Keeping your home clean doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are some frugal tips for cleaning your kitchen.

1. Get the Supplies – Check out your local Dollar store or Family Dollar. Although the products you will be buying will not be name brand, they will still get the job done the same. Also start early by looking for coupons in your Sunday paper. Cut all the cleaning ones out, you never know which ones you will use. Check out websites also. If you are in the market for a swiffer go to there website they have coupons that can be printed out. Check out other websites you may be surprised to find they have coupons also. So save up the coupons and you will save money and have a clean kitchen in the end.

2. Tackle the Refrigerator – The fridge can be a disaster zone in any families’ kitchen, kids in and out and you rummaging through to find something for dinner. Start with the freezer and simply take everything out and lay it on the counter. Go through all that food and see what is past the expiration date or what has been in there for a year and will never be eaten by anyone.

Throw to the side all the empty containers that the kids just left in there. Later simply wash those and do not spend the money on buying more. Then just wipe down all the space including the little crevices that no one will see (they can still be dirty). After the freezer is done, it is now ready to tackle the fridge. Do the same thing you did with the freezer and the fridge will be as good as new.

3. Cabinets and Cupboards – This may be time consuming but well worth it once everything is all done. Go through the cabinets and take everything out including the dishes. Wipe those cabinets clean with any multi-purpose cleaner that you have. You may also want to buy some cabinet liners to lie on the bottom to keep everything clean. You can get these at the dollar store along with most retailers that offer cleaning supplies. If you lie these down it will make your job easier next year.

After that is all done you can do the same thing with the cupboards and pantry. If you have a pantry full of food take it all out the way you did with the refrigerator. If you have food that you will never eat but is still good, you can always donate to your local soup kitchen.

4. Do a Wipe Down – The last step is to wipe everything down. Take that multi-purpose cleaner to every nook and crevice you have in that kitchen. Do not forget about those floors. Small things can fit in small places so make sure to clean under the fridge and anything else that things could slide under. This may be the one time a year that you do the cleaning the old-fashioned way, on your hands and knees.

Fill a bucket with hot soapy water and get to it. If you are down on the ground, you will not miss any spots. This is time consuming but not to bad on the budget. You can use the multi-purpose cleaner on just about anything and just add some soap to the bucket and get out an old rag.

Product: Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller

Description: The Cameleon is promoted as using the latest technology and available in a wide variety of colors to satisfy the most discerning parent.

Features: Loaded with features, here a few of the key ones

• Reversible seat
• Reversible handlebar for city and woods
• Includes basinet that can be used with and separately from the stroller
• Bugaboo Cameleon has 2 Wheel positions for sand and snow
• 3 position tilting seat
• Advertised as folding compactly, but our mom reviewer begs to differ.

Says Shea Harris, San Angelo, TX: Baby products have advanced a lot over the last several years. When investigating today’s baby products, such as strollers, there is little comparison with most past products. While searching for a new stroller I came across the Bugaboo Cameleon. They seemed to have a large variety of options, choices, and flexibility. Bugaboo offers many great strollers but in the end I decided to choose the Cameleon.

It has adjustable handlebars! That is great if you are a little on the tall side like I am. It can be pretty uncomfortable having to lean down while trying to push a stroller. This is the first stroller I have come across with adjustable handlebars and that is the first thing I noticed about the Cameleon.

The Cameleon is very flexible. With just a few adjustments it can go from a bassinet pram to stroller to car seat and back. Very impressive. The stroller is fairly light. At around 20 pounds. So you shouldn’t get too tired if you have to push it around for awhile.

It is also nice that you can buy accessories to provide further function. For example there is a toddler attachment that is basically a trailer that attaches to the back of the stroller for your toddler to stand.

I give the Bugaboo Cameleon stroller my full recommendation. It is of very high quality construction and surprisingly isn’t that hard to assemble. It is a very flexible stroller that can do many things for you and your child, and despite a few flaws this is a great stroller that you can’t go wrong with.

Shea’s Criticism: This is not an easy stroller to just fold away and store. It takes a little practice if you want to completely store it away. I usually just throw it into the back of my car half folded so that I don’t have to take the time and effort to fully fold it. To fully fold the stroller you must remove and collapse the seat or bassinet and then fold the frame in what takes three more steps. And so on, you get the picture.

The Cameleon has no cup holders. That’s not a huge deal but it would be nice considering other strollers have them. I know I have seen other strollers by Bugaboo that had cup holder so it is disappointing.

