4 Vegetarian Dishes That You Can Make at Home

Vegetarian dishes are often cheaper than meaty dishes. They are staples in my house because having meat every day gets quite expensive. Here are some vegetarian recipe suggestions from one of our readers.

Whether you are a fresh vegetarian or have been looking for new recipes for a long time, we promise you that it is possible to enjoy a delicious meat-free meal that is healthy and significantly affordable. Here are a few vegetarian recipes to try, ranging from 15-minute fried rice to almost anything in between.

6 Benefits To Having A College Degree

Honestly, one of my biggest regrets in life is not getting a college degree. I literally had the possibility handed to me on a silver platter, with a full scholarship to the honors program of a college that would custom make a degree in the field I wanted (gifted education), whose scholarship would also give a stipend for living expenses. And I turned it down to move abroad and get married. Who knows how my life would have been different had I gotten that college degree. I suspect that this blog never would have been started, to be honest, because I wouldn't have started out my adult life totally broke as I was when I started this. 

Here are some reasons why having a college degree is beneficial.

What do you think when you hear the words ‘college degree’? Are you filled with excitement? Fear? Or do you simply not think that it’s relevant to you, so you don’t research any further, and you don’t want to know more because you’re fairly certain having a degree will not benefit you in your life?

For some people, this is true, at least in terms of their careers. However, a degree isn’t just about your career, although that’s what its main function is. There are plenty of reasons to take a degree even if you don’t intend to use it to get a job or move further along your career path, and since you can choose online learning, even if you already have a job or responsibilities, you can still achieve a degree no matter what you’re doing in your life. The question remains, why would you? Why should you? Read on to find out; some of the benefits to having a college degree will probably surprise you.

Cranberry Almond Rice Pilaf Recipe -- Vegan, Gluten Free, and Allergy Friendly

I made this dish for the first time quite a few years ago, I think for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner, but I could be wrong. Ever since I made it the first time, I had a decent recollection of certain steps in the recipe, and fond memories of just how good it tasted, but never really made it again. Recently, though, I was craving something like it, but since it had been so long, I searched google for recipes for craisin almond rice, and came up with a bunch of recipes with the name pilaf in them, but all those recipes seemed wrong. You see, I very clearly remembered adding sugar to my onions and craisins, but all the recipes I saw were savory. And so, I put together this dish again, from memory, and it was just as good as I remembered. But I'm just going to stick the word pilaf in the title because that is what people seem to be using and I want this to come up when people search google. But I hope you'll forgive me because this doesn't strictly follow the definition of pilaf (though it does have a decent amount of similarity to the Afghan national dish, kabuli palaw, which is considered a pilaf). This is reminiscent of a dish they generally serve locally at weddings and other catered affairs.

I brought this craisin almond rice dish to a potluck Thanksgiving meal this year and it was devoured. Though it has sugar in it, it isn't very sweet, it is just the right combination of sweet with the rest being savory. The onions and craisins get carmelized, almost candied. I maybe am being a bit extreme, but I would happily say that this is one of my favorite rice dishes ever. My daughters aren't the hugest fans, unfortunately, so I don't know how often I'll be making it. But I definitely suggest giving this one a try. It is worth it.

Unlike most of the recipes I saw when googling to refresh my memory of how I made this dish, this one doesn't use any broth or stock in it, so it is completely vegetarian and vegan. Other than the almonds this is also free from the most common allergens, such as gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, etc... If you are nut free feel free to leave out the almonds, and maybe replace them with pumpkin seeds, if not totally leaving them out.

This is also a great way to use up leftover rice, but if you don't have leftovers, it is worth it to cook up some for this recipe.  

Cranberry Almond Rice Pilaf Recipe -- Vegan, Gluten Free, and Allergy Friendly

How To Design A Modern Nursery Room With A Small Budget

If you are having a new baby and need to put together a room for the baby, you might think that this would cost a lot of money. Fortunately, there are many ways to do it on a tight budget. A reader explains how.

