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5 Quality Baby Items That Are Worth the Investment

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If you want to know what quality baby items are worth the money, I definitely recommend this list!In 2014, my husband and I had two in two years. We also lived on less than $2,000 per month. Having a lot of baby things simply wasn’t an option during that season of life. However, we did save up for a number of quality baby items, and I’m glad we did.

We may not have had new living room furniture or all new kitchen appliances, but if there was something costly that got its money’s worth for our kids, then it was money well spent.

5 Quality Baby Items Worth the Investment

Hear me out. One thing we did not do is go into debt to purchase these items. Nor did we dip into our emergency fund. Either option would have been so much easier. Instead, we opened a checking account with no minimum balance required and labeled it our “Baby” account.

Each month, we’d budget an allotted amount into the account. Having it separate from our primary checking helped protect that money from being mishandled.

We saved up, used coupons, used gift cards, or we said no to the purchase.

There are so many different brands of these products, but here are the ones we chose and that I recommend.

1. Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper

We kept our babies in this Rock N’ Play throughout their entire newborn stage. It was so nice to have them right next to our bed at night, elevated so they could probably breathe when congested. Another perk was how lightweight the product was. After I had an unexpected c-section with my second child, I had a major weight restriction during the first several weeks. The Rock N’ Play was easy to fold and transfer from room to room.

2. Medela Advanced Breast Pump

I made the choice before my first child was born to breastfeed. I was still employed at my banking job during that time, so have a reliable and efficient breast pump was crucial. Since that time, the government has made it much easier to obtain breast pumps for free or to receive reimbursement on a purchase. Definitely look into that. If you can’t get one (a QUALITY one) for free, then I highly recommend this product. It hasn’t given me any problems and I was able to breastfeed both of my children for at least 12 months.

3. Aden + Anaias Swaddle Blankets

The features I love most about these swaddling blankets is that they’re sheer which reduces the risk of suffocation, and they’re large enough to do a full swaddle on a baby throughout the first six months to a year. My 2-year-old son still chooses his Aden and Anaias blankets to sleep with over any other bedding.

4. Braun Ear Thermometer

If you’re up at 2:30 AM with a screaming, feverish baby, you need a reliable thermometer that will tell you exactly what’s going on, every time. I tried the cheap route at first, using a knock-off thermometer under the baby’s armpit (try getting a fussy baby to keep his arm down long enough to get a consistent reading). Finally, I realized it wasn’t worth the risk of misdiagnosing. High fevers can spike at any time. I’ve caught each of them in time with my Braun ear thermometer.

5. Wooden Toys

What I love about wooden toys is that they’re made well. My parents grew up in the era of wooden or metal toys. I was raised throughout the dawn of plastic. To see the difference in toys like Melissa & Doug and many others is very refreshing. I head straight to that aisle every time I buy a gift for a baby shower or child’s birthday party.

What quality baby items are you grateful you purchased? Share in the comments below!

This post contains affiliate links.

Image Credit: Gaelle Marcel (UnSplash)

5 Ways to Save Money on Diapers Using Amazon

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If you're already a fan of online shopping, then here are some great ways to save money on diapers using Amazon.Every parent knows having a child drastically changes your finances. One of the largest expenses to enter the picture is diapers. It’s a fixed expense for the first three years of a child’s life, right? So, how can we save money on diapers?

The list is long. I wrote a post about this earlier called “How to Save Money on Diapers.” That would be a good place to head once you’re done here.

Since there was more to say after writing that first article, I decided to write a follow-up post specifically talking about Amazon.

5 Ways to Save Money on Diapers Using Amazon

I’m not saying you should only shop at Amazon for your diapers. I actually buy mostly off brand diapers in bulk at places like Target or Costco. That’s just how I do my shopping.

If you’re a pretty active online shopper looking to save money on diapers, then give these tips a try.

1. Subscribe & Save

No Prime membership required. All you do is sign up for Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program and choose from their selection of products. If there is something you need regularly, like paper towels or diapers, then subscribe. They’ll show up on your doorstep on the selected date saving you up to 15% off each time.

