Happy New Year!! -- Jingle Bell Noisemaker Bracelet

Emily loved ringing in the new year with this fun jingle bell noisemaker bracelet!

To make your own noisemaker bracelet, you will need: felt, thread, jingle bells, and a small button. Cut two long pieces of felt about 1 1/2 inches wide. Measure your child's wrist and add about 2 inches for the length.

Whip stitch around the entire bracelet.

To one end, cut a small button hole and whip stitch around the opening.

To the other end, sew on a small button.

Sew on the jingle bells!

Make lots of NOISE!!

From our family to yours.... Happy New Year!

Top 9 Posts of 2009 Round Up

Some of our very favorite posts for 2009:

:: Easy Autumn Tree Suncatcher

:: Gratitude Activity Jar

:: Fun Autumn Treasure Hunt

:: Cheap Thrills -- Cardboard Box Edition

:: Stunning Winter Tree Silhouette

:: DIY Reusable 2-in-1 Sandwich Wrap and Placemat

:: Modern Art

:: Felt Fairy House Tutorial

:: Laundry Day Fun

We are looking forward to an even more crafty, frugal, and fun 2010!! Wishing you all the best for the New Year!

Download Suze Orman's New Book -- For FREE

From now until January 15th, you can download Suze Orman's new book, Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan for FREE -- courtesy of Oprah. For more information, click here.

From the site:

This book is copyrighted. You may view and download the file, but you may not copy the file or share or forward it to any other person. Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 15.

This looks like a great resource for the new year, so be sure to download your free copy and don't miss out!

6 Tips for Motivation to Stick to a Budget

The New Year's resolutions have been made, and many people have resolved to "spend less money" in 2009.  Setting up a budget for the new year can be easy, but finding ways to stay motivated can mean the difference between budget success and failure. Here are some strategies to keep you motivated and on the road to success with your budget.

1. Positive Attitude -- The most successful budgets are those you have entered into with a positive attitude. A budget does not mean you need to deny yourself, rather you are freeing yourself from debt and financial struggles. Now is the time to think positively about what living on a budget will do for you and your family.
   
2. Realistic Goals -- Having both long term and short term realistic goals is crucial to the success of your budget. Long term goals, like saving for a house, can be discouraging if too much time slips by and your back to your old spending ways. Instead, be sure to have short term goals that help you to reach your long term goals so you stay motivated.
   
3. Reward Yourself -- With each goal accomplished be sure to reward yourself with something you truly enjoy. Have a family game night, picnic lunch at the park, host a movie night with other families, and spend quality time together.
   
4. Calculate the Savings -- Spending $5.00 a day at Starbucks doesn't sound like much, but cutting out the little expenses can add up to huge savings. Use a savings calculator, like the one at CNNMoney.com, to figure out that investing those $5 a day (or $150 a month) for five years at 8% interest will generate $11,021.53.
   
5. Minimize Impulse Spending -- Take a photo of your biggest long term financial goal, and tape it to your credit card. The next time you go to use your card, you will be reminded that this small purchase is sending your goal a little bit further away. Another trick to limit impulse buys is to keep an index card in your wallet. When you see something you would like to purchase, write it down on the card and think about it for at least a week. If you see something else you would like to buy, write it down also, but only keep room on the card for about three things. If you need to write down something else, then you must remove something from the list first to make room for the new item. If something stays on the list for a long time, and you have the money, go ahead and buy it.
   
6. Forgive Yourself -- Living on a budget can have its ups and downs, but if you have a bad day, be sure to forgive yourself and move on. The key is to not be so hard on yourself that you will not want to continue with your budget. Leave more time for relaxation and meditation to limit any additional stress. Keep track of your goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them.  Sticking to a budget can help you find financial stability, eliminate debt, and spend more quality time with friends and family -- all powerful reasons to keep you motivated.
   

Have a budget motivation tip to share?  I would love to hear about it!  Leave a comment and share it with us.

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.

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.

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!