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Money Saving Tips
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Parties and Holidays |
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Budget Birthday Bashes
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| Maybe if Homer Simpson didn’t spend all of his factory wages on
beer and doughnuts, Lisa would get the pony she’s always wanted for
her birthday. And maybe if you sold your car, cancelled your gym
membership, and rented out the garage to a college student, you’d be
able to afford whatever your Lisa’s little heart desires, too. |
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| So your princess won’t be getting a diamond tiara this year, but
of course you want her to celebrate the day she was born. Your son
has a birthday coming up, too- and he wants you to hire Krusty the
Clown AND all of his friends’ favourite baseball players to
entertain them in the backyard. Will you be able to afford a
birthday party at all? |
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| Let your kids know that money is limited, and work together to
build a memorable party with your budget and some creativity. Teach
them that life goes on even if you don’t have millions to spare- and
that some of the best things in life are, as the saying goes, free.
Make planning and budgeting into a rewarding part of the party. A
little imagination can go a long way. |
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| For example, a theme party- let’s say The Simpsons- can be
outrageously expensive. But you don’t have to hire a Sideshow Bob
look-a-like, or buy fancy Bart-shaped cakes and costumes. Instead,
you could have a colouring contest where kids replicate their
favourite characters, followed by a scavenger hunt where kids track
down mini doughnuts with Simpsons trivia. You could come up with a
few dozen trivia questions, or pick up the Simpsons Clue or Monopoly
game as a present that will occupy a handful of kids all afternoon.
(There is also Simpsons UNO, which is inexpensive.) |
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| The scavenger hunt is an amazing party idea that can keep kids
busy for hours, and can be adapted to any interest your child has.
If your son loves fishing, for example, make a list of nautical or
water-themed symbols to find and set the kids loose on the beach or
a marina. Scavenger hunts are great learning tools, too- clues could
include asking questions about how things work or finding out what
kind of fish lives where, and so on. This same idea could take place
in the art gallery if your child is a budding painter- finding out
the names of famous painters and styles, or other age-suitable facts
about art history will be a bonus to viewing the works. Then the
gang can take their newfound inspirations and make some artwork of
their own with a bunch of old crayons and craft supplies while you
barbecue the hotdogs. Nature, sports, music- a scavenger hunt can go
with any theme. A few shiny fishing lures or art postcards will make
rewarding keepsakes or prizes for the above themed hunts. |
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| Instead of forking out for fifty kids to eat pizza, cake, and
take home loot bags, why not limit the party to a few best friends
and have a slumber party? For young girls, give out diaries with
locks (available for nearly nothing at many dollar or bargain
stores). There is nothing more special than a night with the girls
writing down secrets. A makeup or manicure party is the dream of
most little girls- you can stock up on bargain basement brands just
for the night and let them play around before you come in to teach
them a few “beauty tricks.” Have the kids come after dinner and
offer breakfast instead- eggs and toast, or pancakes are all easy on
the budget. |
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| Girls sometimes cherish long nights chatting with friends more
than boys, so take the boys to play baseball or basketball and then
have some ice cream before their parents pick them up. Or borrow or
rent a boat and take a few of Junior’s closest pals fishing and have
a hot dog roast in the woods. Teach the boys how to put up a tent in
your backyard and let them “camp” overnight. Throw in a few bowls of
potato chips and tell some ghost stories. |
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| Get the idea? It’s all about working with what you already have
and adding a few special details. If little Lisa is still whining
about how she wants the Hannah Montana doll, CD, movie, dress,
poster, and game, then clearly it’s especially important to learn
now that consuming beyond your means doesn’t bring satisfaction, and
that by her next birthday, she’ll have grown out of the stuff she
wants so badly now. Suggest working together to afford the most
wanted item, while emphasizing that buying stuff just because it’s
on TV is not what makes people happy. Then get her busy with
preparations and planning so that she sees that the real reward is
in having experiences. |
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