Saving Money on Kids and Mommy's Clothes

I had this article about saving money on clothing purchases from Family Hack tucked away in my favorites list. I was weeding out my massive list of links today and I re-read it and found it perfect for today's budgeting use! It's a great guide to saving money on clothing by timing your purchases to the store sales system. Give it a looksie!

Baby Carrier Recall

I find the photo of this recalled baby carrier to be quite ironic, don't you? I don't think I'd be smiling with my coffee if my baby was ready to go plunk to the floor due to the failure of this product! Please check for other recalled children's and baby products at www.CPSC.gov.

Beco Baby Butterfly Carriers
Units: About 2,000
Made by Beco Baby Carrier Inc., of Newport Beach, Calif.

The buckles on the carrier shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the strap to slip through, posing a fall hazard to the baby.
Incidents/Injuries: Beco has received eight reports of the carrier straps slipping through the shoulder buckles. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled infant carriers were sold under brand name “Beco Baby Carrier Butterfly.” The carriers have a black label with a green “b” logo on the left side and a butterfly on the right side. The label is sewn on the outside of the carrier. The following carrier styles are included in the recall: Mia, Pony Express, Carnival, Addison, Ethan, Sophia, Cameron, Ava and Joshua.

Sold at: Specialty retail stores nationwide and internet sites from January 2008 through February 2008 for about $140.
Manufactured in: USA and Dominican Republic

Consumers should immediately stop using the carriers and contact Beco Baby Carrier to receive instructions for returning the carriers for repair. Contact Beco Baby Carrier Inc. toll-free at (888) 943-8232/9-GET-BECO between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.becobabycarrier.com

Feeding Your Family for Less

Why is my dog's photo attached to this article about saving food dollars...you'll see! I think we're all feeling the pinch of rising gas and food prices. I know we are. So from various sources, I've compiled some ways to save money and lower your grocery bill:

Coupons! Every Sunday get the paper and go through the coupons. The coupons alone will easily pay for the price of the Sunday paper. Match them up with the weekly food/grocery sale flyers and plan your shopping accordingly.

Dollar Store! My husband is living in temporary quarters on his own until we relocate. He has saved a bundle by dropping by the dollar store to get some necessary household items. There was an ABC News story recently that showed a chef's challenge to make a gourmet meal using only foods from the dollar store. She did it and saved over $100 on the meal over purchasing items at a high end market. Give it a try.

Wash Your Own Dog! Yes, technically, this isn't grocery shopping. But I save $32 to $40 every time I wash my own dog instead of taking him to the groomer. I buy Hartz Oatmeal dog shampoo for his sensitive skin at the grocery store and I use barber scissors to cut the little matts off. I even use an old hairbrush to groom him with. We have saved at least three grooms and he looks cuter now. Yes that's his handgroomed photo at the top!

Choose generic or store brands of healthy groceries, such as whole-grain cereal and frozen vegetables. Look high and low for them—the most costly options are shelved at eye level. Buy fresh produce in season. Try local farmers’ markets for fresher, less expensive options. Frozen vegetables are healthy and even more affordable than fresh produce, and you can get out-of-season vegetables less expensively.

Make larger batches of your favorite healthy meals. Store labeled leftovers in the refrigerator and take them for lunch the next day. Buy chicken, fish and meat in bulk, and put them in freezer bags in meal-size portions.

Begin a home or community garden so you that can grow your own fruits and vegetables. Or, have an herb garden at home, which is less expensive than buying fresh herbs in the grocery store. I know it's cheaper to buy a basil plant than to buy fresh basil at our grocery store.

Buy in bulk and make your own convenience sizes using ziplock bags.

UPDATE on Contest to Win a Free Growing Up Green Book!

Update: Well, I still have a book to give away, People! No one has commented, so I don't have a winner today - April 22, 2008. So here's the deal - first person to leave a thoughtful comment about this post will win this book! Be sure to leave or send me your email so I can get your mailing information!

I recently received a copy of the book by Deirdre Imus, Growing Up Green! Volume Two: Baby and Child Care. Deirdre offers numerous ways that parents of young children can "go green" and raise happy, healthy children. She covers everything from greening up during your pregnancy, to healthy eating for babies and kids, to managing your adolescents. I liked the section on Green Pediatrics, which covers all kinds of health issues and how to work with your doctor to manage your child's health. It includes discussions on vaccines, allergies, weight management and more.

