8 Frugal New Year's Activities for Kids

Waiting for the ball to drop?  Don't know how to keep the kids occupied?  Try some of these ideas:

1. Video Game Tournament -- For more information on this, be sure to check out my post on 5 Ways to Save Money on Video Games.
2. Coloring Pages -- Click here to print out New Year's Eve coloring pages.
3. Snow Globe Snowman -- No Time for Flashcards features this adorable craft for the kids to enjoy.
4. Tambourines -- Click here for instructions to make a fun tambourine craft (made with paper plates, ribbon, and jingle bells) to shake after midnight!
   
5. Sparkly 2009 Banner -- Yesterday's post with directions for how to make a sparkly 2009 banner using empty cereal boxes and aluminum foil can be found here.
6. Time Capsule -- Make a time capsule using a decorated empty coffee can.  Fill with photographs, recipes, old recordings, trading cards, etc.
7. Start a Journal -- What better time to start a journal with a clean slate?  Click here for instructions to make a fabulous winter journal from a plain composition notebook.
8. Make Your Own Peppermint Hot Chocolate --  This is so easy, and so frugal!  For the recipe, click here.

Lights in the Woods - An Update

A few days ago, I posted about Flint Hill Farm's Lights in the Woods event.  Last night, Mark and I bundled the kids up in layers and layers of clothes, packed everyone into the car, and drove 25 minutes to Coopersburg, PA to check it out.  For $5 per adult and $3 for children 3 and over, it seemed like it would be a good deal and a fun time enjoying a wagon ride, hot cocoa, a bonfire, etc.  And it was.  But just about everyone in the Lehigh Valley and their mother had the same good idea, which was fantastic for the farm.... but not so great for us.  Altogether, we spent over 2 hours in line for the wagon ride.  

Apparently, this was not a usual occurrence by any means, and we were told that previous nights enjoyed no lines and no waiting.  So I am very curious to hear from others who were there last night and other nights to compare experiences.  If you were there, please leave a comment and tell us about it, or send me an email.  (vdeneen (at) gmail (dot) com)  

In retrospect, it really was about $5 worth of fun.  But not quite $5 plus 2 hours of waiting + 25 minutes of driving worth of fun.  However, the girls were extremely patient and good the entire time, and Emily was super happy to be there.  We had lots of fun visiting the other animals on the farm, and spending some good quality time as a family.  It was also so fantastic to see such fabulous support for the farm, so overall I would say it was a success.  I would love to go back again next year, but I am hoping and praying that they consider investing in a second wagon!

Frugal New Year's Craft Idea -- Sparkly 2009 Banner

Emily had a great time making this sparkly 2009 banner!  You can add glitter glue or further decorate it, if desired.  To make this frugal 2009 New Year's Banner, you will need:

1. Two empty cereal boxes
2. Aluminum foil
3. Pencil
4. Glitter Glue (optional)
5. Yarn
6. Hole Puncher

Cut out the largest sides of the cereal boxes.  Draw the numbers on the back of the cereal box cardboard, one number for each piece of cardboard.  Cut pieces of aluminum foil into 4 inch squares.  Have your child wrap the foil pieces around each number.  Using a hole puncher, punch two holes in the top of each number and thread yarn through the holes to hang on a wall.

5 Ways to Save Money on Video Games

Emily (at 11 months) was already enjoying video games with Daddy!

Recently, we had a family video game night, and it was tons of fun.  In our household, we have a weakness for video games, and buying new games can quickly become expensive.  Mark and Emily get lots of mileage out of the ones we have, but we are always looking for ways to get good deals on video games the entire family can enjoy. 

Here are some easy ways to save money on video games:

1. Don't Rush --  The latest titles have the highest prices.  If you can wait just a short while, the price may come down significantly.  This is particularly true for computer games.  An added advantage is that you will have access to more reviews of the game to see if it is really worth the purchase.
2. Borrow From a Friend --  See if your friend won't mind parting with a game for a night or two.  Be sure to return the game in the same condition.
3. Swap --  You may be able to swap games with a friend, or set up a free account at GameSwap.com.  You list your old games, mail them when they are requested, and earn credits for new games.
4. Buy Used --  GameFly.com has used games starting at just $7.99 and includes free shipping until January 5th.  Games come with a new case and new manual. They are also 100% guaranteed.
5. Rent --  If your family likes to try new games, you might want to give renting a shot.  At GameFly, plans start at $15.95 per month, and includes free shipping, access to over 6,000 games, and no late fees or other hidden charges.  You may cancel at any time.  Click here for more information.

