Easy Ways to Reduce Your Energy Use and Save Money

My energy costs for my home were pretty high, so I contacted my energy company and learned simple changes that would reduce my energy use and in turn save me money.

Everything is electric in my home

Where I live everything is electric even our heating, and the cost just keeps going up. Our electric company offers a service where they come into your home and give you information on what you can do personally to reduce the use of electricity. I took advantage of that service and learned quite a bit that I would like to share with you.

Light Bulbs  

One of the first things the company discussed was the use of CFL light bulbs, they said these bulbs use 75% less electricity than a regular incandescent bulb. These CFL bulbs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs but they are supposed to last 10 times longer. 

After switching a few light bulbs the one thing I noticed immediately was that they take a few minutes to actually get bright, and the light they give off is a different color than I was used to. But, I checked my electric bill and my usage was a bit lower than normal for this time of year so I don’t mind the change in color. It was not much of a savings but when you add in the other ideas, it does add up.

The electric company also gave some tips on where to place your lights. When you place a light in a corner of a room, you get the reflection off two walls. This positioning makes the room brighter, so you will not need as many lamps. I tired that and it does work, I was able to reduce the amount of lamps I had in my living room just by doing this one thing, and again it added a bit to my electric cost savings.

How to Save Money on your Refrigerator and Freezer Usage

The next tips were for the refrigerator and the freezer. First was to make sure that you keep the coils in the back of the unit clean, this helps it to run more efficiently. Next was to try to keep both the freezer and the refrigerator as full as you can with overloading them. If you can’t keep them full with food you should fill any empty bottles you have with water and place them inside both. The idea here is that the more cold items that are in the refrigerator the less it has to work and the more electricity you save. The last tips they gave to save money on your electricity were to make sure the seals around the door were clean so the cold would stay inside, and to keep the fridge at 40 degrees and the freezer 0 degrees for the freezer.

Save Money on Cooking

For cooking, the company recommended always using a pot or pan that is not larger than you need and to use lids to decrease cooking time. They also told me, that anytime you use a microwave instead of the stove or oven, it saves you money. If you have a frozen dinner you can cook it in the microwave for a short time and then use the oven to complete the meal, again it saves you money and does not affect the taste or consistency of your meal.

Dishwasher, and Washer and Dryer Money Saving Ideas

To save money on your dishwasher make sure it is full but not overloaded or it will not get your dishes clean, and don’t need to use the “heated dry” cycle, let your dishes air dry. One other thing they mentioned was about rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Many people not only get rid of any food remnants on a plate or in a pot, but they rinse them out with water also. The electric company said this is not needed with the newer model dishwashers and you only need to scrape off the bits of leftover food, thus saving you water.

More energy saving tips to come….

I have tried all of these tips and they do reduce the energy being used. As for the savings, it seems minimal when you look at your monthly bill, I am saving about $6.00 a month. But remember, everything you do to save money adds up, keep putting the money you save from reducing your energy use and use it for a summer day of fun, or keep it for an unexpected event.

Save Now for Summer Try These Hints for a Great Dinner

Start saving now for a day of summer fun. It really is possible to save a few extra dollars every week, if you change just a few things you buy for your family meals, and try these hints for a great dinner. 

One thing that we all spend money on is food, and the cost of that is going up, what seems like every week, but there are ways to save money if you really try.

When I was food shopping last week and trying to decide what meat to buy based on what was on sale, I noticed something I never purchased before, shaved top round beef. Since my family likes cheese steak sandwiches, I decided to try it. The price of the meat was $4.00 per pound and the package I got was a little over 1 pound. I also bought 6 rolls at a price of $2.50, a ½ pound of cheese for $2.00, and 1 medium onion for .75 cents. Total cost $9.25.

In an electric frying pan I sautéed the onion, which I cut into thin strips, when they we transparent I added the shaved steak and cooked until done. I added the cheese directly into the frying pan and mixed until it was all melted. This made 6 sandwiches each with a price of $1.58 each. You really can’t get much better than that for a 6 inch cheese steak sandwich, plus I had half an onion and some cheese left over for another meal. 

