Saving Seeds for the Kiddos' Future

Parents want the best for their children and give them the greatest opportunities to start off their adulthood on the right foot. But that means starting now and not just waiting for the future. As in Aesop's tale of the ants and the grasshopper, saving up now means that you'll have what to eat in the future, even if playing is more fun... Saving up for the future is also like gardening. Here's how.

Planning for your little ones' future is sort of like starting a garden from scratch. You don't need a whole lot to get started—just some seeds, which are like the few bucks you tuck away now and then. Maybe you open a college fund or just start a little savings stash. Every bit you save is planting a seed for their education and stability down the road. It's about the small things you do now, like maybe teaching them to save their allowance or showing them how to budget for that video game they want. You're laying down the roots for their financial smarts.

Reclaiming the Word "Fat" and other "Bad" Words

Fabulously fat me, dressed up as Morticia

I needed to go clothing shopping and asked in a local Facebook group where I could find a clothing store for fat women. And in addition to a lot of helpful suggestions I got so many comments about my choice of language.

• "Plus size women. Not fat women."
• "Why the term Fat women? Larger sized women please!"
• "Can't we just say plus-sized? So much less demeaning."

I specifically use the term fat.

I am fat.

At  5'9 and 285 lbs, fat is a perfectly accurate descriptor. I'm fat. I'm tall. I'm blue eyed, straight brown haired, lightly freckled, myopic (need glasses), and a woman. Those describe me. They are all facts. Descriptors. None of them are either positive or negative. They are neutral. 

Descriptors are only negative if you make them that way. Otherwise, they are neutral.

Ten Tips for Talking to Your Child About A New Sibling

Navigating the conversation about a new sibling with your kids can be a bit like decoding a complex puzzle. This post explores the nuances of discussing the addition of a new family member. While my own parenting journey might not involve expanding the brood, I've learned a thing or two about fostering understanding and acceptance in the midst of life changes. So, let's delve into the practical aspects of having "the talk" with your little ones and create a roadmap for smoothing the transition.

There are so many considerations to hold in your mind at once when preparing yourself for a new baby that discussing it with your existing child can be easy to put off. No matter how old they are, talking to them about their new sibling is the best way to set up a positive relationship with the new baby.

7 Decluttering Tips for Busy Moms

Do you need a no-nonsense guide on decluttering for the overwhelmed? If the daily chaos of toys, laundry, and random odds and ends has you feeling a bit suffocated, you're in good company. I get it. In this blog post, we'll tackle decluttering with practical tips that fit the reality of our busy lives. So, if the idea. of a minimalist haven seems like an unattainable dream, stick around. The goal is order, without the overwhelm.

Being a mom is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. But between work, school drop-offs and pick-ups, after-school activities, meal prep, and more, life can get hectic for moms! Keeping a tidy home amidst the chaos of daily life is no easy feat. Clutter can quickly take over, leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

The good news is there are many effective ways to tackle clutter and keep your home organized. As a busy mom, a little decluttering each day goes a long way towards maintaining order. Here are seven tips to help you declutter your home and free up more time and space for what matters most to you.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!

 
This time last week I woke up to horrifying messages from so many people. My Facebook page was sharing essentially pornographic stories, with links to a porn website if you clicked on them. I tried to go to my page to delete it, but I was completely locked out of my page. It wasn't considered something of mine anymore, I had zero access to it- just the same amount of access that any of you have.

I was horrified and upset and so many other things. I didn't know how to fix it. I tried reporting it to Facebook. I mobilized my circles to please report the facebook page. Everyone kept telling me to change my password but that didn't work since the page wasn't connected to my account anymore.

Don't Wait Too Late for Life Insurance

If you're like me, you probably don't want to think too much about death and what happens after we die. We're young and hope to live a long life, so why plan for our deaths just now? And besides, it's expensive, complicated, and just feels irrelevant. But unfortunately, disasters happen, and people die way before their time; unfortunately too many people in my circles have been dealing with that lately. My friend, for example, lost her brother in law in a plane crash, and he left behind many children. Fortunately, he had a good life insurance policy, so my friend's sister doesn't need to worry about the finances now in addition to all the rest of the hell they're going through at the moment.  Life insurance is one of the most important financial decisions you can make for yourself and your loved ones. And I'm going to tell you why.

First of all, what is life insurance? Life insurance is a contract between you and an insurance company that pays out a lump sum of money to your beneficiaries if you die during the term of the policy. The money can be used for anything, such as paying off debts, covering funeral costs, or providing income for your family.

There are different types of life insurance, but the most common and affordable one is term life insurance. Term life insurance covers you for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, or 30 years. You pay a fixed amount every month, and if you die within the term, your beneficiaries get the payout. If you outlive the term, the policy expires and you get nothing.

Why is term life insurance beneficial? Term life insurance is beneficial because it offers a lot of coverage for a low cost. You can get hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of coverage for a fraction of what you would pay for a permanent life insurance policy. Term life insurance is also flexible and simple. You can choose the amount and duration of coverage that suits your needs and budget. You don't have to worry about any cash value, investment options, or fees that come with permanent life insurance policies. 

Hacked

Oh my gosh, I want to throw up.

Someone hacked my blog's Facebook page and kicked me off as site admin so now I have no access to it...

And they're posting sexually explicit things on it. (On the page's stories.)

I don't know what to do.

But I wanted to:

1) Let you know.

2) Let you know I know.

3) Apologize for you having to see those stuff.

4) Ask for help if you know how to help me with this.

Thanks so much.

Hello Car! Again...

Very excited with my brand new (to me) car!

This post has been a long time coming. 

I literally started writing it over a month ago, which was more than a week after buying my car, but there were a lot of emotions involved in writing this and it took me quite a while. More on that in a little bit.

So for those who didn't see my post in September (writing about what happened in August), basically after 6 months (minus a couple of days) of buying my last car, the engine completely conked out (dangerously, along the highway in a dangerous area, but fortunately we all came out unscathed). It was really, really, really disappointing and frustrating, and I had a lot of guilt about it, which is why it took me a few weeks to write it up. 

