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Monday, April 30, 2012

Cheap Gas in Mukilteo/Lynnwood WA

In the Mukilteo/Lynnwood, WA area?  Are you still hunting down the cheap gas prices?  I sure am.

Two stations in the area are trying to remain the low price leaders in the price of regular gas.  The Safeway on the corner of 148th St SW and Highway 99 (Lynnwood), and the QFC at the corner of 176th St SW and Highway 99 (Lynnwood). I drive past both stations twice a day, and watch their prices closely.  Safeway beats QFC's price most days, but just by a penny or two.  I use the Safeway station, as it's closer to home and I save a dime or two on fill-ups.  I have only seen a lower price per gallon at another station 4 or 5 days total since I began watching their price, back in January.

If you have a Safeway Club card, you save an additional 3 cents off per gallon (off the posted price, your price will be reflected on the pump readout before you begin pumping).  Just remember to give your card or your phone number to the clerk when you prepay.  If you don't already have their store loyalty card, take the 3 minutes to fill out the application, and you'll save with this first gas purchase.

I'll continue posting their price per gallon (on regular) at the top of my daily posts, if that helps anyone.
This AM--Safeway $3.97/gallon ($3.94 with card).

Oatmeal on the Go (or Why be Frugal?)

I think it's quite funny that oatmeal has become this semi-fashionable breakfast food.  Starbucks has it, Jamba Juice has it, and McDonald's has it.  How funny is that?!  We've been eating oatmeal a few times a week for the last 25 years because it's cheap.  (And it grows on you.)

I make a large pot of oatmeal at least once on the weekends.  I add all sorts of yummy things to it--nuts, peanut butter, berries, dried fruit, chopped apples, banana chunks, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, maple extract and chocolate chips.  Yesterday morning's batch was banana-peanut butter-chocolate chip w/vanilla extract for extra flavor.  I always make more than I know we can eat.  The leftovers I package up in my reusable freezer containers (aka--old yogurt containers), then toss in the freezer.  During the week, anyone in the family who didn't get a chance to eat breakfast can grab this oatmeal-to-go.

Let's do a little cost comparison.  (I like to figure how much money I'm saving--keeps me motivated and helps me to see the value of my choices.)  I realize that some of this oatmeal is not the rolled oats type, but steel cut oats, which do cost more.  So it's not entirely apples to apples.  But . . .

Jamba Juice's Berry Cherry Pecan oatmeal costs $2.95 per serving.
Starbucks oatmeal (with a choice of brown sugar, dried fruit, or nut medley topping) is about $2.45 per serving.
McDonald's has Fruit and Nut oatmeal for $1.99 a serving.
Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets can be purchased through Amazon.com in the 52 serving multi-pack for about 33 cents per serving.  You still have to add in shipping, but I think that's a great price for the instant stuff.
Oatmeal made at home, the old-fashioned way, in a pot on the stove, takes about 5-10 minutes from start to finish (depending on what you choose to add and how long it takes your water to come to a boil).  It has a base cost anywhere from 5 cents a serving (if you buy your oats in the commercial-size 25 lb. bag, as we do, at the wholesaler/restaurant supply) to about 15 cents per serving (if you buy oats in the grocery store, store brand in a large container).  This 5-15 cent price is a base price, add in the cost for any extras.  For us, that amounts to about an additional 10-15 cents a serving.  So, anywhere from 15 to 30 cents per serving.

The cheapest choice is the homemade with bulk purchased oats.  But if time is really an issue, price-wise, the Quaker Instant oatmeal is a close second.  You can always add fresh fruit yourself to spiff it up.  The Jamba Juice Berry Cherry Pecan oatmeal does sound delicious, but I think I can add my own berries, cherries and pecans for a fraction of their cost.  And I've got the 5 minutes to spare to make it, so I can pocket that $2.50.

I don't think the frugal, and frugal wannabes, are out there spending fortunes on restaurant oatmeal.  This post is not just about the cost of oatmeal.   It's about making conscious choices, so we can have the life we want.  We don't save pennies, nickels and dimes so that we can amass a pile of pennies, nickels and dimes.  Some folks are frugal in order to pay off debt.  Others, so they can quit the job they hate and take the one they would love, but doesn't pay as well.  Still other folks are frugal so they can retire early and spend more time with the ones they love.  And some, so they can donate more money to the worthy cause of their choosing.  For me, I chose the frugal life so I could stay home with my kids and be the one who knows them better than anyone else.





