Frugality

If you've been following along at MomVesting, it's probably no surprise that my husband and I are expecting our first child, a baby girl, in June. It's a very exciting time period for us, but we've found that it's also very expensive. Between $200 rocking chairs, $300 cribs, and $50 to $100 here and there for other baby necessities (or at least very-nice-to-have items...), having a baby can be outlandishly expensive. Thankfully, there are a few ways to save money on items for your bouncing baby.

How to Stretch Your Dollars

“Mom, what’s for dinner?”

Good question. You’ve already hit up the pizza joint this week and drove through Cluck-in-a-Bucket (a nod to Stephanie Plum there) another night – and your purse is lighter for it. What you really want is to throw together something yummy and quick.

These days, it can be a challenge to come up with meals to bring to the dinner table that are quick, healthy and don’t cost a ton of money. Well, cyber friends, here is one such dish that should fit the bill and please your crowd without costing an arm and a leg.

Last week we talked about opening the finance lines of communication to cut back on unnecessary items. As you went through your budget with your spouse, there were certainly some areas that were not integral to living well, and you probably cut out the extras.

You've probably heard the saying "a penny saved is a penny earned." Makes, sense. A penny is a penny, right? It's actually not exactly true. In most cases a penny saved is actually better than a penny earned. “What?” you ask? Well, thanks to federal taxes, earning a penny typically leaves you with only a fraction of your hard-earned coinage, while saving a penny post-tax leaves you with an actual full, shiny, copper coin. In fact there are many benefits to saving versus earning, so let's take a look.

Taxes

While channel surfing the other night, I came across a program that featured people who regularly engaged in "extreme couponing."  I have to say, it was a bit fascinating to watch.  One such gentleman had a specific desk area all set with a paper cutter and two (that I could see, anyway) huge binders filled to bursting with coupons.  The show followed this same guy as he took his binders to the local supermarket where he went on to buy no less than 60 liquid hand soaps (because they were a mere thirty cents each with his coupons) and what had to be at least 100 toothbrushes (again, because the

Continuing on our journey through relationships and finance, we come to discussing spending habits and the willingness to cut back on unnecessary items. This can be one of the trickier subjects to discuss because you both work hard for your money, and you both deserve to treat yourselves.

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly…to listen to stars and buds, to babes and sages, with open heart; await occasions, hurry never…this is my symphony.” –William Henry Channing

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. It sums up my life philosophy so brilliantly, so simply, and whenever I lose sight of one of the ideas, it grounds me back to a more sane way of viewing my world.