Frugal Friday Family Fun - Board Games!

First - I want to start out by saying I LOVE this game! If you have not heard of it is "Logo" - duh - I am sure you see that above! It is kind of like Trivial Pursuit but you dont have to be a brainiac to play - you simply have to know your commercials, ad jingles and logos of famous brands. Anyhoo - I saw this game advertised a lot before Christmas and I kept telling my husband "I want Logo for Christmas". I must have said it 20 times and everytime we were in a store and I saw it, I would say "Oh look, there is that Logo game I want." I was hoping with all that I would find it under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Well - -- - I did! I was so excited.....Then a few days later my husband said "I thought you were joking about that game and bought it kind of as a gag gift.".....REALLY???? I RARELY ask for anything, so when I pointed it out 20-30 times I did not realize he would think I was joking?!

Anyhoo - he did get it. I guess he thought I may have been joking because my family does not sit down and play board games. Well.....they USED to not sit down and play board games. Now - - - they have became regular board game players - which takes me to the point of Frugal Friday Family Fun!

Yes, board games are not cheap. However, when else can you pay $25 for a game that will last for years to come and not $25 for a family of 4 to play one game of putt putt! Christmas night I was like (of course) "Let's play Logo"....after a few eyes rolling and possibly a few muffled groans from the boys, everyone did eventually please me and sit down to play. About 10 minutes later we we were all laughing and having a great time! Even hubby who I dont recall sitting down to play a game in a very long time and my son of course......if it dont have a cord attached to it and hooked to a gaming system - it ain't a game! My daughter, of course she was "game" for it. :)

Since that night, we have played the game a few more times when time has allowed and we love it every time. We have even had guests over to play with us as well.

So.....next time you have a quiet evening and looking for something fun to do, turn off the TV, pop some popcorn and pull out a board game!

What games does your family play that you enjoy?

Happy Gaming!
Tina

Frugal Family Fun Friday! - Christmas Season

At this time of the year, everything seems so rushed with things to do, things to buy, places to go, people to see, it is still important to fit in those "Family Fun" moments. Especially good if you can find "frugal" things to do without sucking more money out of your ever shrinking wallets.

One thing I started YEARS ago and still enjoy doing (when I make the time to do it with teenagers in tow) is to drive around and look at Christmas lights. I don't mean just look at lights as you drive through your neighborhood on the way to shopping or somewhere else either.

What I like to do is for everyone to get dressed in their pj's (hubby doesn't agree to do that part - bah humbug!).....but anyhoo, the rest of us dress up in our pjs, make some hot cocoa, jump in the car and just drive. We drive through our neighborhood and look at all the lights and then go on to other neighborhoods in the area that are known for lots of decorating as well. We vote on what ones we like, what ones we think are tacky, etc, etc. Of course, the ones mom likes (the simply white lights, wreaths and red bows) no one else likes. But we have fun just looking at them together.

Best part is - doesn't cost anything. Well....of course it costs gas to drive around, which certainly is not cheap these days, but other than that it cost nothing and "kids" of all ages, from 1 to 100, like to do it!

Happy Light Hunting!
Tina

Frugal Fridays: Travelling Frugally

WOW! It is already Friday, and time for the weekend again. This weekend we are headed out of state to visit family so I figured I would share some tips for frugal traveling. Travel, whether it be for a full-fledge "vacation" or simply a run out of town to see some family or friends, travel can definitely put a dent in your bank account. Below are some ways that you can try to save a dollar or two while still getting to head out of town on a needed break.

* When we travel, whether it is just a 2 hour trip to visit friends in the upstate, or an 8 hour drive, I always try to pack some snacks for the ride. Stopping at convenience stores along the way for "snacks" tend to add up. If you have room, you also might consider packing a small cooler with drinks. When you arrive at your destination, these snacks can also come in handy for those "midnight snacks" instead of trying to dig for quarters to get something you really don't want out of the expensive vending machines.

* On long trips, I remember my mom packing a cooler for a "picnic lunch" when there were several of us travelling. We would stop at a rest area with picnic tables and everyone eat sandwiches, chips and drinks. This not only saved money, but also allowed everyone to get out and stretch their legs. When you travel with a large group, this will also be a "speedier" way to eat so you can get back on the road to your destination instead of wasting an hour or more sitting in a restaurant trying to serve a large group.

* Eating out is something you usually can't avoid when traveling, but you can try to eat cost effectively. If staying at a hotel, find out if your hotel offers a free breakfast. That will take care of one meal if so! :o) Also find out how late they serve breakfast. If they happen to serve it a little later, you can always eat a large breakfast at 10:30 or 11:00 and that might tide you over so you dont have to eat lunch and can just pack a snack for lunch, saving your money to spend on a nice dinner.