Saturday, April 28, 2012

Sock Mending 101

This is a sock mending method that works best for tube socks, but I also use it on my everyday crew socks.  I used to use a "patch" method, where a patch was sewn over the worn spot, which in my socks was the ball of the foot and the bottom of the heel.  I disliked this method as the patch was uncomfortable to my foot and, of course, one sock had to be sacrificed for the good of the rest of the sock community living in drawer 1.  (One sock is cut up into patches, then hand stitched to the worn areas of the other socks.)

The sock mending method I've been using for the past several years simply moves the worn spots to places that don't typically wear out on the sock.  To do this, I turn the sock inside out and flatten so the toe seam is smashed flat.  Then I pin the toe end of the sock front to back, about 2 inches from the toe end, to keep the sock fabric from shifting while sewing.  Using a sewing machine, about 1 to 1 1/2  inches from the end, I make a new toe seam, curving the edges down, like an upside-down smile (to follow the natural line of my foot).  I make a zig-zag stitch over the seam, to secure it.  I trim the excess fabric, leaving about 1/8-1/4 inch of fabric beyond the stitching.  After turning right side out, the sock's worn spots have now shifted enough so the ball and heel of my foot now have a cushy piece of sock to rest on.

Like I said, the best results are with tube socks that don't have a fitted heel.  I've done this with my son's tube socks.  For me, my crew socks do have a fitted heel, but I have grown used to the feeling of a bunched up section over the front of my ankle.  And the heel soon stretches to provide a new almost fitted feel.  These are my everyday, working-around-the-house-and-yard socks.  I don't mind that they're not perfect.  And I extend the wear of my socks nearly double.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Run out of foil

I'm making lasagna for dinner tonight.  The instructions say to cover with foil for the first half of baking.  I open the drawer and the foil box is there, but it's empty.  Argh!  Now what?  Okay so I search the kitchen for something to "cover" the baking dish.  Behold, a baking sheet, just the right shape and size for the baking dish.  No need to run out to the store to buy a new box of foil.  Another dollar goes into the jar for our next vacation.  (And the lasagna looks divine! Yum! Time to eat.)

What substitutions do you make that keep you from spending $?

update- June 14
I'm still out of foil. I roasted a turkey two days ago and needed to cover the top so it wouldn't over brown. No foil, but I found a large, square, aluminum foil baking pan, which fit nicely over the top of the turkey. And the bonus of using a baking pan over foil. The foil I can only wash a few times before it starts to fall apart. Whereas, the baking pan can be washed many, many times, and used over, and over, and over, and. . . .

Chopping the whole garlic: so simple, saves time and money

This technically falls under the heading of a time-saver.  But when I'm coming home late in the afternoon, and I know that I have this done and in the freezer, I'm less-inclined to purchase some sort of convenience product to instant-ize my dinner prep.  And so, it's also a money saver.  When I break out a new head of garlic, I peel and chop the entire head.  I use what I need for that meal and freeze the rest in a reusable freezer container (otherwise known to us thrifty folk as a used yogurt container).  With this pre-chopped garlic I at least have the most tedious of prep jobs done to make soups, sauces and seasonings for veggies and meats.

I've shared with you, now tell me something you do to save time or money in the kitchen.

FREE PLANTS: from the ones you already own

I just glanced out the front window and saw my two very happy rhododendrons in bloom.  The mama plant, covered in large pink blossoms, and the baby plant a few feet away, with just two blossoms.

About 4 years ago I layered this rhododendron.  That is, it had a couple of long branches that could, if gently forced, lay on the ground.  I brought these branches down to ground level, covered with a mound of dirt about 6-8 inches from the tip of each branch, then placed a couple of heavy rocks on this mound to hold the branch under the soil.  I then let nature do its part.

Last spring I dug around a bit and discovered that two of the branches had formed good enough roots to sever these branches from the mother plant.  We did that and moved these two a few feet away, to give them space to grow.  Over the winter one died, but the other looks robust and healthy.  I'll keep it well-watered this season and by next year it should be established.

Two plants for the price of one.

