Cheap and Effective Ant Control: A True Story

by Gina Blitstein · 34 comments

Once there was a kitchen in a home where meals were prepared, crumbs were dropped, food was spattered and pets were fed. Although it was kept relatively clean, it became a favorite dining establishment for a colony of ants.

After several years of unsuccessfully battling the ants with purchased bait and spray, the homeowners called an exterminator. The exterminator seemed knowledgeable and experienced about the homeowners’ pests: slab ants, he called them. He said they enter houses searching for food and a warm environment to build their colony — and this kitchen with its warm pipes and easy access to food was ant paradise.

The exterminator proposed injecting a sweet bait where ant activity had been observed that would attract the worker ants, laced with a substance that they would carry back to the nest, which would poison the entire colony. The plan sounded good to the homeowners, so they agreed to the treatment and the $130 price tag, which gave the exterminator 30 days to rid their home of the ants. The exterminator left them with the assurance that, “If you still see ants after after ten days, we’ll try a different bait.”

Ten days passed and, although there was some interest in the bait, ants remained. The homeowners contacted the exterminator who administered a second treatment, this one a ‘protein based’ bait which was likewise supposed to utilize the worker ants to poison the colony. At first, the ants came out in droves to ingest the protein-based bait. The homeowners rejoiced, certain their infestation problems were behind them. Thirteen days later, however, they observed more ants then ever! The exterminator returned with the ‘last resort’ treatment — a spray poison that was supposed to put an end to the colony once and for all.

The homeowners were guardedly optimistic about the final treatment, and proud of themselves for getting all the treatments to which they were entitled according to the agreement with the exterminator… Until the ants returned.

That’s when the homeowners turned to the internet for assistance. They knew a few things already: they were unwilling to pay another $130 — especially for ineffective treatment — and that their particular ants preferred the protein-based bait. With a little research, they discovered a ‘recipe’ for ant bait that has proved every bit as effective and considerably less expensive than the exterminator’s.

High-protein peanut butter boric acid ant bait

⅓ cup peanut butter (100% peanut; no carbohydrates added)
2 teaspoons boric acid powder
Abundant patience

Blend peanut butter with boric acid with disposable utensils in a disposable container. Label conspicuously as “Ant Bait” so it’s not mistaken as edible. Distribute in areas where you see ants, either directly on the floor or on 2″x2” pieces of cardboard placed where they’re crawling.

You may observe a lot of ant activity if the ants are attracted to it! Replace the bait every two days to keep it fresh. If the ants remain after a couple weeks, add another couple teaspoons of boric acid to the recipe and try again. This is where the patience comes in. Continue this process for several weeks until the ants are gone.

That’s what the homeowners have done and in five weeks from the initial application, they are currently ant free. This technique comes with no guarantee but it’s much cheaper than paying an exterminator (each batch costs only a few cents) and — so far — at least as effective as the ‘professional’ treatment.

The moral of the story is, if you’re willing to put forth the effort and patience, a homemade remedy for ant control can be effective and much cheaper.

Want Better Pay? Improve Your Marketable Skills

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

Many of us would like to earn more money. However, in many cases it requires planning and effort to make more. Whether you are looking for ways to develop alternative income streams, start a business, or just get a raise, you need to have a plan. One way you can help improve your chances of getting better pay is to improve your marketable skills.

Developing a Marketable Skill

Part of the way that your compensation is determined is through the types of skills you bring to the table. Even if you are working for yourself, it can help to have some marketable skills as you try to sell yourself and your personal brand. Consider your weaknesses, and how they might be impacting your work. If you have a hard time communicating orally, you can take courses to help you improve your ability to speak. The same is true of learning to use social media, written communication, computer skills and a number of other skills.

Find out what your boss would value in a worker, and then make an attempt to develop that skill. In some cases, this can be done through online courses, or through workshops offered in your town or through your work. Other skills, though, might require that you go through a certification process. Find out what the expectations are for you, and what it would take for you to earn a promotion or a raise by developing marketable skills.

More Education

In some cases, getting more education can help you to a pay raise. Some employers will pay more if you get a master degree, moving beyond the bachelor. Find out whether or not more education can help you achieve your goal of higher pay. You should be careful to do your research, though, because in some cases a higher degree won’t help you improve your earning power. While you might want a certain degree for your own edification, you have to be aware that it can be costly. Make sure that you are able to handle the cost before you make that decision — especially if your earning power won’t improve as a result.

