Category: Frugal Living Tips

Are you planning to remodel your kitchen but you don’t have a huge budget?

It is possible to transform your kitchen and do it at a fraction of the cost. Achieve that perfect kitchen by sprucing up what you have and spending where it counts.

For a remodel on a budget, these thrifty tips will transform your kitchen.

Remodel on a Budget: Make a Plan and Stick to It

Before you dive into your remodel, make sure you have a plan to follow. Having a plan keeps you on track and prevents you from overspending.

It is possible to have a remodeled kitchen on a budget. First, ask yourself some questions before you begin.

Does Your Kitchen Have Elements You Want to Keep?

Certain elements of older homes have character. Embrace the historical integrity of your home to create a unique space that buyers will love.

Your kitchen might be dated, but if you have features like an exposed brick wall or wooden beams, keep them! Worka round that element and focus on updating the rest of the space.

How Big Is Your Budget?

Before you start a major project like a remodel, decide on your budget. This is important if you don’t have a lot to spend, as it will keep you focused.

You don’t need a massive budget to remodel your kitchen. You can break up tasks and complete them over time and make small changes between projects.

How Much Do You Have for a Contingency Budget?

A contingency budget is money set aside for unexpected costs during remodeling. Think of this money as your insurance.

Set aside roughly 10-20 percent of your budget for this. If you’re lucky enough not to need it, your remodel comes in under budget and you save even more.

Give Cabinets New Life with Paint

You never want to cut corners when you’re redoing your home, so how do you save money? Remodeling on a budget is possible as long as you know how to give your old space a fresh, new look.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to change the look of your cabinets. As long as your cabinets are in good shape, cabinet painting is a good option to brighten up the room.

White is a popular choice since it brings light into the room. This is a great color for kitchens that have a window providing natural sunlight.

Remember to remove the doors and hinges before you paint your cabinets. You also want to remove everything from your drawers before pulling them out to paint. 

Install New Hardware on Old Cabinets

After you paint your cabinets, make them pop with the right hardware. Depending on the style of your kitchen, you might go for stainless steel or burnished bronze.

You also have the choice between knobs, handles, or pulls. It’s fun to pick a unique and unusual design, but remember that it may not suit future buyers.

Not sure where to start with so many options? Find out which hardware style fits your kitchen best for some ideas. Next, look online for discounts on hardware before you visit the home improvement store. 

Don’t Move the Appliances

It might be tempting to move the sink closer to the dishwasher or the gas stove to the other wall. But for an inexpensive kitchen remodel, try to leave them where they are.

If you have to make a change, consider your budget and make sure your contingency can cover any big expenses. Remember that spending a large chunk of money rerouting the pipes means you have less to spend elsewhere.

Use Remnant Stone for Countertops

Do you love the look of granite countertops but can’t fit them in your budget? Going to a supply yard and asking for remnant stone is a cheap way to get beautiful stone countertops.

If you’re flexible on the look, you can replace old countertops with granite or quartz at a fraction of the cost. While you have to be a bit open about veining and color, this is a great way to get a high-end look for a budget price.

This is usually best for small kitchens since remnant slabs are leftovers and tend to be smaller in size. If you’re lucky, you can get a large slab for a longer countertop as long as you’re open to certain colors or styles.

Tight Budget? Go for Luxury Vinyl Floors

Vinyl is an inexpensive way to update old and tired floors. Both vinyl and laminate are good choices for budget remodels, but vinyl has more moisture resistance. This makes it an ideal choice for kitchen and bath remodeling.

And while vinyl used to look cheap and plastic, newer styles mimic the look of wood or tile at a fraction of the cost. Some vinyl designs even have the ridges and texture of wood planks.

Sheet vinyl is cheapest, although you may need it professionally installed for the best look. Vinyl planks are easier to do yourself, so remember this if you can’t afford a professional installation.

Buy Unstained Furniture

When decorating your kitchen after the remodel, buy unstained and unvarnished furniture. Kitchen tables, chairs, and bar stools can cost a fortune. But if you’re willing to buy unfinished furniture and put in the work yourself, you can save big.

Not only are these pieces cheaper, but you can pick the stain or paint color that matches your kitchen. You can also sand and re-stain your current furniture if it still looks good.

For the rest of your space, check out budget interior design tips for the finishing touches.