Because I only have three people to feed, and one sandwich was enough for each of us, I was able to wrap the three remaining sandwiches and heat them up for lunch the next day. That was two meals for three people at a cost of about $4.50 a meal, that may seem like a bit much for some people, but it was less than I had budgeted for that week, and we got to have something different for dinner.

Another inexpensive meal is spaghetti. When the supermarket I go to has pasta on sale for $1.00 a box, I pick up a few boxes and when I see sauce on sale I buy a couple jars of those also. Spaghetti with sauce and a loaf of French or Italian bread makes a great cheap meal that tastes good and most people enjoy. One box of spaghetti and 1 jar of sauce will make two meals for a family of three. The sauce I buy is the one that is on sale, it doesn’t matter what brand because I can always add spices that I already have at home to add to the flavor. I usually pay no more than $2.00 per jar, so combined with the spaghetti, and a loaf of bread at $2.00, that comes to only $3.50 per meal for a family of three. 

The whole point of buying food that is less expensive and making a great meal is to take the money you save and put it away. With summer coming, most people are looking for ways they can save some money for a day of fun, or even a small vacation. When you start saving money in spring you could have enough money for a great day trip to a water park, or even a few days of getting away.

Look at the cost of the meals you make and see what you might be able to change. If you can save money on two or more meals a week, that savings can add up to give your entire family a great day trip, or better. The trick is to keep track of what you spend on each meal, make a goal of what you want to save, and adjust your meals by what is on sale. Take the money you save and put it away specifically for summer fun.

Remember, summer fun does not have to be a week-long vacation, it can be a day trip to an amusement park, a picnic in the park, a day of hiking, or fun at home. Pick out something your family wants to do, find out how much it will cost and start saving now. 

I will be adding more ways that can help you save a few dollars every week and if you have any hints or tips please leave a message and share your knowledge.

The Many Uses of Twist Ties That Will Save You Money

Twist Ties

As I was closing my bag of frozen vegetables with a twist tie, I realized that I never wrote about the many uses I have found for them.

Twist ties that you get from bread, rolls and other items, plus the ones you can get in the produce isle of the grocery store when buying fruit or vegetables can be reused for other things that will ultimately save you money.

I already mentioned the one I use twist ties for the most, which is resealing bags, they work great for closing frozen bags of fruit, and vegetables, but they also work for keeping bags of dry goods closed.

 I don’t like to leave a bag of cereal open and in the box so I always close it with a twist tie, I do the same for rice, chips and anything that comes in a bag that can’t be sealed. Rubber bands work well too, but twist ties are easier to come by.

Let me know what you use twist ties for, I am sure that many of you have ideas on how to use twist ties to save money.

Learn How to Make Extra Money to Survive the Cost of Living

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I hope everyone is going to have a great 2013. I am going to be finding new ways to survive the rising cost of livng by saving more money, any legal way I can, and I will certainly pass them on to you.

 

One of the first things I have learned this year is that the after Christmas sales are better than even the Black Friday sales on the day after Thanksgiving.

 

One quick tip for all of you who shop and return at Kohls. Always have your return money put on  a Kohls Card with money instead of having any money put back onto your credit card. When you do this you will not lose any Kohl's Cash you earned while shopping in the first place. For those of you who do not know about Kohl's Cash, it is a $10 coupon for every $50 you spend in one shopping trip. If you return an item to your charge card, you lose the Kohl's Cash. I my case this would be over $40 and with the after Holiday sales that are going on, there are many things you could get for that kind of money. The winter clothes at Kohl's have wonderful sales and I know that some beautiful sweaters are only $9.99.

So keep this in mind if you earned any thing like this on the money you spent and you are going to be returning items, try to spend the money in the same store and save any extra's you may have earned, be it points or cash rewards.

 

Much more to come

 

HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR

How to Save Money on or Get Free Halloween Candy

 



I love spreading news on how I get things for a discount or for free, and this time I just picked up $13.00 worth of free Halloween candy just because I use my CVS customer card. CVS may be a pharmacy but they also sell many other things including food and candy, and like grocery stores, they also offer a customer card for savings.

