The KISS Principle

I don’t want the focus of this blog to be just about saving money, because that is not the focus of my life. The focus of my life is my family, and how we’ve taken a simple retro-approach to living. We started this journey by following the KISS Principle. The KISS Principle was first introduced to me in JR High Art and I have loved it ever since. KISS is an acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid. Basically, the more complex a system the more room there is for error. For us, we’ve found that by cutting back on the complexities of life we are not only happier, but we also have more money!

To have a simple and low-key lifestyle we looked at how families were raised in previous generations. The first logical step for us was to scale back and live below our means. We spend our money as if we only have 2/3 of our actual income. At first it feels like you’re sacrificing, until you see your bank account numbers increasing. Yes, we could afford a big car payment…we just chose not to have one. My car does not define me and most of my friends probably couldn’t tell you what I drive. FYI…it’s a Cavalier and I haven’t had a car payment in years. Is it fancy? Nope. Does it make me feel important when I drive it? Nah, but I don’t need a vehicle for that. If I had to rely on my car in order to impress people, I would start seeing a therapist for self-esteem issues.

The next thing we scaled back on was our home. When I was pregnant we were on the verge of buying a nice, large home. It was beautiful and we could afford the monthly payments for the next 30 years. We finally opted to stay in our small 3-bedroom home. Our little yellow house is quite unremarkable (at best). It’s neither beautiful nor a showpiece, it’s just practical. The amount of money required to heat & cool our home is so low it’s almost embarrassing. I would have a heart attack trying to heat & cool a large home with high ceilings. Besides, it’s the people who live inside these little walls and in the homes around us that really make this a special place. (Not to mention it’s almost paid off…. 20 years earlier than planned!!)

One of my favorite “life upgrades” was to unplug from the digital world and take a hands-on approach to parenting. Grandma didn’t have a color TV with 24 hr cartoons to prop her baby in front of. She actually had to interact with her children. She had to find or invent things to keep them busy when she had her own business to tend to.

As a tiny infant, instead of laying our son in his crib I would lay him on my chest and we would have the most amazing conversations. We didn’t have to spend a fortune on learning toys because my husband would walk him around the house and yard pointing at every object they passed discussing their size, shape and color. We would repeatedly count his fingers & toes out loud. I’m guessing this is the reason he could count to 20 by his 1^st birthday. I started reading to him the first night I brought him home. There are so many opportunities for learning during the first year. Opportunities that are missed if the baby spends large quantities of time propped in front of the TV. What I'm saying is, just play WITH your kids (even babies) and you'll be amazed at not only what they learn from you, but what you learn from them.

A continuation of “unplugging” was to implement  mandatory family dinner. The table shouldn't be used only at Thanksgiving! SO, suppertime meals aren’t allowed in the living room. All electronic devices are shut off. If you try to call my house between 6p and 6:45, I’m sorry, but you will get the answering machine. While I’m cooking, both of my guys tend to gravitate to the kitchen and we chat while the food is being prepared. Sometimes they jump in and help. This unexpected perk wasn’t planned; it just sort of happened and then became habit. Without being prompted, my kindergartener grabs a dishrag and the bottle of cleaner to scrub down the table just before supper is finished cooking. Then he sets the table with plates and utensils. A great deal of family bonding takes place during our evening meal ritual.

 Face-Time ~ Honestly, I’m not a video game Nazi and anti-everything-digital! I just don’t think electronics should be the main focus of our family. I remember playing euchre late at night on Yahoo games with my friends. We had fun, but it wasn’t the same as sitting around a table with a pizza until 3am. It lost a bit of it’s magic. I think a lot of kids never get to really experience that “magic” of face-time bonding. Now that there are free or cheap subscriptions to MMO games, Facebook to express emotions, texting instead of writing a note or just talking; our kids’ friends almost become faceless. Well, they’re only emulating us! One of my biggest pet peeves is when I’m talking to someone and then I realize they’re texting. I think it is so rude. For that reason (much to the irritation of most of my friends) I shut my cell phone off when I’m with my family. My family comes first. I don’t want my husband or son to feel second-rate. I also don’t want my son to think its OK to text at the dinner table or when someone is trying to talk to him. If you REALLY need to tell me that the ice cream you just had at DQ is the most amazing thing ever, just dial my home number! (If it’s between 6pm & 6:45pm just leave a message on the machine)

