Life is starting to get back to normal now that Christmas is over. In all of the hustle and bustle, I managed to learn a couple of lessons in frugality.

1. Do not attempt to push too many potato peelings through the garbage disposal.

I never had a garbage disposal until we moved into our new house a few months ago. While I typically don’t put too much down it, I thought that it would be so simple to peel my potatoes into the sink and let the disposal take care of the peels. Perhaps if I had pushed a few peelings down at a time, things would have worked out better. Instead, all of the peelings accumulated in the sink and I shoved them all into the garbage disposal at once. My bad.

The disposal did it’s job. I listened as it ground up those potato peels and began humming the hum of an empty disposal. All of a sudden, though, water began to pool back into the sink. I quickly turned off the faucet but the water just sat there. And sat there. And sat there. After about 20 minutes, the half inch of water had slinked back down into the drain.

My husband, bless his heart, isn’t afraid to try to fix things. He may not always succeed but he’ll give it a shot. Thank goodness. On Christmas Day, we weren’t going to be able to get a plumber to come out. Soon, he had removed the trap from the drain pipes and we clearly saw the problem. All of those ground up potato peels had become compacted in the trap. It was as if too many bits and pieces were trying to get through all at once and instead, plugged up the pipe. Fortunately, my dear husband was able to clear the clog and Christmas (at least the part that pertained to the kitchen) was saved. If he hadn’t, we would have had a very costly plumbing bill on our hands!

2. Do not over-buy for the children.

On Christmas Eve as I was looking at what Santa had brought to the children, I was seized with a sudden panic–what if it wasn’t enough? The spread looked a little meager and I was worried that the kids would be disappointed. At that point, however, it was too late to go out and get more so I went to bed and hoped for the best.

The next morning, the kids got up and were thrilled at what they had received. Throughout the day, my four-year-old kept saying, “Mom, I only wanted two things but I got way more than that! I must have been really good.” This, of course, made me feel really good. Not only had I not broken the bank buying Christmas gifts but my young son showed a real spirit of gratitude on Christmas. What more could I want?

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas and I will make a mental note of these frugal lessons learned. I hope you had a fabulous Christmas, too!

Sure, you’ve put baby locks on your cabinets and closed off your kitchen, but did you know that your baby could still ingest household chemicals? What happens when your little taste tester licks the window you’ve just washed or drops her food (and then promptly eats it!) on the floor you’ve just mopped? In spite of your best precautions, small amounts of these cleaners can make their way into your baby’s mouth.

The good news is, when it comes to cleaning, baby-safe cleaners are also frugal! In fact, if you have white vinegar, baking soda, and some lemon juice, there is nothing you can’t clean. If you are new to natural cleaning, here’s how to do it:

Floors

• Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar with a gallon of hot water and use to mop floors. For hardwood floors, lightly mist the floors with the vinegar/water solution and mop with a dry dust mop or cotton cloth.
• Make a paste of baking soda and water as a scrub to remove scuff marks from floors.

Windows

• Mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray directly onto windows and wipe with old newspaper to avoid streaking.
• Alternatively, you can spritz straight lemon juice onto windows and wipe with newspaper.

Freshening

• Sprinkle the bottom of garbage cans and litter boxes with baking soda.
• Sprinkle carpets and rugs with baking soda and allow to sit for a few minutes before vacuuming.
• Sprinkle baking soda inside of shoes to eliminate odors.

Sinks and Tubs

• Liberally sprinkle damp tubs and sinks with baking soda. Scrub with a soft cloth and then rinse clean.
• Make a paste of vinegar and table salt to clean fixtures or to remove soap scum build up.
• Mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray onto all surfaces (tile, tub, basin, fixtures) and wipe clean.
• Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into slow drains, followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Allow to sit and foam for a few minutes. Flush drains with hot water.
• Cut a lemon into fourths and run it through the garbage disposal to eliminate odors.

Countertops

• Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to stains (like grape juice rings). Allow to sit for a few minutes then scrub clean.
• Mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray onto countertops and wipe clean.

Appliances

• Mix one part white vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray onto a soft cloth and wipe appliances.
• To clean your oven, sprinkle a light layer of baking soda over the bottom of a <b>cool</b> oven. Spritz the baking soda with plain water and allow to sit overnight (note: if you get up in the middle of the night for anything, it wouldn’t hurt to spritz the baking soda with water again). In the morning, wipe with a damp cloth. The baked on gunk should wipe away with the baking soda. Use a baking soda and water paste to clean the sides and top of the oven.

When my son was born, we–like many first-time parents–baby-proofed fanatically. When he became mobile, however, it seemed as if we had done it all for nothing. He never tried to open cabinets, he never tried to climb furniture, and he never even gave electrical outlets a second glance.

