whose children are up by 5:30 a.m. in the morning, I thought I’d share some tips for making mornings easier, despite the early risers!

I have 3 children ages 4 and under. My baby still wakes up once in the middle of the night, and is up by 5:30 a.m. My two-year-old follows him 15 minutes later. My 4-year-old has learned to “sleep in” until 6:45 a.m. — woohoo! 🙂

I work part-time in the mornings teaching kindergarten, and my husband also leaves the house by 7:25 a.m. It occasionally happens that I have a productive morning with all the children running around and playing nicely. However, most mornings, that is not the case, and so I do not expect it.

Since parents of early risers typically have early-to-bedders, the evenings are often prime “prepping” time for the next day.

Here’s how I use my evenings to make my mornings more enjoyable:

Prepare Lunches

It can often take me 25 minutes to make five lunches for five very different people. (I know it would be easier to say “everyone eats the same thing!” but I do enjoy the special touches for each person, and so it’s something that’s worth it to me to spend a few extra minutes preparing.) Preparing lunches the night before saves that much time and stress from my morning.

Shower at Night

I hate showering at night. Did I mention I hate showering at night? However, I’ve been showering at night for almost three months now. I still hate it, though maybe not as much as I did three months ago!

I go to bed with wet hair (annoying) and I just straighten it in the morning (and use a little water to get out out any crazy kinks). Though I would prefer to shower in the morning, showering at night shaves a lot of time off of my morning routine.

Pick Out Clothes

For the indecisive child (or parent), making clothing choices the night before can save a lot of morning time stress. If my 2 and 4-year-olds know what they are going to wear ahead of time, they are capable of getting themselves dressed without me. This saves me the time, and allows them to practice valuable skills.

Fill Juice Cups

Does anybody else have a child with a one-track mind? I’m sure that in some regards this focus can be a blessing, but at 5:45 a.m., the insistence that “no one else moves until I get my almond milk” is enough to drive me up a wall.

The simple solution? Fill a sippy with almond milk (or juice, water, milk, etc.) the night before and place it in the fridge. As soon as they wake up, they can get their drink, and you don’t have to drop everything to fill a cup. On days when I remember to do this, my two-year-old gives me the biggest smiles.

Make Lists

I love lists. While trying to leave in the morning, do you ever find yourself running in and out of the house for all of the “forgotten” things?

Make a list of all the easily forgotten and necessary items on a sticky note and leave it on the counter or the garage door. Before you leave, be sure to give a quick glance over your list.

Remembering to do some, if not all, of these things helps make my morning with early-risers much more enjoyable and much more smooth.

And for the record, I wrote this in the early morning while my kids slept in. How’s that for irony? That usually never happens!

Do you have early risers at your house? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for making the most of your mornings!

Jessica Locke is a wife and mom of three small children. She loves Jesus, being creative, eating sweet treats, and making her home a place where others can feel at safe and loved. She blogs about life as a mom at Mothering With Creativity.

photo credit

make-over-your-mornings-504

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Mornings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you revolutionize your productivity, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

If you’ve ever wished that you could figure out how to get more done, have more organization in your life, and find time to spend on things you love, the Make Over Your Mornings Course is for you. Find out more about it here.

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 21, 2012 comment

Do-It-Yourself: Worm Composting Bin

Read More

Do-It-Yourself: Worm Composting Bin

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

QueenBeeCoupons.com shows you how to make a homemade worm composting bin.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 20, 2012 comment

Is frugality really worth it?

Read More

Is frugality really worth it?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Recently, someone emailed in and asked if I died tomorrow would I regret the frugal choices I’ve made?

It was an excellent question and one that gave my husband and I pause — and produced a great discussion for us as a couple. Both of our answers were a resounding “No. We would absolutely not regret the frugal choices we’ve made.”

While we’ve made plenty of mistakes individually and as a family, we have zero regrets that we’ve chosen to live beneath our means, make sacrifices, delay purchases until we can pay cash for them, and live on a strict written budget.

To some people, not getting what you want right away or doing without might seem like a miserable existence. But truthfully, we’ve found it to be just the opposite: we live very fulfilled lives and we wake up excited about each day.

