Nickel-and-Diming w/ Nikki

Wednesday, May 22

It's time to update your summer wardrobe!

Summer months are upon us and with that can come very hot days as well as rainy days so having a variety of clothing for whatever mother nature may throw at us is essential. I am definitely ready to pack away all of my winter clothes and since I had my daughter last August, all I have are maternity clothes to wear. I am in desperate need of summer clothes and I am always on the hunt for a great deal. Damart has great prices and deals on clothing for women and men!

I usually choose shirts and cardigans as they are versatile and versatility is key because the weather can be unpredictable during the summer. Here are a few items that I found on he website that I think would be a great addition to any summer wardrobe:

This piece is a mock two-piece tunic with cami and waterfall cardigan over layer. This would be great for a chilly night on the town or if you work in a cold building!

This piece is a modern cover-up in soft jersey with a flattering tie detail under the bust and neat three-quarter sleeves. This cover up will go with any shirt you wear this summer!

This is a mock layered top with a scoop neckline, three-quarter sleeves and lace trim. I like three-quarter sleeves because you can roll them up or pull them down as you see fit for the weather.

Damart is definitely a great site to find clothing for all seasons, especially summer as it is just about here, and getting a great deal is easy on the budget as well.

Tuesday, May 21

{Review} Dora Rocks!

Dora is a great show that we watch on Nickelodeon every morning. Dora and Boots the monkey are constantly solving problems, helping each other along the way, and getting through their many adventures by using their knowledge! My 2 year old son loves the song about Map and Backpack and has been singing and dancing to the Dora Rocks DVD for a few days now.

My 8 month old daughter also likes Dora, she will sit and watch an entire episode of it now and when Dora asks a question she laughs hysterically...I think that she thinks Dora is talking to her.

It really is a great show both educationally and for entertainment. Both of my little ones love it!

DVD Intro

Get ready to rock with Dora and Boots in a sing-along adventure with Dora the Explorer: Dora Rocks! First, when Benny forgets to send his Sing-along Party invitations, Dora and Boots bring their microphone to Benny’s Barn so they can call their friends to join them at the rockin’ fiesta! Join Dora in her special pop-star outfit to sing a special song with all her friends at the sing-along! After that, keep rocking with two more musical adventures helping Dora bring Baby Bongo to his first music show and meeting Map’s nephew, Little Map.

Dora the Explorer: Dora Rocks! Episode Synopses:Dora Rocks!
When Benny forgets to send invitations to his Sing-Along Party, Dora and Boots need your help taking their microphone to his barn so they can call everyone to the rockin’ fiesta!

Baby Bongo’s Big Music Show
Dora and Boots take Baby Bongo on a musical adventure as they race to the Big Music Show in time for Baby Bongo’s first performance.

Little Map
Dora goes looking for treasure with Map’s nephew, Little Map, on his very first adventure.

The DVD will be in stores on June 4th and will retail for $14.99.

Let your little ones rock out with Dora!! They will sing, dance, have fun...and most of all, learn!

{Review} Team Umizoomi: Animal Heros!

My 2 year old son, Emmett, absolutely loves to watch his Nickelodeon morning shows during the week. We watch Team Umizoomi, Dora, Bubble Guppies, Peter Rabbit and Max & Ruby. He has learned so much from these shows!

Team Umizoomi has taught him a lot about shapes and counting. He knows what a crescent is, stars, trapezoid and so many more! He can also complete patterns thanks to Milli!

The DVD was released in stores on 5/14! Get your copy now!

Help Team Umizoomi get Purple Monkey to his new Monkey Jungle home at the zoo, rescue Buster the dog at a construction site, fix the Cuckoo Bears’ clock, and find all of Farmer Dan’s missing animals! Preschoolers will learn many math skills, including counting, patterns, measurement, and more! For a limited time only, find free Team Umizoomi Activities inside the DVD for on-the-go math problem solving!

Team Umizoomi features a tiny team of superheroes, Milli, Geo and Bot, who use their mighty math powers to help little kids solve big problems. The series combines action-adventure missions with an interactive math curriculum designed to help kids develop self-confidence in their math abilities and appreciate the many ways in which math shapes their world. The Umi Team is not complete without their Umi Friends (home viewers), who help the team along the way while practicing various math skills. Set to a soundtrack of preschool-friendly pop songs, the series is designed to build upon preschoolers’ conceptual understanding of math as they are exposed to core mathematical concepts like numbers, counting, computations, measurement, patterns and shapes.

