I've been exploring the web to find new and exciting websites to help keep my household in order and simplify my life. These are some of the things that I've found and am trying out. I'd love to hear what sites, methods or programs you use. If you'd like, share what's working for you and help your fellow homeschooling families.
Finances - I've been searching for a program to do my personal finances. I began with a trial version of Mvelopes Personal, an online budgeting system. It uses an envelope type budgeting system, has a debt reduction calculator, automatically downloads transactions from my bank, and is user friendly. The only drawback is that it's not a one-time purchase; it's an online subscription. I used it for over 3 years. I tried out Mint.com, a free budgeting program, I liked it, but it didn't work with my bank. I also tried Quicken Online, which is a free program, but I didn't feel that I had enough control. I've begun using Quicken 2009. It has an awesome calendar feature that has proven to be invaluable. I was a long time user of Quicken before switching to Mvelopes. Their new version has many new features that brought me back to the old faithful.
Meal Planning - So far, my top choices in this area are Menu Mailer and the Saving Dinner Book by Leanne Ely (compare prices). Meals for You is another good choice for simplifying your menu planning. Registration is required, but free and easy. I enjoyed looking through the menus and choosing a week's worth. It was pretty painless. I like that desserts are included in the menus. I need to spend more time on the site to determine if it has everything I'm looking for. In my quest for the perfect menu/meal planning system, I'm looking for one that includes recipes, meals, shopping lists and the tough one...a pantry inventory system. What do you use?
Housekeeping - Flylady continues to be a big hit. I continue to keep my sink clean, use my timer and my trusty feather duster. I also have been using The Clean Team products and Speed Cleaning (compare prices) method to keep the house up. It has changed the way I clean. The About Housekeeping site has many excellent tips. In the process of decluttering, I've been giving away my unwanted items on The Freecycle Network and Craiglist, rather than filling up the landfills.
I would love to hear what you're using in these areas, or other related areas.
