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The Editor's Desk - From Beneath the Clutter
Feature Article - Family Picnics
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Gage is walking! It's pretty exciting if tiring at times. He still loves to drag me around the house, walking while holding my fingers (really hard on the back, but very cute), but now he can do it on his own too. I suppose one of the good things about having two young kids is much of the childproofing for this stage is already done... except for those parts which my daughter keeps pulling out toys of hers that are too small for her brother.
I finally got my new keyboard
Sometimes kids just make you laugh. I gave Ariel a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin. She knows her coins pretty well, but this one was unfamiliar. I know it had the most to do with the size of the coin, but it was still pretty funny when she looked at it and said "Is that George Washington?"
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Valentine's Day chocolate from the grocery store???
Tell him he can do much better by buying gourmet chocolate online!
Recently I read my son's story book, where he wrote about our last holiday. It said "We are going to Tathra, because we never get to go anywhere". I'm afraid it's true. Lack of funds and my husband's work commitments generally means we are staying home when other people are leaving town. But one thing we do do - and do often - is have picnics.
Picnics are a great way to spend some quality family time together. And it's a fun way to do something special when a holiday is out of the question. Even though it doesn't take up much time, it can be just as meaningful as a holiday. I can remember each picnic our family has had - and I know the children do too.
The best thing about having a picnic, is it's easy to have a picnic that suits your needs. If you only have an hour to spare, you can make a quick snack and take it down to the local park or river. If you want to make a day of it, packs lots of food and lots of games and pick a place that is good for a walk or a swim. And don't forget to take a camera, so you don't miss out on your "holiday shots".
If money isn't an issue, pack some special food that you don't generally eat. Splurge on the kinds of foods that you generally pass by in the supermarket. If you're on a budget, then limit the foods to less expensive ones. Enhance the experience by cooking some food with your children beforehand.
Picnics can also be a great time to socialise with other people without having to spend a lot of time preparing your house or trying to impress. Ask people to bring along their own picnic lunch or a meal or snack to share. On the subject of socialising, I've found picnics are a fun way to have a cheap stress-free birthday party. Children seem to have more fun in an outdoor environment and there's very little cleaning up to do afterwards.
Our family has special picnic spots that we go to often. They feel like our own special places. But we also like to try out new spots. There are so many places you can go to have a picnic; neighbouring towns, spots by a river, playgrounds, historic buildings, botanic gardens, national parks. When all you need is a picnic rug and a hamper full of food, there are tons of possibilities. I could have a picnic at a new spot every week and still never run out of places to go.
We also have special days when we have picnics. Boxing Day is a good day for us to have a picnic. It gets rid of some of those Christmas leftovers. However, I do live in Australia and the weather might be a bit better for a picnic on Boxing Day for me than it is for you. A picnic can become a pain if you are not prepared. Check and double-check your food hamper. Do you have enough plates, knives, serving spoons, napkins? Make sure you have a picnic rug if you need one. Check the weather and be prepared. Take sunscreen, hats and aeroguard if necessary, or warm coats if the weather is cooler. If there's a possibility of rain go somewhere where you can eat under shelter.
Think about ways you can make your picnic even more special. Take a pretty tablecloth, pretty napkins and a nice centrepiece. Write notes to your family, telling them how much you love them and love spending time with them, and place them under their plates. Include a favourite food for each family member. Pack a surprise that nobody knows is in there. Create your own picnic traditions. How about a special song you sing on the way to the picnic? My sons and me sing a song about a bumpy road that always has everybody in giggles. Create a picnic king or queen. Make special hats that you only wear for picnics. Create a rule that everybody going on a picnic has to wear something blue or red.
If everybody is starting to get stressed or irritated, then it's time to rethink what you're doing. If you hate cooking, don't feel like you have to cook food for the picnic. Buy it instead. Don't make everybody play a certain game if nobody really likes it. The picnic should reflect what your family likes doing. Remember that the idea of a picnic is to bond as a family and have fun.
For more articles on arts and crafts, family and relationships, homemaking, christian living, frugality, fun and entertainment, food and more, go to Elizabeth Palmer's Traditional Living website, at http://geocities.com/historylass/tradliving.htm or you can subscribe to the Traditional Living newsletter by sending an email to tradliving-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Want to Buy Much More for Less? Imagine filling your cart with your favorite groceries, but only paying a fraction of the total cost. By mastering the eight essential techniques, every shopper who buys groceries can get the most out of their hard-earned money.