Acquiring New Skills for Self-Improvement and Personal Satisfaction

Perhaps you are interested in new skills from a self-improvement standpoint. Even if you won’t see a pay increase as a result of your efforts, it can still be full-filling to learn a new skill or achieve a certain level of education. However, before you pursue such self-improvement goals, it is important to make sure that you can handle the financial and time commitment. Someday, I would like to earn my Ph.D. However, right now I don’t have the time to devote to the endeavor, and my husband and I would like to see a reduction in our student loan debt first.

I would enjoy getting another degree, but it wouldn’t impact my earnings, so it’s not practical right now. As a result, I am planning ahead, setting aside some money now, and considering what I might cut back on later, when my son is older and my husband has a more established career that wouldn’t require me to do so much work. In the meantime, though, I can develop other enjoyable skills, such as playing the guitar, learning about psychology, and improving my abilities on the piano.

What skills do you want to develop?

Six Healthy and Inexpensive Snack Ideas for Kids and Teens

by Tracy · 0 comments

It seems like kids and teenagers are always looking for something to snack on. This is especially true in the summer when they are home all day! Prepared snack foods can get expensive, especially if your home is the neighborhood hangout, so here are some suggestions for tasty, easy to prepare snacks that also happen to be healthy and inexpensive.

Air-popped popcorn with a light amount of salt or other seasonings. Buying popcorn by the pound is much cheaper than getting microwave bags. If you like the convenience of cooking in the microwave, you can get special poppers or use brown paper bags (simply put 1/4 cup into a paper lunch bag, fold the top over tightly several times and cook for as long as a bag usually takes in your microwave). Do remember that popcorn is a choking hazard and should not be given to children under age 4.

Homemade freezer pops. You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to making your own frozen treats. The traditional fruit juice made in popsicle molds is always popular, but try freezing yogurt in small paper cups or adding pieces of whole, fresh fruit. Do a web search to get ideas and inspiration.

Speaking of fresh fruit, fruit in season is cheap, healthy and easy to eat. Do buy only what you think you can reasonably eat before it goes bad and eat highly perishable fruits before ones that can hang out longer without going bad. Freezing excess fruit is a great way to prevent waste. You can give the kids frozen berries, grapes and melon to eat as is or use it to make delicious smoothies.

Hummus is high in protein and fiber and very easy to make at home. For a change, try recipes that call for black beans or roasted red pepper or any number of other variations. Hummus is a great dip for fresh veggies and homemade pita chips. If your children aren’t crazy about the taste of hummus, try other dips and spreads made out of other kinds of beans, lentils, peas or edamame.

Speaking of vegetables, most children are more likely to snack on their veggies if you make it very simple for them and provide a dip like hummus or salad dressing. A good way to get some extra veggies in is to have your child help you prep dinner and let them sneak a few pieces of broccoli or bell pepper strips after you’ve cleaned and trimmed them.

Instead of cookies, brownies and cakes, make homemade quick breads and muffins with whole wheat flour and fruit. You can cut down the sugar in most recipes slightly without affecting the taste and texture and add healthy extras like ground flax seed, shredded vegetables and oat bran. If you have a smaller family, you can freeze extras before they go stale and microwave them as needed.

Hard boiled eggs are full of protein, easy to make and very inexpensive compared to other protein sources, even if you buy the organic, cage free varieties. You can boil a week’s worth at a time and keep them in the fridge for a super easy snack or to make egg salad or deviled eggs for lunch. If your children aren’t crazy about eggs, look for other high-protein snacks that will keep them full such as cheese cubes, chicken strips (you can roast a few breasts or an entire chicken to use for snacks through the week) or cubes of tofu. Don’t forget legumes – you can roast chickpeas and other beans for a savory snack that is full of satisfying fiber and protein.

5 Concepts to Teach Kids for Improved Money Management

by Gina Blitstein · 1 comment

Wise financial management doesn’t come naturally to most people. To most, it’s a learned behavior that is developed over time as we learn to consider future financial obligations, delay gratification and learn patience. As adults, sometimes wise financial management comes naturally and sometimes it hits us as reality slaps in the face. There’s no denying, however, that managing our money wisely is a necessary skill to function in our financial lives.

What if we were able to begin teaching children the basics of money management from their earliest years? Would they grow up as ‘natural savers’ and have an easier time managing their money throughout their lives? The kid experts at Sesame Street think so.

