In the Mompreneur Spotlight is Stephanie Nelson of www.couponmom.com.  Stephanie created this website in 2001 after retiring from the corporate world to raise her two sons.  More than a million people have visited the website, which offers online coupons and techniques to save on everything from groceries to travel.  The website also offers links to get coupons by the state you live in, as well as a free ebook on different strategies to save money by using coupons.  Membership is free.  While you're visiting, you can also help Stephanie "Cut Out Hunger" by helping to raise money to feed hungry families.  Give it a look.

A store for your handmade goods with very low overhead.....take a look at www.etsy.com.  Since going on line in June of 2005, Etsy has more than 100,000 sellers of handmade items worldwide.  This online marketplace is also a great place to get some wonderful deals on everything from aprons and jewelry to dolls and toys.   So, create your own store and hang out your shingle in cyberspace!

National Call to Service....

If you're ready to volunteer but don't know where to get started, go to www.USAfreedomcorps.gov.  There are many national volunteer services which work through local non profits and community organizations to affect change.  At this website are links to Americorps, Citizen Corps, Peace Corps, Senior Corps and many more.  Some Americorps programs actually pay a monthly living stipend during your service.     

Are your kids getting more than they give?

Generosity begins at home.  The next time your kids ask for something, ask them what they'll do for you.  Establish a "Favor Jar". On slips of paper, write down things the kids can do to help out around the home, such as watching a younger sibling, folding a load of laundry, or sweeping the front porch.  This gives them a chance to understand all the extra things you do, and hopefully foster a sense of generosity in them.  You might want to expand their choices to include volunteering or collecting supplies for those in need.

Chorecharts aren't just for chores!

You can also use them to change negative behavior in your kids.  Are you kids whining or fighting too much?  Add a 'whine fine' or a 'rudeness fee'.  I would charge my kids a quarter for excessive whining or being mean to each other.  Kids understand money more than we think.  After a couple of fines, my kids didn't exactly become little darlings, but they did retreat to their neutral corners and looked for more positive ways to communicate.   

Is your little one ready to read?  Go to www.starfall.com.  This site is primarily for young children and offers early reader stories which are interactive.  The site also offers worksheets for word searches, phonics, puzzles and other reading and writing activities.  The first time my five year old visited, she read thirteen books in one evening.  If your children need extra math practice, go to www.math-drills.com.  You can print countless free drill sheets in everything from addition and subtraction to algebra and geometry.