Get the Kitchen of Your Dreams on a Budget

You spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so make it work for you. For a remodel on a budget, prepare your plan and decide on how much you want to spend first.

Once you know what you want to update and change, you can get started. Whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself, look for discount supplies and always be flexible for the best prices.

Do this, and you can achieve the kitchen of your dreams for less. Want more thrifty tips? Check out our DIY section for other ways to save money.

Spending too much time on social media more than doubles a young person’s risk of developing issues with their body image.

Poor body image is a causal risk factor for eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. People of all ages have never been more susceptible to these illnesses than they are today. Between 1999 and 2009, the number of annual hospitalizations for eating disorders went up by 24%.

If you have a son or daughter suffering from one of the many childhood eating disorders, what can you do to help them recover? How can you alter your own behavior to make a positive impact on their life?

Read on to find out what steps you, as a loving mom, can take to help your little one overcome their eating disorder.

1. Sit Down and Talk

Before you attempt to discuss the issue with your child, conduct online research to learn everything you can about the subject.

Avoid doing the following during your conversation:

• Mentioning weight or physical appearances
• Accusing them of any wrongdoing
• Turning the discussion into a debate
• Suggesting easy fixes

Demonstrate to them that you’re willing to listen and support them in any way possible. Find fearless faith as a mom and practice patience, especially when things get frustrating. Remember that your little one suffers from a serious illness, so you need to show them compassion.

When you speak, start your sentences with “I”, not “you”, letting them know how worried you feel. Steer the conversation towards a discussion about how their behavior impacts their health. Ask if they want to change.

Prepare to encounter some pushback from them, and consider that you may have to try again later.

To make your job easier, talk to your child when they don’t have anything else on their schedule. Additionally, opt for a noise-free area with little to no distractions.

2. Love Your Own Body

Although you may not think it’s a big deal, the way you talk about your own body affects the way your child sees theirs. In fact, a child between the ages of five and eight is more likely to have negative opinions about their body if their mother isn’t satisfied with hers.

Realize that you’re not the blame for your son’s or daughter’s suffering. That said, by learning how your behavior impacts your child’s, you can make necessary changes.

For example, be careful what you say about your figure around your kids, even if it’s a self-deprecating joke.  

3. Explore Treatment Options

Are you confident that you can resolve everything on your own? Delaying a visit to the doctor may result in long-term, irreparable damage to your kid’s health.

For example, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder can lead to low bone density and delayed puberty. Binge eating disorder, on the other hand, can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

It’s important to keep in mind that treatment centers like Center for Discovery offer adolescent and teen treatment programs for everything from eating disorders to oppositional defiant disorder.

Going to a dietician might be a good idea if you want to put together a diet for healthy weight gain. Also, therapists can help address the root of your child’s problem.

Overcoming Childhood Eating Disorders Together

Helping your child starts with educating yourself on the subject, engaging in active listening, and being the best role model you can be.

However, the most important thing you need to do is get them the right treatment. Take action instead of hoping that they’ll get better on their own. 

Now that you know how to approach childhood eating disorders, want more actionable parenting tips? If so, head over to our family life blog to learn about topics such as helping a child cope with divorce or dealing with toddler sleep problems.

What if your small business could start booming overnight?

Many moms have struck out to create their own small businesses. However, they soon face difficulties when it comes to the world of IT.

Don’t worry, though: we’re here to bring you five IT solutions that will completely change how you do business!

1. An Open Office

Depending on your business, you may need to do a lot of writing and record keeping. Unfortunately, many apps that specialize in these tasks are a bit too expensive.

One of our favorite IT solutions is Open Office software. True to its name, this Apache suite of office products is completely free.

Ultimately, you get Microsoft-style software, all without paying a dime.

2. External Hard Drives

For small business moms, life is often on the go. And it can be difficult to balance working on a desktop at home and working on a laptop when you’re mobile.

One good storage solution is to use external hard drives. These drives are compatible with all the computers that you use and are very easily portable.

If your last experience with external drives was a few years back, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. These drives are now smaller and more convenient than ever before.

3. Office 365

Earlier, we mentioned an alternative to the Microsoft suite of products. However, depending on your business needs, there may be no substitute for the real thing.

Fortunately, you no longer have to spend a ton of money on individual programs or suites of products. Instead, you can pay a monthly fee to access the entire Microsoft Office Suite.