1. Learn the art of couponing. Smart shoppers know, without question, that using coupons wisely is the greatest money saving technique when it comes to buying groceries. They know how, when and where to use those little pieces of "paper gold" and they know just where to find the best coupons for the products they prefer to buy. Their coupons are well-organized and accessible so they don't ever miss an unadvertised sale. Smart spenders pay for a good portion of their groceries using coupons and save more than 50% off their weekly budgets each and every week.
2. Compare apples to apples. How do you know whether something is really a bargain just because it is on sale? By developing a Price Book, you are able to compare the price per unit of one size package to another. This allows you to compare the 200-ounce box of warehouse club bran cereal to the 20-ounce bag of the same type of cereal from the grocery store. Smart spenders know the surprising news that often, the smaller container is less expensive per unit than the bulk container when used in conjunction with coupons and sales.
3. Gain leverage from sales flyers. By reviewing the sales flyers that stores issue every week, you can plan your weekly menu, decide where to shop, determine what to include on your grocery list, and choose the best money-saving coupons to use at the store. Smart spenders realize that the key to the greatest savings is purchasing the best sale items listed in the weekly flyers and then using coupons for those items.
4. Be a proud card-carrying member. Sign up for the frequent shopper rewards cards at the stores you shop. Without them, you won't be offered the sale prices or special incentives and you may lose out on thousands of dollars in savings a year. Many stores will even mail great money-saving coupons to members throughout the year. Smart spenders take advantage of the sale prices by using their rewards cards every time they shop.
5. Savor store brand savings. Companies have worked hard to improve their private-label brands and often the taste is just as delicious as the national brand. Store brand products are generally 20% less expensive than the national brands, which means everyone should consider them as a money-saving option. Smart spenders understand that store brand items are another effective tool to lower their grocery bills and they don't let a little brand name loyalty stand in their way of savings.
6. Refuse to be overcharged. Many grocery stores carry 30,000 or more items. It is not hard to imagine that there may be a price mistake or two at the register. Before you leave the store, thoroughly review your receipt to make sure you weren't overcharged. If you discover an overcharge, head straight to customer service and explain the error. Many stores have a price scan guarantee, which means that you will receive the entire cost you paid for the item and get to keep the product. Yes, this means you will take home the product for FREE! Smart spenders never leave the store without reviewing the receipt and requesting the price scan guarantee, when applicable.
7. Enjoy delayed gratification. Yes, it's just what you were thinking -rebates. You buy an item that offers a rebate, fill out the form exactly as required, send in the UPC, receipt or other necessary proof of purchase and, after a short delay, you get your money back in the mail. If you are thinking that it doesn't sound so difficult - you are right! But surprisingly, many people don't take advantage of the amazing rebates available for everything from beef to toothpaste to pies. Smart spenders recognize that the savings opportunities are huge, if they are willing to fill out a little form and wait patiently for their gratifying reward.
8. Stick to your strategy and avoid the tactics. Do you smell the fresh cookies baking in the deli? Did you taste those free samples of cereal when you walked into the store? Welcome to the world of store tactics. Their job is to make money marketing the products they sell. Your job is to steer clear of the tactics and stick to your grocery list. Don't be enticed by the sale signs when you know something isn't a good deal. Don't go to the store hungry and don't impulse-shop (unless it's a good unadvertised buy, of course!). Smart spenders come prepared to shop for the items that will save them the most money and they avoid the clever methods designed to persuade you to part with more of your paycheck than you should.
These aren't the only money-saving techniques used by the grocery gurus, but they are the basis for the very best buys. With a little discipline and organization, your grocery bills will shrink dramatically and your pantry will be overflowing!
Copyright Faye Prosser 2006
Faye Prosser is the author of The Smart Spending Guide, December 2005. Her mission is to help others become effective advocates for themselves and their hard-earned money. She teaches people how to budget, reduce debt, and save tremendous amounts of money on groceries and everyday purchases. For more information on The Smart Spending Guide, Smart Spending Coupon Organizer, and Smart Spending Workshops, visit http://www.smartspendingresources.com.
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