Simple layering is the lazy gardener's method of propagation and works on many plants, especially those with a bushy habit of growth.  To Layer:  Remove any leaves from the portion to to be buried.  Bend the branch over to the ground,  and bury about 6 inches of this branch with soil, leaving the tip exposed.  If the branch is stubborn and wants to pop back up, even with a stone on top, you can peg it with a few forked sticks.  Keep the soil moist all spring and summer (and if your autumn is dry, give it a drink from time to time).  Give it a couple of years to develop a good set of roots.  It can then be severed from the mother plant and moved.  Nurture it for a year or two, until established.  March and April are considered to be the best months for layering.  And last year's growth will root better than old woody growth.

I've personally had the best luck with azaleas, rhododendrons, cotoneaster, forsythia, currants and hydrangeas.  I accidently layered two blueberry bushes in the last couple of years and hope to have new blueberry bushes to transplant next spring.

Happy propagating!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Planning a great Disneyland trip on a budget: the travel

Do you ever feel like you're sitting on a really great secret, unknown to most?  Did you know that there's a secret bathroom at Disneyland?  I do, I've been and I'm not telling.

The words/phrase Disneyland vacation and budget are not often used in the same sentence.  But it can be done.  I'm about to reveal in one short blog (okay this may take several pages, not really short) what it took my family several years to cobble together -- less expensive travel, landing budget-wise accommodations, saving on park tickets, and cheap to moderate priced meals.

Before we make any serious plans, we decide on a budget, based on how long till our intended trip and how much we can realistically save each month.  We typically start thinking about a trip about 1 year in advance.  That gives us about 12 months to save.  The trip then becomes a line item in our budget, putting away a specific amount each and every month.  It does need to be a realistic amount.

Now that you have a dollar figure in mind for the whole trip, how do you want to travel to Anaheim?  Your mode of travel should be the first thing you decide on.  If you're going to fly, you'll want to snag a good airfare as your first priority.  If by car, you should get an idea of what it'll cost, so that can go into your trip budget.   There are few really great deals on airfare, but many choices for budget accommodations.  Your Disney tickets will be expensive either way.  We'll get to ways to save some on those.  And meals can be done either with extravagance or cheap and cheerful.  So, how to get there.

By car--
We live in the Seattle area. It's about a 24 hour drive in total. We do it in 2 days, stopping in Red Bluff or Redding each way, for an overnight in a cheap motel. We find the motel online. Days Inn in Red Bluff is a favorite because it's near the on/off ramp to I-5, as well as a gas station, plus a free, but limited breakfast to get us started early the next morning. We bring a couple of sleeping bags if our internet booking doesn't have enough beds for all 5 of us. As we pull off I-5 and into Red Bluff we get gas for the next day and pull through a drive-thru for a taco dinner in the room.  Once we're checked in to the room, we want to be all set for the next day's drive to get up and out early.

Even with the high price of gas and an overnight in a motel both ways, we can do the drive for $500 or less, a bargain when inexpensive airfares are unavailable. To figure your cost to drive, google travel calculator to get a mileage estimate from your house to Anaheim, then multiply by your gas cost per gallon, inflating by about 10% (gas along rural stretches of highway will likely cost you more; where else will you go for gas? they've got you, so you pay more).  Our gas here in western Washington is close in price to California's, but in Utah, Arizona and Nevada, gas is often cheaper--so if that's where you're coming from, fill-er-up before you leave.  Now to add to your gas cost -- will you break the drive up into 2 or more days, or drive straight?  If you'll stop for a night's rest at a motel, go online and do a brief search for motels along the way.  I say brief search, cuz you're just getting an estimate of your travel costs at this point.

There are some advantages and disadvantages to driving vs. flying. We'll get to that in a bit.

Now compare the cost to drive with the cheapest airfares you can find.  The time of year that you're planning this trip for will determine just how good a deal you will find.  The best airfares we've found are the weeks following the Christmas/New Year's holidays, up until mid February.  But there are also good deals spotted throughout Spring (avoid holiday periods and you should find them) and after school starts again in the fall.  Most people have just finished up their traveling for a while right after Christmas, the end of spring break, and the end of the summer break.  They're not looking to travel again so soon.

The days of the week that you fly will also either give you a break or break the bank on your airfare. Fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday morning, or Saturday for the best fares.