I blamed myself for it (something I'm very good at), blamed myself for maybe not being responsible enough, for getting a bad car, for not doing enough research... but fortunately people I care about talked some sense into me, and reassured me that it was not my fault, that it just was a case of bad luck. This had been after months of recurrent leaking near the engine, which was suspected to have been caused by the engine, but there was no way of knowing. So having paid to fix up the car for that, and other various issues, in addition to the money I spent on it... was just a huge bummer. Especially since I'd paid to fix it up some more just a few weeks before it conked out.

My mechanic, who is a sweet guy, at least gave me a refund on the new battery that he'd just replaced. He also helped me find someone to purchase the trashed car for parts. While he could have replaced the engine, it wasn't worth doing in a car that was 15 years old, given that the engine would cost more than half of what I originally paid for the car.

Lastly, I felt a lot of regret that I didn't pay for insurance that would pay for repairs if damaged, or a new car if totaled or stolen. I paid for mandatory insurance which covers injuries to another party, and extra insurance for damages to another vehicle, but not comprehensive insurance. I hadn't gotten around to doing that, because it costs more money and is more complicated to get, and I felt I screwed myself over. However, I found out that it never would have covered an engine dying, only damages in an accident, so I was able to let go of that guilt.

So now, on to the new car.

Yay! Free Books!

I want to apologize for not having posted for far too long. I feel terrible about it, like I've let you down big time. I am going to try to be more on top of posting- I'm chock full of ideas for posts, with many partially written posts, but I need to actually find the time and headspace to write, not to mention having my body not hurt too much to sit up and write.

Anyhow, on top of that, my family and I have been going through a lot lately. We're ok, but it's complicated.

My kids were out of school for a few weeks (they finally all started school again this past week), and while they were home bored, my daughters decided to redo their bedroom, something they've wanted to do since their big brother moved into his bedroom that we built last year. 

Speaking of that, a friend reminded me that I never posted a final post about his room... and the reason I didn't was that I was waiting until it was completely finished, but I still haven't managed to put up his loft bed (my body hurting, lack of time with my sons home to help me while I also had energy, needing to find the right equipment, etc...) so he's been sleeping on a mattress on the floor this past year... But maybe I'll do a nearly final picture even with the mattress on the floor.

In order to redo my daughters' bedroom (pretty much using only what we had in the house already) they needed to get rid of a lot of books that were on their bookshelf. Most of those books were books that they outgrew or that never appealed to them. So we sat down and sorted them into a few piles.

One pile was garbage- broken books, or other bad quality things that just weren't usable anymore.

Another pile was of books we wanted to keep on the shelf.

Another pile was books that no one is reading now, but we (or I) have fond memories of, some of them still from my childhood.

And then the rest went into the giveaway pile.

Super Simple Homemade Sports and Rehydration Drink Recipe

Important update:

I am reposting this post. Unfortunately, too late, I realized a mistake I made with my post, and I feel bad for anyone that used my recipe and didn't get the exact benefits needed from it, because of my mistake. Reposting this with the corrections will hopefully get more people to see these needed changes.

When I made this recipe as previously written, I was peeing a million times a day. Ok, slight exaggeration, but I wasn't retaining liquid, which was the reason I was drinking this in the first place. Since I need to retain more liquid to have a higher blood volume to combat my POTS, I don't just need more fluids, I need fluids with salt. And this recipe did not have enough salt. I added more salt and then adjusted the other ingredients so it tastes decent. You might not like the taste as much as when it had less salt, but the point of this is effectiveness, not just taste.

I have an embarrassing confession. I sweat. A lot. Probably 3 or 4 times as much as the average person. I'm not entirely sure of the cause, but it means that I am constantly losing large amounts of both fluids and salts, as much as an athlete would, even when I'm not doing anything particularly physically exertive. In addition to that, I have dysautonomia, specifically Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, something that is usually comorbid with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which I also have. This means that my body doesn't know how to regulate blood flow, which causes a large variety of different symptoms, but it is most pronounced when changing positions (that's what postural orthostatic tachycardia means- heart rate affected by your posture) which can cause really bad dizziness.

To treat the symptoms of POTS, there are lots of different recommendations. Drinking really large quantities and having a lot of salt are two extremely helpful ones, because salt causes water retention, and combined with drinking more, that increases your blood volume, which is one of the biggest ways to help symptoms. 

I don't know about you, but drinking salt water isn't something that is particularly appealing to me. I've drunk large amounts of water in the past but it made me nauseous. I've even gotten water poisoning one time after a hike (it was terrible) and it only went away when I had something carby and salty. I try to remember to drink but when it is just water it doesn't happen enough. And it doesn't really help my symptoms anyhow, because if you drink water but don't have the salt, you just pee it all out and it doesn't help with the blood volume.

Enter sports drinks.

They're basically drinks that are meant to help replenish what you lose when you sweat. Liquid. Salt. Electrolytes. And sugar. Not always sugar. But sugar helps because carbohydrates help facilitate sodium and water absorption. My friend started buying powdered Gatorade and I started drinking it to see if it helped with my dizziness and exhaustion issues and the difference was remarkable. I was much more of a functional human being when I drank Gatorade. However, locally you can only buy ready made Gatorade, which is quite pricey if you drink 3-4 liters a day. I ordered it online internationally, and it was terrific. But then the store raised their shipping prices prohibitively, and ordering it didn't make sense anymore. I tried ordering rehydration packs from iherb (not Gatorade but a similar idea) but they still haven't arrived. But my Gatorade was finished. And I needed to have something to help me rehydrate that wasn't just water.

I have a sports drink recipe here, called Laborade (which I based on a different recipe I found online years ago) but it calls for a gallon of water, which is a lot to make at once, and I don't really have any good container to mix that large of an amount in. And I wanted something I could make to scale. So I experimented to see if I could make that into a powder version, using citric acid, and some fruity tea bags... and it was just terrible. It tasted so bad that I didn't want to drink it, nor did anyone else. This was after multiple attempts with different permutations.

