We’re halfway through the year! I’m not sure if I should be looking for congratulations or condolences. There’s nothing quite like the calendar flip to July to make me think long and hard about what I’ve done with my year…and what I have left to do. First up is an exploration of my goals for … [Read more…]
Summer is my favorite season. It can also get a little costly. OK, fine. Summer can be downright expensive. As much as we’re trying to keep an eye on our money, I can honestly say that a lot of what I’m seeing is it leaving my accounts. While the Internet and this very blog runneth … [Read more…]
It’s true. I decluttered exactly zero things in May. None. Zilch. Zero. Nada. After months of detailed recaps outlining everything I decluttered, I simply walked away from it all. And like most things in life, the reasons are complicated. In May, the school year was winding down. Except it wasn’t. Instead of the usual decrescendo … [Read more…]
Happy summer! It is summer, isn’t it? I ask because I think I’ve spent more time looking for my jacket and snuggling under blankets than anything else lately. Despite the rain and the chill, we’re making lemonade with our summer break. We’re also trying hard to not totally blow our budget. Granted, we did just … [Read more…]
You know the three reasons why people go into teaching, right? June. July. And August. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this joke. But I can tell you that I’ve never actually heard a teacher tell it. Why? Because we know how short summers are getting, and we also understand how much … [Read more…]
Are kids expensive? Are kids cheap? No one knows and everyone claims they do. The only thing I actually know is that there are plenty of ways to be frugal when it comes to having a toddler. It’s not just about learning to say no to their wants. It’s also clearly about learning to say … [Read more…]
The best piece of travel advice I’ve ever heard is to pack half the amount of things that you think you need and twice the amount of money. Whether you’re traveling for business, pleasure, or something in between, there’s no shortage of packing advice on the internet. But what about finances? If you’re anything like … [Read more…]
With Memorial Day serving as the unofficial kickoff of summer and today’s temperature starting in the low 50s and nearing 90 by the end of the day, I figure now is as good a time as any to start this. But what exactly am I starting? My plan is to chronicle the summer spending that … [Read more…]
Over the past year, I received two remarkable gestures from two Internet heroes. While I’ve certainly thought about their actions, I haven’t quite been able to find the words to tell the stories. I’m still not sure I have those words. But I want to share their gestures now for two reasons. I want to … [Read more…]
My default setting is programmed to shop. It’s truly an instinct and impulse. I spend a lot of time guarding against it, but I want to acknowledge something very important. Critical even. I. Buy. Things. It doesn’t get said enough. Not like that anyway. No, I don’t mean the excessive line spacing, either. Whenever people … [Read more…]