Supply List 101: Guide for Parents & Teachers to Avoid Going Insane
It's Back-to-School supply shopping time! I finally read the Back to School list for my 7th grader. I ignored it at first because I still have the last bin of stuff from my teacher hoarding days--enough notebooks for Declan to get a Ph.D. I'm glad I finally read his...
How to Use Amazon Prime Day Properly
Amazon Prime Day is here and it's two days, not one. Teacher sites all over America are curating the best deals for their classes. Amazon's released thousands of Amazon-brand products, and this year, I've noticed school supplies. I've tried their brand, and it's good....
“Help! I can’t stop spending!” These 5 baby steps will help…
The teacher spending struggle is real. Since we've gone turkey with the No-Spend Summer Challenge, that's the number one thing I hear. "I can't." We must defeat the "I can'ts" with this challenge. But, not everyone can go cold turkey. You'd never let a student say "I...
5 Ways to Avoid Hoarding for School
Are you buying or hoarding? Teachers often say we're buying when we're not "buying" so much as "hoarding." Teacher spending is an affliction, but some of us sprint right over that line into hoarding. Here's how to tell if you're in danger of being on a Discovery...
5 Types of Teacher Spending That’ll Make You Broke: What Type Are YOU?
Do you know how much money you spent on your classroom last year, or is school a financial vortex? A black hole that sucks away your paycheck and leaves you scrambling to pay your bills? Teachers don't make a lot but we sure know how to spend. Sometimes, it borders on...
Challenge: Resisting Target’s Back to School Sales
You can--and must--resist the Target back-to-school sale. It's July 1 as I write this. I walk into Target with one mission: dish towels. Mine are clean, but stained with god-knows-what and tons of holes but who cares because they still work, right? Teacher towels....
About No-Spend Summer
Summer used to be about one thing--vacation. Beaches, umbrellas, sand, and fun. Now, it's all about Back to School shopping. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent $82.8 billion on Back to School last year. The average family spends almost $700....
Hobbies Series: Fish–Getting Your Home or Class Aquarium Setup for Pennies
The Problem... I gave away the aquarium I gave away the aquarium when we moved. Then, I never got them back. Because that's what parents and teachers do. We wait for kids to forget stuff. Then, we move on to our wicked agenda. "Go clean your room." "Here's some more...
How to Spot Common Coffee Offenders & Stop Them in Their Tracks
Life's too short for bad coffee. And break room coffee is bad coffee. Schools have some of the biggest coffee offenders around. Here are a few of the biggest and what you can do about it. The Pot Finisher This is that person who polishes off the pot but never bothers...