Kids

Formula to Share
We just had our third baby and as always we were flooded with free formula samples and rebate checks made out to me (used like coupons at the register). Being an exclusive nursing mom we had no use for it personally but I used all the rebate checks at discount stores to get whatever formula I could for free (or almost free). Then I gathered it all up and gave it to a food bank. At least it benefits somebody who needs it-- formula is expensive!

Save on Lessons & Activities
The free and reduced lunch program in the public schools offers more than food. In our city it is the standard for reduced costs in sports, music lessons, field trips, tutoring and Park and Rec activities. There may be other things as well. I've discovered it's always good to ask. It is even available for home schooled children. I just enclose a letter with my application explaining why I want to be approved. The income limits are higher than most people think. Pick up an application at your local public school.

Free Booster Car Seat
If you have a child that weighs between 40 and 80 pounds, your child would benefit from a booster seat. I work at a children's hospital and just found out that Ford Motor Company and Toys R Us have teamed up to provide one million families with booster seats free of charge. All I had to do was drop in our local Ford dealer and pick up a coupon for a free Evenflo Right Fit booster car seat. Or you can use the coupon (redeemable until Oct 31 2001 at Toys R Us) worth 22.99 toward any other booster seat, Alpha Omega car seat or Next Step Mx Car seat. So call your local Ford dealer and see if they have the coupons and...enjoy your free car seat! Or check out their website www.boostamerica.org or call 1-866-266-7854.

Get the Gum Out!
In order to get gum out of hair rub a fingertip sized portion of peanut butter into the gum and hair. Rub around with your fingers and keep adding peanut butter until the gum is out completely.

Hamburger Cookies
Another cute and quick treat is to make 'hamburger cookies' and there's no baking involved. Assemble the following: 2 vanilla wafers (the bun), white frosting (mayo), Keebler chocolate mint wafer (burger), and shredded coconut colored with green food coloring (lettuce). Spread a tiny bit of diluted honey on the top 'bun' and sprinkle some sesame seeds. People think they're real miniature burgers.

Fun Treats For Kids
My mom was very creative in the treat department when we were kids and would make the neatest treats. One was making 'jello eggs' by blowing out the egg from its shell using a pin hole on one end and a larger hole on the other and washing them well. She'd then cover the pin hole with tape and stand the shells in the carton and fill with jello. The most fun was cracking the finished ones to eat them. Another treat was making 'turtles' by taking a half walnut shell, inserting a very large gumdrop inside the shell which would extend a little below it, and using five cloves for the legs and tail and one clove poked through a raisin for the head.

Fill up Your Kids Boring Bedroom Walls!!
I have two children, a ten year old and a three year old. We find that if we go through all their toys and misc. junk at least once a year, we can take all the junk we find and make cool things for their walls. A good example is get an old piece of cardboard and cut into diffrent sizes to use as picture frames. Then take all misplaced or worn out puzzle pieces and frame the outer edges of the cardboard and stick your kids pictures of their friends, pets, ect. in the middle!! They love it and it's much much cheaper than buying tons of posters and picture frames!!

Visual Chore Cards
My three young sons have daily rotating chores. It was hard for my pre-readers to know what their assigned chore was and I was always having to tell them every day. To solve the problem I took photographs of them doing each of the chores they do on a daily or weekly basis. Now, to assign chores I just set out their chore cards with their breakfast bowls. To make them wipeable, I laminated them. No more fusses over what jobs to do!

Inexpensive Bowling Set!!
Last year my son saw an ad on television for a 'frisbee bowling set' by one of the popular toy companys. I couldn't afford to buy it but with a little imagination came up with a great substitute. I took some empty two liter soda bottles (grandma had extra!) cleaned them out, and spray painted them white (had leftover paint from craft box). After they dried, we painted on numbers and silly faces (also with leftover paints). You can paint on whatever the child likes. Frisbees were no problem because we had a bunch. If you don't have one, garage sales sell them really cheap or even if you have to buy one, you can find one in a dollar store. My son and daughter had so much fun with their 'frisbee bowling' that they wanted it to be one of the games at their birthday parties!

Tear-free Toddler Hair Wash
Getting my two year old to hold his head back while shampooing his hair was next to impossible. Getting soap into his eyes was almost inevitable until I got a dry washcloth and had him put it over his eyes. Now when I dump the water it makes the washcloth wet but doesn't get into his eyes. Then we just use the washcloth for the rest of the bath!!

Jello To-go
I save my yogurt cups and extra plastic spoons from restaurants. I make the kids generic jello in the cups. Then when we go out the spoons and yogurt container can be thrown out (that way I don't have to keep track of my own containers/spoons or wash them).

No More Monsters
My son was waking up every night with 'bad dreams about monsters'. I purchased a spray bottle (cheap one) and put 'good dreams' (water) in the bottle. Every night my son sprays around his bed giving him 'good dreams' and he keeps the bottle by his bed. If he wakes up with a bad dream he just sprays the monster and it goes away. It has worked like a charm and now I get good dreams, too.

Yearly Scrapbooks
I have figured out a simple way to chronicle the emerging skills and personalities of my two-year old and four-year old. I purchased two expandable files that have 13 pouches, one pouch for each month and an extra for the child's birthday month. Throughout the month I put artwork, birthday invitations, ticket stubs, etc. into the pouches. At the end of the month, I fill out a record that describes favorite toys, bedtime routines, special visitors, quotable quotes, etc. At the end of the year, I will take the whole packet to Kinko's and have it bound for under five dollars. If you have access to a scanner or digital camera, you can also add photos to the yearly stories of your kids

Car Trip Entertainment
To entertain our children on long car rides I cut the backs of cereal boxes off the box, punch with a three hole punch and keep them in a notebook along with a pencil bag full of dry erase markers. This notebook is only taken on long car trips so it doesn't become a bore. As pages wear out, we just throw them away. This provides inexpensive entertainment that is easy to use in the car.

Birthday Party For Kids
Check out having a birthday party for your child at a local firestation. My nephew had his fourth birthday party at a firestation. They let us use their kitchen for a couple of hours in return for a donation to a local charity. It was great for the kids to meet the firemen, see the trucks and have a ball!

Fun Foods!
There are many holidays (Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Good Report Card Day, etc.) where a treat seems like a good idea, but you don't want to spend a lot of money on gifts. I enjoy making fun food for my family in these situations. A little food coloring and cookie cutters go a long way to make the special day festive. For St. Patrick's Day, make green french toast cut with shamrock cookie cutters and green 'slime' syrup and green milk. Shamrock shaped sandwiches, fresh veggies with green dip, and cookies can be a fun lunch! For Valentines Day, heart shaped meatloaf, heart shaped pizza, red syrup, etc. Ranch salad dressings turn a very pretty shade of pink and green for Easter. Be creative and make it a fun day for all!

Streching Your Diaper Dollars
I have two girls who are in diapers so I know how expensive diapers can get. My solution was to buy Luvs or similar generic version (not Huggies or other cloth like diapers) because they are cut wider so you can buy a smaller size. The smaller packs have more in them for the same price.

Mom I Want...
Like all kids, my children get a case of the 'gimmes' in the store. To help alleviate this without causing a scene in the store we have devised a solution. When one of the kids (from toddler on up) asks for something, we reply, 'Great! Put that on your Wish List!' They feel as if they have been heard, they have not been told no, (that causes the scenes especially in toddlers) and they feel in control. As the kids have gotten older, they truly do have a 'Wish List' that they keep on their bulletin boards. This is a great help at holidays and birthdays.

New Life For Old Markers
In working with kids I've discovered that felt-tip markers are one of the most expensive and short-lived art supplies. That has changed since I've discovered how to rejuvenate dried markers. You simply tape both ends of a two-foot piece of string to the end of the marker (not the tip) and spin it around in a circle in the air. Centrifugal force causes the ink in the end of the marker to flow to the tip extending the life of the marker considerably. This method can be used again and again with washable dry-erase, permanent, or any other kind of felt-tip marker.

