With all the regulations surrounding what's allowed in school classrooms these days, it can be hard to think up ways to celebrate your child's weekday birthday. At many schools, treats — like cupcakes and ice cream — have been banned due to allergies and a number of other reasons. Without food as a celebratory go-to, parents are left trying to figure out how to make their child feel special within the constraints of the classroom. We've got you — and your birthday boy. For a food-free celebration, try one of these tactics.

1. Read a special story to the class.

Does your kid have a reading hour during school? If so, ask the teacher if you can come in to be a special guest reader. Set it up as a surprise or plan it with your child so that the two of you can pick out a super-special book ahead of time. (Don't forget to practice your voices in advance!) If you can't be there, see if you can send your kid in with a preselected book for the teacher to read.

2. Wrap up each item item in your kid's lunchbox.

For a fun mid-afternoon surprise, why not treat your child's birthday lunch like a cheeky gift? As Julie of Happy Home Fairy has found, wrapping each individual item in a lunch box can make for a playful, giggle-filled meal for your kid.

3. Send in a gift for the classroom.

Turn the traditional birthday gift on its head by sending your child to school with a gift for the classroom in honor of their birthday. It can be as simple as additional craft supplies for the art room or a cool game to play during recess.

4. Pass out non-edible treats.

You might not be able to hand out adorably decorated cupcakes, but maybe you can still pass out something? Assemble mini goodie bags with pencils, erasers, stickers, and other dollar-store finds. We also love these little crackers from Meri Meri, which come filled with confetti, a joke, a tissue paper hat, and a temporary tattoo. Just be sure to check with the school teacher first.

5. Provide the paper goods.

If your kid still has snack time during the school day, see if you can send in some cute celebratory napkins, plates, or even party hats. This way, the kids will still eat the school-sanctioned cheese and fruit (or what have you), and they'll get a little extra flare in honor of the birthday girl.

Related: How I Make My Kids' School Day Birthdays Feel Extra Special

Life is exhausting, and most mornings a huge cup of coffee is the only thing that gets us to a semi-functioning state. But long lines at the coffee shop and paying $5 for a latte make something that's supposed to be enjoyable feel like another errand to run. That's why we wholeheartedly endorse investing in a coffee maker and getting your caffeine fix at home.

Buying this Hamilton Beach two-way coffee maker is a good way to start taking control of your mornings, mainly because it's made with your hectic schedule in mind. Its two main functions allow you to either brew one cup (with a slot specifically for filling up a single travel mug), or a whole pot for everyone in your house (the glass carafe has a 12-cup capacity). Another helpful feature — it's programmable for up to 24 hours in advance, so you can wake up to piping-hot coffee rather than having to groggily wait for it to brew. The best part? It's on sale on Amazon right now for 45 percent off, which means you can snatch up this thing for under $50 and start making your mornings run more smoothly immediately.

How do you make your morning cup of coffee? Let us know in the comments!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited for fall TV season. There are so many great shows and movies about to enter your life and you're probably not even aware of them all. That's why I rounded up all the new things to stream in September from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and HBO.

Coming to Netflix

• VeggieTales in the City: Season 2

If you have kids (or not), this is the food show for you. As you can see in the trailer, the show basically follows around some vegetables hanging out in a bustling city. Fun! Available September 15.

• Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip: Season 1

Wait a second — this isn't a show about food, right? It's about cars! Well, if you watch The Great British Bake Off, then you might recognize a familiar face as the host. I just had to include it because it seems too strange to have Paul Hollywood be in both shows. Let's investigate together. Available September 29.

This new TV show follows the unlikely romance between a simple baker and an international star. Available September 15.

Coming to Hulu

• Hell's Kitchen: Season 16 Premiere

I don't know what is about Gordon Ramsey yelling at cooks, but people obviously love it. So much so, that it's on it's 16th season! Available September 24.

• Bob's Burgers: Season 7 Premiere

This funny, strange, and heartwarming show is back for a seventh season. If you haven't watched it yet, get on that quick. Available September 26.

Coming to HBO

Nothing new this month.

What show or movie are you excited to watch this September? Let us know in the comments!

You don't need us to tell you how easy it is to spend a ton of money at the grocery store. (How is it possible to run in for five things and end up spending an hour in there? And $120?) Instead, we like to give you some pointers on how to spend less. We've given you a lot of advice over the years (here's some! And here's some more!) — and these are our 10 best tips of all time.

1. Know when to buy the store brand.

You've heard it again and again: Store brands can be just as good as name brand offerings — often made by the same company! How can you be sure you'll get quality products? Learn which items are worth the splurge and which ones aren't.

2. Bring a must-fill produce bag with you.

In a guest post from The Financial Diet, we learned of this fun tip: "I bring a large bag that is specifically for fruits and veggies, and I cannot get anything else until that bag is full." This way, you're not filling a cart with a ton of junk you don't need — and you'll be sure to eat better.

Read more: My Best Trick for Saving Money (and Shopping Healthfully) at the Grocery Store

3. Buy some of the shortcuts.

While it's true that things like pre-chopped vegetables or shredded cheese will usually cost you more than the non-prepped versions, there are some shortcuts that really will save you money.

Study up: 10 Grocery Store Shortcuts That Are Cheaper than Doing It Yourself

4. Don't get duped by coupons.

Coupons are great — if they're for something that you actually need. If you're clipping a coupon and buying something just because it's a good deal, well, then you're spending money you don't need to be.

Read more: 5 Money-Saving Tips from a Coupon Clipper

5. Download this app.

There are a ton of grocery apps out there — so many, in fact, that it can be overwhelming. We played with a ton and found one to be the best: It's called Flipp and it's super easy and convenient to use.