Team Umizoomi: Animal Heroes Episode Synopses:

Purple Monkey Mission
There’s a new animal coming to the Umi City Zoo—Purple Monkey! But when Purple Monkey is accidently dropped into the icy cold Penguin House, it’s up to Team Umizoomi to help him get to the Monkey Jungle!

Buster the Lost Dog
When Buster the dog accidentally jumps into the back of a truck that carries him far away, it’s up to Team Umizoomi to help rescue the puppy and bring him back to the park!

Cuckoo Bears
The Cuckoo Bears, a band that lives inside the Umi City Cuckoo Clock, lose the gears that give them their power! Will you help them find and fix the gears before the clock strikes 12?

Animal School House
Farmer Dan’s animals are missing from his farm! Join Team Umizoomi as they search for missing mice, chickens, pigs and one stubborn donkey!

The DVD is available in stores and retails for only $14.99. My son loves all of the episodes and will enjoy this DVD for a long time...and then it'll be passed on down to his little sissy! :)

Friday, May 17

6 Tips on How to Budget If You're a Single-Income Household

The economy has hit many families hard and with unemployment at an all-time high, many households must learn how to live on one income. These tips will not only help you financially, they also offer ideas on how to keep the lifestyle you had with two incomes.

1. Review Benefits You Can Use Now

Image via Flickr normalityrelief

This tip involves taking an in depth look at some benefits you signed up for and may have forgotten about. For example, a credit card program you opted to sign up for offering short-term loss of job wages.

In addition, if you're living in a single-income household due to a job loss find out about unemployment and employer benefit programs and determine if you qualify for extra income due to job cessation.

2. Create a Budget

If you don't have a household budget, now is the time to start one. Find a budget template and list all income and expenses to determine your disposable income.

3. Start an Emergency Fund

As hard as it may seem to save money with only one income coming in, it's a necessary must-do. Once you know what your disposable income is, commit to saving a set amount each month.

It's important to start your emergency fund using an attractive venue that comes with higher interest rates such as a money market account. Look into short term CDs and seek the advice of a financial advisor such as those at Fisher Investments UK. Experts will be your best source in determining the best ways to set up the most attractive account.

4. Get What You Still Want By Sharing

Most families still desire a two-income lifestyle even when faced with less coming in. Seek out websites like SwapAce.com, a free share and swap organization. Using organizations like these allows you to find free video games, fashion, electronics, books and even ways to swap and share services or a vehicle.

Another good website is Freecycle.org where members can find furniture and other recyclables at no cost to use in their own homes. Don't buy a new crib or living room furniture—find gently used items instead. Watch DIY videos on how to paint, stain and revive furniture.

5. Resist the Urge to Charge

If you have credit card debt, don't make it worse by charging more. Look again at your disposable income and along with saving, pay off credit cards by tackling the one with the lowest balance first. This doesn't mean stopping payments on other cards—continue to pay the minimum payment on those but use extra disposable income to pay off card balances from the lowest to the highest. Contact credit card companies and ask if your interest rate can be lowered or if the payment due date can be changed to coincide with incoming wages.

6. Be Innovative to Boost Income

Image via Flickr Tulane Public Relations

Ever think of selling unused items on eBay or some other e-commerce platform like Etsy? Selling will bring in more income—just make sure the buyer pays shipping charges or include them in the cost of your items.

If you shined in English or mathematics—or play an instrument, consider offering lessons. If you have accounting, business or web design skills, start a consulting firm right from home. The Internet is full of at-home jobs, just be sure to research the companies offering these jobs and never pay a company to give you the job details.

Learning to live on a single-income household may seem like a hard thing to do but with these tips, your life will be more manageable.

Tuesday, May 14

Munchkin Contest - Enter to win diaper pail!! (Ends June 13th)

From now until June 13, parents can visit the Munchkin Facebook page to share photos or videos of their child’s best ‘stinky’ face for a chance to win a Diaper Pail or the grand prize of $1,000, to be awarded to the best ‘stinky’ face

Here is my son's best stinky face! (He is 2 now but I LOVE this picture!!!!) LOL

To help select the grand prize winner, we’ve partnered with four guest judges, including an editor from AllParenting.com (a SheKnows.com affiliate), Adam Cohen from DadaRocks.com, the “Diaper Dude” Chris Pegula and even well-known body language expert, Janine Driver. The guest judges will help us determine America’s Best Stinky Face, which will be crowned on June 20.

Go HERE to enter your photo!!