Frugal Romantic Travel
You do not need to spend a lot of money to have a romantic weekend getaway with your loved one. There are many opportunities for inexpensive weekend trips that will give you a special memory with the one you love. You may feel that if you do not spend a lot of money, you will sacrifice style and luxury, but this is not necessarily the case.
Bed and Breakfast
You can find small-town bed and breakfasts that offer great amenities, wonderful food, and charming rooms for a low price. A smaller town with a quaint bed and breakfast is a great place to spend some time away from the city and share special moments with your spouse.
Cabin Rental
Another inexpensive option is to search for cabin rentals at local lakes or camping areas. You can bring all the supplies and food you need with you and if you go in the off-season, you can find great rates on secluded cabins. If the cabin is on a lake, you can swim in the summer or build a nice fire to keep warm on cold winter nights.
Hotels with Kitchenettes
A hotel in a nearby city with rooms containing kitchenettes are great options of you want to get away but need to stay within your budget. You can bring food with you and spend your time checking out the local places of interest, museums, and attractions. You will save a lot of money if you prepare your food yourself instead of eating out.
Tent Camping
State parks that have camping facilities are a good choice as well. You can set up a tent, cook over and open fire, and gaze at the stars at night. A cooler packed with hotdogs, hamburgers and marshmallows will be an inexpensive way to create a lover’s feast in the moonlight.
Luxury Hotels
If you prefer luxury hotels and accommodations, book a room during the off-season. You can save a considerable amount of money if you make your reservation in non-peak times and if you book your room online, you can save even more. Early spring is normally a good time to search for cheap luxury accommodations.
If you can make the time, taking your trip during the week rather than on the weekend will also save you money. Hotels are more crowded on the weekends and are usually willing to drop their rates for weekday travelers. Traffic will be less of a problem on weekdays if you avoid rush hour and you can visit many great places during the off-season and save a lot of money over peak vacation periods.
You can create a very special romantic getaway if you search for locations where you walk hand in hand along a river, beach, or take a hike in the mountains and you will spend very little if you find cheap accommodations and bring your own food.
http://www.RomanceYourHusband.com is a website dedicated to helping married couples stay friends and to help them remember why they married each other in the first place. Our disclaimer is: If he’s a jerk, this won’t work. But, if he’s sweet, rub his feet.
Living Well on a Budget
submitted by Moms like You
If it’s Good Enough for Cleopatra
Add milk to your bathwater. I like to use Sea Salts or Bath Therapy and then add about a cup of milk to my bathwater. It feels wonderful. If it’s good enough for Cleopatra, then it’s good enough for me! – Nicole Dean
Make your own Sugar Scrub
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup vegetable oil such as sunflower or something like that
1 tbsp honey
essential oils such as rosemary, mint or grapefruit
Use about one tablespoon, Especially good on rough dishpan hands, elbows, and feet.
Michele Calpito
Benefits of Lavender
Lavender has been widely known to aid in calming nerves and tension as well as aiding in the relief of headache and migraines while easing your drift off to sleep. Enjoy a lavender scented eye pillow with the lights low to ease your headache away, the scent soothes your mind and body. – Christina Lunceford
Lip Gloss Recipes
Take care of yourself with these recipes for lip gloss you can make from home.
Making your own lip gloss
Cranberry Lip Gloss
1 tablespoon sweet almond oil
10 fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon honey
1 drop of vitamin E oil
Mix all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for a couple of minutes or until the mixture just begins to boil.
(Bowl may also be heated in a pan of water on a stovetop).
Stir well and gently crush the berries.
Cool mixture for five minutes and then strain through a fine sieve to remove all the fruit
pieces. Stir again and set aside to cool completely.
When cool, transfer into a small portable plastic container or tin.
Honey Balm
3 oz. Almond Oil
2 Teaspoons Honey
1/2 oz. Beeswax or Beeswax Pellets
1 Vitamin E Capsule (as a preservative)
1-4 Drops Essential Oil
Aloe Vera Lip Gloss
1 tsp aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp petroleum jelly
Mix the ingredients in a glass bowl, and microwave for 1 – 2 minutes.
Pour into container.
Heal Sores Balm
3 oz almond oil
2 tsp pure honey
1/2 oz beeswax
1 tsp tea tree oil
Melt all together and stir while cooling.
Fruity Lip Gloss –Made with Kool-Aid!
2 tbsp. solid shortening
1 tbsp. fruit-flavored powdered drink mix (Kool-Aid)
35 mm plastic film container
Mix shortening and drink mix together in a small microwave-safe container until smooth.
Place container in the microwave on high for 30 seconds until mixture becomes a liquid.
Pour the mixture into a plastic film container or any other type of small airtight container.
Place the fruity lip gloss mixture in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm.
