Family Entertainment on a Budget Copyright 2003 Deborah Taylor-Hough Used with permission. All rights reserved. http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/
1) Be patient and wait to see new movies on video. Some communities even offer free video rentals at local libraries and will order new movies if library patrons request a certain title.
2) Check to see if there are any discount movie theaters in your area. Most of these places show movies just before they're released to video. A family of four can go out for an evening at the movies and only spend around $10 for a fun family outing. Keep a list of movies you want to see, and then check the discount theater listings each week. These theaters often keep the movies for just one or two weeks, so stay alert to what's playing.
3) Go to the first show of the day at first-run theaters for the best prices (and shortest lines!).
4) Check your area for free days at museums, zoos, etc.
5) Rather than buying separate admissions to different educational or fun family destinations, buy one yearly family pass to either the zoo, the aquarium, or a theme park. Go repeatedly to that one place each time you want a family outing. You will easily save the cost of the family admission, plus you'll have the benefit of not feeling pressured to see everything in one day. You can always see what you missed the next time you come. Next year, buy a pass somewhere else.
6) Check for free concerts, plays, and other live family entertainment in local parks.
7) Call and find out if your local college stage production group, ballet or orchestra will let you watch them rehearse for free.
8) If you want to eat at an expensive restaurant, go for lunch rather than dinner. The menu is usually the same, but the prices are often half.
9) When dining out, drink water only. Ask for a lemon or lime wedge if you want to make your drink seem special. This trick can easily cut $10 off your family's total dining bill, which could mean the difference between going out for a fun meal or staying home eating frozen egg rolls again.
10) Go fly a kite. Literally!
11) Make the most of any available student discounts. Show your child's school ID at museums, zoos, galleries, theaters, etc.
12) Instead of an expensive day of professional sports, go to a high school or community college game.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: --Deborah Taylor-Hough (wife and mother of three) is the author of 'Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month' and the newly released, 'Frugal Living For Dummies(r)' (Wiley, 2003). These tips were excerpted and adapted from Debi's booklet, 'Simple Living: One Income Living in a Two Income World.' For information, go to: http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/booklet.html
Let me give you an example of a successful yard sale find that happened to me. I was aimlessly looking at a "glassware table." There in the midst of the Flintstone's Jelly Jar Glasses was one lone champagne flute. It caught my attention, looking remarkably like the Waterford glasses I bought in Ireland before I was married (i.e. when money was plentiful!). I picked it up, checked it out. . .lo and behold, it held not a Waterford stamp on it, but Galway (the sister glassware to Waterford).
The entire table was marked $1.00 each. I tried hard to contain myself and went to pay for the item. The woman running the sale asked, "
These are the items I attempt to ALWAYS keep on hand, and I always try to stock up on these items only when they are on sale.
BAKING SUPPLIES:
baking powder
baking soda
yeast
arrowroot
maple syrup
honey
sugar
experller-pressed oil
olive oil
butter
cocoa powder
dry milk powder
SPICES:
allspice,
bay leaf
basil
cardamom
cayenne pepper
celery seed
cinnamon
chili posder
cloves
cream of tartar
coriander
cumin
curry powder
dill seed
dillweed
ginger
garlic, fresh and powder
marjoram
mustard
nutmeg
onion powder
oregano
paprika
parsley
sage
salt
sesame seeds
tarragon leaves
thyme
turmeric
vegetable broth
chicken broth
beef broth
CONDIMENTS:
prepared mustard
ketchup
pickles
mayonnaise
salsa
white and cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
wine vinegar
worcestershire sauce
soy sauce
marinades
GRAINS:
white wheat
pastry wheat
spelt
rolled oats
7-grain cereal
millet
quinoa
brown rice
BEANS - Canned and Dried
garbanzo
lentils
green split peas
black beans
navy beans
kidney beans
lima beans
pinto beans
PASTAS:
spahetti
lasagna
elbow
bowties
wagon wheetls
noodles
ziti
NUTS:
almonds
peanuts
pecans
walnuts
cashews
SOUPS (Canned or Dry)
chiden and rice
vegetable beef
chicken noodle
TEAS AND COFFEE
BEVERAGES
(Canned, frozen, dried):
apple juice
orange juice
vegetable juice
cocoa mix
rice milk
soy milk
nut milks
dry milk powder
CHEESES:
Parmesan
cheddar
string cheese
Monterey Jack
Mexican cheese blend
Mozzarella
Feta
VEGETABLES
(Fresh, canned, dried):
tomato sauce
tomato paste
whole tomatoes
spaghetti sauce
green beans
corn baked beans
refried beans
canned chilis
ripe olives
lettuce
peppers
cabbage
carrots
celery
onions
peas potatoes
spinach
FRUITS
(fresh, canned, dried)
apples,
peaches
apricots
apple sauce
canned peaches
cherries
fruit leather
cranberry sauce
mandarin oranges
pineapple
pears
PAPER GOODS:
aluminum foil
plastic wrap
resealable plastic bags - all sizes
toilet paper
paper towels
paper plates
paper cups
bread bags
canning lids
plastic ware
CLEANING SUPPLIES:
ammonia
borax
floor wax
dish soap
abrasive cleaning pads
cleaning powder
window cleaner
spot remover
detergent
bleach
Non-chlorine bleach
sponges
PERSONAL CARE:
shampoo and conditioner
ibuprofen
toothpaste
tea tree oil
antibiotic ointment
adhesive bandages
gauze pads
bandaging tape
allergy medicines
cold medicines
feminine pads
hand lotion
HERBS AND HERBAL REMEDIES;
Digestive enzymes
Echinacea and thyme
garlic
multi-vitamins
Viramune
Lungs Plus
Liquid Minerals
Vitamin C - tablets, powder
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS:
light bulbs, 60, 75, 100, e-way
masking tape
clear adhesive tape
permanent markers
pencils
pens
notepaper
than you notes
stationerry
laundry marker
erasers
To receive my free newsletter ON MY HEART which is published twice a month with information, product updates and reviews, delicious recipes and much more in the spirit of Titus Two, click here.
