Homemade Cinco de Mayo Fun

Ole! It’s almost time to fiesta Cinco de Mayo-style. Fortunately, throwing a party to celebrate El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla) doesn’t have to cost you plenty of pesos. Instead of heading to your local party shop to purchase fancy games and decorations, look around your house for items that can be given a Mexican twist. For example, you can pull out an old “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game, make some minor changes with a Sharpie and play “Pin the Sombrero on the Burro.” The Mexican hats can be sketched … Continue reading →

Beach Fun on a Budget

April is almost over. Time is marching on. Soon, your spring flowers will be a distant memory as the dog days of summer hit and all you care about is watering yourself rather than your blossoms. Summer fun means picnics, barbeques and visits to the beach, but those good times can add up quickly if you aren’t careful. To avoid busting your budget on trips featuring the sun, sand and surf, consider these money-saving ideas: DIY Beach Towel Large decorative beach towels don’t come cheap. If you have a large family, buying a new towel for each member can put … Continue reading →

Trash to Treasure

With Earth Day right around the corner, now is a good time to give items a second look before you toss them in the trash. Could that empty plastic milk container be transformed into a pretty vase? What about Junior’s ripped shirt? Before you dump it, remove the buttons and repurpose them. Buttons make great accents on scrapbook layouts and work wonders on craft projects. Just last week one of my favorite magnets broke. It was a ceramic Humuhumunukunukuapua’a—the state fish of Hawaii. I got it the last time we were visiting my parents. Unfortunately, the fish’s body shattered and … Continue reading →

Fun and Easy Ways to Go Green

Earth Day 2013 is less than a week away. How are you planning to celebrate? Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot of green to go green. All you need is a little time and some motivation to recycle what you already own. By repurposing materials you would otherwise toss in the trash, you are not only saving money and showing your kids simple ways to save the planet, but you’re also giving them an outlet to showcase their creative energy. Placemats: Rather than spend cash on everyday placemats, consider making your own with poster board, old magazines and … Continue reading →

Fun Ideas for a Spring Staycation this Year

For some families, spring break is almost here. Having a week or two off from school is the ultimate idea of fun for many kids, but for moms and dads the seasonal vacation can be dreadful, especially if money is tight. Fortunately, you don’t have to drop thousands of dollars to make your child’s spring break memorable. With the price of gas hitting record highs, millions of families are opting to stay close to home this season. The idea of taking a staycation is even more tempting when you consider how much money you can save while still having … Continue reading →

Free is Fun

Nothing delights my 8-year-old daughter more than collecting free samples. She covets pint-sized lotion samples, lipstick, eye shadow, and blush, as well as free vials of perfume. However, nothing lights her free sample fire more than those disposable shampoo, conditioner and hair gel packets that are handed out by the fistful at our local salon. Free health and beauty products are fun to collect regardless of your economic status. In addition to being able to try new products without spending a dime, you can often score money-saving coupons to use on future purchases. Many major manufacturers provide free samples … Continue reading →

Cheap But Classy

Sunday marks Hollywood’s biggest night of the year. The Academy Awards will be handed out to the best of the best amongst pomp, circumstance and a ton of glitz and glam. All while the rest of us watch from our unswanky living rooms. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to rake in the income of Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock, or Kristen Stewart in order to make Oscar night a class act. Frugalistas can have fun celebrating Oscar as well with the following party tips: Décor: Raid the Dollar Store or your closets for red, plastic … Continue reading →

Fun with Leftovers

My dad’s New Year’s resolution is to kick his addiction to caffeine. So far, he hasn’t had a drop of coffee in all of 2013. Since my mom is a tea drinker, my parents’ coffee maker has been sitting idle since the last day of 2012. What’s more, since my dad has gone cold turkey, he no longer needs his seemingly endless supply of paper coffee filters. Rather than be tempted by the white basket-shaped filters, my dad shipped them 5,000 miles to our home, which is filled with non-coffee drinkers. We don’t even own a coffee maker. Needless to … Continue reading →

Affordable Party Decorations

Whether you are looking for a fun activity for your upcoming Super Bowl party, your child’s birthday celebration or a back-to-school bash, there’s nothing more exciting than a piñata. What’s more, the smash and grab craft is quite affordable if you make your own at home. A piñata is little more than a large papier mache. All you need to make a basic piñata is a balloon, newspaper (cut into approximately one-inch wide strips), liquid starch, masking tape, glue, and crepe paper streamers. To start, blow up a large balloon. This can be used to make a football shape, a … Continue reading →

Family Fun on Super Bowl Sunday

The big game is less than four days away. On Sunday, millions of families will be gathering around their televisions to watch the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49ers… or at least to watch the uber-hyped Super Bowl commercials. It would be great if the entire family thought watching a 4-hour game was the epitome of fun. However, if you have young kids, they may want a bit more to do than just sit on the couch and cheer on men wearing tight pants. If you are looking for super fun ideas that will score big with little … Continue reading →