By Julia Silverman

This past year, with money still tight all over town, Andrea Davey and her husband were able to pay down a significant amount of principal on their mortgage, beyond their regular monthly payments.

How did they do it? Davey says it was all thanks to her baby daughter’s insatiable need for stuff: new toys, new clothes, new books, an exersaucer and more. Instead of buying thousands of dollars worth of baby gear, Davey got creative. She founded the St. Johns Swap and Play, a place where, for a small monthly fee, members can play together and swap the toys, books, clothes and gear their kids no longer use.
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We asked our Facebook fans this question: What’s the one thing you’ve done that has had the biggest impact on reducing your family’s expenses?

Here’s what some of them had to say:
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By Tony Fuentes

The sluggish economy has many of us a little weary as the holidays come into full view. However, even if it’s smaller these days, your pocketbook may pack more economic power than you realize. In fact, you can help jump start your local economy in one easy step: move beyond “what to buy?” and consider “where to buy?”

It’s estimated that every dollar you spend at local independent businesses grows by 300 percent in terms of economic benefit for your community. That seems like a staggering impact but how it happens isn’t hard to imagine. When you shop local, more of your hard-earned dollars stay in your community and, in turn, are spent at other local businesses.

My wife and I own a business here in Portland, so I know first-hand how much of those local shopping dollars stay in the community. Where does the money go?
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By Emily Moser

How would you react if your child started hanging out with a youngster who wouldn’t be your first choice in a friend for him? What if your teen, after years of banking on a four-year university in her future, told you she wanted to attend a technical school or earn a two-year degree instead?
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On Nov. 2, take the time to show your kids how you rock the vote
By Sally Murdoch

When the California Voter Foundation asked infrequent voters in our most populous state a few years ago why they don’t turn out at the polls, the overwhelming response was simple; we’re just too busy. Parents today know the feeling. Our schedules are jam-packed with sports, school, shopping, friends and (hopefully) fun. Voting can easily fall off our to-do lists, especially without the crescendo of excitement we had during the 2008 Presidential election, when 86% of Oregonians cast their votes.
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Read our Ages & Stages feature for September (“Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Raising Kids to Be Scientifically Literate”). And then check out these additional resources:

Supporting Your Child’s Scientific Passions
Selected Science Competitions

Simon McFarlane, then 8, builds a circuit board with his mentor John DeLacy.

When a child shows a keen interest in science, it may take a little more work for parents to meet his or her educational needs. But as Lorie McFarlane of southeast Portland has discovered, supporting that interest early can help kids pursue their passions on their own as they get older.
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A small sample of the national and international science contests young people can enter each year:
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By Patrick S. O’Hollaren, M.D.

If you or someone you know has a child with nocturnal enuresis, better known as bedwetting, you know it can be a stressor not only on the child, but on the entire family.
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A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Kick the Small-Screen Habit This Summer

By Terra Wellington

Oh, the lure of the newest XBOX game! Or maybe it’s the Wii. Or iCarly and Hannah Montana reruns. Perhaps it’s a handheld, thumb-numbing game. Or maybe it’s of the YouTube nonsense variety. No wait! There’s 145 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to discover from streaming Netflix for your high schooler.  

Whatever gravitates your child or teenager to the small screen this summer needs a bit of parent pull the other direction. And that means alternatives your kids will accept. Here are some suggestions:

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Star Gazing Science

All About Rose City Astronomers’ Sky Puppies Class

By Anne Laufe

Jeannie London, youth director for Rose City Astronomers (RCA), got into science because her two kids really enjoyed it.

“My son has liked LEGOs since he was 2,” says London, who lives in Hillsboro. Her kids are now 8 and 10, and London has enrolled them in Oregon Zoo and OMSI camps and Saturday Academy classes to support their interests.

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The Fourth of July

The Importance of Family Traditions

By Cynthia Boman Thompson

Strong family rituals and traditions are the driving philosophy of Dr. Kathy Masarie, pediatrician, founder of the Family Empowerment Network (family-empower.com) and creator of the guidebooks Raising Our Daughters and Raising Our Sons. “Children especially thrive on predictability and repetition,” she emphasizes. Traditions, by their very nature, are designed to be just that – predictable and repetitive. The Fourth of July is an excellent venue to help you establish traditions that convey your family’s beliefs and provide a sense of belonging to enrich your child’s life. These Independence Day traditions also build community spirit as we celebrate the birth of our country and our freedoms.

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