Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

How to Save Money by Going Green

| Leave a Comment

going greenDo you want to save money in an environmentally conscious way?

Going green can sometimes seem expensive. Especially when you compare the shelf prices of green products verses regular products. But, by trying to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle you can help make the world a better place for future generations to come.

If you’re trying to go green without breaking the bank here are three ways you can do just that.

 

Make Your Own Cleaners

Going green is becoming increasingly popular and because of this many green items have a hefty mark up. One of these items is household cleaners.

Instead of purchasing cleaners from a big box store you can make your own for much less money. Here are some natural alternatives to chemical cleaners:

  • Baking Soda: cleans and deodorizes.
  • Lemons: kills household bacteria.
  • Isopropyl Alcohol: can be used as a disinfectant.
  • White Vinegar: will remove grease, mildew, and some odors.
  • Cornstarch: can be used as a window cleaner or as furniture polish.

There are also all types of combinations you can create to replace your favorite name brand cleaners. You can easily find a natural recipe for the cleaner you need online.

In addition to household cleaners you can make your own toothpaste, soap, and laundry detergent.

 

Don’t Throw Away – Recycle

The next time you think about throwing something out check and see if it can be recycled. By recycling you can help out the planet and even put some cash back in your pocket.

You can recycle things such as aluminum cans, copper, steel, plastics, and paper. You should also think about recycling appliances and electronics. You can reduce your carbon footprint by practicing computer recycling, cell phone recycling, and the recycling of your other electronics.  You just need to find a recycler like Vernon Technology Solutions to help.

Don’t forget about up cycling, either. A lot of times you can breathe new life into an old item. Things like small furniture, fabric, and old flower pots can be refurbished or turned into something new. If you don’t want to up cycle an item consider selling it or donating. This way your unwanted items won’t wind up in a land fill somewhere.

 

Rent Instead of Buy

Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to rent instead of buy- this is especially true with electronics.

If you occasionally need a tablet you can rent ipads instead of buying them. The same goes for renting computers. When you’re in a bind you can rent a computer for a specified time rather than shelling out hundreds of dollars for a new one.

 

Other Ways to Be Green and Save

Reducing the amount of harmful impact you do to the environment isn’t limited to just these three things. There are others things you can do to help out the planet and your pockets.

Here are a few:

  • Shop for clothing at thrift stores
  • Take shorter showers
  • Unplug appliances and electronics not in use
  • Don’t waste food
  • Drive your car less

There are many green things you can incorporate into your everyday life. The little things you do can have huge impact.

How do you save money by going green?

Saving Money While Traveling With Children

| 1 Comment

Family VacationI previously wrote about how my family was getting ready to partake in a family vacation together. The event was a family reunion and our first vacation with our daughter. Even though she’s still quite young, I can already see how  the expenses are adding up with factoring more that just a plus one in your travel plans. Kids eat, sleep and partake in events just as adults do and costs add up!

 

Getting Ready to Travel

A key to saving with traveling is to prepare appropriately.  I like to prep for travel by trying to earn as many points as possible for my travels.  For example, with the TD Aeroplan Card, I can earn points faster, and they also have a 2-for-1 travel special.  Since my daughter is still young, she can fly on my lap.  And with this card, my husband and I can travel for the price of one ticket.  Then, you add in points, and we’re well ahead on our path to save money traveling.

 

Saving Money on Travel with Children

I don’t need to tell anyone that airfare is expensive. While bartering or negotiating posted airfare prices isn’t an option there are other ways to save on travel costs.

Most airlines don’t charge for children under two years of age so travel away with your babies! Younger children will often get discounted tickets as well. Another option for saving on additional ticket costs is to look into any rewards you may have through credit cards or point redemption programs. Even if you don’t have enough rewards for your whole family, having enough to help offset some travel costs will be beneficial on your travel budget.

While flying would have been a fast and convenient option for our family, we chose to drive. The cost of driving the 2800 km (1750 mi) round trip was significantly cheaper than paying for the airfare for our family and, in my opinion, much more fun. We made the road trip fun and apart of the vacation fun.

