Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

A Homemade Gift to Light the Way

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ParolFor last minute gifts, some people choose to go the DIY way.  I am one those people and I choose this route for two reasons.  One, I do not want to go out and brave the Christmas shopping chaos of last-minute panic buyers; Two, I want the gift to be special even if it is simple, which a lot of my homemade items are.  The personal touch makes the gift special.

I’ve mentioned before that one staple in my country is the Christmas star or the ‘Parol’.  This is a lantern made traditionally of bamboo sticks and colorful cellophane, white rice paper or Japanese paper.  There are strips of paper coming from the two bottom points that represent the stars rays. The religious symbolism in this lantern comes from the star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men on their search for the baby Jesus.  No home is complete without some variation of the Christmas star.

How to make a Parol

One gift that is special, can be used again, symbolizes the season, and is just plain pretty is this Parol. And because of traditional simple roots, it is also easy to make at home.

You will Need:

  • Bamboo sticks
  • Very durable thin string
  • Strong glue
  • Colored cellophane- for a glossy look OR
  • White rice paper- for a classic look OR
  • Colored Japanese Paper- for a modern but muted look

Steps:

  1. Make some thin sticks from a medium sized bamboo pole (fresher is better) that you might be able to find at wholesale flower markets or craft shops.  If you can’t or don’t want to make these on your own, go and look for ready-made ones. They are just as good.
  2. Tie five sticks into the shape of a star and make two of these forms.
  3. Connect the ends of the stars and insert braces inside the star to make it three-dimensional.
  4. Once secure, cover this frame with your choice of paper using the strong glue. You can get fancy and add frills, cut-out paper doilies, fringes, tails, etc. and attach them to the two bottom ends.
  5. Optional: you can purchase a ready-made socket with wiring then it will be easy to put a light bulb inside your parol. Just make sure it doesn’t get too hot or the lantern could burst into flames.

And, viola!  You have your Parol.

You can make this any size and any color you want.  You can make this lit or not. You can make this to be attached directly to the wall or as a hanging piece or even as the décor at the end of the stick for your lawn.  The point is, you can be flexible.  If you are especially artistic, you can create a design on the body of the star as well.  Here are some sample pictures:

I think these are the perfect, whimsical, special Christmas gift to give to your friends.  Even here in the Philippines, where the Parol is a staple, these simple homemade stars are still much appreciated.  There is that added bonus that it is re-usable, cost-effective, and environment friendly.  With a little effort, some materials, and a little bit of imagination, you can give that special gift.

Do you make homemade gifts? What is your favorite to make?

What I Got for Christmas!

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My christmas presents

Photo from DeviantArt

Christmas is over and the chaos is behind us.  It seems so passe to say it because almost everyone says that Christmas is their favorite time of year but count me among the masses, I love it!  It’s a crazy month for me, I am part owner of a popular Ecommerce company and we do an insane amount of business during the month of December so it keeps me really busy.  It’s really tough to stay in the spirit and do all the family stuff, all the work stuff, the blogging and still remain happy and festive, but somehow, I do manage it.  I think I would be crushed if any Christmas passed me by without taking the time to be with family and enjoy our traditions so no matter how hectic it becomes, it is one of those things I will always make time for.

Now that Christmas is passed and we are approaching the New Year, I thought it would be fun to list the wonderful things I got this year.

Under the Tree!

Kodak Zx3 Digital Video Camera

I Love this digital video camera! It’s an economical choice for families, it’s only $149 and takes really great video at up to 1080p.  There are a few choices in the $100 – $150 range for small digital video cameras but my wife picked this one because it’s waterproof.  We spend a lot of time at my mother-in-laws pool during the summer and I can’t wait to get some underwater footage of the kids.  I am excited to start using this to both capture family moments and to add a new dimension to KidsAintCheap!  I will be doing a review on it in a future post

Craft Beer!

That’s right, my wife knows what I like and really enjoy craft beer.  It’s my parental aid of choice 🙂  When unwinding after a stressful day, there is nothing like a quality beer.  My wife has gotten pretty good at picking out what I would like.  She travels a lot for work and a few of the places she travels to have some great beer stores that carry nothing but craft beer.  She got me an excellent selection this year.