Your new bundle of joy deserves all the best things in life. And by the best, it doesn’t mean that it should cost you an arm and a leg to decorate the living space. It may sound challenging, but it’s not impossible to design a modern nursery with a meager budget. Whether it’s a crib, a rocking chair, diaper holders, or other nursery essentials, you don’t have to buy everything brand new.

The key to a low-priced and functional baby room is to be resourceful. This article would discuss some helpful tips in making a nursery room without breaking the bank.

Learning About How Toilets Work

If you like DIYing as much as I do, you probably have learned about different things and their functions so you could learn to fix them. I've never actually fixed my own toilet, but have the most rudimentary knowledge of how I might. But to know how to actually repair it, you need to know how it works. Here's more to teach you about this important thing we all have in our homes.

Every household in the world nowadays has at least one toilet and you have probably used it thousands of times. However, have you ever wondered how toilets actually work? To fully understand how toilets operate you need to know what they consist of.

Dishwasher- Want or Need?

Way back when, when I was living an extremely extremely extremely frugal lifestyle and not by choice, I had a series here on this blog called "Needs vs Wants?" I cringe looking back at it and feel bad for myself that I legit was talking about things like whether or not running water, electricity, a fridge, or a cell phone were a need or a want, as well as what the bare minimum furniture and baby supplies someone might need would be. My life has come a long way since then, and I have many things today that past me would have considered a nice extra, but for me are non negotiable. 

However, while I don't usually ask myself whether something is a want or a need, especially since that question is a very triggering one for me, when it comes to large expenses, that is something that I consider. Like there are a few things that I'd like to do that would cost me money but since I can make do without them, I'm waiting on them until I have money saved up to pay for them and still have wiggle room in my finances. This is, from least expensive to more, things like a gluten free toaster (to go along with our current gluten one), a new microwave, a replacement blender since mine is finally on its last legs, building a loft room for my son, and hopefully getting a car. Plus a dishwasher, which I will get to in a second. And since things on the higher end of the price range are more important than the cheaper things, I'd rather the money go to a sinking fund for the more expensive thing than spend it on the cheaper but less important thing.

5 Benefits of Sending Your Child to Private School

There's no question about it, private school is much more expensive than public school. If you're a frugal minded person, then, why would you send your children to private school? Are there any benefits that your children can get there that make it worth the extra expense? As a private school student myself, it was interesting to read this post from a reader on that topic. One thing that this does not talk about, though, is that many people send their children to religious private schools, that provide an education on your religion that public school won't do (and for good reason).

We all want to do our best for our children and give them the best life we possibly can. Education is a huge factor in a child's life as it can mold them into the adult they will become and, to an extent, determine the path they will follow in life. So choosing the right school for them is an important decision. Should you send them to a state school or go private? Many of us don't know the exact ins and outs of private education and what it has to offer. To assist you with your thoughts, here are 5 benefits of sending your child to private school.

Steps to Take When Protecting Your Garden from Pests

If you have a garden, you know how irritating pests can be! I had two giant basil plants entirely devoured by slugs. (I hate slugs.) Here are some suggestions on how to protect your garden from pests.

Growing a garden is a rewarding experience. Home gardeners often spend hours upon hours planting seeds, fertilizing the ground, and picking their crops. After all, nothing tastes as good as fresh fruits and vegetables. However, some annoying pests may try to eat the harvest first.

Thankfully, there are several ways to protect your garden from these unwelcome guests. Follow these steps.

I Fell Off The Budgeting Wagon

I had this post on my mind already for a long time, but something was holding me back. Originally, it was going to be titled "Help! I Fell Off the Wagon!" because I needed help. What wagon, that is? The budgeting one. Keeping track of my income and expenses via my YNAB app. The wagon that I need to be on to make sure that my life works out properly, that I have money for what I need and don't spend money on things I don't have. And I can't say it's not still an issue. Because right now it's not a total cry for help, because I've gotten back on, but I do need advice on how to not get off it again.

