One of the danger areas in your home is found in the kitchen. There are a variety of cleaning products that contain harmful ingredients that can harm your child. Keep bleach, cleaning solutions and other cleaners high on a shelf where your kids can’t reach them. Many emergency room visits are prompted by curious children who want to see what a cleaning product taste like. It is important that you review the items in the bathroom. The bathroom likely contains rubbing alcohol, medications and other harmful items. Keep these items (more…)
May 14th, 2013
Welcoming a new baby into your family is one of those precious milestones that can’t be measured in dollars, but the reality is babies cost money is the most unexpected ways. Your household budget increases to include formula and diapers. Your electricity bill can creep up in cost with more frequent laundry (have you checked your energy rates at http://www.electricitycompaniestexas.com/ to make sure you’re getting the best deal?). And your baby will go through several complete wardrobes in their first year alone!
As your child grows from one size to the next, you will find yourself buying clothes often. Seeing a little shirt priced as much as an adult version can give a new parent sticker shock and have them mentally calculating how much it will cost to clothe that child until they leave home.
There is a green and budget conscious alternative to those hefty prices: thrift shopping.
If you’ve never been thrift shopping before, or think thrift stores are just for picking up an ugly sweater for the annual Christmas party, here are some tips for dressing your child in style at rock bottom prices:
Know Your Brands
Being successful at thrift shopping means knowing your brands. On the racks, you will find an impressive mix of low end discount store clothing hanging beside high-end designer labels. It’s important to know which brands are a steal and which are just moderately below what you’d pay new for the item.
Visit Often and Buy Ahead
In order to save the most money on your child’s wardrobe, you need to think ahead. You can’t walk into a thrift store and find the exact size and style you need the moment you need it. You need to think ahead, and purchase the best items several sizes in advance so that you are never left paying full price. With this in mind, choose only classic styles that can be worn regardless of trends. It’s helpful to keep a list of how many items you have per size to keep a balanced stockpile of clothing.
Have A Storage System in Place
Having a place to keep your thrift purchases keeps everything organized and readily accessible. Plastic storage bins marked according to size, or gender if you have more than one child, keeps thrift purchases from overwhelming your dressers and closets. For example you can have one bin that is “Girls:12-18 months, Summer” or “Boys: Winter 4-6,” stored in a location separate from the clothes your child currently wears. If you have multiple children, this is also an excellent way to save clothes for other children in your family.
Thrift shopping for clothing can save your family hundreds of dollars per year on clothing expenses and is an excellent way to live a greener, more sustainable lifestyle.
February 28th, 2013
Making a home safe for children is a priority for every parent. Throughout the early childhood years, children need to be protected from common household dangers. Because children tend to spend the majority of their time at home, they are more likely to experience a serious injury within their home environment. Fortunately, most childhood accidents can be prevented by incorporating the following tips.
In the home, childhood accidents are most likely to occur in the kitchen area (more…)
January 18th, 2013
Even for the thriftiest mother, raising a child can cost a small fortune – nearly a quarter of a million dollar fortune, to be more specific. As of 2011, raising a child from birth until age eighteen costs a middle-income family $234,900. After adjusting for current inflation, this figure rises to $295,560. This narrows down to between $12,000 and $14,000 per year. These figures do not include college or post-high school costs.
The cost to raise a child also varies slightly based on geographical location. For example, children raised in the urban Northeast areas had the higher average expenses than (more…)
January 17th, 2013
Raising a good child in today’s society is very difficult. There are some many negative influences out there that can lead your child down the wrong path. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to make your job as a parent a little easier.
Proper discipline is essential for raising a happy, well-adjusted child. Discipline is something that should start as soon as your child has a reasonable understanding of right and wrong. Children are very testy, so it is important that they learn limits at a very young age.Never heard of this before? Get (more…)
January 14th, 2013
Raising confident children in today’s world is a lot easier said than done. The good news is that there are a number of things that you can do to increase your child’s confidence. It is very easy to criticize a child when he or she does something wrong. That is a mistake that many parents make. Children who are constantly criticized will most likely not feel confident. You should praise your child frequently even when he or she makes mistakes. (more…)
January 11th, 2013
1. Safety – Keep all sharp objects out of reach and establish rules for playing near water or fire. Lock cabinets or rooms that contain objects that could be dangerous to children. Using monitoring devices for newborns and installing home alarm systems are two technological ways to keep your child safe.
2. Love – Children need to hear and feel your love. Tell your child you love them every day and show affection through hugs and kisses. Refrain from raising your voice at or around your child.
3. Structure (more…)
January 8th, 2013
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October 12th, 2012