 

Saving Money on Events

The easiest way to save money on events is to attend events where kids are free or discounted. We didn’t attend a single event that we had to pay for our child. Even though she’s young (14 months), most places were free under six anyway. Only the professional sporting event would we of had to pay if she didn’t sit on our lap, an event well worth the money should we needed to pay.

Prioritize the events the family wants to do and come up with a budget that suites everyone’s wants.

 

Saving Money on Food

We saved money on food a few ways. One, we stayed in a hotel that had breakfast included. The hotel had a hot breakfast selection every morning which was great because it kept us well satisfied until late in the day. We often skipped lunch, opting for a snack instead and having a normal dinner. We also had the option of requesting a mini fridge and/or microwave in our room which made things quite easy. We were able to buy some foods at the grocery store and store in our room for the week. This was especially good for having a little one with us and being able to keep her favorite snacks and fruits on hand.

Like the event option, choose restaurants where kids eat free, or cheap. We went to one restaurant where kids ate for $0.10 per pound of body weight. I don’t know if they actually enforced the weigh-in and fee or if they had a generic kids price, but there was a discount for kids.

Travelling with children will be more expensive but with a little more planning you should be able to make it work. Vacations should be about making memories not stressing about money!

How do you make your family vacations more family/budget friendly?

Saving Money By Throwing Themed Parties, Showers and Events

| 2 Comments

Camping Wedding ShowerFirst comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby…

At least in my case this is how it went. I started dating my husband when we were just kids in high school. We got engaged and started planning our wedding seven years after we started dating. Since we had already lived together in a small one bedroom apartment, there wasn’t much that we needed in terms of wedding gifts nor did we have much room to store anything for our future home.

If you’re a parent planning a party, shower or event for you kids, or are helping a parent plan an event like this, you need to read this post!

 

Planning a Shower

I didn’t think having a wedding shower was necessary, but being the first wedding on both sides of the family in many years we attending a lot of events because other people insisted. I made it quite clear that I did not need  a shower. It was unnecessary and in my mind, a whole lot of wasted money on, what I pictured to be, kitchen gadgets and pre-baby ”nesting”  supplies. I thought everyone was on board with saving money and not throwing me, or us, a shower.

One summer evening after the summer of our wedding we decided to meet up with the rest of the family for a weekend of camping. Hubby-to-be picked me up after work and we drove the hour to the campground where the rest of the family had been since the day before. We went right to our site to set camp up before dark and proceeded to head on over to the main site where everyone was getting ready to have dinner.

 

Decorating a Fun Event

When we arrived we realized that t he site had been decorated with balloons and signs saying ”Happy Camping Shower”. Our family was throwing us a camping shower instead of a wedding shower! They got the message loud and clear that we didn’t need anything for our home, so instead had a camping shower where under the open sky of the camp site, we opened gifts, all related to camping, our favorite past time. It was amazing.

Having a themed shower, especially if you’re planning an event for your child’s wedding, can be a great way to save money.

A themed shower limits what people buy. In our case, camping stuff, but if you wanted to have a ”kitchen shower” people would likely understand that buying a large picture frame for wedding pictures is not an appropriate gift. Having a themed event is also a great way to make sure you get what you want. Though we didn’t ask for this event, I’m so glad my mother-in-law thought of it.

 

Other Ideas

When my sister-in-law moved out, instead of having a housewarming party we threw her a ”fill their pantry” party where, instead of plants and homey stuff, people brought non perishables for their pantry. Everything from spices to baking supplies. They really did fill their pantry!

Parties, showers and events alike can get quite expensive but with a little planning and creativity, it is possible to save money. Coming up with a theme is just one of many ways!

Raising a Saver

| 3 Comments

raising a saverGrowing up, I didn’t have much in terms of financial role models. My mom used to say blanket statements like ”debt is bad” and ”always pay your credit card balance in full” but she never explained details about money.  Details about how to manage my money, how to allocate savings or even encouraging me to save. I think she was just relieved that when I got a job she was no longer on the hook to ‘support’ me and my social habits.