If you haven't tried my blue ribbon winning Marilyn's Famous Whole Wheat Bread Recipe, here is the link to the recipe.
Complimentary copies of our 64 page catalog of products for homemakers is available here.
There are times when it's tempting to lie, steal
or break one of the other 10 Commandments to get a good deal but,
in living frugally, we all need to stick to being honest. This
is not always easy to do, but I want to give some examples that
may help you stay honest. Here are some common tactics that some
people use that are unethical and sometimes illegal:
You need some pens because you are running short so you take a
handful from a store that is giving them out. This is stealing.
If you take one, that's fine. Unless they tell you to take them
all, it is tacky to take a large number of them. They're offering
them simply as a courtesy.
You buy an item and you use it a few times and then return it
because you're done with it. Stealing and lying. You probably
won't tell the sales clerk you just needed to use it for a few
times and even if you do, that's only OK if it is a rental store.
If an item breaks, doesn't work or is not the right color, it
is fine to return it. If you just needed it "for a few times"
(like a dress for a special occasion) and know you won't use it
again, you're stealing if you return it.
If you eat a food item with a guarantee on the box and it tastes
nasty, return it. That's why they offer a guarantee. If you eat
the entire contents of the box first and return the mostly-empty
box, it probably wasn't actually nasty.
If you try to pass off your 14 year old child as a 12 year old
so that you only have to pay for a child's meal, you are lying
and teaching your child that lying is good when it benefits you.
If you find a "great deal" that you can't live without
but you don't have the money in your checking account, don't write
a check. Let it be the "one that got away" If you knowingly
write a bad check, you are stealing and lying.
If you find a "great deal", buy it and then hide it
from your husband, you're lying (unless it's his birthday present
;-). If you have to hide it, you know you're doing something wrong.
If you charge up your credit cards with frivolous things like
shopping and eating out and then declare bankruptcy, you are stealing
from the credit card company and from everyone who does business
with that company. Bankruptcy is intended to help people who end
up financially strapped because of reasons beyond their control,
like catastrophic medical expenses or the death of a spouse. It
is unethical to declare bankruptcy because you went on a shopping
spree, because you bought something you couldn't afford when you
bought it or because you decided to change careers and no longer
want to pay the student loans for your old career. You signed
that piece of paper when you purchased the item saying you would
pay them back and you didn't. It's up to you to pay them back
any (legal :-) way you can, even if it does mean feeling "deprived"
for a time.
One more thing about bankruptcy: It is unethical to incur lots
of debt "keeping up with the Joneses" and then go bankrupt
because the debt is so large. Many people look at others and say
to themselves, "Those people are the same age as me. I work
hard. I deserve that too." or "our house is too small"
or "our car is a real clunker so we need to buy a brand need
one to "save" on repair costs ( a huge myth, by the
way!). If you can afford these things, by all means, buy them.
If you can't afford those things, find a way to make more money
or learn to be happy with what you have.
Frugal living is about making good financial decisions. There
are so many things you can do to spend your money more wisely,
so when you think you can get a "good deal", but it
requires doing something that hurts someone else, pass it up.
Whenever you're in doubt about whether something is ethical, ask
yourself if it would be OK with you if the situation were reversed
and you were the person potentially coming up short. Be honest.
We've all heard "Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you." If you would object to others doing it to you,
you better look for a better way to save.
Tawra Kellam is the editor of www.LivingOnADime.com. Tawra and
her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year
income.
Download a .pdf of the Official USDA Food plan budgets. They itemize a thrifty, low cost, moderate, and liberal plan and see how you compare.
The chart shows that a family of 4 with 2 children between the ages of 6-11 the following weekly expenditures:
Thrifty: $112.80
Low Cost: $144.90
Moderate: $180.50
Liberal: $218.60
Or Monthly Totals:
Thrifty: $488.80
Low cost: $628.00
Moderate: $782.00
Liberal: $947.20
The chart also gives suggested amounts for adjusting up or down for additional family members based on age and gender.
