Gone in a flash!

Periodically I buy a large round roast to use for several meals.  I trim it, put it in the crock pot, sprinkle a package of Liptons Onion Soup mix over the top and add about one cup of water.  Covered and cooked for 5-6 hours on high and I end up with tender, lightly seasoned meat.  One roast usually makes enough meat for at least 6 meals.  Some gets shredded, some is cut up into chunks, some sliced and some left in a hunk for a pot roast.  Then I put everything into zip lock freezer bags and freeze until I'm ready to use it.

Today was one of those roast-cooking days.  I went to Costco and picked up a 5 pound slab of meat.  After cooking it, I decided it was one of the best roasts I've ever made...tender and easily shredded but not dry.  I used some of it to make broccoli stir-fry for dinner tonight and it was perfect! 

Then it happened.  I transferred the roast into a 13 X 9 inch pyrex baking dish to cool in the refrigerator.  As I was moving it onto the shelf, the refrigerator door started closing and the dish slipped out of my hand, landing with a loud shattering crash on the kitchen floor!  Glass, meat and juices scattered everywhere!  For one tiny brief second, I though about trying to save some of the meat.  NO WAY.  It was gone.  Sigh...

Sometimes, our best efforts to save money and save time disappear in a flash.  Just glad no one got cut.  I'll be more careful next time!

Grandma used to say...

This well-known saying has been around for generations and is as appropriate now as it was when my grandmother said it. 

Do you really need it?
Can you live without it?
What would happen if you didn't have it?
Can something else work in its place?

If those questions were asked every time you went to the store or drove by a yard sale or saw an advertisement in the newspaper, would you bring home as many impulse items?  Would your closets be as full of duplicate (or similar) clothes?  Would there be more room in your home?

So much of what we own falls into the "I wanted it" category rather than the "I needed it" category.  There's nothing wrong with buying things we want unless we don't have the money for it or place for it or the money could have been spent more wisely elsewhere.

Bringing back some of our parents and grandparents values isn't such a bad idea.  It worked for them and it can work for us.  Worth a try, anyway!

The lay off

At the beginning of May, my husband was laid off his job.  Although I knew his time of unemployment would be temporary, all of a sudden the future became one big unknown.  I hate that feeling!  My anxiety went into overdrive!

The first thing we did was put ourselves on a spending freeze.  No unnecessary spending.  We carefully went over our budget and reviewed each item to decide if we really wanted to spend our drastically reduced income on it.  Out went the gym membership (we rarely used it anyway!).  A phone call to our insurance agent lowered our monthly premium.  Turns out, we'd been overpaying for a couple of years due to children no longer on our policy.  A call to our internet provider got us a lower monthly price also.  And so it went.  Nothing was sacred.  Well, except for tithing...and one tenth of nothing isn't very much anyway!

We cut out eating at restaurants.  We stopped recreational shopping.  We were more careful with the groceries we bought...careful not to waste!  We worked on home projects that had been started and not finished.  We spent more time working in the garden and yard.  Our "movie nights" were in our living room, courtesy of Netflix and Redbox.  In short, we simplified our life.

Simple pleasures are the best!

A funny thing has happened since that day in May.  Even though my husband got a new (and better!) job in mid June, I still have no desire to spend money.  That spending freeze was just the thing I needed to put my spending in perspective.  Sometimes we need a crisis to wake us up and help us remember our priorities and goals.  Money is a wonderful resource and everyone needs it to live but often we get careless and use that resource unwisely.  I do not take it for granted any more.

A Tale of Two Sewing Machines

Two totally different sewing machines.  One an expensive machine, bought new for several hundred dollars.  The other one bought used for $6.99 at Goodwill, missing a piece in front of the arm.  Guess which one I regularly use.  Surprisingly, it's the cheap little used one.   Although I love the expensive one, it's been plagued with mechanical problems and I've already spent several hundred dollars more getting it "fixed".  