These store savings cards are given out by many stores, (for free) including Weis, Giant, Shop Rite, CVS, Sunoco, Exxon, Staples, Office Max, Pet Supplies Plus and I am sure others that I have not found yet, or are not in my area. Most cards offer you savings on the merchandise you are purchasing at the time, some stores offer discounts on gas at certain gas stations, and others give you money to spend in their store.

 I always recommend using the Weis card for extra savings on gas. For every $50.00 you spend in one shopping trip, Weis will give you 10 cents off  EVERY gallon of gas you buy at their gas station (which for me is right across the street from the supermarket). The other day I saved $1.20 for every gallon of gas I purchased, I was on empty (I wait until I will get the most for my savings) and I saved $13.20 on 11 gallons of gas. WHOO HOO!

Back to how I got Free Halloween candy.

Due to many recent illnesses in my family, I have had to go to the CVS pharmacy quite frequently and every time I do, I hand the cashier my CVS card. Most purchases count for what CVS calls “extra care bucks”, (I say most because things like cigarette purchases are not counted). What you get in return are coupons printed at the bottom of your receipt so you need to make sure you look at it carefully. I almost missed my $13.00, the cashier pointed it out to me when they handed me my receipt, what a surprise that was.

Some coupons will be for cash you can spend on anything in the store and others are for money off certain items. I am not sure how much needs to be spent in order to earn the $13.00 like I did, but I know that after I used that free money on my Halloween candy I got another coupon to spend $3.00. Now that was another great surprise.

Many places now have these savings cards that you can hook onto your keychain, if fact I have so many that I have a separate key chain just to hold all of them. Some of them do not get you much but some can get you great savings on food, paper products, cleaning items or like CVS you can save on whatever you choose like I did, free Halloween candy.

With the cost of living rising everyday it is getting harder to survive and every little bit helps. I do not consider $13.00 a little bit of money, in fact, I was really worried that I would not be able to afford handing out Halloween candy this year at all, but thanks to my CVS customer card I got totally FREE Halloween candy.



 

How to Find Free Like New Halloween Costumes



The best way I found to get free, like new Halloween costumes for your child or even yourself  is something most people don’t do anymore, TRADE. That’s right, trading is becoming more and more popular these days because most of us are trying our hardest just to survive the rising cost of living and we are falling back to doing things they way our parents or grandparents did them.

When I was growing up it was normal to have “hand-me-downs”, to get the neighbors bike, toys,  clothes, or costumes (in good condition) when they outgrew them. We did not have the kinds of Halloween costumes that the kids wear these days when I was growing up, but we still had free, like new, Halloween costumes because we traded with family and friends.

These days the costumes kids want are extremely expensive, even the ones that are not elaborate can cost over $20.00, and if you need Halloween costumes for more than one child, trying to buy them can ruin your budget for the month. When you are trying to survive the cost of living in this rising economy, you need to look at options other than having to pay for costumes.

 Many people have Halloween costumes sitting in a closet or box that either, do not fit anyone anymore, or no one wants to wear them any longer, and that makes them perfect for trading with other people. If you are not quite sure how to begin finding people to trade with, or you feel shy about asking someone if they have Halloween costumes to trade, just tell your family, friend, or neighbor that you read  about a great way to save money and get free, like new Halloween costumes that you want to try this year. Most people are struggling with money now, and are happy when someone finds a way that can help them save some and this idea can save everyone a lot of money.

Costumes can always be mixed and matched for a great original look, let the kids have a look and you might be pleasantly surprised at what they come with.

Save Money by Using your Department Store Credit Card

Even though running up credit is not a good thing, you can actually save money if you use a department store credit card. You need to make sure that you can pay off the entire amount you spent on your next bill, so put that money away before you shop.

I have a few Department store credit cards that I keep just so I can receive the savings you get in the mail by being a “loyal” customer. I love the items in Kohl’s and it is one of my favorite places to shop, so I have one of their department store credit cards. I just received a Kohl’s flyer in the mail and it has a 30% off coupon that I can use on everything in the store, (whether it is on sale or not) as long as I use my Kohl’s credit card.

