Did you know that our National Parks offer FREE admission days?
The last free admission days of 2011 are coming up November 11 – 13. Go out and enjoy the autumn colors!
Don’t miss a moment of free fun or a cheap date!
Visit nps.gov to find a park near you!
You’ve been busy volunteering at the school all day, and your daughter has dance tonight…so, maybe you’ll just drive-thru Chick-Fil-A and pick up dinner tonight.
Many of us repeat this scenario over and over, week after week…so, let’s REWIND it, and come up with a better solution. Have you ever considered letting your kids do the cooking? Here’s how it would work…
#2. They must have their ingredient list to you before you go grocery shopping since a last minute trip to the grocery store would really defeat the purpose of this project!
Now, here is your one and only instruction…give them free reign in the kitchen, don’t hover & don’t tell them what to cook!
For many of us, it’s summer, and it’s an ideal time to teach your kids some basic cooking skills, so next week YOUR KIDS CAN DO THE COOKING! You may want to introduce them to The Budget Diet’s frugalicious and fast recipes or easy pizza recipes.
Your kids will love to do the cooking because they will get to eat their favorites!
You’ll love for your kids to do the cooking because you’ll have a couple nights off from kitchen duty!
Your wallet will love for your kids to do the cooking because just 2 nights a week of fast food costs at least $40! Don’t you have something you’d rather spend $40 on???
Now, go enjoy whatever your children cook this week…even if it’s macaroni & cheese from a box! If they need a little inspiration, give them their first cookbook!
If you’d like to share a great idea that helps you delegate “kitchen duty”…please leave a reply below. Thanks!
Want to throw a summertime party, but you’re pinching pennies? Invite a few friends over for a backyard bbq, take advantage of simple summer fun, let mother nature do the decorating and enjoy! A backyard bbq is both simple and budget friendly if you follow these 5 money saving tips:
No sales, no worries – the all American hot dog can be the star if you dress them up with a fixins’ bar: cheese, onions, chili, relish, slaw, ketchup and mustard.
Don’t shy away from store brand condiments and chips because they’re easily disguised in serving bowls, and they’ll save you an average of 25%!
Grocery ads will also help you choose the best bargains for soft drinks, beer, chips and side dishes. Be nostalgic and serve a variety of ice cream bars for dessert!
What are your favorite ways to host a backyard bbq on a budget?
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Image courtesy of: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Looking for some new ways to have fun as a family this summer without spending a small fortune? Here are 5 ideas that the whole family can get involved in…
1. Have a water balloon fight. Kids love water balloon fights, especially when Mom and Dad are involved; and what better way to stay cool on a hot summer day? Divide your family into teams and make shelters from patio chairs, trees, and whatever else you can come up with. Parents against kids is always a good match, just be sure to let them win sometimes!
2. Make a “fun things to do / places to go” jar. A “fun things to do” jar can build up a lot of anticipation, which can often be just as much fun as the event itself. When you’re looking for something to do, simply have one of the family members randomly pull a slip from the jar and do it. Make sure that everyone’s idea gets included …and for extra fun slip a mystery one in there that you haven’t told the kids about yet.
3. Map out your favorite spots around town. This is great way to teach your kids about their hometown. Make a map of every ice cream parlor, walking trail, picnic spot, pool/beach or water park within an easy drive of your house and resolve to visit all of them before the summer is over. Hang the map on the kitchen wall and mark every place that you visit with a different colored thumbtack.
4. Go hunting (treasure hunting that is). What’s more mysterious and exciting than a treasure hunt? You don’t need to buy expensive prizes, because it’s finding them that’s the real reward! Get started by creating a series of cards with clues on them. Each card should lead to the next card until the last one finally leads to the treasure. If your kids aren’t old enough to read, use pictures to show them where they can find the next clue.
5. Challenge each other to crazy contests. What kinds of crazy talents can you discover among your family members this summer? Have a contest and find out! See who can skip the longest, fly their own paper airplane the furthest or eat a slice of pizza the fastest. Award the winner of the crazy contest a homemade plaque to be displayed on the refrigerator or their bedroom door.