Two years later, our daughter came along. And she tried to pry open every door and every drawer. She tried to pull the outlet covers out of the outlets. She climbed on everything and the word, “no,” seemed to bounce right off her ears. If we hadn’t fanatically child-proofed for her, we would have been in real trouble.

As important as baby-proofing is, baby gates, cabinet locks, door knob covers, outlet covers, toilet locks, etc., can really break the bank. Fortunately, there are a few frugal tricks you can use to help reduce your child proofing expenses. Whatever child proofing methods you choose (frugal or otherwise), always give them a test run before trusting them to keep your baby safe.

Cabinet Locks
Double cabinet doors with knobs can be secured with a heavy duty rubber band. Drawers, single cabinet doors, or double doors without knobs can be secured with self-adhesive Velcro strips or dots. Once your baby becomes a toddler, this may not be effective.

Door Knob Covers/Baby Gates
Slip a small sock over your door knobs and secure them with a rubber band. The sock will just slip and turn over the knob if your child tries to open the door. Consider using this instead of baby gates when you want to block off an entire room.

Edge and Corner Guards
Forget buying expensive bumpers and guards for the sharp edges and corners of your furniture. Foam pipe insulation can be purchased for a dollar or two and will slip right onto any edge.

Outlet Covers
Outlet covers are so inexpensive that there is really no cheaper, safe alternative. However, if you suddenly find yourself lacking an outlet cover, cover the outlet with a strip or two of electrical tape until you get more covers. Remember that this is a temporary fix and do not leave your baby unattended near an outlet covered with tape.

Toxic Chemicals
In addition to keeping your cabinets locked, consider replacing as many toxic cleaners as possible with natural alternatives. For example, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice are very effective cleaners and are not going to be nearly as harmful to a baby or young child. On top of that, they’re frugal, too!

Non-slip Socks and Pajama Feet
Non-slip socks are great for babies learning to walk but can be expensive to buy. Instead, buy plain socks and use puffy fabric paint to add non-slip designs to the bottoms. You can also use the paint on the bottom of your baby’s pajama feet.

Have any more frugal baby-proofing tips? Tell me about them by leaving a comment of sending me an email.

We had a great weekend and the fact that we hardly spent any money made it even better. On Saturday, the kids and I baked cookies. One particular kind came out so yummy that I just have to share the recipe with you here. Essentially, I made Toll House cookie dough and instead of chocolate chips, I added fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips. Yum! These were delicious and they were everyone’s favorite of all the ones we made. Here’s a photo of these oh-so-good cookies:

And here’s the recipe:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla in another bowl. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs until mixture is creamy. Beat in flour mixture a little at a time until well mixed. Stir in white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets (non-stick, lined with parchment paper, or lightly greased). Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Yum!

On Sunday, we had a great day at church and afterward, it snowed. Now we live in an area with an average annual snowfall of 9 inches so it’s an exciting event when it happens. We bundled up the kids and took James, our four-year-old, sledding down the big hill in our backyard. Maya, who is two, was perfectly content to watch from the sidelines. Nevertheless a great time was had by all. We came inside and topped off the day with a cup of hot chocolate and we settled in to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special that we had recorded a few days prior.

When all was said and done, we had spent $1.50 for the fresh cranberries (I had the rest of the ingredients in the pantry) and we made fabulous memories that we will cherish for years to come.

See how I created a nursery for my son with just over $100.

Before my son was born, I had absolutely nothing for a baby — no furniture, no clothes, nothing. As my pregnancy progressed, I started getting panicky worrying about how we would outfit an entire nursery. This was during the time that both my husband and I were working full-time jobs but somehow, we thought we were broke! Anyway, I knew that I was going to have to pinch my pennies if I was going to be able to buy everything we needed. In the end, I was able to put together an entire nursery for $119. Granted, I was given a couple of things but when you are pregnant with your first child, that is a common occurrence and you could easily end up with more free stuff than I did. Below is an explanation of all the expenses I incurred in this project.

My first priority was furniture. I knew that I at least needed a crib, a changing table, and a chest of drawers. I knew that I could actually convert the top of a chest of drawers into a changing table in order to save money. As it turned out, I ended up using a changing table as a chest of drawers! A friend of a friend of a friend had a changing table that she no longer needed and generously offered it to me. With frugality already coursing through my veins, I accepted it sight unseen. Fortunately, it was in great shape and it was the kind that has two shelves beneath the changing area. Struck with inspiration, I bought four large plastic bins to hold baby clothes, diapers, etc., therefore eliminating the need for a chest of drawers.

