Archives for July 2015

Planning Out a ‘’Big Girl’’ Bedroom on a Budget

July 29, 2015 | Leave a Comment

I have finally come to terms with the fact that our three year old has outgrown her bed. We have a crib that converts to a daybed and finally, with the help of a conversion kit, you can turn it into a double bed headboard and footboard. She has been out of her crib for a while now and has been sleeping in the daybed but it’s getting to be tight quarters. I have been finding her hanging off the edge the last few weeks and she’s a pretty small kid.

Other than needing a new bed, redoing the rest of her room really is not a necessity but rather something we’d like to do for her. When we did her bedroom up initially we didn’t put anything ‘’too babyish’’ on the walls or anything we couldn’t easily remove, really other than the crib which now needs to go (we’re not buying the conversion kit or double mattress) it’s just changing a few of the decorations.

She received a little money for her birthday last month with instruction to use it for something that she needs, that something will likely be put towards a new bed followed by updating her bedroom a bit from the baby stuff to a slightly more mature room.

Thankfully she still loves the color of her walls (purple) so we don’t need to paint for a while (mom and dad are glad!). We need a new bed, maybe something on her walls to replace the two or three things we plan on removing, something to help with storage and materials to redo her dresser.

My goal is to get all of this (including new bed) for less than $400. Here are our plans to make a big girl bedroom on a budget.

Saving on a Bed and Mattress

I’m all for buying used for most things in life but I won’t buy a used mattress so we need to shop the sales. We’re only getting her a twin bed though so that will save some money (and space in her bedroom) and the beds we’ve been looking at don’t require a separate boxspring.

We haven’t yet decided if we will be buying a bed or making one though. I have found some blueprints to make a loft-style bed but I suspect for what we’ll pay in wood and supplies, we will be able to buy a twin bed somewhere (also the advantage of time with buying).

Homemade Wall Art

For the walls, instead of buying fancy prints at a department or home goods store, we will probably check out Etsy.com or even make something myself (like a collage of her art which can be swapped out). There are a million great ideas on Pinterest that can be checked out.

Planning a Road Trip with a Toddler

July 22, 2015 | Leave a Comment

This week we will be embarking on our first family road trip with our toddler!

We travelled a bit when she was a baby but now that she’s an active three ear old I suspect things will be a little different. Things like potty breaks and dealing with the ‘’I’m bored’s’’ and ‘’are we there yet’s?’’. Maybe I’m wrong but I’m certainly expecting our trip to take slightly longer with her in tow.

Potty Break Planning

Dealing with the potty breaks shouldn’t been too bad if I make sure she goes before we leave and limit her drinking in the car. I have a pretty good idea of what she can consume before she really has to go. We’re heading to an island that you can get to via bridge or ferry and we’re opting to take the ferry to break the trip up a bit. Take the ferry is also a guaranteed way to break the trip up. We’ll be able to get out of our vehicle and walk around a bit.

Taking a ferry isn’t possible for most road trips, I understand that. I have a friend who, when travelling with her (very active) son breaks up their trips by stopping at WalMart. She jokes that they’re easy to find off any major highway and a guarantee to be able to use the washroom and walk around for a few minutes. It also works with (sometimes necessary) bribes by enticing them with something small if they behave (for her son it’s usually a pack of superman stickers or bandaids). Whatever you need to do to break up your trip, planning your route ahead of time and plotting out all potential stops for emergency bathroom breaks may save your sanity!

Boredom Busters

Dealing with the boredom isn’t such an issue in 2015 with the technology that is available. It’s not unheard of for vehicles to have televisions built right in them! Since we don’t have that luxury, my husband is preloading the family tablet with child appropriate games and videos. Since she doesn’t play on the tablet often it’s usually well received when she does get time with it.

Before we break out the tablet (which is guaranteed to suck her attention) I packed a ‘’car bag’’ full of activities for her to play with. This includes a few books, a notebook for her to color in (along with markers), stickers and a coloring book that’s in a car case for her to be able to color on her lap easily. I suspect this will keep her busy off and on for a while, or until the stickers run out.

