I like to share my frugal wins occasionally on the blog. It’s a way for me to stay accountable and share good ideas too for fellow penny-pinchers! I bought a 40 pound bag of pine pellets for $6.88 to use as kitty litter. I got it at the Tractor Supply (less than a mile away!). […]
Recent Reads: April 2022
This month I discovered a new fiction genre I’m enjoying: swamplife. I picked up Where The Crawdads Sing so I could read it before the movie comes out (a personal rule I have!). I enjoyed it, but didn’t love the ending. If ambiguous endings are a deal-breaker for you, be forewarned. Otherwise, the story of […]
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 […]
Notes from a Budget Meeting: Question Everything
Of all the good money habits I’ve adopted, budget meeting has been the most powerful. The budget worksheet we use to keep track of our spending has the words “Question Everything” in big, bold letters at the top. “Question Everything” reminds me that nothing is sacred when it comes to spending. A recent example: our […]
Why I Stopped Doing Trim Healthy Mama
More than a few readers find my blog by searching for keywords around the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan (hi!). I found THM after my 7th child was born. It helped me lose those final, stubborn pregnancy pounds. However, I’ve abandoned the plan for good. Here’s why I stopped doing Trim Healthy Mama. Diet Culture? […]
Why I Stopped Coloring My Gray: one year in
Like many other women, I quit dying my hair during the Covid pandemic. The TL;DR of why I stopped coloring my gray? The mess, the expense, the hassle, and my journey to self-acceptance. I remember clearly discussing this decision with my husband. I wanted to get his input and he wholeheartedly approved of my plan. […]
How to Develop Mental Toughness
No matter what goal we’re trying to achieve in life, resiliency is key. I’ve often said that I’m not special, talented, or influential… the reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve done is because I understand the importance of GRIT. After all, persistence beats talent every time. (Paraphrasing a favorite quote by Calvin Coolidge.) […]
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 […]
Aldi vs Costco: who has better prices?
Long-time readers of this blog know of my love for Aldi. I even wrote a book about eating a whole foods diet with Aldi. If you love Aldi too, read on for my thoughts on Aldi vs Costco! Warehouse clubs had tempted me in the past, but a couple of things always held me back. […]
Five Frugal Wins
In an attempt to keep myself accountable to frugality and to inspire readers, I present Five Frugal Wins. FFW is a collection of things I did in the previous week to save money. (Btw, FFW will become a regular feature ’round these parts, in case you’re interested.) Real quick though, let me declare that I […]