A Well-Heeled Life

Any budget-conscious parent of a kid between the ages of 5 - 18, has more than likely balked at the high cost of their activities and interests at least once. As the parent of a grade-schooler, I've noticed the steady increase in number of activities our kid participates in year after year.  Of course, I could just not enroll him in these activities, but I don't think that is the best solution. Our kiddo is an only child. As such, I'm keenly aware of the importance friends play in his life. I feel strongly that the sooner I help him develop strong friendships and hobbies in our new community, the sooner he'll feel "at home." That is money well spent.  Grade School Boys Baseball Team Sitting Inside Dugout As my mother's daughter, I know both old school and new school ways to stretch a dollar. Once I became a stay-at-home-mommy, I became even more diligent about maintaining our household budget. Frankly, I delight in my domestic prowess and ab

I should've subtitled this post, "how to pay for stuff using coins without being a jerk" Or better yet, "Exchanging Coins without Coinstar. Not for the faint of heart." OK, I have a confession...and a question.  Is it tacky to pay for things using coins??? I mean, like, using coins to pay the entire bill ? I don't think it is, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority on this one. When you think about it, coins are in fact  legal tender . Still, spending coins is increasingly complicated in our cash-loving, credit-swiping, Bitcoin-centric world. First and foremost, you have to mentally prepare yourself for the "judgy" looks you'll receive from others when you do use them. In my experience, the minute you start counting coins, people will give you the side eye for any perceived inconvenience. U.S. Coins on a table Here's when I started using our coins in earnest. A few years back I had a day when I had no time to go to t