Snack Solutions

We also have snacks for the car which I’m sure will be a hit. Snack choice will vary depending on age, for us my biggest thought is mess control. At three, we’ll stick to easy finger food like blueberries, popcorn, cheese strings and crackers. Things like granola bars and yogurt are too messy in the car (at least for my kid) and I’m not interested in dealing with it quite honestly!

With a little extra planning a family road trip with a toddler can be a lot of fun but if you forget to plan for things like potty breaks it can quickly turn into a nightmare!

Any tips for planning a stress free road trip with a toddler?

Frugal Camping: Use What You Have!

July 15, 2015 | Leave a Comment

Camping wasn’t a part of my childhood. Probably because my mom’s family had access to a cottage, so it wasn’t until I was a young adult that camping was introduced to me. I loved everything about it. The tents, the outdoors, the fires, the food preparations. My husband and I are self-proclaimed camping experts and now that we have a family of our own plan to make it a part of our daughter’s life. Camping is one way to have summertime fun on the cheap!

The Basics

Camping is something that can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. Planning a weekend camping trip with your family should definitely be kept simple and don’t overcomplicate things when kids are involved. When I talk to my non-camping friends, a lot of them are turned off by the volume of stuff required to do it. I disagree. By opting to stay at an established campground (vs trekking into the woods yourself and popping a tent), for a small fee you’ll save a lot on both things you need, and time.

Campgrounds offer bathrooms, water and when needed, electricity. It is 2015 after all, we may have a device or two that needs a recharge. Some larger campgrounds even have extra amenities like laundry, playgrounds and pools which, when you have kids, can be a blessing.

What You Need to Buy

To plan your weekend away you don’t need much. If you don’t already have access to, you really only need to acquire a tent, possibly a tarp if you think you may need coverage for your site and a cooler for your food. You don’t really need sleeping bags or air mattress, just layer a bunch of blankets and pillows on the bottom. Though they can be nice, you don’t really need things like camping stoves, though we do use our camping stove a lot when we do camp, we would manage just fine with a decent fire, a cast iron skillet and tin foil to cook all of our food.

Frugal Camping: Use What You Have

You can get away with using a lot of things you already have which is what makes camping such an easy thing to do. Blankets, pillows, utensils and cooking the food you already bought, makes camping a cheap option for family fun. When we camp as a family, we bring food from home that’s easy to cook over a simple flame (you’d be amazed what you can create in a tin foil package) or bring food that’s prepped ahead and warmed up (think stew or chili). We usually replace our ice daily and if we don’t have firewood from home we buy it from the campground (another bonus to staying on a ground).

What I love about camping is the simplicity and, at the same time, the complexity of it all. We cook all of our food and then spend time washing and drying our dishes for the next meal since we don’t have access to a dishwasher and only have access to enough dishes for one meal at a time. Keeps us grounded.

Camping is a great way to seriously relax. Yes, I bring my cell phone but I really only use it for picture taking and emergency calls. Social media is turned off- it’s almost sacrilegious to do in the wilderness. It is a great way to really connect with friends and family lazing around on a sunny afternoon or catching up while roasting marshmallows at night (again save the fancy metal roasting sticks and use a legit branch, the dirt won’t kill you!).

Do you camp with your family? How do you keep it simple?

How to Eat Well in the Summer

July 8, 2015 | Leave a Comment

I have a love hate relationship with the summer and eating for both me and my family.

Though I love the abundance of fresh fruit that is seasonally available, I also know there will be many more temptations. More BBQ’s to attend, more road trips (which for us means more snacks), more late nights and fire pits filled with s’mores. For me and my family, it can be tough to control it all and balance the good and bad. Here are a few ways I attempt to control more of the good and less of the bad.

Bring a Healthy Option

If we’re headed to a BBq or potluck I can’t assume there will be a healthy option and for that reason I try to be one to provide it. Sometimes it’s a simple fruit or veggie tray, other times it might be a healthy salad of sorts. This way I know we will have a healthy option to fill up on before indulging in some of the less healthy options and desserts.

