Posts Tagged ‘kids’
Here is a Baby Wipe Comparison chart to help you find the best deal on baby wipes. Listed are 10 brands ranging from generic to name-brand. To find out what other people have said about a particular brand of baby wipes, just click on any of the reviews on the right column for more info.
All prices and reviews are subject to change.
Comment below so we can hear some of your reviews or experiences you’ve had with your favorite brand of baby wipes.
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Tags: comparison shopping, generic brands, kids
Posted in Family, Featured | No Comments »
The debate on whether or not it is a good idea to buy used shoes has been around for quite awhile. Here is some insight into helping you shop smart when it comes to buying used shoes.
General Tips on buying Used Shoes
How do I pick the right pair of used shoes?
Where should I buy used shoes?
What are the different kinds of wear, and how do I fix them?
How do I clean used shoes?
Leather Shoes vs Sneakers – What is the difference when buying used?
Tips on buying rain boots and snow boots.
Tips on buying Used Shoes for your children.
What do the experts say about buying used shoes for my children?
How do I know what used shoes to buy for my children?
How often does my child’s shoe size change?
Hand Me Downs for Children.
How do I pick the right pair of used shoes?
If you have a name brand of shoes that you know fits well, stick to that brand. Different brands of shoes fit people differently, and the safest way to know that you won’t have to return that pair of used shoes you bought is to buy a brand you trust.
Where should I buy used shoes?
The best place to buy used shoes is in person at a thrift store or garage sales. You will get to try them on before you buy them, usually there is a better return policy, and you can see the wear and tear the shoes may have gone through up close. You will find a better variety buying online at ebay or craigslist, but you’ll want to make sure you know exactly what size of shoe you’re looking for. This is wher knowing what brands fit you will really comes in handy. Also, pay close attention to any photos the seller may have, this is the best way to see any wear and tear before you buy.
What are the different kinds of wear, and how do I fix them?
The most obvious type of wear on sneakers is where the sole glues to the shoe. This is the weakest part of the shoe and usually goes first. I find the best way to fix this is buy applying a small amount of hot glue on the inside of this area, then letting it dry. This technique works the best on suede and canvas, but should not be used on leather.
On leather shoes especially, width is a very big concern. If there is typical wear on the buckling, this means that the wearer’s feet were too wide. The same can be said for someone wearing shoes that are too wide, irregular wear on the buckling is a sure sign of this. Make sure you take a lot of consideration into foot width, if you buy too wide, or too small, you will wear out your shoes much quicker.
How do I clean used shoes?
Invest in some disinfectant spray. A big bottle, and a couple of sprays can go a long way into lasting you throughout your used-shoe buying career. For an even cheaper alternative use rubbing alcohol. Here is a great article on this topic: How to Clean and Disinfect Used Shoes.
Leather Shoes vs Sneakers – What is the difference when buying used?
Choosing the right kind of footwear is very important. Sneakers tend to have more give and can be a better choice, whereas leather shoes with tight laces can be a lot stiffer, making it harder to find a good fit.
Tips on buying rain boots/snow boots.
These are great shoes to buy used, as they rarely get worn all the time, and they’re usually outgrown after the season. Obviously make sure the fit is exactly to your needs, or if you’re buying online, make sure you know the proper measurements. Another useful online buying tip is to use the geography of the seller to your advantage. If the person is selling snow boots, but lives in southern California, chances are these boots are a lot less used than the seller’s in Minnesota.
What do the experts say about buying used shoes for my children?
This is a highly debated topic. The argument seems to be split right down the middle. Some podiastrists say that buying used shoes for your child can harm their foot development due to the wear on the shoes. While this is true, other podiatrists argue the point that children outgrow their shoe sizes so fast that there is hardly any time to wear them out.
If you are going to buy used shoes for your child, make sure they are “first generation” of use. You don’t want to buy shoes that have been handed down 3-4 times, as this will have plenty of wear and could end up harming your child’s feet.
How do I know what used shoes to buy for my children?
Make sure you check the tops of shoes you’re buying for your children, as these will receive the most wear. Be very choosy about the types of shoes you buy for your children, you want to make sure that they have as little wear as possible, this will help prevent any problems your child’s feet could have with very worn shoes.
