Frugal / Freebies | 3 Boys And A Dog

5 Daily #Budgeting Tips for the Family

July 21, 2011 By Kelli Leave a Comment

Budgeting successfully is great for your financial health and is particularly important when there are debts to repay. Debt can feel like a real burden, but working towards the goal of becoming debt-free can be highly motivating. Here are five simple budgeting tips that all the family can try to stick to.

1. Work out your budget

Once you’ve taken care of your monthly bills, the cost of food, petrol and all the important things, including debt repayments, you should have a pretty clear idea of the amount of money you have left over to spend on non-essentials for the month. Divide that amount by 31 (or 30, or 28, or even 29!). According to these budgeting tips, you could make that your daily budget limit.

2. Limit what you spend

Give a child pocket money and they might spend it all in one go then go back to their parents and ask for more money – and realize they can’t have any more until the next pocket money day!

These are valuable budgeting tips that all kids should learn. You could apply the same logic to your own finances and make a point of spending within limits during any given day or week.

3. Get a piggy bank

Piggy banks teach children about the value of money – so get your kids a piggy bank and let them watch their savings grow. Get your children to choose their own piggy bank and/or decorate it so they know it’s theirs. They should really enjoy the buzz of knowing they have their own money.

4. Get smart with your savings

Grown-ups often don’t have piggy banks, but we do have savings and investments. If your savings account isn’t giving you the return you’d like, consider investing. Always get advice from a financial specialist and shop around first. If you’re happy to take a risk, your investment could yield a big pay-back. Lower-risk investments generally yield a lower return, but your investment is potentially safer. Just remember that your investments could go down in value as well as up!

5. Get everyone involved!

If you are trying to budget or save money for your future, everyone needs to be on the same page. There’s little point cutting back on spending on yourself if your children still get expensive treats.

Getting your kids and/or partner onside to work with you and support you to save money can be incredibly encouraging – and following these budgeting tips could make it a lot easier to succeed!

Further help:

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Filed Under: Frugal / Freebies, Parenting and Family Tagged With: banks, Budget, budget limits, budget tips, budgeting lessons, budgeting tips, budgets, coins, containers, dailies, debt, family, finance, investment, money, personal budget, piggy bank, piggy banks, pocket money, rate of return, simple budget, the family, Tips

GIVEAWAY: Ditch the Joneses, Discover Your Family Book

June 16, 2011 By Tabitha

About the book:

Thousands have done it, You can too!

We’ve all felt the pressure to “keep up with the Joneses”. Often it seems like it takes two incomes to survive in today’s economy. But what if that is not true for your family? What if your family can thrive on less than two full-time salaries and flourish by spending more time together?

Tackling these tough questions using faith-based views and values, this book gives parents encouraging and realistic ideas for a healthy and solid family.

In this book, Brese Doebler challenges the two income assumption, and takes you on a journey toward the joy of discovering your family.

My Thoughts:

I found this book to be a very easy read. Cathi’s writing style is very concise and to the point. She includes many tips and tricks for learning how to survive and thrive on one income, even if you are already living on one income with kids. From personal experience it was very difficult to lose my income, but we made the decision based on the costs associated with me returning to work(day care, gas, insurance, lose of family time). I wish I had known about this book before I decided to have kids. One of the most beneficial tips she gives is to live off one income and save the other. Imagine the savings if we all lived that way!

Within the book she provides worksheets and questions to help you determine if this is the path you want for your family and the quotes and insights from families who have chosen this path are very helpful and reassuring. I love that she gives all perspectives and doesn’t just focus on the families that have made the decision to have one parent stay home. She covers everything from making the decision, to preparing, at whatever stage, to head back into the workforce.

This book is the perfect read for anyone who is thinking of having a family or if you have already have kids.

For those wishing to take the lessons of the book even further, Cathi has put together a Workbook on CD which is available on her website.

The book is available for purchase on Cathi’s website for $14.99, and most online bookstores such as Amazon. It is also available as an ebook for Amazon’s Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook.

Cathi has generously offered to giveaway a copy of her book to one lucky 3 Boys and A Dog reader! Here’s how to enter:

REQUIRED COMMENT: Visit the website, look around, then come back and tell me something you learned about the author.

BONUS #1: Follow @CathiDoebler and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY

BONUS #2: Like 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

Other bonus entries:

#1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)

#2. Follow my blog.

