This spring, I read in my local newspaper about how fewer people are getting married. One of the reasons mentioned for the decline was expense. Wedding changes in the last few generations may have contributed to the expenses incurred. According to Forbes, the average wedding in 2024 is $33,000! That’s insane. I agree with a…
Expenses add up with a new baby, but one way to save money is to breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding saves money, but it also provides other benefits for you and your baby. There’s no need to spend money on formula and all the bottle feeding paraphernalia. Of course, you will still want a few bottles…
(or other gift-giving times) Here are some ways to save money at Christmas or other gift giving times. During this season of the year, money is quickly spent, so I hope these ideas will help you with your shopping budget. I hope you have stress-free shopping and wrapping experiences this Christmas. How do you save…
One way to save money is to plan your meal menus for the week or month. Planning your menus helps you determine your grocery list. While shopping, stick to your list and don’t add on to it. (By the way, don’t shop when you’re hungry!) Weekly vs monthly menu plans If I plan menus for…
My son married last fall, and my daughter married this spring. Weddings elicit a range of emotions which include excitement and joy, along with feeling overwhelmed and stressed. How to pay for a wedding is among the top concerns. One wants a beautiful and memorable day honoring the nuptials and couple, but going into huge…
I learned some interesting tidbits while reading through an old cookbook my aunt gave me. The cookbook contained stories and recipes from the 1930s, the Great Depression years. Today, I’ll share some of the interesting facts gleaned from the cookbook. Tomatoes for breakfast One thing I noted was that when families didn’t have oranges for…
Keeping a budget is a wise way to save and stretch a dollar. First, track your expenditures so you know where you spend your money. Take a ledger and write your line items such as mortgage, medical, garden and yard, insurances, food, gasoline, charity contributions, gifts, utilities, etc. I separate each utility so I know…
Thirteen easy ways to save money includes saying no to some things. In 1999, a fierce storm came and blew our satellite dish away, along with over 30 huge trees in our once-wooded lot. Months before the storm, my husband quipped that if God wanted him to give up satellite television, He’d let him know.…
You can save money by reusing items instead of throwing them away. One year, I wanted Christmas stockings for my family. Rather than buy them at the store, I went through old clothes that I didn’t wear anymore and fabric leftovers that I keep for some unknown reason and used these materials to make the…
Groceries are getting expensive! Here are some money saving food tips to help stretch your dollars. Common ways for saving money on food Don’t eat out except as a rare treat. Eating out is a fast way to spend money. It’s nice once in a while, but don’t make it a frequent habit. Somehow these…