Homebrew Equipment and Books

In addition to enjoying craft beer, I also enjoy making my own beer.  My family got some excellent suggestions from my wife and got me a few new books and some equipment that will hopefully improve the quality of my brew.

Restaurant Gift Certificates

As I mention on the about us page of this site, we are in signficant debt and live on a very strict and limited budget.  We do without most luxuries which includes going out to dinner.  We love to eat good food but in the last two years, we could very rarely afford it.  This year we were grateful and happy to get gift certificates (enough to cover the entire meal) to one of our favorite local restaurants.

With Our Powers Combined, we are Platypus!

I am a big fan of Snorgtees.com, they have some really hilarious t-shirts and I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy.  I have only ever used the site to buy gifts for other people because as I mentioned, we are broke and do without things we don’t need.  However, one of my favorite tees is this one and my wife bought it for me.  She spent more than we budgeted but I can’t complain too much!

I also got a bunch of smaller items and some much needed clothing but that is a good synopsis of the physical gifts I was most excited about from my wife, my parents and the rest of my family.  As much as I loved all of those things, they don’t come close to the best gift I got this year.

Not under the Tree

The greatest gift I got this year was not physical and many people wouldn’t even define it as a gift but those people are wrong.  The greatest gift I got this year was seeing the unbridled joy, happiness and excitement on my children’s faces all weekend long.  This was the greatest Christmas morning I have ever had, to see them so enthusiastically embrace the idea of Santa Claus and the excitement in their eyes when they saw the pile of treasure they received was just priceless.  I hope to have many more Christmas’s like this with my family but I know this unbridled youthful joy won’t last forever so I intend to savor every minute of it.

Brian

P.S. For those interested, here is a video I shot the day after Christmas in the freezing cold at a local park.  It’s my two boys riding their brand new bikes.  I shot the video with my new Kodak Zx3!

What did you get for Christmas this year?

A Tale of Three Stretchy Monkeys

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Stretch Zoo MonkeysOne hot July day, my then four-and-a-half-year-old son and I went to a neighborhood yard sale, where he found the new love of his life-a scraggly-looking, brown monkey with stretchy, rubbery arms. But there was something in monkey’s sweet, wise face that struck a cord with my son and a new friendship was born. With a soft, cuddly body and stretchy arms that could be pulled back and then let go for a sling shot effect, what’s not to love? “Stretch-o,” as he would come to be named, accompanied my son everywhere. To preschool, on car rides, to the store, and of course, to bed with him every night. You know where I’m going with this, right? You guessed it. One night at bedtime, my son asked, “Where’s Stretch-o?” Stretch-o was nowhere to be found. Darn it. After a perfunctory search of the house-still nothing. “He must be at school,” I told him.

Stretch-o Lost & Found

After a few days, it became clear that we were not going to find him. My son cried every time he thought about it, telling me many times during the day, “I still feel sad about Stretch-o.” I thought my heart might break. After we realized that Stretch-o may be lost good this time, the search began for his replacement. Before the invention of the Internet, if a child lost a beloved toy, parents would have to call or visit multiple stores, hoping to find an exact replica, sometimes coming back empty-handed. I have a friend whom, before the Internet was what it is today, called every Hallmark store on the East Coast to find a particular stuffed dinosaur for her son, finally locating one in Florida. But in my case, I googled “stretchy monkey arms” and was immediately rewarded with search results showing a number of online stores with Stretch Zoo Monkeys. Hooray for Amazon.com. Gotta love them. So with Stretch-o #2 on his way, things were definitely looking up.

Fast forward a couple of days when my neighbor’s son was over playing video games with my son in the basement. “We found Stretch-o!” My neighbor’s son yelled from downstairs. My son then came running up the stairs with his monkey in his arms. Stretch-o had been hiding between the television and the video game console, visible only from certain angles. “I’m so happy for you,” I said. “Now you’ll have two!” In two more days, Stretch-o #2 arrived, who was later named “Elastic.” Well, Elastic and Stretch-o made a good pair for about a week before Elastic also went missing. “I don’t care,” my son said. “I still have Stretch-o.”