 

My History

I grew up always spending any money earned. I managed to save a few bucks for my wedding but that was the extent of my savings. Even though I started working when I was 15, it wasn’t until I was in my mid 20’s that I began to understand the logic behind emergency funds and planning for a ”rainy day”. Though I had a savings account my entire life, it remained empty 99% of the time.

Educating your children early on how and why one saves money is so important. When I think about how much money  let pass through my fingers over the last 15 years a small piece of my soul dies.

 

Start Young

If you want to raise a child who understands and respects money, it is so, so, important that you start young. Giving an allowance before they start earning their own money is an easy way for children to learn the ins and outs of money management.

The allowance money should come from your budgeted monthly amount for your children. If, for example you have allocated $50 per month for ”kids” which can include anything from haircuts to lunch money, give your child a percentage of that money for them to manage. This will be done within you guidance but have them learn about money; spending, saving and budgeting. Have them help you shop and budget for their things. This way they will understand that they only have $25 to buy pants, therefore rather than whining in the store about the why they can’t have the $50 jeans they will need to shop around.

A percentage of their allowance needs to go into savings. Teach them early about the importance of saving for things. If they really want those $50 jeans, they’re going to have to save up for them. Not everything can be purchased immediately and will require financial planning and preparation. This is applied to everything from the purple My Little Pony they want to the university education they aspire to obtain.

 

Saving as Your Child Grows Older

As kids get older, give them opportunity to make more money. Money that can be made beyond upholding normal household expectations (ie don’t pay them for making their bed). If they’re saving for something or would like to have extra money for something have them work for it. This will depend on the age but something like cleaning dads car for $20, helping clean the yard in preparation for winter for $30 sort of thing. The point is that kids need to understand early that money comes from hard work, and building savings, not from mom and dad’s wallet. If children grow up assuming money will just appear when they need it, they will fail.

When kids get they first real paying job it is important that a percentage of their pay goes directly into savings. This will be decided upon between kids and parents but agree on a spending and savings amount and enforce it. Saving early will establish long-term good habits.

Did you start saving young? How are you encouraging your kids to save?

Saving Money With Back to School Shopping

| 4 Comments

back to schoolI can’t believe we’re already nearing the end of the summer. This past week the flyers were delivered and jam-packed full with back to school shopping deals. I feel like we were just talking about Easter! Time goes too fast.

When it comes to grade school, back to school is a time of year when pressure is put on parents. Kids need to go to school and they will require some new items for their pending academic year but it doesn’t have to be as expensive as your children will have you believe. Kids have a funny way of making it seem like they couldn’t possibly succeed without ‘x’ item and guess what? As parents, we will occasionally get duped by our kids. We will inevitably purchase an item we didn’t have to, sometimes because we’re suckers and believe them and sometimes because we just love them. Back to school shopping can be very expensive but there are a few ways to save!

 

Budget

This isn’t exactly about saving money per se, but if you know your child will be needing new supplies every year, budget for it! Determine how much money will be spent on each child and budget the amount equally over the year so you’re not faced with a huge bill come school shopping time. This should include any supplies, clothes and gadgets they will need. Once you’ve set a budget shopping will be a lot less stressful, especially if you’re able to set ground rules with kids in advance.

 

Wait for Sales

The normal price for a pack of looseleaf paper at my local Walmart is $1.79/pack, this week it is on sale for $0.15. Needless to say if I was shopping for my child I would be buying enough paper to last the next 10 years at that price.

In many places, there are also tax free days for back to school shopping, which can at least give you a little break on the taxes you pay on your school supplies.

 

Reuse

When I was in elementary school I needed a new backpack every year. I’d find a flaw in my current one just so mom could buy me a snazzy new one. Eventually she caught on and bought me a good quality backpack with the stipulation that I took care of it and it was to be the last one she ever bought me. Fair enough. That bag ended up lasting me all the way through university, money well spent.