Years ago I read that airlines begin adding in the budget seats for each flight about 4 months in advance of the flight.  I have found this to be roughly true.  They sell only a handful of seats at their rock bottom price.  So I check the airfares right away to get an idea of what the cheap seats are currently going for, then as we get near to the 4 month mark, I check daily.  Sometimes these seats are listed as Hot Deals, sometimes Best Deals.  Sign up with several airlines sites to be notified of special fares.  When Southwest has a deal going, for example, the seats sell out fast.  It pays to be the one in the know.  I have also heard that airlines post these new fares midweek.  So checking Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, early in the day, could pay off.

Another good place to "hear" about deals are the many Disney-related message boards.  My favorite is mousepad@mouseplanet.com.  The online community there is very generous with sharing tips on available deals.  When an airline has a fare deal, it hits the news board quickly.  Mousepad is also a great resource for getting reviews on local hotels and motels.

Choosing which airport can save you money, too.  The closest airport is SNA, or also known as the John Wayne Airport.  It's about a 25 minute cab ride from there to Disneyland.  But it is sometimes the most expensive to fly in and out of.  Not too much farther is the LGB or the Long Beach Municipal airport.  Both Alaska and Jet Blue fly in/out of LGB.  It's about a 30-35 minute cab ride to Disney, and often much cheaper than SNA.  If you don't mind the longer drive to/from the airport, there's LAX.  You can rent a car or take a shuttle.  It'll take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic and if the shuttle has other stops to make.  But with LAX you'll have more available flights and often cheaper too.  There are also Burbank and Ontario airports.  I believe that they are roughly the same distance or a bit more than LAX.  I've never flown into either.  But you can find reviews from people who have by searching a site like Mousepad.

If flying is your priority, then book your seats as soon as you find that super low price.  Now with your travel set, you have a definite date for your trip and you can begin to plan your accommodations, meals and fun.

Flying vs. driving.
There are advantages/disadvantages to both.

Flying--Disadvantages--It's more expensive the more people you have in your group.  Once you get there, you still need some sort of wheels to get to the hotel and around town.  You can only take a limited amount of stuff with you for free.  Some airlines still allow a checked bag or two for free, but many now charge.  Because of the ban on bringing liquids on board, you can no longer pack liquid-y type foods in your carry-ons.  Years ago, before the ban, we packed an entire duffel full of groceries.  We had peanut butter, a carton of soy milk, a couple of six-packs of soda, lunch meat and hot dogs that we'd kept in our freezer until our departure (so they were still cold upon arriving at the motel), along with some dry groceries.  This meant that we didn't need to make a run to a grocery store once we got there, but were well-stocked for our trip.  Of course, you need a room with a fridge for much of this.  You'll need to add in the cost of transportation to/from the airport (will you take a shuttle, drive your own car and park, take public transportation?) and to/from the Disney area.

Flying--Advantages--Time, time is money for many of us.  Sometimes, time is good grades in school for our kids.  We don't want to miss more work than necessary and we don't want our kids to miss more school than they can easily make-up.  And time spent on a long car ride leaves our family a bit tired for those first couple of days.  So for us, the big advantage is saving time.  Also, if you can score a great deal on airfare, or if there are only a couple of you traveling, then flying may actually be the cheaper route.  If your car is not in great shape, that's a consideration too.  (However, I knew a family years ago that would rent a car just for trips, so they could drive and have a decent running car for the trip.)

Driving--Disadvantages--Time, it takes longer to drive, depending on where you live.  Fatigue from the long drive is definitely a disA.  I once read an account of a family who had driven.  They pulled up to their motel in their mini-van, opened the side door and empty chip bags, a donut box and soda cups spilled out along with their disheveled kids.  They looked over to their right to see a smartly dressed family, with their matching luggage, step merrily out of the airport shuttle and skip on into the motel lobby to check in.  We've been on both sides.  Fatigue may be a factor to consider.  Cost, it may actually cost you more to drive.  It costs nearly the same for a car with just the driver to go a long distance as it does to pack the car full of people.  So if it's just you or just you and one other, it may be cheaper to fly.  Also, you may have miles you could use on airfare, making a flight cheap or almost free.  Also, there is one more cost to factor in when driving (or if you rent a car while there).  Many of the hotels/motels charge for parking, anywhere from $8 to $15 a night.  So, if you have a car with you, add on that extra bit per night to your nightly rate.

