Search Results for: blog a real break

Breakfast Items that Freeze Well

One of the ways to save money is by avoiding the expensive cost of breakfast. You may be overspending on this important meal if you rely on convenience items, such as dry cereal, individual oatmeal packets, and store-bought frozen breakfast items, from sandwiches to pancakes. To reduce your spending in this area, consider preparing your own breakfast items and freezing them for later use. This way, you will always have a ready breakfast at hand, no matter how hectic the morning turns out to be. You can approach preparing freezer breakfast items in at least two different ways. You can … Continue reading →

Are You Really Giving Your Kids Everything?

The other day, I brought my three kids to a birthday party that took place at one of those family fun centers. There were all sorts of adventures, such as a huge climbing/ball pit, a small laser maze, a rock climbing wall and plenty of games that the kids could play for tickets. In order to play the ticket games, kids had to swipe a card on which money was added. As part of the party, each guest got a card that was worth $3. Each game cost anywhere from $.50 to $2.00 to play. This meant less than the … Continue reading →

The Desperate Mom’s Guide to Spring Break

Are the kids inside and bored and the weather just isn’t co-operating during spring break? I know what you mean. Although I’ve been trying to push the birdies out of the nest to play outside, it is just too cold here. Add to that the fact that our spring break is really short this year (only three days off), and you have the potential makings of disappointed kids. Sure, we could just throw money at the problem, but then again, that wouldn’t be very frugal. Despite these challenges, I am happy to report that the feedback I got from my … Continue reading →

Surviving Your Kid’s Spring Break

Not your little guy’s break from school, your older one. You know, the one who begged you to let him head down to Cabo with a bunch of friends for spring break, and now you are sitting at home praying that the next call you get isn’t from a Mexican prison. Keeping children safe is the utmost priority for most parents, but you can’t expect your college-age kid to want to spend every school break at home so you can monitor his every move. Sure, viewing Facebook photos of your son at the bottom of a beer bong and your … Continue reading →

Save on Spring Break Escapes

  Old Man Winter has been walloping the nation with blizzards, brutal cold and blistering winds.  Consequently, it’s no surprise that so many people are looking to escape to warmer climates.  If you are in search of sun-kissed shores and sizzling hot temperatures, but are worried a beach vacation will blow your budget, consider the following tips: Book early:  If you want to save money on spring break travel, don’t procrastinate.  Many of the best deals are available for a limited time only.  Waiting for deeply discounted last-minute deals may cost you.  Remember, as planes and hotels fill up super … Continue reading →

Scrap Your Magical Spring Break Adventure

If your family’s spring break escape includes a sprinkling of pixie dust, a pair of glass slippers and a castle fit for a princess, then you will likely be documenting every magical moment. No trip to a Disney theme park can take place without snapping at least a few hundred photos and collecting a mountain of memorabilia.  When you return from your fantasy vacation you’ll want create a scrapbook detailing all of the fun had with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and the rest of the crew. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a ton of money crafting a Disney-themed memory … Continue reading →

Beyonce Can’t Catch a Break

Although young, beautiful and talented, it seems as if Beyonce simply cannot catch a break.  The singer gave birth to her first child, daughter Blue Ivy, last January.  But, before she gave birth, there was a rumor going around that she wasn’t really pregnant and that she had a surrogate carrying the baby after an Australian interview seemed to show her baby belly deflate upon sitting. Then, there was controversy over the fact that Beyonce and hubby Jay-Z reportedly dropped $1.3 million to reserve the entire floor of the Lenox Hospital where Blue Ivy was born.  Parents claimed that they … Continue reading →

Why Credit Card Spending Doesn’t Feel Real

It is true. Spending cash is painful to us, while using a credit card doesn’t quite feel real. Oh sure, logically we know that we are spending the money on that new television, iPad or boots, but there is a well-documented disconnect in our brains that makes it much easier to spend when we do it with a credit card. Think I might be wrong? The average household credit card debt through the end of 2012 was $15,422. The average cash debt? That is $0, of course. With cash, you don’t want spend what you don’t have. So why does … Continue reading →

Christmas Break Boredom Busters

Today is the last day of school for many kids in our area.  Their Christmas break begins this afternoon and I’m sure they couldn’t be happier.  Their parents, on the other hand, may not share the same feeling. A week from now those same kids may be climbing the walls looking for ways to keep busy.  If you fear boredom will get the best of your brood before Santa flies into town, consider putting your kids to work making these simple and inexpensive holiday decorations that you can use to brighten up your home or give as gifts: Pretty Presents:  … Continue reading →

Ways to Keep Kids Busy During Their Holiday Break

  Tis the season for parents to rack their brains coming up with ways to keep their children busy during the extended holiday break from school. Whether you will be home alone with two kids or you’re hosting a house full of hooligans in the days leading up to Santa’s arrival, consider the following holiday-themed boredom busters to keep your sanity intact: Activity Pages:  Print out free Christmas coloring pages from the Internet.  Not only do the jolly images provide for hours of holiday fun, but also, they’ll save you precious cash during a time when most moms and dads … Continue reading →