Trust me when I tell you there is a great deal of bonding that takes place over a bowl of popcorn and a board game. Sure, it would be easier to have him go watch TV or let him play his DS all evening. Instead, we curl up on the couch and read every evening. During the summer we use our hammock for reading purposes. His favorite Christmas gift this year was a Bug Encyclopedia!! Another family favorite is “kitchen dancing”. The day I brought him home from the hospital we were standing in the kitchen and “Strangers in the Night” came on the radio and I started dancing with him. Now we get down & boogie with all types of music until we’re too exhausted to breathe!

Our little guy spends a lot of time outside getting dirty. Rule #1: He NEVER gets in trouble for ruining his clothes outside. Retro Mama Fact: little boys wash and so do their clothes. If it gets ruined, oh well. He was going to outgrow it in 3 months anyway. I have bigger things to stress about than whether or not a 6-year-old boy has holes in the knees of his pants! Outside time shouldn’t require a lot of prep or be a big planned event to a park; it should just be something kids do naturally & spontaneously. We have a small yard, but he still has plenty of room to explore. I always keep a stock of sidewalk chalk & bubbles in the garage. There is a sidewalk in front of our house perfect for hop-scotch or riding his bike. Thanks to a good neighbor, there is a sandbox buried somewhere under a big pile of sand. It’s even complete with shovels and Tonka trucks. We have a small rock garden and in the summer we plant a vegetable garden. We have a big tree perfect for climbing…I gave up 2 years ago trying to keep him out of it. The point is… if you have a few things for them to do outside, and they KNOW they’re not going to be allowed to watch TV or play video games inside they miraculously figure out how to keep themselves busy. You don’t need a $2000 swing set or a massive trampoline. Kids really only need their imaginations and permission to use them.

Live Simply, Be Happy

The Glory of Casseroles

For me, few things are quite as nostalgic as being a kid and coming home from school on a cold day to a warm house, my smiling Mom and a wonderful aroma wafting from the oven. BEHOLD the glory of the casserole! Few meals are as easy to toss together, that are inherently satisfying as a casserole. If you don’t have fond memories of them, you should have visited the Hill House, because my mother had rockin’ casserole skills! I’m not talking Tuna Noodle Casserole; I’m talking about amazing, delicious dishes that satisfied the budget and the family.

The main glory of the casserole, is that it:

• can be made ahead of time 
• can be frozen for future use 
• utilizes leftovers 
• is cheap and easy to prepare 
• is so versatile

Building a casserole is easy with just a little bit of know-how. I’m going to start with basic casserole ingredients. First, you want to base it on a starch like already cooked rice or pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, bow-tie…anything!) Second, you need a “filler”. This is usually where I grab my leftover meat from the fridge and add a veggie. Third, you need a sauce. Any “Cream of” soup is a winner, add some melted Velveeta (yes, Retro Mama buys Velveeta instead of generic cheese bricks!) and it’s worth gold! Leftovers such as soups or stews can act as both filler & sauce. For example, mixing vegetable beef stew with a heavy pasta (like egg-noodles) is a delectable dish. Or, add a little cornstarch to the stew, cook it down & let it thicken. Pour it into a casserole dish & top with a pie crust. Voila…Pot Pie! Now that you have the basics, let your imagination take over.

If you have leftovers that can be used for a particular casserole, but you really don’t want to eat it any time soon…don't throw out good food...prepare the casserole anyway! Just make these minor adjustments:
Layer your baking dish with wax paper prior to filling and do not add any toppers such as cheese or bread crumbs. (Mashed potato toppers are fine to add)  Make sure your wax paper goes up & over the sides of the dish. After you add the casserole filling to the paper-lined dish, place it in the freezer until it is frozen solid. Remove the frozen casserole from the dish (it should now just be semi-wrapped in wax paper – the paper makes it easy to remove from the pan). Put your frozen casserole in a large freezer bag or wrap tightly in foil. Don’t forget to label the contents! Then stash it in the freezer until needed! To use: Remove the frozen casserole 1-day prior to use. Remove the wax paper & place the casserole back in its original dish. Cover the dish & allow it to “thaw” in the fridge overnight.

