December 17, 2009

Free Classes & Activities For Children Ages 0-12

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Winter break is starting, it’s cold, and you and your kiddos will be cooped up in the house. Being Christmastime your budget is probably non-existent, yet you still want to plan some fun family activities that your children will never forget. It is possible, if you do a little research now.

There are many children’s gyms and learning centers that are offering free trial classes right now. Call your local children’s centers and see if you can bring your child to a trial classes. Call places that offer cheer, dance, gymnastic, karate, kids art, skate lessons, or any other place that offers lessons for children.

National centers currently offering free trial classes include Gymboree, Kindermusik, and The Little Gym. Many centers have age ranges that they cater too, such as 0-5 or ages 1-12, so be sure to ask before you schedule your free class.

Gymboree – From the Gymboree website click on “music & play”. Classes currently offered by Gymboree include:

  • -Play & Learn ages 0-5yr
  • -Music 6 mo-5yr
  • -Art 18 mo-5yr
  • -Sports 3 yr-5yr
  • -Family 0-5yr
  • -School Skills 3yr-5yr

Kindermusik – Classes currently offered include:

  • -Family Time 0 & Up
  • -Village Newborn to 18mo
  • -Sign & Sing 6mo-3yr
  • -Out Time 18mo-3yr
  • -Imagine That 3yr-5yr
  • -Young Child 5yr-7yr
  • -Adventure Camps 0-7yr
  • -ABC Music & Me 2yr-6yr

The Little Gym – The Little Gym offers classes for babies age 4 months to children age 12! Classes include:

  • -Parent/Child Classes
  • -Pre-school/Kindergarten Gymnastic
  • -Grade School Gymnastics
  • -Karate
  • -Sports Skills Development
  • -Cheerleading
  • -Dance

These are just three resources available that offer a free trial class. Don’t forget to call your locally owned businesses and see if they also offer a free trial. Even with a non-existent budget, you and your child can have a blast on your holiday break. If you know of any other free activities for kids or just want to say hi, please leave a comment!

 

December 13, 2009

Frugal Snack Ideas That Save Money

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As a stay at home mom of three we go through a lot of snacks. Snacks can be one of the main budget busters on your grocery list, as some snack foods are more expensive than regular meal foods. What’s a mom on a tight budget to do? Plan ahead and buy only lost cost snack foods.

Inexpensive snack foods include:

Popcorn-Comes in butter, light, seasoned, and more flavors then I could possibly list here!

Saltine Crackers-Available in salt, no salt, whole wheat, light, and more. Smear on a little peanut butter or add a little cheese for some variety.

Toast-It’s not just for breakfast! Eat it alone, with butter, jam, peanut butter, or anything else your kiddos might like.

Dry Cereal- It’s a great safe finger food for toddlers.

Bananas-They’re always less than .50 lb in my area, but I usually get them on sale for .35 lb. Serve them whole, slice them up, or dip them in chocolate and freeze them. Yum!

Pretzels-They come in HUGE bags and are super cheap when compared to chips.

Popsicles- They came in huge boxes and bags for just a few dollars. They’re a life saver in the Summer!

We spend the most money on snacks when we’re running errands I have forgotten to bring a snack along. I usually end up pulling through a drive through for a drink and something for each of my kids from the dollar menu. That’s $5 bucks out the drive through window! I realized I need to keep store brand granola or fruit bars in my purse at all times. They’re small, light, and the kids love them.

Buying plastic baggies for snacks on the go is convenient, but if you spent $3 a month or baggies, that’s $36 a year. $36 is a lot to throw away. A more frugal option is to buy cheap snack size storage containers from the dollar store. They last forever if you take care of them. Online you can buy fabric snack and sandwich bags for a few dollars that are super cute and also last a long time.

While snacks can take a chunk out of your grocery budget you don’t have to skip them altogether. If you choose low cost options you, your budget, and your kiddos can all be full happy snackers. Do you know of a great low cost snack or have a tip to share? If so leave a comment!