Does your family have a favorite video game?  Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Frugal Family Fun -- Lehigh Valley

If you are in the Lehigh Valley, you might want to check out Lights in the Woods at the Flint Hill Farm Educational Center in Coopersburg, PA. Conditions were too muddy to go tonight, but they will have another run Tuesday night, December 30th from 5:30 to 8:30pm.  

Lights in the Woods includes horse-drawn wagon rides, strings of white lights throughout the woods, a bonfire, hot cocoa and other goodies.  The kids can visit with the farm animals, and the farm store will be open as well.  

Tickets are just $5 per adult, $3 per child, children 2 and under are free!   Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more.  

For more information, visit the Flint Hill Farm Educational Center's website, or click here for the event flyer.

Fabulous Frugal New Year's Eve Bash

New Year's Eve parties can easily get expensive, but with a little help from the Frugal Family Fun Blog, you will be able to start 2009 off with a Fabulous Frugal New Year's Eve Bash -- and be able to celebrate without the worry of extra holiday bills!    

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Guest List --  To help save money, consider limiting your guest list to the people who are the most important to you.  You don't need to invite the entire neighborhood.  Two or three other couples is just fine.
2. Free Babysitters -- When possible, take advantage of free babysitting help from grandparents or other relatives.  You could also take turns babysitting with another couple.  In exchange, you could offer to run some errands or cook for them.  This is a huge help, so be sure to thank your babysitters for all their hard work! 
3. Invites --  Sometimes the party's budget can be blown before the party even starts just because of expensive invitations!  Instead, try Evite.com and you will be able to send online invitations, track RSVP's, ask guests to bring an item, or send party updates quickly and easily.  Evite.com is free!
4. Lighting --  Use lighting and decorations that you already have on hand.  You could take down the Christmas tree (to free up some space), and use the lights around the party area.  Silver garland works well.  
5. Food --  Since your party will probably start late in the evening and go all night, you can easily skip a full holiday dinner.  Instead, offer lots of tasty homemade appetizers!  Click here for recipe ideas.  One of my favorites is Bacon-Wrapped Artichoke Hearts.  Here is the recipe:  

   Bacon Wrapped Artichoke Hearts:

   Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut bacon slices in half horizontally.  Wrap each artichoke heart in the 1/2 slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Serve immediately.  You can prepare large trays of these ahead of time and pop them in the oven when the party is about to begin!

6. Drinks --  Instead of loading up a full service bar, try serving one signature drink for the party.  Pomegranate Martinis make for a  festive drink everyone is sure to enjoy.  Click here for the recipe.  Be sure to include at least one non-alcoholic beverage.
7. Music --  Hiring a band can be very expensive, so instead try hooking up some speakers to your computer or iPod.  Set up a playlist in iTunes and you have a very inexpensive music solution.  You could also borrow music CDs from your local public library for free.  
8. Entertainment --  If one of your friends has a Wii, you could borrow it to set it up with some fun party games such as Wii Sports, Super Monkey Ball, or Mario Party 8.  Also, you could try some other fun games including CatchPhrase, Cranium, Taboo, and Apples to Apples.  Ask around if any of your friends have these games to see if you could borrow them.

Have any other ideas for a Fabulous Frugal New Year's Eve Bash?  I would love to hear about it.  Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Free Coffee Mondays at McDonalds

For a limited time, McDonald's is offering a free premium roast coffee on Mondays.  I am not sure if this is nation-wide or not, but the last few times they offered it, it was.  Leave us a comment, and let it know if it is in your area, or not.  Yeah, free coffee!