It is not necessary to buy shoes for your baby before they are walking, this is even potentially harmful to them.If you need to keep their feet warm use either booties or socks.
How often does my child’s shoe size change?
Children go through three or four size changes in the first two years. they outgrow shoes before they outwear them.
Hand Me Downs for Children.
Keep a box full of hand me down shoes that will allow your younger children to grow into. This is a good way to know exactly how much wear these shoes have gotten, as opposed to having to trust someone else.
Remember, buying used shoes really isn’t that different than buying the brand new ones (keep in mind how many people try on shoes that are sold as “new” at department stores). In the end, the most important thing to remember is that a better fitting new shoe is much better than a used ill-fitting shoe.
Please take all of these tips at your own discretion as everyone’s feet are different, and may react to many different types of shoes. Use common sense when buying used and hopefully some of these tips will help you along the way.
Tags: buy used, kids, repairs
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1. Dried Out Bread
Save slices in a freezer container or bread bag until you need to make bread crumbs. Grind up in your blender or food processor. When using as a topping, toss in melted margarine, and season. Also, here is a recipe for a yummy bread pudding:
Pioneer Bread Pudding
- 2-cups of leftover bread cubes
- 2-cups of milk
- 3-tablespoons of butter
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 2 Eggs
- A dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
Use day old bread , crusts and all, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes. Place these in a 1 quart buttered baking dish. Scald the milk,butter and sugar. Beat the eggs slightly; Add the salt then stir in the warm milk and add vanilla. Pour over the bread cubes.
Set the baking dish in another pan containing warm water up to level of the pudding. Bake at 350 degrees For one hour or until a small knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the pudding. Makes 4-6 servings.
2. Toilet Paper Tubes
Use to gather up that unsightly, excess electrical cord on your kitchen appliances, lamps, entertainment center, etc.
3. Crayon Bits
Place a variety of crayon colors in a muffin tin and melt them down in the oven. This makes a scribble cookie. Each one has its own unique color and pattern. Use for an inexpensive stocking stuffer.
4. Dryer Lint
According to a lot of gardening experts i’ve spoken with, you can compost dryer lint. There is one catch, the lint must be from cotton material. Although, synthetic lint can be composted for flower garden use.
5. Milk Jug Rings
Use these to keep socks together when laundering. Store in a drawer with rings. When taking socks out, keep ring on bureau. Replace ring around soiled socks before them tossing in a hamper.
6. Carrot Peels, Onion Skins, and Celery Leaves.
Frugal cooks can use these when cooking up turkey and chicken bones for soup stock.
7. Tuna Fish Can
Use to make cookie cutters. Cut off bottom of can and shape with two pliers, preferably needle nose. When making a symmetrical design begin working at opposite points of the can.
8. Leftover Rice
Make a rice crust for a quiche by combining 1½ cups of cooked rice, 1 ounce of shredded cheese, and an egg. Pat out in a pie plate. For a larger quiche dish, increase the rice and cheese portions slightly. Do not Pam or grease the dish. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.
Comment in the box below, letting us know how you reuse any of your household items.
Thank you to Amy Dacyczyn from her book titled “The Tightwad Gazette” for these helpful frugal ideas.
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Tags: alternate uses, DIY, kids
Posted in Family, Featured, Homecare | No Comments »
Parents often wonder “what is the best product for my kids?”. I think this is especially important when it comes to diapers. Choosing the right ones can help save you money. Doing some research and making sure they’re comfortable and also absorbent are key factors in buying the right diapers. Here is a comparison chart featuring reviews and the cheapest places to buy diapers:
All prices and reviews are subject to change.
Obviously the Alberton’s Baby Basics brand is the best value, but if you’re into buying bulk, you’ll want to go with the CVS Supreme 210 count from cvs.com. It may only seem like a 1 penny difference, but multiply 210 diapers by 0.1¢ and you end up spending $21 more. Keep in mind these are all prices that were found online and are for size 3 diapers, you may find different prices at your local grocery stores, but this is a good starting point.