However, we both believe that the reason we feel fulfilled and passionate about life — even though we’ve made counter-cultural choices that some would balk at — is because frugality is a means to an end for us. If we were just frugal for being frugal’s sake, we’d likely quickly burn out or give up.

It’s not about saving money so we can continuously upgrade our lifestyle and always be buying bigger and better things. We want to live beneath our means so that we are able to give generously to others.

There’s a world of need around us. The more we steward our money well, the more abundance we will have to meet those needs. The more we save, the more we have to give.

Your efforts and my efforts might seem like a drop in the bucket when compared with all of the need that’s out there. But collectively, we can make a huge impact.

Let’s live simply so that others can simply live. Because truly, there is nothing more fulfilling than living a life with outstretched arms.

photo credit; photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 20, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Bubble Painting (Day 4)

Read More

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Bubble Painting (Day 4)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Kathrynne was feeling better today and we were able to try the Bubble Painting.

I didn’t think to look up multiple recipes for Bubble Painting on the internet, but I just went off of this pin on Pinterest. Afterward, I did look up recipes online and realized that this probably would have worked better had we used actual paint mixed in with the bubbles instead of food coloring.

But hey, we had a lot of fun making abstract paintings and we used stuff we already had on hand, so it wasn’t a failed experiment by any means. 🙂


Silas didn’t enjoy painting as much as the girls and quickly resorted to building with Legos instead.

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 20, 2012 comment

How We Saved on a Costly Roof Repair

Read More

How We Saved on a Costly Roof Repair

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Testimonial from Elle of Cleverly Changing

One year after my husband and I married, we decided to purchase a home. As recent college graduates, we were not looking for our dream home, but just a “starter home.” We found a realtor, mortgage broker, home inspector, and then our home.

After living in the home for about four years we realized we had a costly problem. When we came home from our vacation in September, we found water in our coat closet. The area had received a lot of rain while we were away and we were scared, but prayed about it and called our Home Warranty company to see if this was a repair they would fix.

Unfortunately, in our situation, the leak was not covered. Instead, we had to research and find a reliable roofing company in our area.

We received free estimates from five different companies. We even called one construction/remodeling company that had replaced our homes windows with energy efficiency windows but also worked on roofing jobs as well. We wanted to see if we could receive a reasonable sized “past-customer” discount.

Surprisingly, their estimate with the discount was almost $3,000 more than the other roofing estimates. Luckily, one of the other companies was willing to give me an extra $500 dollar discount, which made their estimate the cheapest.

In this instance, we were able to receive the same quality repair for a cheaper amount. Although the company who replaced windows were not willing to match the price, we were blessed to get the new roof, reliable service, and pay cash.

We had to tap into our emergency fund, but we were thankful to be able to cover the cost of the repairs without any financing. So it always pays to ask, “Is this the best price your company can offer?”

Also remember, when you purchase a home, you have to factor in the cost of maintenance as well. Home owners cannot take the importance of home repairs lightly.

Repairs can be costly, so having an emergency fund or home repair fund is imperative. Always research the contracting company to make sure they are in good-standing with the better business bureau and they are insured in your state.

Elle is a freelance writer, mommy blogger, and owner of the blog, Cleverly Changing. Her blog seeks to encourage, empower, & inspire others to live cleverly, changing when necessary. Every Friday she shares finance tips with her readers.

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 20, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: What are the most cost-effective teeth whitening options?

Read More

Ask the Readers: What are the most cost-effective teeth whitening options?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Christina:

I am interested in whitening my teeth and would love to know the best ways to save on teeth whitening. I have never had professional whitening done — is it worth the cost? Also, are the home whitening kits effective? -Christina

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 19, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Painting With Water + Read Alouds (Day 3)

Read More

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Painting With Water + Read Alouds (Day 3)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.


Today didn’t go as I’d planned, but it was a good day, nonetheless. Kathrynne was still quite sick today, so I spent a lot of time caring for her and we finally ended up taking her in to the doctor. Come to find out, she has a really bad double ear infection. Poor girl!

