Kids in the Kitchen

Hey! Found this great article in LDS Living Magazine called Kids in the Kitchen...:) Read it at www.ldsliving.com. I hope this doesn't post on facebook 59 times like my last update. If it does, and anyone knows how to stop it, please let me know.

Jamming

Jared and I went on a hike to celebrate our engagement anniversary. ( He proposed while taking me hiking.) We discovered service berries that were at peak ripeness. They make excellent jam, so we picked some - and realized we didn't have a container - or a bag - or a water bottle - or anything - to put them in. Jared is resourceful  - and chivalrous - and volunteered to take off his sock to use as a berry holder. We picked berries all the way back down the mountain. A very fun, if not totally romantic, excursion. I made jam the next day and it is delicious. So I guess the tips we should glean from this are 1) celebrate all anniversaries, and 2) berry picking is a great family and couple activity this time of year and an inexpensive way to get yummy homemade jam for the winter.

Summer Savvy

Summer is crazy, busy fun! Maybe it's just me, but I feel like I always plan a nice relaxing summer, and somehow it is non-stop. This year is no exception. We have been visiting friends and attending family reunions, and I wouldn't trade any of it for relaxation. (Although I wouldn't mind trying to add some relaxation.)
I taught some workshops in the cities we traveled in. I love the discussion and idea exchange in a good class! Others always have some great money-saving ideas. Here are a couple of my favorites:
A young mother of three in Lehi, Utah told me she has started making all her own bread. To keep her oven from heating her house in the summer, she bought a toaster oven at a second hand store and bakes her bread in it outside on her patio. Saves on her cooling bill!
I got to attend a class on making homemade ice cream in Casper, Wyoming. Our teacher said she uses a small vanilla pudding mix and mostly milk instead of buying  pricey cream and half-and-half. Her samples were creamy and delicious! - a great class on a hot July day!
If you have summer-time money-saving tips, please comment and let us all in on your savvy ideas.:)

Snacking

OK. It's been awhile since I last blogged. I'll admit I'm not much of a blogger yet, but I was really trying. Life gets crazy, but I'm back! (At least this week.) One of the things I advocate in my book, "Centsible Meals", is no snacking. We all know it's not necessary; that's not rocket science. But stopping is a whole other issue. I'm looking for readers to post ideas about quitting. What helps you stop? How do you sit at home all day next to the fridge and stay away? Personally, I find summer vacation redeeming for me. The kids come home and I have absolutely no time to myself to sneak snacks. Plus, I seem to use more calories in the summer when all seven kids are home ALL DAY. However, that doesn't always help me during the school year. Please share what helps you!

Kids in the Kitchen

My tip and post for the week is an article that's in Montana Parent Magazine - the new March issue. The article is titled "Kids in the Kitchen" and discusses the advantages of teaching our kids how to cook. Of course, one of the advantages is that families save money when kids know how to cook, but there are also lots of other great reasons to teach this skill. In the article I also give ideas for how to involve kids at all ages and stages. If you want to save more money, make a picky eater happy, and give your kids something productive to do in the kitchen, check out http://www.mtparent.com/!

Inexpensive and Yummy Muesli

I love granola and muesli, but I never buy either - way too pricey. Instead, we make our own! For a bowlful of delicious muesli put small handfulls each of homemade granola (see recipe on my website), cornflakes, regular uncooked rolled oats, and raisins in a bowl. If you have it, replace raisins with fresh fruit. Add milk or yogurt and enjoy! My kids think this is the best treat in the world (almost).

How to Stick to a Budget

Some tips for sticking to a budget from money guru Dave Ramsey! I have done all of these, and I know they work!


1.Make sure you write it down. Give every dollar a name on paper. Spend your income on paper before you actually spend it.

2.Stay away from places that tempt you to spend. If you are overspending, you need to buckle down and get serious. It’s a sign of maturity when you delay pleasure today so that you can ensure a better tomorrow.

3.Use Dave’s envelope system to help you spend cash in line with your budget. Take some envelopes, write the budget categories on the envelopes, and use only the allotted money to purchase specific things. When an envelope is empty, don’t buy anything else in that budget category.

4.Stay motivated! Don’t give up! A budget gives you hope that your money situation can and will get better. Dwelling on the failures of the past, or fearing that you will never get to the end, will steal your hope. To avoid this, break your plan down into smaller goals. You can change your financial picture. You can change your life.