Comment below so we can hear some of your reviews or experiences you’ve had with your favorite brand of diaper.
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Tags: comparison shopping, generic brands, kids
Posted in Family, Featured | 3 Comments »
The average cost of school lunches are only getting more expensive. Last year alone the price jumped almost 10% due to the school districts not wanting to compromise nutritional integrity. I figured it was time to take the nutritional integrity into my own hands, and save myself upwards of $10 a week. Here are some of the great recipes and ideas that help break up the monotony of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Monkey Mix
Yields 18 Servings
- 9 cups of Chex™ cereal (any variety)
- 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup of peanut butter
- 1/4 cup of butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
In a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.
Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Pasta Fagioli – Thermos Style
A great meal for a cold fall day. Delicious, hot Italian soup, in a thermos!
- 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 stalk of celery (diced)
- 1 carrot (diced)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon of dried basil (or 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil)
- 1 teaspoon of crumbled dried oregano
- 2 cups of water
- 1 can of white kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup of small dried pasta shells (or other small-shaped pasta)
- salt and pepper to taste
Start off by heating the oil in a large saucepan or over medium heat. Next, add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Let this cook, stirring, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the onion is soft. Then add the tomatoes, broth, basil and oregano. Bring all of this to a boil over high heat, then cover it, lower the heat to low and let this simmer for about 30 minutes.
Stir in the water, beans and pasta, then return to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring once or twice, for about 5 minutes or until pasta is almost tender. It will continue to soften in the liquid, so you should undercook it slightly just so that it doesn’t turn mushy. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
Ladle into thermos and pack a small container of grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle in at lunchtime. The soup will thicken when refrigerated, so you may have to stir in additional broth or water when you reheat it.
Peanut Butter Rice Snacks
Yields 16 servings
- 1/2 Cup of light or dark Corn syrup
- 1/3 Cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 Cup of chunky peanut butter
- 3 Cups of Rice Crispies™ (or the generic brand) cereal
Grease an 8 by 8 by 2 inch baking pan. In a 3-quart saucepan, stir together the corn syrup and brown sugar until the mixture becomes smooth. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in the peanut butter until it is well blended. Stir in the cereal until it’s well coated. Press into a prepared pan. Cut into 2-inch squares. Store tightly in a covered container.
Ants Hiding in a Log
- 2 slices of enriched white or whole wheat bread
- 4 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
- 1/4 cup raisins, unpacked (ants)
Remove crusts from the bread. Spread half the cream cheese on each slice. Cut each slice into 3 strips (logs). Place 15 to 20 raisins in a line on two strips. Stack the two strips together, cheese and “ants” side up. Place the third strip on top to form a triple-decker. You now have ants hiding in a log from the anteater. Feed them to your little “anteaters.”
Mini Sub Sandwiches
A very easy recipe, that is fun to eat as it is to make. All you need for this one is a hot dog bun, some deli meats, cheese slices and lettuce. Add all of the ingredients together for a delicious little mini-sub. Don’t forget to pack some dressing to pour on the sub! Goes great with chips, fruit slices or crackers.
Great ideas from around the web
And last, but certainly not least, here is some great advice I found on this topic from juju_mommy over at the Dollar Stretcher Forums:
Sandwiches (about the cheapest option)
Cold Fried Chicken (for example, if you have leftovers)
Salad (not always the cheapest option but it’s healthy and something “different”)
Tortilla Wraps (make your own: one example is fried chicken strips w/ lettuce and Ranch dressing)
For snacks/sides: opt to make your own servings in baggies rather than purchase all those single-serve (and expensive) options. Make your own trail mix (nuts, cereal, M&Ms, pretzels, etc.) and use whatever items you can find on sale to pick your ingredients. Make your own granola bars or often you can find them on sale for pretty cheap. Another cheap snack is jello or pudding.
Drinks: use a water bottle to fill up with their favorite drink (milk, water, koolaid, etc.).
Any back to school recipe ideas you’d like to share with us are always welcome. Please leave a comment telling us about how you save money by packing your kids’ lunches.
Tags: cooking at home, kids, recipes
Posted in Cooking, Featured | No Comments »