Same thing goes with things like sneakers ad clothes, unless your child is growing a legitimately doesn’t fit in their current size, or their shoes are really falling apart they don’t need a new pair just because it’s the start of a new year. Though I respect wanting a new outfit or two for the new year it doesn’t have to be a full wardrobe overhaul.

 

Share What Can Be Shared

If you have more than one child to shop for, and there are items that can be shared, capitalize on this. Each child does not need their own computer. Trust me, I know they will have a very elaborate explanation as to why they do, but unless you have a household of five plus children all in school, one computer for the children will suffice.

Back to school is a stressful time for families with the drastic change in routines, shopping for supplies shouldn’t be!

How do you save on back to school shopping for your kids?

Saving Money When You Have Kids

| 2 Comments

It’s no secret that kids can be quite the expensive investment, especially when you’re on your second or third pup.  That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save money when you’ve got kids however. In fact, there are quite a few things you can do to keep the costs down as much as possible even with a few extra people in your home.

 

Bills and Utilities

More people in your home means more electricity being used up every month.  It’s important to assess Texas Electricity Providers (or whatever local energy providers you’ve got) and compare the prices per kilowatt to see if you can save quite a bit of money each month on your utility bills.  When you have kids it’s difficult to keep tabs on your energy consumption all the time so having a lower electricity rate will help keep costs down.

 

Food and Clothes

When you’ve got kids you should start looking into buying things in bulk.  Buying items that you use constantly in bulk is going to be the best and most cost effective way of purchasing things.  When you buy in wholesale you’ll get quite a discount on the items and it isn’t like you aren’t going to end up using them, so it’s probably your best bet for things that aren’t perishable.

As you start to spend more money when you’ve got kids, you’ll need to find ways to cut down your other expenses as much as possible.  This means you’re going to have to start using coupons and looking for things that are on sale.  While it might be a little difficult to get into these types of behaviors initially, you’ll find that it does tend to get easier as time goes on and once you get into the routine, you’ll start looking for sales and coupons without even thinking about it.

 

Furnitures and Other Goods

full shopping cartLook on Craigslist or eBay, or start searching for yard sales to grab stuff for a lot cheaper than you would buy them otherwise.  These are great resources when it comes to finding furniture or children’s toys and more often than not, you can find things that are in quite good condition.  Some of these might even be free and you can end up cutting down a few hundred dollars that you would have spent had you not gone the cheaper route.

 

Fun Stuff

Not all vacations or activities need to have a hefty price tag on them in order for them to be fun.  You’ll find that a lot of kids can have an enjoyable time in almost every situation as long as you find ways to keep their attention, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money for a weekend trip.

Something as simple as a day outside can mean a lot to your kids and as long as you’re spending legitimate time with them, they probably won’t mind that you haven’t gone to the latest amusement park.  Try doing more home-based activities or going to attractions when they’re offered for free and you’ll end up saving a ton of cash.

Kids aren’t cheap, but that doesn’t mean they have to be necessarily expensive.  There are different ways you can save money while keeping your kids happy as long as you’re conscious about what you’re doing and spend a little effort.  Coupons and free items are going to end up saving you a ton of money and having fun at home is priceless.

The Piggy Bank Saga

| Leave a Comment

Ok, so I know I have been blogging about embarking on the wonderful journey of explaining money and budgeting to my kids. Well, turns out, it isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. It Is so hard to teach kids about budgeting when they have a very, very simplistic view of money.

Before you roll your eyes and say ‘I told you so!’, let me just say that I haven’t given up on this project.  In fact, I enlisted the help of my mommy friends (who also happen to be Psychology majors) to give me some tips and ideas about how to do this without breaking my brain.  Here is what I have come up with:  THE PIGGY BANK SAGA.

Ok, I know. You are probably saying ‘but the piggy bank is old news’.  Well, there is a lot of value in things that have lasted decades, and this little object is one such thing.