But I was out of Gatorade and I needed something. So I experimented. What if I made lemonade, but didn't make it as strong, and then added some salt to that? It worked. Then I added tea bags for flavorings. It also worked great. I tried playing around with the amounts of sugar, salt, and lemon... but increasing the salt just made it taste yucky.

Eventually, I found the perfect ratio for me. And it works just as well as Gatorade, I think. I mean it's not like I did a scientific study with this, but drinking 4 liters a day of this sports drink definitely helps a lot, and much more than that amount of water, and it is more pleasant to drink so I don't minimize my drinking.

The Financial Aftermath of a Car Accident: 7 Things to Know

Having lost my car to engine failure last month, car issues have been on my mind. In my case, I didn't lose my car because of an accident, but I know just how stressful suddenly not having a car is. And I've been in a bad car accident a few years ago in a rental car and I know how difficult it is in so many ways, financially, emotionally, etc... I hope you are never in a car accident, but in case you are, here are some things you need to know about the financial aftermath.

Getting in a car accident can be truly life-altering, and one of the greatest and most far-reaching impacts they can have is on your finances.

The aftermath of a car accident (especially a more severe one) touches so many facets of your life. From medical bills to paying for lawyers and even purchasing a new vehicle – there’s a lot of spending involved, whether you were at fault or not. If you’ve been in an incident recently and want to start thinking about the long-term costs and how you might be impacted over time, here’s what you need to know.

Immediate Financial Impact

Starting off with the initial hit, which you’ll face directly after being in a car accident. Initially, you’ll probably only be faced with medical bills. If you’ve been seriously injured, you’ll need to be admitted to hospital, and depending on where you live and what insurance you have, etc., you might need to pay those costs up front. However, you’re able to claim compensation, you might be able to get this money back.

Another financial knock that you’ll face directly after the incident is the cost of the damage to your car. If there’s any serious damage, you’ll need to have the vehicle repaired or even buy a new one. However, this can also be mitigated by insurance or claiming for compensation.

Keeping Your Relationship Romantic Through the Years: A Brief Guide

Someone I care about closely has a significant anniversary today and this topic feels especially relevant. For some people, like myself, relationships end because they weren't healthy and needed to end. Other people manage to stay together in a loving relationship "until death do us part". (A woman I knew for years just passed away yesterday after 55 years of marriage to her husband with whom she was very close.) And then there are the relationships in between, that don't have significant problems, but couples just... sort of drift apart. That doesn't have to happen. There are ways to keep your relationship strong, vibrant, and healthy for years, even with all the complications that life throws your way. Here are some ideas on how to do that.

Romance is one of the most incredibly important and beautiful elements of any relationship. While it might change shape over the years, it is important to do what you can to keep the romance in your relationship alive and well.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to help keep your relationship romantic as you and your partner build a life together.

Goodbye Dear Car of Mine

I'm having a hard time emotionally right now. Confused. Anxious. Stressed. Sad. Shame. Hopeless. And lots more to boot.

Last week I was driving home from an outing along a highway, and about a 30 minute drive from my house the car started making some noise. 5 minutes later I realized that I couldn't go as fast as the speed limit- the car started making strange noises and the RPM went up really high when I tried going above 80 kmh. Then I couldn't go faster than 70. Then I couldn't go faster than 60. I was on a stretch of road that really wasn't safe to break down on, and I knew that there was a town about 5 kilometers away. I prayed that we'd be able to at least make it there before we couldn't drive anymore.

We finally got to the entrance of the town, and after I stopped at the traffic light to turn into the town, I couldn't get the car to move forward. I stepped off the brakes and the car started rolling backward, downhill, even with my foot on the gas. I parked and put on my hazards and tried to call emergency roadside service, and they told me that based on what I told them, there was no point in calling a volunteer to come help since there was nothing they could do, and I'd just need to call a tow truck. I had my passenger get out of the car and get help to push the car out of the middle of the road and into the town limits. My son and 2 other guys pushed the car while it was in neutral, and I was able to drive it into the town and park it at the side of the road.

How Clean Gutters Can Save You Money in the Long Run

I honestly don't know so much about gutters. I'm not sure we even have them in our country. But growing up we had them. I know that some people collect rainwater with rain barrels under their gutters. But that's the extent of my knowledge of gutters. So I'll let this reader share why, if you have gutters, you should clean them regularly to save you money.

Gutters are an essential part of any home's drainage system, yet they often go unnoticed until a problem arises. Neglecting gutter maintenance can lead to costly repairs and damage to your property. In this article, we will explore why keeping your gutters clean is crucial and how it can save you money in the long run.

How to Teach Your Child About Cryptocurrency

In many cases, adults know more about technology and technology related things than their children. In some cases, like mine, my son knows so much and teaches me, including pretty much everything I know about cryptocurrency. If you're in the opposite situation and you want to teach your children about this, here are some ways to help you do that.

Teaching your child about cryptocurrency and how you can trade or make a purchase with it can help your children make smart financial decisions in the future while instilling a sense of investment. When teaching your child about this emerging financial technology, start simple, use examples, emphasize security, make it relatable, and encourage curiosity. Let's explore some interactive ways to teach your children about cryptocurrency.

Greek Purslane Salad Recipe -- Salata Horiatiki Me Glistrida -- Foraged, Frugal, and Delicious

Purslane has long been a favorite foraged plant of mine ever since I learned about foraging it over 12 years ago. Unfortunately, as the years go by, I find it less and less, which makes me sad. I found purslane for literally the first time this year this past Tuesday, and it made me so excited. I couldn't wait to use it in my kitchen. Purslane has so many good uses, but I like it best raw, because then I feel its unique taste and texture shine, whereas when you cook it it just tastes like slightly slimy slightly sour green beans, and I'd rather just eat green beans then. 

