We all mean to save money. We’re going to transfer money to savings. Shop around for insurance. Turn the thermostat down. Remember when that free trial ends. Pay the credit card before interest hits. And then life happens. Here’s something I’ve learned after years of managing a household budget: willpower is a lousy financial plan….
You know that sweet, tangy duck sauce you get with Chinese takeout? You can make a quick version at home with apricot preserves—and it takes about five minutes. This is one of those ridiculously easy sauces that can take plain chicken or pork from well, that’s dinner to oh, this is GOOD. Quick Apricot Duck…
There are absolutely times when you need to call a professional. I’m not messing around with electricity I don’t understand, climbing onto a roof, or taking apart something that could turn a small problem into a very expensive one. I know my limits. But I’m also not paying someone to come to my house before…
Serves 4–6 Ingredients For the sheet pan: For the honey garlic sauce: Let’s Make Dinner Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment or foil if you want to make cleanup even easier. Toss the potatoes with about a tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper. Spread them over the pan and…
I know. It’s still summer. The garden is producing, there are cucumbers taking over my refrigerator, and nobody particularly wants to think about heating oil. But I am. Because heating season is coming whether I think about it or not, and I’d much rather spend a little money and time now than watch the heat…
“Waste not, want not.” We’ve heard it a hundred times if we’ve heard it once, right? Seriously, though, this stuff matters to your budget. That $6 bargain on the great big container of strawberries is not a savings if they rot in the crisper. You might as well have thrown the $6 in the trash and cut…
School is starting again, and for a lot of families that means something else is starting again too: Packing lunches. Every. Single. Day. And if sandwiches are part of your rotation, you may have noticed just how expensive lunch meat has gotten. It has been a long time since I bought much of it. I’m…
Habits and muscle memory are funny things. Creating a new habit can take some effort at first, but once it becomes automatic, you stop spending so much time and energy thinking about it. And that payoff can reach much further than we realize. I hang my keys on the same hook every time I come…
Monday night dinner can be a pain. Mondays are notoriously hard days at work. You had a meal planned. You had every intention of making it. And then you worked late. Now you’re tired, everyone is hungry, and there just isn’t the time or energy to make what you planned. This is where I think…
Every August I see the same advice. Wake up earlier. Be more organized. Plan better. That’s all well and good…but if you’ve ever tried to get kids dressed, fed, and out the door before your coffee has kicked in, you know mornings can feel a little like herding caffeinated squirrels. I’ve found it’s much easier…
