The Sweet Life On A Budget

  School is out and kids are home for the summer.    This means activities to organize, more snacking, and temperatures rising.     Here are some tips and tricks to keep the kids fed, engaged, and cool.     Energy prices continue to rise, and families are feeling the pinch.    When more people are at home, our energy prices typically increase because we use more energy through lights, air conditioning, watching TV, or using our computers.   Tips for Keeping Cool without AC Our summer break has started unseasonably cool, so staying cool without using the AC is currently easier.  Decrease Adding Heat Tips and Tricks I close the curtains.    This prevents the sun from heating up the inside of your home as much.       I keep doors closed, which is harder than it sounds with kids.   If you are using air conditioning, this will help to keep the cool air in your living space....

When we moved from Columbus to our new area, we were looking for a home that included some property.    We were fortunate to find a home with almost an entire acre.    It has a nice flat backyard and a wood area with a stream at the end of the property.    The stream is small, but it provides water for the wildlife in our small tree grove. We enjoy each season as they come into our home and yard.    Fall is in the air and the leaves are changing from green to various colors.    Our trees' leaves are changing to yellow-orange and producing a lovely backdrop for our backyard.    In addition, the morning sunlight passes through the trees and creates a beautiful morning scene.    I enjoy drinking my coffee while watching the sunrise and think how lucky I am.   

  Summer Salad Grocery Prices are going through the roof with no end in sight!    I am always looking for healthy, nutritious, delicious, and cheap dining options.  With it being the gardening season, adding vegetables to your meals and using them as the primary part helps to decrease your grocery bill.    Therefore, we eat a lot of different salads over the summer.     Having salads multiple times per week for dinner gives you a lot of savings and advantages.   Here are a few benefits I thought of: If you precook the protein the night before, the oven is not turning on on a hot day.  The salads can be prepared ahead of time, so if you have a busy evening, no need to eat out—> dinner is done.  Adding vegetables to your diet helps to keep you healthy.  By replacing meat with vegetables from your garden or when they are the cheapest price, you are saving money on your grocery bill.  My first salad is just swappi...

  I was first introduced to Living Large In the Cheap Seats by a college friend, Chris J., who introduced me to lawn tickets for popular bands.   We were able to see great concerts at a significantly discounted rate.   Later when reading Brokenomics by Dina Gachman, I revised this concept and decided to share it with you.  I have been doing this for years and have been able to enjoy wonderful experiences for FREE! MAY Memorial Day Parade VFW Post 7697 and American Legion Post 681 Memorial Day ceremonies in West Chester are planned each year by local veterans groups VFW Post 7696 and American Legion Post 681. On Saturday morning, scout groups participate in the Setting of the Flags to mark the graves of U.S. military veterans buried at West Chester Cemetery (also known as Brookside Cemetery ). On Monday, a morning Memorial Day Parade makes its way through the historic Olde West Chester business district to the cemetery on West Chester Road for a special remembrance ce...