This is a great tip for those of us who are experiencing frigid weather for the holidays.

Check it out here.

        

This is one of those times for me. Demands on my time are reaching a peak now that I am finishing up a very important project that is in vital need of even more of my immediate, and total attention.

That means, the undivided attention that is left after working outside the home, dealing with a five year old with new teeth coming in, and all manner of family demands.

So I’ll be taking a short break from the daily thrifty tips. I will return at the beginning of next week. I sincerely hope this doesn’t inconvenient anyone. But in the meantime, please visit my site ThriftyWAHM.com and check out our blogroll of great sister sites chock full of thrifty tips and frugal advice.

See you soon!

BEST,
Ife

        

Tip Hero has compiled eight awesome ways to get the most out of that charcoal. Each tip is practical, useful and somewhat educational.

Who knew charcoal could be used in such creative ways? Thanks for such a great job, TipHero!

        

Camping is great for many reasons, one of them being that it’s quite inexpensive.

On a recent trip to Walmart, I purchased a kids’ tent for my son’s playroom that was under $20 and noticed they also have tents that will sleep 6 people for under $100 – perfect for camping families.

Throw in a quality cooler (one that has wheels) to keep your food fresh, air mattress, tarp and sleeping bags. These are things you can find new for under $25 each (under $15 for a good cooler), or check on Craigslist or Freecycle where you may find them for free.

Once you acquire your basic camping gear, you can use it over and over again, season after season.

For cooking, stock up on inexpensive roastable goodies such as potatoes, veggies, franks, and other fun foods to cook over an open fire. Here are some great tips for other things you can bring that are inexpensive and will make your camping trip enjoyable.

Finally, there are over 1700 free and inexpensive campsites across the nation. Check Freecampgrounds.com to find one near you.

Once you’re out there in the wild, enjoy the sounds and smells of nature, starry nights, hiking and take lots of pictures!

        

Some other moms and I were talking about how if parents monitored their kids’ diets more diligently, the rate of childhood cavities and obesity in the U.S. would drop drastically.

Our kids eat way too much sugar. Not only are they eating candy and drinking massive amounts of sugary sodas, they are also eating mass-produced “food” (such as breakfast cereals) that contain what should be illegal amounts of sugar.

It’s no wonder that as a nation we pay more for children’s dental and health related issues, but this can be remedied somewhat by making better choices at the grocery store.

Rule of thumb: Check the ingredients label. If refined (white) sugar (or corn syrup) is one of the first three ingredients, drop it like poison (it is).

Alternatives: Instead of buying breakfast cereals loaded with refined sugar, purchase healthy cereals such as granola. It’s sweet but contains ingredients that supply nutrients and sweetened with natural sweeteners such as honey. Look for foods that do not contain refined sugar, and drink 100% juices (natural sugar) instead of sodas.

Bottom line: Shop frugally, but always keep good health in mind. There is definitely a link between our medical and dental bills and what we put into our bodies, and it doesn’t make sense to buy cheap low quality food and go bankrupt in the dentist’s or doctor’s office.