At any rate, we didn’t get around to doing the Bubble Painting I’d planned that we’d do today. But we still had some frugal fun — or at least lots of special time together.

We did some paint with water books (I picked these up on a Buy One, Get One Half Off special from Light of Faith at our homeschool conference), Silas got to cut his pages (using scissors is a big privilege for him now and something he can only do with Mommy around after he cut his hair a few weeks ago!), and Kaitlynn made and painted a paper basket.

We then spent a long time cuddled up on the couch together reading a big stack of books with Kathrynne. We’ve been keeping our library hopping with all the books we’ve been checking out from them recently  — especially now that Kathrynne is reading so voraciously!

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: There seems to be some confusion as to what to link up with this series. Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 19, 2012 comment

Good Reads: The One-Minute Entrepreneur

Read More

Good Reads: The One-Minute Entrepreneur

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you’re a business owner or are considering starting your own business, I’d recommend reading The One-Minute Entrepreneur — or listening to the audiobook like I did. Written in a story form, it’s a quick read that’s packed with a wealth of wisdom regarding foundational principles that should guide business owners.

It’s easy to sometimes forget the big picture and what really matters in the midst of the busyness of business demands and life. This story portrays how you can find blessing in making wise decisions and how losing your focus can ruin your family, health, marriage, and business in the process.

I especially appreciated the emphasis on having your priorities in order and not neglecting your family in order to climb the corporate ladder or advance your business. This is a message that is often overlooked in business books. In addition, I appreciated the words of advice on treating your employees well, not losing sight of the big picture, being a giver, using your position of leadership for good, and leaving a legacy.

See more book recommendations I’ve posted this year here. You can also see all books I’ve read so far in 2012 here.

Have you read any good books recently?

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 19, 2012 comment

Do-It-Yourself: Homemade Water Wall

Read More

Do-It-Yourself: Homemade Water Wall

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ItsGravyBaby.com shows you how to make a homemade water wall out of recycled materials.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jun 18, 2012 comment

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Edible Peanut Butter Playdough (Day 2)

Read More

4 Weeks of Frugal Family Fun: Edible Peanut Butter Playdough (Day 2)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Kathrynne woke up with a fever today. So much of my day was spent caring for her — and much of the other normal stuff just got shelved. By late afternoon, she was finally feeling a little better, so Kaitlynn and Silas and I let her rest while we stole away to the kitchen to make peanut butter playdough.

Kaitlynn and Silas had a lot of fun helping me mix up the playdough and then I gave them each a ball of dough and a few toppings on a plate plus a cookie sheet and let them just have at it. They had a lot of fun making their own creations and pictures with the playdough on the cookie sheet.

And then they had even more fun bringing it to show Kathrynne and then all eating their creations together.

The whole project was simple, very inexpensive (we just used ingredients we already had on hand!), and easy to clean up. After the Flubber mess, the fact that I didn’t have to spend quite a bit of time scrubbing goo off the walls and the kitchen table after we were finished was a bit of a welcome relief. 🙂


Peanut Butter Playdough Recipe

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 to 1 cup powdered milk
  • Toppings to decorate playdough: chocolate chips, jelly beans, M&M’s, sunflower seeds, raisins, chopped fruit, shredded coconut, etc.

Mix first three ingredients together until nice dough is formed (add more powdered milk if the dough is too sticky). Let children form into shapes and decorate.

If you don’t have powdered milk, here are two other recipes I found:

Peanut Butter Playdough #2: 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of peanut butter, + 1 tablespoon of honey

Peanut Butter Playdough #3:  4 cups of peanut butter, 1 cup of light corn syrup, + 2 cups of powdered sugar

Did you do something fun and frugal as a family today? If you blogged about it, I’d love for you to leave a link to your blog post below. Or, you can just tell us what you did in the comments.

Note: There seems to be some confusion as to what to link up with this series. Since the purpose of this series is to encourage you to be intentional about fun in your home this summer, please only link up posts showing pictures/sharing details of fun things you did as a family today (or within the last few days). Posts that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted in order to make it fair for those who are putting forth a lot of effort to participate in this challenge.