Elastic gets replaced

That was about one year ago. Elastic never turned up, but Stretch-o is still with us, although he is a little worse for the wear after multiple surgeries with needle and thread. With his birthday approaching, my son has asked for a “brother” for Stretch-o. No longer available on Amazon, my heart skipped a beat. But thanks to the wonders of the Internet, another was found and is on its way. What did we do before we had this instant gratification known as the World Wide Web? What did our kids do? I am sure we made it through somehow, although it is hard to remember a time when we had to do research the old fashioned way and we had to deal with disappointment when we simply could not replace something valuable and rare. I am sure there is a lesson to be learned here, including that kids have to learn the value of money and possessions and to not take things for granted and yada, yada, yada. That being said… in the astute words of the credit card commercial….Stretchy Monkey from the online toy store…ten dollars, including shipping… a birthday wish coming true for my little boy….priceless.

Has your child ever lost a favorite toy? What did you do?

Review of Large Building Blocks from Smart Monkey Toys

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Review of Smark Monkey Toys large blocksThe other day we received a 16pc large red building block set, in the mail for a product review. These are by Smart Monkey Toys and I have got to tell you; even before I started assembling the blocks, I could tell they were going to be a hit with my boys.

16 pc Large Red Blocks by Smart Monkey Toys
Price: $25 – $36

When the kids saw the picture of the blocks on the packaging, they got super excited and immediately asked if they could play with them. I wasn’t crazy about trying to put the blocks together with two very impatient 3 year old boys, buzzing around me like a swarm of bees.

Assembling the blocks

Anyhow, they were really keyed up and kept saying “please Mommy” in a cute non-whiney kind of way, so of course I had to finally concede. I’ve got to say, the first block took me a little bit to figure out — but once I decided to pull out the helpful and easy to follow instructions that were enclosed, it was a piece of cake. I was able to put all 16 large building blocks together in about 15-20 minutes. That is record time for getting anything done while my children are awake.

Kid tested, mother approved

As soon I was finished, the boys immediately began playing. They worked together to build a large firehouse. Then they decided to see how tall they could stack the building blocks. I was very impressed with how flush, the blocks fit together. We have an older, cheaper set, by a different company and those blocks always tip over before the stack gets too high. The blocks from Smart Monkey Toys are also much sturdier than the others we have. I know this, because the boys later decided to use them as ice skates.

They are made of lightweight corrugated cardboard so if they fall over, or if – and this would probably never happen – one brother accidentally flung a block in the direction of the other brother, no one would really get hurt. Nice!  Despite the fact that they are light, they are very well engineered and will hold a lot more weight than you might expect.

Another thing you can absolutely love about these blocks, is that they are made of recycled materials.

So, in case you haven’t figured it out already — YES; I would definitely recommend these blocks. They are wonderful!

These blocks are available from these fine retailers.  The prices listed below are what they were being sold at when we wrote this review

Have you seen these blocks? What do you think of them? Would you buy them for your children?

Tips on Buying Gifts for Twins

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Twins can be tricky for buying presentsWhen buying gifts for twins – often times – people are confused about what to get. Do you buy a gift for each child or one gift for both? Do you give them both a card, or is one card just fine? If your child is invited to a birthday party by one twin, do you need to get a gift for the other one? These are questions – that I honestly never thought about – until I had twins. Buying gifts for twins can be a daunting task for some but it really doesn’t have to be. You just need to keep a few things in mind as you plan your shopping trip.

Twins Are Not Clones

Just because two people share a birthday and may look exactly alike; doesn’t necessarily mean they enjoy the same things. A good rule of thumb is, unless they have requested the exact same item; try to get them something different. If they have the same interests, you can always get them something similar but maybe a different version. Keep in mind that it’s not about spending a lot of money. You know the saying, “It’s the thought that counts,” well — that really is true. When you take the time to personalize the gift – by learning what each child’s individual interests are – you make them each feel special and important.

Now, let’s talk about cards. Do you really need to get a card for each child or can you get one card and address it to both? If the card contains a gift, doing a card for each child is the best idea; then you can write a special message to each one. Also, think about it this way – if the children were not born on the same day – would you be sending separate cards for each? If the answer is “yes,” then you’ll want to give two cards.