Because there are so many options and adjustments you can make to the stroller it can be a little tricky to figure out how to adjust it for the different uses. So it will take you a little time and be sure to have your manual handy!

Learn more: Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller

Spring has definitely sprung and it’s when many of us get in the gardening mood. But if you’re not a seasoned green thumb, choosing plants for your garden can be an overwhelming task.

If you need help, always take advantage of the experts who work at your local gardening store. They can advise you what to plant, where to plant; information about the sun; the soil, how much water to use; pests; and any other question you may have. If your store doesn’t offer this complimentary service, try to find one that does.

Here are some things to consider for your gardening:

• Perennials or Annuals? Perennials are plants that live all year round and have a specific blooming period that varies, depending on the type of plan. Annuals are often very colorful and may have a longer blooming period, but they die at the end of season. Annuals are generally less expensive than perennials, but because they have to replaced each year, it doesn’t necessarily make them cost-effective. Plus, it takes more of your time to maintain a garden with annuals on a year-to-year basis.

• Hardy Perennials: sweat peas and annual poppies are known to stand any kind of winter. Considered to be perennials because they produce their own seeds, you can plant them in early spring. Tender annuals such as marigolds, zinnias, and chrysanthemums, on the other hand, cannot withstand the cold. So be sure to plant them in late spring.

• Slow Annuals: There are slow annuals such as petunias and snapdragons. These take a long time to grow before blooming. These should be planted in pots first early in the season, then transplant to the garden later on when it’s warm.

Whatever you decide to plant, most come with a tag that includes instruction on sunlight, watering, blooming, when to plant, etc. And as always, take advantage of that expert help at the gardening store. You’ll be an expert yourself in no time.

If you enjoyed yesterday’s article on quick romance ideas, here’s some more for you. Just make sure to use them all up and think of your own too.

1. Just tell him that you love him. We don’t say it enough to each other, even if we do feel that way. Tell him when he leaves and when he returns home. End your emails and calls with a special I Love You! Even write a note for him only.

2. Send him off properly. Give him an extra hand to start his day off right. Have his work items next to the door so he won’t have to go searching for them. If your husband is anything like many others, he makes a wide grid search for his keys every morning. Take a few minutes the night before to have his briefcase, keys, and cell phone next to the door and ready to go.

3. Fix him breakfast in bed. This is something we see on television, but many don’t even think to do. It can be as simple as a bowl of cereal, a kiss and a hug — and maybe more in bed. You can order a breakfast tray here.

4. Meet him at work for lunch. If your man works close by and your schedule allows for it, have lunch together. You can go out for lunch or fix a picnic lunch that can be eaten outside in the park or even in his office. Go out all out and get the traditional picnic basket and fill it with some of his favorites.

5. How about a foot massage? Feet have a hard time. They take on the pressure of our entire bodies on a daily basis without any thanks. Give his tired feet a well deserved rest with a foot rub. Contrary to popular opinion, men like that spa-like attention. For women who are squeamish about touching or handling feet, soak his feet in some warm water and foot scrub before beginning the massage. You can do it before bed or while you talk about each other’s day.

Sometimes, the simplest things have the most lasting effects. Trying even just one of these suggestions to sure to help your man feel more appreciated and loved. Who knows he might just start returning the favor if you’re lucky too.

If you’re like most women, you’ve got a lot going on in your life. We’re all so busy, busy, busy that unfortunately romance sometimes gets put on the backburner. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some quick 5 minute romantic ideas that you can try to keep that connection between you and your partner.

Take a shower together: At worst, you conserve water by turning it on only once that morning. At best, wel…you know. A shower together is a great way to say good morning.

Shave your guy’s face. This takes a lot of trust and a steady hand. Men like it when we take charge once in a while so give him the shave of his life.

Give him a massage after work. Treat him to a nice neck and shoulder massage to help get rid of the stress of the day.

Hug or kiss him when you pass him in the hall. In our homes, we often pass each other without a word. The next time you pass your partner, give them a big surprise. Pin them against the wall and shower them with kisses for five minutes.

Fun foods before bed. Serve up a before bed snack of chocolate covered strawberries and other fruit. Add a bit of bubbly for even more romance.

Write him a love note. Tell him what you really think with a good old-fashioned love note. Not sure what to write? Get help with Love Letters Now.

