LadyPens » Tammy Paquin

Making the Most of your Space to Garden

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:43:26 +0000

With all the talk of contaminated store-bought vegetables and the cost of those vegetables rising every day, it makes sense to grow your own whenever and wherever possible. People think that growing fruit and vegetables requires a lot of space but that couldn’t be further from the truth with these space-saving tips. Full Article

Soft Pretzels: Fun Baking for Kids

Tammy Paquin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:22:25 +0000

With three growing boys, the battle to keep healthy, easy and relatively inexpensive snacks in the house always seems to be one I feel I’m losing. Combine that with the fact that the time it takes to keep up with the baking and cooking leaves me feeling like that’s all I do: bake, bake and bake some more! So when I found this soft pretzel recipe, I knew I had a win/ win recipe! It was fun and easy for the boys to make for me and provided them with an inexpensive and healthy snack! Full Article

No Bake Summer Goodies

Tammy Paquin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:20:24 +0000

Just because it’s summer, it doesn’t mean that the kids don’t want goodies. It DOES mean you don’t want to have to turn on the oven and heat up the house! Keep these kid-friendly recipes on hand for those days that you need a need a quick, easy no-bake treat. Two recipes require a small amount “cook” time on the stove top but kids can easily handle the job of getting the cookies onto the cookie sheets. The other two recipes takes time to freeze up but it can be done easily by the kids with just a bit of adult supervision. Full Article

How to Make a Wedding Affordable

Tammy Paquin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:34:31 +0000

I was looking over some information about articles I’ve submitted and noticed that one of the phrases searched that brought up some of them was, “marriage ceremony when you can’t get married because of finances.” We also have some new friends who are talking about how they can’t get married right now because they can’t afford a wedding. It made me think that sometimes young couples don’t really understand the difference between the wedding and the marriage so I decided to throw out my two cents on the subject. Full Article

Food and Fun for Kids

Tammy Paquin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:32:20 +0000

Kids love helping out in the kitchen. It can also be a big source of pride for them to tell you that they made the meal, almost all by themselves. It’s also wonderful being able to combine fun, hands-on play time with meal preparation time. My boys love helping me make gnocchi almost as much as they love eating them! Full Article

Quick Microwave Breakfast Ideas

Tammy Paquin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:17:00 +0000

I’ve come to love my microwave in more ways than ever. We have three boys who are growing so quickly and always on the go with sports, school and playing in general. They are always hungry and I have definitely found that starting them off with protein rich and fiber rich breakfasts keep them going longer than boxed cereals. In addition, I do dental hygiene on a per diem basis. I might be trying to get out the door in a very short amount of time and I want to be able to eat a quick breakfast that will also fill me up. Full Article

Gifts for Quilters under $5

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:41:07 +0000

Looking for some gifts for your favorite quilter that won’t break the bank? Here is a list of great items that this quilter (and probably your quilter) can’t live without! Full Article

Thoughtful and Practical Gifts from the Heart

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:14:22 +0000

Despite recent predictions that we’re coming out of the recession, I know many people are still struggling. Holidays like Christmas where there is financial pressure to spend money on stuff makes it hard for people to find the joy in giving so instead of looking at these situations as a burden on your wallet, look at them as an opportunity to give from your heart. Full Article

Reusable Halloween Costumes

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:26:34 +0000

I have three boys and in general they all like the same costumes, so I’ve been able to reuse our costumes year after year. One year the littlest one didn’t want ANY costume! He didn’t like having to put the costume over his clothes (a common thing in our Northern climates). Well, I was determined. He was agreeable to wearing his red hat and sweatshirt, so with some felt I had on hand, I made eyes and ears for his hat and he went as Clifford, the Big Red Dog. Full Article

Frugally Dressing for Success

Tammy Paquin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:04:38 +0000

You’ve just landed that job you wanted! Congratulations are in order but so is a more professional wardrobe. You don’t want to use up your first three paychecks creating that wardrobe (or three or four paychecks every year thereafter) so I’ll show you how to create a stylish and frugal wardrobe. Full Article

Work Week Meals-Twice is Nice

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:53:09 +0000

It’s been at least six years since I balanced working outside the home almost full-time and having two kids. Friends were always amazed that I managed homemade meals on the table each night. Becoming a stay home mom with three kids made meal planning a bit easier because I was home BUT several of the lessons I learned as a work outside the home mom still apply. I’ll give you a sample menu for one week to show how I would pull all these easy lessons together. Full Article

Ten Ways to Slash your Grocery Bill

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:37:47 +0000

With the rising cost of food, everyone is looking for ways to save on their grocery bills without sacrificing nutrition. Here are ten money saving tips. Full Article

Tips for Cutting Down on Heating Expenses

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:27:17 +0000

The cost of heating our homes has risen considerably in the past few years. Here are some tips to help you cut down on your home fuel expenses. Full Article

Family Recipes: Keeping the Memories Alive

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:04:33 +0000

I never knew my husband’s grandmother. I never knew her like he did because by the time we started dating, Grandma N. was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. I only knew the shell that remained of this wonderful woman after the disease had robbed her of most of her memory. What I do have though is what was so special about her and one of the things that my husband and his family remembers most fondly of her, her recipes. Full Article

Easy, Overnight Breakfast Recipes

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:52:07 +0000

We don’t leave the house on Christmas and the grandparents frequently come over to watch the boys open their presents. I don’t want to have to spend lots of time in the kitchen on Christmas morning, so I’ve been able to pull together some recipes which are prepped the night before and only require a few minutes the next morning. Obviously, these aren’t just for Christmas morning, but any morning that you’d like to have a nice, easy breakfast with minimum kitchen time! Full Article