You Don’t Have to Spend a Lot

Twins spend a lot of time with each other; so give them the gift of some one-on-one time with you. Scheduling a special outing of some kind with each twin, is a great way to honor each one’s unique personality. Maybe one twin loves animals and one loves airplanes — one weekend you can have an outing to the zoo with the animal lover and the next weekend you can go to the air museum with the other child.

Another fun thing you can do is to take a day for each twin — make their favorite lunch and do an activity of their choice. It might be playing a board game or video game, looking at old pictures, a trip to the park or the library, or whatever else they want to do that day. It’s nice for each one to have a little time, when they don’t have to share or compromise. Of course, those are good lessons and just a part of life but for twins — they have been doing that from the beginning. It’s really is nice for them to have things their way, even if it’s just for a few hours.

Twin Birthday Parties

Do you need to buy a gift for each twin, if your child only knows one of them? This is something I honestly never thought about. Since our boys are in the same preschool class, they share all of the same friends, but often times – as twins get older – they are placed in different classes in school and may develop friendships with kids, who their sibling doesn’t even know. If your child is only being invited by one twin, it will usually be noted on the invitation. Many times the parents of the twins will also write on the invite that you shouldn’t feel obligated to bring a gift for the twin, who your child doesn’t know.

It is definitely a nice gesture to bring a little something for the other twin even if your child doesn’t know them very well, but certainly not necessary.

I hope I was able to clear up any questions you might have about giving gifts to twins. If you have any questions comments or ideas to share, I would love to hear them!

Have you ever bought gifts for twins? Any advice I missed?

Money Saving Tips for Christmas Shopping

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save money when buying Christmas presents

Image from Christmasstockimages.com

Christmas is a time for giving and sharing and expressing love and gratitude and being with family. Yes, it is. But all this love and sharing can also lead to a lot of over-spending. According to CBS moneywatch.com:

According to this year’s National Retail Federation holiday survey, the average American will spend close to $700 this season on gifts, cards, decorations, and the like.

If I convert this to my currency (Philippine Peso), that equates to around 30k PHP. WOW! That is a big, big, big amount to spend to feel the Christmas spirit. Now, I love Christmas and I am all for the gift-giving and the shopping. I love all the Christmas decor that comes up for the season. I love the window displays and the twinkling lights and all the multi-colored trees. But I make a conscious effort not to spend too much on Christmas, regardless of whether I have 30k or not. Here are some money saving tips that work. I know this because I’ve tried them.

1. Planning is the root of all saving.

Yes, I am a firm believer in planning. Ask anyone who knows me relatively well and they will tell you that I have a list for everything, I worship MS Excel, and my organizer is a perenial brick in my bag. I’ve found though that listing down the poeple you want to give gifts to, the gift you want to give (if you know this already), and your budget, all work to set your expectations and to keep to workable numbers.

2. Stick to the Plan.

Ok, you didn’t just go through all that effort of listing people and thnking about who would be on the list this year given your budget and who would just get some warm wishes on a pretty card, only to not follow it. As hard as it may appear, and as tough it may be to fight off the urge to get that perfect thing for your friend whom you haven’t seen or talked to in almost a year, RESIST!

3. Start Early.

In Manila, folks start Christmas shopping as early as September and October. I can see the collective eyebrows rising. There is a practical reason behind this over-exuberance. Items almost always become more expensive from November to the end of the year. This is true for most stores. We do have sales but these sales are often for items that aren’t as nice or as good or as up-to-date as others. You have to start shopping early on the first day of a sale in a shop to get the good stuff with slashed prices. Otherwise, you will be competing with a crush of people for so-so items. Usually, things that are non-perishable and aren’t dependent on size (like books, appliances, etc.) are still priced low or normal compared to Christmas prizes. You can also find a lot of variety in the months before the Holiday season. We aren’t limited by season so a lot of items are applicable all year round. You can also find a lot of bargain items in the bazaars that start springing up end of September onwards. These bazaars are different from stores in that they have often homemade items, rare items, unbranded but really good stuff and they compete with brand stores in price and try to beat them by offering good stuff at even lower prices, earlier. Shopping early can mean you are done with this way before the Christmas crush, still have a lot to choose from and not just the left-overs after the buying posse, and get items at normal or low prices.

