I remember going through my grandma’s catalogs when I was little, circling all the things I wanted for Christmas. Everyone used it as a wishlist for holiday shopping throughout the season.

Now, we have an Amazon wishlist setup for each girl that family can use, if they want ideas for gifts …read more    

When we canceled our cable bill several years ago, I was only looking to save the $60 per month on the bill. We have saved almost $2000 so far, on the cable bill alone, but I’ve noticed another way not having cable keeps our budget under control.

No commercials.

The girls don’t …read more    

I love a clearance sale! It’s been my go-to source of bargains for years. I’ve found deep discounts on off-season clothes, overstock toys, and even grocery markdowns.

Lately, though, it seems as if stores have forgotten the meaning of the word “clearance.”

The goal, of course, is to drastically reduce prices in …read more    

My girls have been counting down to Halloween for months. Months, I tell you. They’ve had their costumes selected, their treat buckets at the ready, and can hardly wait for the big day.

They’re discussing what kind of candy they may get, negotiating potential trades, and have already decided which candies …read more    

You guys, Black Friday is just 25 days away! That’s 25 days to the Bargain Shopper Superbowl. Everything I’ve done all year long was just practice for the big day. November 23rd, you are mine!

It’s chaotic, it’s crowded, it’s exciting — and it’s entirely too easy to get caught up …read more    

With Hurricane Sandy the talk of the Internet and worry for friends & family peaking, my mind is on storm prep. Not the kind Casey gets excited about or the kind the Eastern seaboard is dealing with, but the kind where I ensure my kids don’t drive me …read more    

October is winding down, and I’ll be so sad to see it go. As much as I love Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas events, this is my favorite month of the year. The weather is perfect, the food is amazing, and the family fun is just around every corner!

We’re lucky …read more    

My girls were 2 of the 1.6 million kids to get free haircuts from JCPenney through their August back-to-school promotion. The stylists did a fabulous job, the girls enjoyed our day at the mall, and I loved that it only cost me a few dollars tip.

It looks like this can …read more    

We have been planning for over a month now to redo the stairs. I’ve searched for ideas, bought the supplies, and scheduled no less than 3 work days. It seemed like a fairly simple process — pull up the carpet, paint the stairs, choose a decorating scheme.

Then, life happened.

At first, …read more    

It’s birthday season at our house — the youngest turns 7 next week, the tween will be 10 in December, and the teen turns 15 (15!) at the beginning of January.

We have a few traditions to make their days special — parties, gifts, balloons, dinner. But, the holidays are …read more