Preview: This article provides strategies on how to protect yourself financially as a stay at home mom. Economic dependence is risky and making financial choices while raising kids is crucial. In a creaky rocking chair I cradled my six-week-old son. His white-blonde hair glowed from the July sun beaming into the windows of the apartment, […]
Mommy’s Little Digital Helper: How to Use AI to Save Time and Money
Preview: How to use A.I. to save time and money as a busy mom. From meal planning and budgeting to helping with kids homework and resume building, meet your own personal assistant. Standing before the open fridge door, my jaw set, I’m determined not to exceed my monthly grocery budget. To accomplish my goal, I’ll […]
Five Frugal Things (homeowner edition)
1: I avoided costly washing machine repair Because eight people use it, the washing machine stays busy. When my Whirlpool front-loader stopped draining properly, I determined to fix it myself instead of calling a service person. Thanks to Google, I learned that the error code flashing on the digital display meant that the drain hose […]
Eat the Freezer Challenge
When my small (apartment-sized even though I live in a large house with a ton of people) freezer looks like this, it’s time for an eat the freezer challenge. Not only can I get my freezer cleaned out, but I can save some money on groceries this week too. One of the ways I’ve been […]
Simplify Back to School Season (+ a free 30 day meal plan)
School started in our county last week. It’s a busy season. Our routines get turned upside down. The kids have all the feels! Ahh! To help myself (and my kids) ease into this transition, I think about ways to simplify back to school season. Here’s what I did this year. If you scroll down, you’ll […]
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Is it just me, or is this summer flying by? It feels like I blink, and another week has passed. I’ve learned that one way to make time slow down is by having new experiences. Travel is one way to do this. I also love exposing my kids to the arts. Last year, two of […]
Summer Vacation with Kids (Like a Lazy Genius™)
Summer vacation with the kids feels like a lot this year, for a few reasons. One, I’m now working outside the home, so child care is a concern. Two, my kids have a wide age range, so it’s challenging to meet everyone’s needs. Three, I’m only one little person, with limitations of time, money and […]
Frugal Wins, trash picking edition
When a neighbor discarded some household belongings on the curb, my daughter-in-love and I decided to take a peek. Trash picking is the ultimate frugal practice. Not only is all the stuff free, but it helps keep good stuff out of landfills. We snagged a brand new dog crate, which is now Willie’s bed. We […]
Misfits Market Review (and a coupon code)
Are you a fan of grocery delivery services? I’ve been using InstaCart for years and love it. I’ve also experimented with another: Misfits. Here’s my Misfits market review, along with a coupon code for you to use if you’d like to try it. What is Misfits market? Misfits Market offers seasonal, organic produce and claims […]
Work at Home, Homeschooling Mom of 7: a day in the life
That title was just a wee bit click bait-y. After all, only four of my children are homeschooled at the moment. The oldest two have graduated! And the youngest (5), does just a little schoolwork for kicks and giggles. Two are in high school and totally self-sufficient in their education at this point. So, only […]