4. Use discounts and gift cheques.

Discounts from stores you frequent or vendors you regulary go to, and using gift checques you’ve been given is one way to cut expenses. You aren’t actually spending at least the full amount here.

5. Do NOT use your Credit Card.

It may seem odd. It may be throwing a major kink in your Christmas budget plans. But using your Credit Card for shopping might just be the way to put you in debt for the next 12 months. I did this for one gift last year. I bought my son a big boy bike. I got in on installment, 6 months to pay. My goodness. I was still paying it off even after I had to get its flat wheel and busted breaks fixed. Never again.

6. Go for the Envelope Approach instead.

What is this? Well, it is simply putting your budget, in cash, in an envelope, ready for the days of shopping. You can allocate certain amounts for certain people as well. I like separating amount by indicating the person in colorful post-its and then separating by using paper clips. This way, you prepare your budget for the people you want to give gifts to this year; you aren’t in danger of over-spending on one person and not having enough for the rest; you do not go into credit debt.

7. Go Wholesale and/or Homemade.

If you have people in your list you feel have to be there, like groups of officemates, or your boss, doctor, dentist, etc. try going for wholesale products. What I do is I get 1 item for all my female officemates, like a pretty notebook, and 1 item for all my male officemates, like a nice money clip. This way you aren’t stressed out about having to think of forty unique, small gifts; you won’t be stressed over offending someone by maybe giving something “nicer” to someone else; you can get small stuff cheaper if you buy by bulk. Ok, maybe you can make an exception for your boss here.

On that note, what person wouldn’t like receiving something unique and from the heart? Seriously. So, instead of giving your boss a uniform gift, why not bake him a cake or your speciality pastry? Or you can give him something he can use like a hommade desk organizer. These are things that will cost you less than store-bought gifts because the individual ingredients or parts required cost a lot less put together. Plus, if it’s simple enough, not dangerous at all, and relatively fun to do, you can get your kids in on the action!

8. Finally, Be Prudent. If you really can’t afford a Santa sack this year, forego it. They will understand. Trust me.

Hey, times are hard for everyone. Sometimes, there are pressing matters that just require more attention and more of your resources. I’ve had a Christmas where I gave all my family and friends a nice photo calendar of myself and the kids with some warm holiday greetings instead of gifts becuase I just needed to allocate a Christmas budget for something else. I try to make sure my kids and god kids always have gifts, even small ones but I know the adults will understand.

So, I hope you all have fun and reasonable shopping trips over the next few days!

Cheers,

Vicki

Christmas a la Manila

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Christmas is my personal favorite time of the year.  And there is nothing like a Filipino Christmas.  Let me try to illustrate what the season is like here in the Philippines.

Christmas in Manilla, Phillipenes

Trivia to ‘Set the Scene’:

  • The Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration in the world.  As soon as September hits (known here as the start of the ‘ber months’), you can already smell the season of giving.
  • Philippine fiestas are legendary. This no-holds barred party is a reason for the poor man to celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry, all wrapped up together with song and religion.
  • Filipinos LOVE TO EAT. Ask anyone who has visited the country and they will tell you that a staple in any Filipinos welcome package is a large meal. Many large meals.
  • Filipinos LOVE TO SING!  Think Charice, Lea Salonga, Jamie Rivera, Monique Wilson, Billy Crawford, among some of the artists who have gone on to world fame.  You will find a sing-along machine (karaoke) around every corner. Seriously.
  • Filipinos have always been family-centered- a big factor in the strong yet gentle, kind, giving, and hospitable nature the Filipino is known for. Case in point, Manny Pacquiao.

These are all facts you need to know to understand what a Filipino Christmas is like.

Fun, Fiesta, and Family

Philippine history is peppered with influence from Spain and the United States. After 300 years of Spanish colonization, Christianity was firmly rooted in Philippine soil mixing with an already strong belief in a higher being.  The 50 or so years of American rule in the 19th-20th century left lasting imprints that are clear in our language, style of dress, educational system, and some traditional symbols.

Christmas Ambiance

You will definitely see a mix of the Western and the traditional in the Philippines.  You will see Christmas trees, of varying heights and color. Yes, color. I don’t know about the US but in Manila we have pink trees, blue trees, white trees, silver tress, and the typical green tree.  This will decorated with lights and ornaments as is the Western tradition and is topped alternatively with a lit star or an angel.