Driving--Advantages--Money, if you have the time to spare and your car is in good running order and you're taking the whole family, you will save money by driving.  You'll save $$ just getting there.  You won't have to pay to park your car at the airport.  You won't have to pay for a taxi or shuttle to get to the Disney area, and you'll have a car to make a run to the store to stock up on lunch and snack stuff.  You'll be able to haul a bunch of stuff with you.  If you find a great deal on snack items and soda pop at your home stores, then you can pack that stuff up with you.  You can load the trunk with enough clothing to get through your entire stay, and therefore not need to do a load or two of laundry while on vacation.  You can pack a sleeping bag and air mattress, if some family members don't like to share beds.  If you have very small children, you can pack all the stuff that makes life easier, like the pack and play and the full-sized stroller (you can rent a stroller in Disney parks, but that adds to the cost of your trip).  And a big advantage, your trip can be about more than just the one destination.  You can make stops along the way to see the sights between your hometown and Disneyland.

All that said, if it's within our budget, we prefer to fly.  I just try to get the best possible deal on airfare, and we make concessions in our budget on other areas, like the hotel.  Where to stay, that's for next time.

*note*if driving, see this post Quick calculating your road trip gas cost from May 3, for info on estimating gas costs, as well as which towns and stations for cheapest gas along the way

Grocery shopping venues that can save you money

My fav produce stand and more . . .

Most of us know the usual ways to save money on groceries -- coupons and rebates, shopping weekly sales,  and bulk-buying at membership warehouse stores, to name a few.  There are 3 additional shopping venues that could save you big bucks.

First, there's the produce stand.  Now that warmer weather is upon us, the produce stands are beginning to reappear after their winter hiatus.  I'm not talking about farmer's markets, but the free-standing, independently owned produce stand.  I find these places on busy highways, usually with hand-lettered signs displaying the day's specials, and tent coverings for shelter.  Some will take credit/debit cards, but many are cash only.  The "deals" vary from day to day, depending on the price the stand paid and how eager they are to unload fast ripening produce.  One day last summer we found bananas for 29 cents a pound.  We stopped in about bought about 20 pounds of bananas, freezing most of them for banana bread later on.  One stand near us has a mark-down bin, where they put everything that has just a day or two left.  From the bin, I've bought peppers, papaya, eggplant, avocados and melons for about 1/4 of what I'd spend at the supermarket.  One day while shopping, I casually asked an employee what time they usually fill the mark-down bin and he told me about midday.  So now I know that for the best selection of the mark-down produce, I need to make this an early afternoon stop.  Overall, I have found that the produce stand will save me 1/3 to 1/2 over buying from the grocery store.

The second not-so-known place to shop for groceries is the wholesaler/restaurant supply.  Many sell to the public.  Go through the yellow pages and give one near you a call.  In our area we have a chain of cash and carry places, formerly known as United Cash and Carry, now just going by the name Cash and Carry.  They are a lot like Business Costco, primarily stocking items that would meet the needs of a restaurant, mini-mart or caterer.  Their prices often meet or beat Business Costco.  But you do need to know your prices, and bring a calculator.  These stores rarely have unit pricing, so you need to figure your cost per ounce/pint/whatever on your own.  Buying in bulk is no secret to the savvy grocery shopper.  Here is a place that not only allows you to buy large quantities (grocery stores now put limits on many of their good deals), but by their selection this is often the only way you can buy.  I use the wholesaler for pantry staples mostly.  I buy flour, sugar, beans, rice, popcorn and oats in 25 to 50 pound sacks.  I buy vinegar, honey, molasses, soy sauce, mustard, cooking oil and vanilla extract by the gallon.  (Once opened, the mustard and oil are stored in the fridge.  The other are shelf-stable in the pantry.)  I buy tomato paste, canned tomatoes and ketchup in the large 7 pound 3 ounce cans.  (After opening, the contents are transfered to jars and large plastic containers, and frozen, or, in the case of the ketchup, stored in our spare fridge.)  I buy pasta and peanut butter in large commercial-size cases.  And I buy baking powder and yeast in large bags.  Some items are not a good buy at a cash and carry.  Coffee and salt, for instance, are often on sale at the grocery store for much less than the wholesaler.  So, if you know your prices, and you bake/cook from scratch a lot, wholesale/restaurant supply can be a big money saver.