2. CamelCamelCamel.com

Want to know when diapers are at their lowest market price? Head over to CamelCamelCamel.com to find out. Enter the name of the product and look at its track record of the last year. That’ll help you determine when it’s best to shop next.

3. Price Tracker App

Do you prefer shopping on your mobile device? Save money on diapers by using the Price Tracker App. If you have Amazon’s store app already on your phone, then you have the Price Check feature within that app. That is a second method you could use to save money on your phone.

4. SnagShout.com

Find deep discounts on Amazon products on SnagShout.com. I first described SnagShout as a great resource when you’re searching for frugal Christmas gifts (read the full article here). But SnagShout can also be great for everyday items that aren’t quite as exciting but cost just as much green stuff in your wallet.

A.K.A. diapers.

Up until October 2016, SnagShout users were required to leave a review on Amazon in exchange for receiving the deep discounts on products. However, the policy was revised to reflect Amazon’s choice to make it illegal to require anyone to leave a review.

So, now you simply need to check out SnagShout’s merchandise, find the kids & baby section and see if there are any cloth diapers or nursing covers or other gems up for grabs.

5. Register for an Amazon baby registry.

If you’re having a baby shower, then consider registering on Amazon. Some perks include: free 90-day returns, millions of products from which to choose, 15% off Completion Discount on eligible items for Prime members.

Plus, people have the option of giving Amazon gift cards. Combine those with the 15% off through Subscribe & Save and you’ll get a bunch of diapers for not a bunch of money.

Have you ever tried to save money on diapers online? What’s one thing that worked for you?

Image Credit: Janko Ferlic (UnSplash)

How to Save Money On Diapers

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Looking to save money on diapers? Here's how.After having two children under two years, I “get” diapers. We lived on a tight, single-income budget, so I’ve also done my share of deal hunting. It turns out, you can save money on diapers every time, if you know where to look.

Whether you’re raising a family, pregnant with your first child, or shopping for a baby shower, deals are constantly out there. They come in all shapes in sizes. I want you to leave this article with enough information to never pay full price for diapers again.

5 Ways to Save Money on Diapers

Crunch some numbers.

The best way to figure out how to save money on diapers is to start calculating the price per diaper every time you shop. Diapers come in so many different sizes, quantities, specialties, and brands, that it can be confusing to find the least expensive option.

You can calculate the price per diaper manually or by reading the store label for a “price per unit.”
This step is the foundation in educating yourself about how much money you’re actually saving.

BONUS TIP: Try writing the price per diaper on a piece of masking tape and placing it on your diaper box when you bring it home. That way, you can compare each purchase to see where you find the best deals.

Buy the largest quantity available.

When you calculate the price per diaper in any super market, you’ll usually spend more on fewer diapers. Do your best to buy the largest quantity available.

The only exception to this rule is if you have a coupon for a fixed amount like “$1.00 Off Any Pampers Diapers 52 Ct. Or More.” If you buy a smaller box of diapers, then that $1.00 will impact the price per diapers greater and may save you the most money.

Stores like Costco or Sam’s Club are great for buying larger quantities of diapers. Costco also has a terrific return policy. Pretty much anything you buy from them you can return in 90 days with few questions asked.

Recommended Reading: “Why a Costco Membership is Beneficial for Our Family”

Collect coupons or codes.

If you tear open a box of name brand diapers, like Pampers or Huggies, you’ll notice a rewards code on one of the diaper packs. If you enter those into the rewards site, you can eventually earn a discount on your next purchase. Coupons, whether in-store or via manufacturers, also add value to your savings.

Buy new diapers secondhand.

A new diaper is a new diaper. Even if you buy from a yard sale, a consignment sale, or on a Facebook garage sale, it’s still (HOPEFULLY) unused. The only time I’d ever consider buying a used diaper is if it’s cloth. They’re washable, reusable, much less expensive in the long run, and much friendlier to earth.

Stock up during a great deal.

