Music lessons for kids is a major financial and time commitment. Piano lessons at our house are a big indulgence in our financial budget. Money to pay for the lessons, time for practicing, and the actual lessons themselves all take effort. Piano lessons mean piano practicing. Our kids spend a lot of time practicing here. … Continue reading Piano Lessons
Readers’ Questions
I’m calling this round of questions, “Kirsten’s Questions”, because all of these questions come from my friend, Kirsten Hope. Kirsten and I met when our daughters were in the same kindergarten class, several years ago. Kirsten and I both launched WordPress websites this year and have collaborated on our WordPress babies sites for the last… Continue reading Readers’ Questions
Frugal Decorating with Cherry Blossoms
I love to decorate my home and make it lovely. Fresh flowers are too expensive for this frugal gal. I prefer to bring nature inside and "force" it to be part of my frugal decorating program. Cutting branches from spring blossoming trees, putting them in a vase with warm water, and waiting a week will… Continue reading Frugal Decorating with Cherry Blossoms
Pantry Basics for the Home Cook
Cooking at home requires a well stocked pantry, along with all of the items in your refrigerator. The home cook needs to be prepared with basic ingredients. This list is what you should keep on hand and make sure you have plenty of. These are my basics. This list isn’t all I keep in my… Continue reading Pantry Basics for the Home Cook
Credit Score 101
If you’ve ever had any interest in understanding how your credit score is determined, this video is for you. My brother, Peter Werner, an attorney for a credit union in Bend, Oregon put together this excellent video about credit scores. The video is funny, informative, right on target, and clever. He performed this at an… Continue reading Credit Score 101
Beet Salad Recipe
Here is the prize winning recipe for my beet salad. This recipe placed 2nd in "The Oregonian" Twitter Recipe Contest. It's easy, tasty, and one of my favorites. I adapted it from Bon Appetit, April, 2007. The entire meal is, “Grilled Flank Steak with Sauteed Beet Greens and Creamy Horseradish Beets" and is delicious. I've… Continue reading Beet Salad Recipe
Food Waste: Not Here
I’m amazed at the number of blogs whose main topic is food waste. Maybe I’m completely out of it (my kids would agree…), but I had no idea this was such a problem. We never have food waste. If food is not eaten, I freeze it. We rarely even have food go bad to the… Continue reading Food Waste: Not Here
Budgeting 101
The 10 Golden Rules of Saving on Everything | Money Talks News. This is a worthwhile read. It's not everyday that I come across an article on the web that completely describes my budgeting and spending style, but this one does. If you want to get your financial house in shape, following these 10 steps… Continue reading Budgeting 101
Readers’ Questions Answered Here
People are always asking me questions about where to purchase something, how to clean something, how to cook something, how to mend something, how to use a power tool, and what not. I love answering questions and am always happy to share a tip on what's worked and what hasn't. If you have a question, please… Continue reading Readers’ Questions Answered Here
Decorating Ideas: Home Office
Everyone needs a little space to have as an office. Opening mail, paying bills, reviewing school work, and writing notes are all part of running a home and require a spot to do these activities. My home office is a little, cozy corner is in our dining room. We live in an old craftsman bungalow… Continue reading Decorating Ideas: Home Office
Go Gingham 