Chaele is a WAHM annd a mother of three. She owns MSU
Free Bath Salt Recipes for a Spa Experience at Home
As Moms, we know the meaning of stress! And, we know the meaning of wanting to relax with a spa bath experience. Take care of yourself with these recipes for bath salts you can make from home.
Cocoa Bath Salts De-Stress Recipe
Ingredients:
1/8 cup Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup Epsom salts
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional: 2 to 3 drops lavender essential oil.
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined and then add as the bath water is running.
Check out this site for more free Homemade Beauty Recipes.
Simple Bath Salt Experience
Add plain old Epsom salts (the kind you can get at Kmart or any discount store) and milk to your bath tub with hot water.
If you have any favorite essential oils that you enjoy, drop a few drops into the bath for an aromatherapy spa experience.
Check out this site for more free Homemade Beauty Recipes.
Foot Soak Recipe
As Moms, we know the meaning of stress! And, we know the meaning of frugality. Take care of yourself with these recipes for foot soaks you can make from home.
Home Lemon Foot Mask
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vodka
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 drop lemon essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend well.
Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Soak your feet in the mixture for
about 15 minutes.
Massage the Mask into your feet if you’d like.
Rinse with plenty of warm water.
Take some time to pamper yourself. You can find more homemade spa recipes here.
Home Facial Recipes
As Moms, we know the meaning of stress! And, we know the meaning of frugality. Take care of yourself with these recipes for facials you can make from home.
Home Facial Cleanser Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp powdered almonds
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Directions:
Combine the honey, almonds and lemon juice into a paste.
Rub on your face. Rinse with plenty of warm water.
Take some time to pamper yourself. You can find more homemade spa recipes here.
Blueberry Facial Toner Recipe
You’ll need:
3 tablespoons steamed, crushed blueberries
1/2 C. sour cream or plain yogurt
Directions:
Purée ingredients in a blender at low speed until well mixed and fluffy.
Apply to face and neck. Let penetrate for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with
tepid water.
Take some time to pamper yourself. You can find more homemade spa recipes here.
Check out this site for more Homemade Beauty Recipes.
Romance on a Budget – Love Is Patient, Kind, and Cheap!
Written by: Nicole Dean, owner www.ShowMomTheMoney.com
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and men from Alaska to Florida are breaking into a cold sweat. They’ve bought into the fallacy that romance equals money. Men everywhere have been frightened off by television and movies and believe that romance is something outside of their budget. They are wrong.
When I think of the most romantic and breathtaking stories that my friends and I discuss over coffee, we don’t talk about flying off to Europe or drinking the most expensive champagne. The little things like holding hands, reading stories together, and lots of laughter are what we hold dear.
I’ve put together a list of ways to show love — without running up your credit card
bill. And, ladies, this list is for you, too. Initiate the following ideas with your
Sweetie, and show him how much you care. The ideas below are for men or women and fit every budget.
Love Notes – Leave Love Notes for your Sweetheart to find.
Pampering – Brush her hair. Scratch his back.
Wildlife – Feed the ducks, squirrels, birds, turtles or fish near you.
Games – Turn off the TV. Sit and play cards or board games together.
Cooking – Find recipes to make with your sweetheart.
Candles – Candles should be used every day — for meals, bath time, snuggling.
Read together – Choose a book and take turns reading it to each other.
Photos – When is the last time you had a photo taken together? What are you waiting for?
Work Date – Surprise your love with a lunch date.
Stroll – Leave the TV, phone and computer behind and go on a walk together.
Spell it Out – With Sidewalk Chalk, write your names in a heart on the sidewalk where your sweetheart is sure to see it.
Entertainment – Go see a High School or College play or concert. It is affordable and
fun!
Slow Dance – Turn on the radio and dance to the songs you fell in love listening to.
Star Gaze – Drive out to the country and look at the stars.
Volunteer – Choose a charity or cause that means something to both of you and work
together to make the world a better place.
Love Story – Write how you met, fell in love, how you felt, what your thoughts were. You will treasure looking through these books over the years.
Love Grows – Plant a garden together. Herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruit — anything you both like.
Cheer – Go to a High School Sporting Event.
Warm Hearts – Snuggle by a campfire or build a fire in the fireplace.
Watch the Clouds – Lay together and watch the clouds go by. Talk about the different shapes you see.
Connect – Hug, Hold Hands, Put your Arm around your Sweetheart.
Big Money – Write your Sweetheart a Check for One Million Kisses. Or make a coupon book of treats for him or her.
Window Shop – Go downtown and window shop.
Early Days – Look at photo albums of yourselves when you were kids through your dating years.
Puzzles – Do a jigsaw or crossword puzzle together.
Wish List – Both make a wish list of things that make you happy and put them in order. Hugs, dates, gifts, time together, intimacy, etc. Then look at the lists. They may
surprise you.