Sesame Street, in conjunction with PNC Bank, has created a campaign to help children learn to save money, called, “For Me, For You, For Later,” promising to instruct children on first steps to spending, sharing and saving. The campaign includes a video chronicling the adventures of Elmo as he learns to make good choices with his money. It also includes resources for parents and educators to help reinforce the lessons. In the video, Elmo implements the simplest of savings strategies: Three jars which hold money for one specified purpose each, including spending, sharing and saving. These are firm footings on which to start explaining and demonstrating the concepts of money management to children.

Whether you utilize the Sesame Street system or one of your own, these are the concepts for teaching financial responsibility from a young age:

Money is a representation of value. Help children to think of money as a tool which can be amassed to obtain other things. Children should learn that money’s value correlates to something concrete. For example, $1.00 is how much a bucket of sidewalk chalk costs. Give money meaning or a child will not comprehend the correlation between the abstract concept of a ‘dollar’ and anything in her own life.
What you do with money is a choice like any other. Money brings with it particular responsibility. Since it can be spent or shared or saved, help children to learn the reasons for and importance of doing all those things with their money. If they think of it only as a spendable resource, they won’t learn it’s true power.
Money can only be spent once. Children need to learn that money is not automatically renewable — when it’s gone, it’s gone. Help them to realize that when they spend a dollar on an ice cream cone, they no longer have that dollar for a toy car.
Saving is adding, spending is subtracting. Money represents a perfect opportunity to teach about addition of subtraction. Saving adds to your money, spending subtracts from it.
Saving is a goal, short and long term. Once children understand that not spending enables them to hold on to money, you can use the opportunity to help them decide how to make saving goals for things they identify they want. This is a sure way to help them embrace the idea that the choices they make with money impact their ability to afford things they want.

These simple lessons will help children begin to understand the complexities of money — the ins and outs of managing resources, to gain and maintain control of their finances, right from the outset. It may be a good idea to step back and see how these simple lessons relate to the way we deal with money as adults in our day to day lives.

Can we learn to be better money managers by getting back to the basics?

5 Obvious Ways to Cut Health Insurance Cost

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

One of the most expensive recurring costs you have in your home is likely to be health insurance. Health insurance can really drain your finances, and it seems like premiums always go up, no matter who’s in charge, or what laws are passed. In order to save money on health insurance, though, there are a few things you can do:

Raise Your Deductible

Check your deductible. A few years ago, I was surprised to find that my deductible was $500. I took a look at my emergency fund and decided that a deductible of $2,500 would be reasonable. My premiums fell that year, and the inevitable climb toward higher premiums began anew. Consider what you have in your emergency fund, and what you can handle in terms of out of pocket expenses.

You can also combine your higher deductible with a HSA (Health Savings Account). This way, you can put your money to work for you, get a tax break, and pay lower premiums. Realize, though, that raising your deductible to something higher might not work for you if you have a lot of health care needs.

Cut Your Benefits

Check your plan to see if you are paying for something you don’t really need. I no longer need maternity coverage, so paying for it doesn’t make sense. Look through your benefits, and then look through the benefits on other plans offered by your company (and other companies). Switch to a plan that has fewer benefits, but still provides the coverage that you need.

Shop Around

While you are looking for a health insurance plan that better fits your needs, you might as well consider other insurance companies. Do a little comparison shopping. You might find that you can find a cheaper plan, that fits your needs and lifestyle, elsewhere. If that is the case, you can switch companies to save. Many people miss out on opportunities to save because they get comfortable with a specific plan or company, and then are slow to change things up.

Follow Better Health Habits

One of the ways that you can keep your health care costs a little bit lower is to follow better health habits. Exercise, eat a balanced diet, and try to take time for relaxation and stress relief. You will need fewer doctor’s visits and have fewer illnesses. And, while nothing can protect you completely, general good health habits can lead to better disease management and protection, and less of a need for using health care services. This will reduce the “need” for steep premium increases each year, and help you keep costs a little more manageable.

Ask for a Cash Discount

In some cases, you can get a cash discount for your health care services. As I pay out of pocket to meet my deductible, I bring cash, and ask for a discount. Some doctors will give you 10% discount — or better — if you pay out of pocket with cash. The payment goes toward my deductible, I get a discount, and I can get reimbursed from my Health Savings Account.