In addition to the Christmas tree, we have beautiful lit lanterns known as ‘parols’.  These are typically made of capiz shell, white or of varying color, with lights inside.  A parol of some size and design is usually found hanging outside the house.  This lantern symbolizes the star the three kings followed to the barn where the baby Jesus was born.  So, in addition to the Christmas tree and the lantern, you will often see a nativity, or statues of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, as home decor as well during Christmas.

You can find instructions on making one of these yourself on our Making a Parol post

Christmas Spending

You will start seeing bazaar after bazzar spring up in village club houses and church halls starting in October and these bazaars will showcase any kind of gift under the sun from the native item to food to clothes, etc.  All at slashed prices making it impossible for anyone to stick to a reasonable budget.  No where else will you see a financally struggling populace spend with abandon as some Filipinos do during Christmas.

There is a reason for this spending though.  In the Philippines we also have the adopted Santa Claus. So parents save months in advance to be both Santa and mom and dad. Frenzied shopping with a purpose is perhaps an apt way to describe the buying of the season.  There really is nothing like seeing the joy on your child’s face upon waking up to find Santa visited and was generous. I know this for a fact.

Eating and Making Merry for the Season

Christmas in the Philippines will showcase some of the country’s best native food.  There is the roast pig (lechon),  sweet meat loaf (embotido), smoked ham, fruit salad, quezo de bola (a round, aged cheese) and delicacies like puto bumbong. This purple colored dessert is made of sweet rice cooked in a hollow bamboo tube.  Once cooked they are removed from the bamboo tube and served with spread butter, sugar, and coconut.  This dessert, and most of the dishes I mentioned, are only served during Christmas making them eagerly anticipated and all the more special.

Of course, food always goes with song in the Philippines and starting the end of November calendars are filled with party after party, all of which have some form of singing to live bands, sing alongs, and Christmas caroling.

The Religion of Christmas

And again there is the religious aspect.  Starting December 16 there is a 9 day novena which most people attend. A novena is a Roman Catholic period of prayer lasting 9 days.  So a person attends 9 consecutive masses, praying for a special intention at the same time.  The novelty of this novena is that the masses are said in the wee hours of the morning, from 4 am to 6 am.  You will see flocks of people, young adults, working folks, etc all attending mass in the early morning.  This mass is capped off by an early morning breakfast of hot chocolate, coffee, and Philippine native delicacies.  A main mass is celebrated on Christmas day to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Have I mentioned how Christianity is firmly rooted in the Philippines?

Family is Everything

All the decoration, masses, gift buying, eating, drinking, and signing are geared towards one thing- being with the family at this special time of the year.  Yes, the birth of Jesus is the reason for the season but it is also the one and only time that family is expected to set aside all things, all worries, all animosity just to be together.  No other occasion or holiday matches Christmas in that objective.  So if you are visiting the Philippines during the season, you will not miss a celebration that has some relation to family.

Perhaps Christmas in the Philippines is no different from Christmas anywhere else.  I guess you have to be here from the beginning to the end of the season to understand and feel the full flavor of what I’ve tried to do justice to with words and pictures.  Come and visit next year and really see what it’s like.  I assure you, you will have a great time!

In the meantime, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to you all from Manila!

What are the Christmas traditions for your country?

Five Family Dinners for Around Ten Dollars

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Chicken parm is just one easy recipe that can be made for under $10Are you getting bored with the same three or four meals on your dinner rotation each week? I know I am. With money tight and picky kids, I feel your pain. If you are looking for some fresh ideas to feed your family that cost around ten dollars, here are five ideas that have all passed the kid test in my household, yet don’t make my husband roll his eyes and say “that again?”

1) Easy Chicken Parm

I got this recipe off the back of a bag of Tyson’s Grilled and Ready Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips and modified it a bit to make it my own. It’s fast, easy, and nutritious.

Grocery List

  • One cup Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips or use left-over cooked chicken from another night. A bag of pre-cooked grilled chicken costs about $7.00, but will make 3 or 4 meals. Approximate cost for tonight’s meal- $2.00.
  • One package shredded mozzarella (I use a low-fat variety)- about $2.50.
  • One jar spaghetti sauce- about $3.00.
  • One package fresh baby spinach-about $3.00.
  • Optional- one package of spaghetti- about $2.00.

