More About Amy

photo: Eli Meir Kaplan

Hello and welcome! I’m Amy Suardi. I created Frugal Mama because I love both writing and encouraging people. My favorite ways to save money do something else for us too, like make space or time, help us discover talents, commune with nature, strengthen neighborhoods, or bring parents and kids closer together.

My husband, Enrico, and I started our family in a one-bedroom apartment in Milan where I hung our clothes to dry on the balcony and learned how to cook in a two-bun kitchen. We lived on one salary, socking away extra income into savings, so that we would have the freedom to change careers, stay home with kids, or relocate.

We ended up doing all of those things, and along the way, we discovered a simpler, slower life that we grew to love.

The lean, long years of medical training are now over, but if we want to be able to fix up our house, save for retirement, send our kids to college (and pay for their braces), we still must be very careful with our money.

We love restoring our 1916 farmhouse in Washington, D.C.

So even though our goals have changed from staying out of debt to saving for the future, our day-to-day life is pretty much the same as it was when I started this blog in 2009.

I pack lunches every day and cook dinner every night. I join childcare co-ops and neighborhood associations. We drive used cars, wear hand-me-downs, and write down every penny we spend. Finding the crux between spending less and living well is an ever-evolving challenge, and I’m so glad you are along for the ride.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.  I hope you’ll leave me a comment sometime or sign up to get my posts by email — now just once a month.

p.s.  If you want to hear more about me, occasionally I publish more personal updates about my life.  Here are a few:

• about why I decided to drop the business side of blogging
• on learning we were having baby no. 5 (and pictures of her first days)
• about being pregnant and renovating a four-story house at the same time
• on being a family of seven (and lots of pictures of the kids)
• on deciding to practice slow blogging and make Frugal Mama a boutique blog

photo: Eli Meir Kaplan

46 comments

• Emily Haag April 8, 2020, 3:48 pm

  Hi! I wanted to ask about your pumpkins that you grow. At the end of the year, after removing the pumpkins and stuff, do you do anything with the vines? Cut them back? Leave them? I just started my pumpkins and want to prepare

  • Amy April 8, 2020, 4:58 pm

    Hi Emily, We just toss the vines. They won’t come back the next year, and they start looking unsightly, so I just rip them out after they are done producing. Ours often get powdery mildew on the leaves by fall, which can spread to other plants, so that’s another reason to remove them. (Powderly mildew is not harmful but just doesn’t look that great). Another thing that we do in the fall after carving the pumpkins is plant the seeds. They winter over well, and usually come up in the spring.

• Jennifer Alet July 13, 2017, 5:57 pm

  Aloha. I am Jennifer from Maui Hawaii! I am starting a parenting child care co op and our 1st meeting is this Saturday! I love love love your site, advise and links. I really appreciate your knowledge that you are willing to kick to us mamas! I love all of your templates for co ops but I am sooo stuck maybe you can help! I have a mac and I have been trying to convert your co op about us template, guidelines (basically anything involving co ops) and I can’t convert or download it to pages or word or anything my Mac can work with. I have tried every ap under the moon and I am unable to make it a workable editable document. I wonder if you may be able to assist in any way. Prettttty please! Thanks for any help I appreciate it tons! my email is jenniferalet@gmail.com or 4158195906
  Mahalo and thanks for your time. We so need a co op here!
  Best Jennifer Alet

  • Amy September 11, 2017, 10:16 pm

    Dear Jennifer,

    Wonderful that you are so into starting a babysitting coop — I apologize for my late reply. Most documents in How to Start a Babysitting Co-op Part 3 are editable: just look for ones that say “customizable.” I have a Mac too, so they all should work.

    I hope you found a solution and I wish you the best on your childcare co-op!