One of my favorite ways to save money on diapers is at Target. Their Up & Up brand of diapers is consistently less expensive than the name brand competitors. Also, they routinely offer a $5, $10, and sometimes $20 gift card back to you for purchasing two large boxes. If you know your little one’s size and can afford stocking up on multiple purchases, you could earn some serious Target cash right at the register.

BONUS TIP: Don’t forget to use store apps to get the latest deals. Target’s Cartwheel is a great example.

How do you save money on diapers? Tell us in the comments below!

Image Credit: Juan Galafa (UnSplash)

5 Chores That Teach Work Ethic Principles to Toddlers

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Here are five chores that teach work ethic principles to toddlers.

“Chore” is a curse word for some kids. Perhaps you dreaded them, too, in your youth. What your parents, grandparents, and teachers were really doing was instilling work ethic principles in you as you learned what it means to grow up.

Now it’s your turn to pass it on.

Why start when your children are just toddlers, you ask? Isn’t it a bit young? They may be a little too young for learning how to file taxes, but they’re absolutely not too young to learn about helping out. Chores for 2- and 3-year-olds teach work ethic principles in the following ways:

  • Kids learn to be part of a team.
  • They learn responsibility.
  • They form good habits.
  • They learn listening skills.
  • They learn that they’re not entitled to “all play and no work.”

5 Chores That Teach Work Ethic Principles to Toddlers

Each of these chores is simple enough for a toddler to do, even though some may require a parent’s help. Supervise each task. Focus on your child’s obedience in doing the task more than how “well” he or she actually did it. Then, celebrate the completion immediately and enthusiastically. If you pay for chores, then pay your toddler right away.

Clean up toys.

Setting a brief time at the end of each day to pick up toys can help children learn a new habit. I typically choose one area of the house and assign my 3-year-old and 2-year-old to specific items. For example, I’ll ask them to just pick up all the books or all the trains or all the puzzle pieces. That helps them hunt for exactly what they need to pick up.

Bring dishes to the counter after meals.

One day, I was sitting at the lunch table, surrounded by bits of food and dirty dishes. The kids were racing around the house, energized by their meal. I realized that the only way for me to get some help clearing the table was to teach my kids to do it, too. So we implemented a new rule that each family member should carry his or her own dish to the counter. I shadow my youngest to make sure he doesn’t drop something on his foot, but the kids took to it right away.

Make the bed.

Can we all agree that this is an awesome, lifelong habit every kid should learn? Consistency is key in all work ethic principles, but there’s something universal about starting the day with a made bed. Plus, for whatever reason, my 3-year-old gets so excited to enter her room at bedtime and find her bed all nice and neat, waiting for her.

Put away shoes.

Do you have a designated place for shoes in your house? We have a coat closet. The moment the kids walk through the door, the oldest knows to take off her shoes and place them in the closet. The youngest can’t usually take off his shoes by himself, but he knows how to put them in the closet – which counts as a win in my book.

Dust the furniture.

You know what my kids love? Dusting the house with one of those Swiffer Dusters. It’s the kind with the handle and the fluffy guy on the end that looks like a Sesame Street character.

Not only does it dust much better than my previous duster – a rag made from an old tee shirt – but the kids get a kick out of it. It’s light-weight, is easy for toddlers to use, and pretty much gets the job done.

You can even make it talk while your toddler works, if you’re feeling especially ridiculous.

(I highly recommend any toddler activity with “ridiculous” in the description.)

Find it here.

How old were you when you started doing chores?

Share in the comments below!

Image Credit: Ben White (UnSplash)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Kids Ain’t Cheap will receive a commission, but we only recommend products that we know and love. Thank you for your business!

3 Principles for Teaching Children Gratitude Lessons

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Image for teaching children gratitude lessonsWhether your income is $25,000 or $250,000, you have the same tremendous opportunity with your children. You get to help them shape their worldview as they wrestle with topics like entitlement, gratefulness, greed, and contentment. It’s not always easy, but gratitude lessons can sprout up from everyday moments, as we’ll see in today’s article.

Little conversations about money, life, and more can become common place on car rides, around the dinner table, or before lights out at night.

Getting started is the hardest part.

So here are a few conversation starters for you and your child.