Approximate Cost $10.00-$12.00.

Directions: Follow the recipe for Chicken Marinara on the back of the Tyson bag or at Tyson.com

After the chicken is sauteed and the sauce is simmering, add several cups of baby spinach leaves and cover. After the spinach is cooked to your taste, sprinkle dish with mozzarella cheese and cover again until melted. Serve over spaghetti or a pasta of your choice.

2) Chicken Fried Rice

This is a fan favorite in my house and my five-year-old loves to help scramble the eggs!

Grocery List

  • One cup Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips (same as above)- around $2.00.
  • 3 eggs (out of a dozen, should run you about a dollar).
  • 3 cups instant brown rice (less than a dollar).
  • ½ cup frozen green peas (less than a dollar).
  • One bottle soy sauce- about $3.00.

Approximate Cost $8.00

Directions: Saute chicken in canola oil and then scramble three eggs in the same pan. While this is cooking, make your instant rice in a separate pot. When the rice is ready, drain and transfer to the chicken and egg mixture. Cook ingredients at high heat with a little more oil until it browns up. Add frozen peas and soy sauce last and cook over low heat until peas are cooked through.

3) Crock Pot Roast

Great for days when you know you come home late from kids’ activities, this dish smells great as soon as you walk through the door. There is no need to force the kids to eat a separate serving of vegetables… it’s in there! This recipe usually makes enough for left-overs, too.

Grocery List

  • Pot roast (enough for 4 servings)- $6.00
  • Pot roast seasoning packet- $1.00
  • 4 large potatoes- $2.00
  • 6 large carrots- $2.00

Approximate Cost– $11.00

Directions: Cut potatoes and carrots into large pieces and place on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pot roast on top of vegetables. Add water to seasoning packet, mix and pour over the top. Cook around 4 hours on high, then cook on low for another 1-2 hours.

4) Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

If you are sick to death of the boxed kind, try this easy and inexpensive recipe for homemade mac ‘n cheese. It is a real comfort food that will fill up your kids’ bellies on chilly nights.

Grocery List

  • 1 (12 ounce) package macaroni- $2.00.
  • 1 egg- about 50 cents.
  • 2 cups milk- $1.00
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted- less than a dollar.
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese- $3.00
  • Salt and pepper to taste- pennies.

Approximate cost– $8.00

Optional: For variety, I like to add either diced ham with green peas or broccoli florets.

Directions: See allrecipes.com for complete directions. A four star recipe.

5) Bread Crumb Chicken or Chops

This recipe can be thrown together in about 10 minutes and it is a hit with my husband and both kids. When my son ate the recipe made with pork chops, instead of the usual chicken, he declared that it was the “best batch you have ever made.”

Grocery List

  • One package of chicken breasts (4) or Boneless Pork Chops- $6.00
  • ½ Cup Breadcrumbs- 50 cents
  • ½ cup milk- 50 cents.
  • Approximate cost- $8.00

P.S. I like to serve mine with rice pilaf and a veggie on the side.

Directions: Dip chicken or pork in milk and then roll in bread crumbs until covered. Saute in olive or canola oil, turning over frequently, until brown. Cover and cook at reduced heat until the meat is cooked completely through. Voila!

To save even more money at the grocery store, don’t forget to:

  • Buy on sale. Look in the fliers each week and plan your menu choices around what is on sale each week (cut out coupons too).
  • Buy fruits and vegetables in season, as they are always cheaper.

Do you have any favorite family dinners that cost less than $10 to make?

Affording Children’s Gifts and Toys

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Toys can be expensive if you don't shop smartFor us parents who take our children into any type of store that have toys we know just how expensive toys can be. I remember one time while out with my family I had to buy a birthday gift for a neighbor who was a little girl.

A family outing to the toy store

Having only one girl of my own who was older, I hadn’t shopped for “little girl” toys in a while. I decided I would look at the dolls. Now mind you, they have dolls now that can do more than I can get my boys here to do. They speak when they want something. And I mean speak! Not mumble and incoherently speak and point while pointing in a direction while watching a video game!