#3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.

#4. Put my button on your blog.

#5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.

#6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on June 30, 2011

OPEN TO: US and Canada

*DISCLAIMER: I was sent book by Cathi Brese Doebler to help facilitate my review. Any opinions stated are strictly my own.*

Filed Under: Early Years, Frugal / Freebies, Giveaways, Parenting, Reviews, Work at Home Tagged With: amazon.com, blog software, book, books, cathi brese doebler, club penguin, discover, discover your family, ditch, facebook, faith based, family, Giveaways, income, joneses, social information processing, social media, tough question, web 2.0, world wide web, writing styles, your family

Stretching the Family Dollar

June 16, 2011 By Kelli Leave a Comment

With today’s fluctuating economy, many families have begun seeking ways to stretch their budget. Whenever a family wants get the most out of every dollar they spend, it is important for all family members to take a part in developing a budget plan. During the development of the plan, it is important for all members to respect everyone’s attitudes and perspectives.

Identifying Resources and Staying Organized
The simplest ways to stretch the family dollar is by identifying local resources and benefits that can be utilized. There are several government benefits that many families qualify for that they are sometimes unaware of. These benefits can extremely lessen financial stress that occurs to families.

It is also important for a family to stay as organized as possible when trying to stretch their budget. All parents should create a filing system that shows what bills are due when and which ones have been paid. In addition to staying organized, a family should keep their budget goals realistic. Many families fail at sticking to a budget because the budget is unrealistic.

Stay-at-Home Entertainment
Another simple way to improve a family budget is by staying home instead of going out for entertainment. Nothing beats a night at home watching movies and eating popcorn, and this is definitely much cheaper than taking the family out to the movies and to a restaurant. Along with the popcorn, it never hurts to serve pop as well, making it feel like the family actually at the movies. When drinking soda, families should buy large bottles of pop, not individual bottles, as these are much more expensive.

Reducing Healthcare Costs
There are many families without healthcare, but this does not mean a family cannot save when it comes to immunizations and such. In fact, there are many low cost or free immunizations that can be obtained from local community clinics. Stopping in at a clinic to get child’s immunizations also helps save money on doctor clinic costs.

Swap Watching the Children
Families that have friends with children can save money on babysitting costs. If both families work at the same time, they can carpool their kids to the same sitter. Swapping watching each other’s kids can also save money. It is always very important that a family knows who is watching their children; they should never leave their children with friends, neighbors, or coworkers they have just met.

Talent Swap
Calling up friends and neighbors to see who has what talents is another great way to stretch the family budget. Say a family is in need of some landscaping, if their neighbor is skilled at this, they could ask them to perform landscaping services for them in return for something else, such as cleaning their pool or mowing their lawn for a month. It never hurts to ask around and see what talents people have. Best of all, some people love people able to show off their talents.

Living Environmentally Friendly
Depending on where a family lives, hanging out clothes to dry can be done for almost three seasons a year. When a family hang dries their clothes instead of using a dryer, a significant amount of money can be saved, and better yet, this is environmentally friendly.

Sweet Deal Vacations
All families love to get away every now and again, but when on a budget, going to Disney World might be out of the question. If a family really wants to get away, there are plenty of inexpensive towns to vacation in.

Growing up with a father as a mechanic, William J. Lee has always loved and now actively follows the automobile industry. In particular he focuses on Toyota dealers and Toyota dealerships.

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Filed Under: Frugal / Freebies, Guest Blogger Tagged With: Budget, budget planning, budgets, dollar, family, family budgets, family dollars, family members, government benefits, guest post, social issues, stay organized, stretches, stretching, the family

HOW TO: Arrange Kid’s Parties on a Budget

May 30, 2011 By seosmarty 2 Comments

Every parent wants to give their kids a memorable birthday party. But with tough economic times, throwing a party may be painful to the family’s budget. Fear not as there are no rules stating that kiddie parties need to be expensive. But it has to be FUN. So what can you do to guarantee that your child’s birthday celebration will be a success without costing much?

Start Planning Early

3 months ahead is advisable to give you ample time and extra leeway should something pop up. It is also best to work on a theme, may it be your child’s favorite cartoon character, color or hobby. Your child must agree as kids are likely to be enthusiastic and helpful when they are excited about the party theme.