In the coming weeks I went to yard sale after yard sale, looking for deals on baby items. The problem is, baby stuff goes fast at yard sales and I consistently had a hard time dragging my pregnant self (or my husband) out of bed at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Nevertheless, I got lucky on one outing and stumbled upon a late model crib in perfect condition for $30. Of course, I checked to make sure it met current safety standards, which it did. It did not match the finish of the changing table, but I knew I could paint the changing table cheaply and easily. I was then very generously given a brand new crib mattress by a couple who bought it for their granddaughter but then never used it.

I then began scouring discount stores and baby stores looking for cute bedding sets on sale. I finally struck gold when I found an adorable sports-themed set at Walmart for $25. It had the crib sheet, bumper pads, comforter, and window valances. I picked up the coordinating mobile for $10 and I was done.

With the theme in place, it was time to buy room decor. I found some cheery yellow paint on the mis-tint shelf at the hardware store for $8. Admittedly, it turned out to be a bit bolder than I intended, but it was certainly bright and happy. I then printed out templates of a baseball and bat, football, and basketball. I picked up some fabric remnants in colors that matched the bedding and used the templates to cut out sports shapes from them. I then sewed (with just a needle and thread) some simple but cute wall hangings and embellished them with puffy fabric paint. Finally, I used a Print Shop type program and printed out decorative pictures of four types of balls — soccer, baseball, basketball, and football. I put the printed pictures into dollar store frames and hung them on the wall. Finally, I found a coordinating lamp on sale for $3 at a discount store and a pair of decorative shelves for $10. I put the lamp on a bookshelf taken from another part of the house and I was finished.

For $119, my baby’s nursery was complete. Some of you out there will be able to create a nursery and spend far less than I did. Others will find $119 far too low. Either way, it is important to know that you do not have to break the bank to provide a safe and happy place for your baby.

 I’ll never forget the day I took my seven-week-old son to daycare for the first time. My maternity leave was over and so off to work I went. After all, what choice did I have, right? We were a two income family with little money to spare at the end of each month. There was no way I could afford to quit my job.

By the end of the week, though, both my husband and I had a change of heart. Somehow, we had to find a way for me to stay home with our son. So we took a leap of faith and I turned in my two-week notice the next Monday.

I’ve never looked back.

All of that being said, let me issue a little disclaimer here: I understand that there are some circumstances in which a parent absolutely cannot stay at home with their child. However, there are also many families (we were among them!) who think they can’t live without two incomes.  If that’s you, consider this:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual income for an individual in 2005 was $25,149. In exchange for all of those precious hours with your children, is that $25,000 really worth it? Let’s see (please note that the following figures are estimates and that many variables can alter these numbers):

$25,149

-   2,909 for federal taxes, Social Security, and Medicare

$22,240

-   7,800 for childcare (for one child)

$14,440

-   3,600 for a second car payment

$10,840

-    1,400 for second car gas, maintenance, and insurance

$   9,440

-    1,300 for lunches out

$   8,140

-    1,000 for professional attire, dry cleaning, etc.

$   7,140

$7,000 — is it worth it? That’s probably not enough to pay your mortgage every month. It might not even pay your car note! However, if you are not convinced that you can live without that $7,000, let’s look at the ways that you can save money by being a stay-at-home parent. Of course, not every family will have the same expenses to cut back on, but here are some ideas to illustrate how easy it can be to save a little money.

$2,600 saved annually by cutting back on convenience foods (you’ll be home to cook, after all)

1,000 saved annually by canceling your lawn care service and doing the work yourself

1,200 saved annually by canceling your once-a-month housekeeping

520 saved annually with the coupons that you now have time to clip

1,300 saved annually if you can convince your spouse to brown-bag-it

+   480 saved annually by skipping the salon and giving yourself a manicure

$7,100

When you look at it this way, you are actually ahead of where you were when you were working!

To be fair, though, every situation will be different and every family will have its own set of expenses and standard of living. The point is, with a few sacrifices you can save a lot of money — in many cases, enough to afford to stay home with your children. Click here for more ways to save money around the house.

If you are looking for a way to save money on groceries but don’t think you can stretch your dollar any further, think again. There are so many ways to save on groceries. Some of them are time consuming, some are downright inconvenient. But if frugality is important to you or you are in a tight financial situation, give some or all of the following strategies a try.

Shop at a Discount Supermarket

Not to be confused with bent and dent or closeout stores, discount supermarkets like Aldi or Save-a-Lot offer their own brands, eliminate all the frills, and save you money. When I began shopping at Aldi’s, I went from spending about $400 per month on food for my family to about $240.