And this Microsoft program scales well with your business. Plans start at just five dollars a month, and more robust plans are available for larger businesses.

4. Teleconference Tools

To succeed nowadays, even small businesses need to have a worldwide presence. And that means finding easy ways to talk with various business partners, distributors, and consumers.

Fortunately, there are a number of easy teleconferencing tools. For instance, Xoom is software that you can easily use on a desktop, laptop, or smartphone to have video calls.

This program lets you not only video chat with multiple people, but you can also share what’s on your computer screen. This is great for collaboration and sales calls.

5. Network Storage

Is carrying around an external hard drive not your cup of tea? Fortunately, there’s another alternative: online network storage.

Your local IT professionals can help you set up storage that is perfect for your small business needs. And afterward, you’ll have access to your files from anywhere on the planet.

Professionals like Charlotte IT Solutions can show you how easy it is to get started. 

IT Solutions: The Bottom Line

Now you know about the best IT solutions for small business moms. But do you know how else your business can succeed?

At Thrifty Mama Ramblings, we are all about making your small business bigger than ever. To see how we can help out, come check out our Work From Home tips today!

Is fish your favorite dish? Or maybe you’re just looking to add more nutrient-dense, healthy recipes to your weekly repertoire? And though the average American is eating about 15 pounds of fish each year, which is up from recent years, it’s still only about half of the recommended by the U.S. dietary guidelines. 

If you’re looking to add more fish to your diet but aren’t sure how to do it without spending a lot, check out this guide on how to get cheap fish or make expensive fish fit your lifestyle:

Resist the Rare Fish and Opt for Cheap Fish

It might come as a surprise to discover that endangered fish don’t get the attention and protection that endangered mammals do. Because of this, there are some fish that are rare and still regularly consumed across the world. These fish are often expensive because of their rarity.

Some of these expensive fish include orange roughy, haddock, Atlantic halibut, Atlantic cod, bluefin tuna, and sea bass to name a few.

So save the fish and save your pocketbook by avoiding these rare fish when you dine. 

Look for Short-Lived Breeds

Fish that grow fast and are smaller in size can replenish more quickly than other types of fish. Fish that are lower on the food chain are affordable and eating them is better for your health since they are less likely to have high levels of mercury in their systems. 

Mix Your Seafood Portions With Hearty Dishes

Your seafood will stretch farther when you mix it with other dishes to make the meal seem less skimpy while sticking within your budget. Instead of having a large portion of wild salmon, look for recipes that include fish in smaller quantities. 

Pasta dishes with seafood sauce make for a filling, satisfying meal. Soups are also a great option for enjoying a seafood meal without the hefty price tag. Salads can be served up with nuts, vegetables, and a fillet of fish with a delicious dressing. 

Mixing fish with rice and vegetables is another way to get the fish you crave with a budget in mind. Try this recipe for a hearty meal that will feed a group. 

Embrace Smaller Portions

If you love seafood but can’t afford eating it regularly, you can look for cheap fish items whenever possible and opt for smaller portions of the pieces you crave. You can always mix your protein choices and combine other types of meat or sides with your seafood. 

Shop for Sales

Shop around for sales on seafood to find deals that are significantly cheaper than normal. Some sales are better than others, but as you look around at the different markets and stores in your area, you’ll get a sense for when they have seafood specials. 

Asian markets can be a great place to find deals on seafood. Some of them are better than others, so don’t be discouraged if the first one you visit doesn’t have a wide selection of fish. 

Discover Other Affordable Recipes

Find lots of other tips for eating well on a budget by browsing through some of our recipes for cheap fish, affordable, homemade ice cream, and so much more. 

And be sure to check out all of our other articles for living frugally.  

On March 9th, 1918, the United States Congress enacted the very first daylight saving time law. Also known as “Summer Time” in many places around the world, daylight saving time (DST) has been a topic of debate since the very beginning.

While many around the world argue the positives of DST, there is great controversy surrounding it.

One of the biggest reasons for this controversy: The DST health effects on individuals.

Here are 10 fascinating connections with your health and daylight saving time.

1. More Depressive Episodes

It’s yet to be seen if the time change in the spring has an impact on depressive feelings.

However, the “fall-back” change that occurs in autumn has a proven track record for creating higher rates of patients with depressive episodes. 