3 Principles for Teaching Children Gratitude Lessons

1. Show them what they have.

One powerful way to help your children understand how much work goes into the things they own is to show them.

For example, pay for your groceries in cash the next time you’re all at the grocery store. Let them see the 50’s or 100’s you hand over to the cashier in exchange for your next week or two of meals.

Show them how you choose a product (i.e. whether it’s on sale, you have a coupon for it, etc.). Talk about why you don’t spend a great deal on certain products or why you’ve cut back on others.

Encourage your children to ask questions on the drive home. If they’re old enough to understand, talk about how many hours it took you or your significant other to work in order to pay for a month’s worth of food.

2. Be consistent with your “No” and explain why it can be a good thing.

Not all negative experiences for your children are bad. One of the greatest and most challenging gifts we can offer our kids is our healthy use of the word “No.”

For example, I recently won a large container of Tootsie Rolls in a guessing game at a family reunion. My 2-year-old knows they’re in the house, so he drew a simple conclucsion: Chocolate candy for breakfast. Every morning.

Did I say “Yes” to his requests? No. Did he ask again and wail when I turned him down? Yes. It would feel better to make him happy, but I kept saying “no candy for breakfast” because:

  1. I love my son.
  2. The Buddy the Elf diet isn’t going to cut it.

It’s the same with saying no to other things in your kids’ lives. Sticking with your answer – however difficult – will give them a healthy dose of boundaries if you also take the necessary time to explain your reasons.

Bonus Tip:

Sometimes, you can offer a positive alternative without giving in. If they want candy for breakfast, my answer could be “No, but if you finish your breakfast, you may have one later as a snack.” If my daughter is fixated on a new toy she can’t have, that gives us the chance to talk the cost of toys. We can discuss bringing some of her own money next time – or doing chores to earn enough for that item.
OR just stick with your answer. You don’t owe your kids a Disney experience at the store or the breakfast table.

Gratitude lessons can feel harsh, but, like I said, they can produce some terrific discussion opportunities between you and your child.

3. Show them how others live with less.

One way to really generate discussions about gratitude versus entitlement is to take your kids to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Hunger and poverty are so prevalent around the world. Children in stable living conditions don’t grow up understanding how other children suffer each day – unless someone shows them.

For example, Audra Rogers from Real Honest Mom did a brave thing for her 8-year-old son. After noticing a few cases of what she called “affluenza” in her son (acting entitled or ungrateful for having a lot of things), she loaded him into the car and spent the day serving in a homeless shelter.

Their experience was so powerful that Disney’s parenting blog, Babble, picked up Audra’s story and published it for other families to see.

Recommended Reading: “What Happened When I Took My Spoiled Kid to a Homeless Shelter” 

You can teach your kids about gratitude through experiences, conversation, books, and the like. I believe, however, the most effective gratitude lessons are simply taught by example. Easier said than done, I know, but the struggle yields a tremendous return: Children who love and appreciate the world in which they live.

When did you begin to understand gratitude as a child? Share an example in the comments below.

Easing the Transition of Changing Schools

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If you're child will be attending a new school this year there's a lot you can do to prepare. Here's how to eat the transition of changing schools.In just a week schools will be full of kids running the halls. Though I always remember it being an exciting time of year, for some kids it can be an incredibly stressful time, especially if they’re moving to new school for the first time.

Whether you’ve moved and starting fresh or you’re a brand new kiddo getting ready to embark for the first time, certain things can certainly ease the stress of starting a new school.

Ease Their Minds

Young children will be placed in an entirely new environment for the first time.

It is important to ease their mind in as many ways as you can. Read books about school and reinforce that it is a safe and exciting place to go. There are a lot of great books (The Kissing Hand and the Berenstain bear stories come to mind) that will give the child a good idea about what to expect.

Visit the School Ahead of Time

If you’re able to get into the school a few days before classes start it may be a good idea to walk the halls and give them a layout of where things like the principal’s office is, for reassurance. Make sure they have any medication they may need (especially something like an epipen) and a list of phone numbers where you can be reached (though the office will also have these numbers in case something happens its nice knowing your child has access themselves).

