Meal planning around what you already have is powerful. I like google calendar for meal planning. I can easily move my plans around as things change. Meal Planning can be really simple, like some meals might be sandwiches or cereal. It also helps keep me from overbuying. Looking at the calendar when planning helps me be honest with myself about which days I will actually have time to cook or plan for simple meals or eating out when needed. I've also started getting Terra's Kitchen meals for a couple days a week. It's nice to start the plan partially filled in. ETA: Use a cash envelope for your grocery budget.

Yes, trigeminal pain, his symptoms started with what he thought was a bad tooth. After two root canals, the endontist told him he need a neurologist. The neurologist tried several things, gabapentin was helpful. After we realized he was also having symptoms like mine (two bad disks in my neck), we asked about an MRI. When the MRI showed issues in his neck, the neurologist prescribed physical therapy. With PT, he no longer needs medicine or to see the neurologist.

My husband was suffering similar pain a couple years ago. He finally found relief with physical therapy. They tried several different things before finding exercises which help. Now as long as he maintains his exercises, he is doing well. We were shocked that physical therapy helped.

I would tell my kids that we don't participate in that activity, but would not reject potential friends.

I agree that keep looking is reasonable given the time frame. Narrow your search to a few reliable models and be prepared to drive a ways and to do at least $500 in repairs. If you can contribute to his initial repairs, that would be nice. Don't forget to consider cars people are asking ridiculously high prices for. Show them printouts from kbb and you may be able to negotiate a more reasonable price. Is there anywhere he can bike rather than uber? Consider stick shifts if he knows how to drive them or has someone who could teach him.

Amazon has many choices in the under $40 range with free returns.

I still use YNAB4 too. However, I think the new one has features that make it easier for a new person starting out. As far as I am aware, there is still nothing else like YNAB.

You need YNAB. I used to do a cash budget and was frustrated with the impractically of cash in an internet world. YNAB allows me to track things at the same level using any payment method. The key to dealing with little things that come up is to choose what other category to take them out of. You don't want to miss out on things, but you can't pretend the money for them will come out of thin air. In the event of a needed unplanned meal, if the restaurants category is empty, look at the other categories, can that come out of groceries, or gas, or your pocket money, or utilities if your bill was low this month, etc.

I recently bought Freedom POP cheap smartphones for my 11 and 13 year olds. They are on the free plan 200min, 500texts, 500mg data. They use What's App to communicate with their international cousins.

I recommend a 4 qt one too. A pressure cooker is not a replacement for a slow cooker IMHO, even if it has that feature. My pressure cooker is much more difficult to clean than my crockpot, even with the dishwasher safe pot.

I recommend a 4 qt one too. A pressure cooker is not a replacement for a slow cooker IMHO, even if it has that feature. My pressure cooker is much more difficult to clean than my crockpot, even with the dishwasher safe pot.

My parents have a house that was really crowded for the four kids (1100 square feet). Their house is perfect for them now and as they age. It's all one level with a manageable yard. My in-laws have a house that was perfect for their family with 4 boys, 4 bedrooms, several acres of property. But it isn't good now, the master bedroom and bath are up a steep set of stairs and the laundry is in the basement. They are having difficulty maintaining the acreage.

If your house is a good location for you and a good house for aging I would tend toward stay there forever. You have relatively few years of overcrowding left. Moving is a lot of trouble.

Trunk or Treat is a "Halloween alternative." I am a Christian who has no problem with Halloween. I do have a problem with Christians who do have a problem with Halloween, but celebrate it anyway, pretending that is not what they are doing. I refuse to participate in that.

Trunk or Treat is a "Halloween alternative." I am a Christian who has no problem with Halloween. I do have a problem with Christians who do have a problem with Halloween, but celebrate it anyway, pretending that is not what they are doing. I refuse to participate in that.

Here is my Terra's Kitchen referral link. It will get you $40 off your first order. http://tk.co/raf?i=splXnMgt I've been using Terra's Kitchen for a few months now. I get about two meals per week. It has helped me enjoy cooking again and get back into meal planning. I either get the family meals or the 2 person meals with extra meat. They have a lot of choices which vary seasonally. All of their meals come with a reusable recipe card, no proprietary sauces, just simple ingredients. I love their reusable shipping containers. I tried one week of another service and had so much trash.

My dh eats grain free. I make him cauliflower rice to replace the regular rice in recipes. He really likes it; I have trouble keeping it on hand.

I think AAS 1-2 are very valuable. AAS is great for introducing the concepts of spelling and the sound/letters connection. Before AAS, both of my younger daughters didn't understand the concept of the importance of the order of the letters. They would try to spell by just writing the letters with sounds they heard in the word in random order. Once my middle daughter got through level 2, she was ready to attempt spelling most words. We switched to Sequential Spelling which has worked well. My youngest is still working on level 1, but I expect a similar pattern from her. The parent involvement and the tiles can get tedious.

https://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/purchase/unitdetail.aspx?unitID=274 We really enjoyed this weather unit study.

I am finding that Terra's Kitchen meals have improved my techniques. They include making simple sauces and some approaches I haven't used before, but aren't hard. All of their recipes are easy to make again with simple ingredients.

My 8th grader is working through 3 Ellen McHenry books.

Take up tumbling. I have always wanted to be able to do a back handspring.

I am glad I shopped elsewhere for veggies this week.

I was worried at first about produce too, fearing they would try to clear out their roughest produce by giving it to the people not getting to evaluate it before buying. That hasn't been the case at all. I do pickup at Walmart. It is also quite satisfying to plan ahead for the next budget cycle. When we are running low on lots at the end of the month I can plan my pick up for the first of the next budget cycle and restock easily.

I voted other. I don't know or know of any families failing to teach their children. Even the family I know with a heavily patriarchal perspective expect their girls to go to college.