The Best Baby Bibs
Make the best baby bibs out of dish towels. Take a dish towel and fold long ways. Starting at a little less than half way, cut 1/2 of a U-shaped curve from the fold toward the outer corner of the shorter end. Don't come any closer than two inches of the outer edge (edge that parallels the fold) but completely cut out the curved piece. This should leave two long strips approx. 2' wide, at the end of a towel. Use these to tie around baby's neck. Voila! You have instant bibs that are three times larger than those dinky ones you pay four to five dollars for. I've even purchased (on sale) new, 'non-kitchen looking' dish towels, cut and sewn the curved edge and given as baby shower gifts

Frugality Since Toddlerhood
Your kids are never too young to learn how to be frugal and live beneath their means. I've practiced this with my two year old since I hated the idea of him having shelves and boxes full of toys. Of all the toys he receives we keep just five or six good ones (meaning educational). We made four wooden shelves in which we organized them, along with his books, but stored two away. Every three months or so we rotate toys, getting out the two that were stored away and putting away another two. At first I was adamant about giving away the extra toys in order to keep so few; but it has worked like magic!!! He plays with everything every week and is learning how to live with just the necessary and make the best of what he's got.

Cheap and Easy Half an Hour Girl's Casual Dress
Get girl's shirts and color coordinating adult plain T-shirts (small for infants to extra extra large for older girls) at a thrift shop or from your own closets. Have child put shirt on and mark 1/2inch below waistline. Take off and cut straight across. Take in sides if shirt is too baggy (like sweatshirts) but leave some room to avoid having to add a back zipper. Lay T-shirt flat cut straight across slightly below underarm seams. Baste with strong thread or zig-zag over yarn on cut edge at 1/4in and pull string ends to gather skirt to match girl's shirt waistline. Sew 1/2in seam with right sides together and gathered fabric on top. Voila! Very comfy everyday and outdoor dresses (she can wear shorts underneath). Optional: decorate with iron-ons and/or fabric paint. Makes great gifts if finances are tight.

Poison Ivy Prevention
Here is another tip for putting that Fels Naptha soap to good use. Anytime you suspect you or your child may have been exposed to poison ivy bathe with a bar of Fels Naptha (the sooner the better) making sure not to miss any spots. Our family has been doing this since the 1960's and it really works if you bath soon enough!

Build Your Own Changing Table Cheap!
When I was expecting my son I had difficulty finding a sturdy inexpensive changing table so I built one. My husband and I found an oak workbench kit at the local hardware store (24.95). We put it together and placed a 1/4' layer of foam padding (three dollars close-out) purchased from a local fabric center. Over the foam I placed a rubber backed fabric (two dollars on sale) and stapled it in place under the top of the bench. The result is wonderful. It has more room on top than your average changing station. Also there are two shelves for extra diapers, wipes, baby tub, etc. The bench is sturdy and large enough to use under the tub too. All this for under $30.00 and the best part, when our son outgrows the changing table we can use the bench in the shop.

Round Sandbox
When we moved from an apartment to a house I wanted to get a sandbox for my kids but we didn't want to spend a lot of money. My husband went to a tire dealer, and asked if they would give him an old tractor tire. (They had several that were discarded when farmers purchased new ones.) We then purchased a scoopful of sand (from a front-end loader) at a seed store for ten dollars. My kids love their 'round sandbox' and are the envy of their cousins!

Potty Training Tshirts
When my son was going through his potty training he always managed to get his onsie t-shirt wet because the bottom flap would fall into his potty. At the time we couldn't afford new t-shirts so I cut off the bottom flap of his onsie and soon he had good old regular t-shirts that remained dry during his potty trips. An added plus is that I don't have to accompany him every time since there are no snaps to deal with.

A Glass Full of Juice Helps the Medicine go Down!
Here's a helpful 'trick' for those of you who have tried to convince your child to take his/her medicine. I've found that my three year old daughter is opposed to any kind of cough medicine regardless of how much she's bothered by her cough. In desperation my husband and I decided to just pour the recommended dosage (1/2 tsp. or whatever) into a half a glass of 100 percent juice. The fruity flavored syrups or medicines are easily disguised by the fruity flavors of juice. (Of course, you will want to prepare this mixture without your child's knowledge). This way, our daughter gets her much needed medicine and benefits from the nutritious juice she's drinking, too! (Please check with your doctor before mixing medicines with anything.)

Slumber Party Fun Favors
Little girls love playing beauty salon but often the play beauty products are expensive and harsh to sensitive skin. We combat this problem by saving the sample soaps, hand creams and beauty products from hotels from my husbands business trips. In no time we have quite a selection! Add a little ribbon bow and gather a few samples in tulle from the fabric store ( a yard is less than a dollar and ties four beauty packs together). Hand out the mirrors and cotton balls and the girls will giggle for hours! 

Fun Baths For Cheap
This is a great idea for your kids bath especially if you have little kids who may be sensitive to bubble bath. Just a little food coloring to the water and presto! Green, blue or whatever color you want. It doesn't stick to the kids and they love it. If you do add bubbles it will color the bubbles, too. You can use it as a teaching tool too, by showing kids how colors are created when two or more are mixed together. Have fun. My boy loves purple water!!

Marshcream Cone

 I stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone or a regular marshmallow in a cup cone to prevent ice cream drips.

Start a 'Craft Time Box'
Kids absolutely love using their creativity. Find a large box (or a couple of smaller ones if you are more of the organizing type) and start tossing in items you'd normally throw away. Things like shiny Christmas paper, toilet paper rolls, concentrated orange juice cans and tops, elastics, buttons, tin foil, Styrofoam etc... We might think it's trash but to kids it's materials to make the next great masterpiece. You may wish to top it up with other things like pipe cleaners, pom pom balls, sparkles etc... which you can buy in bulk in the sewing section of you neighborhood Walmart etc... As far as I'm concerned this collection of goodies beats any toys you could buy in a store. Plus you'll find yourself recycling a lot more than you used to do.

No More Highchairs
Having twins and a small kitchen, the search for an alternative seating system for mealtimes was a must. Portable highchair seats that breakdown into three to four pieces were the best investment; under 20 dollars a piece. They attach to any kitchen chair and they break down to be put in the dishwasher! Two tips: 1) put a large beach towel or old sheet over the chair seat and back before attaching the highchair. 2)for quick clean-ups, detach the chair and hose it down outside after spraying it with a surface cleaner

Picture This
My husband and I have a three month old son and we delight in taking pictures of him. Given the high cost of film and developing we have found a great solution. There are many web sites (snapfish.com, photoworks.com, ofoto.com) that will develop your pictures, put them online, and mail you the prints for a very reasonable fee. (Snapfish only charges for shipping--yep, the developing's free). They also mail you a replacement roll of film. You can edit your pictures and make online photo albums to email to friends and relatives. Great for out-of-town grandparents! Save on film, postage, reprints, developing--and you don't have to leave the house.

Thrifty Mancala
My daughter loves to play Mancala but we are on a strict budget. I made her a set for free using an egg carton and 48 small rocks from her collection. For the spaces on the end she either makes a pile on the floor or uses margarine tubs set on either side of the egg carton. Perhaps 'Santa' will get her a real one but this works fine in the meantime.

Fun Way to Save on Toothpaste
If your kids squeeze too much toothpaste on their toothbrush leaving residual toothpaste blotches on the basin, here's a fun tip: attach a cake decorating tool where the cap goes. Pick a slender gapped hole, and kids will love the design it makes when squirting. You will love not buying toothpaste so often!

Making Cloth Diapers More Convenient
Using cloth diapers can be a real pain when you're a busy Mom with several other kids to attend to. So how can we make them as convenient as those pricey disposable diapers? Snaps! By placing snaps (or buttons) on the edges instead of having to use diaper pins makes them just as quick to change (and safer too). Want more convenience? Toss soiled diapers into washer after rinsing throughout the day. At day's end wash and dry and you're ready for another day.

Shoelaces
Kids constantly get behemoth knots in tennis shoes. I never heard of double bowing shoes until I moved to Michigan. It was a great way to keep the shoelaces tied but it caused huge knots. So all I do is carry a small fork in your purse or in your car and use the tines to wedge free the knotted mess. No more spending extra money replacing knotted shoelaces!

Bubble Bath
My kids love bubble baths but the products I purchased seem to cause them irritation. Baby Magic's regular liquid bath soap makes wonderful bubbles and doesn't irritate tender skin. Other baby soaps don't bubble as well!

Pretty Closet Covering
My kids closet doors kept coming out so I removed the heavy wooden doors and replaced it with a shower tension rod and a pretty shower curtain. Now I don't worry about the doors smashing their toes or have the aggravation of constantly trying to put the doors back on the sliders. Besides the safety, the curtains add a nice touch!