Now I'm going to share a few of our family favorites. Take these basic recipes & change them up...add or subtract ingredients and make them your own! Most of them are easy on the budget...who says you have to eat Ramen to save money??? I am giving the cost, based on utilizing leftovers and shopping at a discount grocery store. (See my post “Trim the Fat” for references) Also, many of the ingredients I consider “pantry items” and are too cheap to apply a cost. If it is less than .25 in value I won’t list it. For example, an egg is worth about .10 so I wouldn’t list them unless I was using at least 3 of them.

Baked Spaghetti – $3.80

Use leftover (or make fresh) spaghetti. Mix about ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup of shredded mozzarella into the spaghetti. Pour into a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Layer the top with pepperoni (optional) top with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 400, 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Cost: leftover spaghetti $0, shredded cheeses $3.50, Pepperoni: .30

Chicken, Cheddar & Broccoli Casserole - $4.60

2 cups cooked rice
Cut-up chicken (any type of leftover or approximately 2-3 breasts fully cooked)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz of Velveeta, cut up (the oz’s are marked on the pkg for easy measuring)
6 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
½ bag of frozen broccoli
Grated Parmesan cheese
Melt together the mushroom soup, velveeta and 3 oz of the cheddar. While the sauce is melting, combine the cooked rice, chicken & broccoli. Add the sauce to the rice mixture. Pour into a greased 2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top then sprinkle with a little grated parmesan.
Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Feel free to substitute the chicken with any leftover meat and the broccoli with any other vegetable…ham works well with peas or broccoli and shredded beef is beautiful with peppers and/or mushrooms.

Cost: Leftover meat: $0, Rice: $1.40, Velveeta: .65, Cheddar: $1.40, Mushroom Soup: .50, Frozen Broccoli: .65

One of my husband’s favorites that is easy to double, and is an excellent crowd-pleaser is my Mom’s quick & easy Jumbalaya recipe. It’s so simple; I was making this dish when I was barely big enough to reach the stove!

Mama Hill’s Jumbalaya  - $5.05

Cut up raw chicken (approximately 3 chicken breasts)
7 oz of link polish sausage, cut up in thin slices (7 oz is approximately 1 link or half of a pkg. I buy skinless polska kielbasa)
1 can of tomatoes & green chilis undrained
1 pkg of Cajun Rice or “Dirty Rice” (approximately 6 oz pkg)
1 cup of water.
Mix the above ingredients in a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350, 30-45 minutes or until the chicken is done. Serve with Cornbread!
Cost: Chicken: $1.85, Sausage: $1.35, Tomatoes & Chilis: .65, Rice Mix: $1.20

Of course, it wouldn't be a complete "Casserole" segment if we didn't include Tuna Noodle Casserole. I wasn't going to include this retro dish, but I decided I have to honor two great men in my life who think this is a fantastic meal. When I was a kid, if you came home to the smell of this casserole it was a pretty safe bet that Mom wasn't home...

Papa Hill's Tuna Noodle Casserole - $2

1 pkg of egg noodles (cooked & drained)
1 can of drained tuna
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
Combine the 3 ingredients, pour into a greased 1.5 qt baking dish and bake at 350 until bubbly.
Cost: Noodles: .99, Tuna: .52, Soup: .49

Papa Miller's Version - $2.80

1 box of kraft macaroni & cheese (prepare as directed on box)
1 can of tuna
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of peas (drained)
Combine the ingredients, pour into a greased 1.5 qt baking dish and bake at 350 until bubbly
Cost: Kraft Dinner: $1.20, Tuna: .52, Soup: .49, Peas: .59
(Thankfully that's over with!!)


