Tackling My 2012 Reading List

One of my goals for the new year is challenge myself with a brand new reading list.  I have loved to read since I was a child, but sad to say, in the past few years I have gotten lazy about it.

I don't have the money to spend on a lot of new books, and my library trips are centered around my children.  If I do have some spare time or money to spend on looking for books for myself, I can never seem to remember what I'd been wanting to read!  I'm usually reading something, but for a while it has mostly been re-reading old beloved novels or occasionally a borrowed title or two.

This year, I came up with a plan to broaden my horizons with some new books and finally read some titles that I've been interested in for years.  First of all, while on Christmas vacation with my family, I printed this Printable Reading List Planner.  Then I got my parents and brothers and sisters to all suggest books for me to read, and I came home with at least a dozen titles.

My next step was to search for all the books in my library's online catalog.  The library website allows you to save a reading list, which I did.  My plan is to request a couple of books at a time to be placed on hold at my library.  That way I just have to pick them up when I go on my weekly library trip with the kids - no browsing required.  For more popular titles, I can request them while I am reading other books, in case there is a long wait.

I am also planning to fill my reading list in on my PaperBackSwap wishlist.  If any of the books come up in the system, I will get exclusive rights to them for a few days, and I can request them if I choose.  I have been using PaperBackSwap for audio books, and the system works very well.  One advantage to getting books from PB Swap is that I won't have to worry about returning them on time; I can just swap them again when I'm finished or keep them for my colleciton.

I'm excited to read some new things in 2012.  So far, making a reading list is Working for Me!

This post contains my Paperback Swap referral link.


Picture by lusi.

WFMW: Pre-printed Grocery Lists

A guest post by my mom

I used to write big grocery shopping lists on old notebook paper.   I always tried to write items in categories – dairy, frozen, canned goods, meats, household, etc.  If I only needed a few things I would write down those items on whatever little scrap of paper I could find.  The problem with this was that I would usually lose these lists after the trip to the store.  I would not have any record of what I had purchased—or what I had forgotten.  This also made it harder to keep track of where my money had been spent. 

My list-making was transformed about two years ago when I bought a pad of REAL SIMPLE pre-printed grocery lists at Target.  The usual grocery store items are listed in categories and subcategories that cover just about everything one would buy—but there are also blank spaces to write in your own items. Beside each item is a box so you can just check off what you plan to buy.  After putting each item in the shopping buggy I just draw a line through it on the list. These lists turned out to be the answer to both my organizational needs and my budget monitoring.  I use one list sheet for a two-week pay period; and I keep it with me during that whole time, marking off the things I buy and adding things if necessary.  I rarely forget to buy items at the store now; and, although my money may go, at least now I know where it went! 

I highly recommend these REAL SIMPLE grocery lists.  I should also mention that the pad has a strong magnet on the back and so can hang conveniently on the refrigerator.  This item is well worth the money. (I paid about $9 at Target.  There are 75 sheets per pad.)  Of course, you could also devise your own grocery checklist, type it up, and make multiple copies.  This would serve the same purposes and perhaps be a little cheaper.

It feels great to be more organized and in control!  Happy grocery shopping!

Note: Neither my mom nor I gets anything for promoting Real Simple products.

WFMW: Cold Picnic Treat

We've been heading out to CSA farm 30 minutes away each week this summer, to pick up our produce box, get our U-pick bonus, and have a day of fun on the farm.  One thing I quickly discovered was that I'd need a lot of snacks and drinks for these hot active days.

One snack that's been working out really well is frozen yogurt.  A couple of weeks ago I happened to have a box of those tubes of yogurt that I had gotten on a deal, which I had been keeping it in the freezer.  This is because I don't really like the tubes when they're not frozen, as I find that they are really messy with toddlers.  However, when frozen they work out great - they're less messy than a popsicle or eating a carton of yogurt.

Plus, frozen yogurt thaws a lot more slowly than a popsicle or ice cream.  I have kept the frozen yogurt tubes in the car in a cooler with ice packs for a couple of hours, and they were still frozen enough to be relatively neat when we went to eat them.  Even my 10 month old can eat one of these with a little help, and all three kids think they're a huge treat.

Yesterday I didn't have any of the yogurt tubes, so I just grabbed some small cartons of yogurt and stuck them in the freezer for our picnic lunch.  I'd like to get some popsicle sticks to keep on hand to make even the cartons spoon-free.

