One item parents receive more than a few of are baby blankets. And, those baby blankets are often the most difficult item for kids to part with. So I decided it was about time to upcycle the cuddly soft blankets into something everyone in the family could enjoy: fleece pillowcases.     What do you do with your old baby blankets?  

Entertaining in the fall offers a plethora of decorating options. Almost all of which are free or low cost.     Guests joining you for dinner last minute? Use what you have on hand. Head outside and grab fallen leaves or downed branches. Shop your pantry, tossing fruits and vegetables from your pantry into ceramic or glass bowls. Follow these five tips when arranging your found, foraged items and your tablescapes will be sure to wow.   How do you decorate your table for entertaining?  

I love Fall. The leaves start to turn and the nights get a little bit cooler. It's the perfect time to gather round the kitchen table and serve up comfort food. And this Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters while not breaking the bank!     An added plus? Depending on how you stock your pantry and your freezer, this casserole may not even require a trip to the supermarket!   What's your favorite weekday comfort food?  

It's May and that means it time once again for the Spring Mindful Consumption Challenge. The 8 for 4 Challenge: 8 items of clothing for four weeks.     Last May I set out to see if I could wear six items of clothing for four weeks ( a creative challenge initially raised in 2010 by a now offline website, SixItemsorLess). My goals? To examine how I was spending my fashion dollars. To go through my closet and donate any items that still had yet to be tailored or still had tags still on them.   Could you wear just eight (or six) pieces of clothing for four weeks?  

Could you wear just six pieces of clothing for four weeks? I don't know if I could, so I'm about to find out. I'm issuing a Mindful Consumption Challenge: 6 for 4 this May, and I hope you'll join me.     The goal? To reduce impulse purchases.   The 2014 6 for 4 Challenge has ended. Join the 2015 8 for 4 Challenge !  

No one wants to look like a lost time traveler. We all want our wardrobe to represent our style while at the same time being hip and in style. The challenge comes in how to do this cost effectively while not feeding the disposable fashion industry. For me, the answer has been Le Tote, a monthly subscription service that delivers what's in style now ( *affiliate link ) straight to your mailbox. Le Tote has two subscription services, one just for jewelry and one for a mix of separates, dresses, and jewelry. I'm subscribed to the Boutique Box where I get five items, typically one dress, two separates, and two pieces of jewelry. I wear (or try on) the pieces that I've received, keep anything I like, and send back the rest. The subscription fee includes two-way shipping and cleaning so I don't have to worry about scheduling dry cleaning pickups/dropoffs or dealing with laundry.   Test Driving Clothing in The Real World Have you ever purchased something and been unsure ...

Ever just stood in your kitchen wondering what to cook? Staring into a stocked fridge and not seeing a recipe flash before your eyes? Opening and closing cabinets and not finding a solid jumping off point?   Stocking your pantry with some basics will help reduce this paralysis. (Last summer I talked about how I combined Farmer's Market picks with pantry items to restart our tradition of cooking together in the kitchen.) To get you started, here are some tips from James A. Beard as well as my basic pantry inventory.     When it comes to food the only way to save money is to plan ahead. Planning doesn't have to mean boring. In How To Eat Better For Less Money , James A. Beard states " [m]y underlying purpose in this book is to help you develop imagination and interest in your cooking without straining your budget. There is a flavorful, rewarding approach to inexpensive eating, but you have to work at it. ... [This book] presents an approach to food and cooking that wil...

Determining how to mindfully consume food is more challenging than you might think. When you've never looked at food as a budget item, how do you where to place your upper bound once you've eliminated (or reduced) delivery and eating out? Too low a number leaves you unsatisfied and hungry. Too high a number doesn't challenge you to really think about what you're putting on your plate and how it gets there.     If you're taking the HaveNotWant challenge for Lent , we're halfway through. Congratulations! Have you found it harder or easier than you thought?   Originally mindful consumption didn't cover food, as everyone needs to eat. After looking at our monthly food bills, mostly made up of delivery charges, I realized this was shortsighted and expanded my personal HaveNotWant challenge. And, discovered it's harder than it seems. I'm pretty sure everyone would agree that the convenience of delivery is a want not a need. But, is organic a want, not a...

Think it's easy to keep spending under control? Even when you have a big goal you're working towards? Guess again. It requires constant vigilance, the ability to forgive when you don't mindfully spend, and the willingness to continue trying.     In January, I had given myself a $200 budget for clothing and other non-essentials. As I was going to Salt Lake City for Alt Summit, I knew there would be baggage fees, so $120 of the $200 was immediately gone. (I can't carry a fully packed suitcase up and down stairs; to avoid the inevitable never ending stairs I go with two carry on rollerboards that I can carry up and down stairs. Depending on the type of the plane I'll carry on one or check both. They wouldn't fit in the overhead storage of the regional jet I was flying and in SFO we board from the tarmac so checking both was the easiest option.)   I planned to use the remaining $80 on tights that were replacements for ones that had gotten snagged and on pens and ...