 

December 2, 2009

Save Money With OAMC Once A Month Cooking

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OAMC or Once A Month Cooking is becoming very popular with today’s busy moms, dads, and caregivers. After working all day many parents just don’t have the time or energy to cook a traditional family meal and are turning to OAMC. Even stay at home moms are turning to this cooking method as in between cleaning, driving the kids around, and running errands they stay just as busy as working moms. 

If you are rushed this holiday season, spend a day making several freezer meals so that you can relax at dinner time for the remainder of the week. Those that are really strapped for time are spending one to two days cooking up meals for an entire month! While you don’t have to go to that extreme, you can give it a whirl. Cooking once a week or once a month can add up to big savings in several ways. 

If you choose to make meals that share common ingredients you won’t be spending as much at the grocery store. When choosing freezer recipes look make sure you go with something your family will like. There are a lot of choices out there, from casseroles to sloppy joes to soups to mini meat loaves. Skip over recipes with expensive ingredients and choose recipes that you already have some of the ingredients for. If chicken goes on sale at your grocery store, pick up ten pounds. Pick a day to cook up all ten pounds and turn it into several frozen dinners. You’ll save money by buying ingredients on sale. 

Another way to get a nice stockpile of foods in the freezer is to make a double batch at dinner and freeze half of it. Do this every night for a week and you won’t have to cook dinner next week. Leftovers can also be stored in the freezer and eaten a week or two (or three) later.  See the photo?  That’s 1/2 of the double batch of Mexican Casserole I made and froze.  It tasted just as good two weeks later as it did the first time. 

Tips 

Don’t store a big batch of food together if you aren’t going to eat it in one meal. If you make five pounds of mashed potatoes split it up before freezing in manageable sizes. This may mean single servings or family size servings. 

Focus on making one kind on meal at a time. Pick one day and make breakfast burritos, muffins, etc. Spend a different day cooking up that ten pounds of chicken. Don’t wear yourself out in one day, stretch your cooking sessions out if needed. 

Pasta will soften when froze. Freeze pasta slightly undercooked so it will come out perfect! 

Try to pick recipes that cook at the same oven temp. You’ll be able to cook several items at once and save money. It costs a lot less to cook three or four meals in the oven at once than to cook those same meals separately. 

Some foods don’t freeze well. Examples include egg whites, frosting, and fried foods. 

Now that you’re feeling motivated find some yummy recipes your family will enjoy and get to planning. Invite a friend to try OAMC with you for added fun! If you have a tip, suggestion, or just want to say “hi” please leave a comment!

 

November 29, 2009

Stretch Your Christmas Budget By Making Homemade Gifts

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Now that Thanksgiving is over the rush to get Christmas gifts has official begun. Before you start spending make a list of who you need to buy for and work up a budget. If money is a little tight, or you have almost no budget but need gifts for many, one option is to give homemade gifts. A homemade gift is from the heart, and can make the receiver of the gift feel extra special.

Easy, Quick, and Thrifty Homemade Ideas:

Gift mixes in a mason jar. There are hundreds of web sites out there with directions for gift mixes in a jar. Buy a case of mason jars from Walmart and use up fabric scraps from the craft basket. I’ve given out both chocolate chip cookie and sugar cookie mixes, but you can give out mixes for pancakes, soups, bread, cakes, or something completely different. Mixes in a jar go together super quick and people love to get them!

Personalized feed sack towels. Stores such as Walmart sell packs of 5 ot 6 flour sack towels super cheap. They white, soft, and are what our grandmothers used. Pick up a bit of stabilizer and use fabric scraps to appliqué on initials, fruit, little birdhouses, or anything you think the receiver might like. If you can’t appliqué you can embroider the towels, cross stitch on the, or even dye them. Get crafty, the possibilities are endless!

Baked goodies are a traditional homemade gift. Whip up a batch of cookies or banana bread but consider allergies and special diets.

Quick sewn items. Fabric coasters, coffee cup sleeves, table runners, aprons, potholders, valances, and more can be sewn up in less than an hour. If you have fabric on hand it’s almost like a free gift.

