Frugal Living

5 Things You Need For a Successful Garage Sale

The toy box is overflowing. The closet is bursting with stuff. Opening a cupboard around here should be done at your own risk. Yeah. It’s time for me to get ready to have another garage sale. I adore going to garage sales. The thrill of the hunt, the joy in finding a great deal, and [...]

How Much Money Do You Need to Get By?

by Christina Brown 0 comments

When you’re setting out to make your budget, you usually start by listing out all of your expenses. Then you compare it to your income and make adjustments as needed to get positive results. But how much money do you really need to get by?

Simple Science Fun with Kids

by Jessica 1 comment

We like to have an annual science playgroup with my kids and their friends, but we don’t limit their science exposure to just that one playgroup. We have developed our own science kit so that we can do experiments at any time. If you are interested in buying a science kit for your kids, the [...]

Ten Money Lessons I Learned From My Kids

by Christina Brown 0 comments

As a parent, we’re often told that we are our children’s first teachers. We try our best to help our children become human beings – to avoid entitlement – and to enjoy the world around them. But to a certain extent, I think children are the teachers, too. There are so many things I learned [...]

How to Make Homemade Natural Insect Repellent

by Jessica 1 comment

Chances are if you live in Minnesota or you have even visited the state you have seen the funny signs and t-shirts that display a large mosquito and says “Minnesota State Bird” (seriously though, our state bird is the Loon.) But being bit up by mosquitoes and gnats is not funny at all and neither [...]

Inexpensive Outdoor Spring Projects

by Michelle 0 comments

Just because our family is going through a financial transition, that does not let us off the hook for when it comes to working in the yard this spring. We will be having our first graduation open house next summer, so everything we can do this year to keep our yard looking good is a [...]

Why Being the Worst Parents Ever is a Good Thing

by Christina Brown 13 comments

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were voted the worst parents ever. The vote was held by my three children in our minivan on the drive home from a rather challenging trip to town. And while their intention was to upset us, it only strengthened us. We’re on a mission to avoid [...]

Money Meeting #4: Same Old, Same Old

by Christina Brown 4 comments

My husband and I resolved to hold regular money meetings this year. Our goal with the monthly meetings was to share the duties of managing our household finances and to keep an open dialogue about money. What happened in April was that, well, we forgot to have our money meeting. We’ve both been busy with [...]

Bracing for Financial Change

by Michelle 0 comments

I am consistently fascinated by how families make working and raising kids work. It is interesting what works for each couple and how that changes as you go through different stages of life. I love how we all seem to find our own ways. I have been a mom for 17 years and been out [...]

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