Off to College: Getting What You Need Affordably

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Sending a freshman off to college is not only an emotional and life-changing event for the whole family — it’s an expensive proposition! Piled on top of the cost of a college education itself are the student’s living expenses. Even when living a a dorm, he or she has the challenge of setting up a whole new household, in cramped quarters and with an equally cramped budget. How can these young adults get what they need to make dorm life comfortable, convenient and affordable while acclimating to the demands of college life?

I’ve assembled the best wisdom offered by a number of sources, from former dorm dwellers, to parents, to financial advisers, to coupon and discount services, to provide a frugal guide to Freshman living. Here’s what they advise:

Make a list of what’s necessary after consulting with your roommate. Considering the expense of setting up housekeeping and the limited space available in a dorm room, check with your roommate as to what he or she will provide, to avoid duplicate items.
Make that list of necessities early so you can be on the lookout for discounts, sales and coupons on what you need and want. Rather than wait for ‘Back to School’ sales, start looking for what you need as soon as possible. Check out garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets and clearance racks to find good deals on discontinued or mis-matched items. Remember, alternatives to retail stores, sales and coupons are your friend when your budget is tight and your needs are simple.
Negotiate with the parents as to what you can take from home. Most homes can spare a few blankets, mugs, plates, bowls and silverware — maybe even some bath towels. “Shopping” in your own home can seriously cut down on your expenses while re-purposing some of the clutter that most homes accumulate over the years.
Discover inexpensive stores in your college town for food, supplies and equipment. Once you arrive at your college, scout around for some inexpensive grocery, discount and office supply stores where you can keep yourself in the necessities like toothpaste, printer ink and microwave popcorn without breaking the bank.
Buy in bulk and share costs with your roommate. The cost of items that are considerably cheaper purchased in bulk, like ramen noodles and toilet paper, can be shared with your roommate. Make sure, however, that you decide upon an equitable way of sharing such costs so that one of you doesn’t use more and pay less than your fair share.
Consult message boards and websites where students buy and sell items. One of your best sources for items used by dorm residents are former dorm residents! Look for classified ads for items you need or want – their asking prices will likely be cheap because they are highly motivated to sell.
Procure first aid supplies and cold remedies when you set up your dorm room. In the interest of creating a dorm room that is ready to withstand the rigors of college life, be certain to set up a fully-stocked medicine cabinet. First aid and cold remedies are some of the most expensive items you’ll need to purchase. Planning ahead and having a supply of these items on hand will help you avoid an unforeseen pain in the wallet when you’re in no condition to be looking for bargains.

So there you have it: advice from the experts on how to outfit your dorm room — and yourself — with what’s needed to start your freshman dorm experience on the right foot, and with a bit of money still in your pocket!

5 Ways to Beat the Gimmes and Raise Happier Children

by Tracy · 0 comments

Raising children is expensive enough without catering to their constant pleas for treats, toys, gadgets and gizmos. Even if you don’t give in every time, listening to the whining and cajoling is exhausting and makes family life less pleasant and more stressful.

While it’s probably not possible to eradicate the gimmes completely, here are five tips to help children to grow up with reasonable expectations and demands.

1. Turn off the TV. Companies spend billions of dollars on advertising because it works. While children will eventually have to learn how to evaluate ads and understand the tricks marketers use to trigger their “I want” mechanism, most children are not developmentally ready to do this until they are much older.

Choose commercial free options for your child’s television viewing such as DVDs and ad-free networks and limit their viewing. Even without commercials, television is passive entertainment that will atrophy your child’s imagination in excess.

2. Encourage a reading habit and make family visits to the library a regular part of your routine. Reading will not only help your child excel academically, it is also a great way to teach them how to amuse themselves without spending money.

Reading helps children develop the rich imaginations and creativity that will allow them to use the resources that they have and avoid the trap of thinking the only solutions to their problem involve whipping out the credit card.

3. Give them ample opportunities to play outdoors. Running around outside isn’t just a good and free way for them to exercise and burn off energy, it’s also incredibly important for proper development. Children were not designed for sedentary indoor life and going without active play leads to cranky, whiny children.

Visit your local playgrounds often and look for ways that the entire family can experience the outdoors together such as biking, hiking and picnics. Do provide your children with some outdoor toys like bikes and balls, but also allow them to get bored enough to discover the joy of scratching pictures into the ground with a stick or making a huge pile of leaves to jump in.

4. Let them manage their own money with an allowance. Children do need an opportunity to learn how to use money and how to delay gratification by saving up their own cash to buy something they want. Do give your children some general guidelines on how the money should be used but also allow them the freedom to make some mistakes while the stakes are low as this can make a big impression and give them the experience they’ll need to make good choices when they are on their own.

