Before You Fly: The Family Pre-Travel Checklist
Family trips can be life changing in a good way. So many incredible memories to add to your children’s core memories (a la Inside Out). But in order to have a good and successful trip, there are some preparations that need to be made. Here is a checklist of things you should take care of […]
What to Know When Creating a Family Emergency Fund
When I first started on my frugal journey and heard about Dave Ramsey, I learned about the importance of having an emergency fund. But it seemed impossible. I wasn’t even making it through the month as it was. Still, I realized that without an emergency fund, you’re even more screwed—because emergencies will come up, and […]
How to Handle Insomnia When You’re the Only Parent Awake
Sleep issues. It seems like everyone has them these days. When you’re a parent and you need your energy to take care of your children, insomnia can really mess with your life. I have the opposite issue, in that I am tired all the time and want to sleep as much as possible, but I […]
Laptop Water Damage? My DIY Fix That Brought It Back to Life
I was sitting in the office of my car mechanic, Jerry, the other day. (I know, again. More on that in another post.) While I was waiting for him to take care of my car, I took out my computer to begin to work. (When better than when you have a few hours to kill […]
Saving Money by Avoiding Hidden Home Repair Disasters
Spending money on home repairs always is annoying. But if you could catch a repair now, you usually can save money by avoiding a much more expensive repair down the line. For example, if the water in your shower doesn’t stay inside but instead goes to places that aren’t waterproofed, you are likely looking at […]
The Hidden Costs of Eating Healthy and How to Keep It Affordable
Healthy diets can be more expensive than unhealthy ones. It simply is a fact that many ultra processed foods can be purchased cheaper than healthy whole foods. But while this is true in some cases, there are definitely ways to eat healthier foods without breaking the bank. I’ve written a lot about that here over […]
4 Costly Retirement Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
I’ll be honest, thinking about retirement fills me with anxiety. Just thinking about what the future state of my finances will be is enough to fill me with dread. I know I need to be planning ahead, because I don’t want to need to rely on my children taking care of me when I am […]
Our Frugal Georgia Trip – Day 5, Part 2: How to Pay for Parking as a Tourist in Tbilisi
On my trip to Georgia, street parking was free in the first two cities I visited, Kutaisi and Batumi. Tbilisi, the third city we visited was another story. And of course, it wasn’t a simple one. Tbilisi used to have free street parking, but because of congestion issues they have instituted parking zones- the more […]
Fashion Mistakes Every Mom Makes (And How to Fix Them!)
For years I was broke and any clothes I got were from clothing swaps or second hand stores. Being a larger person, even before I gained weight from taking psychiatric medication, it wasn’t the easiest to find clothes that fit me, so if I found something that fit me, covered the parts of my body […]
10 Tips for Dealing with Language Barriers When Traveling
In front of the Kyrenia Gate, in Nicosia, North Cyprus Traveling the world is one of the things I enjoy most. I’m so glad I’ve been able to visit 10 different countries in the last 8 years, 4 of them with my children. As a native English speaker, I am kind of spoiled in having […]