    Amy

• Liz Neighbors May 14, 2014, 1:26 am

  What a beautiful blog. It’s refreshing to read! You write so candidly and share so much.
  My first blog was “littlemarymixup” on blogspot….random life stuff about being a mom.
  You surely found your way in the world after wandering a bit. It’s awesome that you share and give so much of yourself!!
  These days, I’m concentrating on letting go of “stuff” and started a Facebook page, nd “creating real life simpicity”, to document and hopefully help others who might be as overwhelmed as I was before I stopped shopping and started decluttering a little bit everyday. Only buying the needs and not the wants has made a big difference.
  It’s made a huge impact in our life….decluttering, simplifying and creating more time for what really matters….family and friends and community. It’s delightful meeting someone like you who has figured out priorities. Thanks for inspiring, encouraging and motivating me!
  I found your blog while looking to create a front lawn esible garden….I hope I can do something small because we have so many little kids on our street….and we’re on the corner with the bus stop….I’m hoping to encourage the kids to be active too….take things home and plant there. My kids are almost off to college so this is my joy to share with the next crop of kiddies! I’m so grateful for your inspiration! Thanks & wishing you goodness, Liz Neighbors(liznextdoor!)

  • Amy May 21, 2014, 9:58 am

    Dear Liz,

    It sounds like we have a lot in common. I’m so glad to hear about your success with decluttering and simplifying. And your edible front yard near the school bus stop is a beautiful vision.

    Thank you for stopping by and saying hello. Don’t be a stranger!

    Amy

• Mary March 18, 2013, 3:34 pm

  Dear Amy,

  I just come across your blog and I love it. As much as I want to try to let go of my ‘extra belongings’, to have a simpler life, I am not sure how to do it. I am a bit shopaholic and I have so much stuff. My husband and I downsized from a 3 bedroom house in New Jersey, US when we moved to a small town in Ontario, Canada almost 3 years ago. When we moved, I have gotten rid of more than half of what I owned but now I feel like our townhome is filling up fast.

  I keep thinking that I will be able to get rid of the items that I have purchased and don’t want or need anymore through a garage sale to recoup some of the money rather than giving them to Goodwill (we don’t have tax receipt for donations here in Canada).

  The thing is, things don’t always happen as I planned.

  What is your advice? How do I let go? How do I start?

  Luckily, we both have a good job so we don’t have any debts except for the mortgage. We saved a lot but it would be better if I stop spending money on stuff that I don’t need.

  Thanks.

  • Amy March 23, 2013, 3:28 pm

    Hi Mary,

    I know where you are coming from. In our culture and day-of-age, it is very hard to not accumulate more stuff. I have written a couple of posts that you might find helpful to get you started:

    http://www.frugal-mama.com/2013/01/the-key-to-staying-organized-getting-rid-of-stuff/

    http://www.frugal-mama.com/2011/11/want-more-time-space-and-money-try-this/

    and this one at Parentables:

    http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/nesting/5-reasons-simplify-decluttering-and-how-do-it.html

    I am wishing you the best in your new direction. It’s a problem we all struggle with, so you are not alone.

    Take care,
    Amy

• Sarah January 24, 2013, 12:36 pm

  Hi Amy,
  I came across your blog and can’t wait to explore it. When I clicked to read about you, you looked familiar and I realized it was from the Fairlington co-op playgroup. What a beautiful family you have!
  Sarah C.

  • Amy February 3, 2013, 3:09 pm

    Hi Sarah,

    It’s great to hear from you! The Fairlington Cooperative Playgroup was the best, wasn’t it? I hope you’ll stop by again soon.

    Take care,
    Amy

• Grace January 3, 2013, 12:17 pm

  Hi Amy,
  I work for a nationally syndicated daytime show in New York. I came across your blog and would love to hear a bit more about it. If you could contact me at your earliest convenience that would be greatly appreciated.
  Thanks much!

  Talk soon,
  Grace

• Alfred Smith December 20, 2012, 7:22 am

  Hi Amy,

  I am looking for shopping related blogs to post some of my articles. I found this site: frugal-mama.com awesome. May I have the permission to submit an article. Or do you have some other sites reference where I can post my articles. Looking to get a reply soon.

  Thanks,
  Alfred

• Jen December 4, 2012, 3:51 pm

  Hi Amy,

  In the spirit of Frugal Mom, I would like to spread the word about accredited, affordable Daycare on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in a wonderful 65-year-old community center just down the street from Lincoln Center. I do feel like this could help some of the frugal moms out there. Please feel free to contact me for additional information. Thanks so much.