These romantic ideas don’t take a lot of time, but the effects will last beyond the moment. They add a bit of spontaneity which is missing in the busy lives of most couples. Take back your romance five minutes at a time.

Scrapbooking isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds. In fact, you can make your scrapbook as simple or as elaborate as you want. Getting started simply means choosing a scrapbook, a few supplies and going from there.

Here are some tips for the scrapbooking beginner:

Matting – By simply matting your photos, you can change the look of your picture and make it stand out on the page. Double matting is even more effective to making a picture stand out. Use white or light colored mattes first and a contrasting color to matte the picture in last. For the contrasting-colored matte, use a color that’s in the photo to really make it pop. For super easy mattes, you can purchase scrapbook matte photo paper

Pre-made designed pages – If you’re not comfortable designing your own pages for your pictures, then buy some pre-made scrapbooking pages from any hobby store or search for themes here. You can simply attach your photos on these pages however you want and add any extra things – like stickers or content.

Rubber stamping – Consider using rubber stamps to add a little spice to your themed scrapbooking pages. Take a day at the zoo and bring more life to the scrapbook page by rubber stamping zoo animals periodically throughout the page. You can search for rubber stamps here.

Don’t forget the words – No scrapbooking page can be complete without some text scattered here and there on the themed page. You can use your own handwriting to write what you want or print something off of the computer and cut it out to place on your scrapbook page. Words can help keep the memory of that special day alive.

Something old, something new, something special – To make a scrapbooking page more personal and special to you, add some sort of physical item from that day. For example, a wedding scrapbook page could use something like one of the flowers from the bouquet or a wedding napkin to immortalize that day in your life.

Get others involved – Recruit your children or friends and have them design their own pages for their photos. It can be the perfect way to pass the time on a rainy day when you can’t get outside.

If the kids aren’t old enough, you can do the cutting and pasting, but let them add stickers and choose the colors they want. They can even add some of their own artwork to the pages if they want!

Use stencils – If you want to add some little graphics to your scrapbook, but can’t draw, consider using stencils. There are many stencils out there that have all kinds of shapes you can trace onto your scrapbook page. Your local scrapbook shop will have stencils or you can search for them online.

Scrapbooking is the easiest hobby you can start! Once you’re comfortable as a beginner, you’ll find it easy to implement new ideas you stumble upon for your scrapbooking pages.

Back-to-school and back to making lunches. When packing the kids’ lunches, packaging makes all the difference on how much you can save.

(For more help with your family meal-planning click here)

Less packaging is more bang for the buck. While you are in the grocery store look for snacks with less packaging. It costs more for companies to create foods with a lot of packaging or fancier packaging. This price boost gets relayed to consumers and you end up paying more also.

Stay away from individually-wrapped snacks. Think about combo packs with individual snack-size bags of chips. Since all the chips are packaged separately, and then get packaged together with cardboard, they are more expensive to buy. Opt to buy a larger bag of chip, cookies or other snacks and portion them into baggies for the week. Baggies can get expensive if they are used everyday, but follow the next tip to take that cost away.

Bring back the baggies. Baggies can be brought home by your children and reused. Give your children incentive to bring the little bags back. Offer an extra snack for lunch the next day. If only cookies resided in the bag all day, or even chips… crumbs never killed anybody. Let the kids know it it’s not only helping you save money but the environment as well.

Stay away from paper bags that are a daily expense. Why not buy a lunch box that just needs to get rinsed every night? Decrease the amount of trash…and your budget. Plus if the children have that lunch box to bring home they most likely won’t find a problem in stuffing those baggies in it.

Think outside the (juice) box. Juice in general is an expensive item that parents still want their children to have. When you combine the price of juice and packaging, you could be way overpaying for this necessity. Instead of buying little juice boxes, buy a large container of juice, and fill a thermos or water bottle with it and slip it inside the lunch box.

Get More Menu-Planning Ideas: Sign up for your menu planning report.

Mother’s Day is coming soon and here’s a great THANK YOU video for all the mom’s out there. Watch it below and know that you are appreciated every single day.

The video is also a promotion for MommyFest, an online event just for moms. There are opportunities to chat with moms, attend speaking sessions and even learn about working at home opportunities.

Last year’s MommyFest had learning opportunities on a variety of topics including parenting strategies, getting organized, crafting, home business tips and more.

Check out the site for this year’s details.

But don’t forget to watch the video first. Thank you, Mom!

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