family – Page 24 – Luv Saving Money

Need Local Family Friendly Ideas? Check Out Yuggler

This post is sponsored by Yuggler. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Are your kids on a winter break? My kids have 12 days off for holiday break. Sure they’ll be entertained with their new toys and things for most of the break, undoubtedly I’m going to hear “mom I’m bored there’s nothing to do” Trying to think of ideas in the winter time is hard for me. I’m not a big fan of the cold. Things like tubing is nice except my daughter is too young too do that yet. Plus, it cost money to do that so it’s really a once in a while thing.

Need local family friendly ideas? Check out Yuggler. Yuggler is a cool free app for iPhone and iPad. You can find kids activities near you with the “Near Me” option. Find specific activities like “pumpkin patch” for instance to search for specific activities. There’s in a “Top Rated’ option so you can see the activities that are popular in your area.

Know of a cool place or activity that’s family friendly but is not on the map yet? You can add places to Yuggler so other families can find and enjoy. If someone else adds a new activity in your area you’ll get a notification about the new area. This could be a great way to discover things you didn’t even know existed in your area! I personally added a recreation park, my public library, our local mall, a kids’ fitness center, and a public playground near me but I can think of sooo many more I need to add. You even have the option to add “one time” activities like a local festival or circus comes to town, for instance.

Right now the app is for Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Yuggler is Free to download on itunes. Just click any link in this post and it will take you right to the itunes download listing. You can also read more about the Yuggler app on their website Yuggler.com

You can also find Yuggler on the following social media sites:

Twitter: @YugglerFamily

Facebook: facebook.com/yuggler

Pinterest: pinterest.com/yuggler

Things to Consider When Shopping for a New Vehicle

Car shopping can bring many emotions: hope, stress, excitement, relief, who knows. Depending on your situation it could bring both positive and negative feelings. I personally like to keep my vehicles until their on their last leg. Why? Let’s face it you almost never get as much for your car on a trade in or sale as you hoped. If you’re lucky enough for your vehicle to last a good many years it’s possible to pay off your vehicle and still have it running for several years after. That’s where my hubby is at now. He bought his vehicle brand new, it’s paid off but still runs like a champ. We know vehicles don’t last forever so we save for a down payment on the next car, whenever that may be.

Consider the fact that vehicles depreciate…fast. Even if you buy a new car, as soon as you sign those papers and drive it off the lot it depreciates. There are dealerships that off longer warranties on vehicles. There is one particular dealership near me that offers “warranty forever”. I’m not quite sure how that works, I’d guess there still has to be stipulations but sounds good off that bat. So if you keep your car within the warranty range you can save money on repairs and upkeep.

If your buying a used car, you can find great deals. I personally have never had a new car myself. I always buy used cars. I bought my 2006 Chrysler Pacifica with just 33,000 miles on it. This vehicle had just about everything in it it could have. Things I would have never paid the extra for if I would have bought it brand new. Leather seats, heated seats, dual air, keyless entry, power everything, lots of bells and whistles. Make a list of what you NEED in a vehicle then you can make a list of what you’d like to have if it’s in your budget. Buying used allowed us to get a really nice vehicle for our family of 6 within our budget.

I researched the vehicles I wanted for nearly a year before actually buying. In that time we saved money for the down payment. A bigger down payment means smaller monthly payments. Researching everything from the number of passengers a vehicle seats, to safety features, to body styles can make you an educated buyer. Compare prices for the same vehicle at different dealerships. Never just accept the sticker price. Car dealers want to make a sale. You do need be reasonable but there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to shave $500-$1000 or more off the sticker price. We got my vehicle for $1500 less than the sticker price! Guess what someone traded in that Pacifica with only 33000 miles on it. I’ve personally owned it for 5 years now and it’s still going strong. I expect to have it for another year or 2 at least. It’s up to 76000 miles now! This is the perfect time though to be saving for the next vehicle.

I realize there could be lots of reasons why one would need to trade in or keep a vehicle. I guess my take away points would be:

–research, research, research

–Don’t dismiss a used vehicle

–Decide what you NEED in a vehicle then think about what you WANT

–Consider keeping a vehicle that runs well, longer to save for your goal vehicle.

Speaking of goal vehicles, stop by my guest post to read about an eye opening experience from BMW.

Affordable Rainy Day Craft Idea – Wax Paper Sun Catchers

This is a fun craft to do over the summer especially on a rainy day when you’re stuck inside. This one required the help of an adult. This activity is inexpensive, easy to get the results, and will help get rid of all those broken crayon pieces you have.

What you’ll need:

–a roll of wax paper
–different colors of crayons I recommend at least 4
–crayon sharpener or other open sharpener to shave crayons
–shapes to trace (you can use stencils, cookie cutters, or other objects around your house)
–string to hang your sun catchers
–hold puncher
–old rag or fabric scrap you don’t mind getting melted crayon on
–paper clip
–iron (as in a clothes iron)
–piece of cardboard

First tear off a piece of wax paper and fold it in half. You can clip it together to it stays doubled over. Have your child trace a shape onto the wax paper with a pen. Cut out the shape. You will have 2 of the shape since the wax paper is folded. Place an old rag over the piece of cardboard. Then set one of the cut out wax paper shapes on top of the old rag. Have your child use the crayon sharpener to shave a few crayon shavings over the wax paper shape. Do this with several different colors. I had my 5 year old son do this with a typical hand pencil sharpener.