* Think twice about buying that knick-knack! A lot of people always want to buy souveniers when they go somewhere to "take back a piece of their vacation" with them. That is perfectly fine to do, but I would suggest you make that purchase wisely. I started a tradition a while back where we buy a Christmas ornament where we visit. That way at Christmas time, we can look at the tree and remember all the places we have been together and what great vacations we have had. After the holiday, they are boxed up and stored to enjoy the next holiday. Magnets, coffee mugs, thimbles or those little doll size forks with decor on the top I guess are great for collecting, but eventually they seem to end up in yard sale or Goodwill donation boxes. And in my house, all they would collect is dust, which is one thing I dont need help doing.

* Hotel loyalty programs. All hotels seems to have them these days. You basically sign up for a "membership" (which is free) and every time you stay at that particular chain of hotels you earn points. As your points build up, you earn free or discounted rooms. Unlike credit cards that you earn credits for (which seem to take years before you actually have enough points to earn something), these points do tend to add up quickly. In the last two years we have gotten several nights free with just staying a few visits.

These are just a few ideas of saving some money while traveling. Now, I better get off of here and finish my packing so we can hit the road soon. Do you have a favorite tip to share for saving money while traveling?

Happy Saving!
Tina

Frugal Friday - Gift Wrapping Frugally

OK, I have a question for everyone out there about gift wrapping. When I met my current husband and his family, I noticed at every birthday or holiday function that involved gifts, that at the end of the "party" all the gift wrappings would be balled up and thrown in the garbage. GASP!! Now, I am not talking about the ripped off wrapping paper, of course that was balled up and thrown away. What I am talking about are the gift boxes and, more importantly, the gift bags! I was shocked!! At first I didn't say anything, but I seemed to quickly become a part of this family so after a while I did not feel bad about grabbing up the bags/boxes and storing them for future use. Of course, they all laughed at me, especially my now husband and mother in law. You would have thought I was dumpster diving in a strangers home the way they laughed at me scooping up bags to reuse.

As long as I remember, I have just always kept gift bags and "recycled them" for future birthdays, holidays, etc. and I guess I assumed everyone did this......apparently NOT!

Am I the only person on the planet that does this, besides my mother of course?!?!

Do you know how much those little gift bags even costs?!? No, they are not $2o or $30 each, but they are sometimes $4 or $5. You take that $5 bag and multiply it by the 25 gifts or so you buy every year (even more including all Christmas!) and you have spent $100 or more on something that is simply discarded and thrown away by the gift recipient (not me of course)! You might as well wrap the thing in toilet paper if all they are going to do is trash it - right?!

So, in my house, everyone now knows to NOT throw that bag away because mom will come and swoop it up and put it in the gift closet to be used on the next appropriate day. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not going to use a Frilly Pink Gift Bag that my daughter may get to bag up something for my son for his birthday....I am not that bad .......yet. :o) And I'm not going to use a "baby boy" giftbag to wrap up a wedding gift for someone....after all, that may give the wrong impression to some people. LOL

So......my frugal friday tip for today is to reuse those gift bags! No one will ever know anyway! Don't have gift bags? That is OK. You can still wrap frugally by using some of the below frugal gift wrapping suggestions:

* Got newspaper? Use the comics to wrap a child's birthday gift in.
* Got brown paper grocery bags? or even lunch bags for a small gift? Give your kids some crayons or markers and let them decorate the bag. This is especially great for grandparents to receive. Then, they will most likely even keep the bag since their grandbabies made it! LOL
* Giving a small kitchen gift? Wrap it in a kitchen towel. They will be sure not to throw it away then.
* Use baskets. You would surprised how many nice baskets or wooden boxes, etc. that you can find at a thrift store that would make cute gift baskets.

Possibilities are endless...... Use your imagination.

For something that my husband used to laugh at me for, now he is the first to say "Hey, you got a gift bag for this?" when he has something to wrap. He is becoming more and more "frugally" the more he hangs around me. :o) (Frugally....is that even a word?)

Do you have any gift wrapping ideas? Please share your ideas or comments on whether you think it is "acceptable" to reuse gift bags!

Have a great weekend!
Tina

Frugal Fridays: "I eat Organic. How can I save on those items"

A lot of people these days are trying to follow a more healthy lifestyle, which sometimes include eating organic foods. I will admit that I do not buy organic products myself, at least not on a regular basis, but I have noticed that organic items seem to be a little bit more pricey. To help those of you that prefer the organic food items, I wanted to provide some websites where you may be able to obtain some coupons for those items and try to buy as "frugally" as possible.

www.mambosprouts.com/coupons
www.deliciouslivingmag.com/coupons
www.organicvalley.coop/coupons
www.organicdeals.blogspot.com
www.stonyfield.com/coupons
www.wholefoodsmarket.com/coupons
www.healthesavers.com
www.earthfare.com


Another thing you want to keep in mind, a lot of coupons for a brands "regular" items, will also be able to be used on their "organic" counterpart, if that brand does in fact sell them. For instance, a coupon for Bertolli pasta sauce, would most likely be able to be used to purchase the regular line Bertolli pasta sauce, or their organic pasta sauce, unless the coupon specifically states otherwise. DO NOT simply go by what is pictured on the coupon, you would be surprised how often the picture on the coupon does not accurately represent what the coupon is actually for - - read the print!