I bought the used sewing machine for my children when I was teaching them how to sew.  It's been abused and mistreated over the years but keeps on working.  I suppose when it finally breaks, I'll "retire" it for good and fix the big, fancy machine again but that day isn't here yet.
 
Moral of the story - Expensive isn't always better.  
                        Or - Even if you can't afford the best, you might get along just fine with                                 something a little more humble.

To enrich their lives

We all want to provide opportunities that enrich our children's lives.  For most people, that brings to mind trips to Europe and other exotic places, expensive lessons and organized experiences, and the best schools that money can buy.  What if your economic situation doesn't allow for such expenses? Are your children doomed to mediocrity?  Of course not!

To enrich means to make something better or to improve or enhance the quality of something.  With that definition in mind, every family is capable of providing enriching activities for their children.  You don't even need to leave your community to find quality activities and experiences to enrich and improve your family. 

With that mindset, you can see the value of everyday experiences.  Learning new skills will definitely enrich your child's life.  Even things like cooking, sewing, housework, home and yard maintenance, car maintenance, money management, and other mundane skills are vital for your children to know in order to be productive, self-sufficient adults.  Does that fit the definition of enrich?  I think so.

Gardening is a wonderful activity for children

How about researching free or inexpensive locations to visit and explore that are within 2 hours of your home?  Enriching?  Absolutely!  I've lived an hour from Seattle, WA for 15 years and had never explored some of the famous sites of Seattle.  What adventures I've missed!  It's so ingrained in us that to have fun we have to travel a great distance or spend great amounts of money.  It just isn't true.

A ferry trip in Seattle

Hiking and exploring

And what about using the resources available to you to provide good music in your home and develop new hobbies?  The computer is useful for more than just games and social media  :)  Try using it instead to teach your children how to learn a new skill or hobby.  Fill your home with different types of music.  Introduce your children to the great composers.

Watching an artist at work

Exploring new hobbies

The warm summer months are approaching and with that comes summer vacation for your children.  Maybe you could start now, brainstorming with your kids to plan experiences near home (and AT home) that will enrich their lives.  There is so much literally in your own backyard to discover.  You don't need a vacation to an exotic place to enrich and expand your life and the lives of your children.  What adventures will YOUR family have?

Let's go fly a kite!

Necessities for newborns

Such a sweetie! 

Being a mom for the first time is the ultimate step into the unknown.  :)  The realization that someone is going to depend on you for their very life is daunting, to say the least.   From the time you first learn that you are pregnant, you are bombarded with choices...home birth, medicated birth, c-section, natural birth, water birth, family in the birthing room, bonding, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, immunizations...the list goes on and on.  And the more you research the options, the more confusing it can get.

And then you have to decide what Baby's going to need to be comfortable and what YOU'RE going to need to be comfortable.  More advertising and more choices...going to the store to shop for Baby is more confusing than rewarding. 

Here's my list of what is a necessity for Baby and what's not.

0-6  months necessities
Equipment - 
1. Car seat....essential.  Whether it has a removable carrier is not as important.  Why?  Because studies have shown that when the car seat can be used as a baby carrier, Baby spends too much time in it.  In some cases, a baby's head can become flattened by the amount of time being in the same position.
2. Portable baby crib (like Pack n' Play).  New babies don't need a full sized crib yet and most parents prefer having their new baby sleep in their room.  A portable crib will make that easier and will also be useful when traveling.  Portable cribs can be used exclusively for several months.
3. Soft front carrier...much more comfortable for both Baby and Mommy than lugging around a stroller.  Tiny babies are soothed being close to Mommy.  Mommy has both hands free to shop or do whatever she needs to do.  Compact and washable. 
Supplies -
1. At least one dozen cloth diapers, even if you're planning on using disposables.  Wonderful for burp cloths and cleaning up the inevitable messes.
2. Lots of receiving blankets.  Homemade are best.  One yard of 45" material, hemmed, and you have a nice sized blanket.  Several in single layers and double layers serve many needs.
3. A "diaper" bag.  In parentheses because there are so many cute, roomy bags available, don't limit yourself to a bag labeled as a diaper bag.  Buy whatever you like!
4. Waterproof pads.  For changing Baby wherever you happen to be and for putting under crib sheet in case of leakage.  These can be made also.  Buy a couple of yards of waterproof fabric or buy a waterproof mattress pad and cut it to the sizes you want.  Hem if necessary.
5. If you're bottle feeding, of course you need baby bottles, formula and a bottle brush.  If breastfeeding, you've got all the equipment you need  :)  Here is another time when having a receiving blanket comes in handy...for privacy.
6. Lots of onesies and footed sleepers and a place to put them...probably a dresser or shelves.
7. And of course, diapers...lots and lots of diapers!  And a bucket with lid and liners to put used diapers in until they can be thrown away.   I'm assuming you're going to use disposable diapers.  Cloth diapers are a whole different matter!  In that case, at least 4 dozen diapers, plenty of diaper covers, pins or other fasteners and a larger bucket to hold the used diapers until you can wash them.

