Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday. Have you planned anything special? I’m so excited to be celebrating for the first time this year! Like many holidays, you can celebrate without spending a small fortune and still brighten your mom’s day.
DIY
6 Ways to Save Money on Holiday Gift-giving
As much as I enjoy the holiday season, I’ll admit that it’s one of the busiest, sometimes stressful, and most expensive times of the year.
8 Ways To Keep Cool For Less
Summer is by far my favorite season! I’d much rather be sweating my buns off than freezing under layers of clothing and blankets. I grew up without air conditioning, and neither our old apartment or our new house had central air, so I’ve always had to find creative ways to keep cool on the cheap. You don’t need to spend a fortune to beat the heat! Check out some of the tips below to stay cool this season…
1. Use floor or ceiling fans. Fans cost a lot less than air conditioning units, and are often portable, so you can move them from room to room as you need them. They’re great for circulating the air in your house!
2. Open your windows at night. I actually prefer this to sleeping with an air conditioner on. Not only will a breeze keep you cooler, but it’ll help your house smell fresher. We spend most of the year couped up inside the house, so I love to bring a little of the outdoors inside. Using a window fan through the night will keep you even cooler!
3. Keep shades and curtains drawn when it’s sunny. You’d be surprised how fast sun shining through a window can heat up a room. You can also purchase room-darkening curtains that are designed to keep the heat out and the cool air in.
4. Avoid excessive use of appliances. Nothing heats up the back of our house faster than using the oven. In the summer, I try to stick to lighter meals that require little use of the oven or stove to reduce the amount of heat they give off.
5. Change your bedding. It never fails – no matter how hot I feel when I go to bed at night, I always wake up with blankets on. Your body naturally cools itself as you sleep, so it’s normal to yank them up over you without even realizing it. To avoid waking up a sweaty mess, choose sheets that are light and breathable. Switch out your heavy comforter for a lighter-weight quilt.
6. Wear lighter clothes. I had to convince my husband that there was such thing as a “summer wardrobe.” Wearing looser clothing made of lighter materials will keep you much cooler than heavy knits, and it can make all the difference. Choose shirts without sleeves and shorts instead of pants when appropriate.
7. Tame your mane. Opt for a shorter hairstyle or stylish ponytails in the summer so it isn’t trapping the heat by your neck.
8. Treat yourself! Cool treats and icy beverages can help to bring your body temperature down. What better way to beat the heat than with a bowl of ice cream or a frozen margarita?
How do you keep cool without spending a fortune? Share your summer tips with us!
Spooky Savings
I’m so excited that October is finally here! It’s one of my favorite months – the weather gets comfortably cooler, and we get to enjoy what feels like the last of the sunshine before winter comes. Halloween is also one of my favorite holidays, so I love to look for little ways to celebrate all month long.
25 Ways to Skip on Spending
I remember being younger and always complaining to my mom that I had nothing to do. She always met my chorus of “I’m booorrrreedddd” with pretty unique ideas for things to do without much money, since I didn’t exactly have much of an income. Some of these things are still pretty relevant today (except now I complain to my husband instead of my mom). There are a ton of things to do without spending much, if any, money. Check out these 25 suggestions for free or nearly-free ways to entertain yourself! Some ideas are more fun than others, but all are easy on your budget.
Skills For Saving
So many of us lead busy, bustling lives nowadays, and it’s hard to find enough time in the day to finish all that we need to. Sometimes this can lead to extra “convenience” spending in order to have someone else take care of things that we could probably do on our own. Consider making more of an effort to try your hand at do-it-yourself projects.
Thrifty Gifts for Mom
Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday. Have you planned anything special? Like many holidays, you can celebrate without spending a small fortune and still brighten your mom’s day. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
It’s the Thought That Counts
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you may or may not be in the market for a thoughtful gift for a loved one. It seems like most people fall into one of two categories: those who think the holiday is a marketing ploy used by the greeting card industry, and those who treat it as a day to show a little extra love for their significant other. Regardless of what you believe, gift-giving during any holiday can be stressful if you’re on a tight budget. Why not work with what you have to show you care?