Some background to the idea behind the pig

Turns out, the piggy bank has been in existence for apparently 4000 years and way before money saving websites like LoveMoney.com! Way back when, when every object was made of clay, jars were created to store money. These were called “pygg jars”, ‘pygg’ here referring to the kind of clay used to make the jar.  By the 18th century, this object began to take the shape of its animal namesake and was made from plastic, plaster, or glass.   Another explanation states that, based on German folklore, a pig is a symbol of good fortune, therefore a vessel for money in the shape of a pig means more wealth or coming wealth.  Whichever history you believe, today the piggy bank is defined by Wikipedia as:

Piggy bank (sometimes penny bank or money box) is the traditional name of a coin accumulation and storage receptacle; it is most often, but not exclusively, used by children.

Here is a picture of a piggy bank (c’mon, humor me here).

traditional piggy bank

Ok, so here is the idea. Take the generic piggy bank and have one for saving, spending, and donating.  First of course, you need to define the terms. I use the most simplistic explanations so I would say something like saving is when we keep the money so that we will have enough to buy ‘x’ item.  Thankfully my son and daughter know the word ‘buy’ so I don’t need to explain that term anymore. Donating would be giving and spending is using the money to buy ‘x,y,z’ items. Or something along those lines, you get my drift.

What a Piggy Bank Teaches Your Kids

I am thinking, and my mommy-psych major friends agree with me, that this will teach the kids the following things without the trauma of deprivation.

  • One, it will give them the idea that there are different actions connected to money.
  • The general idea behind saving, spending, and donating.
  • The value of patience.
  • The value of waiting for something.
  • The value of effort for something desired.

Different Kinds of Piggy Banks

Doesn’t it sound like a marvelous idea?  It is so great when you can teach so many lessons with one simple thing.  It is really easy to start on this project. The materials you will be needing are very inexpensive.  All you need are three piggy banks, or one that has segregations.  If you want to use separate piggy banks, getting the ones with see-through body is best as it give a visual picture of the theory/lesson/activity.  See the pictures below:

piggy bank countersee-through piggy bank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About money and budgeting, you don’t really HAVE TO stick to the traditional piggy bank (although there are a lot of really cute ones for boys and girls these days).  You can opt for other money carrying objects:

It does not really matter what you use, as long as you get the point of the exercise across.

Now, you also don’t have to go out and buy any kind of money saving vessel.  You can use any old jar, tin, or container.  A lot of my friends save the pretty seasonal tins for tea and use those for odds and ends.  That would be perfect for this project.  Similarly, you can use any mayo jar or cheese spread jar, create a slot for the coins and bills, and you have your pot! A suggestion to get the kids excited is to have them decorate their piggy banks. I know the idea of arts and crafts really gets my kinds excited and quite dedicated.

So, I hope you see some merit in this simple money-saving lesson plan.

 Do your kids have a piggy bank? What do you think of using multiple banks for different purposes?

4 Solutions to Help You Save on Heating Costs this Winter

| Leave a Comment

Use a programmable thermostat to lower heating costs

(via capl@washjeff.edu)

I don’t want to brag or anything but I’ve got to tell you that our electric bill has been very low for the past four months or so. It had nothing to do with me though. Here in the Pacific NW we had a fairly cool summer, which for some people was a huge bummer — but not for me. I don’t like being too warm anyway and even if I did, I sure couldn’t balk at the fact that we only had to use our air conditioning for one or two weeks total!

We have also had a nice fall. Not too cool and not too terribly rainy, so I actually didn’t even turn our heater on for the first time until a few weeks ago!  Again, our electric bills have been outstanding and instead of dreading the bill, I’m actually excited to see how low it is (I know that sounds a little weird but it’s true).

Ah, but those glorious days are quickly coming to an end as we enter the colder months. I am so sad to say goodbye to low electricity bills but do I really have to? Maybe not.  I have been thinking about ways to cut our heating costs so if nothing else, they don’t get as high as they did last year!

