Frugal Birthday Celebrations October 25, 2009

 

My birthday boy/tween with his Nana

Langston’s birthday is next week, and I have been brainstorming ways to keep his birthday celebrations frugal AND fun.  Last year I hosted a Lego birthday party at my mom and dad’s house, complete with a Lego cake, pie eating contest, scavenger hunt, and Lego racing car ramp.  This year I told my son that he could invite one friend to do something super special and then we would have a small family party.  How am I keeping it frugal?

• I am taking Langston and his buddy to Dave and Buster’s on Friday night.  I went to their website and signed up for their reward’s card, and one of the perks for signing up is you get $10 to spend . . . for free! (I signed up twice, too-one on my personal email and one at my work email.  Bad, I know . . . )
• On Sunday we are having a small family get-together at the San Diego Bay.  Langston LOVES the bay and I am going to bring a bunch of sports equipment for us to play with.  For food I am ordering pizzas from Cost-Co (my dad is taking care of the pick-up, bless his heart) and I’ll also get a bunch of fruit and chips.  For dessert I am going to make cupcakes-yumm!!
• On his actual day, we are going to go out to eat somewhere special that he chooses.  He is now leaning todays Denny’s, which would be great because I have loads of coupons for Denny’s!!

Birthdays are really special  in my family, and although my son is going to have several small celebrations my birthday budget is waaaayyy less than a party for ten kids held at a bowling alley, Chuck E. Cheese, or Laser Tag (some of the places he wanted to have a party at).

Yes, I Am Cheap!! October 16, 2009

Tonight I stumbled across this blog, and my first thought was, ” I love the title!!”  My sister often calls me cheap and then apologizes, saying she meant to call me frugal.  If you are reading this, middle sister, I don’t mind if you call me cheap!  In fact, I take that as a huge compliment because I know I am cheap!  Frugal sounds more refined, but since I am not refined I will own the name cheap and wear it proudly!!

If you are cheap like me, check out the blog Yes, I Am Cheap-the author hosted a great carnival and I can’t wait to check out her  links.  Happy reading!

How are you getting ready for Christmas? October 16, 2009

 

My sister and I last Christmas

Financially speaking, it is time to start budgeting for Christmas!! Deal Seeking Mom has an informative article that will help you get started planning for Christmas . . . so you are not left with an overgrown credit card bill come January!! (What would Dave Ramsey say about that??????)

Been so long . . . October 16, 2009

 

Langston is a budding photographer!

A crazy self-portrait

 

Such a wonderful smile . . .

I am feeling the desire to get back to writing on this blog.  I have been pre-occupied with my school blog and life, and I am finally feeling motivated to begin writing again about simplifying and sanity!

Financially speaking, I have been a bit stressed out because the months of October, November, and December are filled with lots of birthdays, celebrations, and holidays and as much as I want to attack my debt  . . .  I have to put it on the back burner so I can stay  on top of gift giving.

I am working to find the balance between frugality and generosity.  

I am praying more about my finances.

I am analyzing my finances and determined not to use my credit card for Christmas and birthday gifts.  

I am looking at options to possibly get rid of my Corona condo in the near future.

Above all, I am focused on living in the moment and appreciating the little joys in life. I hope to get back to blogging regularly. Check back soon for new posts!!

Dream on, dream on, until your dreams come true!!

Amazing DIY project-Crafty Curtains August 28, 2009

This vacation I have become the queen of do-it-yourself projects!  No only did I finish painting the bookcases my  dad built for me, but I also

• dumpster “dove” (is that even a saying??) and re-painted a chair someone was tossing in the dump
• spray painted ten picture frames that had been dark wood-now they are ivory (in an effort to lighten the colors in my condo)
• covered seven cork boards in my son’s room with sports-themed fabric

For some reason, I am itching for a new project!! I found it tonight while blog surfing . . . . YES!!  I am going to design new curtains for my kitchen window.  Stay tuned . . .  and please check out a great new blog called Adventures in Decorating.

Need inspiration? I know I do . . . August 26, 2009

 I am in need of inspiration.

 While on vacation, I tend to get distracted financially and my desires grow.  I want new carpet, a flat-screen TV (my current TV is from 2000), and new pants/skirts for work.  To help myself get back on track, I read my favorite blogs.  Sometimes it is helpful to read how other frugal bloggers are struggling AND/OR how they are achieving their goals despite the downturn of our horrid economy. 

Almost Frugal has a great post listing 25 quick and easy ways to save money.  Check it out! (P.S.-I am boiling eggs right now . . . read the post and you’ll know what I am talking about). : )

Let the Countdown Begin-11 Days to My First Day Back at Work! August 22, 2009

 

My son and I at Universal Studios

We are back from our whirl-wind journey through the state of California!  Our frugal road trip took us to Universal Studios, Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, camping in Big Sur, San Francisco, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Riverside, and back to home sweet home!  Boy-absence makes the heart grow fonder . . . . I had so much fun on my trip, but it felt so delicious to climb into my own bed.

Now that I’m back and see back-to-school advertisements EVERYWHERE, I realize I should begin stocking up on supplies for Langston and start thinking about what I need in order to have my classroom in working order for my new group of kids.