Happy Savings!
Tina

Frugal Fridays: Date Night On the "Cheap"

We are starting a new post topic here on "Mom with Coupons" called "Frugal Fridays". Each Friday we will try to discuss a topic on being frugal, watching your pennies, saving money, or whatever you want to call it.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, a lot of people are thinking about having a Date Night with their sweetie, so the topic has came up lately on how to do so on a tight budget. Even if you aren't on a "tight budget" but you are simply watching your dollars, you can still have a Date Night that is enjoyable. Below are a few ideas that I hope get your mind thinking on how to have a special night but not blow too much money.

1. If you are thinking of a "Valentine's Date", one big way to possibly save is to go celebrate Valentines the weekend before or after the actual holiday. Lots of restaurants may raise their rates for Valentine Weekend, plus the crowds are horrible. Might not save money by going the week before or week after, but you will save time, and in my book, time is money. I would rather spend an hour doing something else fun, then sitting on a hard bench outside a restaurant waiting on my number to be called.

2. Dinner and a Movie - probably the most common "Date Night" there is. These days, going to a movie can easily break the bank with the prices of movie tickets. Then, if you take a trip to the concession stand you might need to take out a second mortgage! But there are ways of course to save money and still enjoy a good movie.

Want to take in the latest and greatest movie? Consider going to an early lunch and then a matinee. Most all cinemas are 50-75% cheaper if you go to a movie that starts before 6:00. Not to mention, going to a restaurant for lunch is usually cheaper than the full price dinner menu as well.

Some towns have what I call the "cheap cinema". That is normally one of the older cinemas in your town that don't have the stadium seating with the nice reclining chairs and the theatre itself is usually smaller. We have one here in Ladson and I love it. Why do I want to pay like $9.00 to go to a "new and improved" theatre when I can watch the same exact movie for $4.00 in the "older cinema". Check out your town to see if you have one, you might be surprised.

Or, if you are not one that has to see the latest and greatest, consider seeing if the kids can stay with the grandparents or a friend and rent a movie and stay in. No one to watch the kids, then rent the kids their own movie and give them a big bowl of popcorn and let them watch their "own movie" in their room while the grownups watch their own movie. These days most grocery stores, drug stores and even some gas stations have Blockbuster, Redbox or other similar type machines that you can rent a new release movie for $1.00! You can't beat that! And, if you sign up on their websites you regularly get codes to rent free movies!

Another way to save on dinner is to purchase gift certificates on line at www.Restaurants.com. You can normally get a $25.00 gift certificate for $5.00. Some restrictions apply but they are well worth the price.

3. "Stroll through the Park". We are lucky here in that Charleston has nice waterfront parks and other areas that nice walks can be taken, day or night. One of my favorite places to go (weather permitting) is to take a stroll at night on our Waterfront Park and pier at night. They have nice swings under canopies that you can relax on, and we have done that for hours before. Doesn't cost a thing and you would be surprised how much the two of you can actually talk, or just enjoy each other's company in silence, without your kids interrupting every 10 minutes.

If you do go stroll a park during the day, why not pack a picnic lunch and "cop a squat" (as Julia Robert's said in Pretty Woman) under a tree and have a nice lunch. I am not a big sandwich eater at home, but sandwiches always seem to taste better during a picnic. :o)

4. Day Trip to No Where. May cost you a little in gas, but why not just get in the car and drive. Maybe there is a flea market up the interstate you always wanted to go to but never took the time to stop. Or you saw a little antique store one day and again, never took the time to stop. Take the time and just go sightseeing in or around your area. Not sure where to go? Everytime you get to an intersection or an exit off an interstate, flip a quarter - heads you go right, tails you go left, or heads you get off on the exit, tails you keep on going. You never know where you may end up or what great little flea markets, produce stands or other little roadside interest you may find. Even if you don't find anything new, you will be surprised at the conversations you can have just driving around.

5. Ice Cream Parlor. I know what you are thinking, they are not called ice cream parlors anymore. But if you dont want to spend money on going out to eat, eat at home and then go out for a dessert somewhere. It does not have to be fancy or expensive. Go to McDonald's and get a soft serve cone to share, go to Shoney's and split a Hot Fudge Sundae, Sonic's Drive Thrus usually always have some type of 99 cent "Sundae" or Banana Split on their menu.

6. Go "Window Shopping". No, I don't mean your hubbie or better half has to walk you around the mall and carry your purse for you! Go shopping for things you have no intention to even buy. We have been known on a Saturday when we have time to ourselves, to just go walking through various furniture stores and look at everything to see what we like, what we agree on, what we don't agree on, etc. We have also been and spent hours walking through Modular Homes and even RVs. Don't cost nothing to look - right?

These are just a few ideas to help you get your ideas flowing. Whatever you do, just make it fun.

Happy Frugaling!

Tina