March – 2015 – Frugal Novice
Monthly Archives

March 2015

New Huggies Snug & Dry Ultra Diapers: Great Protection at a Great Value

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Huggies® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m sure most of you have experienced this: you’re out with your child, and you set her in your lap. Suddenly, your leg is wet and you realize that your child’s diaper has leaked. This has happened to us when we were out, which meant she also leaked in her car seat. And every parent knows washing a car seat cover is no easy task.

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Huggies® Snug & Dry Ultra Diapers (available only at Walmart) are a lifesaver when it comes to preventing leaks. There’s a snug fit around the waist, along the hips, and around each leg, adding up to a strong barrier against leaks.

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Moms, You Don’t Have to Drive a Minivan!

Confession: we’re that family. The ones who said we’d never drive a minivan. And the ones who now do drive a minivan to car around our three kids. It works well for us, and truthfully I like it more than I ever thought I would. That being said, I really wasn’t aware of all my options when we made the leap to minivan-ownership, so I’d like to provide a public service now and make you aware of some options beyond the minivan. These are cars we’re considering for our next trade-in, starting with:

1. Chevrolet Traverse. This is a mid-sized SUV that seats up to 8 and has a ton of cargo space (116.3 cubic feet). It has six airbags, including an industry-first front-center air bag, and available Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning. Both of those features are perfect for driving with kids (aka distractions) in the back of your car. The safety features abound, and it gets decent gas mileage, too: 17 mpg/city and 24 mpg/hwy.

For other great alternatives to a minivan (including one that gets 34 mpg on the freeway!) visit my guest post over at the Bob Pulte Chevrolet dealership blog!

A Mom’s View: Favorite Features of the Dodge Grand Caravan

My parents started driving a Dodge Grand Caravan when I was in middle school, probably anticipating the vast number of times they’d have to cart me and my friends around. I’m pretty sentimental about the Caravan because of many great memories made over the years, but now as a mom of three kids I can appreciate the new Grand Caravans and all they have to offer. I never thought I’d be a “minivan mom” but I’ve definitely come to appreciate how great they are for families. Here are my favorite features of the Dodge Grand Caravan, starting with:

1. Seating for Seven. There’s plenty of room in the caravan for my family of five, with three rows that allow for some separation among siblings when needed. And when it’s parked, the 60/40 split folding third-row bench seats can flip completely rearward – perfect for tailgating or hitting up the local drive-in theater.

The rest of my favorites can be found in my guest post over at the Marty Cancila Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership blog. Go check it out, and see why you’ll love the Dodge Grand Caravan, too.

Tips for DIY Detailing

I love having my car detailed; I’ve only done it twice, but both times I left the car wash feeling like I was in a brand-new vehicle. I also detailed my car before I traded it in; I felt like I wanted to put my best foot forward before going to the dealership. No matter what your circumstance, detailing your vehicle is a way to pamper yourself – and your car. If you’re not willing, or able, to shell out the money for someone else to detail your car, don’t worry! Did you know you can easily do it yourself and save money? Here’s a great tip to get you started:

1. Use an air compressor. Borrow one, rent one, or invest in one – regardless of how you acquire one, you’ll be glad you did. An air compressor lets you get rid of all the dirt in all the tiny nooks and crevices of your car, and loosens dirt from the carpet and seats.

Find out what else you should do to end up with a well-detailed car by visiting my post at the Lebanon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership blog!

Keeping Your Car Clean – Even with Kids!

I have three children, ages 7, 5, and 2. I feel like that statement right there probably gives you a good glimpse of the state of our car interior at most times: chaotic.

The car clutter snuck up on me gradually, so much so that I almost wasn’t even bothered by it for a while? until one day as we had our minivan’s side door open at day care pickup, I glanced into the back and saw it for the wreck it was: cereal crumbs, juice boxes, toys and all.

From that point onward it’s been a goal of mine to keep our car presentable; my standard is having it so we wouldn’t be embarrassed to offer someone a ride. Over time I’ve learned to manage the clutter and keep the car decent, and have a few tips that might help you, too. Here’s the first:

1. Package food well. I think most parents will agree it’s pretty ridiculous to suggest a no-eating rule in the car. I tried it for one week, and realized it made life harder, so I abandoned that pretty quickly. When we’re running late in the morning, it’s easier to let the kids eat breakfast on the drive to school, for instance. I’ve learned that we have to pick smart food – granola bars work well; cereal with lots of small pieces does not – and that we need to package food in the right way to help keep crumbs at bay.  When the children do bring cereal, we put it in a larger baggie, filling it only about ¼ of the way. You don’t want leftovers, because those will inevitably be spilled.

For the rest of these great tips, check out my guest post at the East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn dealership blog!