One study in Denmark using records from over 185,000 patients showed an 11% increase in depressive episodes. The episodes lasted around 10 weeks right after the time change.

The records were reviewed from 1995 to 2012. Researchers found this trend for unipolar depressive episodes increasing in the fall, but not in the spring.

2. More Car Accidents

Another fascinating health consequence is the increase of car accidents in the United States and British Columbia right after fall DST.

This could be caused by more people driving in the dark, or because of drivers who have had fewer hours of sleep.

A review of 21 years of deadly car accidents in the U.S. showed a huge increase in the number of accidents happening the Sunday after the fall time change. 

According to the British Columbian Ministry of Transportation, a 10% increase in the number of car crashes occurs the day after the change.

3. It’s Harder to Wake and Fall Asleep

One of the more obvious DST health impacts is the influence it has on your body’s internal clock. This clock is also known as your circadian rhythm.

All cells in your body have their own rhythm.

If sudden changes related to time, like DST, extended travel, or jet lag occur, your body’s normal functions can be affected.

This means it can become harder for you to fall asleep at night. You may also struggle to feel refreshed and wake up in the morning.

4. Increase in Strokes

Did you know that daylight saving time is also associated with an increased number of stroke-related hospitalizations? 

Sadly, it’s true. Patients hospitalized for stroke increase directly following the time change.

Oddly enough, the time changes tend to cause more strokes in women than men. Reports show an 8% rise in stroke-related hospital visits in the 2 days after the change.

People older than 65 years and cancer patients are also known to have higher risks of stroke directly following the changes.

5. More Wasted Time

Ever heard of “cyberloafing”?

This may be one of the more unusual DST health effects. Interestingly, the Journal of Applied Psychology states that what is known as “cyberloafing” increases soon after daylight saving time.

This means people tend to spend more unproductive time online while at work.

The problem with this is obvious. Following a time change, productivity, efficiency, and honesty decrease at work. 

Not to mention the potential for angering your boss rises. Nobody wants that…

6. The Elderly are More Affected 

The New England Journal of Medicine published several studies on the negative health impacts of DST. 

One study indicates that DST health problems are more likely to happen in people over 65 years old.

This might be from a lack of sleep or a number of other factors. Either way, daylight savings is known to be slightly harder for those nearing retirement age.

7. Poor Diet and Increased Appetite

Sleep is widely known to greatly influence the hormones in your body.

Americans cut out an average of 40 minutes of sleep during DST. This means you’re bound to have some hormone changes.

Unfortunately, changes in hormones can also lead to increased cravings and appetite.

This means weight gain. A lack of sleep also leads to increases in insulin resistance.

In layman’s terms, that means your body stores more fat. Yikes.

8. A Rise in Male Suicide Rates

The Sleep and Biological Rhythms Journal published an Australian study showing a correlation between a rise in men’s suicide rates and spring daylight saving time.

The researchers in the study suggest that this correlation is because of hormone changes in people already vulnerable to depression. Those already struggling with depression who have their biological rhythms being thrown off are at greatest risk.

This resource and others aim to put an end to these and other negative DST health effects by ending daylight saving time.

9. An Increase in Headaches

Headaches are also shown to increase after daylight saving time. This is likely related to less sleep, at least in part.

But that’s not all. Not only do headaches increase following daylight saving, but they are also known to happen closer together. This is called “cluster headaches.” 

These painful episodes can leave already tired people even more exhausted as they struggle even more to fall asleep.

Lack of sleep and increased headaches can also lead to memory problems. Luckily, there are ways to help boost your memory despite the lack of sleep.

10. Higher Miscarriage Rates

This sad DST health effect is only known to be related to the time change in the spring. 

Boston University Medical Center published a study on miscarriage rates right after DST. It showed many more miscarriages in the three weeks after daylight saving time.

However, these miscarriages were more common for women who had undergone invitro-fertilization or experienced a previous miscarriage.

This study, (which was published in Chronobiology International), showed no difference in the number of miscarriages after the time change in the fall.

DST Health Helps

Ways to beat DST health problems include being sure to hit the hay an extra hour early during the notorious “spring forward” season. Using a good skin treatment can also help with that “exhausted” look.

At the end of the day, knowing your own personal limits can be the biggest help when it comes to sleep deprivation. 

For more great health tips and advice, check out the health and fitness portion of our blog.