Overall, I found it very thought provoking and interesting. It offers lots of practical ideas for going greener with your family. It also provides ideas for how you can advocate for a greener environment in your child's school and other situations.

Now to the good stuff - because I got it as a freebie to review - you can benefit! Just post a comment here and/or link to my post and I'll put you in a drawing to receive this new book absolutely free! I will award the winner and post it here on April 22nd (I have to travel to Alabama, so I'll award it when I get back!) It's only been read once, by me! I think anyone with kids will enjoy it!

Keep Kids Safe at the Playground

More on summer safety! Playground accidents are the leading cause of injury to children in elementary school. Each year, in the United States, approximately 150,000 children ages five to 14 go to the emergency room with accidental injuries involving playground equipment -- and three out of four playground accidents occur on public playgrounds, including school facilities, as opposed to backyard play equipment.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the ground should be covered 12 inches deep with shredded rubber, hardwood fiber mulch or fine sand, extending at least six feet in all directions around the equipment. This lessens the chances that severe injury occurs WHEN a child falls. I say when, because they will fall. Medical experts say that I child who falls more than 10 feet risks spinal cord injury, paralysis and/or death. These guidelines apply to all types of playgrounds, home, school and parks. So check out your own areas for safety.

Also, I've posted plenty of recalls for clothing with drawstrings on this blog. About ten children per year die from injuries involving playground equipment, mostly from strangulation when a piece of loose clothing or jewelry gets caught on equipment or the child's head gets stuck between climbing bars. Parents should be vigilant. For outdoor play, children's clothing and outerwear should be free of drawstrings and should fit snugly to minimize the risk of getting stuck in a piece of equipment. Do not allow kids to wear helmets, necklaces, purses or scarves on the playground or engage in any pushing, shoving or crowding around playground equipment.

The CPSC Playground Guidelines Handbook is available by calling 800.638.2772. At school, you might want to take a look at the school playground and, if necessary, discuss the CPSC guidelines with school officials.

Water Safety for Children

Swim season will be beginning soon. It's actually already started in Florida. I have signed my kids up for another round of swimming lessons starting next month. We don't have a pool, so they don't always get to stay up to date with their swimming skills.

Here are some water safey tips to keep in mind to keep your kids safe during swimming season.

• Never take your eyes off your children while they are swimming, even for a moment. Consider using a buddy system for the children as well.


• If you're in a group, take turns with other adults being the designated "water watcher" to keep eyes on the children.


• While supervising, avoid distractions, like phone use and/or reading or talking.


• Maintain visual contact with the children and the water.


• Teach children to swim beginning at age four.


• Don't rely on water wings or other inflatables.


• If your child can't swim, stay within arm's reach at all times.


• Use only U. S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices.


• Tell children to stay away from drains and tie up long hair to prevent entanglement.


• Keep gates to pool areas latched.


• Look for life-saving equipment at the pool.


• Learn infant and child CPR. Contact your local Red Cross for local classes.


• Make sure children stay within designated swimming areas in the ocean, lakes, and rivers.


• Never allow diving in water less than nine feet deep.


• Never leave children alone in the bathtub.


• With younger children, keep toilet lids down, and doors to laundry and bathrooms closed.

Remember me?

Yes, it's been a while, hasn't it? Thank you for hanging in there and reading the blog, over and over, while I am recovering from the worst case of asthma I've had in years.

I have now officially been sick since March 8th. My allergy doctor is befuddled. I've been coughing and coughing, and taking every prescription he can think of that might help me. This started the day before I left to visit Alabama (so I can't blame those people) and has only gotten worse over time.

I like to tell Tim that it's due to global warming, and it probably is. The trees and flowers started earlier this year with pollen, it got hotter faster, therefore helping the fungus and mold to proliferate as well.

I'm on Claritin AND the dreaded Singulair for allergies, taking a mega-strong antibiotic (again), plus all my regular meds for asthma and the daily "rescue" meds. And prednisone - my third course of it.

Sorry to go on and on, but this is just one reason I've not been on blogging regularly. I promise to be better.

Thank you!