Lifestyle blogger – cruises, organizing, managing money, and parenting.
As the owner of four cats and a dog, I have paid out my share of vet bills. Maybe even more than my share. Last year, our St. Bernard – Joe got out of the yard, got hit by a car, and ended up with a broken leg that cost us about $800. It really […] Read more…
I just finished yet another cruise last week, so while I was on board, I was thinking of you guys and picking up little tips I’d like to share with you. A cruise can be SO much fun, but they can be a LOT less expensive if you follow these few simple tips. CUT CRUISE TRAVEL […] Read more…
Every New Year’s Eve, what is the absolute number one resolution? Hands down, it is always to lose weight. It’s like the Holy Grail of resolutions! Because of that, the diet and exercise industry is one of the richest in the world. People spend thousands of dollars each year with hopes of losing weight – […] Read more…
Like just about every other girl these days, my granddaughter wants to be Princess Elsa from “Frozen” this year. It seems to be the most popular costume of the year! After MUCH searching, I finally found her the costume for a reasonable price. But of course she needed the signature Elsa braid. Materials Needed to […] Read more…
This is one of my rare crafty posts, but this little gift idea was just too easy and too good to share. I used it as a graduation gift for my friend’s daughter, but you could use it for so many different gifts for people of all ages – a neighbor, a co-workers, a friend […] Read more…
I know most people think that money is just money. But I can tell you that there is an enormous difference between paying for things with cash and with other forms of payment – including credit/debit cards, checks, or your phone. Behavioral scientists have done probably hundreds of experiments over the years that clearly prove […] Read more…
So, my middle son Matt got married about a month ago. I haven’t posted the pictures from it because it’s taken a while to get the pictures back from the photographer. But it was a lovely day and we were all excited to see them married. Great weather – perfect since it was a rooftop […] Read more…
I am always surprised when I find that most people have not heard about a water alarm. These things are BRILLIANT and have saved our bacon more times than I can count. Water damage can be very expensive. We’ve had water in our basement at least 10 times now from either our washer, our water […] Read more…
This post was inspired by a mistake made a while back by my now 25 year old son. This son, in fact. Yes, I know he’s a handsome fellow, but he’s not quite perfect. Like a lot of kids (okay, young adults!), he makes mistakes sometimes, especially regarding money. His latest mistake concerned a guitar. […] Read more…
Next to buying a house, buying a car is one of the most expensive purchases we make. It’s one time in your life when you will be pitted against professionals who are focused on separating you from as much of your money as they possibly can. If you want to learn about saving money on […] Read more…
Most financial experts agree that the best way to teach kids to be a smart shopper is to actually let them TRY it. They need to learn from their own successes and failures. Since one of your biggest recurring expenses is your grocery budget, this is a great place to start. Do you realize our teen is […] Read more…
Fast food seems like such an easy and harmless thing – a burger here, a pizza there, maybe a latte in the morning, but before you know it, it can really sabotage your budget. Take a look at some of the statistics below: Quick Fast Food Statistics Most Americans eat fast food 1-3 times a […] Read more…
I’m a big fan of Dave Ramsey. I bought one of his books on his debt management strategies and it really impressed me. I’ve read lots of similar plans, but this one really got my attention and it seemed like something I could really do, especially the debt snowball plan because at that point, I […] Read more…
This was a tough post to write. Even though I have relinquished my position in the direct sales industry, I still feel a certain loyalty to “my” companies. I don’t want to feel like I am bashing any particular company or say that they aren’t running their business ethically. Some of them are very ethical […] Read more…
I’m the leader of the local Green Team at my company. We have designated teams like this at our major locations around the company to come up with ways to help the company be more socially responsible through recycling and other “Green” initiatives. Lots of easy ways to save on your power bill if you’re […] Read more…