100+ Free (or Dirt Cheap) Educational Summer Field Trips for Families

My husband and I homeschooled four children in a single-wide mobile home, living on one income. What we don't know about living minimalist and frugal, isn't worth knowing. Here's our budget list of 100+ free or dirt cheap educational summer field trips 100+ Free (or Dirt Cheap) Educational Summer Field Trips for Families

Making Online Content Pay with Non-Scam, Spam-Free Promotion

 I've been freelance writing online successfully since 2006. By successfully, I mean my online content upfront payments and residuals earn sustainable income that allowed me to pay off $22,000 in debt and quit my full-time substitute teaching job. Readers interacting with our content (reading, sharing, commenting) is what earns money. I'm frequently asked how I attract said readers and ergo, page views? Short answer: I share, blog and network. Okay, but how do you promote content ethically? Pertinent question. I promote content using approved sources to make online content pay. Making Online Content Pay: Non-Scam, Spam-Free Ways to Promote, Share

Free Father's Day Gifts, Cheap/Free Activities to Do With Dad

Looking for low-cost Father's Day gifts? (Hint--it's the third Sunday in June, don't forget!) Why not do something with dad instead of buy him something? Here are 26 free Father's Day activities from A-Z. Don't limit it to just dad. Remember all special men this holiday--brothers, uncles, grandfathers, step-fathers, Godfathers, priests, rabbis, ministers, scout leaders, teachers, friends.  Free Father's Day Gifts, Do-With-Dad Activities from A-Z

Budget Graduation Party Open House Shopping Guide With Recipes

Hosting a graduation open house and clueless where to start? Use this party organizer guide to throw the perfect backyard bash for your graduate! Here are recipes plus shopping lists for groceries, supplies, decorations and equipment. Being the perennial penny pincher, I've listed cheaper and DIY alternatives--to save you money and hassle! Budget Graduation Party Open House Shopping Guide With Recipes

Organize a Graduation Open House, Cheap, Easy Recipes and Tips

May and June mean graduation open houses. Are you hosting an open house? Here are some tips for planning an easy, inexpensive, festive buffet. This party planning guide includes recipes, serving and cleanup tips, crowd control and guest organization. If you are Type A OCD ADD DIY parent like me, you manage the whole show and not make time to visit. Here are planning, purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up tips for a perfect open house. Graduation Party Food Tips: Plan a Festive Graduation Party Buffet Without Going Broke or Crazy!

Dad, You Need to Help Mom Avoid Burnout--Proactive Parenting, Happy Relationships

Let's talk mom burnout. It's a dark depression that can incapacitate mothers and leave them super vulnerable and fragile. We usually try to hide it from kids, spouse, friends, family, ourselves. We're terrified lest anyone see and think we're the rotten parents we believe we are. From 25 years parenting four children, let me assure you--mom-burnout is normal and manageable. But dads, we need your help.Parenting Tips--Hows Dads Help Prevent Mom Burnout 

Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Coloring Pages and Crafts

Like so many borrowed U.S.  holidays, Cinco de Mayo is pretty schmaltzy.  But that shouldn't stop us celebrating Mexican history and culture. Making traditional crafts, singing songs, eating foods, brings multiculturalism to the classroom. And that's all good. Here are printable Cinco de Mayo coloring pages, Mexican arts and crafts and Spanish-themed activities for kids. Latino and non-Latino will enjoy a fiesta of fun! I've tried to keep the kitsch to a minimum.  Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Coloring Pages and Crafts

Mother's Day Gifts for SAHM or WAHM Moms

Is Mother's Day gift-giving different for SAHM (stay at home moms) or WAHM (work at home moms) than for moms who go to job? I think it is a little. WAHMs long to get out more, while job  moms look forward to being home with the family. Not better worse--just different. Granted, Mother's Day gifts should be individual for every woman. But I was a SAHM and WAHM. I can speak to the unique needs that we have.  Here's a guide to get us just what we what and need for Mother's Day. Mother's Day Gifts for the SAHM Mom

Freelancer Tip: Too Many Keyword, Links Hurts SEO

Linkbacks and tags on articles and posts draw search traffic. Links create channels or magnets that attract views, clicks, interaction. That's good for page views. BUT, too many links and overused keywords have the reverse affect. They hurt search indexing. Maybe not at first. Initially, they'll draw lots of traffic. But in the long run, when Google catches onto the keyword stuffing and overlinking, they'll have adverse effect. So get your Google juice, making links of keywords. But don't overdo it. Read on for tutorials on how to balance that.   Writing for the Web 101 Too Many Keywords, Links Hurts SEO - News - Bubblews

Blogging Tips, Work While the Interent is Cooperative

 For the past few days, I have doing blog PMs (preventative maintenance). I'm "spring cleaning" my 55 niche blogs (an Amazonian task--I'd say Herculean, but being a gal, I want to show solidarity with the ladies.) I've been writing online since 2005 and blogs are my milch cows. So I keep them up. The internet has been slow and sites have been crashing since Windows 8.1 updated. So here's how I multitask when the computer is slow.  Blogging Tips, Take While Google Blogger is Giving