Comments on: Ten ways to be thrifty if you have children http://kidoinfo.com/ri/ten-ways-to-be-thrifty-if-you-have-children/ Connects families with creative ideas, useful tips and local events in Providence, Rhode Island and beyond. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:25:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Geoff http://kidoinfo.com/ri/ten-ways-to-be-thrifty-if-you-have-children/comment-page-1/#comment-3463 Geoff Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:47:11 +0000 http://kidoinfo.com/ri/?p=3112#comment-3463 If you are making an effort to save money, and to support independent stores, start using cash. It will save the business a 1%-5% transaction cost, which makes a big difference these days. Paying cash is also recommended as a mindfulness-raiser, helping you get a better sense of how much money you are going through over the course of a day. If you are making an effort to save money, and to support independent stores, start using cash.

It will save the business a 1%-5% transaction cost, which makes a big difference these days.

Paying cash is also recommended as a mindfulness-raiser, helping you get a better sense of how much money you are going through over the course of a day.

]]> By: margaret http://kidoinfo.com/ri/ten-ways-to-be-thrifty-if-you-have-children/comment-page-1/#comment-3451 margaret Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:21:00 +0000 http://kidoinfo.com/ri/?p=3112#comment-3451 Those are all such great ideas. Thanks! another: My husband and I have been writing down what we spend on a big piece of paper on the wall and we try to review it once a week. Knowing we are going to write our expenditures on the wall and then seeing them up there all month has trimmed our spending on things like snacks, books, little gifts-things I hadn't been noticing before but that add up. Those are all such great ideas. Thanks!
another:
My husband and I have been writing down what we spend on a big piece of paper on the wall and we try to review it once a week. Knowing we are going to write our expenditures on the wall and then seeing them up there all month has trimmed our spending on things like snacks, books, little gifts-things I hadn’t been noticing before but that add up.

]]> By: sarah http://kidoinfo.com/ri/ten-ways-to-be-thrifty-if-you-have-children/comment-page-1/#comment-3446 sarah Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:48:03 +0000 http://kidoinfo.com/ri/?p=3112#comment-3446 For the older kids, help them to pick a charity to have a party for. My two girls and their friend had a combined party last summer (another cost savings) and they asked for donations for Save the Bay rather than gifts. They did get a few gifts (which was plenty) and they raised $250 for Save the Bay. The parents were thrilled (easier and cheaper than buying another gift), the kids were excited b/c they did something for an organization they care about, and Save the Bay actually created a new program called "Become a Bay Saver" for kids who want to do this. They made a huge deal out of the kids donation, and they felt great "Helping our earth rather than getting a bunch of plastic stuff we didn't really want or need anyway". We have attended parties to benefit the food bank, VSA and other animal shelters, as well as other local non-profits. What a great way for kids to make a difference, and have fun too. See their story here: http://www.savebay.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=937&srcid=938&chid=2&frsid=1207 For the older kids, help them to pick a charity to have a party for. My two girls and their friend had a combined party last summer (another cost savings) and they asked for donations for Save the Bay rather than gifts. They did get a few gifts (which was plenty) and they raised $250 for Save the Bay. The parents were thrilled (easier and cheaper than buying another gift), the kids were excited b/c they did something for an organization they care about, and Save the Bay actually created a new program called “Become a Bay Saver” for kids who want to do this. They made a huge deal out of the kids donation, and they felt great “Helping our earth rather than getting a bunch of plastic stuff we didn’t really want or need anyway”. We have attended parties to benefit the food bank, VSA and other animal shelters, as well as other local non-profits. What a great way for kids to make a difference, and have fun too. See their story here:
http://www.savebay.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=937&srcid=938&chid=2&frsid=1207

]]> By: katharine http://kidoinfo.com/ri/ten-ways-to-be-thrifty-if-you-have-children/comment-page-1/#comment-3441 katharine Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:10:27 +0000 http://kidoinfo.com/ri/?p=3112#comment-3441 Every time I want to buy something impulsively (say...a new set of bowls at Frog and Toad or some Bakugan balls to surprise my kids) I write it down. Somehow, instead of the thrill of buying the thing, I get a sick thrill out of tallying up the cost of all of the things I WOULD have bought, basking in how much money I saved. (I would have spent over $600 on bowls, Patagonia, & Boden sale items this week.) This might be sort of perverse/twisted but it works for me. And I have saved a lot of money on sets of bowls and earrings and little gifties for my kids. I don't think any of us misses having them. Every time I want to buy something impulsively (say…a new set of bowls at Frog and Toad or some Bakugan balls to surprise my kids) I write it down. Somehow, instead of the thrill of buying the thing, I get a sick thrill out of tallying up the cost of all of the things I WOULD have bought, basking in how much money I saved. (I would have spent over $600 on bowls, Patagonia, & Boden sale items this week.) This might be sort of perverse/twisted but it works for me. And I have saved a lot of money on sets of bowls and earrings and little gifties for my kids. I don’t think any of us misses having them.

]]>