Quick Homemade Gifts For Kids:

Handmade no-sew tutus! What little princess wouldn’t love a new tutu. Type in “no sew tutu” in your search bar and you’ll get everything from simple instructions to elaborate videos. All you need is scissors, elastic, and tulle. They’re cheap and can be made in less than an hour.

Felt play food. There are tons of free patterns out there. Whip up everything from play pizza to play donuts. Felt is super cheap and simple to work with.

No Sew Gift Ideas

-A set of handmade cards and envelopes from scrap booking paper.

-A personalized wreath.

-Personalized address label made on your computer.

-Homemade magnets made with photos, buttons, or anything you want to make into a magnet with glue.

Homemade gifts made with love and the recipient in mind can be just as great, or even better, than store bought items. Making gifts at home can also keep your stress levels under control as you won’t be overspending, fighting crowds, or have to worry about keeping receipts organized for returns. If you have a great homemade gift idea or just want to say hi be sure to leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you and hear what kinds of gift you plan to make this holiday season.

 

November 22, 2009

How To Get Shopping Deals on Black Friday

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Black Friday is the shopping day that you either love or hate. You may dread the traffic, the crowds, or the extra work involved if you work in retail. People that love Black Friday really love the experience. They love the rush of the hunt, getting a good deal, and being involved in this national day of spending frenzy. My point is, some people like myself crave Black Friday all year long like chocolate.

Here are some tips to survive Black Friday if you’ve never experienced it before:

  • -See if the deals are available online first.
  • -Consider Cyber Monday, it’s safer and you don’t have to leave the house.
  • -Comp all your items at one store.
  • -Team up with a friend or co-worker.

What if you hate the crowds and traffic? Most shoppers aren’t aware that you can get some of the same deals in store online on Black Friday. Two years ago I went to Walmart at 1am to stand in line for a red Jeep Powerwheels for my son. Little did I know I could buy the same Jeep online at Walmart for the same price, without the line, lack of sleep, and crazy person standing beside me. Walmart sold them online the entire weekend and I felt silly.

If you aren’t able to find any deals online on Black Friday it could be because your favorite store is holding out for Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is just like Black Friday, only all the sales are online. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Many people think they need to drive all over town and buy their DVDs on sale at one store and their toys on sale at another. Try to shop at a store that comps other stores sale ads. Collect your Black Friday ads and just visit one store. You can live through one store. Make sure you ask your store ahead of time if they will be comping sale items on Black Friday so you don’t waste time and gas.

To make Black Friday more fun and safer, invite a friend along. You two can fight the crows together and get great deals. Another option is your friend goes to one store while you hit another. She can buy what you want at the toy store while she picks up items on her own list while you get both of your items from the electronics store.

Buying items that are on sale on Black Friday can save you a bundle. Try your very best to buy all your gifts that day and you won’t have to paddle through the holiday shopping crowds again. If you have any tips for surviving Black Friday or any Black Friday stories leave a comment! We love to read comments!

 

November 20, 2009

Thanksgiving Dinner On A Budget

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No matter if you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner for two or twenty, Thanksgiving food costs add up quickly. A delicious Thanksgiving dinner is possible on a shoestring budget if you shop around and plan ahead.

A beautifully cooked turkey is the main event in most families. The only problem is turkey can cost upwards of a dollar a pound. Before you fork over $15-20 for your Thanksgiving bird gather your local grocery store ads. Ads come out on Wednesdays, if you missed this weeks Wednesday newspaper pull the grocery store ads up online. In my area I have several great deals to choose from.

Kroger in my area had turkey for .33 a pound when you spend $20 on additional products. I was about to get a 12 pound turkey for just under $4, compared to the regular price of $12. You may need a smaller or larger turkey depending on the number of guests you are expecting. Estimate a pound of turkey per guest.

Sack N Save in my area offers a free turkey if you purchase a ham. Keep in mind that hams can be expensive. Another local store offers a free turkey if you spend $100 on groceries. Stores in your area may even have better sales on turkey than this, but you won’t know until you look at the ads and make comparisons.

