Our Trip to the ER

Today I had planned on writing about and sharing about our family's 3 day trip, after we got home late last night.

But the universe had other plans.

My sons were fighting, and in the process a heavy metal door slammed open, crushing my 9 year old son, Ike's, finger between the door and a cement wall. It was bleeding and looked so horrible and I knew it needed immediate medical attention.

Immediately I rushed out with him to attempt to go to the local doctor, only to discover that the clinic was closed. So we walked to the bus stop to take a bus into the city.

How to Look More Fabulous Even On A Tight Budget

If looking fabulous and stylish is important to you, here's some suggestions from a reader how to do that without breaking the budget.

The year started on a high note. The only downside is the financial crisis that has hit everyone's pockets. Living on a budget is not easy, but you don't have to look poor while at it. You can wear cheap clothes, shoes and accessories, but still look fabulous.

Here are tricks to help you look good on a simple and inexpensive budget.

Our Upcoming Family Trip

A picture of the apartment where we'll be staying

Right now I was supposed to be getting ready and packing my bags for a trip to the airport. A few months ago I booked tickets for a vacation for myself. I was to fly in to Frankfurt Hahn Airport in Germany tomorrow, take a bus to Luxembourg and stay there for the weekend at a a hostel, after which I was going to continue by bus to Paris, stay at my friends' house in nearby Versailles, and spend the next few days touring Paris, before heading back by the airport next Thursday.

Alas, because of many reasons, all divorce related, this trip is no longer an option for me to take. And unfortunately, my airfare (fortunately not too much) is non refundable. And my hostel still needed to be paid, as there was a non refundable deposit.

I was really down about not being able to go on this trip, especially as I really get excited about planning my trips and my itineraries, and I felt that just staying home and living my life like normal when I was supposed to be on my trip would be too painful, so I tried to figure out some alternative options.

Budgeting for Baby: Spending Tips for All Your Baby Needs

While I'm not currently in the baby raising mode, with four children, I went through that multiple times and I know that there are many potential expenses and also many more ways in which you can be frugal. Here are some tips to keep down the costs for your baby from a reader.

According to a report from the USDA, the average middle-income family with kids will spend between $12,000 and $14,000 annually on child-related expenses. Babies aren’t cheap, we all know that. But there are a few things you can do to lessen the burden so that you’re not struggling to make ends meet when baby arrives. In this guide, we’ll help you determine how much you need to raise baby in her first year and provide you with some useful tips you can employ throughout baby’s life to help make your dollars go further on baby clothes, food, diapers and more.

Pre-Baby Spending: What to Budget for Baby’s First Year

Giveaway Winners!

I'm really excited to share the winners of last week's giveaways!

We have two lucky winners!

One winner, to celebrate my ninth bloggaversary is for my cookbook, Penniless Foodie in the Wild; Adaptable Recipes for Foragers and Frugalistas!

7 Small Changes That Promote Big Budget Savings

Sometimes to save money, it takes a lot of time. Sometimes, though, there are simple changes that can save money. Here's some tips from a reader.

The new year has arrived, and that means that people from all around the world are looking for positive ways to make a change to their daily routine. Since money is an issue that we all deal with on a somewhat regular basis, it makes sense that you might want to make one of your resolutions about your finances.

The good news is that if you do want to make a big difference to your budget this year, that doesn't necessarily mean making huge changes to your life. Although working an extra job or selling your unwanted items can lead to great results, there are a lot of little things that can make an impact too. Here are some of our favourite options.

Easy Paleo Chili "Cheese" Fries Recipe with Chocolate Chili and Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

A few months back I went out with friends to eat, and I ordered chili "cheese" fries (with non dairy cheese sauce), and it was so delicious. Since then, I've made it so many times at home; it's become a bit of an obsession here. The reason for that is it is super easy to make, relatively frugal, my kids all enjoy it, and it tastes amazing.