I am trying to increase the healthy fats in my diet, as well as salt (more on that in another post), and I decided to combine those with purslane to make a terrific salad. This basically is just Greek salad, with the addition of purslane, a commonly found green in Greece as well as the rest of the world. Greek salad is called horiatiki in Greek (meaning from the village), and according to this blogger, probably was originally made with purslane, called γλυστριδα, written glistrida in English but pronounced glee-sthree-tha. This version is called salata horiatiki me glistrida, is something you can find in Greek cuisine, especially in places like Crete, according to my Cretian friend Vera, though in Crete they would add rusks, sort of like croutons, but something I wouldn't add because of gluten.

This recipe is quite easy to make, gluten free, allergy-friendly other than dairy, low and is quite frugal too. It is a terrific refreshing summer salad, and is filling enough to make a meal on its own or with a side of some rustic bread.

Greek Purslane Salad Recipe -- Glistrida Horiatiki -- Foraged, Frugal, and Delicious

How Our Nervous System Shapes Our Mental Landscape

As someone with mental illnesses and in therapy for a while now, the topic of how brains work is a fascinating thing. I've learned about trauma and how it is kept in the brain, how the brain handles information, as well as more animalistic parts of our brain. The brain is a very fascinating part of us, that is what is allowing us to read this post, but so many of us don't know much about how the brain actually works. If you'd like to learn more about this fascinating part of us, read on.

The human central nervous system (CNS) undergoes a complex process of development that is shared among mammals. However, certain aspects of neurodevelopment in humans are highly unique and derived. The formation of the human CNS requires precise coordination of molecular and cellular processes across various cell types over an extended period of time. Disruptions in these processes can lead to structural and functional abnormalities in the CNS, resulting in neurological or psychiatric disorders.

Recent advancements in technology and research have shed light on the molecular and cellular landscapes of the developing human CNS, particularly in the cerebral neocortex. In this article, we will explore the latest understanding of human neurodevelopment, its implications for neural evolution, function, and dysfunction.

The Best Strategies To Begin Saving Money For Your Grandchildren Right Away

Aesop had a fable about an ant and grasshoper, with the ant working to save up food for the winter while the grasshopper just lies around. While it can be really tempting to just lounge and take it easy, it pays in the long run to work hard now so we can relax more in the future instead of constantly needing to play "catch up". If you are looking for ways to prepare that nest egg, here are some ways to do that. 

While it’s important to plan for the future and consider where your money will go decades down the line, saving doesn’t have to be all about retirement funds and end-of-life financial planning. In fact, there are a variety of ways to start saving and investing that can benefit both you and future generations.

If you play FanDuel slots, a popular online casino game, there's a change that you can win big. When someone wins money, there's a large temptation to spend it all at once, but the smarter option is to invest it and put it away for the future. Remember, though, that casino games are just for fun and money spent on them should come from a carefully budgeted fun money line of your budget, and anything won is just an extra.

You can build up a nest egg that can be used to fund special occasions and contribute to college funds for your loved ones. With careful consideration and a willingness to explore new ways of saving, you can start laying the groundwork for a brighter future today. 

Our Frugal Annual Desert Camping Trip

My family had a wonderful camping trip in the desert and I wanted to share about it with you. This is an event the family and I look forward to every year. 

This year was our largest camping trip yet. We were 4 families instead of the 2 we started with. There's something nice about a really small group and something nice about a group a bit larger. These 4 families were all close (my best friend, her husband's family, her good friend's family, and my family) so there was a good emotional bond. I can't imagine going with a larger group though, then it would lose its intimate feel.

Our day started off well enough. We met with our friends at a gas station where we went to fill up with gas and transfer some of their things to my car since we had more room (yay big car!) and they had so many things on their lap until we did that.

My friend mentioned that my rear driver's seat tire looked a little deflated, so I went to top it off with air and while I was at the pump decided to make sure all the other tires were properly inflated. (There was a bit of a wait until I could start as there were 4 cars ahead of me.) As I got to the last tire, I knew something was wrong. As soon as I took the nozzle off the tire valve, all the air started coming out of it- the pin that was supposed to keep the air in broke- and in no time at all my tire was completely empty.

Fortunately, in the same parking lot as the gas station there is also a tire repair place, so I carefully drove to them, inching along, on just my tire rim. I was really hoping that I wouldn't need to replace the entire tire, since it was pretty new, but since this was the first time it happened to me I was in the dark... but hoping it wouldn't be an expensive fix. It ended up being a really simple fix to just replace the valve, and cost me $20.  However there were a few people in front of me, so we had to wait in the sun until our turn came. We only ended up getting on the road to our camping trip about an hour and a half later than we originally started, with kids already grumpy.

Gifts that Hit the High Note: Perfect Presents for Music Teachers

As a child, I took music lessons with 3 different instruments- piano, recorder, and harmonica, and had many teachers over the years. My kids have mostly taught themselves via online videos or apps, but I started my daughter with voice lessons before everything shut down from COVID. A good music teacher can make a big difference in a kid's life. If you're looking for a way to show your appreciation to your kids' music teachers, here are some terrific ideas, many of which are extremely affordable; for example, it is quite easy to propagate succulents for free from cuttings.

As the curtain falls on another academic year, it's time to show appreciation for the dedicated educators orchestrating young musical talents' growth. Music teachers play a significant role in shaping the minds and hearts of aspiring musicians, imparting their knowledge, and nurturing a lifelong passion for music. What better way to express gratitude than by gifting them something that hits the high note and resonates with their musical soul? This article explores a selection of perfect presents that will delight any music teacher.

Snapfresh Leaf Blower: the Top Decision for Compelling and Proficient Yard Upkeep

If you have a yard and have trees nearby, you may be very familiar with the concept of autumn leaves. Leaving them in your yard on the ground can ruin the grass underneath as they decompose, and in some places it can even get you fined. Solution? Hire someone to get rid of the leaves, or do it yourself. Doing it yourself can be either with a rake or with a leaf blower. Doing it yourself will save you money, but it may be tiring to rake it all by hand, especially if you have a lot of leaves falling on your property. If that's the case, you might want to purchase a leaf blower. Here is why you may want to consider getting the Snapfresh leaf blower to aid in your task. 

