We finally did it.  We have talked about it for quite some time but for some reason we always had some reason why it justified the monthly expense.  With the lives we are leading now it simply is not worth the money for us to pay for cable TV.  We have been paying $36 each and every month to ...

Continue reading Pulling the Plug on Cable

The search for the perfect bicycle for our daughter required the full extent of my bargain searching talent.  Her birthday is coming up and I had considered buying a brand new bicycle but it is hard to justify the $60-100 (or more) price tag for a bike she will any ride for a year or so.  ...

Continue reading Finding the Perfect Kids Bike

Guys like to talk about cars right?  Our love affair with the automobile is a part of the male identity, correct?  Well, not for me.  I never understood the fascination for cars as in my view they are just a method to get around and a necessary evil for the ultimate road-trip.  I don’t like spending money and for all ...

Continue reading Surviving as a One Car Family

Have you freecycled yet?  It is a great way of getting rid of your clutter and getting things you need for free.  I have belonged to The Freecycle Network for five years now.  I have given away a couch, coffee tables, a Christmas tree, and numerous children’s items we were no longer using.  We could have tried ...

Continue reading The Benefits of Freecycling

One thing I noticed when we moved to our new home town was the number of stores selling second hand goods. I love bargain hunting at thrift stores, I think it’s a hereditary trait handed down through the generations, so this was a nice bonus to find a smorgasbord of options in our new town. Martin ...

Continue reading Saving Money at Thrift Stores

Somewhere along the line hand-me-downs became a negative term.  Sure there are some kids who do not like wearing their older sister’s clothes, though Bryce does like Annika’s old pink slippers, I would suggest that if you move past the stereotypes hand-me-downs can be a great way of saving money on kids clothes and equipment.  This is especially true ...

Continue reading Hand Me Downs – Pay it Forward

A few years ago I rarely used the library thinking that they were out of date and held little value. I did not read a lot of fiction at the time and I used the internet for a lot of my personal research (mostly travel related). When our first daughter arrived we decided to check out ...

Continue reading Rediscover Your Public Library

Picture this; A group of urban mamas slurping their latte’s with their kids sitting in their new top end stroller, wearing designer clothes, and playing with the latest toy that will double their IQ. I walk in with my garage sale stroller, with kids dressed in thrift store clothes, playing with hand-me-down toys. Oh the shame……. ...

Continue reading Why Spend Too Much? Buy Used Kids Stuff