People Watch – Sit on a bench and watch people go by. Try to guess their stories.
Play – Go to the park and swing.
Kiss – Before you part for the day, kiss for 10 seconds. It is much better than a quick
peck on the cheek.
Picnic – Get take out food or make a picnic lunch. Take your time and enjoy your meal together outdoors.
Throw Rocks – Go to a pond, creek, or lake and throw rocks. Try to skip them or aim for different targets.
So, although an occasional expensive dinner is appreciated, it is truly the day-to-day
affection that builds romance and love. Yes, Love is Patient, Kind — and Cheap!
About the Author: Nicole Dean is the owner of www.showMomtheMoney.com — a fun and exciting site for Moms and Work from Home Moms. ( https://www.showmomthemoney.com ) She lives in Florida with her much loved Husband of almost 10 years, and their two silly children.
Cost of Raising Baby on the Cheap
Have you ever read those reports on the cost of raising a child?
The last time I checked, I was told that it would cost the astronomical figure of $430,470 to raise my baby… and that didn’t include college tuition!
The people who come up with these figures must not be very creative. Some of the best things you can do for your child are free or very inexpensive.
Here are some tips for raising kids on the cheap.
1) Breastfeed
You can save roughly $1,000 in formula costs alone in your baby’s first year by breastfeeding. Check out this report: http://www.natural-moms.com/cost_of_baby_formula.html
This figure doesn’t include the extra costs you would incur from Doctor visits and medications. Breastfed babies are less likely to need medical care and don’t get sick as often as their formula fed peers.
Formula feeding increases a baby’s risk of both acute and chronic health problems not only during childhood but well into adulthood. If you’re a working and breastfeeding Mother, you’re less likely to miss work than if you were formula feeding.
In addition, a breastfed baby can go straight from the breast to an open cup, thus eliminating pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups.
Even baby food is not necessary. The healthiest first foods for baby are fresh fork-mashed avocado, banana, sweet potato and the like. If you’re breastfeeding, you may be able to delay the introduction of solids until as late as 8 or 9 months.
2) Use Cloth Diapers
All I am saying…is give cloth a chance!
The modern cloth diapers are nothing like Grandma’s. The nicer ones are made from high tech materials that wick moisture away from baby, and utilize snaps or velcro to close instead of pins.
They save you a lot of money especially if you save them and use them again for subsequent children. You can buy them cheaply at thrift stores, online auctions, and diaper services (check your phone book for listings). Or ask for cloth diapers as shower gifts.
3) Rethink your Needs
Think about what you REALLY need to raise your baby. A lot of the expensive items sold in baby stores are completely unnecessary and some are even harmful. Most of the people raising children on the planet today do so without cribs, walkers (which Pediatricians recommend against anyway!), playpens, changing tables, swings, “educational” toys, etc.
Many Moms have found that a soft cloth carrier or baby sling was the only gadget they really needed. Baby is happy, stimulated by your activities and entertained. And Mom can get stuff done!
The best toys are simple and classic and require imagination. These are often the least expensive too! And most kids do best with few toys that are rotated. Think back to your own childhood…what were your favorite toys? If you can even remember them, they were probably not loud, flashy electronic battery powered gadgets. Your best childhood memories probably come from activities…playing in Grandma’s backyard, going places with Mom and Dad, the simple things.
For the baby stuff you really can’t live without…
4) Buy or Obtain Used
Let friends know that you welcome hand-me-downs and you’ll be blessed with all sorts of great stuff!
High quality clothing and baby equipment generally doesn’t wear out from just one child’s use. For safety, check to make sure items haven’t been recalled and get the owner’s manuals from the manufacturer’s websites. (The one exception would be child safety seats. Always buy those new.)
Shop at thrift and consignment shops and online auctions. Some of the very best deals can be found at regional consignment sales. Check local parenting magazines and websites for the locations of these.
Personally, I prefer used clothing because much new clothing has been treated with flame retardants and other scary chemicals that can be absorbed into children’s softer skin.
Being a frugal parent minimizes the impact on the environment, saves you money and models a healthy lifestyle to your kids. Teach your kids what really matters in life…people, not things!
Carrie Lauth publishes an informative newsletter for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your free subscriber goodies at http://www.natural-moms.com
Save Money:How to Make Baby Food
There are so many ways to save money raising your baby! If you’ve wondered how to make homemade baby food, keep reading…
Make Your Own Baby Food- The Easy Way!
Is your baby about to start solid foods? Are you thinking of making your own baby food?
When you make baby’s first foods, you can save money and reduce waste. You also can choose more nutritious options. Fresh foods are typically more nutritious than canned, and you can purchase organic food to prepare for baby if you wish. You can also avoid unwholesome ingredients that show up in commercial baby food.