Besides, it’s their party – so make them choose something that is workable for you. As soon as you narrowed down the theme and finally settled on one, start micro planning. Who to invite, where to hold it, the decorations, food, the party games and activities and the loot bag. Spend time on each item and map out your plans. Delegate work to family members and friends if they don’t mind.

Having the party at home or at the backyard is the best option when money is tight. Figure out exactly how many will fit comfortably and inform your kid about it so he can limit who to invite. Your child need not to invite everyone in his school.

Tools to help:

Here are some awesome tips on how to make the most of Google Calendar to plan any event and preparations. And here’s a motivational guide on killing your to-do list.

Try DIY

Try to do almost every aspect of Do-it-Yourself. Decorations are easy to make as long as you have time that is why it is best to start 3 months early. Visit bargain shops or craft stores and grab a rope and colored papers to create your own party pennants. It’s a simple yet very festive way of setting the party mood. Music also helps and you can download free songs that will work well on your party theme.

You can also opt to do some craft activities at your party, say make your own pirate eye patch with cheap materials from the craft store. This will keep the kids busy for at least half an hour. You may also ask your child to draw out a poster for your pin-the-donkey style game. Better than buying a $10 game poster yeah? Think about ways that the kids can have fun at the backyard. Perhaps setting up a soccer goal or laying out a pirate’s plank for them to cross for a game. Be creative and resourceful and research for ideas.

Tools to help: Here’s a huge collection of various DIY ideas for your inspiration.

Here are a few DIY decoration ideas which are very easy to implement:

This recycled gift card ornament is a great idea (third on the list);
This tie festive wreath would be a cool way to get rid of your hubbie’s old ties!

Go Online

Going online can also be your best bet to grab a bargain. Many parents are selling their leftover themed-decors and party plates on auction sites so have a look regularly. As for entertainers, you can ask a family or friend who has a special trick or is good with kids to spare 30 minutes of their time. I am sure you know someone who does magic tricks as a hobby or who loves pretending to be a pirate.

Tools to help: There are plenty of coupon directories online, so which one you pick is really the matter of your personal experience. I’ve been pretty much pleased with Rather Be Shopping so far. It is maintained by a family couple, so the deals they found are pretty much on-spot.

Here are some useful section:

If you are new to the concept, learn how coupons work;
Find an awesome collection of free shipping deals.

It is also wise to hold the party at snack times instead of meal times. This way your guests will not be expecting much food. And this will save you heaps for food. Cupcakes and easy to make and finger foods are your sure bets. You can also make your own birthday cake at home and decorate it with your child with sprinkles. Giveaways can also be as simple as homemade brownies wrapped neatly in a colored cellophane. You’ll be surprise how much savings you can get by doing it all at home.

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Filed Under: Frugal / Freebies, Guest Blogger, Just for Kids Tagged With: arrange, arranging, birthday celebration, birthday party, Budget, building, craft, craft stores, diy culture, do it yourself, food, hobby, individualism, kids, Make, mass media, parties, party, party games, party plates, party theme, publishing

Saving Big with MyCoupons.com

May 18, 2011 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Whenever I shop online (which is quite often, since my town has a really limited shopping selection), I am always on the hunt for coupon codes to use at checkout. If I can save a bit of money, why shouldn’t I, right? The age of spending money without concern for frugality is gone, and with resources like MyCoupons.com, you can easily save some dough on online purchases! Not only does MyCoupons.com have online coupon codes, they also have printable grocery coupons for great products! When I took a look at MyCoupons.com this morning, there was a Huggies printable coupon available. Lord knows moms of little ones can use valuable discounts on those products!

With great coupons for like Children’s Place Coupons, 1800PetMeds coupons, and Petco coupons, you’re sure to find something to save money on! MyCoupons.com has tons of other great features, too. CouponSTATS presents “useful data for you to see most popular coupons, biggest coupon gainers, biggest losers, usage trends, search trends and more.” This is such a great tool to make sure you’re using the best coupon for your purchase! The website is so easy to navigate, as well. You can search through coupons by category to easily find the savings you’re looking for.

In need of a present? MyCoupons.com also offers gift cards to tons of different retailers for less than face value! Want to stay on top of the latest coupon news? You can sign up for their email newsletter to make sure you never miss a deal. MyCoupons.com has saved their customers a total of $135,873,083.36. Yes, seriously! Why pay retail if you can save a bit of money? Let’s go shoppin’!