The third money-saving venue is the dollar store.  At first, shopping for food at the dollar store had too big of an eeew factor for me.  Then I began noticing that our dollar store was carrying more and more of the name-brand items we eat.  And this is one of those everything's-a-dollar dollar stores.  So if I find it there I know it's only a buck.  Again, it's important to know your prices, what you would spend at the grocery store for the same item.  Also, check for expiration dates.  Most of the time the food is well within it's sell-by date, but I have seen one or two items that were past.  It's not that they are deliberately selling "old" food, but more like they don't have the staff to regularly check all the inventory for their dates.  I now buy lasagna noodles, soy milk, graham crackers, and dishwasher detergent regularly at the dollar store.  We also occasionally buy chips, granola bars, marshmallows, chocolate and soda there.  This last weekend we made s'mores with dollar store finds -- graham crackers, marshmallows and marked-down Easter chocolate candy.

Shopping at alternate grocery venues saves me 50% off or more what I'd spend at the supermarket.  And that adds up to big bucks.  This allows us to eat well, while keeping within our budget.


If you're in the Seattle area--

United Cash and Carry--several in the Seattle area, I use the one just off Highway 99 in Lynnwood.  It's fairly large, has helpful staff if you just ask (I've needed items brought down from top shelves and they were happy to help, I just had to ask).
Best deals can be had on large commercial-sized packages.
They will special order items for you.
Lines for checkout can get long (good times to go, around 8 AM, then again around 2 PM)
They accept credit and debit cards.  You do not need to have a business to shop here.  But if you do and have a tax exempt number, you'll save in that regard.
There is no membership fee.
If you live in the Seattle area, it might be worth your time to check one out to see if it would suit your needs,

Country Farms produce stand--my favorite produce stand in the Seattle area, on Highway 99 around 228th SW,  Edmonds.
They accept cash and credit, but no debit.
Good selection and good prices (oranges currently $4.99/ 10 lb. bag, bananas for 50 cents/ lb, onions 25 cents/ lb).
They also sell plants in the spring.
Mark-down bin is close to the checkout, and is usually filled by noon or 1 PM.
Open from late March through the end of October.  The 1st of November they mark down all their produce to clear--some very good deals at this time on things like apples, garlic, onions, squash, all things that'll keep well in a cool, dry place for a month or two.

Dollar Tree is the dollar store chain I use most.  They are an everything is a dollar or less store.  In addition to groceries, they can also be a great place for hair accessories, paper goods, party supplies and greeting cards.  They sell greeting cards for 50 cents.  Where else have you seen greeting cards for that price?!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

My Back Story

I married just over 25 years ago.  We started a family later that year.  With little money saved and a small single income, we had few hopes for our share of the American dream--owning our own home.   It only took a few months for us to realize that buying a house on our income would take hard work, ingenuity and discipline.  Now, I'm not going to tell you that we did it all the right way the first time around.  This whole frugal life thing was and continues to be a learning process.

One of the things I learned was cutting spending so dramatically had a tiring effect on me.  Turning the frugal life into the fabulous life became my challenge.   I tapped into the many free resources to learn new skills.   I read any and all books from the library on how to save money around the house.  I picked up magazines that had articles promising huge grocery savings.  I used my own creative juices to find cheaper and easier ways to make and do all sorts of things.  We ate out less and gardened more.  I did the very homemake-y things, such as knitting, baking bread, and reupholstering furniture.   Sometimes my efforts were frustrating, but in the end, learning all these new skills was very satisfying.  Once I mastered something, I could do it over and over, multiplying my savings, while building the fabulous life.

We now own our house free and clear, and continue to use our talents (both learned and God-given) to improve our home and family life.  My hope with this blog is to share what I know with you, and get your ideas so that I can continue learning how to do everything cheaper, lovelier, and, overall, better.  I welcome your comments and corrections.  I'm here to learn too.

~Lili Mounce

Creative Savv

What's in a name?

Savvy--adjective
definition: shrewd
synonyms: clever, ingenious
Savvy--noun
definition: natural or acquired power/ability
synonyms: talent, knack, skill

Creative Savv: using more ingenuity than cash to build exceptional family and home life



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