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 del...

For this week's Thrifty Thursday post I want to share the latest way I'm making do (or is it making due) with what we already own. Why? Two reasons: A) We're a single income family living in the country's most expensive real estate market. B) Our house is tiny. A+B = We're on a budget and I'm serious about eliminating clutter. But first, a little history. Our family likes to go for long walks on the weekends. The hubby and I often listen to music, while walking hand in hand, for stretches of time on said walks. Lately I've been passing my phone over to our kiddo about 10 minutes into my jams. Music puts a spring in your step and I've discovered we can keep walking another 45 minutes if the kiddo's enjoying his own tunes.  Anyway, recently, our son has been asking for his own phone so he can listen to music too. We're a one income family, so I cringe thinking about the added cost to the monthly budget. I tell him he can use mine all day...