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Fun & frugal Halloween activities for kids
Halloween can be such a fun time of year for kids, but it can also become surprisingly expensive and generate a surprising amount of waste (more about reducing Halloween-related waste in a past post here!). Between costumes, decorations, treats, school activities, and Halloween-themed outings, it’s easy to create more of an impact on budget and planet than you would think. But it’s equally true that kids really don’t need a much to have a lot of fun – some of my favourite Halloween activities are the simple ones that use things we already have around the house. A little creativity can turn an ordinary afternoon into a fun Halloween activity…
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Fall kitchen reset: Save money and reduce food waste
Fall is a time when we start spending less time outside and I start looking around the house and making plans to declutter and reset. Settling into routines often involves spending more time cooking at home as we get ready for the colder months ahead. While a kitchen clear-out sounds more like something to be procrastinated than planned for, it’s one of those jobs that can have surprisingly useful results such as getting organized, rediscovering forgotten food, and saving money on groceries. It’s not necessary to spend the weekend on clearing out the kitchen – a few simple steps can make a big difference! Start with the pantry Begin with…
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Sustainable back-to-school ideas that save money
I can’t quite believe it’s already August, which means I’m starting to wrap my mind around back-to-school season. It feels like summer just got started, but September is coming quickly with it’s back-to-school shopping list. Between clothes, shoes, backpacks, school supplies, lunches, and fall gear, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that everything needs to be new. The good news is that getting ready for a new school year doesn’t have to mean buying everything brand new. With a little planning it’s not hard to use items already on hand, shop secondhand, and be intentional about things that do need to be purchased. These simple choices allow…
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Make the most of summer with your local library
Between vacations, camps, extra outings, and finding ways to keep the kids entertained while school’s out, it’s easy for summer entertainment spending to add up. That’s one of the reasons I love our local library: it’s one of those places that offers so much without costing a thing. Whether you’re looking for a stack of great books, a fun family activity, a quiet place to escape the heat, or something new to learn, the library is a great place to start! And today’s libraries are about so much more than borrowing books. They offer free programs for all ages, ebooks and audiobooks you can access from home, community events, clubs,…
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Spend once, replace hundreds: Simple reusable swaps
Making the switch to reusable products doesn’t have to mean replacing everything overnight or spending a fortune. In my experience, the best swaps are often the simplest ones—the items you use every single day. Many of them pay for themselves surprisingly quickly, all while helping reduce household waste and the number of single-use plastics you bring into your home. If you’re taking part in Plastic Free July, or you’re simply looking for practical ways to live a little more sustainably, starting with a handful of reusable essentials is a great place to begin. There’s no need to aim for perfection. Swapping out just a few simple disposable items can have…
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DIY Stainless steel cleaner: A simple plastic-free swap
Stainless steel appliances are a popular choice for modern kitchens, but keeping them free of fingerprints, smudges, and water spots can be a challenge. I recently found myself finishing a kitchen renovation, ready to move back in and clean my very dirty stainless steel appliances, only to realize I couldn’t find my usual cleaner anywhere among the boxes. Rather than buying another bottle, I looked around the house and mixed up a simple DIY version with ingredients I already had on hand. To my surprise, it worked really well! While there are plenty of commercial stainless steel cleaners available, many come in single-use plastic bottles and contain ingredients you may…