For the first few months, that's about all you need.  There are other things that can be useful but most things just cost a lot of money, take up valuable space and rarely get used.   You really don't need a baby bathtub, changing table or all the other gadgets and gizmos sold at your baby superstore.

In a few months, you WILL need a high chair (either free standing or attachable to a table), a full size crib and a stroller.  Oh and a "kid gate" or two.  Once your baby starts to get mobile, you don't want him to have free reign over the whole house and if your house has stairs, it's essential for safety.

Most likely you'll have plenty of time to ask friends what they use for their babies and can keep your eye out for good sales.  Babies do cost money but not nearly what some people spend.  After you have the essentials, you can fill in as the need arises.  You'll get the hang of it and soon you'll be a pro!

Thrifty Thursday - Excess

It started out innocently enough...your little girl was given a Beanie Baby for a gift and she loved it.  So, being a "good" mom, you buy her another one...and another one...and her friend buys her another one...and the relatives buy her Beanie Babies for holidays and before you know it, a special shelf, then a whole bookcase (maybe even a whole room!) is devoted to the Beanie Baby collection.  While your daughter truly enjoyed the first and maybe the next few, it didn't take long for the magic to be replaced by the urge to collect more. 

Excess.  We're all prone to it.  It all boils down to the mindset that if one is good, then two is better.  But is it true?  We only have so much space in our homes.  Do we really need to fill up our homes with things bought with the sole purpose of acquisition?  How many books do we need?  How many kitchen gadgets?  How many knick knacks?  How much fabric? How many toys?

Things cost money.  They cost time.  They cost precious living space.  Is it possible that enjoyment decreases with the amount acquired? 

So many people complain that they don't have enough space and want a bigger home.  Or they say they don't have enough money to meet their needs.  Yet those same people often have large enough homes and decent salaries.  What if those same people learned how to control their craving for excess?  Would their lives be happier?  Might they actually enjoy the possessions they have?  Would  they have the money to live within their means?

Although it's hard to resist the things you have a soft spot for, remember that things are just things.  And too much of a good thing is still too much.  Excess is the enemy of contentment.

Thrifty Thursday - Peace of mind

No one likes the idea of deprivation.  If we want something, we want it NOW!  The idea of waiting or even doing without is so foreign as to be ludicrous.  At least, that's what advertisers want you to think.

There are some things that you cannot do without.  That includes...food, housing, heat, transportation...in other words, the basics.  But even within those categories we have choices.  We can make our money stretch by buying frugally or inexpensively or we can be dissatisfied unless we have the biggest and best there is to buy.

If, after your basic needs are met, you still have money left over, THEN you can contemplate how that money is to be spent.  A wise person or family will look ahead to the future and anticipate future needs.  That might include braces for teeth, savings for emergencies, college and other worthwhile expenditures.  Money can be saved for "wants" and then purchased when the money is available.  A not so wise person or family might look longingly at new "toys", going into debt for exotic vacations, and just being frivolous with the money they have.  Then when the inevitable emergency happens (job loss, unexpected medical bills, major car or home repair), they wring their hands because they have no money to meet those needs.   The "toys" paid on credit lose their excitement long before they're paid off. 

