I spent some time with Emily yesterday creating this Valentine Mobile for our dining room. It is so simple and easy to make (and extremely frugal). To make your own mobile all you will need is some tissue paper, white glue, a paintbrush, embroidery floss or ribbon, scissors, a marker, and a zipper storage bag. […]
The Secrets to Once a Month Grocery Shopping
February 4, 2009 by
If you have never tried once a month grocery shopping, February is the perfect month to start! With just 28 days, if you are already accustomed to shopping every other week, once a month shopping for this month will not feel like much of a stretch. Here are some tips to get started: Leave the […]
Valentine Book Making
February 3, 2009 by
Emily and I made these adorable little books from empty cereal boxes and deeply discounted craft supplies from Big Lots. The decorative paper, brads, and a complete Valentine rubber stamp set cost less than $5 combined. We will probably make several crafts from these materials combined with items from our Invention Kit. What better time […]
Stained Glass Snowflakes
February 2, 2009 by
A friend of mine recently hosted a Royal Snowflake Ball and it was the inspiration for this twist on classic paper snowflakes using white paper and colored tissue paper. For the Ball, she had story time for all the princes and princesses by reading snow-themed stories, and the kids decorated their own snowmen out of […]
Frugal Family Fun — Super Bowl Edition
February 1, 2009 by
Mark is originally from Pittsburgh, so we have been busy preparing for the Super Bowl at the Deneen household! We created these cute puffed rice cereal treats: Made this awesome sun-catcher with construction paper, tissue paper, and some tape: And whipped up a batch of some frugal snacks including: air-popped popcorn, homemade pizza, and loaded […]
Super Bowl Frugal Snack — Make Your Own Pizza
January 31, 2009 by
Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday! I thought it would be fun to post this easy (and very frugal) recipe. Our family enjoys making homemade pizza together so much that we hardly ever order delivery anymore. A bread machine takes all of the labor out of kneading the dough, and I have frequently seen […]
Garden Planning
January 30, 2009 by
Even if you have never planned a garden before, now may be a terrific time to start. Our family just signed up for a garden plot through the local community center, and I think Emily will benefit from watching and caring for all our vegetables, herbs, and flowers. If you do not have the space […]
Fun with Felt – Play Valentine Mail Set
January 29, 2009 by
Emily does not know it yet, but I am going to surprise her with this homemade felt play mail set for Valentine’s Day! Isn’t it cute? I know, I know, 25 cent postage… those were the days, right? As a learning tool, the address labels and stamps can be moved around. She can practice placing […]
6 Tips for Handling Picky Eaters
January 28, 2009 by
Are your kids picky eaters? Are you preparing several dinners each night? Finding ways to handle picky eaters can be a huge help towards keeping a low food budget. Here are some tips that worked with our little picky one (who is not so picky any more!). Do not keep junk food in the house. […]
Preparing for Special Guests
January 27, 2009 by
Since we have made the decision to eat out less, we have been entertaining at home more often. Yesterday afternoon was spent preparing to get together with friends from college to celebrate Chinese New Year! We planned to get Chinese take out, eat with chopsticks, and spend some time getting caught up with one another. […]
Create 6 FREE Valentine’s Day Cards
January 27, 2009 by
Stories by Everyone is running a special for 6 FREE Valentine’s Day Cards. You can upload a photo to personalize them — very cute! Shipping is also free. Enter code valentine at checkout. Offer expires 2/1/2009. Not valid with any other offer.
Frugal Meal Planning 101
January 26, 2009 by
For many households, food can be one of the highest monthly expenses (second to rent or mortgage). Fortunately, there are several tricks to slashing your grocery bill while still maintaining a healthy diet. Meal planning is one technique, and you may find it works well for your family. If you have never tried to reduce […]
Afternoon Play Date
January 25, 2009 by
Mark worked late almost every night last week, so the girls and I went into “survival mode”. In case you are not familiar with “survival mode”, it goes something like this: 1. Do the bare minimum to get by with housework, laundry, or cooking. 2. Leave piles of dirty dishes on the countertops. 3. Do […]
The Great Thermostat Debate
January 24, 2009 by
The Deneen household is kept at a fairly constant 66 degrees during the winter (sometimes lower if we leave the house for a long period of time). I have noticed that hardly anyone else seems to keep their thermostat set this low. We dress the kids in layers, and we wear sweaters this time of […]
Get a Deal on Disney
January 23, 2009 by
Disney is now offering a package to buy 4 nights, get 3 more nights with tickets free! Plus, when you travel between 3/1 – 3/9 and 3/17- 3/29, you’ll also get a $200 Disney Gift Card. Click here for details.
Top 10 Cheap and Healthy Foods
January 23, 2009 by
Epicurious has a fabulous article on some of the best money-saving ingredients (complete with recipes). This is a great resource, and you can find the list here. Do you use brown rice, potatoes, apples, eggs, beans, or any of the other ingredients listed in your everyday cooking? I would love to hear about it! Leave […]
The Day We Unplugged – Part II
January 22, 2009 by
This is something that has been on my “To Do” list for awhile – organizing the Learning Studio. Last summer, Mark and I (mostly Mark) created this fabulous space in the house for the girls to get creative. It is full of every craft supply you could possibly imagine, plenty of books, and a good […]
The Day We Unplugged — Part I
January 22, 2009 by
I thought it would be fun to outline what we call “unplugged day” in our household. Every so often, we try to have a full day where we do not watch any television or play video games. It amazes me how productive I can be on these days! This morning, I had a conversation with Mark […]