  Best,
  Jen

• Sam mattingly July 10, 2012, 3:08 pm

  I sent an email to Amy’s attention hoping that there might be some interest in reviewing our family musical which begin a very limited showcase as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. I sent the information earlier and hope that it was received.

  ARNIE THE DOUGHNUT is he happiest pastry in the shop until he finds out why Mr. Bing has purchased him. What ensues is a funny exchange that children have come to love since the book was first published in 2003. This a fun filled family event.

  Please contact me for more information.

  Sam Mattingly
  SM Communications
  (917)331-9375

  • Amy July 10, 2012, 8:54 pm

    Hi Sam,

    I wish I could review all the amazingly good stuff that is sent to me, but it’s just not possible. Arnie the Doughnut sounds really fun, and I appreciate your sending the information my way.

    Wishing you all the best,
    Amy

• Mali June 19, 2012, 3:09 pm

  Dear Amy,

  It was great to read about you in today’s Star ledger.I loved the way you handled the situation.Everyone has ups and downs in life. How we handled the situation matters eventually.

  Well,I came to this country in 2008. I had to leave my job after marriage to relocate to US. I worked all my life and was too independent. I was always a giver and never a receiver!Marriage changed everything for good or bad:).I could’nt work here for visa related issues.

  Currently I am a stay at home mom to a cute 18 month old daughter and trying to find the purpose in life. I wish I knew it by this time !

  Life in US exposed me to various situations. The cultural diversity, education system, health care issues,economy and what not.I am glad that I developed interest in Gym,hiking and home improvement( because of the poor state of our house).It was not a smooth sailing though.

  Well, I will come to the point. I live in NJ and have a 60 year old house which was bought by my husband in 2007 for a very high price. It require lot of updates and we are not in a position to hire contractors. I would like to update the house myself and would like to hire contractors where professional expertise is required.

  I am looking for someone for mutual benefit – help each other to fix the house and aquire knowledge in the process. We can save money and also improve our lives. it will be a whole new experience. Yes, it is nothing but barter! Helping ourselves! Anyone is interested? We live in Union county, NJ.

  I don’t know whether this is the right place to share my thoughts…? But what is wrong in trying?

  With love,

  Mali

  • Amy June 19, 2012, 7:20 pm

    Dear Mali,

    I know what you mean about trying to find the purpose in life. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot, and you are still in the thick of your journey. I love your idea of bartering to get your house shaped up. Why don’t you look over some of the most popular bartering websites? I found this article at TLC: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/online-bartering-websites-tips.htm Maybe you could find someone in your area with whom you could team up with.

    I’m wishing you the best of luck!

    Amy

    • Mali June 20, 2012, 12:38 pm

      Dear Amy,

      Thanks for the reference. I will definitely go through those sites. I also apprciate your quick response.

      I have some ideas about how to trasform our house to our “Home”. The million dollar question is how to motivate myself to do the job?I can’t expect any help from my husband. It is a kind of ” one woman army”. Sometimes I will be depressed thinking that I did’nt make the decision of buying this house. My husband had bought it even before our marriage. Why should my DD & I suffer? I know that I am not thinking on the right lines. How can I get rid of these negative thoughts?

      Mali

      • Amy June 22, 2012, 3:09 pm

        Hi Mali,

        I highly recommend the books The Secret and The Power. It doesn’t address the house into home aspect, but it will help you with feeling positive and moving forward in your life.

        I’m wishing you happiness,
        Amy

        • Anonymous July 23, 2012, 1:19 pm

          Thanks Amy,I will check that book.Apologise for the delayed post.

          Mali

• Krista Garner December 8, 2011, 11:10 am

  WOW!! Amy, this site is amazing! Thank you for sharing all your tips. I hear what you are saying, but I am still struggling! I have so many expenses that I cannot cut and I’m not sure how to do it anymore. My husband and I make fairly acceptable money, so we should be able to save and have money set aside for our children, but we have nothing! It’s so frustrating. We haven’t been on a family vacation or any small trips in over 2 years. I’m just not sure how to do it anymore. I’m going to keep reading your site and trying your tips, but I wish I had someone to help me personally.