Easy, fun, and healthy - what more could you ask for in a summertime treat?

Check out more summer ideas at Works for Me Wednesday.

WFWM: Clutter-Free Spaces

Since finishing my 40 Bags in 40 Days project during Lent, I have only redoubled my efforts to declutter.  It's addictive - once I start getting rid of stuff I want to get rid of more, and I find I am thinking twice about replacing it.

One strategy that is working well for me right now is to keep certain spaces in my house permanantly clutter-free.  One big one for me is the surface of this buffet in my kitchen/eating area:

This used to be where my household files, piles of mail, and many other random items permanently lived.  Yes, I only moved some of those items to other areas, but I find that each time I move things around, I am able to discard or consolidate some of them and better organize the others.

In the past, I have felt that keep spaces empty was just wasting them, especially in our small house where storage space is at a premium.  But now I am finding that in many cases the opposite is true.  Not only is it calming and visually pleasing to have the empty space as a fairly permanent fixure, but the space actually becomes more useful for temporary needs - in this case to hold a lunch buffet or as a place to dry art projects or cool cookies.

I freely admit that this surface does not remain 100% empty all the time.  Stuff can definitely pile up over the course of the day or even a couple of days.  But my goal has been to clear it off each evening, and I have now kept it pretty consistently clear over the past few months.  Now I'm looking for other spaces in my house for which I can do the same thing.

Designating empty spaces Works for Me.

Best Deal on Studio Portraits

Last week I shared some tips on maximizing your money spent on studio portraits of your family.  I have tried several different studios with my kids and reasearched others, so today I wanted to share the studio that I have found to be the best experience all around.

And the winner is - dum de dum - Target!  Here's why:

- No sitting fees - This is self-explanatory; you don't have to worry about fees.  If you don't like the pictures, you can go home and lose nothing.

- Good deals - You can always find Target portrait studio coupons in the newspaper and online on their portrait site.  The best deal is the $7.99 portrait package or $3.99/sheet coupon; I always keep a few of those coupons on hand.  Like most studios, they are also constantly running other specials.

- Fair overall pricing - This is the biggest factor for me.  I have been shocked in the past at the pricing tactics of other studios.  At one that I used, the corporate office deletes all the pictures each night, so if you don't order the images on CD (which was $80+), your pictures are lost forever.  This seems unfair and a bit sneaky to me.  At Target, you get the best deal on the prints that your order at your session, but if you decide that you want more later the prices are not outrageous.  I believe they are currently $14.99/sheet online (as opposed to $9.99/sheet regular price at your session).  Also, the lady at the studio told me that if you come into the studio to order additional sheets, they often have specials running of which you can take advantage, even after your sitting.

- Automatic online sharing - In our modern digital age, I think it is key to be able to share your portraits online.  At my recent session, I was pleased to find out that Target now offers online sharing for free with your session.

- Convenient - I have a Super Target almost literally across the street, so this is somewhat individual.  However, I also like that I don't have to make a special trip to the mall or other location to pick up the pictures.  Rather, I can pick up the pictures or order more prints while doing other shopping.

Using Target's Portrait Studio Works for Me.

Have you used Target's portrait studio?  Do you agree with my assessment?  What is your favorite place to get portraits taken?

Disclaimer: Although I am signed up as a Target affiliate, there are no affiliate links in this post and I get nothing out of recommending Target's portrait studio.  I'm just sharing my opinion based on my experiences. :-)

WFMW: Sending Greeting Cards Online

I am so excited to share with you all an incredibly easy new way that I have found to send greeting cards!  Without moving from my computer, I can now personalize and send a mailed physical card to my loved ones, without having to mess with stamps, envelopes, or mail boxes.

How do I do this?  Through Hallmark.com.  I first discovered their addressing and mailing service a few months ago through an ad in a magazine.  They were running a promo to get the cost of the stamp for free when using their card service.  For a free stamp it sure seemed worth a try.

Basically, to use the service, you choose a card design on Hallmark's site.  They even have photo cards, which to me is a huge benefit.  The chances of my remembering to actually get photo prints made in time to include with a card for a particular event is practically nil, yet I know that photos bring such joy to faraway relatives.  This way, I just have to pick out a photo already on my computer and add it to the card.