I was in a rush yesterday and I made the chili portion of this recipe in under 20 minutes start to finish (yes, including cooking time). Making the french fries and the fake cheese sauce takes longer, but I like to have the fake cheese sauce on hand in my fridge to pull out as needed, and if you don't have time to make fries for this, the chili and cheese sauce also is amazing as chili "cheese" toast.

The chili can be eaten however you like; yesterday my kids had it over pasta. It's great with cornbread, rice, or even plain. Just one thing to note; because I eat this on other foods, it's got a bit of a strong flavor. If you want to eat it plain out of a bowl, I suggest adding approximately half to one cup of water, or to taste, to thin out the strong flavors.

I know, the concept of cocoa powder in chili probably sounds weird, but chocolate chili is a thing, and you don't taste the cocoa per se, it just makes it a much richer and even more delicious flavor.

Feel free to play around with this recipe. I usually don't even measure things and just throw it all together. I use grated zucchini in mine to add veggies that are more hidden, and because my kids won't eat cooked peppers, but feel free to add any vegetables you like to this, and just chop them instead of grating if that's how you prefer this. If you prefer fresh onion and garlic, use the equivalent of that instead of dried.

I haven't tried this yet with ground turkey or ground chicken, but I'm sure it would also be great with that.

If you didn't get around to defrosting your ground beef before you started, you can even do this with meat that is frozen solid. It will just take longer. Stick the beef in the pan with the zucchini and a drop of oil, and put it on low, and as it cooks and defrosts, break it up into smaller pieces.

Easy Paleo Chili "Cheese" Fries Recipe with Chocolate Chili and Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

How to Stop Getting Sucked Into Sales

It doesn't matter how good of a deal something is. If we don't need something and buy it unnecessarily, it's a waste of money. Here's some suggestions from a reader how to stop getting sucked into sales.

It’s fair to say we all love a bargain. With the rise of Black Friday, Boxing Day sales and January sales, it’s easy to be tempted into splurging. This year, American shoppers spent a record $5 billion in 24 hours on Black Friday. While there are some great deals to be had during sales, a lot of us get sucked into buying items we don’t need in the heat of the moment, putting a strain on our finances. Here are some top tips that will help you avoid over-spending during retail sales.

Farewell to Homeschooling

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. After 11 years of homeschooling, it's time to say farewell.

In light of that, I wanted to write up a post chronicling and summing up our family's homeschooling journey, something I've written a lot about on this blog.

I was homeschooled for a year in high school in a very intense academic way. I was so turned off by the idea of homeschooling and never would have done the same if not for the inspiration from my friend Avivah, who homeschooled all of her 11 children at some point or another. I was so enamored by the way she was raising her children and the positive effects homeschooling had on her family that, when I eventually decided to homeschool my children, I was very excited by the prospects.

Originally I got into homeschooling because of the lack of what I felt were suitable schooling options in my area for our family, but the more I learned about it, the more I cherished being able to teach a child in a way that is suitable to their unique nature, to specialize their schooling for them. I also got excited about the concept of unschooling, where you follow a kid's interest and teach them in a way that they enjoy and when they want to learn, so they retain a love of learning.

Cheap Ways to Protect Your Kids from Germs this Winter

This winter hasn't been the easiest one for our family. First one kid and then another has been sick, and so have I been. Just today Ike got diagnosed with Strep throat when I took him in for an ear infection and puking. I need to listen to this advice from a reader on how to not keep on getting sick!!!

Winter is a special time, especially for kids who like building snowmen, learning how to skate, or going on ski resort vacations. But winter is also a popular time for germs and diseases.

As parents, we want to keep our children safe and happy. To avoid illness as well as exorbitant healthcare costs, here are some frugal ways to protect your kids this winter, from lowering your heating bill to exploring cheaper treatment options from an international or Canadian pharmacy referral service like Rx Connected.

First Things First: Cold Temperatures Do Not Cause the Cold

Cold viruses do. There are hundreds of different cold viruses and adults get 2-3 colds per year on average while healthy kids can get 8-12 colds per year. Chances are, you’re exposed to these viruses every day.

…But Do Stay Warm