One of the first blogs I ever started reading was Mom Advice.  I was drawn to it because she faithfully posted "Freebie Friday" - a collection of freebies you could request each week. But I stuck with it because, blog author Amy Clark shared post after post of money-saving ideas. I loved that she was able to create so many beautiful things from a shoestring budget and her imagination.  She reminded me of a Martha Stewart of frugality - without the snobbery and the jail time! Clark has … [Read more...]

I've called northern Minnesota my home for nearly all my life.  I can bait my own fish hook, understand (and enjoy) hockey, and know how to deal with ice dams. Chris Niskanen knows all these things, too.  Like me, Niskanen grew up in the same area I call home.  Now he's taken his passion for Minnesota and turned it into a handy guide for anyone who wants to know what it's like to live "Up North." The Minnesota Book of Skills by Chris Niskanen brings to life the basic know-how that makes us … [Read more...]

I first met Carrie Rocha from the blog Pocket Your Dollars at a blogging event in Minneapolis in 2009.  We were both relatively new Minnesota bloggers, but I immediately recognized that she had an intense focus. I likened her a little to a tenacious terrier - scrappy and determined to make her way.  After reading Rocha's new book,Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, and Keep More of What You Make, I realized that her unwavering … [Read more...]

There are three criteria I consider when deciding what to make for dinner: How much time does it take to make? Can I afford the ingredients? And will my family eat it? So when I was asked if I wanted to review the All You Delicious on a Dime Cookbook, I was hopeful I'd find some fresh dinner inspiration. The All You Delicious on a Dime Cookbook is written by the food editors of one of my favorite money-saving magazines, All You.  The cookbook contains 154 simple, money-saving recipes - … [Read more...]

I have three boys.  Well, four if you count my husband!  And they all seem to want to eat dinner.  I mean, what's up with that? There are three things I dislike about that: I have to buy the food. I have to cook the food. I have to clean the kitchen after I cook the food. Fortunately, Erin Chase (a.k.a "The $5 Dinner Mom") has come up with a new cookbook to help. The $5 Dinner Mom One-Dish Dinners Cookbook is full of simple, healthy, tasty recipes designed to get dinner on the … [Read more...]

I stopped by the grocery store earlier this week to pick up a few things and was surprised to see that food prices are already rising. I've already been preparing for food price hikes, but I hadn't realized that the price increases would start so soon.  With less high-value coupons available, I'm on a quest to find new ways to save on food for my family. One of the ways I plan to save money is by eating less processed food.  But we are a busy family, and while I love the thought of knowing … [Read more...]