I can even earn Kohl’s cash,(which are $10.00 coupons that can be used toward any purchase of $10.00 or more) depending on how much I spend.

I put money away little by little, that I will be using for clothes shopping anyway, and when I get my department store coupon in the mail I put the money in the bank so I can use it to pay off the entire amount of what I spent on my shopping trip. This is the only way I have found that a credit card can actually save you money. When the bill comes I pay the entire amount and I do not get any interest charges, it is just like using cash, except I am going to save 30% on my entire purchase.

By using the advantages of having a department store credit card, like getting coupons for a percentage off your total order, and buying items that are on clearance, or a regular sale, I always save more than I spend.

For example, on one purchase that should have totaled $535.00, I only paid $85.00, and I received $10.00 in Kohl’s cash to spend on another day. This is with the savings that came from items already marked down, plus my coupon for 30% off.

Remember the only way to save money by using a Department Store Credit Card is to have enough cash to pay off the entire amount of your purchase when your bill comes, if you don't you will not save money. The interest charges on any balance you leave on your department store credit card adds up fast and that means that you may not save any money at all.

Summer Savings are Happening Now

Everywhere you look this time of year there are “end of summer” commercials and ads coming in the mail, summer savings really are happening now, but there is still more of summer to enjoy outdoors.. While this is a wonderful time to get certain items on sale, I still hate to think about these weeks as the “End of Summer”. There is still great weather ahead and wonderful free things to do before the kids head back to school.

These are great days to be having summer barbeques at your home, or having get-togethers at the parks with your family and friends. These are fun things to do that do not cost any extra money, but they do make summer enjoyable.

Remember, many foods that you grill are less expensive than meals that you make in the oven or on the stovetop, and somehow they just taste better when they are cooked outside, on the barbeque. Hot dogs and hamburgers seem to be the favorite food for BBQ, but it is simple to buy a package of inexpensive chicken tenders or beef and make shish kabob with them. All you need are skewers that you can buy at the dollar store, and you favorite vegetables.

I like to put chunks of green and red peppers, mushroom caps, and onion quarters on my shish kabobs. I will start with what is usually one or two chicken breasts that are left from the large packages that you can buy, (I only get them when they are sale, it is much less expensive) and I cut them into pieces that are about one inch big. I cook the vegetables in the microwave for a few minutes before putting them on the skewers, this gets them softer than they will get on the grill. Then I put one mushroom cap on the end of the skewer, next I put a piece of chicken, (or beef) and layer the veges, than repeat, at the end of the skewer I put another mushroom cap and they look and taste great. Best of all this is a really inexpensive meal, that has everything you need on one skewer and you do not have to heat up your house when you cook on the grill.

This is only one way to get make a good cheap summer meal on the BBQ, there are many others, hopefully some of you would like to share yours and see them posted here, just drop me an email, or leave a comment

This is only one way to enjoy the weather while it is still nice, do some other outdoor activities with your family, friends, pets, or by yourself. There are plenty of summer things to do, that don’t cost money, it just seems like most people have forgotten them. People used to go for walks to enjoy the cooler summer nights, or kids would catch fireflies in jars and then release them. Even baseball games with people who live on the same street seem to have been forgotten, and you hardly ever see people gathering on someone’s porch to talk any more.

These days it seems that if it doesn’t cost money or isn’t electronic it just isn’t fun, and I think that makes it very hard for those of us who are trying to save money on the cost of living.

When you think about it, if you get yourself or your whole family out of the house on summer nights, you are saving electricity by not having one or more TVs on, along with all the lights or video game. When you can do this a few nights a week there will be more than one benefit. You will be saving on your electric bill, but you will also be gaining quality time outdoors.

TIP: For those of you who do not go outside because of those annoying little bugs, someone told me  yesterday that Listerine works great for keeping mosquito’s away. Either put some on a cotton ball and rub it over your skin, it will not harm you, or keep it on a cotton pad and place it on your chair. You can even put some in a small spray bottle and spray it on yourself or your clothing. I have not tried Listerine yet, but I wanted to pass it along because I am always getting bitten and I know that these pests can ruin a nice night, plus bug spray can be awful if you get it on your hands or in your mouth.