Making baby food doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. In fact, the easiest and cheapest way is the best way!
The easy way to making your own baby food:
1) Don’t bother with buying one of those baby food grinders. They’re hard to clean and too much hassle.
2) If you wait until your baby is 6 months old to start solids, you can almost always just mash with a fork to the desired consistency.
If you’re breastfeeding, you can even wait until baby’s “pincer grasp” is developed and offer him small finger foods like peas, bits of grated apple, and the like. The pincer grasp is developed when baby can pinch small objects (like those bits of carpet fluff or food on the kitchen floor!) inbetween his thumb and first finger. In fact, if you have a family tendency towards food allergy, waiting longer to start solids may be preferable. No matter what baby’s age, always offer one food at a time and wait several days to watch for signs of allergy before offering another. Take it slow.
3) Start with fresh single ingredient foods like:
Banana
Steamed carrot, turnip, potato, yam
Avocado
Ripe pear, peach, melon, plum
Cooked squash
Grated apple- raw or steamed
Peas
Well cooked beans
Hard cooked egg yolks (avoid the whites until 1 year)
Some of these foods could be served raw. Others are lightly steamed (steaming retains more nutrients than canning), to make them softer for baby.
4) It’s not necessary to make a big deal of preparing baby’s food.
If you want to take a lot of time blending food and freezing them in ice cube trays, you could certainly do that. But I’m all for the easy approach!
Although you do want to avoid giving baby salt and sugar (and spices that may upset the tummy), you can usually just take an ingredient from your own menu and “make” baby’s dinner.
For instance, if you’re steaming veggies to serve at dinner, take a tablespoon of them out of the pan before you add butter and salt. Put this in baby’s plate and mash away. Voila! Instant baby food with no extra work. Or take a bit of beef from your roast and mash mash mash until it’s very soft.
Even when you’re at a restaurant, you can either bring an apple with you and “grate” it finely with a spoon at your table, or bring along a banana or other portable food. Any restaurant with a salad bar would have cooked beans or avocado. Or give baby a bit of your baked potato (before you add the goodies on top).
Life with a new baby is challenging enough. Keep starting solids simple!
For more helpful tips on simplifying life with kids, visit: http://www.natural-moms.com/homekeeping_organization.html
About the Author: Carrie Lauth, mom of 4, publishes a free newsletter for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your copy plus free subscriber goodies at: http://www.natural-moms.com/natural_mom_newsletter.html
Money Integrity: Teach Your Children Well
© 2004-2005 Darlene Arechederra
‘Live so that when your children think of fairness and
integrity, they think of you.’
— H. Jackson Brown, Jr.–
We think of integrity as doing the right thing when no one is looking. Does this hold true for money, too? Share with your children the money values you’d like them to carry into adulthood. We have opportunities to teach our children, even in unexpected ways!
Consider a few quick scenarios.
1. You find a $100 bill as you enter a local grocery store. Would you ask Customer Service if anyone has reported losing any money recently, and what amount it was?
2. You arrive home and discover a puppy sitting on your front doorstep. He has no tags on him. You bring him in out of the cold and keep him for the night. The next day, you discover his particular breed is worth $1800. Would you attempt to locate his owners as you might if he were a mutt?
3. You place a health & beauty order through a coworker, and she mistakenly thinks you’ve already paid her for it. Would you give her the money you owe anyway, or would you keep quiet?
4. You and your family have just eaten a meal out. Due to several factors, it was not as enjoyable as you had hoped. The bill arrives, and you notice some items were left off the bill. Would you pay it without saying anything?
5. You’re living a frugal lifestyle. You agree to join family members for a meal out to celebrate mom’s birthday. Do you order frugally, yet chip in a fair share for mom’s meal? Or do you skip contributing to mom’s meal and have others cover the entire portion?
6. Your last paycheck was $600 more than it should have been. While deciding whether to notify Payroll at work, your spouse spends the entire $600. Do you call Payroll anyway, knowing they’ll probably deduct the money from each of your next few paychecks? It will leave you no money for several weeks.
7. You’re selling your old clunker. Do you disclose any problems you’re having with it? Does your answer remain the same regardless of whether your buyer is male or female?
8. You discover that someone you dislike at work received a much bigger raise than you. Do you share the amount of his/her raise with your friends and family?
9. You purchase an ebook online — it was exactly what you were looking for. A week later, you’re feeling a money pinch. Do you ask for your money back on the ebook, even though it more than met your needs?
Children notice the decisions we make on a daily basis. Why not teach them how to develop money integrity — through your own interactions and decisions!
Do you have a scenario you’d like to share? Please email it to me. I’d love to hear from you.
Author and ezine editor Darlene Arechederra inspires busy women to put the fun back into saving their money. Her complimentary newsletter serves up heaps of motivation with a unique, down-home style of writing.