The Art of Re-Gifting

Re-gifting is an art. If done improperly, it is considered tacky and rude. If done properly, however, your friends will still like you and your resourcefulness will be admired. Here are some things to keep in mind when re-gifting:

1. The recipient -- Obviously the recipient should be your main concern whether you are gifting or re-gifting. Only re-gift an item if you know the recipient will genuinely love it.
2. Be upfront -- Be honest about what you are doing, and tell the recipient it was a gift from someone and you simply have no use for the item. Tell the recipient why you thought it was the perfect fit for him/her -- be specific.
   
3. Certain items should never be re-gifted -- These include, but are not limited to: used items (these are hand-me-downs, not re-gifts), small appliances or electronics that the recipient would be puzzled to receive.

For more information on re-gifting, see 12 Rules for Re-Gifting Without Fear.

Preparing for Next Christmas

Now all the presents are unwrapped, and the holiday rush is just starting to settle down. I was tempted to just relax at home and enjoy time with the family, but the truth is now is the best time to score some awesome holiday deals at after-Christmas sales and start planning a holiday fund for next year.

You can decorate a plain 3-ring binder and use this as your Holiday Planner. Include address lists for cards, budget worksheets, recipes, gift ideas, etc. The key to saving money is to plan ahead and stay organized.

Here are some ideas to help you prepare for next year:

1. Shop After-Christmas Sales -- Many stores have wrapping paper, cards, trees, ornaments, lights, candles, and even gifts for 50% off or more. I also stock up on holiday chocolate to chop up and use in baking, hot cocoa mix, or homemade granola bars.
2. Set Up a Holiday Fund -- This is so simple to do and can help alleviate much of the financial strain of the holidays. Go to ING Direct to set up a high-interest savings account that is linked to your existing checking account. Set up an automatic weekly direct deposit of about $10, or whatever your family can comfortably set aside. At the end of one year, you will have saved $520 plus interest!
3. Holiday Cards -- You can purchase these at after-Christmas sales, and you might as well go ahead and address the envelopes now. If you use the Forever stamp, you might save on postage if the rates go up again.
4. Set up Next Year's Holiday Budget -- Make up a list of everyone you want to buy for, and how much you are willing to spend per person. ThrifyFun.com has a great example of a printable Holiday Budget Worksheet.
5. Photo Gifts -- Shutterfly has photo cards available for 20% off and photo calendars for 25% off. Get creative, upload some photos, and you won't have to stress over whether or not your cards/calendars will arrive in time for next year.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!
If you have a holiday planning tip to share, please leave us a comment and tell us about it!

7 Best Buys for After Christmas Sales

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday and best wishes for the New Year! Tomorrow's after Christmas sales could help save your family a lot of money for next year. Here is a quick list of best buys for after Christmas sales:

1. Holiday Wrapping Paper, Gift Bags, and Gift Boxes -- If you have the storage for these, it is a great time to stock up for the upcoming year.
   
2. Christmas Cards -- As long as there is no year mentioned, you can purchase cards for next year at deeply discounted prices.
   
3. Ornaments -- Look for classic designs that never go out of style.
   
4. Christmas Lights -- LED Christmas lights are a great buy because they use about 1/4 of the energy of traditional lights.
   
5. Holiday Dishware -- Great buys are to be had on holiday dishware and glassware after Christmas.
6. Artificial Trees -- Selection may be a bit limited, but you still might be able to score a nice tree for many more future uses.
7. Holiday Chocolate -- Chop up and use in baking, or hot cocoa mix!
   

Frugal INSTANT Gift Ideas

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so I thought it would be a great time to share some fabulous frugal gifts you can have instantly.  It is amazing what a computer with internet access can provide.  Isn't technology wonderful?  

Here are some frugal instant gift ideas:

1. Magazine Subscription -- Magazines.com  has subscriptions that start at just $6!
2. Restaurant Gift Certificate --  I  know what you're thinking... Eating out is NOT frugal!  But, did you know that if you order before 12/25 and use promotional code HOLIDAY at Restaurant.com, you will get a whopping 80% off!  You will pay about $2 for a $25 gift certificate.  If you place your order through uPromise, you will get a percentage back for college savings.
3. Amazon e-Gift Certificate --  Just about everyone finds something at Amazon that they would love, so an e-gift certificate could be ideal.  Available in any denomination. 
4. NetFlix Subscription -- Plans start at just $4.99 a month, which is a pretty good deal.
5. iTunes --  Give the gift of music with an instant iTunes e-gift certificate.  This must be done through the iTunes store.  You can download iTunes, by clicking here.