Meeting your basic needs and having the resources to handle a financial emergency isn't deprivation.  It's peace of mind.  It's knowing that you've made the necessary preparations for unforeseen expenditures.  It lets you be in control.  It lets you sleep at night.

Which position would you rather be in?  Now is the time to get back in control.

Thrifty Thursday - Choices

My daughter made an observation about being frugal.  She said that she's able to cut down on spending by buying only the necessities but eventually, the lack of spending catches up with her and she then ends up spending more to replace what she didn't spend earlier.  She referred to money-saving books and websites and said that most of the suggestions aren't long term fixes.

She makes a good point.  Some things can only be put off for a while before they need to be eventually addressed.  But that doesn't mean that careful attention to how you spend your money won't reap benefits in both the short and long term.  For example - an unexpected expense might mean that you and your husband do a "spending fast" for a month, where only the necessities are bought so the extra money can go towards that unexpected expense.  You really don't feel deprived because one month isn't very long and the end result is a balanced family budget.  Or, knowing that a big expense is looming in the near future can help you decide how you want to spend your money now.  Both offer short term solutions to long term problems.

The fact of the matter is that taxes need to be paid, cars need gas, families need a home, clothes and food. Medical and dental expenses are part of life, and maintenance of car and home are never ending.  How you go about meeting those needs will determine whether you live within your means or spend out of control.  You have the choice whether to live in an apartment, a modest home or a house that is too expensive for your income.  You can choose what kind of food you feed your family...home prepared using inexpensive ingredients, fast food take out, regular restaurant eating or lots of convenience food.  You can choose to drive a used car until it dies, a new car every few years, or if available and feasible, bypass driving all together and use public transportation.  You can shop at thrift stores, garage sales and deep discount stores or trendy malls.

None of these choices is either good or bad.  It just depends on the income you have to work with.  There is nothing wrong with living modestly.   There is ALOT wrong with spending money you don't have.  Frugal living is just one way to help that money stretch to cover needs and some wants.  Situations change but the principles stay the same.  Life within your means.  Living simply is a much better feeling than having huge debt crushing you. 

Thrifty Thursday - Monitor automatic bill paying

When automatic bill paying became available for the majority of my monthly bills, I enthusiastically signed up.  No more writing out checks, buying stamps, or seeing that the bills got sent before their due date.  Everything is done automatically.  And, in general, I still love paying my bills that way.

However...I think I became too complacent in monitoring those automatic payments (or NOT monitoring those payments!).  I admit to going several months without even paying attention to them.  Until yesterday...and imagine my surprise when I discovered that one of the regularly occurring bills had jumped from $63.00 to $86.00 a month without notice!  I followed the payments back several months and sure enough, the company changed the terms of the service and increased their costs by $20.00 a month.  The "service" I'm paying for isn't worth that kind of money and isn't a necessity so I'm going to cancel today.

If I had been paying attention, I would have saved myself several hundred dollars over the course of a year.  So, do yourself a favor and keep track of the bills you pay automatically.  If there are any discrepancies, you can deal with them immediately and save yourself from overspending.  I learned my lesson.

Thrifty Thursday - Choice and Accountability

There are two words that will help you conquer the headache of money management.  Those two words are choice and accountability.  So many times the problem isn't how much money we bring into our family, it's how we choose to spend it.  Then when we have no money left before the month is over, we find excuses and justify our expenditures, taking no accountability for our choices.

That isn't to say that there aren't legitimate emergencies that strain even the most generous paycheck.  Illnesses, accidents, home emergencies, family crises can all take us by surprise and hit us where it hurts...in our wallet.  But in general, our money woes are of our own making.

The fact is that you have a certain amount of money each month.  You can choose to live within your means, put some money away for emergencies and savings or you can live by impulsively spending that money (and more) on things of little worth and finding you have no money left for essentials. 

