You WHAT?!" said my friend, making the most disgusted face I've seen someone make in some time. I rendered some lard over the weekend, I repeated. "WHY on EARTH would you want to do THAT?!" she cried.

June is National Iced Tea Month, so I thought I'd take a sec to share some iced tea ideas and links with all y'all.

It's 5:30 in the evening, you're tired, the kids are whining because they're hungry, and you have no clue what to make for dinner. If you had used your crockpot, dinner would already be ready and waiting for you--not that that's any consolation right this minute, but think about how nice it'll be next time!

There is no food I like better than the potato. My family calls me the Potato Queen because I haven't met a potato dish I don't like. Baked or boiled, fried or mashed, hot or cold, I love them all. Potatoes' versatility allows them to be used as main dishes, side dishes, soups, salads, breads and even desserts.

In the Diary section a while back, I mentioned that I had acquired 40 pounds of organic apples on sale through my co-op. Using up that windfall, and planning for the apples that are now arriving in my yard and at stands and stores, had me puzzled at first. But there are as many ways to put them by as there are varieties, and endless recipes as well.

As I was cleaning up after dinner a few years ago, my 4-year-old daughter Josie kissed me goodnight and turned to run upstairs so her dad could put her to bed. "Oh, and Mom? Can we have that beautiful porridge again for breakfast tomorrow?" And off she went.

Supporting a family on one income is difficult; even two-income families in the US find themselves carrying an average of $10,000 in credit card debt alone. If your family has found itself sinking, you're not alone. You may be tempted to join a Credit Counseling Service (CCS) for assistance, but before you do, let me tell you about some potential drawbacks of these services.

As a homemaker, you may not be eligible for the kinds of employee benefits your spouse's company offers; however, the lack of a paycheck does not preclude you from saving money separately for your own retirement.

Sometimes personal finance is like a diet, especially when you've been on short economic rations from necessity, not general frugality. John and I are pretty careful with our money, but we're also human. Since last November we've had to be extremely careful. Out the window went my beloved Audible subscription, plans for new clothes, craft supply purchases, book and magazine spending--all the little things you can do without but really don't want to.