5. Keep special treats special. It’s easy to fall into the trap of getting children something small every time we visit the store or ending every outing with a fast food meal or ice cream cone. It might not be a budget killer, but it’s teaching your child the lesson that buying things for no reason is a necessary part of daily life.

If you’ve already established these expectations breaking them will be painful but worth it in the long run. Stay resolute and remind yourself that you’re teaching your child an important lesson that will serve him or her well for the rest of their life.

Inexpensive Fun: Arts & Crafts Through the Summer

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

My best childhood memories of summer are of when I had hours and hours and days and days on my hands to do with as I pleased. While I ran around with my friends, tossed a baseball with my brother, rode my bike and spent some serious time on the swing set, I also had lots of indoor time when it was rainy or just too hot to play outdoors. Those are the times when I loved to immerse myself in a craft.

As it turns out, it’s actually a good idea for children to continue doing creative activities throughout the summer. It keeps their imaginations active, their focus strong and their small motor skills honed. They also derive a sense of satisfaction from making something with their own hands.

Another good reason for children to be crafty is that you can use the extended time to help them plan and make gifts for family and friends ahead of time. Why not get a head start on homemade Christmas gifts while they have the time and art supplies right at hand?

How can you facilitate your youngsters’ creativity this summer? You don’t have to be an art teacher or spend a bundle at the craft store to provide what they need to make some fun and creative projects all Summer long. Many fantastic crafts can be made using recycled materials you already have at home but may not recognize as the stuff that art is made of. There are a few materials you may need to buy but they are generally inexpensive and easy to find. The best thing about Summer arts and crafts is that children of all ages can participate, to one extent or another, and keep productively occupied for hours on end.

Here are some ideas and resources for art projects to keep your little ones busy and creative throughout the Summer:

Fun and crafts — The creating is limited only by their imagination! Kids can create a myriad of fun things by recycling stuff from around the house into works of art and useful items. Crafts have come a long way from orange juice concentrate can pencil cups!
Clothing/shoes — From tie-dyeing to embellishing with paint, sequins and beads, kids love to put their creativity on clothing and shoes to wear themselves or to give as gifts!
Picture frames — Whether they’re used for displaying photos or original artwork, kids can turn just about anything into a frame.
Jewelry — As a kid I used the stones from my rock polisher to make earrings and cuff links for Mother’s and Father’s Day. Kids love the idea of wearing and giving jewelry. From macaroni necklaces to elaborate bead work, there’s a jewelry designer behind every little pair of hands!
Wrapping paper/gift bags/gift boxes — Isn’t it frustrating when you’ve purchased (or made) a thoughtful and inexpensive gift only to discover that wrapping it attractively will cost more than the gift itself? Have the kids create original wrapping paper and gift bags or boxes by repurposing paper and plastic you have on hand or are that is inexpensively and easily acquired.
Greeting cards — Another budget-buster are greeting cards! Almost any kind of paper can be transformed (with some art supplies and imagination) into a one-of-a-kind greeting card! Personal sentiments are always better than mass-produced ones so this project will also provide children the opportunity to do some creative writing once the card is designed.

Enjoy a summer full of inexpensive fun while encouraging your children’s creativity!

Buying a Hybrid: Does it Really Save You Money?

by Miranda Marquit · 11 comments

With gas prices rising, many of us are looking for ways to reduce the amount we pay. Gas saving strategies like taking public transportation, consolidating errands, and properly maintaining your car can help you improve your fuel efficiency so that you spend less. Some, though, wonder if they could do even better if they bought a hybrid. While the price of hybrids has been coming down, there is still often a premium attached to these vehicles. As a result, it might take time for you to recoup the cost of your hybrid.

How Much Do You Really Save with a Hybrid?

My husband and I bought a Toyota Prius in 2009. We finally decided that we were ready for a second car. Public transportation in our locale is inconvenient, and the nearest stop is more than a mile away. We had planned on buying a second car for a while, and knew how much we wanted to spend. We ended up getting our Prius for quite a bit below invoice, due to a pricing error on the dealer’s web site; without that discount, we probably would not have bought a hybrid, since the price was higher.

We didn’t spend “extra,” since we had budgeted for the purchase. And we have saved money in fuel costs. Indeed, after one year, we did the math and found that we had saved $360. However, if we had paid “full price” for the Prius, it would have taken almost 10 years to recoup the cost beyond our budgeted amount in gas money saved.

