I am a recent convert to Dropbox, a cloud service for synchronizing the contents of computer folders. It’s clever beauty resides in it’s ability to notice that a file has been added, updated, or deleted and immediately makes the change on the server’s copy of your file folders.

It’s magic happens when you install Dropbox on any, and all, computers that you use. Dropbox copies the changes from the server back to those other computers. A common scenario is you have a netbook computer you keep in a briefcase, a laptop in the dining room, and one or more desktops scattered around the house. The kids may already take turns on the better desktop computer so that they can keep up with their friends online, so you need to wait until later in the evening before you can access that machine to design and print an invitation. However, thanks to Dropbox, you can compose some of the content on your netbook during the day and later revise the text and begin to layout the design on your laptop in the dining room after dinner. The work begun on the netbook is automatically pushed to the laptop once the Dropbox software connects to the cloud. Those updates will then get pushed to the desktop machine when it is your turn to use it, where you can finalize the invitation.

The file synchronization happens automatically and without the need for flash thumb drives or e-mailing attachments to yourself. As quickly as you move from one computer to the next, the documents in the designated folders are moved for you, allowing you to worry about the content, and not the transport, of the document.

Dropbox offers a 2GB account for free, with opportunities to expand that slightly by sharing the service with friends. 2GB may not seem like a lot these days, but for documents you create yourself, it’s should be enough to accomplish a great deal of work. Larger amounts of storage can be bought, and you may want to keep cherished photos or beloved music in those folders as well so that they are backed up in the cloud and on all of your computers.

The Dropbox service allows you to approach certain creative work differently, making it available to you throughout your day, wherever you are connected to the Internet. I often make use of a twenty minute session at a coffee shop near where I work during the day, and what I type on my netbook is safely backed up to the cloud within seconds of saving my work.

When I take one of my children to an activity in the evening, I may continue my own creative efforts while waiting for them. This makes me feel empowered and more in control of my life. I have the option of making progress on my project, whatever it may be, or watching their activity. Having that option makes me happy.

If I find myself in a place without one of my computers, but still have access to the Internet, I can log into Dropbox and access my folders from the cloud. So I don’t feel compelled to drag a machine with me everywhere.

A netbook is small, but an iPad is even smaller, yet it is fully capable of using Dropbox and staying synchronized with your document folder. If you crave a mobile lifestyle but want to stay connected to your home computers, Dropbox and a tablet make a powerful combination.

The Dropbox tour of features is available here (https://www.dropbox.com/tour). I currently make do with the free amount of storage, but I am contemplating keeping some cherished photos and videos there.

If you are a Dropbox fantard like me, let us know how you use it!

Traveling the world sans pants just got a lot cooler.  Google’s Street View has always been a great way to see panoramas of streets from all over the world. Today they’ve added some great improvements.

Instead of having to inch along streets using those evil forward and backward arrows, you can now use their spiffy new “pancake” to get around. Check out this short video to get the lowdown.

TR McCormick of Dillingham, Alaska shared this useful tip:

If you lose anything on a floor and cannot find it. Use a flashlight down on the floor sideways. This causes the object to leave a shadow and you’ll find it right away.

There is hardly ever a need to pay full price for kids clothes — even the super nice wear-to-a-wedding ones. Kids grow so fast that their clothes are usually “used” before they are barely worn. So, today we’ll cover 5 ways we dress our kids for a fraction of the full price tag.

1. Easy Amazon Deals

Amazon.com offers huge discounts on clearance items. The trick has always been finding them. We’ve made this a snap with the links below.

Amazon.com Baby & Kid’s Clothes Discounts
90% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
80% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
70% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
60% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
50% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
40% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.
30% OFF – Baby & Kid’s Clothes.

2. Clothing Stores – The Markdown Schedule

Clothing stores such as GapKids, Old Navy and Target drop prices dramatically when they need to make room for new inventory. I’ve managed to buy stuff for my kids at 50-90% off by shopping off-season for the upcoming seasons. This is a great way to stock up on socks, tights, underwear, basic T-shirts, and other items that are impossible to find used. Grab a winter coat in February for $5, and you won’t be rushing out with your credit card next year at the first hint of snow.

