Cash In: Start Now to Save Money for Christmas
Posted by Cynthia Ewer on July 23, 2009
Think Christmas ... in July? Sure--if you want to be prepared for a stress-free holiday season.
Starting holiday planning now makes sense ... and cents! Saving ahead for holiday expenses spreads the financial demands of the Christmas season over several months--and being prepared with a cash budget means you'll be less tempted to put holiday spending on credit cards.
Sister site Organized Christmas has some clever ways to start now to save money for a debt-free Christmas celebration:
Clever checkbook management can lead to a Christmas stash. When paying bills each month, "round down" the bank balance to the next even amount--say, from $967 to $900--by writing a dummy check for $67 and deducting it from the register. Don't cash it, but hold it for Christmas. Over a few months, those "round it down" amounts will add up to holiday funds.
Cash In! Do-It-Now Ways To Save Money For Christmas More »
Save Money On School Supplies: Back to School Shopping Tips
Ah, summer! Baseball and sunshine, lemonade stands ... and back to school?
Yep. Summer or not, it's time to think about ways to save money shopping for back-to-school clothing and school supplies. More »
Cool Tie: Beat The Heat With This Simple Sewing Project
Beat summer's heat with an easy-to-sew cool tie! This bright cotton neckerchief has a summer secret: a filling of water-absorbing polymer granules from the garden center.
Soaked in water, the cool tie's polymer granules absorb more than 200% their weight in water. Tied around the neck or worn as a headband, a cool tie provides all-day cool relief through evaporation.
The cool tie is simple to sew, requiring only a straight-stitch sewing machine. It's lightweight and unbreakable--perfect for gifts or to include in care packages for our troops. This Marine Mom recommends it! More »
Free Printables For Garage or Yard Sales
Posted by Cynthia Ewer on June 15, 2009
It's June! Flowers are blooming, birds are singing ... and the voice of the yard sale shopper is heard in the land.
Thinking of holding a garage sale or yard sale this year? We've got everything you need to cut your clutter and score some cash with our garage sale tips--but if you're looking for more help, try these free printables for yard sale success:
Guide To Planning A Garage Sale (.pdf format) from SuddathRelocation.com
Printable Garage Sale Signs and Tags from FamilyFun.com More »
Traveling with Kids? Print An Activity Binder for Stress-Free Family Vacations
Posted by Cynthia Ewer on June 14, 2009
Here at OrganizedHome.Com, we love 3-ring binders. That's why we adore this travel tip for families with children: use free printables to create a kid's activity binder before traveling.
Use these links to print free coloring pages, word games, puzzles and activity sheets. Assemble a binder for each child, and add a zipper bag containing crayons, markers, pencils and game tokens to keep the kids amused for hours of peaceful drive time.
Find free printables for kids at these Web sites:
PBSKids.org Games, Stories and Coloring Pages
TheKidzPage.com Coloring Pages
FamilyFun.com Printables More »
Menu Planning: Save Time In The Kitchen
What's for dinner?
It's the question of the hour. Too many home managers look for answers in the supermarket at 5 p.m. Harried, harassed by by hungry children, they rack their brains for an answer to the dinner-hour question.
Three meals a day. Seven dinners a week. From supermarket to pantry, refrigerator to table, sink to cupboard, the kitchen routine can get old, old, old.
No wonder we hide our heads like ostriches from the plain and simple fact: into each day, one dinner must fall.
What's the answer? A menu plan.
Menu planning doesn't have be complicated. A small investment of time can reap great rewards: More »
