Tis the season for vacation planning. . . take a sneak peek into my FRUGAL FAMILY VACATIONS magazine today!

Keeping it All Together: Budget Your Vacation

This magazine’s theme is frugal family vacations, and we’ll be looking at a lot of different ways to save money and still enjoy relaxing time together as a family. This column will help to organize your vacation budget and finances (be sure to check the forms at the end of the magazine)!

Vacations do not have to be expensive, especially if you plan ahead. The most important step is to consider where you will need to spend your money—transportation, food, lodging, etc. I have included a worksheet at the end of this Digest for you to print out and use to help you plan the financial aspect of your vacation. First, you need to set a budget based on the cash you have on hand and whatever you will be willing to put on your credit card. If you are going to pay for part of your vacation with credit, be sure that you have a plan in place to pay off that balance as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to save money is to look for vacation packages that include lodging and entertainment in one price. Usually you have to book a room for a certain number of nights, but you’ll save money on tickets to theme parks and other local attractions. Often it is worth it to use a local travel agent, as they have access to deals that you cannot get on your own. You might want to call a couple of local agents to see if they have any specials available. You can also save money by staying at a campground.

Before you get in the car or plane to travel to your vacation destination, plan activities that will keep the kids busy. If they are busy, you might not hear, “Are we there yet?” as often! Head to the local dollar store, and buy some items for a travel “goody bag” like coloring books and crayons, search-a-words, handheld games, stickers and paper, Mad Libs™, etc. Wrap each item and have a schedule set so that the kids know when they can open up a new “present.” This could include times when you cross state lines, stop for a gas refill, see a certain roadside sign, etc. Make it a fun travel “treasure hunt.” Don’t forget to include some snacks and times to eat them. Hungry children do not make for a good trip!

If you are able to afford to travel this year, here are some more tips for saving money when planning for your vacation. At the end of this magazine, you will also find a vacation checklist to remind you of all of the steps to take to plan the perfect vacation.

For more of this article on planning a frugal vacation, CLICK HERE to purchase Frugal Family Vacations as a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out June 2009.

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Today’s guest post is brought to you by : Annabelle Smyth, www.dailypencil.com

Over time, it’s common for children to simply have too many toys and some that they do not play with anymore. When they outgrow a toy, whether it is because they are past the recommended age range or are simply bored with it, there are several things that you can opt to do with the toys so that they do not get thrown away or go to waste. Toys for indoor play, outdoor play, large rocking horses, bean bag chairs, stuffed animals and kitchen sets are just some of what you may have that you do not know what to do with. Take advantage of these options to get those toys out of your house and into the hands of someone who can use them.

1. Storage

If you are unsure if you will need the toys that your child have outgrown at a future time, putting them into storage is a great option. This is ideal for those who are thinking about having more children in the future or those who are expecting grandchildren and would like to pass down the toys that their children played with. Tampa FL storage facilities, Mesa self storage units and other storage buildings are available for rent all around the country.

2. Donations

Donating your child’s old toys is one way that you can give back to the community while cleaning up the things that your kids do not play with anymore. There are many different causes that accept toy donations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Goodwill. Toys can be dropped off at these facilities or can be picked up by some on select days right on your doorstep, making it easy to donate.

3. Garage Sales

Gain some money back from all of your outgrown toys by selling them at a garage sale. First, you will want to clean up all of the toys that you plan to sell and test with batteries to ensure that they are still in good working condition. Mark them at low prices to draw customers in, getting them to buy multiple toys that their children will enjoy. To price competitively, look up current prices for the toys that you are selling online before marking them at your garage sale.

4. Consignment Stores

Consignment stores and shops that buy and sell gently used children’s clothes and toys are ideal for selling your used children’s toys. These toys must be in good condition. By bringing them to these stores you will either receive an upfront price for your goods that will then be re-sold for a profit or will earn a percentage of the sale price after they have been sold.

By taking advantage of these options, you will make room in your house while getting rid of the toys that your children have outgrew. Whether you opt to donate, put them into storage or sell for a profit, there are plenty of things to do with your old children’s toys that still have life left in them.

Annabelle is currently a loving and caring mother of two children. She lives outside of Milwaukee, WI and loves cheering for the Bucks and Badgers. She is a blog enthusiast and loves writing, if she is not writing she is cleaning up after her two lovely angels.