Prepare Them for Emergencies

Older kids moving forward in grade school may already have the safety net of a group of friends moving on with them. This alone may be enough to make the transition easier for them. If they’re old enough to have their own cell phone makes sure they know when to use it (no playing with it in class!) and make sure their contact list is again updated with all important numbers.

Though having mom and dad’s work number isn’t the top contact priority for a young teenager, if there was even an emergency that they needed to get in touch with you they will need it.

Easing the Transition to College

My biggest transition period was definitely moving onto university. Moving from the comforts of four walls to a huge campus was a big adjustment. Just like I did on a tour when starting primary school, my mom, an alma matter to my university, spent a day with me walking on campus and point out where everything was.

I already had my class schedule so was able to walk up to each classroom and know exactly where it was so I didn’t waste any time getting lost in those first few days. I also located other important things like library, student union, student services and university security, covering all my bases. I was much more comfortable on my first day of classes given I had some basic knowledge of the campus before-hand.

Change is scaring especially when totally leaving your comfort zone. Though kids get the hang if things pretty quickly it’s always nice to prepare them in any way we can. They’ll thank us later.

My Favorite Toys for Kids Under 5 Years

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If you're buying a gift for a little one and want to spend your money on something that will actually be used here are my favorite toys for kids under 5.A friend of mine was recently trying to decide on if a toy purchase for her son was ‘’worth it’’. She didn’t want to start buying a bunch of useless toys for him to have her small house cluttered with kids stuff that was hardly used (a problem I can sympathize with).

My house is overrun with kids stuff. Our daughter is the first grandchild, niece, baby in a long time and people love buying baby stuff despite us asking not to. We have made it quite clear we would rather have a contribution to her education savings than another doll or stuffed animal but people feed off that immediate toddler smile and ‘’thank you’’. However over the years though, a few toys have come into our lives that we love and have had hours of fun playing with. Gifts I am so grateful for, or money I’m so glad we spent.

Books

This is an easy one, but we’re big book lovers and I am all too happy to give another book a home.

Reading is very important to us and though we have a few favorites that rotate every few days, we love having new stories come into our lives. You can never go wrong with giving a child a book.

A few of our favorites from the last four years are the Oliva series; the Fancy Nancy series; Each Peach, Pear, Plum; Sandra Boynton (anything); Look and Find books (hours of fun playing eye-spy); A Very Hungry Caterpillar; The Kissing Hand; Are You My Mother and Sheep in a Jeep. I have hundreds of children’s books in my house and always looking for more! You may be able to find deals on these books using a ebay.ca coupon.

Play Food and Accessories

I think it was for my daughters first birthday that someone gave her a huge gift of pretend food and accessories (pots/pans/bowls/spoons). Over three years later and these are still going strong. Where it started out as a good learning toy- identifying shapes, colors and types of food, she now interacts with them and role-plays which is really fun. A huge hit in our house.

Toy Cash Register

This was a gift from her babysitter when she turned two. Not only does she just love playing with the pretend money it is a huge learning opportunity for us to teach her financial lessons. Sometimes we’ll play grocery store with her pretend food and we’re at the point now of teaching her how many coins she needs to buy the things. Again, over two years later and this still consistently gets played with.

Play House

Two years ago we had an opportunity to buy a small playhouse at a store for 60% off, we decided to go for it and she loves it. I think we paid $100 for it and have gotten a ton of use out of it. It’s plastic and we keep it outside year round. She goes from growing her pretend garden to literally shoveling the snow out of her front ‘’door’’. We play with it year-round and will continue to until she’s too big for it.

Lego/Blocks

My husband was given a collection of wooden blocks when he was a child and he was able to save them to give her our daughter. We have a few different types of blocks (everything from traditional Lego to wood blocks) and she loves them all. This is something I don’t see her growing out of anytime soon.

Crayons/Paper/Coloring books/Stickers

It’s just that simple. We go though a ton of all of the above and she loves them.

Some toys are a complete waste of money. We’re much better at picking our battles in terms of what we spend money on but we are very happy that a few toys have found their way into our lives and offered our daughter so much joy!

