Congratulations. You scored some inexpensive circus ticket sand are ready to see the show! Everyone is looking forward to it, and you are happy that you didn’t have to re-mortgage your home to attend. But wait. The expenses are just getting started. You haven’t gotten past the snacks and souvenir stands yet.
Goodies
Once you get to the circus and are happily settled in, watch out! There are enough items to purchase to make your head spin and your wallet fly away. I’ll give you a good example. Cotton candy is just sugar, coloring and air. But if you buy it at the circus, you’ll get a neat little paper hat with the candy and pay $12 for it! Prices are more than inflated. But getting cotton candy (or pop corn or hot dogs) may still be part of the experience for you and worth it. So set a budget. One little indulgence that ads to the experience may be worth it, but you’ll probably regret spending a hundred dollars on snacks. Here are some other ways to save on goodies.
Feed the kids before you go. Hungry kids will be distracted and not enjoy the show, or they will have a hard time eating and watching at the same time. Give them a good meal before you leave your house and they won’t be begging for expensive snacks.
Take something with you. If you have young kids, this is essential. Most venues will allow you to bring in simple snacks for young children. Just avoid anything that might be hazardous to the animals, such as straws or cup lids. I through a few chocolate milk boxes in my purse. The chocolate milk was a treat for my kids, much more nutritious than lemonade or soda and so inexpensive.
But what can you do about all of those souvenirs? You don’t want the kids to be disappointed. Check back again for some great tips.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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