Ways to save and "shave" on your monthly budget

We all love to save money. I get so excited to know how much money I saved on my receipt monthly. I think of it as a present to my household; to me. I came across Dollar Shave Club a razor subscription company that prides itself on shaving time and money for its members by sending quality razors to their door for as little as $1 a month. This got me so excited to know how much money I saved on my receipt monthly. Not only do I like to save money but what I do have, I like to recycle the things that I often use. There are plenty of ways to recycle the things you use daily. When you are out at the local grocery store, make sure to remember to grab a few more plastic bags for kitty litter. Cleaning your felines litter daily helps keep the house smelling better. I realize it can be a PITA sometimes when you forget or have other things to do. But you have to think about your furry baby; he/she can't flush like we can and their own special

territory does need to be cleaned so they can have room. Think about the close proximity of their genitals to the litter. It is a much more safer and cleaner way for them. No one wants their furry babies to get an infection due to lack of hygiene of the feline kind. Speaking of hygiene, children and babies often have accidents in their clothes that you can not foresee. Bring a few bags (just in case) in their diaper bag or in the car. We even use those trash bags to pick up the accumulation of trash during those long drives. They are easy to obtain and easy to dispose of. Another way those bags can be recycled into good use is if you forget your umbrella at home but there is a downpour outside, use one of these as a temporary umbrella so you don't get wet and eventually sick. Come to think of it, using and recycling these plastic bags can save you money in the long run. And what of those cloth bags that you can buy for $.99 at the store? I have a million of them stuffed in my closet somewhere. Then one day as I was looking at Victoria's play corner, I thought to myself “She will never play with all these toys”. So I have decided to kill two birds with one stone (in the long run). I watched to see what toys she likes to play with on a constant basis. Then that night I put the toys in one of those cloth bags and kept it next to her toy box. When she plays on the living room floor (she is currently trying her hand at crawling) she 'discovers' what toys are in the bag. Then, when floor time is over, I sit with her and the bag. We both grab toys littered on the living room floor back in the back. I am trying to teach her to clean up. I like to do most things ahead of time. It saves my time to do the things I like to do so I can play with my grand daughter or hang out and watch a movie with my daughter. Doing things early can save time and money. My daughter likes to prepare the 'next-day' bottles for Victoria each night after she gets home from work. She makes 24 to 30 ounces-worth instead of one by one. It is easier for her because she knows that if she has to get up in the middle of the night (yes that does happen once in a while), she doesn't have to pinpoint how many scoops to mix with where the water level is in the bottle. She doesn't have to make a bottle with one eye open; being so sleepy. Everyone is happy (especially me because I am sleeping!) This makes it easier to just grab a bottle before she wakes, warm it up, and it will be welcoming when she is alert. Simple.

I have never been good about keeping up with the house. But I do know that you can only eat an elephant a bite at a time. So while I clean the house, I pick my domestic battles. Monday I choose to clean the living room and hallway closets plus do my dishes. Tuesday I prefer the kitchen and bathroom probably because they are easier to put together with the mopping and same basic cleaning supplies. I also do my dishes that day as well. On Wednesday I tend to drop it a few notches by cleaning my bedroom and the balcony as well as doing the day's dishes. Thursday its off to a fun-filled day down at the laundry mat. Finally it is Friday and I decide to clean up in the living room some more and finish the never-ending pile of dishes. Weekends everyone picks up after themselves! I'm done!!!

Walking in my shoes: How to become a Hip Grandmother

Elderly-looking grandmothers are behind us. We are now in a world where humans are living longer, children are becoming adult (mentally) at an earlier age, and grandparents aren't quite looking like the traditional grandparents that we had when we were younger. Long ago were the aprons with grey and white hair up in a bun, smelling the house filled with assorted aromas of apple or pumpkin pies and the smell of moth balls with doilies on the end-tables in the living room. Fortunately we can enjoy our grandchildren for decades to come and being out in public with them (if they are older grandchildren) can be an adventure. The modern grandmother thinks and is open to many situations as their kids and grandkids. As I am moving along with my journey to become a fun-loving hip grandmother, there are a few things that I have been learning along the way.

Dressing your age is not the way of a hip grandmother. No one wants to see a woman in a bathrobe walking around the house. But on the other side of the coin, you needn't dress like one of your granddaughter's friends. Think logical about how much leg you would like to expose. Remember, you are not a teenager or young adult anymore. Learn to act like it. When you walk into a clothing shop, you will notice the women's section sports a wonderful display of assorted colors for you to choose from. Quietly walk out of the junior's section where your granddaughter frequents and look around to see what your individual style is. Thats the thing about being a hip grandmother. We know ourselves in ways that many young people don't. We have the ability to mix and match items that doesn't make us look trashy and trying to compete with our children's child but in a way that can send a message that we have style in our every day life.

This includes hairstyles and makeup. Most grandmothers of old have no desire to 'wash the grey out' of their head. Make way for the new grandmothers of today! Sure, its fine if you have changed your hair color since you were a teenager and no one minds if you have a few streaks of grey to show wisdom. You have experience in life and you should let it show! Having a unique personality that goes with your style speaks volumes to the world that you are 'old enough to know better but young enough to do it again.'

Find an even level that you and your grandchildren can have private talks. For instance, there are some things that my own mother and my daughter talk about which brings their bond so much stronger. They are 'best friends' and have inside jokes that sometimes I am not involved in. As a parent, I feel excluded at times but as an up-and-coming grandparent, I hope I get to have those inside jokes with my grand daughter one day. Patience is a virtue. Keep open communication with your grandchildren and not closed-minded about different social stigmas aren't and shouldn't be shown as stigmas anymore. The times have changed since we were young and you need to learn how to 'roll with the punches'.

Technology at its finest. In a world of computers and the internet, we have to be able to keep up with many things in life. Especially what our grandchildren are up to. Take a class at the local library of the different programs such as Word or even how to learn to navigate across cyberspace. Never look at technical gadgets as a burden in your life, rather look at them as a convenience that you can find new ways of communication be it text messaging, Facetiming, e-mailing, social networking and/or video chat.

Laugh with the good times. Having a great rapport with your grandchildren is a must! If they can't speak confidentially with their own parents, remind them that you always have a trustworthy, non judgmental ear for them to unload their little feelings on to you. Have in-depth conversations to let them know that you understand what they are going through. Just listen, without pushing advice on them and talk back and forth about what the solution is to the problem at hand.

To every season, learn, learn, learn. Remember to look at life as a learning experience because, lets be frank, you aren't finished. I assure you there are still places to see and things to do. Take a class to learn about the latest technology or join a book club at your local library. Keep your mind energized as you would do with your body. Start doing puzzles and word-finds online as well as on paper. You can even do them with your younger grandchildren to keep your mind crisp and to build a bond with them. Strive to push education to your grandchildren to allow them to live in a better world than you did when you were a child. Isn't that what we all want?

Whatever you do, where ever you go remember you are still an individual with your own identity. Remember what that is??