7. Talk to your kids. Find out what is and is not essential to them. I raised my kids in hand-me-downs. When I asked them if that was a damaging thing to do, they said they liked being able to play without having to worry about what was happening to their clothes. They thought the freedom was more important than having the latest styles.

8. Experiment with cooking. If you don't have the proper ingredients, consider trying a substitution rather than blowing the budget by going to the store midweek. My cooking can get pretty bizarre but the kids say they eat a lot better than their friends who always get take-out food.

9. Don't forget to have fun. Staying at home doesn't mean being indoors all the time. Go outside and smell the flowers.

10. Talk the family into pooling their possessions. I don't sort out T-shirts by who owns what. They are all put in the same closet and everyone grabs what they like in the morning. Everyone in our family goes to school looking like they have an incredibly large wardrobe but that's because they have 6 peoples' clothing to choose from.

11. Invest in things that have long-term play value - sports equipment, musical instruments, camping gear, carpentry tools. If you bought the camping equipment during a good year, the kids won't notice that things are tighter another year if they can go on the same camping trip. Last month, my son asked for a Titanic boat. I told him to go make one. He disappeared for days and when he finished he had made a wonderful boat from things he had found around the house and yard.

12. Remember those long, leisurely romantic afternoons from your youth. Recreate them and I guarantee you won't care what's happening at the mall.