Money Monday

Teaching our Family about Money

As we learn to manage our money better let us also teach our children those lessons.

LDS Living Magazine has a great article about how to teach your kids about money. Click here.

SmartPiggyBank is a site that helps your kids learn how to manage their money.

At my house my two older kids have divider banks. I t is basically a long box with three separate sections. First is tithing, then savings, and then FUN! We tithe 10% of our increase. Then we put 10% into savings. The rest is theirs to spend. They have learned to love the toy clearance isle. LOL!! Tyler has learned to save up for bigger Lego's and Elizabeth has learned it is sad to go broke over Whoppers. Kids will be kids.

Survial Saturday

Kids stuff

Here are some handy sites and phone numbers for surviving your children.

Safety Info

Product Safety and recalls Consumer Product Safety Commission 1-800-638-2772

Gun safety LOK-IT-UP Safe Firearms Storage Campaign 1-877-LOK-IT-UP

Burns NW Burn Foundation 1-888-662-8767

Car seats Safety Restraint Coalition 1-800-BUCK-L-UP

WA Poison Center 1-800-222-1222

Parenting Support

Child and Family Web Guide

Common Sense Media this site reviews movies, games, and books.

Family Help Line 1-800-932-HOPE support for parents and families

Thrifty Thursday

Make Your Own

At Make your own you can learn how to make anything from your own insect repellent to skin treatments.

Learn to make your own soaps, lotions, and salt scrubs at Teach soap. These make great gifts too!

Make your own word searches, cross words and mazes at Discovery Education.

Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit at Care2. You can do this using things you already have around your house.

The Simple Dollar has a ton of ideas. The one I am going to try this week is making my own laundry soap. I am about out of my killer stash from last year so....wish me luck!!

Thrifty Thursday

A Well Stocked Car

No not an emergency kit. But a sanity kit!!

How many times do you get running errands or on a "short" ride to a friend or relatives home and about half way into it you hear, "I am hungry" or "I need a drink!"

Well I don't play the stop and pick something up game. Most of the time they just need a quick snack.

And that is what they get from me!

I keep a big zip lock in my console with snacks in it.

Each seat in my vehicle has a water jug.

What snacks do I pack?

Per child: 1 cracker pack (think pb crackers or cheese sandwich crackers)

1 granola bar

1 fruit snack

1 drink box

So they get a treat and I get to save $$$$$$. Plus these are great to have on hand in case you do happen to have some kind of emergency.

Other items to have on hand:

Blankets: I keep 4 small fleece blankets in my car. They are comfort items for tired kiddos, toys (think peek-a-boo), and great for wrapping up a I-really-messed-up-my-cloths kid.

Wet wipes: I have those little sanitized wipes you get at restaurants and baby wipes.

Tylenol or ibuprofen: MOMMY and DADDY saver!! You know you need it sometimes! :) Put some in the car. Saves you $$ and a headache.

Plastic bags: yucky clothes, food messes, & dirty diapers