Search Results for: blog ways to have fun on a budget

Ways to Help Your Child Understand Business

Do your children understand the value of a dollar? Many kids do not. There are things that parents can do to help their children, and teenagers, to get a basic grasp of money. They can also learn a little bit about business. Forbes has a really interesting article titled “13 Ways to Help Your Children Understand Business”. It was written by Dan Matthews, and posted on May 30, 2014. He gathered tips that will help parents to encourage their kids to become interested in finance and business. Each tip came from someone who is involved in business. One of those … Continue reading →

More Treasury Fun

When was the last time you got a whole lotta fancy on a frugalista’s budget? Right now you can gift your favorite young reader with a double dose of Fancy Nancy treasuries without breaking the bank. Best-selling author Jane O’Connor teams up with ultra-talented illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser to once again take youngsters on a resplendent ride to Fancyville. At the helm of the grandiose getaway is the one and only Fancy Nancy.  The girl with the vibrant vocabulary and whimsical wardrobe is back in Fancy Nancy Storybook Treasury.  The sturdy hardcover book features six stupendous stories filled with teachable … Continue reading →

Our Day of Free Fun

Because we are on a limited budget, it sometimes takes a bit of creativity to have low-cost fun, and free is even better. Today was a good summer day in the free department for the kids. After an early morning dentist appointment (free, but not necessarily fun), we headed over to our local library for their Tuesday morning program. Today, the kids got to make their own bubble solution and wands and also experience making giant bubbles. We went home with the wands and a recipe to make our own giant bubble solution. We took advantage of the trip to … Continue reading →

Have a Kickin’ Kindergarten Graduation Party

They may be little, but graduation day is still a big deal for kindergarteners.  Young kids love to celebrate and while mastering the ABCs and 123s may not compare to earning a college degree, it warrants some type of ceremony. Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank honoring your little graduate.  Rather, keep the shindig simple by selecting a theme that yields itself to inexpensive fun.  For example: Books:  Ask your child’s teacher what books the kids read in class during the course of the academic year.  Then, select a few titles and incorporate them into the theme.  You … Continue reading →

Dive Into Summer Fun

Contending with rising temperatures doesn’t have to be a summer bummer.  With a little planning you can have fun beating the heat without busting your budget. Splash into the season with a pool party to remember; only instead of draining your wallet on expensive invitations and activities, consider these affordable options: DIY FISH INVITATIONS Download a fish template from the Internet or free-hand one on construction paper and cut out the center of it.  When you are done, you should have a fish-shaped frame and a smaller paper fish.  Place the frame on the sticky side of clear contact paper. … Continue reading →

Save on Spa Fun

Mother’s Day is right around the corner; time to start shopping. The day set aside to honor the most priceless person in the world can put a major dent in your wallet, especially if you plan to shower mom with expensive presents.   However, if you are working on a tight budget, there are still plenty of wonderful ways you can show your mom how much she means to you. Rather than send mom to a pricey spa, treat her to a relaxing morning at a home version.  The following affordable ideas will allow you to pamper mom without putting your … Continue reading →

Beach Fun on a Budget

April is almost over.  Time is marching on.  Soon, your spring flowers will be a distant memory as the dog days of summer hit and all you care about is watering yourself rather than your blossoms. Summer fun means picnics, barbeques and visits to the beach, but those good times can add up quickly if you aren’t careful.  To avoid busting your budget on trips featuring the sun, sand and surf, consider these money-saving ideas: DIY Beach Towel Large decorative beach towels don’t come cheap.  If you have a large family, buying a new towel for each member can put … Continue reading →

How to Build a Grocery Stockpile on a Tight Budget

I recently received the following question from one of the Families.com readers about building a stockpile. “I know that buying things when they are on sale and building a stockpile saves money, but how can I do this when the normal groceries cost so much?” Sophia. Sophia has a really good point (hi Sophia!). It can be tough to build up a good stockpile when there isn’t any extra money to do it, but it can be done. You can start out small. Even an extra $5 a week toward a stockpile item will help. With $5, you can buy … Continue reading →

Four Ways to Downsize the Gimmies

Don’t let the “Gimmies” take over your home. Use the following advise to downsize the constant requests for stuff from your kids. Limit Media Exposure The number of commercial ads that our kids are exposed to on a daily basis is staggering. All of those ads have just one purpose, to sell us stuff, our kids included. The more ads our children are exposed to, the more things they will believe that they have to have. These ads are very clever at manipulating our children into never being satisfied and always wanting more. Limiting the media exposure our children receive … Continue reading →

Free Fun to Battle the Winter Blues

This week, much of the nation has been paralyzed by brutally cold temperatures.  In my neck of the woods, several school districts closed because it was simply too dangerous to allow children to be exposed to -35 degree windchills. Old Man Winter’s brutal blast has forced many families indoors where they are spending quality time together watching movies, playing board games and cooking.  Fortunately, these activities don’t have to put a strain on your household budget, including the movie-watching. These days there are a slew of simple ways you can avoid paying high fees for movie rentals.  One of the … Continue reading →