After you have personalized your card with text and/or pictures, you simply enter the recipient's address and pay online, and Hallmark prints and ships the card for you.  You have to pay the cost of a stamp, but you would have to do that with a conventional card anyway.  The addressing and mailing service is free.

Best of all, the prices of the cards are very reasonable.  They range from $1.39 for a flat card to $5.99 for a musical card (customizable with any song from their library).  These are comparable to grocery or card store prices, with the added benefits of personalization and photos.  Plus, there have been lots of coupon codes available for the service.  I just got 30% off on my dad's birthday card with a code I found for through Google.

Using Hallmark's online card service costs me a little bit more than my usual dollar store card, but the added convenience and customization make it often worth the cost to me.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Hallmark.

Check out more great tips at Works for Me Wednesday.

Menu Plan

I managed to do a little freezer cooking this week (I'll show you the full results later).  It's nice to have a few things already prepared for the week!  I'm excited to try a couple of Asian recipes from the February All You magazine on Friday; it's nice to have something out of the ordinary every once in a while.

Here's what I've planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
oatmeal
homemade bagels w. cream cheese
yogurt
toast

Lunches:
chili w. corn chips (x2)
ham and bean soup
quesadillas
pbj

Dinners:
Mon - Chicken fingers w. marinara, pasta, carrots and celery
Tues - Meat loaf, leftover barley bake, green beans
Wed - Chicken tacos, fruit salad
Thurs - Leftover meatloaf, potatoes, corn
Fri - Sesame Noodles w. Golden Garlic, Scallion Pancakes
Sat - Church Auction Dinner! - pasta for babysitter and kids
Sun - Homemade pizza

Check out more menu plans at Menu Planning Mondays.

WFMW: Preserving Memories with Photo Books

I have always loved photos for preserving and sharing memories.  When I was a teenager, I organized over ten years of my family's photos, and I was very into scrapbooking as a hobby.  Then I had kids.

When you have three children and your oldest is 4-1/2 and you still haven't finished her first year album, you know that it's time to make a change!  I have come to realize that for me, scrapbooking is no longer a viable hobby.  It can be very expensive and time-consuming, and, although I enjoyed the creativity, I'd rather have current and past photos of my children available to enjoy.

That's why lately I have turned to photos books.  I have now created several digital photo books from a few different sites, and I have been very pleased with the results.  While you probably could spend several hours creating a book, I have spent no more than an hour on each.  I usually use the option where the site fills in the photos for me, and then I can move them and edit if necessary. 

The photo books are attractive and sleek, and they can range from pocket sized to large and hardcover.  I can include any number of photos and text I wish.  Best of all, it is easy to find deals on them!

Even if you pick one photo-sharing site to use and one size book to have uniform albums, you can regularly find deals around 30% off.  To save even more, you can do what I do: I'll jump on the best deals, even if all my albums will be different sizes and shapes.  You can find deals for free books (for only the price of shipping) on a semi-regular basis on the money-saving blogs.
Here are some deals that I see today:

Snapfish:
Buy one,Get Two: Buy a 12x12 Photo book receive a free 5x7 & 2x3 Mini Book Code: B1G2PB Exp: 2/01
Free Shipping on Photobooks plus 75 Free Prints Code:FSCPFP 1/1-1/31
Shutterfly:
Save 15-30% on Photobooks
Vistaprint:
50% Off All Photobooks! Hurry, this is a limited time offer! Order today, receive in as few as 3 days.
Clark Color:
After Holiday Clearance! 40% off anything! Includes prints! Enter Code: RINGIN2011 at check out. S&H not included. Exp. 2011-01-31

In this age of digital photos, I like to make sure that I always have at least some physical photos of my family to enjoy together.

How do you handle creating photo albums?  Have you used photo books?

Check out more tips at Works for Me Wednesday.

This post contains affiliate links, which help support this site.

Holiday Gift Guide: Our Favorite Toys

As Christmas shopping time is now in full swing, today I wanted to share some of our favorite toys.

Unlike some moms I know, I actually love toys.  I don't love cheap, overly-loud electronic, and ugly toys; but I love high-quality toys that inspire so much fun and creativity in my children.  I like to give these kinds of toys as well, but some high-quality toys can be very pricey. 