These are a few of the great summer savings that are still happening now and you can enjoy outdoors. Remember summer is not over yet.

As for the “end of summer” savings on things you can buy, they are all over the place. This is a great time of year to go clothes shopping if you are not a person that needs to have the newest styles when they come out. Most department stores will have clearance racks with clothes that they did not sell last year for 60% to 80% off the regular price.

I will be writing more on exactly where the best savings are and how you can get them, even by using the dreaded credit card.

The sharing of ideas is a wonderful way to get other, little known ways of saving money, and surviving the cost of living spread to others. So please share yours here.

My posting stopped when I found out that my husband might have had Malignant Sarcoma, everything else but concentrating on his health and how we were going to survive now that the only real income we had was gone stopped when his diagnosis was confirmed. Now that his schedule for treatment has begun before they can perform surgery, life is not as hectic and I will be finding even more ways, and bigger ways, to survive the rising cost of living.

Any links I find that I think may be of help to someone, will be posted here. All of these links may not apply to everyone but some may save others hours of searching for help on the internet. Believe me, I have already spent hours looking for help and some links are buried deep within other websites, it seems no one wants to put them upfront, but I will when I can and I know the website is real.

Free Ways to Stay Cool and Survive the Heat

Free Ways to Stay Cool and Survive the Heat

Yes, there are free ways to stay cool, survive the heat, and save money while doing it. With the cost of everything on the rise, everyone, including my family, is looking for ways to beat the heat without spending outside of the budget they have set aside for their gas and/or electricity.  

Most people cannot afford to buy a new air conditioner, or put the one they have on a cooler temperature setting because of the cost of electricity, and some people do not have air conditioners, so most have to find other ways of staying cool. Over the years I have picked up a few different ways to keep cool on those hot summer days and nights. Not all suggestions will work for everyone but I hope some of you can pick out one or two of these free ways to stay cool that will help you.

Free Ways to Stay Cool on Hot Nights

For those hot nights when you find it hard to get to sleep try these great tips. Put your pillow in a plastic bag, (even a garbage bag will do) and place it the freezer about one hour before you are going to sleep. Take it out right before you go to sleep and see the difference for yourself.

It feels great placing your head on something that is nice and cool, and when you keep your head cool, your whole body will feel better. Since the pillow was in a plastic bag, you will not have to worry about any moisture being inside the pillow. You will have a nice, soft, fluffy, cool place to rest your head.

Another good idea is to take your sheets and blanket off the bed and let them air out, as long as they are not sitting on the bed they will cool off slightly. You can even try putting these in a bag and placing them the refrigerator for an hour before bed.

Keep Your House or Apartment Cooler for Free

There are certain things that we all use every day that add heat to our homes and just by changing a few of these you could help keep your home or apartment cooler.

Of course using the oven on a hot day will heat up your home so try finding meals that can be made in the microwave or on top of the stove. You can partially cook some items in the microwave and finish them in the oven. This will cut down on the amount of time you have the oven heat on.



Sandwiches are also great in the summer. Not many people want to eat a hot meal on a hot day, and sandwiches allow you to please everyone with the many varieties you can make.

My family eats a salad and sandwiches at least twice a week when it is hot. Everybody is happy getting their sandwich and salad made the way they like to have. I just keep different dressing on hand and if someone only wants lettuce that is fine, (it is still healthy).

Free Way to Stay Cool During the Day

Always keep a cool wet cloth on your neck, it really does cool your body down.

Wear lite-weight clothing

Wear light colors as opposed to dark (dark absorbs the heat)

Keep your curtains closed

Turn off all of the lights that you can

These are only a few of the free ways to stay cool and survive the heat, I will be posting more for those who live in an apartment and tips for those who own their own home, or have access to a hose and a back or front yard.