Green beans are a staple at any meal in our house, especially Thanksgiving. Target has canned veggies on sale for .45 each with a limit of 12 per type. I bought 60 cans as this is a great deal. Target in my area also has cranberries and cranberry sauce on sale for around .50 a can, stuffing on sale for .79 a box, and cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth on sale for .49 a can. That right there covers the majority of our Thanksgiving dinner. I still either have to buy rolls to bake if I can find them on sale or my husband will whip up a batch.

Dessert is also a must have at our Thanksgiving. Almost every store ad I looked at had pies on sale. Some had a free pie when you bought ice cream and others had pies on sale for $1.99-2.99. If you can find pie filling and pie crust on sale feel free to bake one yourself, but for us it’s cheaper to spend $2.99 on a store bought pie. To make the sale even better I also have a pie coupon. It’s the little savings in life that get me excited.

No matter if you are cooking for just the two of you or your extended family, Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to blow your budget. Plan ahead, buy foods that are on sale, get a deal on your turkey, and even consider asking guests to bring a side dish or dessert. As with any family get together, it’s not how much you spend, but the quality time you spend together and the memories that are made that are important.

If you enjoyed these money saving tips be sure to leave a comment and say hello!

 

November 10, 2009

Live Frugally and Save Money By Reducing Phone Bills

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cellphn51002_DYJ08Money is a topic that we all think about daily. How much is in my wallet? Did we pay the trash bill this month? How much is it going to cost me for my son to join the basketball team? How much did I just spend on groceries? As long as you are just thinking about money you probably don’t have a problem. If you are “worried” about money then you may need to make some changes and live more frugally, or cheaply.

Focus on cutting some bills out completely and reducing others. You don’t have to take every suggestion I make to heart, but do consider the suggestions that seem doable for you and your family. This week I’m going to suggest that you take a good look at your phone usage.

Do you have a home phone with long distance service and a cell phone? If so, reduce the costs on one. Use your cell to make your long distance calls and cancel your home long distance plan. If even when you’re home you use your cell phone consider completely cancelling your home phone. Why pay for what you don’t use?

On the other hand, if you hardly ever use your cell and still lovingly use your landline, consider switching your cell to a prepaid phone. You never get a bill in the mail and you pre-pay as needed. The only requirement to my prepaid phone is that I buy a $20 phone card every 90 days. It costs me .10 a minute, and I use it just like a regular cell phone with text messaging, internet, and photo taking. My minutes roll over as long as every three months I remember to buy a new minute card. Instead of paying $40 a month for a cell phone, I pay $20 every three months, which saves me $100 quarterly, or $400 a year. If you pay more than $40 a month for your cell phone your savings would be higher.

There are many prepaid cell phone companies out there. Each company has different costs per minute and requirements so be sure to shop around for the best deals. Some of the most popular prepaid cell phone companies are:

  • -Virgin Mobile
  • -AT&T
  • -TracFone
  • -Verizon
  • -Net10

Prepaid phones can usually do everything regular cell phones can, and basic models start out around $15 at Walmart. Typically prepaid phones also comes with minutes included, so it’s like getting the phone for free.

If you worry about bills, or just want to save money, reduce or omit the bills and services you can live without. Look at your phone usage and see if there’s any changes you can make. Little changes here and there add up to big savings! If you have any frugal tips, or if you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment! We love to read comments!

 

November 5, 2009

Save Money By Home Growing Vegetables

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missyredboots139You may think that it is too late to grow vegetables, but there are still a few that should do just fine.  If you walk through your local grocery store’s produce section you will notice that the prices on everything from lettuce to tomatoes has creeped up.

To counteract this budget strainer you should consider growing a few vegetables yourself.

What vegetables should you plant in November? It all depends on your local area. Contact your local extension office for a list of the plants that can still be planted. In some areas this may be broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, peas and spinach. Now is also the time to consider and start making plans to plant fruit trees such as apples trees and peach trees.

