Categories
Frugal

Saving On Your Pet’s Needs

dog

Disclosure: affiliate link is included. Are you an animal lover?  You may have one or more pets and you know how expensive owning a pet can be.  When I wanted to get a small dog, I wasn’t sure what type of dog I wanted.  But, I knew that adoption was the best option for me. When searching for a pet, it’s good to do your research.  Since I hadn’t had a dog before, I wanted to learn about breeds.  We live in a community that limits pet size and breed.  This limited my choices, but I really wanted a small dog anyway. I found a wonderful website, Petfinder, that allowed me to search for adoptable pets in my region.  This site was really great, in that they gave a picture and all types of information on the pet.  I browsed the site for weeks, looking for a quiet, small dog that needed lots of cuddles.  With my allergies, I wanted a dog that didn’t shed too much. There was a funny looking little dog that I kept coming back to on the site.  He had a goofy little grin, but the description was what I loved, “Quiet little baby that loves to cuddle”.  Wasn’t this exactly what I needed?  Yes.  So, I set up an appointment to meet the pup at the foster home.  He came right to me and let me hold him like a baby.  He didn’t bark at all, but just loved being petted.  I told the foster mom that I would love to have him.  We came back after all the paperwork went through to take Archie home.  Buying him through the local humane society was wonderful and saved us a lot of money. The adoption covered his puppy shots, neutering, and micro-chip costs.  Archie was perfect from the get-go.  Because he was 9 months old and had lived with a family, he was house trained and crate trained.  This was marvelous.  He has proven to be the best pet I could have ever wanted! Owning a pet isn’t just for a week or two.  They need us for their entire life, and there are many needs to attend to.  Here are some of the ways I’ve learned to save on pet-care costs: Veterinary Costs – Pets need to be treated by vets for many different reasons.  They need preventative care, vaccinations, and possibly emergency care.  It’s important to shop around for good, quality care, but at a cost you can afford.  We chose a vet that wasn’t too far from our home.   It was easy to go online and find all the vets in our area.  Most were up front about costs and benefits.  You should look for services, hours, emergency hours, discounts on medications, and location. Pet food – There are huge choices in pet food today.  It’s up to the pet owner to decide what to spend on pet food.  Get the best quality that you can afford.  We shop around for the best price on our pet’s food.  Compare prices on: grocery stores, Sam’s or Costco, and pet chain stores.  Now, you can even get your pet food delivered at home.  Some websites offer discounts and free shipping.  I found Sam’s Club the cheapest per pound for my dog. Pet supplies: There are many purchases you’ll need for your pet.  Do they need a crate or pen?  They’ll need food and water bowls, combs or brushes, shampoo, blankets and toys, and more.  Shopping around for good quality and cheap prices can take a little time, but it will be worth it.  All these things really add up.  The best thing to do is to make a list of your pet’s needs, and then compare prices online.  I found prices ranging from $1.68 to $49.99 for one bowl!  I chose bowls similar to this and they’ve worked well these last two years. Pet medications – 1800 Pet Meds is a site that offers 25% off of pet medications.  My vet offers me the cheapest price, after a rebate that I have to send in.  When my vet was giving Archie his medications, he told me the price range that I could choose from.  He said the ones he recommended all worked the same, but had various prices.  I was able to select the lower price. Grooming – All groomers in my area have the same price, which I can’t afford.  I bought a set of grooming tools ($25) and do everything at home.  My little mutt may not look perfect, but I keep him neat and tangle free.  Keeping your pet clean (body, ears, teeth, and nails) and trimmed is the most important thing.  We have had him professionally groomed a few times and gotten his anal glands cleaned.  Watch Youtube videos to learn how to do many chores at home. Exercise is free and helps to keep your pet healthy and at a healthy weight.  A pet who gets regular exercise will also be happier, calmer, and sleep better.  If you don’t have a yard for pet play, locate a local dog park.   The most important thing is that you and your pet are happy.  Pets bring so much joy to our lives!  Enjoy your pet and take great care of them.  But, don’t overspend when you don’t need to.   @2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Categories
Organization