I don’t know about you but on our bill, the power company provides a side by side comparison of the current month and how much energy we used in the same month the year before. My goal this year is to try to improve on last year’s electrical costs. It always seems like we do worse and worse each winter but no more! Having a goal (and making a game out of it) is very motivating for me. So yes — once again, I accept my own challenge!

4 Solutions to Help You Save on Heating Costs

Now – in no particular order – here are some simple ideas to cut your heating costs:

1. Set your thermostat to a reasonable temperature

Listen, I am pretty much always cold but we keep our thermostat at a cool 68 degrees. If I’m too chilly I put on a sweater or something. It’s amazing just how much money you can save by knocking the temp down a few notches.

2. Have a thermostat with a timer

Before we had the boys we programmed our thermostat to drop the temp while we were sleeping. I’ve always been worried about the boys kicking off their blankets and being too cold so we just keep our thermostat the same temp all the time. Now there are two schools of thought on this issue: 1.) If you constantly have your temperature drop and go back up, your heater is working harder to and using more energy to get the temperature up to what it is during “normal” times. So keeping the temp the same at all times is best. 2.) Reducing the temp during times when you are sleeping or away from home saves a good amount of money because there is no reason for the house to be a perfect  temperature when you aren’t awake or even at home. I don’t know which is right and if you do please offer your opinions or information in the comment box below 🙂

3. Make sure you have enough insulation

This can be in your attic, crawl spaces, walls and around hot water heater and pipes. If your hot water heater is inside your house it isn’t an issue but if your water heater is in the garage it is. Wrap insulation around your water heater and around the pipes so the water heater doesn’t have to work harder to keep the hot water hot. Another thing we learned when we had to replace our water heater is that you can get a foam disk that sits between the cold cement garage floor and your water heater which helps quite a bit as well.

4. Windows & Doors

For many people windows and doors are the main culprits of energy wasters. If you don’t have the money to replace windows and doors with energy efficient ones don’t worry, there are still some things you can to to help keep your heat in. Using thermal insulated curtains or liners on your windows can help cut heating costs. I also found a helpful how-to video from Home Depot about how to seal your windows and doors to prevent the cold air from leaking in. Purchasing a door and window draft blocker can be helpful in keeping your home warm and your heating costs low.

What are some ways you winterize your home to keep heating costs down?

Spring is Here, Time for Yard Work

| 1 Comment

Child helping with yard workNow that we here in the East have survived a week of nothing but cold and rain the sun is finally out! It was warm at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and everybody was outside. The amazing thing was how much everything had grown during the week of rain! The grass had been cut right before the rain started and it was over the boy’s ankles already. Of course this then makes me nervous because of the ticks. There is always something to be concerned about.

With the grass and mud I have learned that even a 13 yr. old and a 10 yr. old are in their glory. But, it was also time to pull out the yard tools and get to work. There is always some pulling of teeth (so to speak) to get the boys to want to help. The preteen years are a bit of a juggling act. Ask them if they want to help and they would rather climb a mountain. Tell them they HAVE to help and then you get the “eye-rolling silent breathing gasp treatment”. Finding a happy medium takes not only a concentrated effort on the parents’ part but also amazing is the fact that these almost full-blown teens have the answers to EVERYTHING. And finally, the family is working as a team…sigh.

Teaching children to work for what they want

After getting the work done we all sit outside and relax. My 13 yr. old wants a dirt bike. My 10 yr. old wants anything with a motor. Again we have the “talk” about how if you want something you will have to work to earn it. They both answer at the same time that they know. If they KNOW then why do we need to have this discussion at least once a week?

So we are back to discussing how fast everything grows in the rain and the newest toys they now want/need. They are going to work for what they want and have asked for extra chores. This is going to last until the middle of the week when they have to be reminded if they want those things they need to do the chores.

Two things come to mind when I think about the day. My kids are growing and changing as much as nature has shown us today. As with the flowers and grass my kids need to be fed and guided and yes pruned back every once in a awhile.

Teaching my kids they have to work and earn what they want is very important. I want them to learn how it feels to have earned something rather than just have it handed to them.  They will learn that if they really want something it is worth working hard for and in the end it will show them that they can do pretty much anything they want if they put their minds to it.