You see, it started about half a year or so back. I was overwhelmed with life, and inputting all my expenses, every time I made them, just felt too overwhelming. So I'd spend. Tried not to spend too much, still stuck to my frugal lifestyle, and I made certain spluges that I perhaps shouldn't have and wouldn't have if I knew the exact state of my finances. I mean I wasn't altogether terrible- I looked at my bank account and knew where it was holding, but that by far is not the whole picture. Because my goal isn't to get down to zero each month and build my way back, because my bank account also includes my emergency fund, plus money I'm holding for different things (such as my tenant's rental deposit), and without actually looking at my budget, I am not able to see how much money I actually have available to be used without needing to dip into my emergency fund. 

Every month or so I'd reconcile my money in my budgeting app with what is actually in my accounts, and I would be stressed out! I was spending more than I should! And then every time that would happen I'd beat myself up for this. And feel bad about myself. And stress some more.

5 Things to Consider When Buying Home Batteries

Have you thought of turning your home into a solar powered one? If you live in a sunny place, this might be a worthwhile option. When doing so, something you generally need to consider is getting a battery to store this solar energy. Here's what you need to know about when buying such batteries.

People are moving towards greener alternatives of power supply. Yes, this is true. The early consequences of pollution, global warming, and exhaustion of non-renewable resources have made people concerned about nature and survival. Most of the population concerned about using solar energy is the young population of the age group 23-35 years.

This age group is just experiencing the initial days of settling down. They are the ones who are buying houses to start their independent life. Their love for nature is reflected in every choice they make. That is why many of the youngsters prefer solar-powered energy systems in their houses. If you are one of them and want to buy a perfect battery with solar PV system protection, you are in the right place.

The things listed below are the points to remember while buying a battery:

How To Choose A Bathroom Sink

When we were deciding on how to design our kitchen in our new house, one of the things we decided right away is to not have a porcelain sink. We had had porcelain before and hated it, and knew we wanted to go with stainless steel, but originally we had also considered stone. However, in our bathroom, we went with porcelain. If you are looking into designing your home, either for a new home or if you are doing a renovation, here are some different types of sink options to help you figure out what type would work best for you.  

Sink considers special attention when thinking of the design of the bathroom. Each of us comes to it several times a day: to wash our face and hands, to brush our teeth. Of course, everyone wants the washbasin to be beautiful and comfortable, and also to effectively complement the design of the bathroom. What to know before buying a sink? There are several criteria that you should definitely pay attention to. Let's take a closer look.

An Exciting Scratch and Dent Grocery Store Discovery!

Yesterday I went to the scratch and dent store. As I went to pay the manager tells me that he hasn't seen me in a while. Ya, they know me at these types of stores. I'm one of the regulars and I buy stuff in bulk there. But the thing is, he's right. I haven't been there lately. I have all sorts of excuses why I haven't taken advantage of this option for cheap grocery shopping, like no time or energy to go out of my way especially with no car. But that simply isn't true and is just that, excuses.

I finally decided enough with the rationalizations, because as of now I go to the nearby city four days a week for various therapies (Yay life!) and one of those days I'm so close to one of these stores, like a 5 minute walk or less. So two days ago, when I was nearby, I made the short trek to the scratch and dent shop.

What I saw there delighted me and I knew would delight the kids.

3 Ways to Reduce Your Mortgage Payments as a New Parent (With Actionable Examples)

Mortgages are annoying. They can eat up a big chunk of your income each month. But at least with a mortgage every month when you pay it you are owning more and more of your house, as opposed to rent which doesn't give you any assets in the long run. Here are some ways that you can make your mortgage payments lower, to help lower your monthly expenses.

As a new parent, you may be feeling the weight of your monthly mortgage repayments. If this is the case, then there are some steps that you can take to help reduce these payments. These 3 mortgage reduction strategies will not only make it easier for you financially, but they will also provide peace of mind at a time where stress levels are likely high!