We typically serve Bean-Dip Casserole as a main-dish with warmed tortilla shells and eat them like burritos. However, it can be a fun side to bring to a party. It’s a family favorite & it’s always requested for pot-lucks. It is also excellent served with tortilla chips. It’s not very budget-friendly, but it’s rather delicious, so I thought it was worth mentioning!

Vicky Miller’s Bean Dip - $9.77
Layer a 9” baking dish with the below ingredients in the order they are listed.
1 can of refried beans
1 lb of seasoned, browned hamburger drained of fat. (I season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a touch of cumin)
1 small jar of salsa (any variety)
1 12 oz pkg of shredded cheddar or Mexican style cheese.
Bake at 350 for approximately 20 mins or until the cheese is golden-brown.
Cost: Beans: .80, Hamburger:$2.79, Salsa: $1.79, Cheese: $2.79, Soft Tortilla Shells: $1.60


This simple recipe is great for those nights when you are short on time or just don’t feel like making a big fuss with dinner. The result is a warm, simple, aromatic dish.

Sausage Casserole - $5.40

(Recipe from cooks.com)

1 lb ground sausage (variety of your choice)
1 small onion, diced
1 cup Velveeta
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
16 oz Spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti until it is not quite done. Drain.
Fry the onion and sausage together, drain. Add Velveeta, cream of mushroom and milk. Mix together and pour in a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Bake at 350 until bubbly.
Cost: Sausage $2.80, Velveeta: $1.25, Cream of Mushroom Soup: .50, Spaghetti: .85


My final dish in this segment is my crown jewel of casseroles. It is a recipe I created based on an old favorite. I LOVE Shepard’s Pie but could never find a recipe that tasted “quite right”. So, my hubby and I sat down & discussed the things we felt were necessary to a good Shepard’s Pie and this is what we came up with. This retro casserole is hearty & delicious. Few things feel like home for us as much as this dish. It’s not a “quick dish” but it is well worth the effort. Serve it up on a chilly night and witness for yourself the warm reception that it receives. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.

Retro Mama’s Shepard’s Pie - $4.13

 Mashed potatoes (I always use leftover)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, finely diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBS butter
1 C frozen peas
1 lb hamburger
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
2 TBS tomato paste
2 TBS all purpose flour
1 C Beef Broth (I use 2 bouillon cubes to 1 cup of water)
1 egg white - beaten
 Parmesan Cheese
Start potatoes to boil – enough for a very small batch of mashed potatoes (or just use leftovers)
Sautee the carrots, onion and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix in the 2 TBS of butter and frozen peas and remove from heat.
Brown the hamburger; season it well with salt, pepper & garlic powder. Drain the fat and add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Gently stir in the Sautee mixture. Add the flour and stir well to evenly coat everything. Add the beef  broth & stir until thick.
Pour into a greased 2 qt baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes. Coat with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with the grated parm. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
Cost: Potatoes: $0, Carrots: .50, Frozen Peas: .45, Hamburger: $2.79, Tomato Paste: .39

How to Ruin Thanksgiving with $5 a Month

Just before the holidays my husband made an off-hand comment about how I’ve “Ruined Thanksgiving”. What??? He explained that the big, traditional meals used to be something reserved for special occasions but now he eats that well all of the time. My response? YOU’RE WELCOME!

When we think of the traditional meals, we think of Mom or Grandma getting up at 4am and slaving in the kitchen all day. That’s not how I do it, and I’m going to teach you how a big family-style meal can be made from your own “convenience foods” while shaving a lot of money off your grocery bill. The reason flour-based foods like noodles, dumplings and pies were so popular during the depression are due to their economic value. We already established a bag of flour only costs $1.59 and you can do SO much with it. The key is to take an afternoon and spend it doing prep work. If you have little ones around, they love being involved in this process.