  Please keep posting and sharing with us!

  • Amy December 8, 2011, 9:29 pm

    Hi Krista,

    I know what you mean — it’s so much easier when someone is sitting down with us to figure it all out. Like a personal trainer.

    Do you track your spending? That’s one thing you can do right now to get a handle on your finances. You can’t change something you’re not aware of.

    It sounds like you are already doing a lot, but feel free to write back with specific questions. Check out the daily spending chart on my Printables page, and if you subscribe here, I’ll let you know when and if TLC holds another casting call, in case you want to participate.

    Thank you for writing in, Krista,
    Amy

• Amy December 2, 2011, 3:32 pm

  Hi Mike,

  Can you tell me a bit more about your business?

  You can write me at amy [at] frugal-mama.com.

  Thank you for your interest!

  Amy

• Megan Oberle November 1, 2011, 9:03 pm

  Hi Amy! What a great blog you have here – I am so impressed by all your hard work and community building. I live in Southern California with my hubby and three boys and love hearing through the grapevine what you are up to. I will have to become a regular frugal mama reader.
  Megan

  • Amy November 1, 2011, 9:37 pm

    Hi Megan,

    Wow, thanks for stopping by and saying such sweet things! It’s so great to hear from you. I’d love to know you are out there as a reader!

    Don’t be a stranger,
    Amy

• Rex Ryan August 7, 2011, 9:40 pm

  This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

• Davide May 2, 2011, 3:41 pm

  Hello Amy,
  Safe pasta sauces for kids? Low sodium, no sugar, fresh vegetables? That would be me.
  Mr Rogers (PBS Children’s Television Show) favorite pasta sauce?
  Davide Sauce, Pittsburgh. That would be me again.
  Saw your site. Loved it, love what you are doing, and though we could partner somehow.
  Of all the stuff out there, please take a quick look. OK? Some of us do care besides God.
  Thanks
  Davide
  412 793 3527 (old fashion telephone number)
  davidesauce.com

• Samantha December 17, 2010, 11:02 pm

  oops, comment was a mistake. soooo sorry. love your blog!

  • Amy December 18, 2010, 8:33 am

    I’m so happy you like it, Samantha. Thanks for saying so! Don’t be a stranger. — Amy

• Michele Ball December 1, 2010, 10:01 am

  Hi Amy! Thanks 4 all your $ saving tips and recipes. I’m always looking 4 ways 2 save $. =) Today I read your post about hand creams and wanted 2 let you know that AVON has a wonderful hand cream ~ Moisture Therapy. I’m an AVON rep and sell this hand cream to all ages ~ male and female. When it’s on sale, it’s $2 for a 4.2 oz tube. Anyone can order this on my website http://www.youravon.com/micheleball. AVON also has great stocking stuffers 4 everyone on your list!

  • Amy December 1, 2010, 3:46 pm

    Michele — Thanks for the tip. The sale price sounds really economical!

    Sarah — I’m glad to hear about Dove unscented. I guess I got lucky, because I’ve been using that too. Cetaphil sounds good as well. I love Burt’s Bees for lips. Have you tried that? All natural.

    Thanks for writing in!

• Shannon August 5, 2010, 11:55 am

  What a fabulous and inspiring website! I know that you are taking time off to welcome your newest little one, but I do have a question that I would love for you to answer (when and if you have time!). I noticed that you had moved your family to the city and I am planning to do the same. I want my daughter to experience all that she can while we live there. Our major stumbling block to making the move from NJ to the city is schools. So, my question to you is: how did you find your place with a decent school (we are planning on moving to District 1 in the L.E.S.) and what advice do you have for making the move with a family?

  Thanks!

  • Amy August 27, 2010, 11:02 am

    Hi Shannon,

    Congratulations! What an exciting adventure. It almost makes me want to do it all over again! My best tip for people looking to move to the city and find out about schools is http://www.insideschools.org. You will find everything you need to know about NY city schools — including procedures and reviews of schools. I bought some of their books to help support the organization, which is a nonprofit.

    Let me know how that goes and I’ll think about other advice about moving with a family. One thing you can start doing now is… purging! You’ll need to travel as lightly as possible!