Keeping a spotless and clean yard can be a requesting task, particularly when confronted with an overflow of fallen leaves and garbage. In the quest for the best leaf blowers available, "This Old House," a famous expert on home improvement and cultivating, has handpicked the main five leaf blowers accessible on Amazon in 2023. Among these world class choices stands the SnapFresh Leaf Blower, a strong and flexible instrument intended to reform your yard upkeep schedule.

Strong Execution: The SnapFresh Leaf Blower has acquired its put on "This Old House's" rundown for a few convincing reasons, with its noteworthy presentation being the first. This leaf blower offers hearty velocities of up to 130 MPH, guaranteeing that no leaf or garbage is left unattended. Its remarkable blowing force easily cleans up leaves, grass clippings, and other nursery debris, leaving your yard perfect in record time.

Lightweight and Versatile: One of the champion elements of the SnapFresh Leaf Blower is its lightweight and ergonomic plan. Weighing a little more than six pounds, this leaf blower is unimaginably simple to deal with and move, making it ideal for clients of any age and actual capacities. Its minimized size and smooth development guarantee that you can easily explore sharp corners, tight pathways, and difficult to-arrive at regions effortlessly. Express farewell to difficult and tiring yard work, as the SnapFresh Leaf Blower's easy to use configuration gives uncommon solace and comfort.

Flexibility at its Ideal: Gone are the days when a leaf blower was exclusively utilized for clearing leaves. The SnapFresh Leaf Blower carries adaptability to the front, offering different capabilities to take special care of your particular necessities. With a basic change, it easily changes over into a vacuum and mulcher, permitting you to gather and mulch the fallen leaves for more straightforward removal or treating the soil. This multi-practical ability dispenses with the requirement for numerous apparatuses, saving you time, space, and cash.

Battery-Fueled Effectiveness: The SnapFresh Leaf Blower's cordless plan is controlled by a dependable lithium-particle battery, offering expanded runtimes without the problem of strings or the requirement for steady re-energizing. The included 2.0Ah battery gives more than adequate ability to handle even the most requesting yard cleanup assignments. Moreover, the blower includes a quick charging innovation that empowers the battery to arrive at full limit in only an hour, guaranteeing negligible free time and greatest proficiency.

Calm Activity and Eco-Accommodating: notwithstanding its noteworthy execution, the SnapFresh Leaf Blower highly esteems its low-commotion activity, creating a simple 60dB of sound. Express farewell to troublesome commotion contamination and hi to a more quiet outside experience. Moreover, the battery-fueled nature of the blower makes it an eco-accommodating choice to internal combustion partners, decreasing fossil fuel byproducts and adding to a greener climate.

End:

As perceived by "This Old House," the SnapFresh Leaf Blower addresses the exemplification of greatness with regards to yard upkeep instruments. Its outstanding presentation, lightweight plan, flexibility, and eco-accommodating activity make it an unquestionable requirement for mortgage holders and cultivating lovers the same. Embrace the comfort and proficiency of the SnapFresh Leaf Blower to change your yard support routine into a breeze.

All Ready To Go Camping!

As a parent living on a low budget and until recently without a car, there were many experiences from my childhood that I wished I could give to my kids, but were untenable. However, we went camping every summer, and often twice, and that was something that I knew could be done frugally with my kids. But first we needed to figure out how to do it without a car.

When my kids were very little we borrowed someone's tent and went camping in the forest/field right outside my community and we were able to walk there. The kids had a terrific time.

Then we figured out a place that was free to camp and bus accessible. The first time we went there, we took a bus to my ex's relatives and then they drove some of us and the rest of us bussed to the beach campground a few miles from their house.

Since then, we've gone camping pretty much every single year. We figured out how to go to that campground entirely by bus and had a wonderful time and implemented lessons learned from our previous years to make it better.

Eight Reasons Why Accreditation Matters in Higher Education

If you are considering going to college or sending your kids to college, you may be contemplating where to send them. There are some colleges that aren't accredited and while some things may draw you to one of those places, there are some big potential downfalls with sending to such a school. Here are some reasons why you should make sure that you send your kids or go yourself to an accredited school.

As you embark on your journey through higher education, making the right choice of college or university, you might stumble upon the term "accreditation."

You may wonder what does it entail and, more significantly, why should it concern you? In simple terms, accreditation is a validation process that educational institutions undergo to certify that they conform to a set of stringent quality benchmarks defined by an external authority.

However, the role of accreditation stretches far beyond merely assuring quality. It catalyzes improvement, inspiring educational institutions to continually explore better methods to serve their students and substantially contribute to the broader academic realm.

This article will illuminate the crucial role accreditation plays in higher education.

Teaching Children The Importance Of Financial Planning

As a money-conscious parent who grew up in a money conscious home, it is important for me for my kids to develop good financial skills and habits, among them planning for their future. It seems to be working well so far. My older two kids have worked small jobs from time to time and save up money for things that are important to them; for example this summer and last summer my son advertised expertise in the computer field and so far has gotten quite a few data recovery jobs, among other things, and he'll be using that to pay for things that I consider extra but are important to him such as a monthly gym membership.

Are you concerned about your child’s financial future? Do you want to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to make informed financial decisions as they grow up? One of the most important skills you can teach your child is the value of long-term financial planning.

Financial planning is not something that is typically taught in schools, so it is up to parents to take the initiative and educate their children. By teaching your child about money management from a young age, you can help them become financially stable adults.

In this article, we will discuss:

• The importance of teaching kids about the value of long-term financial planning
  
  
• The benefits of investing in precious metals as a way to secure their financial future
  
  
• Important financial concepts to teach children
  
  
• How to introduce children to precious metals
  
  
• Tips for teaching children about investing in precious metals. ( The Gold Information Network is a great site to gain more information about investing in gold and precious metals.)

