Jun. 15, 2008 - Our family is in the paper today
Here is the link with the article and a pic of us:
Mom saves money by attending Free family activities
The thoughts and ideas for the article came as I did a post on a Mommy Board I am on. It is a small group of about 75 moms from all over the US and we have been together for about 7 yrs now. I am know as the "Resident Frugal Mom" and decided to give them some info on activities since the kids are getting out of school now. I posted this info for them:
Summer Time is here and time for family activities. Here are some pointers to save $$ this summer while having fun:
Get Family Passes/Memberships to places that you visit often. This is huge money saver.
Brookfield Zoo here in Chicagoland is a great zoo, only 5 minutes from our place. My parents get the boys a membership that cost $101 for unlimited visits and FREE parking. This would cost us $51 per visit otherwise. So this pays for itself in 2 visits and we visit at least 2x per month.
Check local papers and village events for FREE or lost cost events.
There is a local magazine here called Chicago Parent that lists all events in and around Chicagoland and the suburbs. It has tons of free stuff listed. I get a copy free each month from the library and go through marking down events that would be fun for the kids and I to do.
Go to events with a group to try to get a group discount.
This is also a great way to have fun with others.
Some places offer discounts a few hours before closing, especially amusement parks.
Kiddieland here in Melrose Park does this. Checking for discounts near closing is also good for working parents. You can still have some summer fun and save money in the process.
Libraries and Park Districts are a great source for Summer Fun.
Most libraries have a summer reading program. Park Districts have Free Movies in the Park and other special events for summer.
Check online or in local papers , grocery stores, or restaurants for coupons for local attractions.
I purchased some Lunchables a month ago for the boys(a rare treat), they had Buy 1 Adult Ticket, Get 1 Child Ticket free for Great America. My sister is using these this weekend when they go. White Castle usually has coupons for Kiddieland here.
Check for local festivals like Art Shows, Book Fairs, and Music Festivals.
This is not only a great fun event, but also a nice way to expose the kids to the Arts. Usually admission is FREE or very cheap.
Check your Forest Preserves and Nature Centers for Summer Fun.
I was a city girl my entire life, living within the City of Chicago limits, until I got married. I never knew how much fun stuff the Forest Preserves and Nature Centers had for kids and adults until 18 months ago. Summer time is a great time to have fun with nature and be outside.
Find out if local museums or other kid places have a FREE day or time when they are FREE.
Many of the museums here in Chicagoland have a FREE week coming up or some FREE days this summer.
Take the Kids Bowling for FREE this summer.
Brunswick Bowl which has locations all across the country offers a card for children entering Kindergarten and older that allows them 1 free game per day. Also, Kids Bowl Free has a listing of other bowling alleys in selected states that offer 2 free games per kid per day.
FREE or $1 Summer Movies for the Kids
Blogger Raising 4 Boys has an awesome list of movie theatres across the country that are offering free or $1 movies on Wednesday and Thursday through the summer.
Here is a great website that lists FREE Attractions in all 50 states!
The Chicago Sun-Times has been running articles about readers who are saving money anyway they can in this economy. After I posted to the message board, I kept going back to it and finally decided to submit it to the Sun-Times and they liked it a lot!! They did a phone interview on Friday and sent a photographer out and then ran the story today!!
|
