Frugal Fridays

Frugal Friday- Cheap Summer Fun

June 25, 2010 By Diaper Diaries 2 Comments

It is almost midnight and I just got home from an amazing event on the other side of the state where one of my favorite local organizations won the 2010 Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding Volunteer Program. My hubby just happens to be president of their board so he got to hang with the governor all evening. I was his arm candy. So congrats to Kid’s Food Basket and all their amazing volunteers.

Anyway, it is super late and I have no posts waiting in the wings so I thought I would instead let you read other people’s brilliant ideas and I can go to bed. It is a win-win. Well at least a win for me anyway. Hopefully you will find some good stuff as well. So here are some great outdoor summer fun activities I am looking forward to trying with my kids.

Homemade Sidewalk Chalk from Petit Elefant
Life-size Bubble Recipe from Petit Elefant
Painting with Water from 4Tunate
Everything from “2 Weeks of Summer Camp” at Impress Your Kids
Totally ripping off my friend Parenting in Blue Jeans’ Summer Bucket List

What about you? What “frugal” things do you like to do in the summer?

This post is linked to Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom.

Filed Under: Frugal Fridays

Frugal Friday- Group Buying

June 17, 2010 By Diaper Diaries 5 Comments

Do you Groupon? It keep hearing and hearing and hearing about it. Unfortunately it hasn’t made it to Grand Rapids yet (lets make that happen shall we Groupon), but I am waiting for the moment when I can get a massage for pennies on the dollar. How about Seize the Deal? They are supposed to be “coming soon” as well. Come on people, mama needs a massage!! Thankfully we have Hop In Deals although I haven’t found any massages yet.

Basically these all work in a similar way. There is a deal of the day that is at an incredible discount. The way these companies negotiate the discount is by promising the merchant that a minimum number of people will sign up. You sign up if you want the deal and if enough other people sign up, it is yours. The minimum isn’t reached? The deal is off.

I have seen deals for restaurants, dental work, hair salons, and yes, massages. It is a great way to save money on things you would do anyway or maybe a way to treat yourself to something special (like a massage- are you sensing a theme?). Even if you don’t see your cities listed, get signed up through the links above. That way you will be the first on the list to get deals when they come to your city?

Have you tried any of these sites for deals?

For more frugal tips, head over to Life As Mom.

Filed Under: Frugal Fridays

Frugal Friday- Community Supported Agriculture

June 10, 2010 By Diaper Diaries 11 Comments

First off, what is a CSA? According to Wikipedia (which never lies), a CSA is:

A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. CSAs usually consist of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit in a vegetable box scheme, sometimes including dairy products and meat.

After a few years of hearing about them but frankly being scared of being forced to eat weird foods, we pulled the trigger this year and split a share at a local farm with some friends of ours. And I am so sad I did not do it sooner!! I love that I am getting amazing quality organic produce fresh from the farm for a fraction of the cost I would pay for crappy produce from the grocery store that comes from halfway across the country. And the money stays here, in this economy, which frankly really needs it.

The thing I was most afraid of? That I would waste food because we wouldn’t like it, or the kids wouldn’t eat it, or I just wouldn’t be able to use it all in a week. So far, that has not remotely happened. I am getting creative in the kitchen and discovering new foods I never knew I would like. If you recall, I am not an adventurous eater. But thanks to a few great cookbooks , I am finding ways to incorporate different veggies in a way that my family will eat them. The kids have been involved in the pick up of our stash every week so they are actually excited to try new things. It doesn’t always go over well, but at least they are trying.

So by my estimation, I get weekly produce from June through the end of October. I am hoping to do some canning and freezing as well so my bounty can last me into the winter. I think the cost works out to $9 a week (math is not a strong suit). That seems like a heck of a deal to me. Oh and I didn’t even mention that the last 2 weeks I have also received a plant that has promptly gone in the garden. So that is the gift that keeps on giving.

Local Harvest is a great website for finding a local CSA near you. Have you tried a CSA? Did you find you saved money?

For more frugal tips, head over to Life As Mom.