Everyday savings
Is Costco Actually Cheaper for a Family? Start With What You’ll Use
Membership fees, actual use and the bulk-buying math that changes the answer.
Read the guideTHE BUDGET DAD FIELD GUIDE
Make the next
decision a good one.
From the supermarket detour to the family getaway.
NEW · FAMILY ADVENTURES
3 Family Afternoons Under $50 (Yes, Including the Snacks)
An outdoor photo hunt, a rainy-day escape and a movie night at home. Pick a plan, then make the budget yours.
Pick your afternoon ↗New reads for the family budget
Practical comparisons and honest numbers. Published October 10, 2026.
Smart buys
Store Brand vs. Name Brand: Keep the Savings Your Family Will Actually Eat
Compare the same quantities, then keep the substitutions your family likes.
Read the guideFamily life
What Kids’ Sports Cost After the Registration Fee
Registration is only the beginning. Price the entire season before signing up.
Read the guideDriving costs
Driving Across Town to Save 20 Cents a Gallon
The cheaper sign matters less than what survives the detour.
Read the guideEveryday savings
Buying in Bulk Can Create Expensive Trash
A lower unit price only helps when the quantity gets used.
Read the guideMoney basics
The Family Cell-Phone Bill: Compare the Whole Switch
Compare service, device obligations and first-year costs before moving your numbers.
Read the guideMoney basics
Best Budget Apps for Families: What’s Actually Worth Paying For?
Seven options, real annual costs and the tradeoffs that matter for a family.
Read the guideSmart buys
Smart buys
Buy the bike you will ride. Keep the change.
A practical way to compare a basic new bike with a better used one.
Read the guideSmart buys
A close shave. A less ridiculous bill.
Compare the cost of a comfortable shave—not the number of blades in the commercial.
Read the guideFamily adventures
Family adventures
The $1,000 Family Vacation: Build the Trip Around the Ceiling
A complete spending ceiling for four people, including the snacks and a cushion.
Read the guideEveryday savings
Everyday savings
The Two-Store Grocery Strategy: When a Second Stop Actually Saves Money
Count the basket savings, extra fuel and the value of your afternoon.
Read the guideDriving costs
Driving costs
More miles. Less nonsense.
Fuel-saving habits without the dangerous hypermiling tricks.
Read the guideDriving costs
Gas or electric? Start with your driveway.
The right answer depends on your miles, charging access and the entire ownership bill.
Read the guideFamily life
Family life
Back to school. Not back to broke.
A buying plan for supplies, shoes and the suddenly-too-small everything.
Read the guideMoney basics
Money basics
Set a Grocery Budget Around the Week You Actually Have
A practical worksheet for keeping the household plan manageable.
Read the guideMoney basics
The Subscription Audit: Find the Charges Nobody Remembers Choosing
Keep the services your family uses. Stop paying for the ones it has forgotten.
Read the guideMoney basics
Turn Predictable Irregular Expenses into a Monthly Plan
A practical worksheet for keeping the household plan manageable.
Read the guideMoney basics
Plan a Family Outing by Its Full Cost
A practical worksheet for keeping the household plan manageable.
Read the guideMoney basics
A Payday Plan That Shows What the Money Is Already For
A practical worksheet for keeping the household plan manageable.
Read the guideMoney basics
A Fifteen-Minute Household Money Check-In
A practical worksheet for keeping the household plan manageable.
Read the guide