Take a sneak peek into my THE COUPON CRAZE: Chaos or Common Cents magazine today!

Do you have a small space, small budget and desire a BIG stockpile? No problem! Alayna Cann tells you how in this comprehensive yet captivating article.

“If you are anything like me, you have just a teensy bit of envy for those moms who seem to have it all together and have all the space in the world to store all the stockpile they could ever dream possible! But hey, let’s face it: Most of us are not like “those” moms! We don’t have it all together and we have a small to  average-size home, lacking all of that extra storage space for that dream stockpile.

I always wanted to make it possible, so one day I decided to turn that possibility into a reality. I realized that, no, I may not have a garage, attic, or basement for storage, so I would have to get creative! I needed to turn a space into my stockpile storage area without taking up any precious living space, all the while making it both functional and creative.

In the kitchen, you may not have a ton of extra space, but don’t forget to use your cabinet space to its full capacity, especially when storing canned goods. I always stack mine by size and according to how many can be stacked per shelf. By doing so, you will be amazed not only how much space you will save, but how many canned goods you can store in just one cabinet! You can also use this method with boxed foods. In organizing your food items, if you plan to store them for a long time, you may want to write the date on them somewhere with a Sharpie so that down the road you will know how long you have had them. If you don’t think you will use something relatively soon, consider taking a donation box to a food pantry or sharing with family and friends. This is a great idea when you have limited space, so that you can rotate items and nothing is wasted.

Now let’s move on to the seemingly endless cycle in the laundry room. Many of us don’t think of it as storage space for stockpiling, but it is an area where, even with limited space, functional storage can be created. When I moved to my house out West a few years ago, I faced the problem of absolutely no storage space in my laundry room. It was actually a mud room at one of the entries into the house that became the dumping ground for everyone’s shoes. So between the shoes, a stacked washer and dryer, an extra refrigerator, and a folding table, there was little room for anything else. I decided to get creative. . .”

To get the rest of this article and more stockpiling tips, CLICK HERE to purchase THE COUPON CRAZE: Chaos or Common Centsas a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out April 2012.

If you’re not a Molly member, take advantage of our TAX SPECIAL! You’ll find all the details over on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE, this special ends TOMORROW!

I don’t think there’s one among us that enjoys weeds in our gardens or flower beds.  Weeds seem to be the topic of discussion and how to get rid of them.  Mulching is a super simple way to not only keep your plants healthy but cut down on weeding time as well.  Mulching benefits your gardens by:

• inhibiting the grown of weeds from the very beginning.  Not only do weeds look bad, they steal nutrients away from the plants.
• holding moisture in the soil.  The hot sun wont’ dry out your plants as quickly.
• keeping your plants cooler.
• protecting the plant from harsh winter weather.  Fall mulching is important to protect the plant’s roots from extreme frost.
• possibly adding a little nutrition back into the soil (depending on the type of mulch you use).

There are many types of mulches, see which kind works for you and works well in your geographic location.  A little research goes a long way.  Some are free, some are more costly. Some are colorful, others are nature friendly.  Whatever mulch you decide to use, your plants will thank you!

Here’s a list of possible mulching options:

• grass clippings
• wood/bark chips
• decaying leaves
• compost
• peat moss
• straw
• hay
• pebbles, gravel or stone
• landscape fabric
• coffee bean shell

Mulching works for me! What kinds of mulch work for you, do you have a favorite?

Mulching flowerbeds works for me! For more Works For Me tips, visit: WE ARE THAT FAMILY.

Take a sneak peek into my Making Money From Home magazine today!

Today’s guest post is brought to us by: Maria Wells

Thanks to the show Extreme Couponing, more consumers are gaining an interest in saving money by clipping truckloads of coupons. At the same time, the coupon landscape has changed at many stores due to the program’s popularity and consumers’ zeal. Even though things have changed, you can still manage to save quite a bit of money by taking your couponing to another level. If you are considering extreme couponing, these are ten of the rules you should keep in mind.