Restarting Your Resolutions

January 31st has arrived.  Are you still keeping your January 1st, New Year’s Resolutions?  Now, that’s one of the hardest things, isn’t it?  If you’ve already failed, it’s common amongst us all.  You have a choice, though.  You can restart or let yourself fail. We all have good intentions and truly believe that we can make the changes we desire.  But, life happens.  We start a diet the first day of the year, but cheating happens.  After a failure, it’s so easy to completely give up. If you blew it, now is the time to forgive yourself. Maybe your goal was too hard and you need to alter it a little. If your resolution was important enough on January 1st, it’s still just as important today. Sometimes we fail because we don’t have the resources to succeed.  We need more than just a strong will.  I guess it depends on your goal, but let’s look at some great ideas. Weight Loss Resolutions:      It’s hard to do this on your own.  If your diet didn’t go well, look for people to help.  You could consult a doctor to get specific diet plans that really work.  Seeing a nutritionist or weight-loss coach would be very beneficial.  Joining a gym often comes with a fitness coach or personal trainer consultation.  Getting a good plan for exercising will make a quicker weight-loss result.      Finding free advice can come from your local library.  Books can be found on every subject that interests you in achieving goals.  Goals books are available.  Weight-loss books are also available with many different approaches.  Exercise videos can help you to work out at home, too.  Library bulletin boards are great places to find local free classes and events that could help.      Support groups help many people, whether online or in person.  They’re a helpful place to get encouragement and tips to help you reach your goals.  You also might have a friend that also has the same resolution.  Buddy up and work on your weight loss goals together.  Dieting and exercising together is more fun than doing it all alone.      Placing your success as a visual reminder could be of help.  Place a picture of your desired weight and fitness level out where you’ll see it often to motivate you.  Writing down your goals is important.  Writing out your plan, step by step, creates a deeper level of commitment to your goal. Organizing Your Home      Clutter is a real problem for many people, including me.  It’s important for a messy person like me to find mentors to guide me in organizing my home.  There are professional organizers that will come and do all the work for you.  But, how will that be affordable?  The cheapest way to find them is online.  There are tons of websites and articles that teach and guide in home organization.      There are many websites devoted to this problem:      unclutterer.com       flylady.net      organizingmadefun As in the weight loss resolution, you can also find free advice in your library.  Books and videos abound, as well as ebooks.  Online support groups for messies also help.  One idea is to have your friend come help you organize your home, and then you can also help them with their home. There are so many resolutions that have been made.  Many have been successful and many have failed.Whatever your resolution, don’t give up on the desire to make changes in your life. @2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Categories
Frugal Recipe

Low Cost Super Bowl Party For Two

I love football!  With the Super Bowl coming, my mind turns to food.  Watching the big game isn’t fun without lots of super snacks. Now that we’re in our ’empty nest’, spending all day to fix a huge spread would be a waste.  So, we’re just going to be watching in peace.  It’s my favorite way to watch the game.  Not wanting to spend a big budget on food, I’ve planned our Super Snacks to be Super Cheap! My menu is one that will make super left-overs, too.  Making lots of dips won’t be good for 2 people, because it will end up being wasted.  But, this menu will certainly be finished over the next few days. Super Bowl Menu: Crock-pot Chili Veggie Tray Gluten-Free Football Brownies Peanuts Our Crock-Pot Chili is Super Easy!  After browning the beef, I can dump all the ingredients in the Slow Cooker in the morning.  It will be perfectly ready to serve by game-time.  With a little grated cheddar cheese, the chili will be delicious. Veggie trays can be expensive and wasteful.  But, I’ll just be slicing up some carrots and celery from the fridge.  Pouring a little ranch dressing on the side, will make a scrumptious dip.  And, no waste! My husband goes crazy over peanuts, and loves to eat them when we go out to certain steak houses.  Having peanuts in the shell is one of his favorites, so I’ll toss them in a cute bag to enjoy.  What a fun way to celebrate! Brownies are a delectable finger-food that we love.  I’ll be making a Gluten-free batch to appease my stomach, but any kind will do.  Make it easy by using a mix, if you like.  Icing them with your favorite chocolate frosting will make them so much more of a treat!  Adding decorations will create that Super Bowl theme, for sure. We’ll wash it all down with some Diet Coke or coffee.   Maybe we’ll be extra frugal and just drink water.  Whatever you feast on, make it easy and frugal. @2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Categories
Moms