What are your favorite toys for small kids?

Why a Costco Membership is Beneficial for Our Family

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When I was first married I felt my Costco membership was a waste of money. Now as a family of four our Costco Membership is beneficial in many ways. Here's why.When we first became homeowners six years ago, the first thing we did was go out and invest in a Costco membership.

I couldn’t wait to buy 30 rolls of toilet paper, an enormous bag of coffee or 5kg of chocolate chips whenever I wanted. It didn’t take us long to realize we really didn’t yet need a Costco membership though. We were only two people and one of whom was traveling a lot for work and rarely home.

When the year was up we let the membership expire and didn’t really miss it. This all changed four years ago though.

Looking at Why It Didn’t Work

The biggest mistake we were making at the time of our initial membership was not pricing out our groceries. We were horrible at meal planning and figuring pricing out. We were wasting money in not planning. We also hadn’t looked outside food enough such as baby items (at the time not relevant) or stuff like cat litter.

After I started my first maternity leave, and were forced to have a good long look at how we were spending money, and when I look at our big areas of spending I realize how beneficial the membership actually is to our family.

Baby Stuff

I think my newborns entire infant wardrobe came from Costco. They have amazing and affordable baby clothes. Their price on things like diapers and wipes also made the drive over well worth it.

After we got our membership back I no longer had to scour the sales and wait for a deal when it came to things like diapers because I knew they would be cheaper at Costco than any regular store sale. Now that we’re expecting baby #2 I know exactly where we’ll stock up on diapers and wipes!

Propane

We have always loved to BBq and try to do it year round as it can be an affordable way to cook. The price of propane at Costco is more than half the price that we were paying at the local gas station. Given that we fill it up every few weeks in the summer we save quite a bit of money.

Coming next year we’ll also get our gas from Costco too.

Produce

With an official third mouth to feed, and a husband who was now home more than before, we were going through quite a bit of produce. I did the math and for a lot of our favorite items, it is more times than not cheaper to buy at Costco.

Sometimes it’s cheaper for us to buy seasonal items from local stores (like when we have local apples) but non-seasonally, Costco prices and quality is always much better than most local grocery stores.

Services

We have capitalized on many services that comes with our membership such as photocenter or pharmacy. Again the pricing always makes the trip in worth it.

Our city has had a Costco for as long as I remember but the 30 minute drive made it hard to justify becoming a member given than we’d be driving at least an hour return for our trip, but about six years ago we got one closer to us and now it’s a part of our regular grocery shopping routine. Costco also has a really great return policy, so I know that pretty much anything we buy at Costco we can return – no questions asked.

I’ve become price-savvy enough to be able to shop around and know if and when to wait for our Costco trip. It’s a fee we don’t mind spending as we definitely do save way more per year than our membership costs. We’re also at the point now in terms of Costco spending to justify getting the executive membership which, if anything like I expect to earn in cashback, will end up being essentially free for us.

Do you have a Costco membership? How do you make it work for your family?

Hosting a Bridal Shower on a Budget

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Throwing parties can get expensive fast. Here's how to host a bridal shower on a budget and still have a great party and great time.I think most of us have at least attended a shower before. Baby showers and bridal showers are both pretty common events. Though I have attended many, including my own, until this year, I have never been involved in hosting and organizing one and let me tell you, it is a lot of work! If you’re not careful it can be so easy to go overboard and bust your budget.

Along with my Mother-in-law, we have been busy planning a bridal shower for my sister-in-law this coming week. In the past few months I have discovered quite a few tips to help make the process a little easier in both work load and finances. Though we are planning a bridal shower, the same could be applied to any baby shower as well.

Timing is Key!

Be conscious about the time you want your event hosted. Originally we had the time set to start at 4pm to accommodate someone who would be working in the day but we quickly changed it when we realized people would likely be expecting a full meal to be served.

Avoid hosting the event over a time where a meal would likely be served. You can save a ton on food costs by having it at an ‘’in between’’ time. For us we decided to have the event from 1-4pm, after common lunch time but before supper.