Layaway
My son wanted a game cartridge for his Gameboy. He recently started getting an allowance so I told him about doing a layaway plan. He paid each week and when the balance was paid in full the game became his. He was so excited that he wants to do it again! Also he did price comparisons and layaway terms at two different stores and was able to determine which was right for him. The store he picked didn't charge him any extra fees and the game was $5.00 less.

Fix Frayed Shoelaces
When children's shoelaces are so frayed that you can't get them in the eyelet (hole) simply trim frayed ends off, dampen the ends about 1/4' and twist. Wrap Scotch (type) tape tightly and let set overnight. Carefully unwrap the tape. Ends should still be fairly tight. You can then glue with a super type glue. If you're in a real hurry just trimming and taping will allow you to get the lace through the hole.

Children's Party Favors
Instead of purchasing several party favors to fill the favor bags for each guest at a child's birthday party, just get a few durable ones and a big bag of wrapped candy and put it all in a homemade pinata. Pinatas can be made from inexpensive recycled cardboard and masking tape for the framework newspaper, flour and water for the papier mache and then paint them. I do them to coordinate with the party theme. It serves as favors, decoration and a party game all in one. This also works great when you're not sure how many kids will come and don't know how many favor bags to prepare.

Publix Free Baby Club
Publix Supermarket offers a free baby club to parents of children 24 months and younger. You will receive a very nice book on baby development, a bimonthly newsletter and lots of coupons. I received over 20.00 in free merchandise from the first mailing, and then cents off coupons in the following mailings. This club is well worth the time it takes to fill out a short form and mail it in.

Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables
You kids don't like vegetables? Don't despair. Smoothies are the answer! What kid doesn't like smoothies? Just put juice fruit and raw or cooked veggies in the blender and your kids will get a big boost of vitamins and love every bit of it. Kale broccoli, cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes are highly nutritious. Examples: 1 c. orange juice, 1 banana, 6 strawberries, handful of kale -or- 1 c. apple juice, 1 peach, 1 apricot, 1 carrot or 1/2 sweet potato and 1 handful kale. Note: Frozen fruit makes smoothies thick and creamy.

No More Drips!
Summer had arrived as did our first supply of 'fudgecicles' - those dreamy chocolate treats. To avoid the laundry hassle of yummy chocolate drips I devised a quick, simple solution with a 5 oz. 'Dixie' cup and a pair of scissors. Take the cup and cut it down the side until you reach about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from it's bottom. Trim around the circumference of the cup until you have only the 1/4 to 1/2 portion of the cup in your hand. Using the tip of your scissors, make a tiny slit in the cup's bottom. Insert the stick of your 'treat' into the slit and you've got yourself a 'drip catcher.' This has worked wonderfully for us. The kids can even sip their drips after their frozen treat is long gone. It has saved me tons of time pretreating laundry and more time enjoying the fun of summer.

Mud Pie Mix
After watching how much fun my kids had making mud pies I thought of a neat summer gift idea. I filled a quart-sized ziploc bag with dirt and placed it inside an empty cake mix box. I resealed the box and altered the instructions to say 'just add water' and 'bake in the sun'. To round out the cooking kit I added a pie pan, mini mixing bowl, and spoon from Goodwill and wrapped it all in an old apron.

Let Sleeping Babies Lie
When our kids were babies they would often fall asleep on my shoulder only to wake up the minute I put them in the crib. I started laying them down with the burp cloth from my shoulder under their head. Since it was already warm from our body heat, they didn't wake up from laying on a cold sheet.

Dress up Clothes
If your daughter loves to play dress up Grandma's old slips camisoles, shoes, scarves and sweaters are a great start. For dressier tastes, thrift shops are a great and cheap place to find bridesmaids gowns, hats, nightgowns, shoes, purses, scarves, gloves and dresses. Estate sales are also another good place to look. No need to spend so much money on those dress up clothes from Ltd. or toy departments. And for storage, use a big, old suitcase.

Extend Life of Diaper Rash Cream
To extend the life our your diaper cream like Desitin mix it half and half with Vaseline. Not only will it wipe off easier, but it will protect your baby's bottom better. Not to mention, at $4 or more a tube, this gives your pocket book a break.
Pacifiers
When my oldest daughter was about 14 months old we told her that her pacifier was just a 'crib toy' now -- she could use it all she wanted in her crib but when she got up in the morning, her 'binky' had to stay in the crib. Within a day or two she had abandoned the pacifier all together.

Diaper Discounts
Eckerd's run coupons nearly every week for diapers for 5.00 off two packs any brand or 4.00 off Huggies or Pampers (limit 2 offers per coupon). The price is so high to begin with that you're not saving much. I just found out that Wal Mart and K-mart will honor Eckerd's coupons. I tried it and it worked. Big savings.

Forget the Daper Genie
Before our baby was born we had purchased a 'Diaper Genie' (25) and many refill packs (5 each on sale) to dispose of soiled diapers conveniently. Well our baby is 14 months old and we've still not used the gadget, because we have found that we can simply tie up the dirty diaper in a plastic grocery bag and throw it away. It's the most convenient way for a new mom to recycle those bags, and I never seem to run out of them, since I accumulate so many more each week.

Toys in Bathtub
I use a pantyhose laundry bag to put my kids' toys in after taking a bath. Not only does it drain out the water great my kids enjoy cleaning up the toys.

Toys & Books
When you have too many toys and books at your home but don't want to part with them by giving them to charity why not clean through them and take some to Grandma and Grandpa's house? That way there's less clutter at your home and the kids have some fun things to look forward to playing with at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Also, Grandma and Grandpa don't need to go and buy stuff for the kids to play with at their home.

Baby Wipes
When my children were babies I found baby wipes to be too costly given the amount of diaper changes they went through! Instead I took a couple of my cloth diapers and cut them in four. I kept a small plastic container full of water and a few drops of baby soap with the cut up diapers soaking in it. When it came time to change my baby I had a cleanfresh, and cheaper way of doing it. I changed the water a couple of times a day. Don't worry about the water being cold on your baby's bottom... room temperature is warm compared to commercial wipes!

Puzzle Bags
I find that the boxes to my kids puzzles always get cracked and broken and then all the pieces fall out. I solved the problem by using large size(gallon) Ziploc or Slidelock bags. I cut out the top of the puzzle box and it slides right into the bag. Add all the pieces and even the kids can put them away when they are done. That way no more missing puzzle pieces and they are always fun to play with.

Winter Coat Buying Ordeal Ended
Two years in a row (7th & 8th grade) our annual winter coat buying adventure ended up the same way: My daughter dying for a particular coat, me buying it and then her never wearing it for one reason or another. I decided not again, so I came up with this idea:. The next year she had to buy the coat herself with her own money out of her savings. At the end of the school year if she wore the coat to my satisfaction, took care of it like she should and we didn't have to argue about wearing it, then and only then I would put back into her savings the money she paid for it plus interest she would have made if the money was never touched. Worked great!

Dress-up For Girls
Girls love dress-up. Dress-up clothes in stores are expensive and poorly made. Also stores don't provide small dress-up clothes for young toddlers. I make fancy dresses for my daughters by taking a worn or odd color dress slip and I sew elastic straps on it. The dresses are easy to put on look like fancy evening gowns. They are my daughters' favorites!

Save on Kids Gifts
Buy multiples of a gift that is suitable for girls or boys (blocks, puppets, bath toys, books, etc.) of your child's age. We will be attending parties for 6 kids this year that will all be the same age. Buy them all at once and ask the manager for a discount. Wrap them at once and you will be ready for the parties! Some stores wrap free! Make cards on the computer to save even more. We have had a standard gift for one, two, and three year olds that saves us shopping time and stops the gimmies when your child goes to toy stores.

Monthly Expense Budget
Three years ago at ages 10 and 13 our children began receiving a monthly clothing allowance. When it became 'their' money, they really understood how waiting for sales, questioning what they wanted vs. what they needed, and shopping at thrift stores could stretch their dollars creatively. This year, we sat down with them and took it a step further figuring out their yearly expenses in all categories: school, lunches, sports, camps, dances, etc., divided that number by 12, and give that to them on a monthly basis. They have an envelope for each expense and are learning to plan, budget, borrow from one enevelope and pay themselves back the next month. They really like the 'freedom' and I really like the responsibility and planning they are learning!

Your Own 'Diaper Genie'
We subscribe to the local daily paper. Instead of buying a 'diaper genie' we use the plastic bags the newspapers come in. On rainy days they are double wrapped so we always have plenty. Also you can use plastic grocery bags for this.