What I Did With a Huge Amount of Scallions and Other Free Produce

I live in a community with an overall low socioeconomic status, and because of that, I'm lucky in that there are charities that deliver food that either is close to the expiration date, banged up, otherwise look bad, or are mixed with spoiled produce, so you need to pick through them to find the good stuff. A few blocks away from me there is a distribution point, and a friend of mine posts in our community group if they have any leftover food once they finished their distribution to their regular recipients; after that, it is a free-for-all for whoever wants to come to take because otherwise, it'll end up in the trash. Now that I have a car, hopping over to pick up what is left over, often at 10 pm, is not a big deal, and I have been able to really benefit there.

Recently I got some great stuff from there, and I wanted to show you what I did with it all. I was very proud of how much goodness I was able to make from what was available, together with what I already had at home. I made this for a nice dinner, with the intention of having lots of leftovers- it's easier for me to cook all at once and then have what to eat later.

Exploring Gold and Precious Metals for College Savings

Starting off adulthood saddled with debt makes for a very challenging adulthood, yet college debt is so normalized. There are ways to prevent this from happening to your children, one of which is saving up for their college years in advance. Investing in gold and other precious metals is one way to do that; here is why it is a safe investment that many are choosing.

Do you want to ensure your child has enough money to pay for college? With tuition costs on the rise and investment yields shrinking, saving enough to cover all expenses can be difficult.

However, investing in gold and other precious metals can be smart for parents looking to grow their college savings. Gold is known for outperforming other investments and can act as a valuable hedge against inflation and a devalued US dollar. For more information on precious metals investing, visit https://barcodeoflife.org/

Adding gold to your investment portfolio can potentially increase your returns and reduce your risk. In this article, we will explore the benefits of investing in gold and other precious metals for college funds and the various ways to invest in these assets.

Whether you are just starting your college savings journey or looking to diversify your existing portfolio, incorporating gold and precious metals can be a wise choice.

The 4 Steps To Taking Care Of Your Sore Feet

This post might be submitted by a long time contributor, but, oh boy, do I have a lot to say on this topic. Sore feet is something that I've lived with my entire life. I sprained my ankles regularly since I was 4 years old, because my ankle joints are wonky and extra wobbly because of my Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. In addition to the sprains, the wobbly ankles make my feet roll outward, which means that I wear the outside of my shoes faster than the inside, which makes my feet roll even more outward, which ends up causing me calf pain. And lastly, my feet used to burn, feeling like something in my feet was ripping apart, if I walked too much.

I went to a podiatrist a few years back who diagnosed me with achiles tendonitis and plantar fascitis, and he recommended getting insoles for my shoes for those, and they made a huge difference for my feet. And then after I was "yelled at" by my physical therapist for wearing such terrible shoes, I started buying shoes meant for people whose feet roll outwards (it's called supination) and my feet feel so much better! Now, unless they get sprained (which happens regularly), my feet are mostly pain free. I'm still supposed to get orthotics because they can affect other parts of my body, but at least I don't usually hurt in my feet anymore.

My teenaged son decided to start running but his feet started to hurt him when running because of the stress it puts on the joints. He was already wearing a good company's shoes, but they weren't specifically running shoes, so we looked on Amazon for reviews for good running shoes, and now that we invested in them he is able to run without pain.

With that lengthy introduction, here are some ways to help take care of your sore feet.

My Really Awesome Scratch and Dent Store Haul

Hi everyone, I know it's been a while. Been a bit down lately, low energy and not feeling so great, so I apologize for not posting as often as I should. I have a bunch of good posts planned, and hope to get them written and posted very soon. But in the meantime, I wanted to share this haul from the scratch and dent store last week. 

I haven't been to a scratch and dent store in some time because it isn't convenient with a car, since there's no parking on the street where the store is, and it is just a two lane street. Last week my daughter was with me and we shopped together, and then she waited in the store while I went to get the car and drove there, and quickly so as to not bug the people in the street behind me, she and one of the store workers there threw the groceries into the car and then she hopped in so we could stop disrupting the flow of traffic.

But that, while a ridiculous way to shop, was still a worthwhile shopping trip, since I was able to get so  many goodies for a fraction of their regular price, and many times quite cheaper than the alternative I generally would buy. For example, most of the products were from an organic grocery line, which is much pricier than usual. These products were generally much cheaper than the non organic versions. Best of all, much of these are items I usually buy anyhow, so it wasn't just "ooh, that's a good price for that item, let's buy a bunch of things that I don't usually buy, because they're cheaper than they usually are" when they aren't cheap products even when discounted, and/or since they aren't items you generally use they'll just sit in your house unused. There were three exceptions to this, which I'll mention below.

Quick Guide to Traveling on a Tight Budget

I really love to travel. And, of course, on a budget. Unfortunately I haven't been able to travel since the pandemic and it's really disappointing. If you want to be able to travel but aren't sure if you have the funds here are some suggestions to help you plan your trip on a budget.

Many of us are traveling on a budget. Whether you are taking a gap year, trying to see the world before you settle down, taking a long trip with your family, or just trying to save money on your yearly summer vacation, there are plenty of ways to cut costs and save cash. A tight budget certainly doesn’t have to mean that you can’t travel. It might just mean that you have to plan more carefully and prioritize more. Here’s a quick guide to help you.

What is Cryptocurrency Lending and How Does It Work?

If you have money you've saved up, you might want to consider investing. One of the ways you can invest is with cryptocurrency lending. I know nothing about crypto, let alone investing, let alone lending, so I'll just leave it to a contributor to tell you all about this potential way for you to make money.

With the development of the crypto industry, we are witnessing a great number of new up-and-coming projects and products that offer earning options. Instead of simply investing in them and holding their assets in wallets, we have so many earning options, much more interesting compared with holding crypto. The ever-evolving crypto market presents an assortment of avenues to procure profits, encompassing yield farming, staking, mining, lending, investment, trading, and an array of other possibilities. In the context of this discourse, our focus shall delve deeper into the intricate world of crypto lending.