We have a choice.  If our income doesn't stretch enough to cover things like going out to eat frequently, taking vacations, having cable and smart phones, shopping at pricey clothing stores, and buying "toys", then those things shouldn't be bought.  Some might even consider those things luxuries, not necessities.  And if you're struggling to cover the necessities, then the luxuries can wait.  It's not a matter of deprivation, it's a matter of accountability.  We choose to live without certain things so we can have the things we truly need.  And we are accountable for those choices.

It's empowering to know that you have control over that aspect of your life.  By being responsible, you can pay down debt, meet the needs of your family and start building savings.  It's up to you.

Thrifty Thursday - Back to School!

It's that time of year again...the Back to School sales!   Even if you don't have kids in school, the yearly sales are too good to pass up.  When else can you buy spiral bound notebooks for 19 cents, Crayola crayons for 49 cents, filler paper for 79 cents and find great buys on underwear, socks, backpacks, athletic shoes and basic school clothes.  Sometimes the prices are even lower.

I usually concentrate on socks and art supplies when the sales are really good.  Kids are so hard on socks...they get holey and stained even before the kids grow out of them.  And there's nothing quite like putting on a new pair of socks...soooo comfortable!  I get socks for the whole family and then go home and throw out (or recycle) the old ones. 

Art supplies are another group of supplies that suffer abuse during the year.  Crayons get broken, lost, chewed on and have their papers ripped off them.  Markers get dried out.  Paints get contaminated by being mixed with other colors.  But when prices are low, it's worth it to "retire" old supplies and refresh with new.  I usually take the old crayons and put them in a zip lock baggie for future craft projects that use melted crayons.  The markers get thrown away.  No use mixing the old with the new.  It's frustrating to reach into a box of markers and find the one you want, only to find out it's all dried up.  Get rid of the dead markers!

This is the time to make sure everyone is all current and up to date with basic clothes, shoes and underwear.  Inventory your family's clothing and school needs and keep your eye on the ads.  You probably won't find better deals than over the next month or so.

If you DO see an ad for something at a super low price, be sure to get to the store early.  Really good buys quickly sell out.  Often you can get a rain-check but that's up to store policy.

Happy shopping!

Thrifty Thursday - Step away from the...

The whole purpose of advertisers is to sell their products...to you.  They do a pretty good job at it too!  Why else would you come home from the store with something you bought totally on impulse because you saw it advertised in a magazine or on TV or on the radio and it looked like it might come in handy?  Or, you saw it demonstrated at someplace like Costco or worse yet, you ate a sample of it at Costco?  That last one is my particular downfall  :)  Just one taste of --- and I have to buy an entire bag of it, even though before I walked into the store, I never knew it existed.

At times like this, we get to practice the dying art of self control.  It only takes our minds seconds to process whether we need a product or not.  We can resist the urge and put the product down.  Just because we try a sample of something doesn't mean we're obligated to buy it (although that's what we're supposed to do).

Ask yourself -
"Do I need it?"
"Do I have a place for it?"
"Does it duplicate something I already have?"
"Does this encourage my family to eat healthy?"  (for food purchases)
"What would happen if I didn't buy it?"

Do you REALLY need more Lego's?  Ok, well, I guess you can never have too many Lego's  :)

There aren't many products that pass all the questions.  Too many homes are filled with gadgets and impulse items that take up space that could be used for things that you really do use.  Not only that but when we buy on impulse, we spend money that could be better used elsewhere.

In the well known words of William Morris, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

Thrifty Thursday - Simple pleasures

In the giant list of things to do and projects to prioritize, we often put ourselves last.  Especially when it comes to spending, we have a hard time justifying spending money on ourselves.  But when we do that, we are forgetting something very important...in order to take good care of others, we have to take care of us.  It doesn't have to cost much or take a lot of time to give yourself a little pampering.