Treasure Box
To keep my kids from leaving there stuff all over the house I made Mom's Treasure Box. Take a 20 gal. Rubbermaid tote w/lid. Put it in a room where they see it everyday. Each night I when I pick up the house anything that belongs to the kids goes into the box. (Shoes, toys, homework etc.) To get the items out they could buy them for .25 cents, do a chore, or wait for the 5th of each month when the box would be cleaned out and sent to the garage or church. A lot of the time my 13 year old would not realize it until the morning when it was to late to do anything to get her homework or shoes back. (Call the school when it comes to homework.)

Squeeze Bottle For Prevention
I have used a sports bottle or water bottle with the top that you press down to close since my babies were going from bottle to cup. It saves a lot of spills in the car while travelling/running errands as you can fill and they can open and close themselves.

Easiest Basketball Net
Don't throw away your onion mesh bags. You can make a kids basketball net out of it. You will also need a wire hanger and some glue. Take the hanger and twist it to form a hoop at one end. Leave a small piece of the wire at the other end free. Cut out the upper and lower ends of the mesh bag (big enough for the basketball or any ball that the kids will be using to pass through) and attach one end of the mesh bag to the hoop (and stick it there) and let the other end dangle down. Make a circle at the other end of the hanger and hang it in a secure place (such as kids room doorknob) firmly. Now the kids can hoop the ball through the net and enjoy.

How to Stop the Pacifier Addiction!
If your child is too old for the pacifier but is extremely attached to it you can leave the decision to 'quit' in their hands by cutting off a bit of the pacifier each week (or whatever increment of time you decide) until there is nothing left for the child to suck on. (Be very careful to remove every bit of material that has been severed to avoid a choking hazzard.) My 2-year-old son decided on the first day I gave him the pacifier with the tip cut off, that it was 'yucky' and did not want it anymore after that. He made the decision himself, and he chose to snuggle up with his blanket instead!

Getting Your Toddler Off the Bottle
Every child loves the Easter Bunny!! Get out the Easter Basket that you will be filling for Easter and place all your toddlers baby bottles in it. Tell your child that the Easter Bunny needs the baby bottles for all her little baby bunnies. Tell your child that the Bunny will leave him/her some candy in the basket, for helping her feed her baby bunnies. The child will be so excited!! Let him/her help you place the bottles in the basket and tell him/her how wonderful they are to be sharing and helping the Easter Bunny. Bet that 'bottle ' will be gone forever!! It sure worked for me!!
Books From the Library
To save time and to ensure you are getting good books: If your library is on line you can request books to be placed on hold. Then when you and your little ones go to the library you have books ready for pick up and the little ones can choose some of their own. You save time and eliminate stress because you are not trying to make selections while chasing after little ones.

Smock Tops
Most dad's have old button up dress shirts that they no longer use. Roll up the sleeves put the shirt on the child backwards and you have a perfect inexpensive smock top.

Toddlers and Teeth Brushing
I found great success on showing our toddler how to brush her teeth by taping pictures of other kids brushing their teeth on the mirror in our bathroom. When she sees other kids doing this she wants to mimic the idea. Picture like this are available in magazines.

Baby Savings
When I found out I was pregnant for the second time I went to all sorts of baby web sites to register for coupons. The sites I had the most luck with were: http://www.gerber.com; http://www.huggies.com; and http://www.pampers.com. I also sent in the card that I received with the complimentary can of formulas. Once I got on their mailing lists the coupons kept coming!

Dirty Diaper Bags on the Go
A while back in the Cheapskate Monthly newsletter I read about an ingenious way to store all of those plastic grocery bags that we all come home with-- in the used cardboard tubes from paper towels. I also found that the smaller version used toilet paper rolls, are a perfect, compact way to store the same plastic grocery bags in a diaper bag. Two fit per roll, which is enough to put dirty diapers in one, and soiled clothes in the other, if needed.

To Dreamland in School Clothes!
One of my grandchildren went thru a horrible spell of being impossible to dress for daycare in the morning. My daughter finally hit on a great solution: She gave him his evening bath then dressed him in his clean undies and little turtleneck and sweatpants set and put him to bed dressed for daycare. In the morning after breakfast (in a bib you can bet) only socks and shoes had to be struggled with. This 'won't put my clothes on' spell only lasted a while, but sleeping in school clothes for a couple of weeks sure eased the morning fights!

Diaper Rash Cream
For the best diaper rash relief ever take a good sized glob of vaseline and drop it into a container you can mix in. Slowly add liquid antacid stirring well. A stick type mixer is great if you have one, but hand mixing works too. Add as much antacid as you can without making the concoction too runny. I work in a neonatal icu, and we make this for our babies. The antacid neutralizes the acid that causes the rash, and the vaseline provides a barrier.

Usaa First Start Growth Fund
I recently started my daughters a USAA First Start Growth Fund for only 20 dollars a month. The girls each receive information on their recognizable stocks and their own portfolio. By using the calculators on Cheapskate Online they could easily see what such investing could do if they would consistently invest and leave the money alone.

Stinky Sneakers?
Here's a solution for stinky sneakers. Wrap them in two or three plastic grocery bags one after the other making sure to seal each one. Then, just stick them in your freezer. Yes, your freezer. The layers of plastic will keep the stinch out of your food. Leave them in over night. The next day, just remove shoes from freezer and take them out of the bags. When they thaw out, they will not stink. The low temperatures kill the germs that cause the odor.

Instant School/work Lunch
I make batches of sandwiches and baked goods once a week and store them in the freezer. I stock the fridge with pre-cut veggies, tiny containers of dip, a selection of fruits, pre-bagged crackers with separately wrapped cheese. The cupbard has pre-bagged (that we make from bulk supplies) bags of pretzels, chips or trailmix. In the morning the hubby and kids only have to grab and go! The making of these time savers is done on Sunday as a family affair and we all love it! Now the mornings are more hassle free and happier times. 

New Life For Old Receiving Blankets
After your youngest is past baby age what do you do with all the receiving blankets you collected? I made a pillow case for his travel-size pillow and am working on an easy quilt. (Most receiving blankets are a standard size so you don't have to measure.) For the pillow case, fold short side to short side, then stitch one short side and one long side. For the quilt, how many you stitch together depends on what size flat sheet you will use. Stitch the blankets together, keeping all the seams on the same side. Then sew edges of blanket-quilt to an old sheet and tack insides with a few pieces of yarn or colored thread. Voila! A quilt and a pillow case for a big kid!

Carrot Pancakes
To get my kids to eat the carrots they turn their little noses up at I cut up and cook 2-3 carrots with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (to disguise the smell) and let them cool some. Blend them up with the liquid they're cooked in (to retain all the vitamins) and the liquid called for in the recipe, minus about a half cup. Blend until they're like applesauce, and add them to your pancake or waffle batter.

Bathtub Paints
This is an easy and fun way to get your child to take a bath. Take some shave cream (I use the sensitive skin type) and put some in each compartment of a cupcake baking tin. Add a bit of food coloring to each compartment (different colors) and stir. Use paint brushs sponges or fingers. Your kids will love taking a bath and 'painting' the tub and themselves. The nice part is when they are done, just wash them down when you rinse out the tub

  Rainy Day Sandbox
My preschooler misses his sandbox on rainy days and winter time so I decided to bring the 'sand' box inside. I purchased a storage type container (like the 'underbed' kind) with a lid. You can find these for about 3.00 or less at the dollar stores. Then I purchased a large bag of uncooked rice (at Aldi's or Sam's club) which cost 2.97 for 5 pounds. I poured it the storage container along with funnels, measuring cups, gloves (for filling) or any 'sandbox' toys and watch the fun begin! This is great for when you are trying to cook dinner and your child wants to be in the kitchen with you. Easy cleanup too, any 'sand' gets on the floor, just sweep it up.

Need Paper?
If you have kids then you know how much they love to make pictures on the computer and print them out. All that paper waste is enough to drive you crazy! But have you ever looked at all those letters you throw away because the format isn't right? How about your workplace? Do they throw away more memos and blotched copies than you can shake a stick at? Well just turn them over and presto! You have Great paper for your kids (or even your rough-drafts).