Homemade Cheap Granola Cereal Recipe -- Vegan and Allergy Friendly

I'll confess, my kids end up eating far more cereal than is ideal, because it is something they can grab to eat if I don't have something else ready. But obviously it isn't so healthy, so my sons requested I buy them granola to have as cereal. I'm cool with that, but it gets pricey since it is much more expensive per bowl than other cereals. 

I thought of making my own granola, but I knew that most granola recipes are very expensive with lots of nuts and honey and dried fruit. So I decided to attempt to make my own granola but using cheaper ingredients. Instead of using honey (or maple syrup like I saw in vegan recipes) I used date syrup that is a fraction of the cost of honey locally. There is date syrup that is pure dates and is more expensive, so I used the stuff cut with sugar, and is just 60% dates. Before I did that I checked the store bought granola and saw that it had added sugar in it, so I didn't feel like I was making it "less healthy" at least. When I was first testing out the recipe the kids said that it wasn't sweet enough, so I added more sugar into the recipe, and I still don't feel guilty.

As for nuts- I decided to leave them out because they really up the cost. Initially, I tried using peanuts in place of the nuts but my kids told me they didn't like them. I used desiccated coconut as an addition to the oats, since they are cheaper than nuts. And I decided to sometimes add dried fruit like raisins or whatever else I could buy cheaply, but sparingly, and only after it was cooked, so it wouldn't be burnt.

I tried this recipe over many times until I got it right and my boys were helpful with their feedback, since I can't taste it since I can't eat oats. They were also willing to eat the stuff that got somewhat burnt. But finally I settled on a recipe that I'm happy with because of cost and the kids enjoy as well. 

As for cost? I haven't measured this out exactly, but since I didn't use a scale but instead went by volume... Oats cost me about $1.40, coconut cost me $1.15, the date syrup less than $0.95, the oil $0.25, the sugar $0.12 and the rest is too negligible. So about $3.87 for this batch. The store-bought granola is $5.71 for a package. And this makes approximately 1 1.2 times the amount, so it is definitely worth the cost.

A note- I used 1 1/2 cups coconut in this and 7 cups oats, but you can play around with it and substitute part of that for nuts, seeds, etc... or even use only oats, as long as there is a total of 8 1/2 cups solid stuff for the rest to stick to.

Homemade Cheap Granola Cereal Recipe -- Vegan and Allergy Friendly

The Benefits of Goat Milk for Your Baby

I am sensitive to dairy, but fortunately am able to use more dairy than I used to be able to. Back in the day when I wanted something dairy, goat dairy (that was fermented) was pretty much the only dairy I could stomach. Goat dairy and cow dairy are not the same. Some people prefer to give their babies formula that is based on goat milk instead of cow milk. Here are some of the reasons why. 

It’s no secret that caring for your baby makes you want the best for them. So from nutrition and exercise to which bottles they use and even animal-based milks, mothers are always looking for safe and healthy options to provide their little ones with the nourishment they need. One such choice is goat milk (Holle Formula); its unique properties make it an excellent option for infants. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the amazing benefits of goat milk for your baby and ways you can incorporate this healthful food into their diet.

Free Groceries and What I Did With Them

When I was putting these groceries on my counter to photograph them, my kid asked me why I was doing that, why I'm putting free things I'm given, because not everyone is able to get free things like this, and what am I teaching people by posting these things?

So I wanted to address that in this post.

First off, I do sometimes get free food from charity. I'm very thankful for that, but I would not post those things here. Getting something from charity isn't a "frugal strategy" even if it is helpful for low income families.

However, these items are from a charity. Just not one I'm a recipient of. And honestly, it's more akin to trash picking than anything else. 

Locally there are a few organizations that give food items to people in need. Often, though, it is food that is near its expiration date, or produce mixed in with yucky produce so you need to pick out the good ones. They set a time to get everyone to come get food. Many times, by the time the food is distributed to everyone that comes, there is a lot left over. It will end up in the trash if not taken.

Often my friend Eva, who lives near the location of one of these charity distribution points will post on our local giveaway group when all their recipients have gone and there are leftovers, open for anyone to take before the rest gets tossed. This usually happens at about 11 pm. In the past I sometimes walked over to get things if they seemed worth the trip late at night. But now with a car I can go much more easily, just hop in the car and get stuff, very low energy. When it's just produce I don't usually make the effort because I don't like picking through often yucky produce to find good stuff, especially since the intended recipients already picked through it and took out most of the better produce. But when things like dairy, they're usually just close to the expiration date so they don't need to be picked through.

Tofu is a thing I often find at these giveaways and it freezes wonderfully (changes texture then but it works even better for some recipes after freezing). This time it was a lot of containers of a yoghurt type soft cheese and many bottles of goat milk. 

I don't usually buy goat milk, but free is the best price. I didn't have so much freezer room this time (I usually put such finds in there) but I knew I could make it into yogurt and it would then last longer. I now have two pots of goat milk yogurt sitting in my fridge and I've been using them for so many things. Yogurt works wonderfully in pancakes, and also in mac and cheese (my daughter was upset that I made only a bit of that as an experiment since she loved it so much), but we've been having smoothies most of all.

I'm not the biggest grapefruit eater (I find it is too time consuming to eat them and removing the membranes) but I decided to make grapefruit juice with them and have been enjoying that.

There were amazing sweetie fruit that I've been snacking on (they are more enjoyable to eat than grapefruits!). Because they were surrounded by yucky fruit they had mold and other germs on their peel which would cause them to spoil more quickly. So I made sure to wash them (and the grapefruits) with soap and water and let them dry completely before putting them away.

There were packages of mint that at first looked good and I didn't understand why people didn't take them. Then I looked closer and saw there was lots of dark discolored mint within each package. I decided to take some anyhow and just take off the bad mint and save the rest. Once home I realized that the discolored mint wasn't spoiled at all, but was just accidentally frozen (probably in the back of a fridge) and totally fine. I used the mint in a bunch of recipes, including a few batches of this cucumber mint agua fresca  and also froze mint for future use in recipes.

