Browsing all posts in February, 2009.

What Do We Tell the Kids? Birmingham’s Story

When it comes to difficult and dreaded conversations to have with your kids, the story of Birmingham’s past ranks right up there with the birds and the bees for discomfort. How do you tell them that a church was bombed? That four young girls were murdered in their Sunday school class and it happened here, on 16th Street?  Further, that there was a culture at the [...]

Find: Laundry Soap Favored by Ballpark Moms

Garth Brooks sang about a guy whose neck was “red as Alabama clay” but I’m guessing he’d have found the topic less poetic if he’d ever had to remove those clay stains. This ubiquitous clay is in all almost all our back yards and playgrounds, and any kid who has jumped out of a swing has the red marks on his knees to show for [...]

Centuries-Old Financial Advice Still Good Today

The Birmingham Public Library has been exhibiting “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” at the downtown location and it couldn’t be more timely. After all, Franklin was the original American authority on living frugally and building wealth. We know him best as a founding father, amazing inventor and diplomat. Although our culture immortalizes an image of him with [...]

Three Things Every Mom Can Use to Save Time and Money Feeding the Family

Here are three items every BirminghamMom can use to save money and time in feeding her family:
1. Freezer - Your kitchen refrigerator/freezer is fine for the frozen goods you use everyday, but to be truly prepared to feed a family you need storage space so you can stock up when deals are good.  Use a freezer for:

Meat that has been [...]

Thoughts for Allocating Resources in Tough Times

Moms are always having to allocate limited resources, and no more so than now when they appear even more scarce. After basic needs are taken care of, it’s time to allocate precious money, time and attention to whatever discretionary options you have left. Here are some considerations:
Among things that matter to you, get what you really want.

There is a time to settle [...]

An Armchair Vacation Begins at the Mall

Spring break is over a month away and you’re longing for a vacation, even if you have to camp in the back yard to save money. If you need a mental getaway just for a moment, consider an armchair vacation to pull you through.
Unless you’re the browsing type, you may not know that bookstores are chock full of travel [...]

Recession Obsession: Best Resources for Thriving

Every talking head on television is sharing an opinion on two prevailing topics: 1) How Bad Will Things Get and 2) When Will It All End. The celebrated thinkers of our time are being asked to peer into the future and give their best guesses.
As a Mom, you are the chief economist of your household, and your opinion matters most. Since you’re [...]