The Stingy Mommy

1. Fashion Forward February: Salvaging Sweaters

   by Amy Brayfield
   February 17, 2009, 12:00 am

   Unlike a lot of other children’s clothes, sweaters tend to cost a pretty penny — which is probably why I am so loath to let them go into the great freecycle bin in the sky without a fight. I almost always buy them a size bigger than we need so that they don’t get outgrown too quickly, but even then, by the time they fit too snugly, they usually look like they’ve hardly been worn. So I’ve spent a lot of energy looking for ways to make sweaters last a little longer. Here are a couple of my favorites. Read More

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2. Fashion Forward February: Making T-shirts last longer

   by Amy Brayfield
   February 10, 2009, 12:00 am

   While T-shirts are pretty cheap, I hate throwing out a perfectly good T-shirt just because of a stain, so I’ve come up with some ways to slice and dice her T-shirts into lasting a little longer. Here are three solutions that have worked for us. Read More

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3. Fashion Forward February: Quick Fixes for Short Pants

   by Amy Brayfield
   February 2, 2009, 8:03 pm

   If your children are anything like mine, they have the amazing ability to outgrow their entire wardrobes overnight. I don't spend a lot of money on my children's clothes because of this, but it still makes me crazy when something they've only worn a couple of times suddenly doesn't fit. Because of this, I've gotten into reconstructing lots of their clothes so that they can continue to wear things for a little while longer. My son is 1, so he doesn't much care one way or the other, but my 7-year-old daughter loves that her clothes are one-of-a-kind. Repurposing clothes is surprisingly easy-- ... Read More

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4. Make It, Don't Buy It: Sewing Cards

   by Amy Brayfield
   January 27, 2009, 12:00 am

   The one activity that can seriously engross both my 16-month-old and my 7-year-old is sewing. They both love projects that require them to carefully manipulate thread or yarn in a designated pattern. Read More

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5. Make It, Don't Buy It: Valentines, Take Two

   by Amy Brayfield
   January 20, 2009, 12:00 am

   I may be biased, but I think these bookmark valentines are great: not only are they charming to look at, but they also encourage reading. Bonus: They're pretty darn easy to make. Read More

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6. Make It, Don't Buy It: Valentine's Day Cards

   by Amy Brayfield
   January 13, 2009, 12:00 am

   Valentine's Day is one of my daughter's favorite holidays, partly because what 7-year-old girl doesn't get a little excited about hearts and flowers and the possibility of breaking out the glitter. And since the coming weekend is a long one, I thought we might as well go ahead and come up with a game plan for this year's cards. In the spirit of minimizing waste and cost, I wanted a plan that would use materials we already have around the house. My daughter just wanted something pretty. So together, we came up with these cards, which I think are both charming and easy. Read More

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7. Cheap Fun: Take it outside

   by Amy Brayfield
   January 6, 2009, 12:00 am

   When the weather's nice, it's easy to find excuses to stroll through the neighborhood or play in the backyard, but when the weather gets cold, I tend to put the latch on the back door and keep it there. It occurred to me, though, that by shutting the door on the outside, I'm also shutting the door on one of the great free sources of fun, exercise and art supplies. Read More

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8. New Year Resolutions: Spending less, saving more and living better

   by Amy Brayfield
   December 30, 2008, 12:00 am

   So when my daughter asked me about our financial stability, I had an idea. Why not sit down together as a family and come up with plans to save money in 2009? Not only is it a good idea to keep our daughter looped into our financial plans, itâs also a great opportunity to teach her about the value of a dollar and the importance of reusing and recycling the stuff we already have. Read More

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9. Holiday Helper: Wrap It Up

   by Amy Brayfield
   December 23, 2008, 12:00 am

   I don't, however, think that the fact that I refuse to buy pricey paper means that I can't have pretty presents. My daughter and I have a great time coming up with creative ways to make our presents look gorgeous without having to shell out a dime for wrapping paper. I thought I'd share some of our favorite wrapping techniques. Read More

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10. Holiday Helper: Keepsake Book

    by Amy Brayfield
    December 16, 2008, 12:00 am

    A homemade book is a great present, whether you use it as a gussied-up photo album, a collection of quotes or (as my daughter opted to do) a storybook for a younger sibling. They're charming and easy to make-- two qualities I'm always looking for in homemade gifts, especially with not a lot of time left before the holidays. Read More

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