Budgeting Ideas

I think we can all agree that our parents lived a very different way of life than we do today. I was helping my mom clean out a closet the other day and we stumbled upon a small pamphlet that was written in 1978 that included various ways to save the average family time and money. I started reading several pages aloud with my mom and we laughed until we cried!! Did people really live like this?? Life is so much easier today with dependable disposable diapers, easy bill pay, and five dollar pizza places. A lot has changed in 30 years!! But, I think there is still some to be learned from those that have gone before us.

Here’s a list of my favorite ideas to save you time and money that still may be relevant in today’s world:

· * Set up a monthly cooperative dinner party where each couple brings one course for the meal. Besides being an enjoyable evening, there’s minimum work and expense. Play some games and it’s a fun date night!

· * If you work and buy your lunch, take a brown bag lunch several days to save money.

· * Stock up when products go on sale. It’s smart to have a food-storage of products that you need and you’ll use!

· * As a general rule, the more preparation you do in the kitchen, the less costly the meal will be. You pay for everything the food processing company does! Use that kitchen of yours! Not only foods, but cleaners and toys for the kids can be made in the kitchen that will save you money!

· * When you don’t have time for a regular shampoo, you can use baby powder to dry clean your hair. Just sprinkle a little powder through your hair and brush out. The powder will absorb excess oil and leave your hair ready for a quick set.

Here’s a list of money saving ideas that are for the die-hards:

· * When baby grows too long for his one-piece ropers that snap at the crotch, cut and hem them to make T-shirts.

· * Recycle stained baby clothes by sewing a “bib” over the stained area. Cut a pretty scrap of fabric onto the bib--large enough to cover the stained area. Trim with rickrack and attach to the garment front.

· * Don’t throw away your old shower curtain. Use it to make a cute little rain outfit for your toddler with poncho and rain hat to match. Add bows and decorate with pinking shears.

Previous generations have learned to use, re-use and recycle to accommodate tougher financial times. We can learn from them and adjust our way of life to fit the challenging economic times we’re in today!