Hey Smarty Pants...Let’s face it, raising children is one of, if not the, most expensive things we will ever do. Even giving birth to a child can cost a small fortune and let’s be honest, there is no coupon for the delivery room. There’s no Baby Happy Hour where if you have your baby from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. then your baby is half-price. There is no Baby BOGO (Buy One Get One Free, for you coupon newbies)
From the time babies are born they require a constant stream of cash to feed, diaper, clothe and entertain them. As well-meaning parents, it’s very easy to get caught up in purchasing all of the things that you think your child needs to be healthy and happy. More money spent equates a happy child. That is definitely a misconception and I hope the following tips will help you re-think how your family finds fun.
Our family has taken a big vacation every year since our oldest daughter was small. We couldn’t always afford to go but we had credit cards, right? Well, after that theory came back to bite us, we learned not to take vacations that we can’t afford. This summer, it wasn’t in the budget for our family to take a vacation but I still wanted to make it a fun and memorable summer for my kids. The baby doesn’t care a whole lot about where we go or what we do but our oldest daughter, being that it was her break from school, wanted to party like it was 1999. If you do a little research there is so much out there for kids to do for cheap or even free!
The first place I started was our public library. Libraries are for so much more than checking out musty old books, although that’s a great way to save money, too. Our public library had a summer reading program for babies thru adults. After reading a certain number of books you’re given a brand-new book of your choice. Even the baby got a free book! Barnes & Noble also has an offer like this for kids.
Our library also had some great free events that my kids loved! We went to a magic show and a ventriloquist show that were amazing. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the entertainment they had and they were definitely something I would’ve paid to see but didn’t have to. Most public libraries also have daily programs for babies and book clubs and crafts for older kids. Don’t forget to check out the libraries in surrounding counties. From my experience, you don’t have to live in that county to visit their library or participate in their special events.
One of the hardest places to save money is at kid’s entertainment centers. Places like Chuck E. Cheese, Gattitown and Monkey Joe’s can take a big chunk out of your wallet. When I was working part-time for a local restaurant I would often speak with the manager of my kid’s favorite places and trade coupons. Just make sure you have the authority to pass out coupons from your workplace. It amazed me how willing the managers were to trade and it saved me at least 50% on admission prices. The same goes for trading a service. If you teach dance, art or music, consider trading free lessons for the manager’s child in exchange for coupons or gift certificates.
When it comes to free entertainment, we often forget about the fun that nature has to offer. Use the internet to research if your town has any nature preserves or sanctuaries. Our town has several and they offer free programs for kids year-round.
Don’t forget to utilize your favorite stores as well. Craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby offer free crafts for kids throughout the year. Even Lowe’s has a Saturday Kid’s Clinic for free.
Some of the best times I’ve had with my children have been while doing inexpensive or free things. We take lots of picnics, feed the ducks, visit our favorite pet store, take nature walks, and lay outside after dark and count stars. After all the time and money I’ve spent trying to make my daughters happy, I finally realized that what they really wanted was me, just my time and attention, and that is free!
If you're looking for a great book for kids and parents, check out The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions. My Mom has this book and my daughter loves doing the "speriments."
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
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