Get creative with the ideas on this list and use them to come up with your own fun things to do this summer. If you’re running low on ideas, sit down for a family brainstorming session and you may be surprised at what you can come up with to beat boredom without breaking the bank.
Hope you have a great summer!
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Image courtesy of: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
About the Author:
Jennifer Kirkpatrick is a mom of two who loves planning unexpected things for her family to do. When Jennifer is not on a crazy adventure she runs Pipsqueak Boutique, an online children’s store specializing in personalized books for children and lots of other personalized kids gifts – all of which are alot of fun!
Summer sunshine and heat brings thoughts of getting away from it all for a week or two, and what kind of trip is more fun than a road trip? Road trips are about the journey, not the destination–if you even have one in mind. While gas is expensive these days, you can still take that summer road trip, whether it’s a romantic getaway for two, old friends getting together, or the whole family- kids included.
1. Skip the major summer holidays. Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day are going to be the busiest and most expensive times to travel. Gas and hotel prices will go up for the holidays. Schedule your road trip to avoid those holidays and save money.
2. Avoid resort-style hotels and theme parks. While tempting for an all-inclusive family vacation, these places are money-suckers and destroy the spontaneity that is the fun of a road trip. Stick to hotels with a pool and a continental breakfast. If you’re going to be traveling with Fido and Fluffy, research ahead of time to find out which hotels are pet-friendly.
3. Try camping. While not for everyone, camping out can be fun and less expensive than staying in hotels. Camping doesn’t have to mean a tent in the middle of nowhere and no facilities. There are family campgrounds with electricity, bathrooms, and showers. Camping can be great fun for the kids because it’s a break from being inside all the time and provides automatic, mostly free activities, such as hiking, canoeing, and fishing. Camping can also be a great romantic getaway for the more adventurous couple.
4. Pack non-perishable snacks and reusable water bottles. Eating on the road can be expensive and bad for the stomach, especially after one too many fast food pit stops. Bring along healthy snacks, such as fruit, granola bars, cereal, and apple sauce. Toss in a few bags of chips for tasty treats. Refill your water bottles rather than buying expensive bottled water and accumulating a car full of trash that will end up in a landfill.
5. Visit historical sites along the way. The expense is often small to visit museums, lighthouses, memorials, and battlefields. Stops like these keep the kids learning while on vacation and satisfy the adult history buff.
6. Take the scenic route. Plan your road trip to take advantage of scenic parkways, beaches, and overlooks. This is a dream vacation for the photographer in your family.
With a little planning and research, you can have a fun, memorable summer vacation and still stay within your budget. You might even discover that you can afford more than one trip spread out over the course of the summer.
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Written by: Nicole Rodgers
Nicole Rodgers has been blogging for three years; she encourages everyone to study hard for the DMV written test so that a summer road trip can be made possible. She also wants everyone to find the best online insurance quote so that you can spend more money on your trip and not on your auto insurance.
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Image courtesy of: Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Summer officially started today, and if you’re already dealing with the “I’m bored” syndrome…take a look at these budget friendly summer fun ideas! 10 boredom busters that are sure to lead to a summer of fun!
Field Trips: Plan a field trip every week this summer! Here’s how…
Summer Book Swap: A fun way to kick-off a summer of reading! Here’s how…
Fun at Home:
Let’s make this a summer your kids will remember…even if it’s on a budget!
Summer is right around the corner and the kids are almost done with school. Amazingly enough, summer is one of the more expensive times throughout the year for a few reasons.
In today’s article, you’ll learn how to make summer memories and enjoy summer fun while saving money!
Pay Cash – A huge mistake people make on vacation is to pull out the credit card to create their summer memories. Ultimately, they may buy the toy or eat at the expensive restaurants while traveling, but a few months later, their interest charges are rising. The very best vacations I’ve taken with my family were low budget, paid in full trips. Camping in beautiful mountain areas, and day trips provide lots of great summer memories at a huge reduction in cost.
