August 15, 2006
In this Issue:
Once again, my apologies for the last two incomplete Issues.
Featured Articles
Cheap Clothes
Back to School: Organizing Tips
Health Eating for Kids
Guest Article Column: Back to School, or Back to the Poor House? - Tawra Kellam
Recipes
Sweet and Sour Steamed Cabbage
Best Beef Stew
Chicken Divan
Money Saving Tips
Craft Ideas
Hanging Mobile
Quotable Quote
Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions. - A.A. Latimer
Did You Know?
A third of the world's people live on less than $2 a day, with 1.2 billion people living on less than $1 a day
Featured Articles
GUEST ARTICLEhttp://www.LivingOnADime.com Back to school is a time when many Moms witness their money sprout wings and take flight, finding their homes at retail stores across America. I know that consumer spending is good for the economy, but I don’t take it upon myself to keep the entire US economy propped up. So, when my first-grade son announced that he wanted a backpack with rollers, I saw this as a wonderful financial teaching moment. His school is small, and he doesn't walk to or from school. He didn't need rollers. I told my son that I would give him $8 toward a backpack. I told him that if he wanted a fancier one, he could put up some of his allowance money for the difference. That's the rule at our house. Mom and Dad buy the basics, the kids buy the extras. It was amazing how my son’s perception of the need for rollers changed when his allowance was on the line. Yes, he has concluded, a regular backpack will do the trick this year. Thousands of parents are buying back-to-school supplies. From crayons and notebooks to calculators and lunch boxes, the list of what to buy can be as long as the list of your kids’ excuses. I know that you are anxious to get your kids back into school, but there is no need to take out a second mortgage just to get rid of them. Instead, use some of these money-saving tips from www.LivingOnADime.com and you can happily send your kids to school and keep some of the cash for Mom’s back-to school celebration! *Wait for the list to come out and stick to it, otherwise you might buy things you don't need. Remember, the Bank of Mom doesn’t pay for frills. Any extras the kids want will have to be funded from their own cash reserves. I do understand that it is nice for kids to have "hip" back-to-school supplies.
I look at yard sales and thrift stores for brand-name finds. For instance, I recently found a gently used Barbie backpack and a Barbie lunch box and no one would know that I paid $1.00 each instead of the $32 that Becky Johnson’s mom paid. Who says stay at home moms don’t make any money?
*Use back to school sales to your advantage. If you know your kids go through a package of socks, underwear or jeans every six months then stock up while they are on sale. The same is true of crayons, paper, notebooks, backpacks and lunch boxes. My son went through two backpacks and two lunch boxes last year, so this year we will buy two while they are on sale instead of waiting until the middle of the year when they are full price. We will also be checking garage sales between now and then to find any good deals on those items. Don’t be tempted to buy things that you wouldn’t normally use, though, just because they’re on sale. |
Cheap Clothes: Smart Wardrobe!
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Back to School: Organization Tips
Ginny Bean, a mother of three boys ages 11, 15 and 17, offers some ideas for whipping the household back into shape after the relaxed summer months. When kids are back in school, get organized to tame the paperwork, homework, and supplies... Read On
Healthy Eating for Kids
Recipes
The Grocery Book
Just $19
Sweet and Sour Steamed Cabbage
1 medium-sized head of cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons vinegar
Cut cabbage in narrow wedges and steam in small amount of water until tender. Stir in butter.
Combine sugar and vinegar. Pour over cabbage and heat thoroughly. - The Best of Amish Cooking
Best Beef Stew
1 1/4 pound cubed stew beef
3 cups boiling water
6 small onions
2 celery stalks
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 carrots cut up
1 roll prepared biscuits
Coat meat with flour and brown (in large oven proof pot) in a small amount of fat. Add water, salt and pepper, cover and bake in preheated 350 degree f. oven about 45 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery and potatoes. Cover and bake about 25 minutes. Increase oven to 425 degrees f. Place raw biscuits on top of bubbling stew. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are browned.
Chicken Divan
2 packages frozen broccoli
2 (10 1/2 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
6 chicken breasts
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup grated cheese
Cook broccoli as directed on package. Place broccoli in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Boil chicken for 5 minutes, (remove bone andskin if necessary) Break into pieces and place over broccoli. Mix together soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder. Pour soup mixture over chicken and broccoli. Top with grated cheese and toasted bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees f. for 1 hour. Serves 6.
Need ideas for dinner or recipes?
Cooking.com -Go to Recipes & More Section
Recipe Secrets
Free Recipes at ClubMom!
Country Cooking Recipes
E-Cookbooks Library
Money Saving Tips
Send in Your Reader's Tips
Visit our money saving tips directory here
Household Saving Tips
1. Store matching sheets inside the pillow case. They'll always be together and you won't waste time searching for matching sheets.
2. Remove corner cobwebs using an broom covered with an old pillow case.
3. Clean resin lawn furniture using a damp sponge dipped in baking soda. Rub in a circular motion then rinse.
4. Brighten up white shoes or sneakers by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a solution of half ammonia/half water.
Alternative Uses for Common Household Items
Uses for Erasers
1. Pin Cushion - Keeping sewing pins in a box can be risky. Spills are messy. Stick pins in an eraser for easy handling.
2. Clean crayon marks off walls.
3. Clean hard to reach sides of piano keys to remove fingerprints and smudges.
4. Remove scuff marks from vinyl floors.
5. Glue to corners of picture frames to keep straight.
6. Remove sticky residue from labels.
Reader's Tips
Craft Ideas
Hanging Mobile
You will Need:
popsicle sticks
yarn, string, or fishing wire
art supplies for drawing or creating items to hang on your mobile
small items to hang on your mobile
Note: if you have a theme for your mobile, collect items relating to the theme (i.e. frogs, beads, small stuffed toys, etc.)
1. Crisscross two popscicle sticks and glue together or tie together to make the top of your mobile. You can paint them or color them with magic markers if desired.
2. Tie a hanging loop in the center of the crisscross on the popsicle sticks to use for hanging your mobile.
3. Tie your items or created decorations to the strings on one end and then tie to the popsicle sticks so they hang straight down.
4. Hang your mobile!
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