We installed ceiling fans to save fuel–did you know that ceiling fans can reduce your energy bill by as much as 15% both in the winter as well as in the summer? Just hit the reverse switch and the current will push down the hot air that has risen to the ceiling, heating the room […]
Smarter Sipping from a Savvy Kidtrepreneur
When I was younger, I was convinced my generation would save the planet. These days, though, I’m also worried about saving money, saving time, and saving my sanity. But some of my idealism remains and I’m excited to see a new generation taking up the effort to reduce waste, reuse, and recycle–especially when it is […]
A Bright Idea: New Improved CFLs Pay for Themselves
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) that screw in to regular bulb sockets consume less than a quarter of the energy of incandescent (tungsten) bulbs that produce the same amount of light. They cost a lot more than tungsten bulbs, but since they also last at least four times longer they easily pay for themselves. I tried […]
Fuss Free Baby Food
When I was pregnant, I had visions of preparing homemade baby food from fresh, locally-grown produce. I purchased Annabel Karmel’s bestselling baby cookbook- First Meals, and I read all the yummy-sounding recipes. (Read Candace’s full review of First Meals here.) But my first attempts at preparing homemade purees were time-consuming and frustrating. It’s hard to […]
Clean Your Home Green in 30 Days
Confession: I want to be green but sometimes, between family and work, it is just not at the top of my list. I also want to keep my house cleaner, but I have little interest in tidying and even less time for it. So, when my organization and cleaning guru (and fellow Mamanista editor), Debbie, […]
Dining Out with Baby
When baby was a newborn, I could tote his infant carseat into a restaurant and enjoy my meal while he napped peacefully beside me. But those days of napping through meals are over. Now baby sits in a restaurant high chair and snacks on finger foods during my meal. I don’t want to disturb any other restaurant patrons, so […]
Save With Kroger
There are some things you can cut back on–we can buy fewer toys, take fewer vacations, and wear our clothes for at least one more season. But food is an essential. So it is nice to see that Kroger is making it easier for shoppers to save. Even better, because juggling several kids at the […]
Win a Cookie Brownie Party Pack from David’s Cookies
Win a 5 pound Cookie Brownie Party Pack ($59.95) from David’s Cookies. David’s Cookies has competitive prices and free shipping on every order. But more importantly, the cookies and brownies are so scrumptious that you’ll find yourself eating the leftover crumbs out of the tin. David’s Cookies are the perfect holiday gift for a friend– affordable for you and delicious for […]
Win a Year’s Supply of Scott Bath Tissue and Paper Towels
The Scott Common Sense Community allows you to share your household shortcuts and get tips from other members that will help you save time and money, organize your stuff and stay healthy. You can find daily tips at Scott Common Sense as well as helpful tools like a calorie counter, recipe substitution chart, a calendar (pictured here), and a Grocery Checklist. […]
Easy and Affordable Halloween Decorating Tips
My uber-creative friend Martie made these adorable and affordable pumpkin people decorations. Visit her blog to learn how to make pumpkin people. Martie is the party and entertaining expert on MSN, but she’s no Martha Stewart. Her ideas are meant to be affordable and easy for normal people to do. For a recent party, Martie […]