If you live near a beauty school, you can find fantastic prices on services such as haircuts and coloring, perms, waxing, nail treatments, scalp treatments and all the other things expensive salons provide.  All the students are closely supervised but if you're uncomfortable, you can request an advanced student (one who is nearing graduation) to be your stylist.  Or, you can start with something not so scary, like a simple shampoo and style to see how you like your stylist.

On a recent trip to visit a daughter, we went to the local Paul Mitchell beauty school and I got a haircut with shampoo and style ($8.00!) and she got a scalp treatment ($5.00!).  It was so enjoyable...no kids, no phone calls, just one hour of total relaxation!

You work hard.  You shouldn't feel guilty for spending an hour or two just on yourself.  You'll come home feeling great and when you feel good, you pass that on to your husband and kids.  Sounds like a win-win situation to me  :)

Thrifty Thursday - Teach your children well

It really is satisfying to learn how to stretch your money to meet the needs of your family.  Think of all the skills you have learned to save money on food, clothes, entertainment, education, and all the other household expenses you incur.  So, the question is...have you taught your kids any of those skills?

Young children don't need to know the details of your household budget or if you're having financial difficulties.  They need to feel secure and safe.  But you can teach them that we can't buy whatever we want and we won't buy everything they want.  We can teach them about saving money to buy something special.  We can teach them about treating their belongings well.

Older children can be included in more of the family finances.  They can be taught how to make simple, economical and healthy meals.  They can learn how to earn money by taking on small jobs at home and in the neighborhood.  They can be encouraged to save.  They can be taught how to compare prices (especially when it comes to clothes, toys and entertainment).

Hopefully, teenagers have learned all of the above.  In addition, this is the time to make sure they know how to work, giving their best and being dependable.  They should know how to budget their money, saving some for long term goals.  They should be able to make simple household repairs.  They should know how to make responsible decisions.

Everything you have learned would be very helpful for your children to know too.  It does them no good to leave the home after high school without the skills and knowledge necessary to live on their own.  You can't pay for their living forever. Teach them while they are young and as they grow and you will be giving them a priceless gift.

Thrifty Thursday - Sports Equipment

My triathletes!

Kids and sports.  It seems like they are always getting involved in something that requires uniforms, special shoes and equipment.  No worries!  Because kids grow quickly, there is a good possibility that you will be able to find what you need used but in good condition.  Parents often organize equipment exchanges where you can buy or trade needed equipment from kids who have outgrown theirs.  You can consider borrowing or buying equipment from friends whose kids are slightly older than yours . Thrift stores are another good place to find slightly used equipment.  I've bought dance shoes, ice skates, tennis racquets, racquetball racquets, ski equipment and outerwear, bowling balls, and bicycles, all in great shape and all at thrift stores.

Buying kids equipment used makes sense because you don't have to overly invest in a sport until your child decides he likes it or not.  It can be pretty frustrating to spend a lot of money outfitting your child with everything he needs to play a sport, only to find he changed his mind and wants to participate in something different.  If he loves it, then you can invest in quality equipment.

Thrifty Thursday - Shelf life

Every box, can or bag of food you bring into your house has a shelf life.  That time might be long (as in whole wheat berries and honey) or short (bagged lettuce).  The problem arises when you are unaware of how long a product is considered useable, or you don't eat it up fast enough before it goes bad, or forget that you even have it.

In our quest to save money, we often buy food in large quantities when it's on sale.  That's truly a bargain only IF we use it before it expires or goes bad.  This is especially true of perishable items.  Saving 10 cents a pound by buying the 10 pound bag of apples rather than individually isn't a bargain if half of the apples rot before they get eaten.  Even cans of fruits and veggies are only good for a certain length of time.  After that time, the quality of the product decreases and the chance for food-borne illness increases.

My sisters, assorted family members and I cleaned out our mother's house a while ago and we were shocked at what we found in the kitchen.  Cans that were rusted and well over 10 years old.  Boxes of cereal and cakes mixes that were 5 years old and worse.  Our mother insisted that everything was still good...that cans last "forever".  Needless to say, everything got tossed in the trash.