Save Money on Good Health with a Simple Nopalea Drink

Save Money - Reduce Inflammation

It is extremely hard these days to save money on health care, one thing I did to change my pain medicine needs was to start drinking Nopalea. I only talk about products that help to save money, and when I needed it most this healthy drink saved me when I could not take my much needed medicine for my painful joints and muscles.

My family lost our health care coverage when my husband lost his job because the company he worked for outsourced his position to another country. We found ourselves in the same place so many others are in right now with no health care because unemployment doesn’t pay enough to cover the cost, and we both take medicine on a regular basis. One of the medicines I took helped to reduce the inflammation in my body, (I have a hard time moving without it) but I can’t afford to pay for it. (sound familiar)  I started looking for natural products that say they do the same thing my medicine did and I came across a site for a FREE Nopalea wellness drink challenge.

I read about how the anti-inflammatory wellness drink Nopalea is made from the fruit of the Nopal cactus and it was used for centuries by native people in the Southwest for its’ healing properties. I needed to save money on my health so I did research and found that scientists have  proven that the Nopalea drink works due to rare antioxidants and something called “bioflavonoids”. These both help your body reduce inflammation and cleanse daily toxins.

When I saw on the Nopalea website that I could try a free 32 ounce bottle of Nopalea, (with only a $9.95 shipping charge) I went for it, I really needed to save money on my health. That was over 7 months ago and I my body is still reducing painful joints.

I wrote about this product before and thought about it again when I received my package in the mail. This is a delicious drink, it is a great way to help your body reduce its inflammation naturally, and it is much cheaper than the medicine my doctor prescribed for me. ($465.00 a bottle for my medicine vs $40.00 a bottle for Nopalea)

If you or someone you know suffers from inflammation and its related health problems, you can call this number 1-800-203-7063, and get your first bottle of Nopalea for only the shipping price, and be on your way to saving money on good health too.

Leave a comment and let me know if it helped you.

Summer on a Budget

Save Money on Summer Fun for any Budget

Saving money over the summer is hard to do when you have a family and everyone wants to do something to enjoy the great weather, but with a little creativity everyone can have summer fun on any budget.

Summer Travel on a Budget

For those of you who are used to traveling with your family for a summer vacation but really need to cutback this year, try going to a closer destination and a less expensive hotel. If you are anything like most families who travel for summer you may have been overlooking great places that are close to your home. Check online for vacation information in your own area and you might be shocked at everything you find that is only miles away.

When getting away for fun at the beach is what your family loves to do during the hot summer months, try getting a hotel room that is farther away from the beach. These hotels are much less expensive than ones that are on the beach, you will only have a short walk to the ocean, but you will save at least $50.00 to $100.00 per night.

Meals are a huge expense when you are on vacation. When you eat your meals near the beach, in an amusement park, or directly in the area where you are staying you will most likely pay 2 to 3 times as much for the same food you could find a few blocks away from the crowds. Your family can easily save $25.00 to $50 per meal. When you add that up it can save you hundreds of dollars.You can even pack your own snacks to cut down on added expenses that your kids might want during the day, just stop by a local supermarket and pick up some small items.

You could still have a great vacation with less money. Go over your expenses from your last vacation and see what you spent the most money on, the majority of the spending can be cut in half when you have a few simple ideas, and these tips are a great starting point.

If staying at a hotel is not in your budget, try camping. This is a great way to spend quality time with your family and friends, and the cost of a summer camping trip is not very expensive. If staying in a tent is out of the question for you there are many camping resorts that have cabins for rent. The cabins are still much cheaper than renting a hotel room and you can rent ones that have one or more rooms. At camping resorts, you will find plenty of things to do right in the campground. Most camping resorts have pools, baseball fields, game rooms, lakes, hiking trails and other activities. You will not have to leave the campground to have fun and it is all included in your rental of a cabin, or a campsite for a tent or camper.

Day Trips for Summertime Fun on a Budget

When traveling for a summer vacation does not fit into your budget, day trips could be the answer. There are many theme parks where you pay one price for an entire day and night of rides and amusements. Many of the amusement parks now include water parks in the price of your ticket, you can spend the heat of the day at a wave pool or drifting down a lazy river in a tube, and at night you can try all the rides.

