“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...
Movie Food Smuggling
Why would anyone in their right mind pay $20 for a small box of candy and a few kernels fake-butter popcorn after paying a million dollars a ticket to go to a movie--that starts with a half-hour of commercials? That's insane. Theatre food isn't what I want anyway--a...
Leave Me Alone! Avoid Classroom Interruptions & Get $#!T Done
Eight phone calls before lunch. Eight! Call One: "Hello, Robin?" "No, it's Dawn." "Can I speak to Robin?" "No. You have the wrong number." "I really need Robin." Then call her! Click... "I'm sorry, you'll have to call her. Bye." Now, where were we--somewhere between...