Potty Training Toys
My granddaughter is in the midst of potty training but she wouldn't stay settled on the potty chair long enough to 'do her business'. To keep her entertained I collected an assortment of beauty treasures - an empty Altoids mints tin (a great compact!), large, soft makeup brushes from those department store collections we never use, and assorted shaped makeup sponges. I keep them in a quart sized ziplock bag, on a shelf she can reach in the bathroom. She loves to sit and look at herself in her 'compact', pretend to put on makeup, and applaud for herself.

Homemade Jello Cups
I have a friend whose mom makes her Jello cups out of store brand gelatin. She makes the Jello according to the directions then fills little Tupperware cups with it and lets it chill. It is much cheaper than brand name Jello cups, and you have a choice of flavors. Also, you can layer it or let the children make it. Gummy bears nestled into the cooling Jello are fun, too.

Best Diaper Cream
I am a daycare provider and use a diaper cream when the babies need it. My mother told me 17-years ago that zinc oxide cream is the best buy, lasts forever and does the best job. I took her advice with the two babies of my own and I cannot count how many others' babies I have used it on -- it works! I have a hard time finding it and finally found it at Eckerd Drugs for $4.99 and since it lasts so long I thought I had a buy. I found the same product for $1.50 at the Dollar General Store and was so excited. Wow, a $3.50 saving.

Cheap Baby Wipes
Baby wipes can be so expensive, so I started to make my own. I bought a lettuce crisper from the dollar store to use as a container but any container the same size will work. Then take a roll of quality paper towels and saw it in half so it looks like a roll of toilet paper. In the container mix 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons creamy baby oil, and 1 tablespoon baby wash. Insert the paper towels in the mixture. When the water is absorbed the cardboard tube comes right out. If the wipes are too dry, just add more water. The homemade version cleans baby's bottom better, causes fewer irritations on their skin, last much longer than store bought wipes, and are much more economical.

Cassette Box Blocks
If you are like my family, you have a lot of those clear boxes that cassettes are supposed to go in when you are not listening to them. I hated to just toss them, so I decided to make blocks. I had some contact paper and I covered each one (takes very little time, I did it while my girls were eating breakfast). Kids can decorate with stickers, let your imaginations go!

Dripless Ice Cream Cones
When serving your child an ice cream cone, put one or two small marshmallows inside the cone before putting the ice cream in the cone. This keeps the ice cream from melting through the cone. It also adds a little sweet surprise when they are finishing their ice cream cone.

Deco Wrap
A great way to save money on wrapping paper is to have your kids use freezer paper (shiny side in) to wrap gifts. Its heavy duty and looks great with markers, stickers, crayons, etc. Great for Christmas presents!!

Kids Keeping Up With Money
Our son, age 11, uses a check transaction register from our checking account to keep up with his salary. It has a calendar on the back of it so when he gets paid or spends money, gives money to church, puts money in his savings account or CD, he then knows what the date is. In the "description of transaction column" he writes down what he did with his money. He is learning about checking while also keeping a good spending record. He carries the register in his back pocket along with his wallet.

Fix Slippery Socks
If you have hardwood, or slippery floors, use fabric paint on the bottoms of your kids socks to give them extra "traction". This is especially helpful when babies grow into toddlers and their balance isn't the best. Ironically, it's just when they start walking that they stop making toddler socks with rubberized decorations on the bottoms. I usually use wavy lines for the best traction, but decorating the socks can be fun, too.

Get Rid of Athlete's Foot
If your child has athlete's foot, here's a remedy that works! Place the shoes in a freezer bag and put it in the freezer for 24 hours. Do this for all the shoes (alternating, of course); change socks frequently and athlete's foot will be gone in no time! (Please thaw out shoes before wearing.)

Pancakes-n-Kids
Use a pizza cutter to quickly cut up pancakes or French toast for kids. Goes much quicker than the fork-and-knife method and older kids can do it themselves. I ran a day-care for a while and this saved me time on the 'breakfast orders'.

Baby Wipes
I ran out of baby wipes one day and all I had on hand was a box of Kleenex Cold Care. I got a couple of them wet and they felt just like silk (so unbelievably soft) and did not tear like toilet paper and worked just as well as baby wipes. Try it!!!!

  What Did You Bring Me?
Every time I return home, my young son greets me at the door wanting to know what treat I brought home for him! To refocus his innocent inquiry without deflating his spirit, (when empty-handed) I simply say, today "I brought a hug (or kiss), just for you!" So far, it has satisfied his question while giving him what he truly wants, my attention.

Savings Account!
I have a bank account, I'm 12 years old. :) My dad has been teaching me how to save and withdraw. (I rarely withdraw, if I do my money is back in the bank within a month) He taught me to tithe. I tithe FIRST, then I put another 10% in the bank! By the time I'm 16 or 18 I will be able to buy a car, insurance, and license!

The Costume Box
It seems as if one of my 4 kids is always needing a costume for a play, Spirit Week, or a party. I started saving old glasses with the lenses popped out, unusual clothing that I would find at garage sales for a quarter, and old hats and canes at auctions. Now, when a skit comes our way, we don't panic at having to purchase an expensive costume. I just send them to the big plastic storage bin, and it is amazing what characters emerge.

Puzzle Pieces
To keep track of puzzles, number the back of each piece. This works especially well with the wooden board puzzles. I would put a number (i.e., 1, 2, etc.) on the bottom of the puzzle, then put the same number on each piece of that puzzle. That way, when the kids got all of the puzzles out and mixed up, they were easy to sort. I would put the #1 puzzle with the #1 pieces and then the kids could put them together.

Kid "Stuff"
As a craft project to do together with children, you can cover a box with a lid, e.g., copier paper box, with white paper or contact paper. Collect all kinds of things -- pictures from magazines, stickers, photographs, use crayons, markers, and paints. Then with scissors and glue as needed, let them personalize their "stuff" box. Whenever they have pictures, papers or other "stuff" they want to keep, it has to go into the "stuff" box. When the "stuff" box gets too full for any more, they must go through it and make room for the new "stuff" Keeps their space less cluttered and teaches responsibility without their accomplishments becoming "that mess in the corner."

Eating Out With Kids
Instead of placing your child's food order with yours, order it first so it comes out earlier than the rest of the food. This way, the child isn't fussy because of hunger AND mom and dad might get to eat a hot meal! Also, if your little one doesn't eat much, just order a side dish of macaroni and cheese. It costs less and there's no waste.

Drinking Water
This can be started young. To get your children to drink more water, save soda pop cans and refill them with water or fruit juice. Children love to drink out of cans. They do not care what is in them.

Well Earned Money
My six year old son was starting the first grade and I wanted him to stay ahead of his class so I put him on a "I earn my toy money program". He has lots of learning disks for the computer that will allow you to print out a certificate when he completes a certain # of problems. So for every certificate he gives us, we give him a dollar. He thinks he is just having fun but he is also learning a great deal!!

Capture Those Memories & Save Room
Kids love to bring home those little creations they made in school and it's usually on that big butcher paper. Instead of putting that into your album/scrapbook, take a picture of your little darling holding the creation. That way you have captured the moment and the creation. Put the picture into your album. You are then able to put a lot of creations on one page. This helps to build your child's self-esteem.

Kicking the Pacifier Habit
To get a toddler to give up the pacifier try this. Take the pacifier and cut off the very tip of the rubber nipple. It will no longer hold air and will go flat when they suck on it. Some may keep on going so every so often cut a little more and a little more, etc. Eventually there is no more to suck on and they give up.

Curb the "I WANNA'S" at the Store.
We have found two effective ways to cure the "I want this or that" while out shopping. From the beginning we have only bought our three children toys at Christmas and birthdays. They automatically know that when we look at toys we will be doing just that. We have no fights when leaving and it helps the budget. We also have given up cable television and switched their viewing to the educational stations with no commercials. Besides saving on cable, the kids are not bombarded with advertisements for toys or convenience foods they think they need to have. It makes grocery shopping much easier.

Add Another Season to a Jacket or Pants
If a long-sleeved jacket or pair of pants become to short, but still fit your child, add another season to them with a pair of socks! Save the cuffs off socks when the feet wear out. Fold the cuff in half (wrong sides together) and sew it to the end of the leg or sleeve. That will add a good three inches to the length of the garment!

Kid's Birthday Party Savings
We didn't realize how much money we spent on items for our childrens' birthdays until we were on a budget. Money savings ideas: Make your own cake and either let your child pick out a candy cake decoration or try your talents with some frosting and food coloring. Instead of themed paper plates etc. we let the children pick out solid colors to match their cake. I wasn't sure this would go over but my 6-year-old thought it was just great to pick out bright colored cups etc. and we were thrilled at the savings!

