DIY Patriotic Wreath

I am a wreath person. I admit it. There is no shame in it. I change out my wreaths seasonally and often I change them out for holidays as well. I even have wreaths for indoors. I didn't realize I had such a "wreath thing" going on until I starting writing this post and was looking for links of other wreath posts I have done, which I will share at the end. My seasonal wreaths might last just one season or the same season for a couple of years depending, but the holiday one might only be up for … [Read more...]

Planning A Frugal Summer

By Justin Weinger 1 Comment

Most people think winters are long in Minnesota. They can be long, but what's really long is spring. It comes in bright and sunny and full of hope and 60-degree weather, and then the next day it's 25 degrees and snowing. A few days later it's 50 degrees and rains all day. And the cycle repeats for weeks. Our long drawn-out spring always has our family longing for summer. And since the winter and spring are so long, and the summer is so short, we try to make sure we're planning a frugal … [Read more...]

DIY Inexpensive Easter Centerpieces

By Justin Weinger 13 Comments

Swapping our decorations for the holidays can be fun, but can also become costly if we're not careful. So when I thought about Easter, I wanted to make sure I came up with an inexpensive idea. … [Read more...]

Inexpensive Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

By Justin Weinger 1 Comment

This time of year makes a lot of people hearts beat fast, and it's not at the sight of their sweetheart. They're in sticker shock from the cost of Valentine's Day! Romantic cards, flowers, fancy dinners, and gifts can all make a seemingly lovely day an extremely expensive one. So if you'd like to share your feelings with a loved one without emptying your bank account, consider these inexpensive ways to celebrate Valentine's Day: … [Read more...]

Your Guide To After The Holidays

By Justin Weinger 1 Comment

I enjoy this time of year. The main thrust of the holiday chaos is done and now I can bask in a sense of accomplishment and sleep off my sugar coma. I also enjoy it because with the extra time to relax, I'm able to regroup for the new year. Today I want to share with you posts from post-holidays past. I hope they offer you some inspiration and act as your guide to after the holidays. … [Read more...]

Find Joy During the Holiday Season

By Justin Weinger 4 Comments

When you run a website like I do, you spend a lot of time online. And lately, it has been so incredibly draining. There is a lot of ugliness in the world right now. There is a lot of anger and judgment. There are also many people suffering with job loss, heartbreak, mental illness, and physical ailments. Then there are others who are caught up in the consumerism, who believe that buying the right things means you're "winning" at Christmas. I find it sad to see so much pain and ugliness … [Read more...]

Holiday Gifts That Don’t Create Clutter

By Justin Weinger 3 Comments

This was the year of the great decluttering. Millions of people read Marie Kondo's Book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and tried to figure out which items in their home sparked joy and which did not. We saw people declutter, downsize, and minimize. And now it's the holidays. We want to give gifts that spark joy. We want to give things that won't create clutter or cause unnecessary work. How do we give gifts that don't undo the hard work of those trying to live with less? … [Read more...]