Okay, now that was a nice surprise seeing all of these dolls that can actually probably function to help me clean the house but I was in sticker shock! I needed to get a second job just to afford to buy this child a doll (albeit top of the line doll).

Is it more expensive buying for girls than boys? I take my boys and its “Hey Ma, can I get this bag-o-worms?” “Hey Ma, can I get this huge ball that only costs $5.00 pleeeeeeeze?” All the while I am convinced they just want to buy to the ball to test my theory of not throwing large objects around the house while “ma’s” back is turned. I have never heard them ask for a doll that could actually help me out around the house that costs over $50.00 though.

How to save money on toys

How do we parents do it? I mean how do we do it without working three jobs to afford one holiday? I have learned a huge lesson when buying toys.

BUY THEM ON SALE.

When I came back from my sticker-shocking family outing I made a list of all the children I buy for. Birthdays, holidays and anything else that may come up unannounced. I keep the list in a notebook that I know where it is (unless one of the boys grabs it, then you’ll hear someone calling for a list notebook).

When I am out shopping if I see something that is marked down and at a great savings I now buy it. I was always famous for convincing myself I would make a trip back to buy the item later. Another lesson, I cannot let myself do that.

With the holiday season coming up what are some ways you save when buying gifts and toys?

How to Shop Secondhand

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second hand storeDue in part to the rise of the green movement, secondhand shopping has become easier and more popular than ever. Even celebrities are buying secondhand and vintage stuff and are proud of it! When we buy, sell or swap pre-owned items, we are putting the 3 R’s (Reducing, Reusing and Recycling) to good use, for the benefit of ourselves and our planet. Furthermore, when we buy something that is pre-owned, we are reducing the amount of waste normally associated with buying new items, such as boxes, paper tags, plastic packaging and the like.

Why Buy Secondhand?

We know that when we buy secondhand goods, we are going to save ourselves some money. Another compelling reason to buy secondhand items is that no new resources are required to make them. This includes materials and packaging as well as the resources used in the manufacturing process, such as heat and electricity. Also, there is less transportation involved when we buy from a local resale shop or exchange goods with people in our own communities. When new owners can be found for unwanted items, this also prevents these things from from ending up a landfill.

What Can Be Bought Secondhand?

Although some of the more common things to find in a resale shop are children’s clothes and toys, it is also possible to find pre-owned treasures in just about any category. Goodwill stores, for example, not only sell clothing, but also Halloween costumes, furniture, and home decorating items, some of them new. At my local Goodwill store, I have even found holiday wreaths, kitchen towels and candles-all offered at discount prices.

Looking for pre-owned books? There’s a place for that. Going to a gala event or planning a wedding? There are secondhand stores that specialize in couture gowns and wedding dresses. Building a house or remodeling? Look for a store in your area that carries left-over building materials, factory seconds and donated household items. It is amazing what you can find if you know where to look. A friend of mine even found a kitchen sink for her new home..who knew!

Where Can You Buy Second-Hand?

In addition to your local resale and consignment stores, there are some other options available on the Internet. eBay (www.ebay.com) is a site that allows consumers to buy and sell both new and used items. It is a good place to start if you have a specific item in mind and do not want to waste time going from store to store. It is also a great way to track down a hard-to-find toy that your child has been begging for, but has been discontinued in retail stores. While Blues Clues toys may not be the “it” things anymore, try telling that to a child who still loves the show! Been there, done that. And just in case you were wondering, I was able to locate both Steve and Joe dolls on eBay. Need I say more?

Another option is Craigslist (http://craigslist.org/), a free, online community bulletin board where people can buy and sell pre-owned items. Furniture Findex (www.furniturefindex.com) is a website that allows people to list items online that they wish to buy or sell, in this case furniture, and is organized according to zip code.

There are also several websites that allow you to trade with, or donate to, others within the network. One such website is The Freecycle Network (www.freecycle.org), which lists local groups who are interested in swapping with one another. As with any online consumer service, remember to prioritize your own personal security. Set up a neutral meeting place to make an exchange or else make sure someone is with you when you are buying from or selling to a stranger.

Have other green or secondhand shopping tips? We’d love it if you shared them!