Instead of needing to provide a meal we will be having finger foods like small sandwiches, fruit, cupcakes and treats. This is much easier on the wallet. A late morning works well too- you could simply have tea/coffee/mimosas and fruit and sweets. Aside from the financial side of things, it is so much less work!

Don’t Go Crazy with Decorations

I did a quick walk through at a local party store and quickly got turned off. While there were quite a few cute decorations they really were a one-time use only and cheap in quality.

I could have easily spent over $50 in that store alone on stuff simply because it said ‘’Bridal Shower’’ or ‘’Bride-to-Be’’. Instead we went to the dollar store and bought some (of the exact same) balloons, streamers and a local craft store to make our own signs. It was less than half the price and not much effort.

(Here are some more tips on throwing themed showers.)

Designate Tasks

As the shower got closer and we realized how much we both still had to do we asked for help.

I knew the maid of honor wouldn’t mind helping so we asked her to take care of one of the games as well picking up a few items from a specific store. She didn’t mind at all and now something we didn’t have to worry about. The day of the shower some cousins will be coming over to help set everything up too which will help while we prep the food.

Especially around a wedding or baby shower, people are often all too willing to lend a hand, just don’t be afraid to ask.

Skip formal invites

Shower invites are very tempting. I looked and really wanted to buy some but I knew they’d just end up in the garbage so we opted not to do it instead choosing to do everything online instead. It was easier to communicate with people this way too. I don’t think anyone minded not getting the formal invite and it saved us a few bucks!

I’m happy to say we managed to get everything we needed to host the 20 person shower for less than I was expecting because of a little extra planning on our behalf.

Have you ever hosted a baby or bridal shower? How did you manage everything?

Helping Family With Financial Problems

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Helping family with financial problems can be extremely tough to do. These are the guidelines I set when a family member needs financial help.Money issues can often become a family issue. When we were younger, my sister was the saver and I was the spender. At any given time, my piggy bank was likely empty as I had just bought something while she probably had the first cent she ever saved. Things have drastically changed as adults.

My sister tried to justify every tiny purchase and as a result has a hard time getting out debt and putting money into savings. She may be my younger sister but she is an adult and should probably be able to manage her finances on her own, but she has come to me (multiple times) for help. She’s never actually asked for money, just help with managing things which I don’t mind doing.

Knowing when to step in and help a friend or family member with their finances can be hard. Even advice can be hard to give sometimes as money is so personal. You really need to know and understand each other’s spending habits to really be able to help.

Establish Boundaries

Before you agree to help someone you need to establish boundaries.

I agreed to help my sister with a budget and getting everything set up but that’s it. At one point she asked me if I would actually control her money for her, only giving her an allowance but that was too much for me.

Not only does she really not learn anything about managing her own money, it would be a lot of work for me as well to actually manger her money as well as mine. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for accidentally screwing something up. Some people may be ok with actually taking over someone else’s money but I wasn’t so I made sure she understood exactly what I was willing to do and not do.

Make Sure You Have Time

Helping someone with their money- even if it’s just setting a budget up can be very time consuming. If you’re willing to help make sure you actually have time set aside to help them or it won’t be beneficial. I agreed to help her again set up a new budget but I won’t have time for a few weeks to set aside and actually discuss everything with her. Especially with little ones around, I will need a few, uninterrupted, hours to dedicate to her. I’ve agreed to help but she will have to wait until I’m ready.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

The first time my sister approached me to help (a few years ago) I could tell it was going to be a total waste of time and effort. She wasn’t in the right mindset and shot down every suggestion I made. Even though I knew she needed to follow the advice I was giving her, I just knew she wouldn’t. For my own sanity I walked away. I told her we’d come back to it when she was ready to take it more seriously which, a few months later she did. If you’re both not on the same page, walk away.

Helping a friend or family member with a financial issue has the potential to divide people. I totally understand why some people refuse. Thankfully my sister and I are able to maintain a good relationship despite these things and I’m happy to take responsibility for the positive changes she has made.

Have you ever helped a friend or family member with a money issue? How did it work out?