When I think of comfort food I immediately think of noodles. Sure, they sell the Amish-Made noodles in bags at the grocery store. For a small family size bag (to feed 4) they cost around $3.50 - $4.00 a bag. That’s not a terrible price, but with a little planning you can make your own for .23 a batch. That’s correct, you can create your family’s main dish for under a quarter. If you’re having guests it may cost you an entire .50! The recipe below is for 1 batch of noodles. Yes, it’s a little time consuming. However, this recipe is very easy to multiply. I multiply it x 12 and it’s no more complicated to make than a single batch. Let the noodles dry for a few hours, divide them into freezer safe containers or Ziploc bags and you now have ready-made noodles any time you want them. They will keep for up to a year frozen in an airtight container. All you have to do is drop the noodles in some broth and they’re ready to go! For easy clean up I recommend laying out newspapers on your kitchen table to make the noodles.

NOODLES (1 small batch)

• 1 large beaten egg
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 TBS milk
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Combine first 3 ingredients. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Roll the dough on a heavily floured surface. Roll the dough very thin. (this is based on your preference, keep in mind the noodles will swell a lot during cooking. I roll mine as thin as possible) Occasionally shift the dough to make sure it isn’t sticking to the surface. Smooth a little flour on top & let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Once it’s dry roll up the dough & slice it 1/8” thick (more or less based on preference) Separate the noodles and spread them out on the floured surface. Let them dry at least 2 hrs. Then, either fix for supper or store in a freezer-tight container. (1 batch per container) To cook: drop the noodles into boiling broth and let them cook approximately 15 minutes.

If you multiplied x 12 your family can now enjoy a nice “noodle” dinner once a month for the rest of the year! All you have to do is open a freezer bag & dump them in the boiling broth. If you had bought 12 bags of noodles the total cost would be at least $42. However, YOU only spent $2.76.


Now…what to do with those noodles? You can make Budget Friendly Beef & Noodles. This can be made in the crock-pot or stovetop. (we prefer crock pot because it’s easy) For a family of 4, buy 1 lb of beef stew meat. Put it in a pot full of beef broth. I use bouillon cubes and add 2 cubes per 1 cup of water. Add 1 tsp of salt, 2 - 3 tsp of Italian seasonings, 1 tsp of garlic powder, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, half a finely diced onion (optional) and pepper to taste. Let it cook until the meat is tender. (At least 6 hrs in the crock-pot or about 2 hrs on the stovetop) When the meat is tender add the noodles. They will take about 15 minutes stovetop or about 25 minutes in the crock-pot. Stir frequently when you first add them to keep them from clumping. Serve with mashed potatoes and a canned vegetable of your choice. 
You just fixed your family an amazing meal, but what did it cost? According to my grocery list yesterday, if you shopped at a discount grocery store the meat was $3.99, the noodles were .23 the canned veggie was .59 and the potatoes were around .40. Congratulations you spent $5.21 to feed your entire family one amazing meal.


Not into Beef & Noodles? Try Chicken & Noodles! (or turkey) This one is much easier and is great if you have any kind of left-over poultry. Even fried chicken translates well.
Cut up any leftover cooked poultry removing as much fat as possible. Toss into a pot of chicken broth. Season as desired. Once the broth is boiling add your noodles. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Are homemade mashed potatoes too time consuming to fix all the time? While you're waiting for your noodles to dry peel & cut an entire 5lb bag of potatoes. Partially boil  them in salt water. Drain, allow to cool completely and put in freezer containers (or bags). When you're ready to use just put the frozen potatoes in boiling water & they should only take about 10 minutes to finish cooking. Voila..."Instant" homemade potatoes!

Random Retro Mama Fact:  If your noodle broth seems to “soupy” put some of the broth into a bowl & whisk in enough flour until a soft paste forms. Add the paste to the broth & stir well. Repeat if necessary. This will gradually thicken your broth.

Trim the Fat

Seriously...Trim the Fat!! Quitting my job to stay home meant that I had to get creative with my finances or we were going to sink fast. We had some money set aside, but not enough. Especially after the stove, furnace, washer, and dryer all needed replaced. (SURPRISE!) So I took the daunting task of sitting down with every receipt and every bill to see what we had going out each month vs what we had coming in. It was tight & there was no room for error (or appliances that kept breaking down). However, by the second month I was able to reduce our monthly out-going funds by almost $700…true story. Over time, I’ve gotten even better and have reduced that cost exponentially. All I did was make a few minor changes in how I shop and cook. The added benefit? Since quitting my job I have lost almost 30 lbs and my husband has lost around 20 lbs. We’re both at a healthy weight and he claims that he eats better now than ever.

