Camping on the Cheap
Here are some more ideas for an inexpensive camping trip.
- If you don’t own your own camping gear, ask around to see if any friends or relatives have tents, sleeping bags, etc. that you could borrow or rent.
- Consider camping mid-week or off season. Many campgrounds have cheaper rates at these times.
- Find a place that’s not too far away, as gas prices can make your expenses go up in a hurry.
- Choose a location that is near a water source or hiking trails. Find a place with ‘free’ activities nearby. Throwing rocks into a river occupied The Boy for nearly 2 hours on our most recent trip.
- Consider just going away for one night. It seems like the work involved with getting organized for a camping trip is too much for just one night away, but you’d be surprised. You don’t need to plan as many meals. You could just throw some left-overs (and s’more fixings of course) into the ice chest.
- Make your own block ice. Block ice lasts longer than cubes or crushed. Start a few days ahead of time freezing your own blocks of ice in tupperware.
- Ask around to see if any friends or local businesses have free or inexpensive firewood. If you plan to have a campfire, try to find wood before you go. Buying wood from a campground host can be mighty pricey.
- Cut down on your laundry work when you get home. Store all the dirty clothes separately from your clean clothes.
- Take along rags to use instead of paper towels. (I must say that I never follow this one. I love a big roll of paper towels and pack of wet wipes to use when camping.)
- Get together with friends for a camping trip. Share the costs of the campground space, food, firewood and other gear (stove, ice chest, etc.).
- If you do own all your own camping gear, consider keeping it stored all together. This will make your unpacking much easier when you get back home. We have several camping tubs that live in our garage. It is so easy to pack and unpack for a camping trip this way. Our camping list notes the things that live permanently in the tub and the things that need to be added each time.
99 Ways to Save Money on Food
Not only does this site have some great tips on how to save money on food, it also shows you how to look good while doing it! Check out 99 Ways to Save Money on Food at the amazing Mark Sisson’s website, Mark’s Daily Apple.
Come for the saving money tips, stay for the great health advice!
Book Review – Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
I like to recommend books that not only the little ones can enjoy, but also the person who will be doing the reading. Because, as you know, you might be reading it again and again and again! So, it had better be good.
This time around, the book is Duck on a Bike by David Shannon. Shannon is the author of the David series of books and has a bunch more to his credit. He is a wonderful illustrator and author and this 40 page book lives up to his reputation. It involves a duck in a farmyard that steals a bike and goes all around the farm seeing all his animal friends.
The illustrations are AMAZING and the page with all the animal on it, I won’t tell you why they are on it, is awesome. The look on their faces cracks me up every single time I read it, which is a lot. So for a nice book that is short and you will get a kick out of, check it out.
Everything I Know About Parenting I Learned From Return of the Jedi
While watching Return of the Jedi the other day, I noticed how much their universe relates to ours. Darth Vader could be a grouchy dad with disobedient kids and Princess Leia a spoiled brat. C-3PO is the know-it-all kid, yours or the one next door, that is always complaining about something and always has an answer to your questions. With that in mind, I present some quotes from the movie relating to situations in the world of parenting.
VADER: The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
And neither will your father when he gets home.
VADER: That is correct, Commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
So clean up the damn living room already!
NINEDENINE: You’re a feisty little one, but you’ll soon learn some respect.
But probably not until they are 35 years old.
JABBA: Soon you will learn to appreciate me.
Again, only when they are 35.
YODA: Hmm. That face you make. Look I so old to young eyes?
So I didn’t know what Twitter was, give me a break!
YODA: No more training do you require. Already know you that which you need.
Except how to do a keg stand. But now that they are leaving for college, don’t fool yourself, they will learn it.
LUKE: Search your feelings, father. You can’t do this. I feel the conflict within you.
So please let me borrow the car!
Everything I Know About Parenting I Learned From The Empire Strikes Back
While watching The Empire Strikes Back the other day, I noticed how much their universe relates to ours. Darth Vader could be a grouchy dad with disobedient kids and Princess Leia a spoiled brat. C-3PO is the know-it-all kid, yours or the one next door, that is always complaining about something and always has an answer to your questions. With that in mind, I present some quotes from the movie relating to situations in the world of parenting.
HAN: All right, don’t lose your temper. I’ll come right back and give you a hand.
Just about anytime your kid is building something that all of sudden breaks the laws of physics and comes crashing down.
HAN: You could use a good kiss!