    Good luck and let me know how it’s going.

    Amy

• Stefania June 24, 2010, 6:20 am

  Dear Amy,
  Astonishing work! You are able to make easy and pleasant the ordinary lifetime problems…great artist and great mama! I should have guessed your great talent when, just arrived in Italy, you were able to organize, in your place, amazing parties as well as thoughtful gifts for family anf friends, making all by your self!! We are missing you all, but your blog is keeping us closer..thank you!

• Tanya Jones June 23, 2010, 8:07 pm

  Amy your blog is brilliant! I am so proud of you. Less is More! Way to go, keep up the good.

• CC March 31, 2010, 11:40 pm

  Saw your site listed in BAM. Always loving finding frugal blogs as we live on my teacher income!! :)

• Antonella Lopopolo February 10, 2010, 8:17 am

  Hi AMY, I’m so impressed of the wonderful work you have done…..As a “new”mamma I really need any kind of advice!
  With love, Anto

• Fiona O'Dwyer-O'Brien November 15, 2009, 5:35 pm

  This is great Amy. I wish this was around before we left New York.
  Best of luck with this. I’ll keep checking in and see what other useful tips I can pick up for my new life!

• Lorraine Levey November 9, 2009, 1:10 pm

  Amy,
  What a fantastic job you’ve done! I’m really impressed with the articles, the layout, everything! I know it’s a lot of work, but keep it up because you’re doing great!

• Jeanne Stock November 5, 2009, 2:13 pm

  WOW Amy!!!!! How exciting. You know I am not the most frugal girl….bit I NEED to be!!! Especially in these economical times. Pat will love to hear that I may be becoming a Frugal Mama!!! I will pass it on!!!

• Pamela Tatum November 4, 2009, 2:15 pm

  AMY!!!

  So proud of you! Its just great info for mothers like me! This is great, I will be visiting your blog VERY often… send you lots of hugs and again CONGRATULATIONS!

• Elisa Fazio November 2, 2009, 6:34 pm

  Your blog is awesome! You are so smart to write about what you know. I have always wanted to create a blog, but I don’t know what I know yet.

  Now I have a couple of interesting tips to add to your blog: if you want to really know how to save money, spend time in the company of someone from another country; better yet, someone one generation up from us, from another country.

  I learned from my Egyptian mother-in-law how to revive old fruit, re-use a paper towel, and remove seemingly hopeless stains from items that were destined for the trash, among many other things. We are the biggest consumerist, throw-away country in the world (or were, I don’t know what’s going on in Asia right now) so we have a lot to learn.

  Another tip is to mask frugality with forward-thinking conscientiousness. Like the relative I have who didn’t want to buy wrapping paper, so she was green before green was in, and wrapped all the gifts in newspaper, and would always present it to you with a comment about saving trees.

  I don’t want to buy wrapping paper either, but I’ll be straight up with you, its because I want to save money and time shopping and wrapping. So I buy those gift bags and recycle them like crazy. My family has been receiving their gifts in the same gift bags for several years now, which is fine because they know from the picture whose bag is whose, and I don’t have to write name tags.

  I am on the verge of sending out christmas postcards with the the christmas cards that were sent to me cut in half, in this case not so much to save money (electronic greetings would be more economical), but because I am too sentimental to just throw the pretty cards away, so at least I will feel better giving them to someone I love. This is a great time to be practicing frugality without people calling you names for it! . . . .

  Anyway, congrats and happy blogging!

• Scott November 2, 2009, 2:47 pm

  Amy-
  Wow! Nicely done, and I’m going to try your pasta sauces soon. Looking forward to this summer at the farm with all the kiddies. Hope you and your family are doing well (looks like it).

  “cousin” scott

• Sarah Lloyd November 2, 2009, 10:36 am

  Hi Amy! This is amazing! Kudos to you! I need to take lessons from you not only on how to save money but also where to find time! Congratulations on this website and your blog. I can’t wait to read more. Love, Sarah

• Nadine Shubailat November 2, 2009, 10:07 am

  I LOVE your blog! It’s beautifully written, interesting, well laid out and the tips and photos are great :)