1. Be Patient – How much time it takes will completely depend on you. If you live by the saying, “time is money,” then you may not want to devote several hours to finding and clipping coupons. Be reasonable in your time allotment. It doesn’t do much good to take a lot of time away from your family to find bargains. Be prepared to spend around four or five hours a week clipping coupns, organizing them and shopping for your bargains.
2. Be Ethical – Fraudulent use of coupons can get you in big trouble, so don’t decode your coupons. If you read the small print, you will find that using the coupon for something other than what it is meant to be used for is committing fraud. Some coupon classes will teach you how to decode your coupons, but it is unethical and illegal.
3. Be Fair – Some extreme couponers will clear the stock of an item in the store. That’s a pretty selfish thing to do, since bargains usually come around at least every quarter or so. Even though you may be able to clear the shelf with your coupons, think twice about doing so. Is it really necessary?
4. Get Organized – Extreme couponing calls for extreme organization, or at least a reasonably organized system. There are a wide variety of coupon organization systems available. Find one that works for you, then keep your coupons categorized and up to date. One thing you want to avoid is getting to the check-out with all of your items, only to find that some of your coupons are out of date.
5. Think Outside of the Print-Ad Box – It’s not just a matter of looking at the ads in the Sunday paper anymore. With extreme couponing, you may find yourself going to extreme measures to get your coupons. You can ask friends and family members to give you their extra coupons, you can enlist the help of coupon clipping services or you can buy coupons for a few dollars. Coupons are also available online at manufacturers’ and stores’ websites. You will often find coupons on their Facebook pages, too.
6. Stock Up – Extreme couponing is all about saving money, and one way to do this is to stock up on a good deal until it comes around again. If your store allows you to purchase more than one item with the coupon, by all means stock up on what you need. Keep in mind, though, that unless there are only a few items on the shelf to begin with, you probably don’t need to clear it to get what you need for your family. You don’t have to stock up for years or decades – only until the next good deal comes around. As an extreme couponer, you should have an idea how long that will be; usually four to six weeks.
7. Shop During Off-Peak Hours – Since you are doing more than the average shopper, you will most likely take more time at the cashier’s stand. Rather than ending up in a frustrated bundle of nerves or watching others impatiently waiting in line for you to finish with your business, shop during slower hours. That way, you and the clerk will have plenty of time to work through the transaction.
8. Be Familiar With Store Policy – You don’t want to come up to the check-out counter with a cart load of goods, only to find out that store policy limits coupon use to one item per customer. Oftentimes, cashiers aren’t totally familiar with the policies and will not bother to check if you are right or wrong. If you have a copy of the store policy with you and a problem comes up with the cashier, you can politely show that you are in compliance. You can usually obtain a copy of the policy online or you can ask the manager for a copy.
9. Use Original Coupons – Stores will most likely not accept photocopied coupons, so don’t even try it. It isn’t worth the embarrassment. Keep in mind that if your coupons even look photocopied, the store may not accept them.
10. Be Realistic – Extreme couponing can certainly be a lot of fun for those who enjoy bargain hunting. With that being said, keep in mind that your main purpose is saving money. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Take everything into consideration. Very few people will manage to save 90% off their grocery bill when buying things they actually use on a regular basis. If you’re savvy and diligent, consider yourself fortunate if you cut your grocery bill in half.

Now, gather those coupons together and start racking up the savings!

Maria works on the site www.housekeeping.org and she’s shared today’s article with us. Thank you, Maria!

Do you use coupons?

Take a sneak peek into my Making a Frugal Fresh Start magazine today!

Yard sales are a quick and easy way to get some extra money from items that are cluttering your home or that you just aren’t using anymore. The best time to have a yard sale is the first or third Saturday of the month. Most people have just gotten paid the Friday before and have money to spend. Be willing to open early in the morning, around 7 – 8 a.m. Do not negotiate on prices early in the morning; save that until later in the day. If someone is at your yard sale looking for something specific and they are there early, chances are they’ll pay your reasonable asking price to be sure they get it.