When your kids try and be cool in front of their friends and refuse to show any affection for you.
HAN: Ooh…I thought they smelled bad on the outside!
Umm.. A Diaper?!
ZEV: (into transmitter) Echo Base…I’ve got something! Not much, but
it could be a life form.
Guys, make sure you say this during the first ultrasound.
HAN: How are you feeling, kid? You don’t look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark.
When the kids try and stay home from school claiming to be sick.
THREEPIO: Sir, I am fluent in six million forms of communication. This signal is not used by the Alliance.
You become amazingly in tune with your children’s cries. So when a bunch of kids are playing elsewhere you can tell which one is screaming and hopefully it isn’t yours so you don’t have to get up and check.
HAN: Droid of some kind. I didn’t hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct.
I’m waiting for the boy to say this when he breaks yet another toy.
DACK: Right now I feel I could take on the whole Empire myself.
Pretty much an everyday thought of your children. Especially teenagers.
LEIA: Someday you’re going to be wrong, and I hope I’m there to see it.
The kids will tell you this, but don’t worry, you will always be right.
YODA: How you get so big, eating food of this kind?
“Instead of eating that, I’ll stick to my two bites of mac and cheese.”
LUKE: Hey, you could have broken this. Don’t do that. Ohhh…you’re making a mess. Hey, give me that!
Again, every DAY in your life.
EMPEROR: There is a great disturbance in the Force.
VADER: I have felt it.
A great thing to say when the pregnancy test comes back positive. Or what siblings will say when they learn another kid is on the way.
YODA: No, no, there is no why. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions. Mmm. Mmmmmm.
But why this, why that? Why Daddy, why mommy, why, why, WHY?!?
YODA: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?
So eat that last piece broccoli already.
LEIA: I love you!
HAN: I know.
The moment you realize they are all grown up.
VADER: I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.
I’m laughing too hard about this one to write anything. Just say it to your kid one day when you told him something and then changed your mind.
THREEPIO: The city’s central computer told you? Artoo-Detoo, you know better than to trust a strange computer.
MySpace, Facebook, Twitter. You know what they say. On the Internet, boys are boys, girls are men and children are FBI agents.
Everything I Know About Parenting I Learned From Star Wars
While watching Star Wars the other day, I noticed how much their universe relates to ours. Darth Vader could be a grouchy dad with disobedient kids and Princess Leia a spoiled brat. C-3PO is the know-it-all kid, yours or the one next door, that is always complaining about something and always has an answer to your questions. With that in mind, I present some quotes from the movie relating to situations in the world of parenting.
C-3PO: How did I get into this mess? I really don’t know how. We seem to be made to suffer. It’s our lot in life.
This sounds like something Calvin would say to Hobbes after breaking something and being sent to bed without dinner.
LUKE SKYWALKER: But I was going into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters.
Power converters, skateboard wheels, the latest GTA. Kids are always going somewhere to pick up something when you need them. Even if they weren’t the second before you asked them to do something for you.
LUKE SKYWALKER: Well, if there’s a bright center to the universe, you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from.
Sounds like your typical teenager to me.
DARTH VADER: I find your lack of faith disturbing.
Your response to, “Oh Mom, we are never going to get there in time! Why do you drive so slow?!”
OBI-WAN KENOBI: Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
Or the corner store. Or that sketchy area of the playground where the kid who already uses deodorant hangs out.
HAN SOLO: Sorry about the mess.
Reminds me of every day of my life.
HAN SOLO: Watch your mouth, kid, or you’re going to find yourself floating home.
Said towards the end of the ubiquitous summer car trip.
SECOND TROOPER: What was that?
FIRST TROOPER: Oh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.
Replace Second Trooper with “Parent” and First Trooper with “Child”
DARTH VADER: Your powers are weak, old man.
The first day your kid schools you in some sport or game.
HAN SOLO: Great kid! Don’t get cocky.
Your response to the above comment.
And, one more paraphrased quote.
Riding a Big Wheel ain’t like dusting crops, boy.
How to Save for a Big Purchase
How to save for a big purchase? Little by little. The End.
OK, ok, maybe a little more detail would be nice. Saving for a big purchase can be really hard, especially in these days of high limit credit cards. A lot of people have $10, $20, even $50 thousand available on their cards. So why wait to buy anything? Just go out, purchase it and pay it off. That way, you get the item now and instead of saving a little every month, you’ll pay a little every month and already have the item! What a great idea, right?
Wrong.
