Recession Smart Parent Hacks

We all wish that life had cheat codes. Especially as parents. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to enter ROSEBUD ;!;!;!(X100) into the cheat code box of life and in a stroke of the enter key, have an infinite amount in your bank account ? Although our Sims daily lives mirror ours, sadly the cheat code box of life can be thrown in the same nonexistent category as the Money Tree.  But have no fear Super Parents! There are life hacks out there created by parents like yourselves who knew  there had to be an Easy Button. So we searched around and found some of the best parenting hacks that we thought could save you not only money but time and frustration also. A direct line to Santa Clause may be a dream but these hacks are indeed real and the closest thing to an Easy Button we could find. We know that these are just the tip of the parenting hacks iceberg so leave a comment and let us know what your ” Rosebud ” is.  The more we share, the more we know and the more we know, the more time we save!

HACKS FOR THE KIDS

If you find yourself battling with a picky eater each morning, food coloring can be your new secret weapon. Separate the pancake batter into 3 different bowls and have your child squeeze a different color drop into each one. While your kiddo is enjoying their rainbow-colored breakfast ask them to identify the color of their flapjacks and name other things that are that color to. You’ll walk away happy and your child will walk away with a full belly!

Speaking of pancakes, head on over to iHop on Halloween between 7am – 10pm and all kids under 12 get a FREE scary face ” count spatula ” pancake. No purchase necessary.

Does your little Einstein always want to play on your i’device but you remember the last time they used it they ended up deleting all your eBooks and more than half of your work contacts ? Make them happy and put your mind at ease by enabling KID MODE: 

• Open Settings > General
• Navigate to “Accessibility” and under the Learning section tap on “Guided Access”
• Flip the switch to ON, then tap “Set Passcode” to set a password you’ll use to escape out of Guided Access mode
• Choose whether or not to Enable Screen Sleep, turning it ON will help sustain battery life when the iPad, iPod, or iPhone is left inactive

Help your children feel safe and sound before bed and all through the night by arming them with Monster Spray. Decorate a spray bottle with anti-monster embellishments

and fill it with just water or add a “special monster fighting ingredient ” like a drop of vanilla or a dab of peppermint extract etc. Say goodbye to 3am monster under my bed wake up calls.

Knowing your child’s shoe size is a given for any mom. This next hack is pretty convenient for any ” buy on the fly ” mom. Trace your children’s feet and keep the drawing in your wallet/pocketbook. That way you’ll be able to go shoe shopping without having to drag them along!

 See How One Mom Does It Here

We thought this next tip was so clever. Does your little angel have a hard time reaching the faucet even with a step stool ? Try extending your faucet with a lotion bottle.

Freeze a pacifier in an ice-cube tray that’s filled with juice, water, milk or formula for a ring pop like gum soother

HACKS FOR THE HOME

Forget candles and reeds, gels and sprays or any other home “ processed fragrance “. Instead, use fresh produce,greens and herbs some right from your own backyard. Use a small stockpot/boiling pot filled with about 2/3 water, 1 sliced lemon and a few sprigs of rosemary or lavender. Add in 1-2 tbsp. vanilla and let simmer all day long, adding water when needed. There are so many more organic combinations you can invent right in your own kitchen! Combine any fruit, spices, extracts or herbs. Say goodbye to Glade and hello to fresh.

Throw a piece of bread in the cookie jar to prevent cookies from getting hard. Another neat trick we can thank chemistry for ? Place a wooden spoon over a pot of water to prevent it from boiling over.

Use bread tabs to label & organize power cables

The kitchen is truly the heart of the home. Between all the family dinners, the soul food and the cozy decor there’s no time for mathematics. This conversion chart should be a staple in every home

Store home made baby food by freezing it in an ice-cube tray. Each cube is a perfect portion. Another baby food tip ? Come mealtime, pop out a cube and defrost it in your bottle warmer. Its quick and easy and also a great way to use your warmer even after your child has come off formula

You decide you want to get a candle to lighten up the ambiance of a room. Where should you go ? Yankee Candle ? Bed, Bath & Beyond ? Kohl’s ? Actually, its none of those places. It’s a fancy little website called Diamond Candles. Not only are they earth friendly, all natural soy candles but when each candle is burned down to a certain point, a ring valuing $10, $100, $1,000, or $5,000 is revealed. 

Heres a few more Home Hacks:

• Use BAKING SODA and VINEGAR to unclog your kitchen sink
• Tortillas + The Oven Rack = Great Taco Shells

•  Wet a facecloth, roll it up and freeze it for a teether your baby will enjoy

HACKS TO SAVE YOU MONEY

We are BIG supporters of thrift shopping. When you buy second-hand baby clothing, most of the time, the clothes have only been worn 1 or twice and some even come with the tags on them!  You can buy from us or you can visit your local thrift stores, goodwill’s or Salvation Army’s to browse. Craigslist is also an amazing treasure chest filled with people in your area that are willing to sell and willing to sell fast ( which leaves you with even more negotiating room ). Baby clothes aren’t the only thing to buy pre owned. Look for pocketbooks, most furniture like desks, chairs and tables, jewelry, vintage adult clothing, wedding dresses, refurbished electronics etc. 

If you lose your cell phone charger, before buying one, head to your nearest hotel/motel. Cell phone chargers are the #1 item left behind by guests and chances are they’ll have the one you’re looking for.

If your an online shopper remember this: If you buy something on Amazon, and within 30 days the price decreases, email them and they will send you the difference. 

Forget about spending all that money on chip clips and reuse something you already have at the same time. Some may call it upcycling

When buying a car or jewelry, ALWAYS ASK FOR A DISCOUNT. Salesmen expect customers to haggle and adjust their retail price accordingly.

Storing batteries in the freezer 1 day before using will almost double their life span.

HACKS TO SAVE YOU TIME

When your trying to reach the customer service department, choose the spanish option and then hit 0.

Cant find your android phone ? And unfortunately its on vibrate ? Get online and go to Google Play > Android Device Manager > ‘Ring. Problem solved!

Did your little angel figure out how to change your computers password “ by accident “ ? Restart your comp on Safe Mode by pressing F8 during start-up. After it has fully powered back on, go into your control panel and change your password in the Administrators folder.

Folding a flat sheet is fairly simple. Folding a fitted sheet ? Not so simple. Heres one way to make it a bit more easier.

Use a can opener to open blister packs and avoid cutting yourself and superior aggravation!

Get your drinks cold in 3 minutes flat! Put the can or cans in a pot and cover with ice. Next add 2 cups of salt and fill with water. Chemistry rocks!

Stack your clothes/childs clothes vertically to be able to see each one and avoid having to rummage through everything on your search for something to wear.

Heres a few more Time Saving Hacks:

• Cook bacon in the oven instead for less grease and little hassle
• An iPad charger will charge your iPhone/iPod much faster
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We hope that these parenting hacks will help your days go a little bit smoother. Being a SuperParent isn’t easy but there are ways to make it easier. Who knows, maybe someone somewhere will take their saved time and money and use it to build a Money Tree! Wouldn’t that be nice.

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