Kid's Christmas Gifts
We have 3 boys and are on a budget. We learned an easy way to cut down on the Christmas toy hype and at the same time teach our children about the bible and thankfulness. We give each of our children 3 gifts for Christmas as Jesus received the 3 gifts from the wise men. The kids now don't have unrealistic expectations, nobody thinks the other received more gifts so there's no hurt feelings. It's an opportunity to remember and teach what Christmas is all about and we don't get all stressed out with high bills.

No More Drippy Popsicles
Whenever my kids ate popsicles they got cold sticky hands. Now we take yogurt lids, Pringles lids or small margarine lids, cut a small slit in the middle and place them upside down on the stick so any juice can collect and stay within the rims of the lid.

Diaper Rash
My mom passed on this recipe and I swear I never used anything else on my kids! (My husband even swears by it in the summer!) Toast regular flour (dry) in a skillet (preferably cast iron) on low heat, stirring frequently until it is the color of dark brown sugar. Let it cool and store in a dry container, baggie or empty talcum powder container. Use this when your child develops diaper rash instead of diaper rash creams or talcum powder.

Save Knees During Bath Time
Our toddler loves bath time but my knees just couldn't hack it on the hard floor every night. So I pulled out the foam kneeling pad that I use outside for pulling weeds/gardening and it has rejuvenated those ol' knees. I recently came across these kneeling pads at a dollar/discount store. They also have a handy cut out handle for quick put away.

Baby Wipe Boxes
Not wanting to throw out the baby wipe boxes when they were emptied, I found a great way to recycle them. I use them for my two-year-old's little toys that seem to get lost at the bottom of her toybox. I label each one for puzzle pieces, shapes, blocks, letters and numbers, little dishes, etc. You may even put a picture of the item on the outside of the box so your toddler can help at pick up time.

Craft Shadowbox
Shadowboxes are very fun projects for creative kids. I found that the boxes that my checks are mailed to me in make great shadowboxes that are easy to create and not to big to store!
Kids' Checking Accounts
As our children entered the teen years, we noticed an increase in their requests for clothing that was expensive and sometimes trendy. It was a constant struggle to try to decide if this was something they really "needed" or just "wanted". So, the year before each of our children started high school, my husband and I had $25 held out of his paycheck each week for each child and put automatically into our credit union savings account. Then I went to the bank with each of them and had them open up a checking account in both of our names. They were given $600 in their checking accounts which could only be spent on clothing for the entire year. We taught them how to write a check and balance their monthly statements. This gave them a sense of freedom and independence and no more haggling over clothing purchases!

Rainy Day Project
Don't throw out all your old magazines. Any kind will work. Go to your local craft store (Jo-Ann's I know has them) and buy some magnet sheets. They have magnet on one side and sticky stuff on the other. You and the kids cut out various pictures that the kids like. Anything from Barney to Sesame Street to cool cute pics. You can even do family members too that live away from you so they will know who they are. Arrange the pics on the magnet sheet and cut. Whala, you have cheap, magnets that are safe for your kids to play with on any magnetic surface. And...it's a great way to learn.

Diaper Rash Guard
Crisco is a great wetness barrier for babies, especially those in cloth diapers. Keeps skin soft and protects from diaper rash.

Teaching Kids Toy Responsibility
After threatening to throw my children's toys away if they did not pick them up and knowing I would not do that I felt guilty so I created the Mommy Bag (TM) which is a large fabric bag with a tie but you could use a pillow case. If my children do not pick up their toys by the end of the night or they are fighting over a toy I give one warning before it goes into the Mommy Bag (TM). It has greatly eased my stress at home and kept the toys picked up.

Cheap Popsicles
My kids eat popsicles every day in the summer and buying them can get very expensive. I bought plastic popsicle "makers" at a discount store and fill them with the juice left over from canned fruit cocktail or peaches. (I buy the kind packed in pear juice, not heavy syrup). I even add a few chunks of fruit as a surprise. The kids love it and I am using the juice that I would have just poured down the drain!

Car Safety
I taught my 2-year-old daughter that when I take her out of the car, to stand with her back against the door so that she won't run into the street. She thinks it's a game and it's very safe too until you are ready to take their hand.

Diaper Wipes
To minimize trash, I make a solution of 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp. baby oil and 1 Tbsp. baby shampoo. For the wipes, I purchase a couple of packages of HandiWipes. I cut each one in fourths and use an old baby wipe container. After using the wipe, I toss it in my diaper pail and wash it with my cloth diapers.

Kids Audio Tapes
Local public libraries often have a broad selection of kids audio cassette tapes, but kids' tapes are often short, causing me to have to keep changing the tapes to keep my kids amused. So I bring home a larger selection of tapes, and record those same tapes onto a 60 or 90 minute tape. The tapes have more variety, and gives the kids longer listening time. Great for home, car use, or inexpensive gifts to share with other kids/parents.

Baby Wipes
Cut ordinary store bought baby wipes in half for prolonged use. They last up to three times longer. Great for tiny newborn bottoms.

Quiet Toy for Baby
Purchase several colorful elastic "coiled" type key chain holders that will fit on your wrist. Make sure you remove the ring that holds the keys. When in church (or other places you want your baby to play quietly), slip several of these elastic key chain bracelets on your wrists and let baby pull and snap away. They are soft and will not harm you or your baby and they are fascinated for a long time pulling on them. It works wonderfully with my great niece.

Energy Smart Kids
Several years ago, I was raising three young sons in Montana. Winter power bills were huge. I decided I would rather pay my sons than pay the power company all that money so I set up a conservation program. Each year by using the month of May as a baseline, the boys could split the savings. They could hang laundry on the line outside, turn off lights, save on dishes especially glasses, and conserve hot water. They learned energy conservation, learned about bills and got a nice wad of cash through the summer months. Parents are often looking for ways for kids to earn a little money.

Bottle Breaking
To break your baby from the bottle put powdered milk or buttermilk in the bottle or use koolaid without the sugar added, then use the milk or koolaid with sugar added that he/she is use to drinking in the sipper cup. Offer both to the baby and he or she will soon choose the sipper cup without any fuss.

Inexpensive Baby Wipes
One roll of white paper towels (Bounty is best), cut in half so you have two small rolls. 2 and 1/2 cups hot water, 2 tsp. baby shampoo, 1 tsp. baby oil or lotion. Dissolve the shampoo and baby oil/lotion in hot water. Place one of the half rolls of paper towel into an old baby wipe container, pour water mixture over towel roll and cover with lid. Once water mix. is absorbed, the cardboard roll in center should slide right out. These work excellent for quick hand/face cleanups!

Teens & Money
Several years ago, I chose to give my kids an allowance of spending money based on something my father did for years with my mom. I give them one dollar for every year of life, plus a buck (just cuz). My father did this with mom for every year they were married. In other words, my 13-year old gets $14. Enough for a movie, or a CD or a top. Not enough to get into too much trouble, and enough to save towards something bigger. We still negotiate clothes cash, and school supplies/costs. They like it, and it is easy to remember

Progressive Dinner
Our kids enjoy the summer reading program at our library. As prizes each week we often get coupons for free food from fast food restaurants and ice cream places, etc. We save these coupons and then plan an adventure. Redeeming each coupon for the food item and ending at a park where we enjoy our free dinner that the kids earned themselves. We plan as a family which route to use so we don't go extra miles which is also part of the fun!

Grandkids' Birthday
Having 12 grandchildren and being on a limited budget my husband and I came up with the idea of giving them a card with a week-end at grandma and grandpa's by themselves. This also included a trip out to eat and a small present they could pick out. They are all very excited to have this quality time with grandma and grandpa all by themselves. It also gives us time to really get to know the grandchild. You can use this time to teach them the family values and what mom or dad did when they were little.

Easier Way to Feed Baby
I feed my 8-month old son baby food from jars. I found that when I use a 1/2 - 1 teaspoon bulb medicine dropper (like the kind used for amoxicillin liquid) more food goes in his mouth than on his face. This is especially helpful when he wants to knock a spoonful of food out of my hand and all over me.

Balloons
To blow up those balloons easier, especially the tiny ones, use the pull-up tops from syrup bottles. After cleaning, stretch the balloon opening over the small end, covering it completely. Holding the balloon on with your fingers, blow in the large end. You don't have to pucker as hard. My children have also informed me that these tops screw on the laundry faucet and outdoor faucet for easy filling of those Oh so necessary water balloons.