The entire time you will be paying interest on your card, sometimes over 20%! In the bank, your monthly savings will actually grow a little. And, I do mean a little. 
But a little is better than a big negative something. Also, what happens if you have an emergency need for money while paying off the card, you might miss a payment and that adds to your interest payments! Another benefit is that you might actually find you don’t want the item after saving for it and you can spend that money elsewhere.
Once you have decided what you want to purchase, get a pretty good estimate of the costs and where you are going to buy it. Include taxes and shipping on expensive items or really heavy items. That UPS battery backup might be $100, but it weighs 120 pounds and costs $50 to ship! Then, once you have a final cost, begin the saving.
I find that a separate account is the best bet. It is too much of a temptation to spend from it if you keep it in your normal checking/savings accounts. You’ll say, “Oh, I just need an extra $100, I’ll just use some of what I have saved.” If your item is small and you won’t gain any benefit from having it in the bank, a plain white envelope works great. I know, crazy right? But, an envelope hiding in the drawer is fantastic, you never see it, it just collects money, you can even write on the outside the current balance which is fun. Also, holding a wad of cash in an envelope is lots of fun.
Break your savings into amounts that you can handle every month. A great way is to always save an amount of money and put it in an envelope labeled, ‘Big Purchases.’ Then you always have a little seed money. You can up the amount if you need more for a larger purchase. Set a time frame where the item won’t be obsolete before you buy it. Tech stuff is notorious for this, although a newer model will come out so you can always buy that one. Or buy the original at a lower price.
Then, when it is time, get out your envelope and go buy what you have been wanting and know that you haven’t gained any debt from it. You also may want to just put it in the bank if you used an envelope and use your credit card. Then you get the benefits of using your card without the interest charges since you can pay it off immediately!
Magazine Subscriptions as Gifts
They are not always super cheap, but sometimes you can find a great deal on a magazine gift subscription. Often, for $20 or less, you can purchase a gift subscription for someone you love. This might be a great family gift at Christmas time or birthday gift for a child. It is the gift that keeps on giving all year long.
The National Wildlife Federation has some great magazines for kids. Our personal favorite for toddlers is Wild Animal Baby, which comes in a board book-type cover. Highlights also has some great kids magazines available. Amazon is a great place to find out about magazines and sometimes has special deals or offers. Be sure, however, that you follow through on your gift and check with the recipient to make sure they have received their first copy.
Organization Help
I think most stay at home parents have days when the house and all it’s contents seem overwhelming. You want to be organized, but just don’t know where to begin. Here are a few websites that have some good organizing tips. Beware though, it is easy to get caught up in everything that you could be organizing.
Decide what is most important to you and start there. Make a list or make a plan for how the organizing will be done and how it will be kept up. Set aside a period of time each day to work on cleaning out and organizing. Don’t try to do it all in one fell swoop.
organizedhome.com
unclutterer.com
apartmenttherapy.com
Go Fish
Staying indoors to escape the heat/cold/rain? Keeping driving to a minimum because of gas prices? Trying to figure out how to entertain a preschooler without going crazy? Try Go Fish.
This will require some patience and a deck of cards. Preferably a deck of kids’ cards with pictures of Elmo or Winnie the Pooh. The Boy has a set of Thomas cards which have pictures of the Thomas characters – 4 of each. This set has given us many hours of fun and hasn’t even gotten all bent up an thrashed yet. We first used the set to play things like matching ‘games.’ The Boy would turn over cards until he found two of a kind. Each set of 4 cards has four different colored borders, so color matching is another ‘game’ we played. He’s now has a pretty good attention span, so lately we’ve taught him Memory and Go Fish.
For Memory, I pull out anywhere between 3 and 10 pairs of cards, shuffle and lay face down. We take turns turning over 2 cards to see if we can find a match.
For Go Fish, I deal each of us 5 cards and we put the rest in the middle, in a ‘fish pond.’ Here’s where we deviate from the rules a little. We lay our 5 cards out in front of us so we can each see what the other has. It is too hard for The Boy to hold onto the cards in his hand and he hasn’t gotten the hang of keeping what cards you have a secret. So we have to ‘cheat’ a little – usually in his favor. 
Right away he picked up on “Mommy, do you have a …?” and the response, “No, Go Fish!”
The tricky thing for both of these games is that he often wants to play Now! So we’re learning patience too. I think we could start learning a game like Uno in this same way – placing all our cards on the table in front of us.
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