New parents usually have no prior experience in budgeting for a family, and may have no idea what their budget should be when their new arrival comes. The truth is that babies do not need very much. Babies need to be fed, clothed, diapered, bathed and they need a place to sleep. There are many ways to make due with very little. For instance, a changing pad placed on a dresser will work fine in place of a changing table. A bottle sterilizer is nice, but not necessary in to adequately clean baby bottles. While it may be nice for your baby to have their baby wipes warmed up in a wipe warmer, this is also frivolous. A baby’s bottom can be cleaned with cool wipes just as well as warm wipes. Parents can make their own decisions about what is really necessary for their baby, but talking with other new parents who have gone through the experience can usually help inform them of what the basics come down to.

Also, don’t forget that humans grow faster as babies than at any other time in their life. Though it can be tempting to buy a bunch of new baby clothes, it is important to remember that your baby will likely grow out of those clothes in a few short months. There is no better time to take advantage of consignment clothes, the Goodwill, and other friends with hand-me-downs. Friends who have babies are likely to want to get rid of the pile of outgrown baby clothes anyway! Consignment stores and Goodwill also carry gently used baby clothes for a fraction of the cost that they are when purchased new. Just remember to put the clothes purchased on consignment through a thorough wash cycle before putting them on your little one.

And remember the significance of diapers. New babies can go through diapers at the rate of ten per day. Diapers are not inexpensive and they are a necessity. One way to save money on diapers is to use diaper coupons that can be found in drugstore circulars, but a better way to buy them is with cash-back rebates. Sites like Ebates.com offer cash back on online drugstore purchases. Buying diapers through these websites will result in cash back that equals the same amount of money that would be saved by clipping coupons. This way, diapers can be bought immediately with cash back, instead of waiting around for the coupons on the preferred brand of diapers. Certain diaper brands also have points programs where points can be earned with diapers purchases. Buying wipes in bulk is also a good way to save money, because baby wipes tend to be much more expensive when they are purchased in smaller packs. Buying diaper wipes in bulk will save new parents from running out and will also save a lot of money over time.

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Carole Brunner writes about personal finance, green living & saving money at www.homeequityloan.net.

Free Sterling Silver with real Gemstones, no catch, no gimmicks, no obligation! Seriously!

Wanna know why it’s free?

Giving away jewelry is SJC’s way of introducing their products-they also sell their jewelry through wholesalers and stores. There’s no solicitation – it’s just not their style!

Here’s the Deets

The Silver Jewelry Club (silverjewelryclub.com) offers high-quality jewelry including silver rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets (most of them with genuine gemstones). It really is free, provided you pay the modest shipping charge of $5.99. I’m not talking junk either.

I’ve placed a banner in the sidebar that updates daily with one of the latest pieces offered.

What a great way to get that Mother’s Day shopping out of the way EARLY!

Disclaimer: Anytime I find a great deal or a great product like this, I look for an affiliate signup. They have it – I did it. Your order via my links or banner result in a small commission. A girl’s gotta fund her jewelry addiction somehow

In today’s world, it is important to be as economical as possible.  Anytime you travel, you need to find things to cut in order to save a few bucks.  However, many families feel that taking a vacation is still important, because vacations provide an opportunity to spend quality time together and traveling to foreign countries is such an educational experience for children.  It IS possible to take an affordable vacation that will not put you in a financial bind though. If you are going on a trip soon, here are the top ten ways to save money on this excursion!

1. Be Flexible
Many airlines offer lower fares if you travel within a certain time frame.  If you fly during the off-peak hours or dates, you can get a cheaper airfare.  You might need to fly in the middle of the night or during the middle of the week.  You could also take a flight with a couple of stops along the way.  You just need to be flexible, and you can save money. Also, fly to bigger airports and consider traveling over land to a nearby location, if you need to get there.

2. Compare Prices
So many companies offer airfare, hotels, car rentals and any other thing that you need while traveling.  Look for discounts and compare prices.  You can save money just by shopping around for the best deals available.

3. Take an All-Inclusive Vacation
All-inclusive vacation packages include the hotel, dining and some of the entertainment.  Cruises are normally all-inclusive, or you could find a resort.  Airline tickets are not included in the package, so you will need to purchase those separately.

4. Travel by Car
Another way to help your budget is to travel by car instead of an airplane.  You can still take a fabulous vacation within driving distance. You could also save time and stress by avoiding airports because security is tight, and traveling by plane is becoming a hassle.