Really Easy Diaper Wipes
I have seen lots of homemade diaper wipe ideas and we use the 2 cups water, 1 tbsp soap, 2 tbsp oil. My tip is for preparing the paper towel! So many of my friends say cutting the paper towel is too hard and is a huge mess... well I finally found a use for my electric knife I got for a wedding gift. Now when I buy (always on sale) my paper towel, I get home, cut them all in half and have the paper towel ready to use when I need a new batch of wipes!

Getting Shoes on the Correct Foot
Since my 4-year old wants no help from mom in getting dressed and would occasionally get her shoes on the wrong foot, I took a permanent marker and drew a heart on the back of each right shoe she owned. She knows her right from her left and she now checks the back of her shoes before she puts them on and knows that the one with the heart on it goes on her right foot. Now she always puts her shoes on the correct foot!

Creative Receiving Blanket Idea
When my daughter outgrew receiving blankets, I had no idea what to do with the numerous receiving blankets we had acquired and I wasn't ready to part with that tiny part of her babyhood, so I sewed all of them together to form a blanket for her double bed and she loves it!

The Cheapest Diaper Wipes
Most people agree that making your own diaper wipes is cheaper than buying them from the store. If you use cloth diapers, though, it is a pain to put the dirty diaper in the pail and the used wipe(s) in the garbage. Our solution - wash clothes. They can be used over and over, they clean better than disposable wipes, and they are softer on baby's skin. Plus you can use them to clean up spills and other "stuff" around the house

Homemade Baby Wipes
To cut down on the cost of the ever-rising baby wipes, I have found a perfect recipe for making your own. Get a 10-quart Tupperware bowl with a lid, and a roll of Bounty Big Roll paper towels (I find that bounty works a lot better than most brands). Cut the roll of paper towels in half. In the Tupperware, mix 2 cups warm water with 2 tbsp of any kind of liquid baby soap. Put the half roll into the container, add the lid and place upside down on the counter for 15-20 minutes. Remove the inner paper tube of the roll, and start removing your wipes from the center as you need them!

Cleaning Sippy-Lids
I used to find myself throwing away sippy-lids because I could never get anything inside them to get them clean. Then I found that a brush for cleaning cake decorating tips fit perfectly. They cost under a dollar, and you can get one at almost any Wal-Mart in with the Wilton cake decorating supplies.

Electronic Games
I bought an electronic game system and several games at a yard sale for $30. I buy used games at our local discount store, paying less than 1/2 price for them, getting a large selection at the same time. When we see a neat game for the computer, we look to see if there is a similar game for our game system. If there is one, we get that rather than the computer version. The cost is about 1/4, and we get the same enjoyment, as well as saving our computer for more important functions.

Healthy Kids' Game
My children are playing a game I used to play in school. It's called Mancala and it uses marbles and a wooden playing board. When I was a child we lost all of our marbles and broke our board yet still loved the game. We substituted the board for a cup cake pan and exchanged the marbles for raisins. The fun came at the end when you got to eat your winnings. Healthy and fun.

The Best Baby Bottle Rack
Baby bottles and their parts take up a lot of counter space while drying. An easy solution is to hang one of those 3-tiered wire vegetable baskets over the sink. (Mine was a dollar-store find.) The bottom basket is for bottles, the next basket for the nipples, and the top can be used for sippy cup lids or bibs. When you wash the bottles, pop them in the basket to dry. The bottles will always be off the counter, never have to be moved once they are dry, and are easy to reach when you need them in a hurry.

Puzzle Pieces Everywhere
I have a 2-1/2 year old who loves puzzles. The problem is that he tends to leave the pieces in one large pile regardless of the puzzle they belong to. I got tired of sorting the pieces so I labeled the back of each piece with a letter corresponding to the particular puzzle. I also cut the puzzle picture from the flimsy cardboard box and labeled the back of the picture respectively and placed both the picture and the proper pieces in a large ziploc. Puzzle clean-up is much easier now.

Getting Pacifiers Away From Little Ones
If your having problems getting your child's pacifier away from him, wait until Christmas and tell the child that you have to wrap the pacifier up so that Santa can take it to a child who doesn't have one. I tried it and my child thought it was great.

Effective Medicine
My daughter, who is a year old, gets a lot of yeast infections for no apparent reason. After seeing my doctor for what seemed the millionth time, I asked if there was a home remedy that I could use when the infection first appeared. He said that you can use a cream that contained clotrimazole cream. It is found in your local pharmacy in the foot fungal section. You can buy the store brand (the best way) or you can by the brand name which is Lotrim. If you buy the store brand it is simply called clotrimazole cream USP, 1%. This solution has saved me at least $100 in doctors' fees and as soon as I see the first sign of the infection I can start to fix it. Before trying the solution, please talk to your doctor to make sure he/she would recommend it.

Pin Money
Many years ago I found in my thrift shop haunts, an old rolling pin, the kind you fill with ice (it is made out of glass). I got it and found that I would store my change in it. Times got rough --divorce and lack of support -- and became time to get creative. My tips from the coffee bar I ran went into the PIN. Took the pin to the bank, and my kids and I tried to guess how much would be there -- they knew that it was Christmas. We cleared about $117.00. Now things are better and we use it for our giving tree gifts. For their thirteenth birthdays, they are each getting a PIN. One gets the stopper, the other gets the original Pin. I still find these in junk stores (you could use a jar). I put in thirteen dollars. They build the rest. When full, it goes to savings.

Eating Familiar Foods With a Flair
To get my kids to eat foods that they would normally turn their noses up at, I give the food a new name. For example, when I would make bread pudding all I'd hear was "YUCK!"...but when it became "cinnamon roll delight" it lasted only a few minutes with requests for seconds. All it takes is a little creativity and you'll be amazed at the empty dishes!

Bath Seat/Toy Holder
I store my son's bath toys in a five-gallon plastic bucket with (optional) drainage holes poked in the bottom (the bucket is from inexpensive, bulk-purchased laundry detergent, of course!). The bucket stays in the tub between baths. When bath time rolls around, I empty the toys into his bath water and flip the bucket upside down to serve as a seat for me while I supervise or scrub.

Monthly Bills
An idea for teaching high school seniors about expenses and organization of records: The young adult is assigned the responsibility of organizing and paying all monthly bills. Each bill received is recorded with the amount and date due. He/she writes the check, records it into the check register, updates the checkbook and documents payment in the monthly bill book. The check and bill are reviewed by a parent before mailing. As a bonus, he/she learns about budgeting and "hidden" payroll deductions like income tax and FICA.

Power Play
Hi Mary!! Before it was popular I was into conserving energy so I devised a simple game to make my two boys energy aware. The simple plan was to take the power bill and compare it to last years and give them $1 for $1 all the money we had saved from last year's bill. I got a hot water heater blanket and a few other things that guaranteed a lower bill but that $20 each boy each month was a real motivator. Of course the second and third year was less and less but for one year we really looked forward to getting the power bill and seeing what their REWARD was.

  $1.00 for Water
When eating in a restaurant I pay my children $1.00 for ordering water instead of expensive soft drinks. Everyone is a winner. We are all drinking more water and the $1.00 ends up being saved or used for something else.

Inexpensive Rash Ointment
Instead of purchasing expensive ointments for diaper rashes....try this. Mix 1/4 cup Vaseline with 1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch (May take more or less depending on how thick you want it) This makes a creamy paste just like the store bought ones and I have found that it works great on baby tender areas.

Fun Eggs for Picky Kids
My 3 year old is sometimes a picky eater especially for breakfast. I got this idea one day while she was watching one of her favorite stories on video "Green Eggs and Ham". I put food coloring in her scrambled eggs. She thought it was great. Now I just ask her what color she wants and she eats her eggs with no problem.

How to Get Stickers Off
My son came home from the doctor's office with a sticker that he put on his arm. Unfortunately, it wasn't made for skin and when he attempted to pull it off, he screamed in pain. We examined it closely and found that the sticker was pulling off the top layer of his skin. I grabbed the rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and as I continuously poured a little of it under the sticker, I was able to work it off. (And it didn't hurt!)

Diaper Rash Cream
The price of diaper rash creams and ointments seems quite high. By purchasing zinc oxide in the first aid section of your store or pharmacy you can save quite a bit. For less than $2.00 it does the trick. Zinc oxide is the main ingredient in some of those expensive creams. It is made to be used for burns and such.