This is an extreme example but I'll bet in most of our kitchen cupboards, there are products that are expired.  You might be surprised when you look for that little date somewhere on the product and find you had it much longer than you thought!  It's easy to overlook how long we've had something, especially staples like spices and condiments.  If we buy something, we need to be aware how long its shelf life is and make sure we use it before that time or we're just wasting the food and our money.  Or worse yet, we might make someone sick.

Here's a suggestion - take a half hour and go through some of your food cupboards.  Look for the expiration date on everything.  What did you find?

Thrifty Thursday - Money down the drain

Turn off that water!

My daughter and her husband recently bought a new house and yesterday they got their first bill for water and sewer.  They were shocked to find that the bill was nearly $100. for a month's usage.  So kids, this post is for you  :)

Ways to conserve on water -
1. Turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, shaving or washing hands.
2. Take shorter showers.  This also saves on your water heating bill.
3. Run your washer with full loads.
4. Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
5. Fix leaky faucets.
6. If you have a garbage disposal, consider not using it.  Start a compost pile outside instead.
7. Upgrade older toilets to water efficient newer models.
8. Cut down on number of glasses to wash by designating one water glass per family member per day.  (I color coded them)
9. Teach your children to turn off faucets all the way.
10. Teach family members not to flush tissue used for blowing noses and squashing bugs.  Throw in trash instead.  I promise the dead bugs aren't going to crawl out of the trash cans.  :)
11. Consider installing a rain barrel to water plants.
12. When washing dishes by hand, use a pan of water to rinse dishes or turn off faucet while washing.
13.  Most of all, be aware of how you are using water and adjust your habits accordingly. 

Thrifty Thursday - Beware

Is it really a bargain?

How can you resist?  You get a coupon in the mail for 30% off your entire total at a particular store.  So, if you go to their Clearance racks where things are marked down 50, 60, 70 and even 80%, they're practically giving merchandise away.  You have visions of stocking up on great bargains for the whole family.  At least, that's what I thought.

I took my coupon with me and headed to the store.  All around me were signs marked 40% off this and 50% that.  I wandered around to the Clearance racks and picked up a plain black pair of little girls leggings marked 80% off.  The sale price was $11.00.  The original sticker price was $52.00!!!!  Can you believe it?  For a pair of leggings?  And everything was the same way...very high retail price reduced to what should have been the original retail price.  It should be no surprise that I left the store without buying anything.

Before you scoop up those armfuls of clothes and head to the cashier, look closely and think.  Is this really a bargain?

Thrifty Thursday - My kid needs braces!

Even with braces, I think she's adorable  :)

It might seem incongruous to write a post about something expensive on Thrifty Thursday but stay with me.  Being frugal and saving money isn't about ignoring things that are important, but using your limited resources wisely.

It might be obvious that your child needs braces or it might not be so obvious.  But one thing is sure...it's a pretty normal part of being a preteen and/or teenager.  And it's not just about crooked teeth.  It's about being able to floss and brush her teeth so as to cut down on present and future tooth decay and other dental problems.  It's about being able to chew and swallow properly.  It's about her self esteem, confidence and relationships with her peers.

More and more, dentists are recommending starting orthodontic treatment at a young age but if you can't manage to start your child early, she won't be alone if  she starts when she's a teenager.  Most of my children started treatment when they were 10 to 12 but my youngest didn't start until she was nearly 15, because of financial issues at the time.  Still, by the time she graduated from high school, she had completed treatment and had a beautiful, healthy smile.

The big day finally arrived for the braces to come off!

If you think (or your dentist thinks) that braces are in your child's future, explore your options.  Often, insurance covers fifty percent of treatment.  Even without insurance orthodontists almost always offer a payment plan that works with your ability to pay or there might be a dental school nearby that has discount prices in their clinic.  It never hurts to ask. 

Totally worth it!

I never considered orthodontia to be a frivolous or unnecessary expense or luxury.  To me it is an investment in my children's future.  After all, they couldn't help it that they inherited my husband's and my lousy genes.  :)