Just Don’t Buy It!

There is something I simply cannot have in my house. It’s something that I really only buy in the summer and something I know for a fact that both my daughter and I will totally pig out on given an opportunity. Those would be marshmallows. If they’re in the house- a key s’more ingredient- I will eat them all, as will my three year old. For this reason it’s something I don’t buy to have ‘’on hand’’ for the off chance we might make s’mores. In fact if we do have a fire and plan on it I will usually as someone else to pick them up. Not having them around means no temptations.

Capitalize on Seasonal Goodness

I love fruit, as does everyone in my family. Right now is strawberry season here so not only are we eating a ton of them we’re buying more than we can consume for the future. I’ll buy, wash and freeze berries year round when they’re on sale so we can use them for future smoothies or to cook with. It always ends up being much cheaper than buying pre-packaged smoothie mixes and tastier too!

Plan Better

The summer is definitely more chaotic for us. Soccer practice, irregular work schedules, vacations. All of these things throw my schedule off and when that happens we aren’t always the best planners. We eat out more- especially when road tripping. With an upcoming trip I have vowed to avoid the gas station junk, as well booked accommodations with a kitchen. Though the kitchen can sometimes be an added expense what we save on eating out every meal, will more than make up for it.

Summer is always a treat for us. We certainly indulge in things in the summer that we don’t any other time of year and that’s fine, as long as it’s balanced. Nothing worse than spending your summer indulging to find your fall jeans don’t fit…

How do you balance summertime treats with healthier options?

Cleaning Poop and Other Jobs Your Kid Can Do This Summer to Earn Money

July 1, 2015 | Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago as I was getting my daughter ready for bed there was a knock at the door. It was two kids, about 14 asking to mow our lawn. My husband was already planning to do it the next day so I thanked them and gave my apologies.

They looked totally defeated. They obviously hadn’t had any luck and had been lugging their lawnmower all over the neighbourhood looking for someone to help. My husband felt bad, went outside and asked their price. For $15 they would cut both the front and back yard, $20 and they would add in the whippersnipper. We did it.

Did we need to, absolutely not, we’re both able-bodied and can mow our own lawn but these kids were looking to earn some cash of their own and we wanted to help.

The summer can be a great opportunity for kids of all ages to earn some extra money. What they use the money for will vary but there are many opportunities for kids to have a little hustle of their own with their free time. Here are a few ideas to help your kids start-up a little side-gig:

Lawn mowing: This is an easy one but start in neighbourhood where there is a knowing aging population, a group who would benefit from the help the most. Make simple flyers and hand them out. The biggest downside is how weather dependant it is.

Yard Sale: My sister and I used to do this all the time. We would gather items and ask our mom to help pick stuff out for us to sell. We’d make a few signs the morning of and hope for the best. We’ve also rented tables for $10 at flea markets to sell. This isn’t usually consistent income but helps unload stuff and make a lump-sum of cash.

Yard Cleaning: This is something I searched online for the year we moved into our house. After we demolished an old shed on our property I contemplated hiring someone, ideally a cheap young high school kid, for a few hours to help clean the area up and prep it for a garden, only problem was that I couldn’t find anyone! There is always yard work that is needed and that people need and want help with.

Clean poop: Sounds gross but someone has to do it. There are companies dedicated to cleaning the dog poop from your property especially in the spring when the snow melts but it really is a task that needs to be maintained. If your kid is eager enough they could probably make a decent income for the upfront cost of good gloves, a mask, some buckets/bags and a rake.

Dog Walk/Pet Sit: People travel in the summer and the pets sometimes need a place to stay or for someone to check up on them. If your teen is attentive enough, and good with animals, it might be a lucrative summer career that can stretch beyond the summer months.

Until kids are of the legal working age it can be hard to earn income of their own. With a little effort and determination they may have luck in one of these areas to help them earn some money to put towards their own wants and needs.