Luckily, there is still plenty of good stuff to choose from that works with my very moderate (around $15) gift budget.  Take a look at my top picks:

 - Legos - Legos are not cheap, but in my opinion, they are practically the best toy out there.  Nothing will keep my four year old occupied as long or quietly as building with her Duplos.  And you can actually get a decent Legos set for $15 or under, such as this perfect starter set for a younger child or this neat police helicopter for a more experienced builder.

 - Fisher Price Dog Pull Toy - So simple, yet so beloved.  My girls each have one of these, and I gave one to my cousin in the past.  They are so cute, and they inspire endless fun.  And they're a real bargain at easily under $10!

 - Little People - Okay, they're not quite as cool as the old smaller Little People that we played with as hand-me-downs from my uncles, but I still think the modern chunky plastic Little People are a great toy for 1-4 year olds. All kids of this age seem to enjoy roll playing with a make-believe town.  There are tons of cute sets, from a car wash to a farm to a Nativity set!  Compare prices in different places for different sets, but note that right now fisherprice.com has free shipping until Dec. 10!

-  Melissa and Doug Puzzles - Everyone I know loves Melissa and Doug!  Their wooden toys are high quality yet moderately priced.  We have a number of their puzzles for different age levels, and they're the best.  My four year old especially has loved these four puzzles in a box (there are various different sets) and this ballerina puzzle.

- Play Kitchens - This is one of the most long-lasting toys for children; they will spend many years wanting to imitate their parents.  My girls are always heading over to theirs throughout the day to "make tea" or to "feed" me.  Although you can get some very expensive play kitchens, did you know that Amazon has 843 items in the "under $25" section for the search "play kitchen"?  Some of these are dish sets, but there are actually some kitchens at this price.  This one is cute for $24.99 is cute and I love this Alex Toys tabletop stove.  Or if you wanted to stick with just $15 or under, get the Melissa & Doug Cutting Food or Slice and Bake Cookie Set.  They are the best!

 - Playdough - The classic!  Playdough is a great gift to give for a birthday party or for any time you need a generic, inexpensive kid gift.  For one thing, you can get a really cool set for very little money, such as this Play-Doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe or this Fun Factory Set.  Also, even if the kid already has playdough, it always dries up after a while and you can always have more.  My girls can spend a glorious afternoon doing playdough anytime I'm willing to put up with the mess!

Note: most of my toys picks are for preschoolers and under, since that is what I have.  I'd love your suggestions in the comments for great toys for older children, as well as your favorite toys for this age group.

Check out Works for Me Wednesday for other great tips.

This post contains affiliate links, which help support this site.

WFMW: Favorite Baby Products

My life for the past several years has been full of babies and their stuff!  As I start my third round of babyhood and baby gear, I thought for Works for Me Wednesday today I'd share some of my favorite baby items.  The following are items that I use time and time again and have found to be worth the money.  Let me know if you agree!

Velcro Swaddle Blankets - These are ingenious, solving the problem of keeping a wiggly baby safely swaddled, without worrying about him suffocating in loose blankets.  I have them in both cotton for warmer weather and fleece for upcoming cold nights.

Halo Sleep Sacks - For older babies who can no longer be swaddled, we use Halo Sleep Sacks.  They are easy to slip on over a cotton sleeper for a safe alternative to a blanket.  They now also make sleep sacks with a swaddling attachment, so you can use them either way.

Desitin Diaper Cream - it seems a simple thing, but it's important!  In my mind, nothing beats thick, white Desitin for getting rid of a rash quickly or for preventing it.  It's not cheap, but it's comparable in price to other name brand creams, and you can definitely find coupons.

Mei Tai Baby Carrier - I get comments on this baby carrier all the time; even a lot of moms have never seen one.  It is similar to an Ergo, but it is all soft, with no buckles.  (It is also less expensive!)  Mine is Baby Hawk brand; it was a gift from my aunt, who is a baby-wearing expert.  I absolutely love it.  It supports my back, and it keeps the baby safely upright.  I love it for little babies like Gem to sleep in, and you can also use it on your back when they're bigger.

Bumpkins Bibs - Okay, I know I've sung the praises of these before, but I just can't say it enough.  In my mind, they are the only bibs!  This is because they can be wiped or washed out in the sink to be reused for several meals, but they can also be machine-washed for really bag messes.  The velcro ones have an adjustable neck, to cut down on those collar stains, and they also make a sleeved bib with ties for my recalcitrant toddler. 