After contacting your extension office you should start making plans. Where are you going to grow your veggies? Veggies can be grown in many locations including:

  • Home greenhouses
  • Windowsills
  • Pots on porches
  • Outside in a regular garden
  • In beds built up

If you decide to grow your vegetables outside consider using raised beds. Raised beds are simply planting beds that are raised higher off the ground. The raised beds stay warmer than the flat ground and can also help keep out unwanted weeds. If you decide to plan in pots make sure your veggies have enough room to grow. Always research the plants you plan to plant (say that five times fast) to make sure you are able to give them enough room to grow, water to drink, and adequate sunshine or shade. You don’t want to spend time and money on seeds only to be disappointed.

FAQ’s:

How does gardening save you money? You won’t have to buy fresh vegetables to serve with dinner, just pull one out of the garden.

Are homegrown veggies just as safe as store bought? Home grown veggies can be even more safe than regular store bought veggies as you know exactly how the veggies were made and what toxins they have been exposed to. Now is your chance to try out organic gardening and skip poisons altogether. Many families pay a fortune for their organic vegetables at the grocery store and you have the chance to grow them for just a few cents each.

Besides saving money, another perk of homegrown foods is the freshness. Fresh veggies taste better. When vegetables are picked they are at the height of their healthiness. The longer they sit on a store shelf and the longer travel time from garden to stores, the more nutrients and vitamins they lose. Not only will you save a bundle, your family will be eating healthier, and you may find gardening is your new favorite hobby. If you have any tips you’d like to share please leave a comment!

 

November 1, 2009

Frugal Family Dinner Ideas Under $5

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hot dogsHoliday shopping is just around the corner and if your kids are like mine they want one of everything. Gifts and toys are expensive, especially considering today’s tight budgets and not so perky economy. One way to ease the strain on your holiday pocketbook is to cut down on grocery and meal costs for a few months. By cooking inexpensive meals and buying items on sale you should be able to set aside the money you saved for the holidays.

Inexpensive meals can be just a yummy as more expensive options. The trick is to serve foods that your family will like so that no one realizes you are cutting costs. Many inexpensive meals are also very kid friendly.

$2 Basic Meals

Spaghetti! Pasta and sauce can each be found on sale at grocery stores for around $1 each and even at dollar stores. Change it up by changing the shape of your pasta. Serve spaghetti style noodles on Monday and bow ties or shells with spaghetti sauce on Friday. If $5 is your meal budget you can add homemade toast, salad, or meatballs.

Beans and cornbread. You can get a pound of packaged beans for around $1 and cornbread mix for around .50. Cook your beans in a crockpot and you can dump them in and forget about them all day. Beans are also yummy with shredded cheese sprinkled over the top.

Hot dogs! Kids love hot dogs as do most grownups. Purchase one of the lower priced brands like Bar S and pick up some $1 store brand buns for a quick and easy meal. Hot dogs can be cooked on the grill, boiled, microwaved, or cooked on top of the stove in a pan. If you don’t have buns, wrap hot dogs in biscuits and bake in the oven using the recommended temp for the biscuits until the biscuits are done. The $5 version of this meal is to ad mac n cheese, chips, fruit, or veggies.

Grilled cheese sandwiches can feed a hungry family with just a few minutes of work. The options are endless as you can use any type of cheese from block to pre-sliced to spreadable. Use white bread, wheat bread, potato bread, store bread, bakery bread, or even homemade bread. On colder days add a cup of soup to warm up your loved ones.

$5 Meals

Breakfast for dinner is super fun! Your kids will love the idea and really get excited. Pick up a dozen eggs for $1, store brand bread for around $1, and bacon. With a dozen eggs you can make omelets or scrambled eggs. Toast the bread and serve as a side, or have bacon and egg sandwiches. Substitute bacon for sausage or ham, and if you have an extra potato lying around shred it up for hash browns.