Do you give your children chores? Do they earn the money for the extra things that they want?

Spend Less on Your Memorial Day BBQ

| Leave a Comment

Family BBQ

Curtesy of Pixabay

Before I begin talking about barbecuing – I feel it is important to note – that Memorial Day– which was once known as Decoration Day – is a time to honor all those brave men and women who have lost their lives serving our great country. The first Memorial Day was observed on May 30th 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers — at Arlington National Cemetery.

For many people, Memorial Day is also when they spend some good quality time — with friends and family. The holiday is viewed as the official kick-off of grilling season. Since Memorial Day provides a good number of us with a long weekend, this seems like the perfect time to get friends and family together — to eat, play and enjoy each other’s company. Like many Americans — you may be thinking of planning a Memorial Day BBQ. However, sometimes budget restrictions can make you feel like you can’t have people over — because you simply can not afford it.

Fear not! I have some great ideas (if I do say so myself) on how you can plan a fun and festive Memorial Day BBQ — and spend less.

Tip #1: Save on Invites

It’s always nice to send invites but you don’t have to go to all the trouble – and expense – of buying invitations and mailing them out. In today’s world, there are so many ways – of letting people know – about the get-togethers we are planning! Evite is one of my favorites! They have great invitations, for just about any occasion. Using Evite is not only frugal — but eco-friendly as well. You probably wouldn’t send wedding invites out this way, but for birthday parties – and other informal get-togethers – it is just perfect! 🙂

If most of your friends are on Facebook— there is a great event application there as well. With Evite and Facebook events — it also makes it super simple for your guests to RSVP and for you to send out reminders. This will help to ensure that you get an accurate head count, so you can plan accordingly.

  • In the invite, remind people to wear their sunscreen and to bring their bug repellent. These are two very important things to have for any BBQ!

Tip #2: Save on Food

Hosting a BBQ potluck is another great way to save money on your Memorial Day celebration. If your friends and family are anything like mine, they are very thoughtful and always ask – or insist – on bringing something to the party. This is not only a kind gesture and money saver — it also helps take some of the stress of planning, off of your shoulders. The less food you have to prepare — the more time you’ll have to spend on other things, so you can enjoy the BBQ along with everyone else.

Keep it simple. Your guests don’t expect you to do anything elaborate. Grilling up burgers, hot dogs, and sausages — are just perfect for an event like this. If you can find a good deal on ribs, fish or other cuts of meat go for it — but you certainly don’t have to.

Tip #3: Save on Decorations

Do decorations from parties past — linger in your garage, attic, or some other storage place? Awesome! Get them out, dust them off and put them to good use. There is no law – that I am aware of anyway – which states that you can not re-use decorations. While it might not be appropriate to use your child’s 1st birthday banner, there are other decorations that might work beautifully — even last year’s 4th of July decor will work quite nicely.

If you don’t have any old decorations to use, head you your local dollar store as see what they have on hand. If you don’t want to do that, you can just buy a fun table cloth and put some fresh flowers out — and you’ll be all set!

Tip #4: Save on Entertainment

You don’t have to spend a lot to keep your guests entertained. Most people like to just sit around and chat — but if you want to add some other activities for your guests to do, there are a few ways to do this.

  • Get out the board games or even a deck of cards and have some fun.
  • Potato sack races? Why sure — that sounds like a fine idea!
  • Host a scavenger hunt. This is great for kids of all ages!
  • Do a good ol’ fashion egg toss. Hard boil the eggs if you like — or don’t hard boil them, this adds a little more drama to the competition 🙂
  • Flag football! Just cut up some old t-shirts – or towels – for the flags and away you go!
  • You can play croquet, volleyball, Frisbee or badminton depending on how much space you have. If don’t have these games, a friend or family member might.

What are you planning this Memorial Day weekend? Do you have some other suggestions on how people can save on these types of parties? I’d love to hear them!!!