Reno Rose Nursing Scarf - I reviewed this item here, but that was before Gem was born and I used it for nursing.  Update: I looove it as a nursing cover.  It is breathable and lightweight, and it can be rolled up small enough to fit in a purse, yet it doesn't wrinkle.  It also looks super cute, like a pretty wrap instead of a nursing cover.

Cloth Pocket Diapers - I was so scared of trying cloth diapers for a long time, but pocket diapers make it so idiot-proof!  They are practically as easy to change as disposables, and they are compact and cute.  The brands I have used are Fuzzi Bunz and Bumwear, and I found both to be excellent quality.

Kidco Baby Food Mill and Trays - These inexpensive yet sturdy items are all you need to make your own baby food.  You can even just use the mill to grind up some of your dinner to feed the baby.  I also use the trays for other kitchen jobs, like freezing fresh pesto.

What are some of your favorite baby items?

Note: I have no affiliation with these manufacturers; these are just products that I use and love.  However, this post does contain my Amazon affiliate links, for which I receive a small commission if you make a purchase.

WFMW: Shortcut Baking Day

This is the last week in which we're receiving meals from our church, so soon I will be back to cooking for my family on my own!  In preparation for menu planning next week, I attempted a mini baking day this week.  Here's what I accomplished:

- One french bread veggie pizza

- One loaf berry bread

- One small batch chocolate cran-raisin cookies

- One pound cooked red beans

My strategy this time was to make the quickest things I could find.  That meant using any baking mixes or other "shortcut" foods I had around. Thus I baked up a Williams Sonoma berry bread mix that a friend had brought with dinner, plus a jarred cookie mix that I had put together around last Christmas.  Then I took a loaf of Pillsbury refrigerated French bread dough (which had also come with dinner from a friend), unrolled it, and turned it into a quick pizza!  While I assembled everything else, the beans simmered on the stove. 

In total, I probably spent less than two hours on the cooking, while my two year old mercifully slept and the baby snuggled in a front carrier.  I had also been hoping to add the beans to a big pot of chili, but that ended up having to wait for another day.  I was happy to put together just a few dishes to give myself a head start on daily cooking!

These days, using shortcuts and having very modest goals Works for Me!

WFMW: Portable Diaper Changing Station

I always changed my first baby's diapers in her room at the changing table.  We lived a tiny apartment when she was little, so it was a no-brainer.  Even after we moved to our townhouse and I had my second, it was usually pretty easy to dash up the stairs and change her (good exercise too). 

This time around, however, I quickly discovered that I was not going to make it upstairs for all of the practically hourly diaper changes that a newborn needs (at least not without my two-year-old climbing the walls).  Unfortunately, we do not have room in our small kitchen or living room for a second changing area.

My solution is simply a second diaper bag hanging from our coat rack.  I got out a diaper bag that I don't usually use, so I didn't have to compete with snacks, crayons, and coupons for space.  I filled it with just a changing pad, diapers for both the baby and the toddler, wipes, and diaper cream. 

Now it's super convenient to do a quick diaper change in the middle of our other activities.  This portable diaper changing station Works for Me!

Making Fruit Go Farther

My girls LOVE fruit.  They could literally eat pounds of it in a day, especially if it was one of their favorites, like strawberries or pineapple.  My older daughter loves every type of berry passionately; she will even eat less sweet raspberries and blackberries.

In many ways, this is a good problem to have; I hardly want to limit their fruit consumption or replace it with something less healthy.  However, sometimes it can be hard on the budget.  There are rarely coupons or free or almost-free deals for fresh fruit, and, especially at some times of the year, it can be hard to get any fruit for a good price.  However, I have come up with a few ways to save on fruit, while still keeping it an important part of our diet.

- Buy seasonally - This is probably the number one way that I save money on fruit.  I typically buy whatever fruit is the best price each week, which usually means whatever is most in season.  This is absolutely a no-brainer to me, since seasonal fruit is almost always better quality, and buying it is better for the environment, since it is more likely to be local.  It also saves a huge amount of money.  For instance, during the summer I can sometimes get a pound of strawberries for $1.25, while off season they run something like $3.29!

- Look for discounted fruit - In my area, Harris Teeter has a rack in their produce section where they sell overripe fruit for a steep discount.  We can easily eat 3 or 4 pears from a $1.00 discount bag the same day I buy them, or else I can go home and bake something.  I have also heard that if you go to a Farmer's Market at the end of the day, you can often negotiate a discount for the farmer's surplus, though I have never tried this myself.