Chicken and stuffing skillet is a favorite at my house. It cooks up in just one pan to make cleanup quick and easy. Cook two boneless skinless chicken breasts in your big skillet with two tablespoons of butter, and then remove them from the pan when cooked. To your empty pan add one and 1/3 cups of water, a package of your families favorite frozen vegetables, and two tablespoons of butter. When it boils add in 6 ounces of dried stuffing mix, place the cooked chicken on top of the mixture, reduce the heat, and cook for 5 minutes or until done. I like to sprinkle cheese on top too and it‘s really good!

Once you get started cooking frugal meals it’s hard to stop. If you don’t enjoy being budgety just remember that you only need to do so until you have saved enough to help out with your holiday shopping. I like to cook frugal meals year long and pocket my savings for things like family road trips and unexpected bills.  If you have a yummy cheap recipe or cheap meal ideas be sure to leave a comment!

 

October 28, 2009

Save Money With Free And Almost Free Winter Clothing

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100_4425New winter clothing can be expensive, and it’s one of those things your family just can’t do without.  The bad thing is that most of the clothing you bought your children last year won’t even fit them this year.  Jeans end up being too short while sweaters are too tight.

With today’s economy most families can’t afford to buy all the winter clothing they need new, and many are turning to more frugal options.  I went to Walmart with $20 and bought the cheapest winter clothing I could find for my daughter in size 2T.  I ended up with 2 shirts and 3 pairs of sweat pants that were a few cents under $4 each.  I then took $20 to a thrift store in my area and ended up with 6 pairs of winter pants, 1 pair of pj pants, 3 shirts, 1 dress for spring, and a fireman raincoat for my son.

Budget friendly resources for winter clothing include:

  • -Consignment & thrift stores
  • -Garage Sales
  • -Clothing swaps with friends and family
  • -eBay
  • -Professionally organized consignment sales
  • -Clearance clothing from retail stores

Clothing swaps are becoming more popular with each passing year.  It can be as simple as your neighbor handing down a bag of clothes from her children or as elaborate as a professionally organized neighborhood swap.  If you want to host a swap with your friends, invite several families that have multiple children.   You can ask people to bring all their non-fitting clothes or set a specific amount, such as fifteen items.  Spread the clothes you collect through different room of your house so that your friends won’t have to crowd together while searching for their new clothes.  Give everyone a shopping bag and have fun!  The more clothing everyone brings the more new (to them) clothing they get to take home.

Consignment shops are super!  You can take in the clothing, household items, and toys that your family no longer needs and make money.  Some consignment shops give you credit on the spot, while other shops make you wait until your items sell before they pay you.  If you need clothing right away call shops in your area to see who will give you credit up front.  There are even “consignment events” popping up in larger cities, where the consignment sale lasts just one weekend.  You register, set your own prices, take your stuff, and a week or two later get a check in the mail.

Garage sales are far and few between this time of year but if you’re lucky you can still catch a few.  People want to get rid of their stuff and sell great high quality clothing for quarters.  At the end of the day when people are dreading packing up what they didn’t sell is the time to make them an offer.

Sometimes, if you are very careful, you can get a box of clothing on eBay for just a few dollars.  The only downside is the shipping.  Try to buy clothing from internet auctions in lots shipped in flat rate boxes or shipped Parcel Post.  If you end up being the winning bid at $3 for 10 new pairs of socks, but then you have to turn around and pay $20 for shipping that’s not a very good deal.  Always take shipping costs into consideration before you bid, and ask yourself if they items you are buying are worth the price you will end up paying.  Sometimes you can get fantastic deals on eBay,  just think before you bid.

Retail stores run sales this time of year, and if you must buy new clothing go for the clearance section first.  Keep in mind that you can get cheap clothing in other places and don’t feel forced to make a purchase.  If you find a great deal on a sale item and it’s within your budget, buy and enjoy!

It’s getting colder everyday and budgets are getting tighter.  Even if you can’t run to the mall and buy all the winter clothing your family needs new, that’s okay.  Between thrift stores, consignment shops, a few late garage sales, and clothing swaps you should be able to find everything you need on any budget.  Do you have a resource for inexpensive clothing?  If so, leave a comment!

 

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