NOTE:

These parks are most crowded on the weekends and you could spend much of your time waiting in line.

Some parks have areas set aside for those who want to pack their own food and enjoy a picnic (much cheaper).

Discount coupons most parks are available if you look. You can find many online, at store counters and some are even are soda cans. If you can, order your tickets through the parks’ website, they also give you a discount.

Other good day trips include, museums, zoos, aquariums, the beach, and historical sites.

Free Day Trips

If theme parks or other “pay” day trips are not in your budget, try going on free day trips for summer fun on a budget.

No matter where you go and what you do for any trip remember, food is most expensive when you buy it at your destination. When you go on any summer trip you could save at least $50.00 (depending on the size of your family) when you pack your own sandwiches and drinks in a cooler. Pack the foods that you would have eaten if you stayed home and there is no added expense except the cooler.

Styrofoam coolers are perfect for any day trip, they are inexpensive, and can last the entire summer when you treat them with care.

Where to go is the question. Day trips can be free when you go to a public beach, park or even a community pool. There are so many free things to see and do in the world but not everyone takes advantage of them.

In the State Parks in this area of the world there are beautiful lakes for swimming and fishing, you can even bring blow up rafts or tubes to float around the water in, or you can go rafting, boating, or canoeing down gorgeous rivers. These free parks even have picnic tables and toilet facilities.

We even have a theme park close by where you can enter, walk around and watch live performers for free, you only pay for the rides you want to go on. There are a great deal of these parks around the country but everyone thinks it will be too expensive when they have to pay for every ride they go on, but that is not true. When you go to an amusement park where you pay one price and ride as much as you want you might find yourself waiting in line much of the time, which does not leave much time to actually ride anything, but when you pay as you go, you know that you will only pay for what you get to ride. If you enjoy the shows and walking around you do not need to spend any money and you can still have a great time on a free summer day trip.

I have searched for other places around the country and every state I checked had free things to do and see. There are probably places like this all around the world. (If anyone knows of any of free places to go please leave a comment and share your ideas)

Summer Fun at Home on a Budget

Many families will be staying around the house for the summer, to some this may sound boring, but there are plenty of summer fun things to do at home too. People tend to forget the simple pleasures of life, sitting on porch at night eating ice pops, throwing water balloons, soaking each other with water guns or the hose, catching fireflies. All of these things are fun for the kids to do, they do not need to go away and spend money to have a good time, in fact most of kids best memories are made right at home.

When I was growing up, my friends and I would play games like Manhunt, Red Light, and Tag. Our parents would cook hot dogs and hamburgers outside on the grill while we splashed around in a kitty pool to stay cool. At night, we would wait for the ice cream truck, maybe play “truth or dare” or “hide and seek” and just sit around and be kids. Our parents would sit outside and talk with the neighbors and we all had a good time. I remember those days to be some of the best times of my childhood and you can make those same summer fun memories for your children without putting a dent in your budget.

All you need to do to ensure great summer fun at home is to have a few things around the house that will not cost very much, change some of what you eat, and where you eat it.

Most things you might want for summer fun are at the Dollar Store, (if you are a follower of mine you know I love the Dollar Store) these are things that can fit within most every budget and are great fun at home. A few ideas are; water balloons, ice pops, plastic forks and knives, hot dog and hamburger rolls, water guns, a jump rope, chalk, and butterfly nets. Your kids will have hours of fun throwing water balloons, squirting each other with the water guns, drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk, chasing butterflies and stopping to eat ice pops. You can even get flashlights for games of hide and seek at night.

Try to cook outside on a grill and remember that more than hamburgers and hot dogs are delicious when cooked over charcoal. Chicken, pork and fish are also good when grilled. Eating outside with your family is another great summer idea, and paper plates with plastic forks and knives mean easy clean up.

Have a movie night and let your kids camp out in the backyard. You don’t need a tent, ask your kids and they will come up with great ideas for making their own.

Use these tips and add more of your own to make summer fun for your family even when you are on a tight budget.

Have a Great and Safe Summer