12 Freebies For Your Baby

baby

Disclosure: Affiliate links included. Now that I’m a new grandmom, I’m always on the lookout for something cute for my grandchild.  Having a baby is so expensive, and everywhere you look you’ll see tons of new baby products to buy. It’s totally unnecessary to purchase all the gadgets and fluff out there!  Just pick out the items that you know will be needed.  And, best of all, get as many free baby products as possible. Places to get Free Baby Stuff: Amazon Baby Registry  Baby Shower Gifts Ask for freebies before you leave the hospital Pediatrician can give you samples Free samples and coupons from: similac, and enfamil.com Stores that offer freebies: Motherhood Maternity and BuyBuyBaby Baby Box Target Registry with Free Baby Welcome Kit Huggies Rewards – your Huggies receipts will help you to earn wonderful gifts and cards Pamper’s Rewards – lots of great rewards here, too! Free Breast Pump – You may qualify under the ACA Nestle Baby – free box of goodies and over $100 in coupons Once you are pregnant, you’ll be on the mailing list of all kinds of offers and freebies, too!  Discounts can save you many dollars on things you really need, such as: cribs, strollers, carseats and high chairs.  With the discounts through Amazon or Target, you can outfit the nursery for much less! The most important things for baby is a place to sleep, clothes and diapers, and milk.  Mothers who breastfeed will have milk for baby without the bottles and formula.  Bottles and formula will be discussed with your doctor or nurse at the hospital.  Hospitals will probably send you home with samples. Before the baby is born, it’s important to have bottles purchased and sterilized.  Baby blankets, burping cloths, socks and baby gowns are going to be used.  Babies can soil their clothes often, so moms will need plenty of changes.  Soft, cotton fabrics are perfect for baby’s sensitive skin. Moms will need a supply of soft towels and washcloths.  Gentle shampoo, soap, and lotions are often used.  A small baby tub is very helpful for newborns.  It prevents all the slipping with baby being wet and slick.   Choosing a crib or bassinet is up to the parent.  There are many choices and price points.  Complete the crib with sheets, mattress pad, and bumper pad.  Colors and prints are available for every taste and style.  Moms can get very creative in planning their nursery. It’s good that parents have 9 months to get ready, because it certainly takes time.   @2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Categories
Homeschool

Teaching Your Child To Read

Disclaimer: Sponsored post Teaching my children to read was one of the most exciting projects during my homeschooling years.  With three children, I thought that I would purchase one curriculum for reading and that it would be used three times.  Boy, did I have a lot to learn. I did quite a bit of research on reading and phonics.  I wanted to know the best methods to teach reading to my children.  When I attended elementary school, I was taught using a sight-word approach.  This wasn’t combined with phonics.  Although I’m a good reader now, my spelling isn’t easy.  To see if I’m spelling correctly, I have to decide if it “looks right” on the page.  If it doesn’t, I look up the correct spelling.  This is a very slow and tedious way to spell. My first child learned to read with the Spalding Method.  This teaching method was extremely thorough.  With the packet of materials came pages of phonics cards.  They were black letters printed on white paper and I cut them out to make flashcards.  This child memorized them well and became a good reader and better speller. My second child cried when I presented her with these blah flashcards.  Her attention span was also very short and she wasn’t getting it.  I made the decision to change curriculum to fit her style of learning.  She was extremely visual and so I purchased the A Beka curriculum to teach her phonics and reading.  The brightly colored flashcards and charts featured cute little pictures that held her attention.  She quickly caught on and learned to read.  She became my best reader and loved books. My third child was very attentive and was reading words by sight when he was a toddler.  So, at age 4 I decided to teach him to read.  I had already sold my A Beka curriculum, so I purchased something different.  Teaching Your Child to read in 100 Easy Lessons was the book I ordered.  We spent just a few minutes each day with this book.  By the time I was about 1/3 of the way into this curriculum he started reading.  He just seemed to know how to read. There are many wonderful types of curriculum for teaching your child to read.  Many of my homeschooling friends didn’t have such an easy time teaching reading to their children.  Some of the ways they dealt with a slow reader were: waiting to teach the child until they were older teaching a combination of sight-words and phonics finding a reading tutor to help them I personally feel that finding a person to tutor the child is the best way to deal with reading issues.  A reading specialist/tutor can easily identify what is causing the problem with reading.  They have the education to help you get past any hurdles that you’re facing.  They can also give you tips and resources to help your child do their best. Although my children learned to read easily, there were other subjects that weren’t easy.  In this case, I wasn’t able to provide the special help that was needed.  In those instances, I hired a tutor to help them and me.  Having a tutor stopped any stress in the home.  I learned the best way to approach the subjects.  These subjects were mastered with the help of a tutor and that made my life so much better. Some children may not want to use a tutor, but when they find out how helpful it is they likely will change their mind.  No one should ever feel embarrassed by using a tutor.  It’s a proven way to learn with the least amount of effort. @2018, copyright Lisa Ehrman

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