Before you buy a hybrid to save on gas, it’s a good idea to consider your true savings. Figure out whether or not you will truly save money. Will you save enough money in gas to justify the purchase? If you have a plug in, you will also have to consider the cost of the increased power use in your home. You may save in gas, but you will pay more on your home power bill.

Cost Associated with a Second Car

Before you buy any second car, you need to consider the additional costs. It’s not just the cost of another car payment (if you borrow to get your car). You also need to think about the additional fuel costs, as well as the added insurance costs. If you are thinking about getting a second car, you need to consider the added costs. In our case, we had saved up for a down payment, and we had planned for the second car. We were prepared for the added cost. And, since we got our Prius at a discount, we didn’t pay the premium for the hybrid. We came out ahead. However, I’m not sure that would have bought it without the discount. Since then, though, the prices for some hybrids have gone down, and there are used hybrids on the market, making them a little more cost efficient to buy.

In the end, the decision is yours. People buy hybrids for more reasons than just saving money on gas. Before you buy a hybrid, carefully think about why you want one, and whether or not it will save you enough money to make it worth the cost.

10 Inexpensive Birthday Gifts for Kids

by Tracy · 0 comments

Going to birthday parties is a great way for children to learn how to socialize and to celebrate their friends, but for parents the cost of birthday party gifts can quickly add up. Here are ten birthday gift ideas for kids that are affordable and sure to please. As a bonus, many of these ideas encourage creativity and won’t clutter the house and thus will be very much appreciated by the birthday boy or girl’s parents, too.

1. Art supplies. Try looking for pads of paper, crayons, glue, markers and paints on clearance after the big back to school sales in the Fall. Stickers, sidewalk chalk and other fun extras can also be periodically found in clearance bins or at dollar stores. It’s probably best to leave out the glitter, unless you have a feud going on with the other parent (or want to start one!)

2. Age appropriate books are always a good choice. Again, you could visit the clearance section of your local bookstore to find bargain prices and stock up. Books with jokes or freaky facts are always a hit with the school age crowd.

3. Children that can write or are almost ready to will enjoy having their own journal to record their thoughts and feelings. Small diaries with a lock can be found for under 10 dollars or you can look for interesting notebooks at an art supply store. Try a journal with black pages and add a neon gel pen or two for a neat twist on the idea.

4. Puzzles and board games are fun for the whole family and are usually well under $20. Be sure to read the box to make sure that it will be age appropriate for the birthday child. There are many games available that are designated as being suitable for non-readers for the younger set.

5. Handmade gifts can be surprisingly well received by the younger set, just be sure the design appeals to their current idea of fashionable. A homemade cape or cloak is an easy idea that will provide hours of imaginative play. Other ideas are hats, mittens, scarves and other accessories. Duct tape wallets and purses are an easy idea that will appeal to older kids.

6. A cute coin bank with a bit of change already tucked inside is charming and might encourage the birthday child to think about saving some of their allowance. You could even make it a tradition and bring over bags of quarters for subsequent birthdays if you are particularly close to the child.

7. Older children will appreciate $10 gift cards to iTunes, Target, Starbucks or other places where they can get inexpensive treats. It might be best to consult the parents first to make sure you are giving a card to a place that they go to frequently so that it doesn’t become a chore to use the card.

8. Making a photo scrapbook or framing one particularly nice shot can be a special gift for a close friend. You can have digital prints made inexpensively at most drug or discount stores and can buy photo albums and frames that are designed for children to customize at craft stores.

9. If you like giving toys, look for toys on clearance every time you visit your favorite stores and buy a few to stash away for parties. Look for toys that are fun for boys and girls and don’t seem too dated (although depending on the age group of the children involved it might or might not matter that you bought last year’s hit toy).

10. If you are handy, you can make a small treasure box or jewelry box for the birthday child to keep their valuables in. You can find the boxes ready made at craft stores or look around for cigar boxes or other sturdy containers that you can decorate with paint, stickers and other trimming. You can even include a small packet of trading cards, hair ribbons or other small trinkets to get their collection started.

Bonus tip: Don’t spend too much money on wrapping paper that will just get tossed. If you have gift bags that can be recycled, use those. If not, you can wrap gifts in plain brown paper bags that your children have decorated or the comics section of the newspaper and be eco-friendly as well as thrifty. You can also find super cheap wrapping paper, bags, tissue paper and bows at the dollar store.

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