5. Visit Free Attractions
Most cities have numerous attractions that are completely free.  You can visit parks, some museums and neighborhoods for free.   The beach is usually free too. Before you take the vacation, search online to see which attractions offer free admission.

6. Ask Around
You can save on entertainment just by asking for possible discounts.  Some attractions offer student discounts, military discounts, senior citizens discounts and much more.  You could even receive a discount for paying cash instead of using a credit card.  Before you venture out into the city, look online for places that offer deals. If you’re in Europe, this will DEFINITELY pay off.

7. Pack Light
It seems like airlines keep finding ways to charge fees.  You are now being charged for each bag that you check in at the airport.  If you can pack light enough to carry on your bags, you will save money.  If that is not possible, make sure you pack light enough to get all of your belongings in one bag.

8. Credit Card Miles
If you have built up credit card miles or frequent flyer miles, you could save a significant amount of money on hotels or airfare.  Therefore, make sure you check with your credit card company to see if you have enough miles to cash in.

9. Save on Dining
If you stay in a hotel that has a kitchen, you could cook your own meals, which would save you money.  If you do eat out, research the restaurants in the area.  You can find many excellent dining facilities that are affordable.

10. Public Transit
Buses and subways are cheaper that taxis.  You also could get to your destination with your own two feet.  Trains are cheaper than flights or renting a car. You should look for hotels that are close to major attractions, and then you can walk!! In many countries, renting a bike is common, cheap and atmospheric (Denmark, anyone?).

Jeanie White likes to save money by visiting websites like www.creditreport.org.

A couple months ago my clothes dryer developed a horrible squeak. The heavier the load, the louder the squeak.

Not having the money to do repairs right away, I opted for using the clothes line to get us through the summer months.

Let me tell you – it was so nice to see such a drop in our electric bills. But, as with all good things – that too must come to an end. With all the cooler weather and rainy days as of recent, it became painfully obvious that I was going to have to do something about the dryer.

I only had a few options:

1. Call a repairman

2. Get rid of the dryer and get a new one

3. Fix it myself

I did try to call a repairman first. Let me just say that finding an appliance repairman these days isn’t an easy task. There used to be several of them locally, but now – the closest one is about 20 miles away. When I spoke to the closest one, he told me what he thought the problem might be and how much it would cost to have him fix it. Frankly, it would be cheaper to replace the thing with a nice used one from a local vender known for quality used appliances.

Next, I phoned the used appliance store – they had several in stock ranging from $80 – $175. For me to get what I wanted and needed, I was looking toward the higher end. Knowing that, I wasn’t quite ready to settle on that option. I still felt like there was more I could do and more I could save.

With the knowledge I’d gained from the first phone call, I hoped on Youtube and searched squeaky dryer, replacing bearing and glides.

After seeing how easy it would be to do the work myself, I clicked over to Amazon to see if I could find the parts I needed.

Of course, Amazon has just about everything under the sun – they had the parts I needed for $25! I placed my order with a shop called Partshouse.

The parts arrived in just a few days and earlier today I decided it was time to tackle the job.

My husband asked if I wanted help, but I felt confident this was a job I could do on my own and TWENTY minutes later, I had the job done, the area cleaned up, swept, vents cleaned out and was on my way with the weeks laundry.

If your dryer is squeaking – I would start off looking at the glides (sometimes called slides) and the front bearing. The job sounds WAY bigger then what it actually is – the parts are affordable – especially on Amazon and you can save yourself a bundle!

It’s always been my goal to teach my children how to manage money, the value of a dollar and proper budgeting. I usually try to come up with creative ways to engage them in a fun, but educational lesson.

A few months before Christmas, I begin talking to the boys about Christmas and how much I will be able to spend. With that dollar amount, they set out on the internet to do a little window shopping and make their lists.

Their list consists of bookmarking links to items they like. Once they have the items collected, they then watch eBay, Amazon and Google Alerts for the best prices.

What has happened over time is my kids have learned that items that are slightly used are just as good as new – but when you are on a very tight budget – if planned properly, you can get twice as much for used as you can for new.

That lesson has rolled over into other areas of their life. They have become wise and thrifty shoppers that makes mama very proud.

Take the pressure off yourself this year at Christmastime – give the kids a budget and access to the computer and let the list of links arrive in your email and Christmas gifts to your door.

Believe me – when it’s a cold, blistery night with snow flying – there’s nothing quite like being curled in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and hearing the big brown truck pull into your drive.