- Think beyond fresh - While fresh fruit is the best, and I almost always have it in the house, we also eat other forms of fruit.  Sometimes I can get great coupon deals on canned fruit; I try to keep it healthy by only buying the ones packed in fruit juice.  I also love dried fruit, and while it can be expensive as well, there are also the occasional coupon or sale deals.  For instance, when I found orange-flavored "Craisins" on clearance for 50% off in Wegmans a couple of months ago I think I bought about eight bags!  Another type of fruit to look into is frozen.  I recently discovered that Wegmans sells frozen blackberries for just $2.49 for a pound.  I don't think I've ever seen fresh blackberries for anywhere near that good a price!  Another advantage of packaged types of fruit is that they don't spoil, so you can always keep them on hand.

- Learn a few tricks - To make the fruit that we have go a bit farther, I do have a few tricks.  For instance, when buying fruit, I try to look for the smallest individual pieces.  That way, I get more apples, for instance, per pound.  (I think I read this trick in The Tightwad Gazette.)  At home, I sometimes cut up fruit in a fruit salad and mix a cheaper or less favored fruit in with one that my girls love.  That makes the strawberries last at least one extra day!  I also try to waste nothing; fruit that is deteriorating automatically goes into bread, muffins, or apple or pear sauce.

How do you save on fruit for your your family?


Check out Works for Me Wednesday for more great tips.

Photo by chachu207.

WFMW: Frugal Cloth Diapering

Back in the fall, I posted about starting our cloth diapering adventure with LuLu, who at the time had just turned a year.  We have now been using cloth the majority of the time for about four months, and I am very happy with them (and the money I'm saving!).  I am still learning and am far from a pro, but it's been working pretty well for us.

One of the factors that had long held me back from trying cloth diapering (besides the washing) was the initial investment.  I knew that I would be very nervous to try the really basic "flats" (old-fashioned cloth diapers) with the folding and the plastic pants.  However, I was not thrilled about the idea about investing several hundred dollars in "modern" cloth diapers, and then not being able to recoup my investment maybe even until the second child used them.  (Since I used generic disposables, I was shelling out a lot less for disposables than many articles estimated.)

So when I decided to try cloth diapers, I was determined to find a way to shell out a very moderate amount of money before I committed myself.  I knew that I could always purchase more later on.  And I am happy to report that I found a way.  Here's what I have bought so far:

- 8 Bumwear pocket diapers with extra inserts from Ebay (gently used, excellent condition) - $30
- 12 Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers without inserts from consignment sale (pretty good condition, no stains) - $15
- 2 PUL (waterproof cloth) diaper pail liners from a home business - $20

I have been using some regular flat cloth diapers that were originally burp cloths as extra inserts.  For cloth wipes, I have cut up some old clothes and burp cloths and used some baby washcloths that I got from freecycle -  free

For about $65, I have been able to use cloth diapers 70-80% of the time.  Furthermore, they are the very easy to use pocket diapers, perfect for a nervous newbie.  I could still use some additional inserts and perhaps some better cloth wipes, but this is working for now.  At this rate, I was able to recoup my investment and start saving money in less than three months!

Frugal cloth diapering Works for Me!

PS - Of course, I was able to do this for as little money as I did by being okay with used cloth diapers.  If you're interested in cloth diapering, I highly recommend checking out the forums at Diaper Swappers.  Not only can you get tons of advice, but there are many diapers there for sale and trade, and some even free for the cost of shipping.

WFMW: Packing Lunches

It's always one of the first tips of any article about saving money on food, and it's undeniably true: packing lunches for work or school instead of buying them can save hundreds of dollars a year.  I am blessed to have a husband who is as frugal as I am and who never complains about bringing his lunch to work every day.

However, my dear hubby has occasionally been known to complain about the selection, especially if I've been getting in a rut of packing the same thing or if the lunch is too heavy on the carbs and not enough on the protein.  That's why I always need new creative ideas for healthy and frugal sack lunches.  Since I'm sure some of you could use similar ideas, I thought I'd share some of our sack lunch standbys, and I hope that you will share yours!