How do you compare?
Cha-Ching! Tips for a Successful Day of Yard Sale Shopping
Yard sale season is now in full swing. For those of you who truly want to save money on your family's expenses, yard sale shopping is a great way to find gently-used clothes, toys and household items for pennies on the dollar. Here are some tips for making your yard sale shopping trip as fun and profitable as possible.
1.. If you don't subscribe to the newspaper, buy or borrow one the day before your shopping trip. Or, if your local newspaper lists all garage sale ads online, save yourself a little money and get the yard sale listings there. Just make sure that the paper's online listing is complete. Some newspapers charge advertisers extra to have their ads posted online. A quick call to the newspaper's advertising department can confirm if the newspaper's website contains all the yard sale ads or not.
2.. On the day of your shopping trip, you want to spend the majority of your time actually finding bargains, not driving all over town. Before you leave home, use the classified ads and a map to locate areas that have the most sales. To save time and gas, concentrate on hitting all the sales in those areas.
3.. Once you know the general area to which you are headed, take some time to map out your exact route. A map-making computer program such as Rand McNally's StreetFinder comes in very handy for this. Or simply use a city map or Yahoo Maps online at http://www.maps.yahoo.com to locate sales and get directions.
4.. Your yard sale shopping experience will be more pleasant if you-and any family members who go with you-are comfortable. Make sure everyone wears weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes. Sunscreen and hats are also helpful if your crew will be out in the sun for long periods. Don't forget to make sure everyone hits the bathroom before you leave the house!
5.. To keep you and your young yard sale shoppers' hunger and thirst at bay, take along a small cooler with easy-to-handle snacks and drinks. Of course you could stop for fast-food when stomachs start to growl, but doing so would take time away from bargain-hunting.
6.. Rather than carrying your purse, you may want to carry your money and any essentials in a fannypack or small change purse you can put in your pocket. This leaves your hands free to inspect the merchandise and also frees you from worrying that your purse being stolen.
7.. You can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't judge a yard sale by your first impressions, either. You never know what kinds of bargains lurk in the seller's garage. Sometimes you find the best deals at the sales that are least organized because the sellers just want to get rid of their stuff.
8.. If your kids shop with you, save yourself a lot of hassles by making sure they each have their own money to spend. Give them a pre-determined amount to spend before you leave the house, or have them bring their allowance money. This saves you from being the bad guy when the kids ask for things you don't want to buy. Many times they decide they don't want the items bad enough to spend their own money.
9.. Negotiating is the name of the game. Most sellers are willing to deal as long as you are fair with them. Asking the seller to take $2 for an item marked $20 is pushing your luck. The seller may be more than willing to sell the item for $15 or even $10, depending how late in the day it is. Remember too that yard sales provide an excellent opportunity to teach children about negotiating. For the young or shy shopper, you may have to help out a bit by saying something like, "My son wondered if you'd take $1.00 for this game." Eventually your child will learn to make these requests on his own.
10.. Going to yard sales early in the day (as soon as the sales open) has the advantage of getting the best selection. If you are looking for a big-ticket item such as furniture or electronics, you'll probably have to go early. Going later in the day has its advantages, too. Sometimes sellers are willing to practically give their stuff away rather than have to pack it up and carry it back in their homes.
11.. Be sure to carry lots of change and small bills. Of course it is the seller's responsibility to have change, but wiping out the seller's entire change supply with a $20 for a $1 sale is inconsiderate. Save your change throughout the week to use for your Saturday yard sale trip.
12.. If your time for shopping is short, you may want to concentrate only on one-day sales. If a sale runs on both Friday and Saturday, there is usually little left by the time Saturday rolls around. To get the biggest return on your time investment, visit the one-day sales first; then if you have extra time, you can stop by any sales that have been running for two days.
13.. If you try to negotiate with the seller on a large item but the seller won't budge, leave your name and phone number along with the price you are willing to pay. Tell the proprietor to give you a call if the item doesn't sell and she decides she accept your offer.
Nancy Twigg is the editor of Counting the Cost, a free
email newsletter about simple and frugal living. Visit Nancy online
at www.countingthecost.com or at her newest site, www.keepitsimplesister.com
www.keepitsimplesister.com
www.countingthecost.com
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*Time-saving tips
*Nutritional information per serving
*Estimated prep and cooking times
*Suggested healthy side dishes
*Description/comments
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Grilled Chicken with Sherry-Soy Sauce Marinade: Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cooking Time 16 minutes
Baked Asian Chicken: Prep time 5 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Citrus-Marinated Flank Steak with Fruit Salsa: Prep time 10 minutes; Cooking Time 12 min.
Parmesan-Garlic Salmon: Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cooking Time 12 minutes
Spicy Cilantro-Lime Chicken: Prep Time 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 14 minutes
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