Using Cash to Stay in a Budget

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:47:38 +0000

It’s a well established fact that when people purchase things using any payment form OTHER THAN cash, they tend to spend more money. I always figured that this fact didn’t apply to me because I was a careful shopper. BUT, can I just say that is NOT true!!! Full Article

The Value of Being a Stay-at-Home Parent

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:31:06 +0000

Okay, I admit it; I wasn’t excited about becoming a stay-at-home mom. I was working as a part-time dental hygienist and had the right combination of work and home time. My husband and I had just barely decided that I would follow a dream to go onto dental school versus having a third child (which was something I felt in my heart—but NOT our budget!) when the pregnancy test came up positive! Surprise, surprise! Full Article

Soup: Simple, filling and frugal fare!

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:26:29 +0000

Soup making isn’t complicated, and it is a great simple, frugal, and filling meal, especially if you combine it with homemade bread (yes, I’ve included an easy homemade bread recipe as well)! There are some basics to soup making. The most important thing to remember is to relax and experiment! Full Article

Changing your Frugal Attitude

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:21:37 +0000

Let’s face it, almost all of us go through some tight financial times through our lives, but how we look at and face those times can set you apart from the crowd. It’s kind of that, the glass can be half-full OR half-empty situation. Some people who are in a tight financial situation will let it take them down and they’ll use it as a crutch and blame all their woes on it, whereas another person in the same situation will say that money is tight, but that’s finances are not the end all and be all of their lives. Full Article

Feeling Rich when the Savings Account Says Otherwise

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:04:40 +0000

If your first thought to the title was, “Hey, I’m rich with family, friends, good health and faith!” then you’ve already hit upon my first point. Good for you! Being rich doesn’t just imply having lots of cash. It’s also recognizing that there are things that money can’t buy and you need to learn to celebrate that above the actual idea that being rich is about the cold, hard cash. Full Article

Low Stress Event Tips

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:09:53 +0000

Over the years, I have hosted quite a few gatherings at our home. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I didn’t enjoy them. Why you ask? I was always running around, forgetting things and just plain exhausted by the work and felt like I needed a vacation to recover from the event! I started keeping track of things that worked and didn’t work and now I’ve come to enjoy the gatherings just like everyone else. Full Article

Take a Bite out of Breakfast Costs

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:49:32 +0000

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day (so the experts tell us) as we fuel our bodies after a long night and prepare for a busy day ahead. That said, it’s also become a very pricey meal of the day! There are a slew of manufacturers out there that have bundled breakfast items in convenient, high fat, high sugar, and high COST ways and convinced YOU, the consumer that you NEED their products and you can’t live without them. I’m here to tell you otherwise. I’m going to help you take a bite out the rising costs of breakfast. Full Article

Pasta: From Simple to Fancy Fare

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:42:34 +0000

Prices continue to rise at the grocery store. I’ve seen my own grocery budget rise by almost $100 per month (although three growing boys might be contributing to that increase). Gone are the days of four boxes of spaghetti for a buck but overall, pasta is still an inexpensive and filling beginning to many meals. I also love that pasta is one of those dishes that can go easily from the family dinner to the guest table when paired with my good china and a bottle of wine. Full Article

Marriage and Finances: What to do before you say, “I do”

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:37:53 +0000

When my husband and I got married, we were a bit surprised to find out just how much combined debt we each had. We had been dating for almost five years before we got married. We had kind of discussed finances and how we would do things but in all honesty; we had discussed the wedding budget and the finances of that big event a lot more than we discussed the finances of our other big event, namely the rest of our lives together! Full Article

Organizing for Dollars

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:00:56 +0000

With the success of EBay and the increasing cost of running a household, everyone should see dollar signs when they look at things in their home! Unorganized homes cost money! When was the last time you REALLY got your home cleaned out and organized? Full Article

How to Save Money on Raising Children

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:00:39 +0000

Having children doesnâ€™t have to be as expensive as it seems. The expression, â€œHindsight is 20/20â€ definitely applies to having children. We have learned a lot since having our first child (of three) and these tips come from practical experience as parents, NOT from the overpriced expectations placed upon us by manufacturers. Had I known THEN, what I know NOW, we would have saved a considerable sum of money beginning with our first, NOT our third! Full Article

Using Cash to Stay in a Budget

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:00:10 +0000

Itâ€™s a well established fact that when people purchase things using any payment form OTHER THAN cash, they tend to spend more money. I always figured that this fact didn’t apply to me because I was a careful shopper. BUT, can I just say that is NOT true!!! Full Article

Soup: Simple, filling and frugal fare!

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:59:50 +0000

Soup making isnâ€™t complicated, and it is a great simple, frugal, and filling meal, especially if you combine it with homemade bread (yes, Iâ€™ve included an easy homemade bread recipe as well)! There are some basics to soup making. The most important thing to remember is to relax and experiment! Full Article

Changing your Financial Attitude

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:58:55 +0000

Letâ€™s face it, almost all of us go through some tight financial times through our lives, but how we look at and face those times can set you apart from the crowd. Itâ€™s kind of that, the glass can be half-full OR half-empty situation. Some people who are in a tight financial situation will let it take them down and theyâ€™ll use it as a crutch and blame all their woes on it, whereas another person in the same situation will say that money is tight, but thatâ€™s finances are not the end all and be all of their lives. Full Article