Ooo and how could I forget the kohlrabi? I don't usually buy them because I can't eat them and my kids won't take them on their own to eat so I forget about them... But these I turned into crudites for the kids to eat and put them on the table and they were gone.

And I realized that I never actually answered the question about why I post about these freebies.

The reasons are many:

• There are local people who read my blog that do see these announcements of free stuff, and I am encouraging them to go and take stuff and rescue these things from going to trash, even if it is at 11 pm. That a little bit of effort goes a long way.
• I'm giving ideas to these people about what to do with this food to help it last longer that they might not have thought of.
• There are other places where you can get similar foods, definitely all over my country, as leftovers after charity distributions.
• This is similar to what you can do when you trash pick outside grocery stores and at open air markets.

But probably the biggest reason that keeps me post these things-

• A friend told me that she loves reading my blog and posts like this, since even if she doesn't actually do what I'm writing about, it makes her more concious about adding more frugal strategies to her life.

Hope that answers the question if you, too, were wondering the same.

Have you gotten any free food or other things lately? What were they?
Do you appreciate this type of post? What do you gain from it?

Tips for Starting a Catering Business At Home

I long dreamed of opening a restaurant, but life is complicated. I decided to start small, to try to make food and sell it from home, a small time catering business, during COVID. It was great and I had a good time, but my body ended up hurting me too much to be able to continue it. If you love cooking and are thinking of starting a catering business at home, here are some stuff to consider.

Embarking on a home-based catering business can be a thrilling and fulfilling endeavor. The increasing demand for catering services presents entrepreneurs with abundant opportunities in this field. It is also a great low-investment business idea for aspiring entrepreneurs with limited capital.

However, it is essential to build a robust foundation for the successful launch and running of your catering business. If you require quick funds to kick-start your new venture, applying for an online title loan is one viable option. However, you may be wondering how much can you borrow with a title loan? While many factors can affect your title loan amount, ensure you determine this value before applying. If you are looking to start a home-based catering business, here are three essential tips to help you get started on the right track:

How to Sell Your San Diego Home With Pets

If you're planning on moving and want to sell your home, having a pet can make things more challenging, especially if you're selling to people who aren't animal people. Here are some ways to make it easier to sell your home, even if you have animals living with you.

Even in a hot market like the San Diego real estate market, selling a home with a pet can be a little harder than it seems. Even if you just assume that a person who loves cats or dogs will be the one who walks through and makes an offer, you never want to cut potential buyers out of the running, especially since a high-demand house can fetch more than asking if you have multiple offers. Better to prepare your home to appeal just as much to non-pet-owners as to those who share your love of dogs. Here’s how!

Going Back to the Super Cheap Grocery Store

2 months ago I wrote about being in an area that I usually am not, and going to a branch of the cheaper grocery store that I usually shop in, and being shocked about how cheaper everything was there, especially produce, despite it being the same company. If you haven't seen that post, it would have cost me $57 more than my $65 dollar shop. I was astounded, to the extent that I debated whether it was worth the gas and time to drive down to that store to do a produce shop.

Well, as luck would have it, I missed a physical therapy appointment that I needed, so I ended up making the journey to that area again, since that is where my physical therapist's other clinic is, and of course, I did a grocery shop, with a focus on produce, since that is where the biggest price difference is. Not everything there was significantly cheaper than my local store, some things were the same price, but that's cool with me.

So, what did I get?

Cohabitation 101 - What To Consider Before Moving In With Your Children

As a divorced mom, one of the biggest reasons I never want to get married again is kids. When you have kids, or when someone you are dating has kids, they add a lot of extra layers of complexity to the relationship, and in many cases can even be the cause of a relationship ending. Second time around is so much better. I know remarried people that decided to stay in separate houses since that was better for their kids. However, many people feel differently than I do about remarriage and wanting to live with their partner, so if you do, here are some important things to keep in mind to make this as smooth as possible.

Moving in together with your new partner is a huge step in life. It may be more challenging, especially if you have children, since you must introduce them to your partner to make them comfortable around them. They may have difficulty accepting the idea and adapting to the new change that impacts their life.

Involving your children may complicate cohabitation and affect more than just you and your partner. Therefore, there are some factors you should consider before cohabiting with your partner and children. Read further into the article to learn how to make cohabitation successful and your children happy and optimistic about moving in:

Ideas for Side Hustles to Get Passive Income

Money doesn't grow on trees, we're told. Of course, you can't get something from nothing. However, there are some things you can do to earn money that don't take as much active effort; this is what is referred to as passive income. Generally they aren't enough to be your full income, but as a side hustle they can help infuse your budget with some extra cash. Here are some ideas on how you can do that.

Hi there, fellow moms! If you're looking for a way to make money while you sleep, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, I'm going to share with you some of the best ways to generate passive income online for mothers.

Passive income is money that you earn without having to work actively for it. It's like having a money machine that keeps producing cash even when you're not using it. Sounds awesome, right?

Recent Frugal Accomplishments

My recent frugal accomplishments are now back to our regularly scheduled programming! I tried to post this a week after my last one so you could see how much I got done in a week, but time flew by, so instead of I have three (or is it 4?) weeks' worth of frugal stuff. It's fun to see just how many frugal things I did during that time.

Here are the frugal things I did, broken down by category.

The Money Smart Way to Fix Your Roofing

As a home owner, there can be necessary costly expenses, such as roofing repairs. we have a guest post from a contributor who has some great tips on how to get your roofing done by a professional roofing company with some useful tips on how to save money and choose the right materials for your roof. I hope you find it helpful.

If you're thinking about getting a new roof for your home, you might be wondering how to save money without compromising on quality and aesthetics. Roofing is a major home improvement project that can cost anywhere from $3.50 to $15 per square foot, depending on the materials, labor and disposal fees involved. But there are some ways to reduce your expenses and still get a beautiful and durable roof that will protect your home for years to come. Here are some money smart tips to help you plan your roofing project.