First of all: Quit eating out. At a minimum, limit eating out to once a week. Eat at home and take a brown-bag lunch. We used to get take-out for supper at least 3 nights a week, we would get take-out for lunch at least 2 days a week and we would go to a nice sit-down restaurant at least once a week. I figured this up and we were spending around $20 a ticket for supper take-out, $10 a ticket for lunch and $35 a ticket for a nice dinner. We were spending at least $6240 a year to eat outside of the home (that’s over $500 a month!!!)…OUCH! 

Second: Change the way you shop. I do not have the time or interest in couponing, so don’t expect any great coupon tips from me. I just use common sense…and avoid “Big Chain, Everything Under One-Roof” type stores. Save money shop smart? I don’t think so... Hardcore Wal-Mart fans swear they can’t purchase their groceries and toiletries any cheaper elsewhere. I’m guessing they never looked. I’ve managed to shave an additional $200 a month off my grocery bill in part by avoiding Wal-Mart. 

Despite what the big convenience stores tell you, it really is o.k to make 2 stops: 1 for groceries and 1 for toiletries. Try to keep an ongoing list in your kitchen so you’re prepared on grocery day. You won’t have to constantly run to the local grocery store or gas-station for items. Make 2 grocery trips a month and try to get everything you need all at once. 

Here's my big secret: Aldi’s grocery store. It is a little-known gem. If you’re not familiar with Aldi’s, it is a discount bag-your-own grocery type store. There are similar stores such as Save-A-Lot. I guarantee your neighborhood has something similar. I also love that I use my “green bags” and reduce tons of waste annually in plastic bags. Now, stay with me…this isn’t the same Aldi’s that was around when we were kids. They’ve really stepped up their game to become competitive with the big boys while maintaining their fantastic savings. Their produce is far superior to anything I can find at Kroger or Wal-Mart. Their meat is always fresh and I have no complaints about any of their frozen or dry goods. Even the ice-cream and other “non-essentials” are excellent quality. 

Here is where it adds up: Most items are less than a dollar cheaper, and a lot of people say it’s not enough to matter. But don’t be fooled…it really is. I took a dual shopping trip for your benefit. Aldi vs Wal-Mart. This is only a partial grocery list, but I tried to cover all the basics. All of the Wal-Mart items were from their “Good Value” line. (generic store brand). My Aldi grocery total was $63.54 and Wal-Mart was $87.46. That’s a $23.92 difference…on a partial grocery list. For toiletries I shop at Big Lots. That store is chocked full of hidden treasure at low prices! 

Last: Change the way you cook. Try to avoid convenience foods. Tossing a frozen lasagna in the microwave, purchasing “spice kits” for pot roast, buying pre-made noodles, etc might seem like a good idea, but they are a huge waste of money. Think about how our grandmothers and great-grandmothers cooked. Everything was from scratch and all the left-overs were utilized. More times than not I can prepare a full, healthy wonderful meal for 4 people for under $5. (Not $5 a plate…for $5 total) You would be surprised how with just a little planning you can really make a dollar stretch. Bonus??? Avoiding over-processed foods will gradually slim your waistline without you even realizing it. 

Starting tomorrow I’m going to share Retro Recipes that are delicious and budget-friendly. If you have any special requests, let me know! Tomorrow we’re going to focus on creating your own “convenience foods”.

Filter-Nomics 101

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. Call it a necessary evil, but I have to bring up some of the most common over-looked “money-suckers”. 

We all change all of our filters on a regular basis right? So I don’t need to mention how changing your cars’ oil filter every 3,000 miles will help keep the engine clean and prolong the life of your car? Or how changing the air-filter every 2 years will increase power and decrease gas mileage?

Random Retro Mama Fact: The number 1 reason for hot-tub service calls are dirty filters!  

