When I grocery shop, I'm very much tuned in to comparing prices. I want/need to get the best bang for the buck. One product that is so hard to compare, though, is dishwasher detergent. I love those handy little individual packets, but I can't help but wonder how many more or fewer loads I would get out of a box or bottle of the "bulk" detergent. Is it bad that I am running my own little non-scientific experiment to see just how many loads are in one box of laundry detergent? I decided to mark on the box every time I run a load. At least then I'll have some idea of how much I could be saving/wasting. Take that laundry detergent manufacturers!

Sometimes it's best to focus on the little victories, right?

Ah, the cooler Fall-like weather has arrived! I used to look forward to throwing the windows open as soon as it cooled off outside both the save money and to simply enjoy the fresh breeze. I say used to, because now we have allergies in the family to take into consideration. Would it be bad to admit that if it were just my husband with the allergies, I'd open the windows during the day and close them in the evening before he got home? I can't bring myself to do that to our kids, so closed the windows shall stay.

There are so many wonderful outdoor places to go when the weather is nice and cool. Since we're doing our darndest to cut back on our expenses, we opted to go the free route. Well, it required gas to get there, but you know what I mean. Our family bike ride through a local park was just what the doctor ordered - fresh air, exercise, and time together as a family.

Perfect, our family most definitely is not. We have plenty of rough times, but I'm grateful for the few hours today that seemed almost perfect!

While I am an organizer by nature and love to organize anything and everything, I've found that sometimes I just need an outlet for these many ramblings in my head. I'm hoping to use this blog simply as a place to get my thoughts out of my head and onto "paper".

Things have been busy and stressful around here. Like most other people these days, money is tight, and we're doing our best to save for a Disney trip in addition to saving for unforeseen expenses. It's not easy. We've typically been savers, but now we're getting down to the nitty gritty of saving. It's not easy passing on things we'd normally just buy that we want/need.

I have a feeling life is going to get interesting - whether for better or for worse!