Ugh, setbacks.
This week we found out that we can’t install the cistern for rainwater that we were hoping for. So we’ll be looking for a different solution to bring water to our old home.
We still want to save money for whatever solution we come up with, so the big summer savings goal will definitely continue!
Well, we’re one week into our big savings challenge for this summer!
I hope you’ve decided to set a goal for yourself, too. We’ll do check ins each Friday to see how things are going and share ideas with each other.
And if you aren’t in a season of life that gives you enough breathing room for a challenge right now, no problem. Just check out what we’re doing so you can try it when life calms down a little!
(Believe me, I totally get it. That’s been our life all year… until school let out!)
Ugh…laundry! Luckily, using these laundry hacks makes the job simple… so you can get on to more fun things. (Anything else.)
Remember that one time when you found the bottom of your laundry hamper??
It was an amazing hour, wasn’t it?
(I mean, ewww. Now you know that you should probably clean the hamper, too. But hey…empty hamper!!)
You probably even convinced yourself that from now on, things would be different.
Never again will you let that laundry get the best of you.
No, sir!
A few years ago now, my husband and I had one of those “a-ha” moments that lead to us paying off a boat load of debt…while we raised 5 kids on one income.
It was tough, but our #yearofno was so worth it! (Even when it stretched to over two long years full of “no”s.
But no sooner had we paid off the last debt than we learned that I was expected baby #6!
And then we found out that our little 5 year old had a rare condition that would mean spine surgery.
Our family had already been going through a lot of changes, and these things added to the stress. (We love babies, but boy am I bad at being pregnant!)
Well, after a year of chaos, it’s time for our family to adopt another big goal. This time, we’re aiming to save money in an account to cover the cost of water.
School’s out for summer in our home and I couldn’t be more relieved!
When our day doesn’t revolve around 4 to 8 trips to run everyone where they need to be each day, it gives me much more time to plan ahead.
(Yikes. No wonder I can never get anything done!)
We’re enjoying the slower pace, and have already enjoyed a simple trip to the park and the library. Even if we treat ourselves to 50 cent Frostys all summer (or however long they last!), that makes for a super cheap fun afternoon for our large family.
You might need frugal grocery shopping tips, but that doesn’t mean you have a ton of time to dedicate to saving money. Here’s how to juggle it all!
If you’ve walked into a grocery store any time in the past year, you probably got some serious sticker shock.
What in the world has happened to prices??
You feel a bit of a panic when you put a little less in the cart than usual, and the cashier still gives you a total that’s much higher than you used to pay.
So you begin to look for frugal grocery shopping tips. Soon you find yourself face to face with ideas that seem…
…completely overwhelming.
Why does this have to be so hard?!
Well, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be!
I know, because I do all the grocery shopping for our family of 8. It’s a challenge, for sure!
Raising a lot of kids doesn’t leave much extra time…and being frugal often demands using time instead of money.
But there is a way to balance saving money and saving time for busy families like ours. Read on to get all the frugal tips!
Well.
It’s been a while since I shared a new 5 Ways We’ve Saved Money This Week!
Actually, that’s not entirely true. I’ve been sharing the occasional 5 Ways with my email subscribers.
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But today my kids start their summer break. And I thought I’d use this change in routine as a chance to get back to one of my favorite things…interacting with my favorite frugal folks!
These must have tips for large families can be put in place in no time flat! Use them today and have a simpler week!
A college professor once gave our class ideas for becoming good music teachers. Her advice? We should always have a “bag of tricks”. And we should never stop adding to it.
She suggested we watch others and steal their best ideas to use with our own students.
Life as a large family mom is just the same! We Moms should have a “bag” of large family tips to keep on hand.
These tips for large families are tried and true ideas that we use in our own large family home. Use them! Share them with your mom friends!
Finding the best cheap Mother’s Day gift ideas isn’t as hard as it seems. She is sure to love these gift ideas (and so will your wallet!).
Of course you love your Mama. And who doesn’t want to show her how special she is?
Really, you want her to know how much you love her all year long. But even more so on Mother’s Day.
Hardly anyone can afford to give their mother the kind of gift she really deserves. After all the work she’s done for you (she’s your number one fan, after all!), you’d love to give her a trip to an island filled with pampering for, like, a year.
Sadly, your wallet doesn’t agree with you.
But don’t worry!
You can still get her something special. In fact, I’ve got a whole list of the best cheap Mother’s Day gift ideas around. She’s going to love these ideas!
You have enough worry about your child’s condition. You shouldn’t also have to wonder what the hospital stay will be like. Here’s what you need to know.
When your kids are mostly healthy, you’ll get a reminder from time to time that you should be grateful for that.
Maybe it’s another mom sharing the story of their chronically ill child. Or a Facebook page that follows the journey of a child as they go in and out of the hospital.
Even so, it was quite the shock for me to learn that our own otherwise healthy 5 year old needed a serious surgery followed by a 5 day hospital stay.
As the date of the surgery drew closer, I realized I’d have to get out of that shock and prepare both of us for that hospital stay.
What would we need to bring along? What should we expect the experience to be like? I had no idea.
Luckily, some experienced friends gave me some tips to make our stay easier.
But even with their help, things happened that I wasn’t ready for.
So let me share our experience with you in the hopes that we can make your hospital stay a little less stressful. (Because there’s already plenty of that to go around.)
I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. Learn more. 