It’s probably unnecessary to mention how changing (or cleaning a reusable) AC / furnace filter monthly will:

• Add years to your furnace
• Reduce the amount of energy the unit needs to function (decreasing your gas/electric bill) 
• Will help keep the air in your home clean. 
• Prevent maintenance fees
  

If your furnace or AC seems to be running longer than it should, replace the air filter before you call maintenance. It might surprise you!

Now, on to less common filters…does your vacuum not function like it used to? Clean the filters at least once a month. Both you AND the vacuum will use less energy!

Laundry taking too long to dry? You will be shocked at how much lint can gather in just a couple of months. This is a tricky one, but is necessary to increase the life of your dryer, reduce energy costs and most importantly to prevent a fire: 

• UNPLUG your dryer and position it so you can access the back.
• Unhook the ventilation duct from the dryer.
• Clean the duct-work using a long-handled lint-removal brush.
• Next, look for a metal grate or access panel on the back of your dryer that is held in place with screws. 
• Remove the screws. 
• With a flashlight, look inside to see how much lint is actually collecting in your dryer. 
• To remove it, use the hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner or the lint-removal brush. 
• Be careful not to damage the belt or motor of your dryer!

Is it Safe?

No one wants to live in a grubby home. I personally think if it's shiny it's better! I try to clean up messes as they occur, and it's terribly inconvenient to have all of the cleaning supplies locked up in the laundry room away from pets and kids. Not to mention the environmental effects and cost of using harsh chemicals. Easy solution? Make your own "green" cleaning products.

For years my sister raved about her "all purpose" cleaning solution. I thought she was just being a hippie...until I actually tried it. I used to clean all of my surfaces (vinyl, wood, formica, chrome, glass, etc) with specialized cleaners. This vinegar-based concoction works wonders for removing grime and residue, hard-water stains, pet stains and general dirt. It leaves wood looking nice, glass and chrome streak-free and Formica and porcelain shiny. Don't be scared, it will neither damage sensitive surfaces nor leave a lingering odor of vinegar. In fact it's fantastic at deodorizing the air...but that's another post. Best of all? It literally costs a few cents and only takes a couple minutes to make.

Green All-Purpose Cleaner:

• Reuse any well-rinsed spray bottle. (approximately 33 oz) An example would be an old glass-cleaner bottle.
• Fill the bottle with 2 cups of white vinegar
• Add 4 drops of dish-soap
• Fill the bottle to the top with warm water and gently shake.

VOILA! You have now replaced most of the strong chemical-cleaners in your home with a safe, effective, green solution that only cost you a few cents to produce.

The Birth of the Retro Mama

If you had asked me 10 years ago where I would be today, my answer would have involved a high-power job, weekend shopping trips and a ton of travel. I never thought I would be able to conceive a child, so I didn't plan for one in my future. I went to college, got married, and had a comfy corporate job that included a lot of travel. My life was JUST FINE! And then it hit...that nagging feeling that something is missing.

SO, after several years of fertility treatments we finally conceived. After the first ultra-sound I immediately started making daycare arrangements, designing a nursery, and stocking his closet with his first tiny wardrobe. (I swear I bought enough onesies to supply a small country!) It still had not occurred to me that I would have any interest in leaving my job. I wanted to be a Mom, but I loved my job as a Corporate Internal Auditor and everything that went with it: the title, the status, the travel, the money...the entire package. Then HE showed up and changed everything!

After my 12 week paid maternity leave, I knew it would be hard to leave my new son but I was committed to having the best of both worlds. I had an awesome dual-electric breast pump...perfect for the corporate Mom! (yea right) But I did my best. Each day away from my new son became increasingly more difficult. Finally, my husband and I sat down and crunched the numbers and realized with a few alterations, we could afford for me to be a full-time stay-at-home Mom.

The rest is just history. I truly identify with the 1950's housewife. I have come to realize that living simply, cooking from-scratch meals, repairing instead of replacing and providing a clean and comfortable environment for my family works for us. We're all happier with me as a Retro-Mama! In this blog I'll cover small lifestyle changes that really made a big difference in our life and made it possible for ME to raise our son instead of the daycare.