As the calendar dates creep closer to September 8 (my first official day with kids), I also remember that I need to get back to my tried-and true-organizational system that has worked for Langston and I for several years.  Motivated by the calendar and Molly Gold, founder of  an organizing blog entitled Go Mom! Inc., I am determined to get my back to the routine soon NOW! (Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you . . . : ) 

Follow this countdown checklist, created by Gold, to simplify the process and get your kids involved:

3 weeks out: Work with the Planners

• Coordinate the school calendar, home calendar, and each child’s planner.  Sit down and make sure all adults and kids in the household have listed important school and extracurricular dates/activities.
• Let each family member pick out a special end-of-the-summer outing, adding it to the calendar.

2 weeks out: Clean and organize (I am right now blending 2/3 weeks out . . .  just a bit behind schedule I am)

• Assign each child a day/time to clean their rooms, including an opportunity for them to donate some of their old toys and clothes to the needy.  
• Designate a spot where school items (backpacks, forms, sports equipment) are dropped when they get home and where they should be placed before going to bed.

1 week out: Rehearse and Review!

• Revert back to school-year bedtime and morning wake-up times
• Fill up the refrigerator with lunch and snack goodies.
• Double check school supply lists and backpacks.

 

Enjoy your last few days of summer, and if your kids are already in school, I would love to know your organizational strategies that helped you get ready for school!

Saving Money on the Road August 9, 2009

Tomorrow my son and I leave on a road trip, which will take us throughout California.  We love traveling, and in the past three years have taken more road trips than trips involving planes and trains.  My son loves camping and exploring just as much as I do, so we make a pretty good traveling team!

Traveling requires budgeting if you are determined not to blow your entire stash of cash in the first few days.  The past three months I have put aside a certain amount of money for this trip, and on my last few past trips I have returned home with unspent money.  I hope I can do the same on this trip!!!!  Here are my tips for saving money while traveling:

Bring food from home.  For the past month I have been stockpiling treats my son loves (Chex Mix, granola bars, fruit snacks, Pringles) when they go on sale so while we are driving along Pacific Coast Highway and he wants a snack, he can grab a treat from the cooler in the back of the car.  I also have loads of breakfast food and soymilk (doesn’t require refrigeration) so when we camp I have healthy food choices ready to go each morning!

Check out deals, freebies, and admission prices ahead of time to see what activities will make or break your budget.  I knew that this upcoming weekend is a free weekend at certain National Parks (including Yosemite), so I planned our trip so we will arrive in Yosemite during this free period and save $40 on entrance fees when visiting the park.  Langston loves comics and cartoons, so we are going to visit the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.  Their admission prices are reasonable, and since we have been to San Francisco many times (I lived in the Bay Area for 10 years and he has been there with me to visit more than 10 times) I choose to visit a museum that is inexpensive for our small family and unique.  We will also visit the IKEA in Emeryville (outside of San Francisco) to their free kids meal a couple times during our stay, saving money on eating out.  Finally, we are going to visit Universal Studios on our way up the coast.  Why is this a frugal part of our trip?  I bought Langston and I season passes in March for a total of $80.  So far we have been to the park, and tomorrow makes our third trip which means the passes have more than paid for themselves.  Langston is really into movies, technology, and special effects so this is a treat for him.

Finally, stay with friends and family as much as possible.  On our way to San Francisco we are staying with my friend’s sister’s house in Santa Barbara, and once we arrive in SF we will hang out with my good friend from college.  We will also camp, which runs roughly $25 per night.  Soooooo much cheaper than staying in a hotel!!

 

I hope you are enjoying your summer!  Talk to you soon . . . .

Frugal DIY Project . . . Finally Finished! August 6, 2009

For Christmas last year, I asked my dad to build two built-in bookcases for me.  Langston and I have a lot of books, and at the time I had two bookcases that were filled with books, plants, scrapbooks, and various knicknacks!  But the bookcases weren’t matching, nor were they the same size, and I really wanted a more uniform look in my living room.  

My dad, bless his heart, spent several days building me two floor-to-ceiling bookcases.  I read that in small spaces it’s best to use all your space (under stairs, the ceiling, under beds, etc.) so I decided I wanted the bookcases to extend to the ceiling.  

For about three months the bookcases remained unfinished (the last two pictures), until this week!  I finally took the time to paint the shelves white (matching the wooden trim I have around the fireplace) using my free paint from Glidden.  What a difference white paint makes!

I am so happy with my newly painted bookcases.  My books are organized by color, and the lower two shelves on both sides are for shoes, library books, DVDs, and Langston’s books.  The top two shelves on the right are for my scrapbooks.  I am also adding hooks on both sides so when we go back to school there are specific places for our bags to go.  

The cost of this project: $30

Cash earned from selling one of the old bookcases on Craigslist: $15

Total Cost: $15

 

Newly painted/organized bookcase numero uno

 

Bookcase numero dos-the last two cases are the unpainted cases

 

 

 

 

Kids Eat Free at IKEA! August 6, 2009

Now through August 16, kids 12 and under can eat lunch for free at IKEA, with no adult purchase needed!  Choices include Mac ‘N Cheese, Meatballs, and PB & J.  What a great way to cool off in the summer heat and get your kids a free treat! Go here  for more  information.

 

Thanks, Money Wise Mom!