Frugal Family Activity -- Go Caroling!

Christmas is almost here and it is the perfect time of year to go caroling with friends, family, and neighbors.  If you are like me, that sounds fine and dandy, until you realize you might not know all the words to some of the classic Christmas carols!  Don't worry, to help you avoid any embarrassment, the Hillbilly Housewife has put together a Christmas Carol Song Book that you can download here for free!  (Thanks, Hillbilly Housewife!)

Also, if you are looking for a little more motivation to get started, try How to Organize a Christmas Caroling Party.  This is a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit, and it is very frugal.

Have you gone caroling this year?  If so, leave us a comment and tell us about it!

Frugal Family Fun Blog is updated daily - sometimes several times a day.  Don't miss any of these great frugal activity ideas, become a follower of the Frugal Family Fun Blog!

17 Frugal Gift Ideas -- Week in Review

Here is a quick review of the Frugal Holiday series posted here at Frugal Family Fun Blog:

1. Learn to Knit
2. Easy, Homemade Holiday Food Gifts
3. Jar Mix Recipes
4. Homemade Bath Salts
5. Green Gifts for FREE
6. Hand-painted Block Print Kitchen Towels
7. Festive Winter Journals
8. Chocolate Covered Pretzels
9. Chili Mix in a Jar
10. Bird Watching Kit
11. Hand Warmers
12. Winter Lacing Cards
13. Homework Organizer
14. Cinnamon Ornaments Kit
15. Gingerbread House Kit
16. Doorway Puppet Theatre
17. Pretend Play Sets

Frugal Fun -- Lehigh Valley

A few weeks ago, I published a post entitled Frugal Indoor Activities in the Lehigh Valley.  However, I had completely forgotten about Lights in the Parkway!  Our family piled into the car last night and enjoyed this great display of holiday lights.

Lights in the Parkway runs from now until January 4th, 5:30pm-10pm and is closed Christmas Day. It is only $9 per vehicle admission, and you can click here for a coupon good for $2 off. For a family of four, that is only $1.75 per person!  When we went, they were giving out boxes of candy to the kids.  Be sure to bring a thermos with some hot cocoa.  You could even make your own peppermint hot cocoa mix!

Frugal Gift Idea -- Pretend Play Sets

Out of all of the games and toys Emily has, she seems to enjoy playing pretend the most.  I try to encourage this as much as possible because pretend play is one of the most beneficial types of play for a child's development.  Child psychologists claim pretend play helps increase creativity, memory, fine motor skills, and more! Today's project is a series of play sets that can be gathered from items you probably already have at home.  They are very frugal, and best of all, the kids really love this kind of play!  

Here are some ideas to make your own pretend play sets:

1. Doctor Set --  Fill a small black bag with some bandages, cotton balls, adhesive tape, tongue depressors, gloves, and some empty medicine bottles.  You can paint a white cross on the outside of the bag.
2. School Set --  Fill a basket with some paper, pencils, reward stickers, chalkboard, chalk, hall pass, report card with cardboard sleeve, and a few books.
3. Restaurant Set --  Fill a medium sized tray with a paper pad, pencil, kid-sized apron, menu (you can laminate this), play-doh (to make pretend food), and a junior chef's hat.  You could also include paper plates.
4. Grocery Set --  Save your old trial size cereal boxes, mac & cheese boxes, cleaned out ketchup bottles, and other small food boxes or containers.  Include some paper lunch bags, calculator, paper pad, and pencil.  Put the items in a basket so the kids can use the basket for their shopping.

To make your own play food:

1. Try FeltCuisine.com for some inspiration.  
2. Thrifty Craft Mama includes a free pattern for felt pumpkin pie!
   
3. Pizza Kit -- Try cutting a circle out of tan felt for a crust, a slightly smaller circle from red felt for sauce, and an even slightly smaller circle from ivory felt for cheese.  You can include toppings such as green pepper, pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives.