All major retailers have a markdown schedule. Here is Target’s schedule. Note: This may vary from store to store. Ask a store employee about your particular location.

TARGET’s WEEKLY MARKDOWN SCHEDULE
Monday – Infants, Kids Clothes and Electronics.
Tuesday – Women’s Clothes and Domestics.
Wednesday – Men’s Clothes, Garden, Toys, Health and Beauty
Thursday – Lingerie, Shoes, Housewares, Sporting Goods, Luggage
Friday – Cosmetics, Hardware, Auto, Home Improvement and Jewelry

TARGET’s AFTER HOLIDAY SCHEDULE:
All holidays except Christmas follow the 3-3-2 rule:
The first 3 days after the holiday are 50% OFF.
The next 3 days are 75% OFF.
The next 2 days are 90% OFF.
After that it goes to salvage.

Below are some examples:

4th of July
July 5 = 50% OFF.
July 8 = 75% OFF.
July 10 = 90% OFF.

Halloween
Nov 1st = 50% OFF.
Nov 4th = 75% OFF.
Nov 7th = 90% OFF.

Other retailers may have slightly different schedules. Chat up an employee at your favorite store to get the inside scoop. Don’t forget to check retailers online coupons for updates and surprise sales.

3. Ebay For Box Lots

eBay! hosts another plethora of clothing options. Again, it helps if you’re willing to buy off season. The bargains here are usually in the “lots” of several items, and people trying to clear out the closet or get rid of inventory rather than make a huge profit. Narrow your search by size, gender, and specific brands that you like (e.g. gymboree girl 3).

4. Thrift Shops – The Designer Secret

Thrift shops are a great place to find really expensive, high-quality kid’s items in pristine condition. Why? Because people tend to “preserve” these designer items, not letting their kids wear them. I routinely find gorgeous stuff with the tags still attached. Since I’m only paying a couple bucks for it, I’ll definitely let my kids wear it!
Prices are low because the items are donated and the selection spans seasons, sizes and styles so you can afford to be quite selective. Warning: Knowing this little secret will turn you into a complete clothes snob. Once you know where to get Ralph Lauren for a few bucks, you’ll never buy clothes at Walmart!

THRIFT STORE TIPS:
1. Think Twice.
It’s very easy to get carried away when the prices are so low. So, think twice before you buy — no matter how cute and cheap they are.

2. No Returns
Usually the return policy at thrift shops is minimal to non-existant, so make sure you check for missing buttons, broken zippers and stains before you buy.

3. Consignment Stores
Consignment shops offer pre-screened, generally more-organized, high-quality items with a heftier price tag. Sometimes worth it, sometimes not.

5. Yard Sale Strategy

The best bargains are found at yard sales. Most of the time the seller just wants to get rid of stuff so the prices are rock bottom. Seek out sales in the Volvo-driving neighborhoods and your kid will soon have a designer wardrobe for less than the price of a nice bottle of wine.

YARD SALE TIPS:
1. Go early for the best selection.
2. Go late for the best prices.
3. Don’t be afraid to make an offer — “Can I take all of these for $5?”

General Bargain Hunting Tips:

Think Ahead.
If you’re willing to shop off-season and ahead a few sizes, you can get great quality at bargain prices, and avoid those last-minute expensive shopping sprees. Invest in some plastic storage bins, make some labels and you’re all set. Organizing this stuff is essential — otherwise you’ll end up buying more than you need and not using it.

Keep A “Need List”
Keep track of sizes and clothing needs in something you keep with you, like a small notebook or PDA. The next time you’re in a thrift store wondering if your son has rainboots for spring, or what size they should be, you’ll have the answer without going home and digging through the closet.

What’s Your Secret?

Do you have a tip to share? Let us know your deal snagging secrets.

NOTE: Although this list emphasizes homeschooling, (since that’s what we do) it’s not limited to information only useful to homeschoolers. Regardless of the form of “school” you’re using, your kids are learning all the time — and so are you.

Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense
The author is not only a wonderful novelist, but also a public school teacher who teaches his own children at home. Inside this slim and beautifully readable volume are thought-provoking insights from the both perspectives.

Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School
Author, Grace Llewellyn, is a go-to guide for those with a bent toward “unschooling”. Even if you weren’t previously inclined, this might change your mind.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
The same author as above — helpful information for people homeschooling/unschooling with teenagers.

The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart
A beautifully simple parenting guide that encourages you to follow your instincts and common sense. If you’re tired of “methods”, this might be for you.

The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child’s Classroom
The title says it all.

Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling
This list would certainly be incomplete without some wisdom from John Holt (aka: The Godfather of Homeschooling).

Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better
In this more recent and lesser known book, John Holt once again challenges the educational status-quo and offers ideas for how to give your kids a creative and self-motivated love of learning.

The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
This book just might change the way you think about EVERYTHING. (If that doesn’t spark your curiosity, you deserve a life of monotony.)

Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn–and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less
Memorize less, play more, and emulate Einstein? Sold! The authors (also psychologists) of this book validate what many parents know by instinct (but can forget): kids need to play and explore; kids are learning all the time; hurrying intellectual development doesn’t work out in the long run and can actually be counter-productive. Don’t make your kids’ learning about scores and tests, as these provide only a narrow view of learning and development.

A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play
From the inside flap: “Even for very young children, unstructured creative time in the classroom is waning as teachers and administrators are under growing pressures to measure school readiness through rote learning and increased homework. In her new book, Vivian Gussin Paley decries this rapid disappearance of creative time and makes the case for the critical role of fantasy play in the psychological, intellectual, and social development of young children.”

Beyond the Rainbow Bridge : Nurturing our children from birth to seven
A Waldorf-inspired guide for living happily with young children. Even if you don’t know a lot about Waldorf education and/or don’t completely subscribe to all the principles, the ideas in this book can be helpful for any parent who wants to provide a peaceful environment and learning that goes hand in hand with “the natural rhythms of everyday life”.

Heaven on Earth
A wonderful Waldorf guide from a teacher/author in our own hometown of Charlottesville, VA.

How to Talk so Kids Can Learn
The author of classics “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, and Listen So Kids Will Talk” and “Siblings Without Rivalry” presents ideas on communication specific to education.

The Well-Adjusted Child: The Social Benefits of Homeschooling
A book that dares address the “S” word. Buy this for your skeptical in-laws.

Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home
One of the most valuable sources of information for homeschoolers is other homeschoolers. Hearing the wildly varying tales of how other people homeschool can be inspiring and reassuring to newbies and old pros. The author of this fun collection of family profiles focused on DIVERSITY — if you think homeschoolers are all alike, think again.

During the coming year, Family Hack will be presenting a series of profiles on homeschooling families. Let us know what you would like to hear about from these families.

Now that Jackson and Laurelyn have both arrived, the arrangement of their marriage by their blogging parents cannot be far behind…stay tuned!

Introducing Jackson Davis, the newest staffer here at Family Hack. It was 8:09 A.M. on May 22nd, when we decided to make his 9 lb. butt a permanent fixture here. He’ll be in charge of articles pertaining to drooling, high finance and Philippino psychic surgery. Mom and baby are doing fine…no…strike that…they rock!

• 20 Most Popular Comparison Shopping Sites
  A list of the 20 Largest Websites for Bargain Hunters.

• Top 10 Amazon Power Shopper Tools
  A great list of tools for you Amazon nuts. We especially like “Subscribe & Save”. We use this service for items like laundry detergent and diapers. Amazon.com waives the shipping fee, gives us 15% off their regular price, emails us before each shipment (with an option to cancel), and charges us only when they ship. Plus we get to see our favorite man in brown on a regular basis. Which leads us to our next link.

• Mule Design’s Shirt for Amazon Addicts
  If you get all tingly at the mere sound of the UPS truck…this shirt’s for you.

• Adventures in $40 eyeglasses
  A very smart way to get spiffy new glasses for what they really should cost…about $40.00

• Sharpen Your Frugal Senses: Keep A Wish List
  Help your family keep the “I Wants” in perspective with this tip from the folks at TipNut.com.

Speaking of getting good deals. Don’t miss 5 Ways to Get 90% OFF Designer Kid’s Clothes’. It’s one of our most popular.