Summer is finally here, and I can’t help but daydream about camping. I really love camping the idea of camping. Cozy sleeping bags, cute little portable eating and cooking gear. How fun!
For those of you who’ve read Shoestring for any length of time, you know that we’ve been super lucky to have parenting blogger extraordinaire Christine Koh as a regular columnist, sharing her Minimalist Mama expertise in these “pages” over the years.
Believe it or not, there is an upside to a bad economy. Since fewer people are making vacations a priority, hotels and resorts are offering fantastic deals to anyone willing to travel.
My husband and I have lived in a variety of residences — most of them small, closet-challenged apartments, and only recently settled into a spacious townhouse that has plenty of room to grow.
Given my love of shopping and the fact that my daughter is starting kindergarten next month (eek!), you’d think it’d be easy for me to fall into the emotional trap of splurging on back to school basics.
I used to love the challenge and reward of preparing gourmet meals and desserts. The reality as a parent, however, is that simplicity is key — not only to save time and energy, but to appeal to as many grownups and (potentially fickle) little people as possible.
It’s an age-old summer tradition, but one that can quickly get costly: summer camp. Check out these tips from the Associated Press to find discounts on day camp and Shoestring-approved sleep-away camps for less.
In today’s economy, we’re all looking for ways to trim our budgets and save a little money. But it’s never easy to cut back when it comes to care for your children or your pets—no one wants to compromise on quality of care even if it means saving money. There’s good news, though. You can trim the budget and keep your little ones safe and happy at the same time.
Need ideas for spending Valentine’s Day as a family unit, but without spending a ton of dough? Check out these gift and craft ideas for toddlers to teens (or both!), broken down by budget:
Under $50
For more than three decades, The Nevada School of the Arts was forced to lead a nomadic existence due to its “less than shoestring” budget. In this story from the Las Vegas Sun, Kristen Peterson gives us a peek into its heartwarming history and the happiness they now enjoy from finally finding funding—and a place to call home.