Do you have any other ideas for pretend play sets, or do you have children who enjoy playing pretend?  If so, please leave a comment and tell us about it!

$10 Target Gift Card Winner

Wow!  There were 290 entries for this fabulous giveaway, and the $10 Target gift card winner (chosen by random.org) is mhemrich from Life as Vinny's Mom!  Here was her winning comment:

I love Target. I just found your blog today, and am super excited to become a follower. You have some great ideas!

Thanks to everyone for participating, and we will do another fun giveaway soon!

Frugal Last Minute Gift Idea for Kids -- Doorway Puppet Theatre

Emily seemed to enjoy this frugal activity the most of all the gift ideas I have covered this week!  Today's project is a Doorway Puppet Theatre, and she played with it all afternoon, so I am very excited to share this with you!  

To make your own doorway puppet theatre, you will need:

1. 3 Curtain Tension Rods -- I found these at Walmart for just a few dollars.
2. 2 Curtains (1 Curtain Valance & 1 Shorter Curtain) -- I made these with about 1 yard of leftover fabric.
3. 1 Dark Colored Rectangular Table Cloth -- We taped ours to one of the top curtain rods, but you could sew this into a curtain as well.
4. Various Puppets -- The one pictured above came from the dollar section of Target!

Arrange two curtain rods near the top of the doorway with a valance curtain on the front rod, and the tablecloth on the back rod.  Add the third curtain rod with a short curtain about 2 feet below the hem of the top curtain.

Emily adored this theatre, and loved to put on puppet shows for Clara to enjoy!  It also does not take up much room for storage, which is a great plus.

$10 Target Gift Card Giveaway -- Ends Today

Today is the last day to get in your entry for the $10 Target Gift Card Giveaway!  Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted via email for mailing information.  Click here for details.  This giveaway ends at 6pm EST.  Good luck!

Frugal Last Minute Gift Idea for Kids -- Make Your Own Gingerbread House Kit

As mentioned earlier this week, kids love to make their own creations.  Today's project is a Make Your Own Gingerbread House Kit.  These are simple and easy to make, and they taste delicious!  Using these clever shortcuts, you can have a beautiful gingerbread house put together in minutes.  

To make your gingerbread house kit, you will need:

1. 1 box graham crackers
2. 1 empty 2 pint milk carton
3. white icing
4. decorative candy (licorice, gum drops, candy canes, peppermint candies, etc.)

Place the items listed above into a gift bag and attach the following instructions:

Using the icing as glue, attach graham crackers to cover the outside of the milk carton.  Use a plasic bag with one corner cut off to pipe icing along each edge of the gingerbread house.  Attach candy using icing as glue to decorate your house.  

You could include a bag of marshmallows to use as snow, if desired.  Kids love building (and eating) these!

Frugal Last Minute Gift Idea for Kids -- Make Your Own Cinnamon Ornaments Kit

Today's frugal last minute gift idea for kids is a Make Your Own Cinnamon Ornaments Kit!  Kids love to make their own creations, and this is a great way to get them actively involved in decorating the tree.  The ornaments have the added benefit of acting as air-fresheners and will keep their fragrance for up to 4 years!  A large jar of apple sauce and a large container of cinnamon will make several kits, and you could give one to each kid in the family.

To make your own cinnamon ornament kit, you will need:

1. 1/2 cup store bought apple sauce -- I used a small tupperware container filled with apple sauce.
2. 1/2 cup ground cinnamon -- You could use zipper plastic bags for this.
3. cookie cutters
4. drinking straw
5. 1 roll of 1/8" wide ribbon

Fill a pretty gift bag with the items listed above and attach the following instructions:

Mix 1/2 cup apple sauce with 1/2 cup ground cinnamon and 1 Tbsp. white glue.  Use a cutting board dusted with cinnamon to roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick.  Cut your design using a cookie cutter, and punch out a hole near the top with the drinking straw.  Thread ribbon through the hole, tie into a bow, and you are done!  Let ornaments air-dry for 2 days before hanging.