1. Go through your home room by room and take a good, honest look at the items in each room. Are you using them often? Does the clothing still fit? Have the toys sat in the same spot for months without use? Are you really going to read all of those books (or watch that video/DVD again or listen to that CD, etc.)? How many storage containers do you really need? You get the idea—if you aren’t using an item often, then sell it! Don’t forget to look through the tools and other items in the garage or tool shed. These items sell very well at yard sales. Designate a spot in your home (a room, garage, basement) to place all of the items that you are going to sell. A good rule-of-thumb is that if you haven’t used an item or worn a piece of clothing in a year, get rid of it.
2. Once you have gathered all of your items in one spot, organize them by category. . . toys, books, linens, appliances, clothing, tools, etc. If you have furniture pieces that are just taking up space, consider selling them. They usually sell well and you can get a decent price for them. Don’t think that an item won’t sell because it’s odd or unique. Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
3. Price appropriately. Use the pre-printed stickers from the store or put your prices on blank stickers. Larger items, like furniture, or more expensive items will often need more description than just a price. Let the buyer know how old something is and how much you paid for it originally in addition to listing your sale price. A general guideline is to price something at 25% of its original cost. That can be high for some items, so just use your best judgment. We always price things a little higher, but not too high, knowing that many people will want to negotiate the price. Some buyers never pay the asking price!
4. Set up the night before. Organize as many tables and displays as possible the night before. Then it is super easy to get started in the morning. If you have a garage and can hold the sale inside, that is even better. If it happens to rain the next day or the sun is blazing, you will still get visitors to your sale. Be sure to point out in your newspaper ad that your sale is an INSIDE sale and will be held “rain or shine.”

To get the rest of the list (and more yard sale tips), CLICK HERE to purchase Making a Frugal Fresh Start as a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out April 2009.

If you’re not a Molly member, take advantage of our TAX SPECIAL and sign up TODAY! You’ll find all the details over on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE ! This special ends April 30th.

If you get my Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question about my “standard meal plan” and cooking with kids (if you don’t get my FREE newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner). Read below to see my answer.  Molly

Dear Midge,

My meal plans look a bit different during the cooler months than in the warmer months. I tend to make more hearty fare (heavier meats and root vegetables) when it’s cold or damp outside. My meals have also changed a bit based on the age of my children (and if they were picky eaters!). This past year I’ve done more “themed” meals on specific days of the week. It’s been quite a busy season, this method has helped me greatly! For example, Monday nights are our soup and fresh bread nights. Tuesdays are “meatless” dinners and Wednesday nights are tacos or Mexican food. Thursday nights are for leftovers and Friday nights are homemade pizza nights. Sometimes I make a plan for weekends, sometimes not. It usually depends if we’ll be home or out running around (errands or certain activities).

Cooking with children always seems to be a messy (and sometimes disorganized) ordeal. I try to keep a sink full of soapy water and have everyone clean up as we go along. I’ve come to the conclusion that messy in the kitchen is good as we’re not only creating yummy meals but meaningful memories as well. After dinner I also try to have everyone pitch in and help with dishes and clean-up. I also have the kids wipe counters and sweep floors, the youngest child assists with the dust pan and puts silverware away. I figure there will be plenty of years (after they’re all grown) that my house will be perfectly clean and organized. Do you think I’ll miss the chaos and fingerprints everywhere? I’m thinking I will. Thinking of things in that perspective helps me when the mess feels overwhelming!

Happy meal planning!

Love ya, Molly

Take a sneak peek into my Let’s Get Organized for Fiscal Fitness magazine today!

• alphabetically by name of item purchased
• by date of purchase
• by category (appliance, electronics, home décor, jewelry, etc.)
• by store (where you purchased the item)

To get the printable form, CLICK HERE to purchase Let’s Get Organized for Fiscal Fitness as a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out January 2009.

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It seems spring is a time of planning . . . plans to garden, plans of fix-it projects to be completed and plans involving a family vacation. Vacation can sometimes be an intimidating word to families. You might hear the word vacation and think “expensive”. You might hear the word vacation and know you can never get a big chunk of time off from work. Whatever you think about family vacations, they don’t have to be long or expensive. Doing a little investigating now can help your vacation planning go much more smoothly.

Have you ever considered camping? A series of short, weekend camping trips spread throughout the summer can offer a vacation-like feel and you might get around to some places within your state you haven’t seen yet.

The NATIONAL PARK SERVICE has a great site with a lot of information. You can search out parks BY STATE and even get your children involved in the National Park Service’s free, on-line Junior Ranger program (WEBRANGERS). RESERVE AMERICA is another great site to get information on camping (and other great tidbits!).

So while you’re planning things to accomplish this spring/summer, why not add in a camping trip or two? Do some of the preparation now and you can enjoy some fun (and frugal) family time. Did you know I wrote an entire E-Book devoted to camping? Check it out HERE if you’re interested in more frugal tips and hints to help make your future camping trips fun and successful!