It’s better to keep most shavings in the middle of the shape. When you have a small gathering of crayon shavings in the middle of the shape place the other wax paper cut out shape on top. An adult should take the clothes iron on the lowest heat setting and gently iron over the shape. You only have to do this briefly. The crayon shavings will melt pretty quickly. As you iron you’ll notice the crayons will melt and spread which is why it’s better to keep the shavings in the middle of the shape otherwise they can ooze out the sides. Allow it to cool. Once cooled, punch a hole at the top the shape and tie a piece of string through it to hang it.

Check out my guest post to see how to make your own homemade scratch art paper too.

Packing To Save Money on Your Overnight Trips

This is fresh in my head as I’m already starting to pack for our upcoming vacation. (So Excited!) I’m a planner. There’s obvious things you’ll take with you changes of clothes, maybe bathing suits if you’re going some where with swimming, toothbrush, etc. But then there’s things you might not necessarily thing about until you get there. Here are some tips on how to pack to save money.

Check the Amenities – If you’re staying overnight in a hotel, resort, or bed and breakfast check out what amenities they offer. Does your hotel or condo have washers and dryers? If so they probably aren’t going to just give your laundry detergent. You can consider getting a small or trial size bottle of detergent to take with you. Maybe you love free samples like me and have a few sample packets of detergent laying around. There are also more portable detergents like pods or detergent strips you can put into a small container and take with you. Just be sure to label it.

Dizolve laundry detergent — Example of Laundry strips that can be easily packed from http://mydizolve.com

What kinds of hygiene products does the hotel or resort provide. Many provide shampoo and soap but not all provide toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. If they have a website, you might be able to find info online. If not, you could always call and ask. Some will provide complimentary products but don’t count on it. You may end up spending bigger bucks in a convenience store for something you already have sitting at home. You don’t even have to go out and buy travel size. If you have small reusable bottles at home you can fill them to take with you. Just be sure to mark them so you know what is what.

How to Pack Can Save you Money – Packing smart can save you money. We don’t have a lot of room in our vehicle for storage once everyone is in and comfortable. We have a small trunk space. I’m having the kids pack their things in backpacks as opposed to suitcase. For one, it takes up less room and too we don’t need to rent or buy additional storage for our vehicle like a trailer or rooftop luggage carrier. Also, a minor point is that the more weight that is in your car the worse your gas mileage will be. It may not make a huge difference for one trip but if you take frequent overnight trips, it could add up. My husband and I share the same suitcase. We put the additional hygiene products and stuff in their too. Just be sure to put them in one or two layers of freezer bags so if they pop open they don’t ruin your stuff.

Check Out the Weather – You may already have an idea what the temps will be like where you are headed. For instance if you’re headed to the beach in August there’s a good chance it will be warm. It’s a good idea to check out the extended for cast though a week or so ahead of time to see what temps will be like at night. We were planning on seeing the movies on the beach the first week of August. One might assume it would be warm but when I checked the overnight temps for that time frame it said it would drop into the low 60s overnight which might be a little chilly, especially by the water. You might want to consider packing a light jacket and jeans. You don’t want to assume then get down there and find out you need to go buy a pair of jeans or a blanket just to go do one activity.

While you’re thinking about packing your vehicle, also thinking about checking your vehicle for a safer and stress-free trip. Check out my guest post on Reedmantoll.com on tips to prep your vehicle to ensure fun ride.

Free Things to do in Ocean City, MD

My family and I will be heading to Ocean City, MD soon and we can’t wait. Did you know that Ocean City, MD is #5 in the top 10 US vacation spots as published by Trip Advisor? It’s true. It’s been years since we’ve gone to Ocean City, MD so for months I’ve been planning, figuring out a budget, making a list of things we’ll want or need to take with us, etc. (I’m a planner, I can’t help it). Ocean City is also known as one of the best family beach vacation spots for the North East area.

Anywho, in my research I found that there are actually tons of low cost and even free things to do in Ocean City, MD. I mean stuff you’d actually want to see and do! Once thing at the top of our list is movies on the beach. For 2014, there seem to be three different locations up and down Ocean City that are hosting these movies on the beach. The Carousel, Princess Royale, and movies on he beach at 27th street. They’re free! Just bring your chairs, blankets, or towels and sit on the beach and watch a movie. Check the days because each one does it on a different day. You could actually do this a few times depending on how long you’re staying there. Honestly I’ve heard of this being done other places too. They did similar thing when we went to Myrtle Beach. This would truly be a unique a memorable experience. Tips from veteran OC tourists tell you to take a flashlight too so you can find your things once the movies over. (They can’t just turn the lights on right?)

There are free concerts at the beach on the boardwalk. Just bring chairs or blankets and enjoy the sound while catching a summer ocean breeze.

Don’t be afraid to search for events too. My oldest son is a real outdoorsman. He was excited to find out that the White Marlin Open will be going on while we’re in OC. By doing just a little research we found out that spectators can go to the marina between 4-9 pm each day of the event to see the anglers bringing in White Marlin to be weighed. My son is so dead set on going to this. It’s free. We even found out that you can catch a shuttle over from the convention center which will be nice for me to avoid some traffic.

There seem to be a few parks and playgrounds in the area too. Even a dog playground!

There are beach fireworks displays and even a light show. I would have loved to see that but unfortunately the dates don’t align with our time in OC. Definitely check it out though if you happen to be there for one of the displays.

Of course there is the beach for lots of free fun: swimming, playing in the sand, collecting shells, beach volleyball, etc.

I found these sites to be great resources for our trip and will hopefully help you too:

—ococean.com

—ocean-city.com

—ocisfree.com

Have you been to Ocean City, MD? What did you like to do while you were there? Did you have a favorite place to eat?