An ice roller! My kids are always hurting themselves but hate keeping ice on it... so I bought an ice face roller on Amazon and they can roll the ice over the hurt without the spot getting too cold!
Also I just found out that they made spray diaper cream! I use the brand Boudreauxs Butt paste and the spray version is SO much easier! Looking forward to reading the rest of this thread!
I’m terrible at returning things that are rented (I was a notorious library fine racker-upper as a kid) but I really love ThredUP, which is similar to this in that you get gently-used brand name things and they send you free “clean-out kits” to consign your old stuff when you’re done with it. Not new but definitely appreciated.
SO glad you asked 🤣 I will never miss an opportunity to talk about my budget app, YNAB (aka You Need A Budget)! It totally changed the way I see my spending plan and spending habits and it’s the only way of budgeting that has ever worked for me. I lived paycheck to paycheck for years until I found it. So it changed my life!
This week I found out I need almost $1,400 in dental work and a few years ago that would have obliterated my account. Instead I was able to save 5% with the dentists office by paying in full up front after glancing at my budget. I knew I could roll with the punches and re-allocate some dollars and didn’t have to panic that I wouldn’t be able to afford groceries next week.
If you’re good with spreadsheets and don’t want to spend money on a subscription you can always get the book (at your local library/ with a digital library loan) and build your own budget in a google doc using the principles from the book. YNAB also has a great newsletter with financial literacy tips that are easy to understand.
+1 for YNAB!! Also life changing for me. And fun! I know, weird to say about a budgeting app, but it's true. 🤓 They offer a 34 day free trial and don't take your credit card to sign up, so you won't be charged at the end of the trial unless you choose to start paying for it (just be sure to sign up directly on their website and not through the Apple app store or Google Play).
This is super interesting. I used mint for a while and I can't remember why I stopped...but have been wondering about a new budget tool lately so I will check this out!
We have used YNAB since 2016 and it's great. It has really helped with the finances around paying for two kids in daycare that are always getting sick.
Ten Little shoes for kids - they're well made and hold up until after kid #2 has outgrown them. Contrast this to the shoes I used to buy at Walmart, which would fall apart after a month or two of wear. Plus, they come with shoe stickers, which the kids love using to customize their shoes.
Primary.com for kids' clothes. Well made, comfortable, tagless, and gender-neutral clothes that my kids love. Lots of solid colors, rainbow stripes, polka dots, and rainbow hearts.
Rothy's shoes for myself. They've been around a while, but I only recently gave in and bought some. They are my new favorite shoes. Cute (I like the classic Flat) and extremely comfortable. They are holding up so well. I walk to and from work, and typically rack up 10,000 steps outdoors each day in my work shoes. Cheaper flats wear out for me within a few months, and most are not comfortable for several miles a day. My Rothy's, which I wear whenever the weather is warm enough, are like new after months of use and feel great even after a few miles. I haven't needed to clean them yet, but they're apparently machine-washable.
Karinadresses.com for well made, flattering dresses with pockets in a variety of fun patterns. I've had some for several years of regular wear, and they don't show any signs of wear. Plus they dry quickly and don't wrinkle, so they're great for travel.
Svaha for nerdy dresses, skirts, and leggings with pockets. They have both adult and kid sizes. They let me embrace my inner Ms. Frizzle.
I could've written most of this post haha. I loved Ten Little when my daughter who is tiny started walking early and I couldn't find any shoes to fit her because all the shoes her size were just decorative baby shoes without actual soles. We had a couple pairs of ten littles and they were awesome. And primary! Oh I love primary. I always buy people having a baby something from there. They hold up SO well.
I'm in a "take better care of fewer things" mode these days. I started shopping second hand for my kiddo and have been loving it. We have a Kid to Kid location that is awesome. It's organized and not overwhelming like some places can be and I have found some SUPER cute things there. The other thing I'd say I'm obsessed with is the @gocleanco instagram account. They help a lot with the taking better care of things aspect. It's run by a snarky Canadian woman who has THE BEST cleaning tips and methods. Plus she gets in to the science of how things work which my cell and molecular biologist brain loves.
Force of Nature cleaner and disinfectant. It can be used on everything: apples, pacifiers, toilets, zits. The FoN system produces a weak hypochlorous acid, a human-safe and environmentally friendly disinfectant. HOCl has been used in the food industry for decades including on sushi and other products where germ control is vital.
It saved my sanity during early COVID to the point I bought a competing company's industrial level machine so I could make HOCl by the gallon. If you saw videos in 2020 of cities in China misting pedestrians or Delta Airlines fogging planes, the disinfectant used there was HOCl. It's unstable and degrades quickly into plain water, which is why it can't be easily bottled and preserved, so the best way to get it is making your own with an in-home machine.
I want to travel more with my kids and decided to dive into the points and miles game. It's a steep learning curve but I love puzzles and spreadsheets so this feels like a version of that. I started by taking the free course offered by 10x travel (https://10xtravel.com/) and joined their massive FB group. I started in February 2023 and we have now accumulated over 500,000 miles/points which we are using for an all inclusive family resort in Cancun and flights to europe for spring break 2023.
On a totally different topic, I really love a very very comfortable bed. Like it's unreasonably important to me. Haha. I have several products I love for creating the perfect bed.
1. we buy memory foam mattresses on Overstock which are very affordable and delightfully comfortable.
2. We have a king sized bed but have a super king comforter so it's extra large. If you have a queen bed you should definitely use a king sized comforter. Always size up.
3. I love the pillows that Hilton uses and it turns out you can buy them! They aren't cheap but my life has dramatically improved since I purchased them. Pillows.com sells hotel pillows and we have the Down Dreams Classic Soft Pillow and the Envirosleep® Dream Surrender Polyester Pillow | Medium Support. YMMV. I like large soft squishy pillows but there are many firmer options available.
4. The pièce de résistance of my comfy bed is a dual zone HEATED mattress pad. My husband has never turned his on b/c he's always hot. But I preheat my side of the bed every night from basically Sept - April and it makes me so happy to be warm and cozy from the moment I get in.
Owala water bottles - really, the perfect bottle -- you don’t mind that it’s a bit heavy and won’t fit into a cup holder :) it keeps water cold in the stainless steel part but you drink out of a plastic straw so you don’t have to taste the metal. It has never spilled! It has a nice hook to make it easy to hold. And it is dishwasher safe and actually gets clean in the dishwasher!
I discovered this during the pandemic when the libraries were closed but still buy a ton of stuff here: Thriftbooks.com! You can find used books here so reasonably priced, you can choose how used you want them to be: acceptable, good, very good, like new. The free shipping kicks in at like $15 purchased. This was such a great way to get my kid the graphic novels she loves but whips through in like 45 min without breaking the bank. I've also found great used copies of some of my favorite old books too. They also sell new books if you don't want to shop at amazon. Definitely a cheaper way to fill up our bookshelves.
Nuud deodorant is magical. You put on a tiny bit of paste and it lasts for 3 or more days. It definitely seemed too good to be true but my husband and I have been using it for years now and it's the best. The little tube may seem expensive but it lasts forever. I always want to recommend this but feel like it's weird to recommend deodorant lol but here's my chance. It cannot be overhyped in my opinion, it is that good.
An ice roller! My kids are always hurting themselves but hate keeping ice on it... so I bought an ice face roller on Amazon and they can roll the ice over the hurt without the spot getting too cold!
whoa I've never heard of this and definitely need this!
LOOKING THIS UP RIGHT NOW!
Also I just found out that they made spray diaper cream! I use the brand Boudreauxs Butt paste and the spray version is SO much easier! Looking forward to reading the rest of this thread!
wow. game-changer.
I’m terrible at returning things that are rented (I was a notorious library fine racker-upper as a kid) but I really love ThredUP, which is similar to this in that you get gently-used brand name things and they send you free “clean-out kits” to consign your old stuff when you’re done with it. Not new but definitely appreciated.
I love ThredUp too!
I've used and loved it too, but it's been a while. Thanks for reminding me of it!
Kidizen is great as well!
SO glad you asked 🤣 I will never miss an opportunity to talk about my budget app, YNAB (aka You Need A Budget)! It totally changed the way I see my spending plan and spending habits and it’s the only way of budgeting that has ever worked for me. I lived paycheck to paycheck for years until I found it. So it changed my life!
This week I found out I need almost $1,400 in dental work and a few years ago that would have obliterated my account. Instead I was able to save 5% with the dentists office by paying in full up front after glancing at my budget. I knew I could roll with the punches and re-allocate some dollars and didn’t have to panic that I wouldn’t be able to afford groceries next week.
If you’re good with spreadsheets and don’t want to spend money on a subscription you can always get the book (at your local library/ with a digital library loan) and build your own budget in a google doc using the principles from the book. YNAB also has a great newsletter with financial literacy tips that are easy to understand.
+1 for YNAB!! Also life changing for me. And fun! I know, weird to say about a budgeting app, but it's true. 🤓 They offer a 34 day free trial and don't take your credit card to sign up, so you won't be charged at the end of the trial unless you choose to start paying for it (just be sure to sign up directly on their website and not through the Apple app store or Google Play).
This is super interesting. I used mint for a while and I can't remember why I stopped...but have been wondering about a new budget tool lately so I will check this out!
We have used YNAB since 2016 and it's great. It has really helped with the finances around paying for two kids in daycare that are always getting sick.
Ten Little shoes for kids - they're well made and hold up until after kid #2 has outgrown them. Contrast this to the shoes I used to buy at Walmart, which would fall apart after a month or two of wear. Plus, they come with shoe stickers, which the kids love using to customize their shoes.
Primary.com for kids' clothes. Well made, comfortable, tagless, and gender-neutral clothes that my kids love. Lots of solid colors, rainbow stripes, polka dots, and rainbow hearts.
Rothy's shoes for myself. They've been around a while, but I only recently gave in and bought some. They are my new favorite shoes. Cute (I like the classic Flat) and extremely comfortable. They are holding up so well. I walk to and from work, and typically rack up 10,000 steps outdoors each day in my work shoes. Cheaper flats wear out for me within a few months, and most are not comfortable for several miles a day. My Rothy's, which I wear whenever the weather is warm enough, are like new after months of use and feel great even after a few miles. I haven't needed to clean them yet, but they're apparently machine-washable.
Karinadresses.com for well made, flattering dresses with pockets in a variety of fun patterns. I've had some for several years of regular wear, and they don't show any signs of wear. Plus they dry quickly and don't wrinkle, so they're great for travel.
Svaha for nerdy dresses, skirts, and leggings with pockets. They have both adult and kid sizes. They let me embrace my inner Ms. Frizzle.
I’ve washed my Rothy’s and they come out great. I remove the insoles first.
I could've written most of this post haha. I loved Ten Little when my daughter who is tiny started walking early and I couldn't find any shoes to fit her because all the shoes her size were just decorative baby shoes without actual soles. We had a couple pairs of ten littles and they were awesome. And primary! Oh I love primary. I always buy people having a baby something from there. They hold up SO well.
Ooh thanks for these! Rothy's have changed my life. I bought so many uncomfortable flats until I found them.
I'm in a "take better care of fewer things" mode these days. I started shopping second hand for my kiddo and have been loving it. We have a Kid to Kid location that is awesome. It's organized and not overwhelming like some places can be and I have found some SUPER cute things there. The other thing I'd say I'm obsessed with is the @gocleanco instagram account. They help a lot with the taking better care of things aspect. It's run by a snarky Canadian woman who has THE BEST cleaning tips and methods. Plus she gets in to the science of how things work which my cell and molecular biologist brain loves.
Force of Nature cleaner and disinfectant. It can be used on everything: apples, pacifiers, toilets, zits. The FoN system produces a weak hypochlorous acid, a human-safe and environmentally friendly disinfectant. HOCl has been used in the food industry for decades including on sushi and other products where germ control is vital.
It saved my sanity during early COVID to the point I bought a competing company's industrial level machine so I could make HOCl by the gallon. If you saw videos in 2020 of cities in China misting pedestrians or Delta Airlines fogging planes, the disinfectant used there was HOCl. It's unstable and degrades quickly into plain water, which is why it can't be easily bottled and preserved, so the best way to get it is making your own with an in-home machine.
I want to travel more with my kids and decided to dive into the points and miles game. It's a steep learning curve but I love puzzles and spreadsheets so this feels like a version of that. I started by taking the free course offered by 10x travel (https://10xtravel.com/) and joined their massive FB group. I started in February 2023 and we have now accumulated over 500,000 miles/points which we are using for an all inclusive family resort in Cancun and flights to europe for spring break 2023.
On a totally different topic, I really love a very very comfortable bed. Like it's unreasonably important to me. Haha. I have several products I love for creating the perfect bed.
1. we buy memory foam mattresses on Overstock which are very affordable and delightfully comfortable.
2. We have a king sized bed but have a super king comforter so it's extra large. If you have a queen bed you should definitely use a king sized comforter. Always size up.
3. I love the pillows that Hilton uses and it turns out you can buy them! They aren't cheap but my life has dramatically improved since I purchased them. Pillows.com sells hotel pillows and we have the Down Dreams Classic Soft Pillow and the Envirosleep® Dream Surrender Polyester Pillow | Medium Support. YMMV. I like large soft squishy pillows but there are many firmer options available.
4. The pièce de résistance of my comfy bed is a dual zone HEATED mattress pad. My husband has never turned his on b/c he's always hot. But I preheat my side of the bed every night from basically Sept - April and it makes me so happy to be warm and cozy from the moment I get in.
Heated mattress pad?! My head just exploded.
Owala water bottles - really, the perfect bottle -- you don’t mind that it’s a bit heavy and won’t fit into a cup holder :) it keeps water cold in the stainless steel part but you drink out of a plastic straw so you don’t have to taste the metal. It has never spilled! It has a nice hook to make it easy to hold. And it is dishwasher safe and actually gets clean in the dishwasher!
I discovered this during the pandemic when the libraries were closed but still buy a ton of stuff here: Thriftbooks.com! You can find used books here so reasonably priced, you can choose how used you want them to be: acceptable, good, very good, like new. The free shipping kicks in at like $15 purchased. This was such a great way to get my kid the graphic novels she loves but whips through in like 45 min without breaking the bank. I've also found great used copies of some of my favorite old books too. They also sell new books if you don't want to shop at amazon. Definitely a cheaper way to fill up our bookshelves.
I know what I’m doing this weekend!
Nuud deodorant is magical. You put on a tiny bit of paste and it lasts for 3 or more days. It definitely seemed too good to be true but my husband and I have been using it for years now and it's the best. The little tube may seem expensive but it lasts forever. I always want to recommend this but feel like it's weird to recommend deodorant lol but here's my chance. It cannot be overhyped in my opinion, it is that good.
And it doesn’t smell awful, like Lume?
No smell at all! The paste doesn't smell and I don't smell.
I gave in to the hype and am trying Dazzle Dry instead of getting a salon manicure this month
Dazzle Dry is so good! I use it all the time. I can’t find anything else like it.