Provident Mom

$1 a day

As you’re thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions, resolve to save $1 a day this year. It doesn’t sound like much because it isn’t. You can squeeze a dollar a day out of your spending pretty easily. For example, when you go to the grocery store, skip buying some junk food item you would normally buy or look for a good sale and put by the savings. Pack lunches instead of buying them. Carpool with a neighbor.

By the end of January you’ll have 31 extra dollars. What do you do with them? Get them out of your checking account ASAP before you spend them. Here are some ideas of where to put them:

Savings account. Your money will earn a little bit of interest in a savings account—not much, but a little. And your money will be a little more inaccessible than it would be in your checking account.

Retirement account. A 401k is not easy to contribute to in small, non-paycheck amounts, but you can open Roth IRA accounts pretty easily through your bank or an online company like E*Trade or Scottrade. You can deposit to these online companies through the mail or at branches. Through a Roth IRA you can get your feet wet with investing and buy mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and more. You’ll earn more than you would with a savings account and receive some long-term tax benefits.

Investment account. You can open up a similar account with a brokerage company without having to wait until retirement to reap the benefits. It’s very simple to open an investment account online and get that money in the stock market.

College accounts. Set up a College 529 account for your kids and earmark your first $31 for future education. Go to www.collegeinvest.org to find out details about your state’s program. This money is also invested in the stock market, so it will add up pretty quickly, especially if you contribute every month.

Under your mattress. Bad idea. Don’t do it.

Since June, 50 toy recalls affecting 21 million toys have been issued. The recalls range from Easy Bake Ovens and Polly Pockets to remote control airplanes and Dora the Explorer. With toy recalls mounting, parents are looking for alternatives to traditional gifts for their kids this Christmas. Why take risks with lead paint and date rape drugs when you have all these great alternatives? Some of these toy alternatives just might spark interest in new hobbies and activities.

Some non-toy gift ideas and how to strike bargains on them:

1. Art supplies. Craft stores such as JoAnn’s have incredible deals on art supplies. You can often find them for 50% off or use some of their coupons, which are showing up in the newspaper lately. Besides markers, paints, and sketch pads, look for looms, wooden art projects, and beads (just make sure you steer clear of Aqua Dots).
2. Sports Equipment. Get your kids out of the house and away from the video games with pogo sticks, nerf guns, balls, bats, skateboards, scooters, skis, and mini trampolines. Don’t overlook buying used sports equipment. After you clean it up, it can look as good as new. Turn to craigslist for used items, or shop discount stores for new ones.
3. Books. Amazon and Barnes & Noble have been offering great discounts, including some free shipping offers. Besides stories and non-fiction, they also carry some fun gift sets, like paper dolls and the Klutz series of how-to books.
4. Clothes. Perhaps there are clothing items that you haven’t fit into your budget previously because you found them unnecessary. Christmas is the perfect time to buy those “unnecessary” items that make your kids feel special.
5. Tools. Most kids love tools. Go to a discount store or Home Depot when a sale is on and buy a little toolbox and a bunch of little tools to fit in it. Screwdrivers, wrenches, little levels and stud-finders make for great fun. Best of all, get some nails, scrap wood, and a little hammer.
6. Craft supplies. Along the same lines, you can outfit a craft box inexpensively. Fill a toolbox with thread, needles, sequins, scissors, craft sticks, glue, pom poms, ribbons, and lace. Your creative kids will find plenty of “scope for imagination,” as Anne of Green Gables says.

These ideas should get you started. You can steer completely away from the toy department and still find plenty of great gifts for your kids this Christmas.

When the winter weather dries your lips out, use some of these simple and inexpensive home remedies to moisturize your lips.

1.    Honey. After you’ve removed your makeup and are ready for bed, apply a thin layer of honey to your lips. You can leave it on as long as you like. Some people leave it on all night and find that their lips are soft and moist in the morning.
2.    Cucumber. Cut cucumber into thin slices and rub them on your lips.
3.    Aloe Vera. Apply aloe vera gel to your lips. You can use the same stuff you’d use on a sunburn.
4.    Petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is great for protecting your chapped lips if you’re not going to be in the sun. The shine of the petroleum jelly can actually add to sunburn if you use it outdoors, though.
5.    Olive oil. Some people swear by olive oil as a remedy for chapped lips.
6.    Increase liquids. Drink lots of water as the weather dries out.
7.    Cover your lips. When you go outside in cold weather, cover your lips with a scarf.