15 Alternatives to Candy for Goodie Bags

Mama Say What?! is the new name for Thrifty Guardian.

Putting together a child’s birthday party is a lot of work. Even if you’re not being super extra with the decorations, you still have an exhaustive list of stuff to plan. One of the things I dread most is goodie bags, and maybe not for the reason you’d think.

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Throw a Frugal Dr. Seuss Birthday Party

Mama Say What?! is the new name for Thrifty Guardian.

Are you looking for easy Dr. Seuss birthday party ideas? Dr. Seuss may seem like a cliche party idea, but when Target has a bunch of Dr. Seuss goodies in their dollar bin, what’s a thrifty guardian to do?! So in July of last year, my daughter’s 2nd birthday theme was settled….7 months in advance. Yay for being prepared!

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Host a Freakishly Frugal Halloween Party

Mama Say What?! is the new name for Thrifty Guardian.

My son’s birthday falls near Halloween, so we’ve gotten very good at the groove of spooktacular parties, and while throwing Halloween parties (or any parties, for that matter) can be as elaborate as you want it to be, we’ve mastered the cheap-but-awesome Halloween bash.

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Chuck E Cheese Birthday Party Review

Mama Say What?! is the new name for Thrifty Guardian.

I’m so excited to share my experience hosting our first Chuck E Cheese birthday party! I’m a bit of a control freak, so I can’t say I wasn’t worried about how this party would go down, but it was even better than I could have expected.

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35 Best Gifts for Foodies in Your Life

Finding the perfect gifts for foodies can be intimidating, but it’s not as hard as you might think. Sometimes it’s just about finding something unique or unusual they didn’t even know they needed. Sure, a restaurant gift card is welcome, but these gifts will make a better impression. We’ve rounded up the best gifts for … Read more

The 20 Best Subscription Boxes That Are Worth Every Penny

Subscription boxes are a good way to test new products, support small businesses, and make a perfect last-minute gift. Whether you’re looking to purchase for yourself or a gift subscription, you’ll find the perfect box on this list. We’ve gathered the best subscription boxes for kids, adults, and pets in various categories. This list was … Read more

61 of the Best Gender Reveal Ideas

gender reveal ideas

Although you can choose just to discover your baby’s gender immediately, there’s nothing like the fun and excitement of leaving things up to fate. One quirky way to go about that is with a gender reveal party! The only catch is, what on earth do you do for your gender reveal?  The good news is … Read more

35 Best Gift Ideas for Sisters by Category

So, your sister’s birthday is just around the corner, but you have no idea what to get her. You want to get her something unique, thoughtful, and personal, but you can’t come up with any good ideas. If this sounds like you, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many people struggle with finding the perfect gift … Read more

Go-to-Gifts: Welcome to the Neighborhood

welcome to the neighborhood

Isn’t it wonderful to live in a beautiful and friendly neighborhood where everyone knows one another and the kids have playmates too? If a new neighbor just moved in, you want to find ways to introduce yourself to those around you. You don’t want to isolate yourself or have your kid to be lonely. However, … Read more

20 Fun and Festive Office Christmas Party Ideas

office christmas party

This fun post by Nadia at Hello Sensible runs through some great ideas for your office Christmas party. We’ve been given permission to republish the post here. Christmas will be here before you know it, so it’s time to start thinking about your office Christmas party. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! … Read more

Father’s Day Photo Collage

Photo Collage

When my husband’s first Father’s Day came around, my son was about eight months old and I was stumped on what to get for him. I ended up getting him a card and that was it. The following year I wanted to do better. In our mama forum, a few mamas posted photo collage ideas … Read more

Halloween Cootie Catcher – Free Download!

Halloween Cootie Catcher

Just in time for Halloween, we have a fun cootie catcher to share with our readers that coordinates with the Halloween decor we shared earlier this month. Many thanks to Alex Tebow Designs for this design. Download, print, and share this fun activity with your kids. Who remembers making these in elementary school?? Has it been a while since … Read more

The Story of Annabelle’s 1st Birthday Party

1st birthday party

Looking for some budget-friendly ideas for your baby’s 1st birthday party? Take a look at this lovely party that Mary hosted for her daughter, Annabelle, on her first birthday. I spoke to Mary about the party, what she said shows that you don’t have to spend much money to make it memorable for your little … Read more