Make it Age Appropriate – Several of my friends have spent thousands of dollars on vacations their kids will never remember. Think about all the strollers you see at Disneyland or any of the theme parks. If you want to take your kids on vacations like that and spend thousands of dollars to do it, at least wait until they will remember the experience. In addition to the lack of memory, you’ll pay extra for the strollers, car seats, and extra baby gear to travel with you.
Maintain Your Car – The hot weather in the summer is tough on vehicles. Make sure to keep your fluid levels checked and changed regularly. Keep your gas tank full. When your tank falls below half way, the mileage is greatly reduced. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and in good shape to help with gas mileage. These few tips can help you save at the pump when gas prices rise in the summer months.
Eat at Home – Remember, you probably have kids at home eating you out of house and home. They are normally at school eating lunch. A good rule of thumb to save during the summer is to eat your dinners at home as well. Cut down on the excess food expense of eating out when you’re also providing lunches. This can save you hundreds per month.
Season Passes – Yes, there may be a higher outlay for to purchase a season’s pass for the local theme parks or zoo, but these can give your kids hours of entertainment value saving you hundreds. If you shop for the passes in the off season, you may be able to get a special rate or savings due to their seasonal revenue short falls.
The most important thing in the summer is to have fun. Be safe. Spending money doesn’t always mean better memories!
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Joshua Christensen is author of Consider the Ant: 3 Keys to Biblical Prosperity. His current project includes a personal finance program for teens. For more information about this, please visit http://Easyantsteps.wordpress.com
Image courtesy of: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is a guest post written by Tom Tessin. He runs FindCashBackCards, a cash back credit cards site helping those save with the best reward cards on the market today. Thanks for these summer fun ideas for fun on a budget!
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The summer is generally the best time to get out and about for any type of entertainment. Whether you want to go on vacation, or hang around the neighborhood, if you’re like me, you probably want to save some money on your entertainment expenses and summer fun.
I wanted to list 8 things that I generally do during the summer that cost me next to nothing. The best thing about it is that I have a blast doing it and it’s not going to hurt the pocketbook!
Camping –
You just can’t go wrong with camping. It’s next to nothing to get all of your supplies and no matter where you go, the overnight fees aren’t going to be that much for you to handle. A campground near me only costs around $15 a night and it’s near the water!
Head to the beach –
No matter where you live, there is probably a beach somewhere nearby. Even if it is 2-3 hours a way, you can make a little road trip around it. Grab your towels, sand shovels, and pack a lunch. Enjoy the water and take it easy.
The park –
Every state has a park and if you haven’t been to one lately, research one near you that you can head to. Take a hike, have a picnic, or maybe even visit the museum if they have one on site. It’s not only an educational experience; it’s not going to break the bank.
Visit family and friends –
Everyone has family and friends, right? Set up a date in the future to visit them. It’s a great time to visit, chat, as well as hopefully stay there for free. Don’t overstay your welcome though!
Take a “home” vacation –
What I mean by this is to check out all of the destinations around your home. There have to be things that you overlook since they are nearby. Places like zoos, museums, tourist based things, and more are things to head out to.
Look for events –
Your newspaper, as well as sites such as Craigslist has a great free events section. There may be a fair, an expo or something else that may peak your interest. Keep your eyes peeled to see what’s happening in your town.
The library –
Sure, it sounds boring to some, but you will be surprised at how many things you can do at the library. Be sure to check out their events page to see what’s happening during the month. It’s also a great place to wind down and read or even surf the web.
Scour the web for deals –
There are a lot of deal based sites online such as Travelzoo, as well as others. If you want to spend a certain amount on a weekly, or even a weekend based vacation, see if you can find some deals there.
These are just a few of the fun on a budget ideas that you can use this summer or during any season. Be creative, know how much time you’re going to have on your hands, as well as how much you want to spend. When you have this information, let’s hope you can have some fun on a budget!
A program for serious savings! $29 includes:
