House Update

So, as some of you may know, my family and I have been in the process of building a new home. We have done some of it, but mostly it has been done by a contractor. They said that they are hoping that it will be done within 2 weeks, but I'll believe that when I see it.

We will need about $2000 at closing to cover the closing costs of switching from a building loan to a mortgage plus the extra stuff we had done on the house that we will owe the contractor. We have $2500 right now and while that is enough, I really don't want to wipe out our savings. My husband was hoping we would get enough back from taxes to help us put more in savings, but we are only getting about $300 back, mostly due to the fact that he was on unemployment at the beginning of the year.

So, we need money saved and we need it fast. When I was looking at my budget for February, we have very little that will be left over to go in savings. We have some things that we are going to put on Ebay and Craig's list to help us get some extra money (bowflex, calipers for machining, a bin of McD and BK toys from late 90s - so if anyone is interested let me know lol).

We are also on a strict budget. I just keep telling myself we're broke. There is no extra money to spend. I was going to go to a Zumba event in Elmira this weekend, but decided we need that $15 in savings, plus it would have cost us for the gas. All in all, I am better off going to Zumba at my gym because it is already paid for.

My husband's biggest issue is eating out and spending money on coffee and other crap. I know it's hard because he is going back and forth to the new house several times a week, but we have both decided to take control of this issue. So far we have eaten at home every day since last Thursday. Tonight's dinner is Chicken Paprikash (recipe from South Beach diet cookbook). Next we will work on the coffee issue. It really does all add up.

What ways do you save money or make extra money when time is running out? Let me know by leaving a comment. And for all those in the Northeast - stay warm. It's going to be cold later!! brrr. I am sooooo ready for spring already.

Words of the Week Wednesday 11/12

It is Wednesday again and time to provide my readers with links to sites that I found interesting in the last week.

1. $5 Dinner Mom. Erin Chase has one of the best blogs out there. She shows you how to feed a family of 4 dinner for $5 or less! The meals are really simple and taste wonderful. She also has a new cookbook out, so check that out while you are at her site.
   
2. Makeusof.com. This site is more for the techy person. The reason I love it is because there are so many links to free programs, free graphics and more. It is a great site if you are interested in anything from computers to phones to graphics and more.
   
3. Wisebread.com has a HUGE list of the top 100 personal financial blogs listed on its site. If you are interested in finding some new blogs to read check that out.
   
   
   
   
   

Menu Plan Monday 6/29

If you want to save money on groceries, meal planning is key. Every weekend I plan out my meals for the next week. When I have my menu planned for the week, I save money and I save time. I share it with you, to give you ideas of how we eat on a limited budget. Hopefully, this inspires you to plan your own menu for the week.

Here is my meal plan for this week:

• Monday - strawberry pancakes, eggs
  
• Tuesday - chicken and biscuits
  
• Wednesday - leftovers
  
• Thursday - homemade sloppy joes, veggie
  
• Friday - spaghetti with homemade bread, green beans
  
• Saturday - leftovers
  
• Sunday - cookout: hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on cob
  

Frugal Meal Friday 6/27

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

Panninis with veggies

Panninis are really great because you can put anything you want in them. I've made mine with ham and cheese, and with chicken, diced tomatoes and cheese. you will want to use a thicker bread so the oil doesn't soak all the way through. I made these last time with a loaf of homemade sandwich bread. It was awesome! Here's how I make mine:

1. Warm up grill, George Foreman grill, pannini press or even a flat pan to medium-hot.

2. Pour a some olive oil on a plate and press one side of bread into it just to get it covered. Add seasonings to the side with the olive oil. I have used italian seasoning, rosemary and garlic before.

3. Place side with olive oil onto hot grill. Add your ingredients on top of bread. You can use anything you like really. The possibilities are endless.

4. Dip one side of an other piece of bread into olive oil and add your spices. Place bread with the olive oil on the top, away from the ingredients in the middle.

5. If you are using a George or pannini press, close the lid. If you are using a regular grill or pan, place a heavy pan on top; you will need to flip the pannini when one side is toasted.

6. Make your favorite vegetable to go along with the panninis.

Costs to feed a family of 5 with leftovers:
loaf of thick bread $.50(homemade) to $2
some of the following ingredients:
- ham slices or diced ham($2-$3)
- 8 oz cheese ($2)
- diced tomatoes ($.50)
- 1 pound of chicken cut into pieces ($2)
- and more
1 pound of veggies $1

Menu Plan Monday 6/22

If you want to save money on groceries, meal planning is key. Every weekend I plan out my meals for the next week. When I have my menu planned for the week, I save money and I save time. I share it with you, to give you ideas of how we eat on a limited budget. Hopefully, this inspires you to plan your own menu for the week.

Here is my meal plan for this week:

• Monday - homemade mac n cheese with broccoli and chicken
  
• Tuesday - leftovers
  
• Wednesday -tacos with mexican rice
  
• Thursday - stew
  
• Friday - leftovers
  
• Saturday - homemade sloppy joes, veggies
  
• Sunday - leftovers or breakfast for dinner
  

Frugal Meal Friday 6/19

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

Today's meal is homemade sloppy joes with a vegetable for a side. Depending on how much you pay for rolls, you could possible make this meal for less than $4.50.

Ingredients:
package of hamburger or kaiser rolls ($1)
1 pound of ground meat ($2)
1 pound of frozen veggies ($1)
1/2 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves or minced garlic
splash of vinegar
1 cup ketchup
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
1. Cook meat, onions and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (except your veggies). Bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 30 -40 minutes. Serve on rolls.
3. Cook veggies about 10 minutes before the sloppy joes will be done.

Menu Plan Monday 6/15

If you want to save money on groceries, meal planning is key. Every weekend I plan out my meals for the next week. When I have my menu planned for the week, I save money and I save time. I share it with you, to give you ideas of how we eat on a limited budget. Hopefully, this inspires you to plan your own menu for the week.

Here is my meal plan for this week:

• Monday - leftover pork chops, veggie, side of pasta
  
• Tuesday - lasagna and green beans
  
• Wednesday -chicken and biscuits
  
• Thursday - leftovers
  
• Friday - homemade pizza, salad
  
• Saturday - panninis, vegetable
  
• Sunday - chili and cornbread
  

Frugal Meal Friday 6/12

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake ($5.60) is the meal for this week. This recipe comes in a little over $5, but you will have plenty of leftovers to eat for lunch the next day. I have made this several times and it is very tasty. my family prefers to have the petite diced tomatoes in this, as opposed to the regular. You could even get the diced tomatoes with the the spices to make this even better. Add a frozen veggie or fruit for $1 more. This recipe is originally from the Kraftfoods site.

Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes ($.50)
1 package of stuffing ($1 - stock up when on sale or get generic)
2 garlic cloves, minced ($.50 ... I just throw some dried in there $.10)
1 1/2 pounds of chicken, cut up into small pieces ($3)
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella (shred yourself - $1)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, water and garlic; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

2. Place chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with the basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

3. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

Frugal Meal Friday 6/5

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

Today's meal is Tex-Mex Shells N Cheese from the Kraft site. Go check out the site for more recipes that are quick and frugal. This is a staple in our house. We probably have it at least once a month, and it so quick and easy to make! Add a fruit or veggie to round out the meal a little better and your are still under $5.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground meat ($2)
1 package Velveeta Shells n Cheese ($1.50)
1 can diced tomatoes (you can use regular, italian, etc) ($.50)
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (optional - $.50)

Directions:
1. Cook and drain ground meat.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except packet of cheese sauce and shredded cheese. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add cheese sauce and stir until blended. Top with optional shredded cheese.

Frugal Party Planning

Sometimes planning for a party can be very expensive. But there are some things that you can do to keep the costs down.

• Party Items: Don't invest money in fancy party items like plates, cups, etc. When I have a birthday party for younger kids, I will buy just plates (many times on clearance or at the dollar store) with their favorite character on them. I buy cups and tablecloth (usually at dollar store) in a color that coordinates with the plates. I buy plain old napkins and regular plastic silverware. Also don't fall into the whole party favor trap. No one says they need to get a goody bag. If you really would like to give these out, check the dollar store for things you can put in there. Party favors for kids can run from $3 and up at places like Walmart or Target.
  
  
• Cake: Make your own cake. Store bought cakes can cost $20 and up for a half sheet. Even if you buy one of those shaped pans, you will still be under $20. For most occasions though, a simple cake with frosting is appropriate. Even if you buy cake mix and frosting, at full price you are still under $3, and if you use coupons you can get this total down even more.
  
  
• Gifts: Buy gifts throughout the year for birthdays when you find them on clearance. My daughter's birthday is in August and I already have three things for her that I bought cheap on clearance (plus we found a Princess backpack at Burlington that I want to go back and get for her this week sometime). By doing this, you can either save the extra money that you normally would have spent, or use that money to splurge and buy something nice for them.
  
  
• Food: There are several ways to have food at a party and still keep the costs down. Cooking out is always a nice idea. I have had build your own sandwiches (deli meats and bread) and meatball subs for parties. For my son's party this weekend we are having hot dogs, hamburgers, macaroni salad, and chips. We will end up spending less than $30 for all the food, including cake and ice cream. Rolls will be bought at Aldi's for less than $1 a pack, hamburger will be bought for less than $2 a pound, I bought hot dogs last week for $1.50 a pack (Ballpark), chips were bought with a coupon and grandma is bringing the salad. I got the ice cream (Breyer's) for $1.50 after coupons, the cake mix for $.50 and the frosting for $.75 after coupons.
  
  
• Beverages: We usually buy some water bottles (we got these on sale last week 32 pack for $3.99), and also have a few 2-liters of soda (bought on sale for $1 each). I have also made Koolaid when there was going to be a lot of kids at the party. If you are using 2-liters, don't forget to buy plastic cups.
  

Do you have any ideas on how to keep party planning expenses down? Share with us by leaving a comment.

Busy Busy Tuesday

Garden Update

This weekend we did a lot of planting. Yesterday we put in our tomato and pepper plants and planted some squash. We have quite a bit of room left, but only have pumpkin seeds to plant. So, we now have beans, cucumbers, lots of lettuce and broccoli, corn, carrots, peas and onions planted. Anyone have any suggestions on what else we can plant? We have quite a bit of room left. No planting today... dreary and rainy out!


Spring Cleaning - A Little Late. LOL

So, today we have been cleaning. Well, actually I have been cleaning. LOL. While hubby was in the living room with the kids, I cleaned the bathroom from top to bathroom. When I am done posting on here, I need to get my kitchen cleaned. I would love to get that room cleaned from top to bottom today also.

There's a lot of organizing to be done too. Five of us living in this 2 1/2 bedroom apartment just doesn't work well. I constantly have to reorganize cabinets and other spaces to maximize our organization to make this place work for us, at least for now. The worst part is that I organize a cabinet and a few months later it is a mess again, because people don't put things back where I had them. I even label shelves using my label maker and they still don't put them in the right spot. GGGRRRRrrr!!


Job Hunt Update

So, as many of you know, my husband was laid off in March. Since then both him and I have been looking for work. Unfortunately there really is nothing out there for him right now. He looks everyday but no one is really hiring machinists right now. There has been quite a few jobs out there that I could do, so I have been sending my resumes to a lot of jthem. If I had to guess I would say that have sent in at least 30 resumes in the last month. Unfortunately, I only got calls for an interview from two of them, and didn't get hired for either.

I try to keep optimistic, but also in the back of my mind I know that in September we will no longer be able to pay all our bills because we will be out of extra money. This includes using our savings to pay bills. The unemployment benefit just isn't enough to cover all our expenses.


Birthday Party Planning
I have been doing things to reduce how much we spend though. This week I didn't go and get groceries, because we are trying to eat out of our pantry and freezer for a while. I will have to get a few things later this week because our oldest son is celebrating his 11th birthday. We're having a cookout for his birthday, so we need to go get ground meat, rolls, plates, cups, etc. I am making the cake and we already bought the ice cream (on sale for $3 and had coupon that doubled to $1.50 so they were only $1.50 each half gallon). I would also like to make something else for the party but I haven't decided what yet. It should turn out to be a pretty good birthday party for him even though we don't have a lot of extra money this year.

Frugal Meal Friday 5/29

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

Today's meal is tuna noodle casserole. Now, there are several ways to make tuna casserole. I learned to make it with a white sauce (It's cheaper and you can use white sauces for other recipes like macaroni and cheese). I usually make a double batch and freeze half of it for another day. A regular batch will cost you less than $4. I also add topping to mine and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. (adds about $1 or less to the cost of the meal)

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2 cups egg noodles ($.50)
1/4 cup butter (.50)
1/4 cup flour (.10)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk ($.50)
1 can tuna ($1)
1/2-3/4 cup Parmesan ($.75)

1. Cook macaroni as directed on package.

2. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute until sauce has thickened; remove from heat. Add Parmesan. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Drain tuna and flake it into the sauce; mix.

3. Drain macaroni and mix with sauce.


To add topping and bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan in small bowl. Use fork and add a little olive oil at a time while you are mixing. Add enough just to moisten all the breadcrumbs and cheese. Place mixed noodles and sauce into ungreased casserole dish and sprinkle on topping. Bake for about 20 minutes or until topping is brown.

And there you have it. A meal for less than $5. You can also mix in about a half pound of peas when you throw it in the oven for an additional 50 cents.

Frugal Meal Friday 5/15

Every Friday I will be sharing with you a frugal recipe. These meals will average $5 or less for a family of four, and many will give you lots of leftovers for lunches. I do not include spices in my total because everyone should have a good ensemble of spices to cook with. If you have any recipes you would like to share with others, please feel free to email it to me at: couponqueenofcorning @ hotmail.com and I will include it in my Friday's posts.

My meal for today just came up to a little over $5 (13 cents over), but it makes so much that you will be having leftovers for a couple days. The recipe was originally on Bush's site but they no longer have it on there. You can also make some cornmuffins to go with it if you so choose. In my family we have to make two boxes. 2 boxes = $1, 2 eggs = $.09, 2/3 cup of milk = $.25; total of adding corn muffins for my family is $1.34.


Bush's All-American Chili

1 pound ground meat (at least 80% lean - $1.88)
1 chopped onion ($.25)
1 chopped pepper ($.50)
2 (15 oz) cans chili beans ($1.50)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes ($.60)
1 (6oz) can tomato paste ($.40)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
shredded cheese (optional - 8 oz chunk is $2)

In large pot, cook ground meat, peppers and onions until meat is browned. Drain excess grease. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer at least 20 minutes (the longer you can let it simmer the better it is yummy). Add cheese when serving if so desired.

In the Mood for a Cookout?

Stores are really starting to roll out the sales when it comes to food for having picnics and cooking out. Take advantage of these sales. Stock up on ketchup, mustard and BBQ sauce when they're on sale for $1. Take advantage of sales on rolls and you can freeze what you don't use.

We had a cookout on Tuesday night. I told my hubby I wasn't going to cook because I had a final the next day I needed to study for. So, him being a typical man, what does he do? Yep, he uses the grill. lol. He made hamburgers and I tended to the corn on the cob while studying in the kitchen. The hamburger patties were on sale at Wegmans for $2.49 a pound (we had to get a family size pack but that's no big deal) and the corn was 4/$1. We had strawberry shortcake for dessert (strawberries were also on sale at Wegmans for $1.50 a pound, made a cake mix that I had bought for $1 several weeks ago and used Cool Whip that I paid $1 for also). All in all, it was a very good meal and pretty inexpensive also. Total price of our meal for a family of 5 = less than $9 which included dessert.

Hubby cooked up all the patties so there was about 10 left. I used 3 patties tonight for our chili and the rest will be for future meals. What kinds of things do you like to cook out on the grill? How do you keep the costs down? Tell me what you think by leaving me a comment.

Words of the Week Wednesday

Every Wednesday I write about 1-3 sites I have found recently that I think you will like to go visit. Today's sites are:

1. Stouffer's is having a contest on their site. Usually I don't post contests, but I really think that it's a very interesting contest. In order to get an entry into the contest each week, you have to post a goal of how many times you want to eat at home with your family. Then at the end of the week you fill in how many times you ate at home, and that enters you in the contest each week. I think it is a wonderful that they are promoting eating at home with your family. Not only does it promote family and together time, it also saves you money. You can check out the contest at Take the Challenge -Let's Fix Dinner.
2. Have you ever made homemade bread? It is so yummy. But many homemade breads are not good as sandwich bread. Ever try putting peanut butter and jelly on regular homemade bread? Doesn't work very well. I found a delicious recipe for homemade sandwich bread. A fellow member at Frugal Village posted it on there and it is so awesome! You can find the recipe on the White Sandwich Bread thread. While you're there, browse around the rest of Frugal Village. It is a wonderful place where people share their frugal tips with each other.
   
3. Erin from $5 Dinner.com was recently featured on Raychel Ray. You can see the show segment here. Erin's blog centers around how she feeds her family for $5 per meal. She uses the stores' weekly ads and coupons to plan her meals for the week. She not only provides recipes, but also pictures of the meals when she makes them. She also just got a contract to write a cookbook! Congrats Erin!

If you have any blogs or sites (anything dealing with frugality, money or coupons), please leave it in my comments and I will look it over for possible inclusion in the next Words of the Week Wednesday.

Media Appearance

I just wanted to let you all know that next Monday I will be featured on WENY's news at 6pm, 7 pm and 11 pm. The interview went great and hopefully it turns out good. I will post a reminder on Monday about it and provide links to the site.

More Tips from Frugal Dad

I was reading through the list again on Frugal Dad's website and found some more tips on saving money on food. I thought I would share them with you.

• Taking lunch to work or school everyday saves a fortune. If you feel you need to go out once in a while, you can plan to eat out once a week, for instance on Fridays.
• When a recipe calls for a pound of meat, use 3/4 of a pound instead. You will never know the difference and be saving money. If you do this for three meals, you will have enough extra for another meal.
  
• Eating out should be a special treat. Maybe limit it to once or twice a month. Not only will it save you money but also save your waistline.
  
• When you do order out, have your younger children share a kids' meal or share your food with them.
  
• Buy meat when you can find it for less than $2 a pound. Stock up and freeze it when you get a good price. Buy a nice steak for special occasions.
• Practice portion control. Actually eat the recommended serving of a food. This will not only save you money, but also keep your weight down.
  
• Plan your meals for the week or the month. This helps when you do your shopping list and helps with making dinner each night. It doesn't have to be followed exactly and mine usually gets shuffled around quite a bit. Just cross the meal off when you make it so you know you have used those ingredients. This also helps you stay away from take out.
  
• Buy meat in bulk (when it's cheaper) and portion into 3/4 pound portions. You can either freeze at that point, or what I do is I cook it up and then freeze it. Then when I need to make dinner, I just throw the meat in the micro to defrost and then throw it in the meal. It's quicker and easier and helps you avoid eating out.
  
• Drink water from the tap (or get one of those filtering pitchers). Cut down on soda and coffee. This will save you tons.
  
• Making coffee at home is cheaper than buying it at a coffee shop. Even if you buy really expensive coffee beans, you will save money doing it this way.
  
• The less you are in stores, the less likelihood you will overspend. Consider buying the bulk of your foods every other week or even once a month.
  
• Take only cash when you shop. Whatever you have budgeted for that shopping trip is what you take. Leave credit and debit cards in the car. This will make you have to be more aware of how much you are spending. Take a calculator or use a scrap paper to write a running total.
  
• Buy generics when they are cheaper than buying a name brand with a coupon. Many are of superb quality and are made by companies that make the name brands.
  
• Try to run all your errands on one day. If this isn't possible, what about stopping on the way home from work to run your errand?
• Make a list. Making a list of the things keeps you on track. It keeps you from buying things that you don't need and you make sure that you get the things you do need.
  

*Tips in purple are the ones I added.

Words of the Week Wednesday

Today I will be just concentrating on one website, versus my usual three. This site is so awesome, that it takes up a full post to explain how awesome it is.

I found this great site on couponing the other day. Jill Cataldo is a real coupon queen. She makes me look really bad with the deals she gets. She was able to get almost $100 worth of groceries for less than $10!!! Isn't that crazy!!! I can only dream about getting that good of deals! But at least it is something to strive for.

Jill has classes in the Chicago area where she teaches super couponing I, II, and III, so if you are in the Midwest, check out her free classes. I would love to teach classes like this in my area, I just don't know if there would be enough interest in classes. Maybe I should look into that.

Jill has been featured on many news shows and in many article (look under the In The Media section in the right hand column). There's some really nice video of her getting tons of groceries for cheap!!! The website also has tons of great information about couponing and even has a forum where you can talk to other coupon users.

Go visit her at http://jillcataldo.com/

Random Tuesday Thoughts (Frugal Edition)

I have decided to partake in the UnMom's weekly Random Tuesday Thoughts. I will try to keep my thoughts about frugality or coupons, but you never know where these random thoughts will lead me once I start.

1. Have you ever noticed that when you don't have any extra money to spare, that is when Murphy comes and visits? We are trying to save every little penny because hubby was laid off and then we get a bill that we didn't know about. Isn't that the way it always is.

2. Ummmm. How does that work???????

3. Tomorrow is Earth Day. Our family will not be doing anything special, because we already take steps to help the earth. Earth Day is everyday here. My college on the other hand decided they wanted to be earth conscious all of a sudden. Previously, they had a trash can and a can for deposit cans and bottles. Last week they decided that they wanted a bin for aluminum, plastic, etc. But the plastic bin says you can't put deposit cans in there and they removed the bin for deposit. So, what do they want us to do with them now? Throw them in the garbage? Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking?

I guess I have no more random thoughts today. This was actually tricky because I am so used to writing about one particular thing. I am sure it will get easier though.

Free and Cheap Entertainment

Are you trying to save money, but still want entertainment? There are many ways to do entertainment on the cheap.

Get Outside

Many things that are done outside can be done cheaply. Go for a bike ride or take the whole family hiking or for a walk. Taking the kids to the park is a great way to kill a few hours without spending any money. Take along a picnic lunch and make it even more special.

The Library

We all know that the library provides books for us to borrow, but they have so much more. Many libraries have computers with Internet service for its members to use. Our public library even has a kids section with computers for them to use. This is great if you have a child who you want to limit their time online. It is also great if your child doesn't get much time online because the family computer is always occupied. Many libraries also have books on CD and DVDs that you can borrow. Although these are not brand new releases, I am sure you can find some DVDs that you haven't watched yet.

Redbox DVD Rentals

Have you ever seen those red boxes outside of grocery stores and drug stores? Next time you see one (and have a few minutes) go take a look at it. Redbox offers DVDs for $1 a night. These are relatively new releases and they have quite a good selection. I would guess that there is usually 50 or so DVD titles to choose from. Besides having the newest movies, they also have newly released kids movies. Each Monday, you can get a code for a free movie that day. You can go here, to find a code to use.

There are so many things you can do that are entertaining AND cheap. Let me know the things that you and your family do for fun that are frugal.