Here are some of the options that I usually pack for my husband:

- Leftovers - This is probably the number one lunch item for my husband and myself.  Dinner leftovers are usually filling and tasty, and having them for lunch avoids waste.  If I have a lot of a particular leftover (and we're not eating it again for dinner), I'll often freeze it in individual serving-size plastic containers.  Then I can easily pull one out to pack in a lunch even weeks later.

- Cheese and crackers - This is a simple option that can have many variations, depending on the types flavors of the cheese and crackers.  A sturdy cheese (like cheddar) also holds up well if it is out of the fridge for a little while.  My husband always appreciates having some meat, so I often add pepperoni or slices from a stick of salami to round off the meal.

- Quesadillas - Tortillas filled with cheese and whatever vegetables, meats, or beans I have around are easy to throw together in the morning and easy to reheat later.  I include a small container of salsa for dipping.

- Pizza - When I make homemade pizza for our family, I always make two.  I cut the second pizza that we don't eat for dinner into quarters, wrap them in foil, and freeze each quarter individually.  When I put them in Michael's lunch bag, I always include a plate, so he has something to microwave the pizza on.

- Salad - My husband loves salad, so I should try to incorporate this more often.  My goal is to try to always include two fruit or vegetable sides in his lunch bag (since he eats breakfast at work as well).  When I give him a green salad, I usually put the dressing on the side in a mini plastic container.  I also do a fruit salad occasionally, usually with a mix of fresh and canned fruit.  In the summer, he enjoys a pasta salad with chicken and vegetables, which is an easy one-container lunch.

- Prepared microwavable meals - These are definitely more of a backup option than a standby, and my husband is never crazy about them.  However, when I get a microwavable meal or soup very cheap or free on a coupon deal, I save them for crazy days when I need to come up with a lunch quickly.  It saves Michael from having to get takeout on a busy day, and they are definitely healthier than fast food.

Packing lunches definitley Works for Me.  What about you?  I need some new ideas; please share your frugal sack lunches in the comments section!

Buying Gifts from Second-Hand Sources

The title I chose for this post sounds a little better than "buying second-hand gifts," doesn't it!  But the reality for me is, I rule out neither second-hand gifts nor buying gifts at second-hand sources, such as yard sales, thrift stores, and Ebay.  I think it all depends on the circumstances (as in your financial circumstances as well as who your recipient is), as well as on your comfort level.  But when it comes down to it, is gift-giving about following some arbitrary rules or one-upping others?  In the end, I think it's about thinking of someone else and giving him something that you think he will like, wherever it comes from.

But I've stepped off my soapbox now, and I'll get down to the practical details.  How and why would you buy a gift from a "non-traditional" source?  Here are some of the sources that I have used or have thought of using to find gifts for others:

Ebay - Everyone knows that you can buy used items on Ebay, but maybe not everyone realizes the sheer extent of the new items that are available on the site.  Whether it's an unopened item that a private individual is selling or inventory from an Ebay store, you can find a brand new version of practically anything on Ebay.  If it's a new, sealed item and you can get it for a little lower price on Ebay, why wouldn't you shop for a gift there?  However, do make sure that you're getting a deal before you buy.  Don't assume that just because it's on Ebay that it is cheaper, and don't get sucked into a bidding war!

Yard sales - Again, you can sometimes find new, unopened items at yard sales, which could surely make a appropriate gifts.  Look for small items like candles or seasonal items for perfect hostess gifts and for unopened DVDs.  Of course, check the condition of the item carefully, even if it's new, as it might have been sitting in someone's basement for years or been kicked around by their kids!

Used books stores - A couple of years ago, my sister was interested in reading novels of an author who had many works out of print.  I called a local used book store and was able to buy her several titles for just a couple of dollars each.  As this was the only way the books were available, it was not an issue that these items were used; my sister was excited to get them.

Thrift and consignment stores - You may not find a lot of new items at thrift stores (at least not in giftable condition), but consignment stores tend to have more.  Also, don't completely rule out used items.  Looks for items that there would be a special reason to buy used - think vintage items or items for a collection. 

Craigslist - Two words: used toys.  Many kids end up with so many toys that their parents often sell toys that have barely been touched.  I personally don't usually feel comfortable giving used toys to children outside my family, but I do buy them for my own children.  They are way to young to know or care, and it enables me to buy a little more than I would otherwise have been able to afford.

Hope my thoughts have given you some ideas.  Buying gifts from non-traditonal sources Works for Me!