Party Favors For Kids
I work in a camera shop where we save the bodies of disposable cameras for recycling. Kodak has changed the body of their disposable underwater camera to blue rubber and clear plastic and it can be taken apart and put back together easily --i ncluding the shutter button. I am saving these cameras so when my son is old enough, I will fill them with treats or toys for a party and they'll be fun to play with too. When kids are crying in the store we often give them an empty camera to play with (but no flash!) and they are occupied for some time. Just ask your local camera store if they will save these for you.

Telephone Toys
It seems like every time Mom gets on the telephone, the children cut up and misbehave. Sound familiar? A solution to this problem is to keep a large bag of small toys hidden until telephone time, at which time, the toys are taken out of the closet and dumped in the floor. The children are so excited with their "new" toys, and Mom can have a pleasant conversation. Try it. It works!

Save That Paint
Put kids tempra paint on saucer for one use at a time like an artist paint pad. Then when finished put the saucer with leftover paint in a sandwich size ziplock bag for the next use.

Kid Car Covers
Recycle your old shower curtain by washing it using tiptionary directions, then cover bikes, cars, sandbox, and etc. May have to tie down with string around bottom to keep wind from blowing off.

Building a City From Food Boxes
A most enjoyable project recently is having a pre-k group save their food boxes and square milk containers to build a city. The theme is buildings in our city. Each child takes a box of varying size, decorates it with paper, paint and creates their very own building. They place it on a large foundation (tag board) and add miniature people and cars. This wonderful activity can be integrated with walks outside to look at buildings, observing buildings around their homes and looking at buildings in books and pictures. A great across the curriculum activity for young children.

Power Oatmeal
One thing my kids loved was the colorful Power Ranger oatmeal. I have solved that problem by putting a tiny bit of food coloring in along with my brown sugar and they eat it right up! It saves me a ton of money.

Keep Kids Popping!
A great way to entertain kids when they're bored is with a small bottle of bubbles. This is inexpensive and always brings lots of giggles. I keep a bottle in my purse (doesn't take much room) and use it in the car, waiting in line or at the dr., etc. Kids love to blow the bubbles themselves or try to catch them (if they need to be quieter) or stomp them (if they can be rowdy!). Extra tip ... keep a bubble wand for each child in the bottle so there is no squabbling over whose turn it is.

Help Your Kids Save
We have a bank at our house - The Bank of Reynolds. Our children receive a salary for the work they do throughout the week. They then make deposits into the 'Bank' which are recorded into their "passbook" (coil note book). The money is kept in a locked box with a slit in the top. The money goes in and stays in until the child wants to make a withdrawl. They do receive incentives such as 10% interest on their month end balance. They are also charged 25 cents for each withdrawl. It is an easy, basic way to help children learn about banking and the incentive of interest at 10% really helps.

Free Paper Dolls
When fabric stores receive the most current pattern books, they discard the older ones. By calling ahead of time, you can reserve one of these older pattern books. Then use the pattern illustrations as paper dolls for your children/grandchildren. The books are large, so there will be lots of "models" to cut out. This allows hours of amusement at absolutely no cost.

Clean Baby Bottles
To clean that gook that sometimes accumulates in the bottom of plastic baby bottles (no matter what you do!), I swore by this trick: Drop about a teaspoon of regular rice (not quick cook rice) and hot water into the bottle. Swish or shake vigorously. Repeat if necessary! Worked like a charm for me!

Independent Dresser
My very independent toddler decided that she would no longer accept any help while dressing. She quickly learned how to put on everything correctly except for he underwear. We went through so many battles and so many tears that I had to come up with a solution. I decided to print her initial on the elastic band at the front of her panties with a laundry marker. This was a simple solution to our problem. As I later explained our secret to my husband, I said (T) for Tay, she said no, mommy, (T) is for Tummy, see the (T) goes on my tummy

CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT!!!
I've just discovered my local Library!! Its small, but WOW!! all the fun. As a single parent of two, I need to cut my costs anyway I can. At the library I can check out puppets, movies (Barney galore!!), and books. The best part is, I never have to pay for it and my kids love the "new" stuff!!!!

Children's Artwork
I can't bear to part with my 3 year old daughter's artwork from preschool, yet I don't have enough room on the refrigerator to hang them all up! So, instead, I staple them with a staple gun to the walls in our garage. This way there's room for dozens of them. She's so proud of all of her artwork out there and the neighbors get a kick out of it too. It definitely beats the plain garage walls!

Kid's Software Exchange
With the high cost of children's computer software, and the rate at which children become bored with it, it makes sense to set up a neighborhood "Software Closet." When a child has finished playing with a game exchange it with a neighbor who has a different game, always being careful not to violate copyright laws. If you are like me, you have a box full of CD-ROMs that the kids no longer use. Set up a library and let neighborhood kids check them out in exchange for them adding their own titles to the library

Travel Entertainment
We take several long trips every year, which can be difficult with 2 young children. So, before each trip, I stock up on little toys I find at garage sales, usually for .25 or less. When boredom strikes, I can pull a new distraction out of my "magic bag".

Instant Handy Wipes
The cost of one year's supply of diaper wipes adds up quickly. It's easy to make your own by cutting a roll of paper towel in half, inserting into a Tupperware container and adding 1 cup water, 1/4 cup baby soap, and 1/4 cup baby oil. Not only are the homemade wipes cheaper, they are easier on baby's skin because they contain no preservatives or alcohol. Keep making the wipes as the kids grow up for quick clean up after lunch or play.

Traveling
About 30 days before traveling with small children, take some of their favorite small toys and wrap them in colorful gift wrap. Place them in a bag all their own. In the bag, also add crayons, coloring books, plain index cards, and "garage sale stickers" (round colorful stickers). They can make pictures with the stickers or stick them on themselves or you! Don't forget plenty of snacks and empty sipper cups for the flight attendant to fill during the trip.

Shopping Skills
My 14-year-old needed a new pair of tennis shoes and wanted "designers". I told him I was philosophically opposed and why but agreed that he could have what he wanted if he contributed to the purchase with money he had earned. We went by a department store and while I was returning another pair of shoes I told him to check the sales rack. He found a pair - marked down as clearance for $80. I suggested we put them on hold and try a discount shoe store. There he found the same exact shoe for $60. Again, I convinced him that we would put them on hold and check another place. Next we went to another clearance-type clothing store and found the same designer and almost exactly like the others for $40. I made sure he understood that our patience and perseverance paid off big time.

Alternative to Baby Cream
Instead of trying to relieve baby's diaper rash with those expensive little tubes of cream try breast milk. Yup, I know sounds a little strange, and not everyone nurses but for those who do - believe me it works. Also let baby roam all natural at least 1 hour a day ... fresh air works great on rashes.

Grocery Bag Blocks
Great for toddlers and recycling. Use paper grocery bags of a lot of different sizes and fill them with newspaper, making sure you stuff them to almost the top, the last sheet of newspaper should be folded to make the "block" have a squared appearance. Then fold the top of the bag down and tape it. You can then paint it or let your kids be creative. These are great big soft blocks.

MORE handouts from school
My kids bring home all sort of paper from school. All of the paper that is blank on one side, I cut into scrap paper. Believe me, I am not worried about running out over the summer months when my supply will be cut short, I will have more than enough to see me through. I have also started doing this with my junk mail. Just be sure you don't mind anyone reading what is on the other side. It is perfect for by the telephone.

Art Supply Storage
Keep the kids art supplies in a neat caddy with a handle. It can hold a lot of treasures and is easy to take in the car, to grandma's house, or wherever their creative little minds happen to go.

  New crayons
Do you find, that right after you buy a new box of crayons that they are all soon broken? Don't buy a new box, make new and better ones. Start by separating the different colors. Peel off paper wrapper. Place one color in a glass jar (I've found that using a Pyrex measuring glass works best because of the pouring spout). Place jar in a pan filled with 2" of water. Stir while melting. When it is done pour wax into candy molds to make cute teddy bears, shapes, etc. Makes great party favors too.

Ice cold teething ring
Take a man's handkerchief place a cracked or crushed ice cube in it. Draw the handkerchief together around the ice cube and fasten with a rubber band. Hand it to a teething infant. The baby will use the rubber band area as a handle as he chomps down on the soothing cold ice - perfect for those sore little gums.<