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Yet another holiday. How did this happen? I feel like we just finished Christmas and now it's Easter? Also, since when did every holiday become a huge gift giving, commercial experience? Of course, I want to celebrate traditions with my family and I don't want to be a scrooge for every holiday. But, I also don't want to spend an arm and a leg year after year after year. These are some of the ways I save money on every holiday. Do Not Go Crazy As I already mentioned, it seems like every holiday is a time to go crazy. Don't do it. I allocate one new or special item per child and one candy item each to divide among them. Most of the holiday toys are junky and do not last. The kiddos also don't seem to care much about the holiday themed items after the holiday is over so feel free to pack them up and bring them out for next year. It seems like candy is also a way to celebrate every holiday, but we try to encourage healthy eating habits so having a few treats is oka...

When entertaining, it's always nice to have a special dessert at the end of the meal. And nothing says special like chocolate and peanut butter in our family. This pie is a huge hit for family functions and parties. It's no bake so it's easy and many of the ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Easy, cost-effective, and tasty. Another win in our household. Ingredients: No Bake Oreo Pie Crust 3/4 cup peanut butter 1 16oz package frozen whipped topping (thawed) 2 3.9oz boxes instant chocolate pudding Optional peanut butter cups as a topping Instructions: Create a no bake crust. I'm partial to my No Bake Oreo Pie Crust , but any pre-made or no-bake crust works well. Combine peanut butter and 3/4 of container of whipped topping by slowly incorporating whipped topping into peanut butter. For example, add about 1/3 of the mixture at a time. The mixture is very stiff at first, but loosens as more of the whipped topping is incorporate into the peanut ...

Oh those cute and cuddly babies, and challenging toddlers, and sweet children, and pre-teens, and teenagers, oh my! You love your children with all your heart, but it's hard to focus on the future when you have a mortgage or rent, bills, and retirement. One of the easiest ways to prepare for your children's future is to set up a 529 account. What is a 529? 529 plans, named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, are tax-advantaged plans which may be used for saving for future higher education expenses (tuition, books, etc.) for a designated beneficiary. In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expanded 529 plans to also include K-12 tuition and expenses. There are typically two types of plans: (1) prepaid plans also known as guaranteed savings plans (GSP); and (2) investment plans. The guaranteed savings plan allows for the purchase of tuition credits to be used in the future at current rates. In the GSP plan, you do not need to worry about the stock market and per...

There is nothing worse than a request for homemade. I work full time and have three children. The last thing I have time for is to make something homemade. As much as I want to support bake sales and contribute to family or friend get-togethers, I need fast, easy, and cheap options. Don't get me wrong - when I have the time I love to make homemade, but when under a time crunch this is my go to recipe. So my secret - make something store bought look and feel homemade. The best way to do that is to use a melting chocolate. I really like using white chocolate, but the milk or dark chocolates work just as well. Next you need something to partially or fully coat. Cookies work beautifully. I'm a huge fan of pizzelle cookies. These used to only be available around Christmas, but now I can find them year round.  Sandwich cookies, like Oreos, also work really well. And last you need some sprinkles or toppings. This is where you can use your creativity or cater to the type of event -...