Moving House — the horror and beauty

In the course of waaaaaaaayy too many moves I’ve become pretty good at doing it *nearly* all myself. Add four (yes, FOUR) children in the mix and suddenly Netflix becomes the electronic babysitter, and it’s pizza, again, for dinner (served on rustic paper napkins) because I don’t have time to cook, do dishes, and pack …

The High Cost of Crap

Crap – the stuff that fills our lives and somehow takes over, overwhelming and eventually burying the owner in a landslide of minutia – takes many forms. Emotional crap, the burdens we absorb from others, or perhaps create in ourselves; obligatory crap, the duties and commitments we must uphold because of some important reason. (I …

In Praise of a Side Hustle

Money – we all need it, and the sad truth of hard cash is sometimes it runs short. Unexpected vehicle repair, illness, the kids suddenly grew 6 inches taller and everybody needs a wardrobe update – you need money, fast. The best solution is to save for it, and I know you’re saying, how can …

The Lowdown on Life Insurance

It's a fact of life, like living, or dying -- life insurance is a must if you have people, pets, or property you want to take care of when you're gone. Here's a quick and dirty primer on all things life insurance. Insurance is an umbrella term for a policy to provide payment in the …

Budget Buster: Preparing a Pantry

This isn’t one of those SHTF prepping articles, although it very well could be. The advice in them is simple, and harkens back to Grandma’s days – have a pantry in your home, filled with non-perishables and the basic ingredients of food you can prepare and enjoy cooking (note the last part – if you …