Shop at Walmart

If you don’t have an Aldi or a Save-a-Lot in your area, you will probably find that it is cheaper to buy your groceries at Walmart than it is to buy them at Kroger, Safeway, or other grocery stores. Even if you do most of your food shopping at a discount supermarket, Walmart is a great place to get paper products, cleaning supplies, disposable diapers, and pet food.

Make Frugal Substitutions

• Substitute ground turkey for ground beef. The turkey is lean, cheaper than beef, and hides well in dishes like chili, spaghetti, and casseroles. If your family isn’t dead-set on beef, turkey burgers are good, too.
• Substitute canned tuna for canned salmon. Canned tuna is very inexpensive and goes great in casseroles. If you love salmon patties, try your favorite recipe with tuna, instead.
• Substitute beans for meat. If your family enjoys Tex-Mex, use refried beans instead of ground beef in your tacos, burritos, and taco salads.
• Substitute powdered milk for fresh milk in cooking. Honestly, I wouldn’t voluntarily sit down and drink a glass of powdered milk. But for cooking, you’ll likely never notice it. Mix up a quart or so and keep it in the fridge for your cooking needs.
• Substitute frozen produce for fresh. Just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, frozen fruits and vegetables are much cheaper, particularly in the off season (consider the price of strawberries in January!). If you want raw fruits and veggies to snack on, carrots, celery, and apples can be found dirt cheap all year long.

Study Grocery Ads

Even though I almost exclusively shop at Aldi’s and Walmart, I am still on the lookout for incredible deals in other stores. Pay particular attention to the front and back pages of the grocery ads as this is where the best deals are often advertised.

Combine Sales with Coupons

Not long ago, Kroger ran a sale on Kellogg’s cereal. The sale price was 3 for $8 which wasn’t a bad price for name brand cereal (though it was more than I was willing to spend). However, if you bought all three, you got $4 off at the register. That made the cereal 3 for $4. To sweeten the deal, I had a coupon for $1 off two boxes of Kellogg’s cereal. My final price was 3 for $3, or a dollar a box. I can’t get cereal for that price even at Aldi’s.

Use Coupons Strategically

Some grocery stores double coupons, usually up to around $0.50. I try to save my $0.50 and under coupons for these stores and use my bigger coupons at Walmart. There is, however, an exception to this philosophy. If saving the face value of the coupon will save you more in one store than the double coupon will in another, then of course, you will want to go the cheaper route. Also, look out for special days when some grocery stores triple coupons. If you have a good supply of coupons, you can rack up serious savings and even get some groceries for free!

Go Generic

Frugal shoppers have no brand loyalty. To maximize your savings, you have to go for the best price. There will be times (especially when using coupons) when you can get the brand name cheaper than the generic. And there will be a few items that you will decide you absolutely must buy in your favorite brand. For most items, though, you will probably find that the generic is just as good as the name brand.

Don’t Pay for Convenience

Is it easier to open up a bag of salad than it is to chop some lettuce and grate a carrot? Sure, but is it cheaper? No way. It amazes me how much we pay to save ourselves a few minutes of effort. Here’s another example: Oscar Mayer makes these handy little seasoned grilled chicken breast strips. They are perfect for putting on salads or fajitas. They are also $12.08 per pound (a fact that is disguised by packaging them in 6 oz packages for $4.59)! On the other hand, I could cook the chicken myself and spend about $2.00 per pound!

Watch for Manager’s Specials

These little gems can offer up significant savings. A manager’s special is a product that goes on sale a day or two before its expiration date. These specials are usually found in the meat, produce, and bakery departments and can discount the cost of an item by half or more. Always inspect the item for signs of spoilage but if it looks good, buy it! You don’t have to use it right away — put it in the freezer for later.

Cut Back or Eliminate Sodas

I’ll be the first to admit that too much of my grocery budget is spent on diet cola. My husband and I both enjoy and it and we both drink too much of it. Sodas, sports drinks, and other beverages can be very costly. Consider this. If each member of a family of four drinks just one soda per day, you will buy 122 twelve-packs of soda over the course of the year. At an average cost of about $3.50 per twelve-pack, that’s an annual cost of $427. If, like most people, you drink more than that, your cost will go up substantially. While water is certainly the healthiest thing to drink, iced tea is also a good choice and it is much more frugal than soda.

Eliminate Fruit Juice

I know, I know. Fruit juice seems like a healthy option, particularly for kids. And while some juices do have some nutritional value, others (even the 100% kinds) are basically pure sugar. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that if you do give you kids juice, you should only give them between 4 and 12 ounces per day, depending upon their age. The AAP further recommends giving them whole fruit, instead. And of course, not only is juice unnecessary for kids, but it is also an added grocery expense.