What we love about it: This Grocery App Will Save You Time and Money

6. Learn your store's tricks.

Stores are usually pretty predictable. Track your go-to store's sales for a few weeks to see if you can notice any patterns emerge. Also, get familiar with their coupon policy, their loyalty program, their app, etc. The more you know about your favorite store, the more you'll be able to save.

7. Check the unit price.

The biggest container is not always the cheapest per ounce. Sometimes the smaller package on sale is the deal. If you have the time, it's usually worth doing the math to figure out the unit price of the various sizes.

Tip: The Easiest Way to Comparison Shop at the Grocery Store

8. Shop at the best time for you.

There's no universal best time for everyone to hit the grocery store (although early in the morning or later at night are the best times to avoid the crowds). Try not to go when you're hungry, when you're going to be rushed, and when you've had time to prepare a list. You'll save money if you're not throwing in unnecessary extras and don't have to make a return trip because you forgot something.

9. Ask for discounts, rain checks, and freebies.

Your store might offer discounts if you order a lot of something in advance — you just have to ask. Stores usually also offer rain checks if they're sold out of something on sale. And there are usually a ton of free services (like cut-to-order meats and knife sharpening) that add value to what you're getting.

10. Get your groceries delivered.

This won't work for everyone, but if you're the type to throw a lot of impulse buys into your cart, or the supermarket is far away (read: it'll take a lot of gas for you to get there), then you might want to explore this option.

Read more: 6 Ways We Save Money by Having Groceries Delivered

With Labor Day being the unofficial end of summer, it's inevitable that you're feeling a little bummed out. We are too! Just like always, our favorite season has come and gone in a flash, and soon it will be taking its incredible produce with it. So here's the plan: Instead of sulking, seize the opportunity that's given to you with that extra day off this week to bottle up summer's sunshine for later. Here are 10 of our most favorite ways to preserve all of those tomatoes, berries, stone fruit, and herbs.

All the Tomatoes

Just imagine how much your future self will be thanking your current self when you have the taste of summer waiting for you in the fall and winter when there is nothing but mealy, flavorless tomatoes on grocery store shelves. Fill your farmers market bag with as many as you can carry and preserve them every way possible.

Jam

Now is definitely the time to fill cans upon cans with homemade jam, while berries and stone fruit are in abundance. The best part is that even if you're nervous about traditional canning, you can use the freezer to preserve it instead.

Other Pantry Favorites

Beyond things like tomato sauce and jam, there are plenty of other great items to preserve right now. Harvest that basil in your garden to make pesto, or make dill pickles to enjoy alongside sandwiches through the rest of the year.

Is your small space starting to get a bit cramped, a little claustrophobic? Maybe you're downgrading to a more petite pad and you're feeling a little freaked. We can help. If you follow these 10 commandments, you'll be happily living small in no time.

1. Thou shalt declutter your domicile

Especially in a small space, clutter can completely take over and make your home feel even smaller than it already is. Get it under control and take back your space, no excuses.

2. Thou shalt get a system to stay organized

Once you've gotten blissfully organized, you want to make sure to keep it up. Spend a few bucks and a few hours setting up a system so, even if you have limited space, everything has a place to go. It will keep you on track and your home feeling cozy not crazy.

3. Thou shalt make your furniture do double duty

When you have limited space, double duty furniture is a must. Why wouldn't you take advantage of every inch you can? Think storage benches, under-bed boxes or even simple ideas like a dresser used as a nightstand.

4. Thou shalt be careful with color

You know we love color but it's a powerful tool so be a bit careful. Get familiar with the properties of certain colors and what they can do for your space before you take the plunge. Already have a tiny, cave-like bedroom? Darks might not be the way to go as they'll make it feel even...ahem...cozier. Consider the amount of light, how you'd like to feel in that space and your room size to make sure you make the smartest choice.

5. Thou shalt utilize your wall space

There's plenty of valuable real estate all over your home, not just on the floor. Shelves, cabinets and even simple, cheap (and endlessly customizable) pegboard racks can get your belongings organized while keeping them from taking up your limited floor or counter space.

DIY Project Idea: How to Make a Modern Pegboard Shelving System

6. Thou shalt scrutinize scale

A common mistake we see in small homes is maxing out on the small scale furniture to save space. Please, no more doll house living! Mix up the scale with a few larger statement pieces, or utilize your wall space with large scale art (ahem...see above) to add some heft.

7. Thou shalt embrace visually light furniture

Here's a handy little tip: visually light furniture will allow you to have much more in a space without its seeming cramped! Think acrylics, hairpin or MCM tapered legs, or any other airy style that leaves plenty of empty space around your pieces.

DIY Tree Slab Side Table with Hairpin Legs

8. Thou shalt spend time outside your home

Here' s the truth: no matter how perfectly designed your tiny home is, you still need to get out and about to avoid cabin fever. Make a point to actually use all the great places available to you like public parks, the library, coffee shops or any place where you can camp out and get a change of scenery for a few hours.

9. Thou shalt keep it clean

Dirt builds up terrifyingly fast in any home but in a small home it can seem almost instantaneous (and there's nowhere to go to get away from the mess). Get proactive, get on a schedule and nip that dirty, depressing situation in the bud.

10. Thou shalt keep your sense of humor

There will always be a few trying moments when existing in a small space, especially a shared one, but your sense of humor will see you through. Take heart in the fact that not only are you using less, you're getting out and participating in your community more. Everyone has a few gripes at home; at least cleaning 14 palatial bedrooms isn't one of yours. Enjoy your efficient, cozy and charming space and make it the best you can.

*Re-edited from a post originally published 9.26.2014 — AH