Here we are in midst of summer. We have been finding more and more every time we turn around we are spending more money on entertainment or the little extras that add up during summer activities.
Here are a few tips:
Buy the Entertainment Coupon Book. The books are packed with coupons for dining, bowling, gold, amusement parks, attractions and more! If you are going on a vacation consider spending the money to buy the book for the area you are visiting. Right now there is an offer where you can get the 2010 Entertainment Book free if you reserve your 2011 copy.
Are you always the hostess? Make sure when you are inviting people for dinner and BBQs that you ask your guests to help you out. Plan a pot-luck or simply make assignments. You don’t have to pay for everything!
Plan movie nights at home. We have Netflix at our house and we have movie night every week. Did you know that Netflix has an option where you can stream movies through your computer, wii, or Playstation? Pair your movie night with pizza or another family favorite. Your kids will love it! Even if you order a delivery pizza the cost savings compared to paying for theater tickets and snacks can be AMAZING! Another option for movies at home that I just recently discovered is Amazon Movies on Demand, you can either get a Roku box or do what I do and hook my laptop up to my TV and watch it that way.
Pack your food with you. If you are going on a road trip, to the amusement park, or to a ballgame pack your own food with you into a cooler. This way you can take with you food that are not only healthy but that your family will actually eat.
Many cities around the county offer free concerts or movie showings in local parks during the summertime. Take advantage of these activities. To find out about them you can check your city’s website, the chamber of commerce or the local newspaper.
Cancel old subscriptions to magazines you are not reading anymore, lots of these resources are now found online now anyway or even available at the local library. If there is a magazine you really need to have, make sure you are getting the best subscription rate for it. Right now Amazon has some great magazines at great prices.
Have a family game night.
Get outside! Go camping! Go for a walk or a hike. We take our kids out for hikes with a purpose. We have them look for rocks that are a specific shape or color.
Go to the zoo. Of course look for discounts! For my family we bought a 1 year membership to the zoo, just by making 2 trips we had already paid for the membership, so now we are going for free!
Go to area fairs and festivals. Pack your lunch with you of course and go check out the entertainment offered.
Visit your library!!! Most libraries offer summer programs for kids and families. Storytime, puppet shows and more! Check out books and movies there too!!
LunaSee
You can also stream movies through an XBox 360 if you have a gold account and Netflix.