Summer’s coming…very quickly. Before parents know it, the kids will be out of school and ready to start exploring and getting their share of summer fun. During this economy crisis, many families will need to scale back or be a little more resourceful with how they spend their money to provide their children with a good summer and still make ends meet. For some, it may seem like an impossible task, but really it’s not. Here are 3 tips for families to use to get out while not causing too much of a strain to the family budget:

For those with more than 2.5 kids, you could really take advantage of the great deals that many local attractions offer. Purchasing tickets for attractions like the museum or children’s fun lands can be very expensive for a medium to large sized family. This can make a frugal fashionista feel a bit weary about putting out large amounts of money for these one day events. The best way to enjoy them is usually to get an annual membership which has tons of great benefits for families.

These annual memberships usually come with a year of unlimited entry into the attraction, such as a museum or kids play park. Your family could really get your money’s worth by visiting very often. After one or two visits, you will have gotten more fun time for a cheap price. For as little as $50, you could get unlimited access, free guest passes, free parking, or even discounted or free admissions to other attractions. Even though you were able to buy for cheap the membership, the benefits will seem like an even bigger steal! Also, many of these attractions are offering deeper discounts during this economy crisis to get more people to purchase the memberships. Get a great package deal and watch as your family reaps the rewards!

Plan like your budget depends on it! Instead of just looking up a couple of activities for the kids to do this summer, plan out a schedule of events for every day of the entire summer. There are so many places to look for events such as local family magazines, social service organizations, and the chamber of commerce. Whether you and the kids decide to go everyday is up to you, but just knowing about where you can buy for cheap tickets to events, or go to free attractions, is worth knowing. Plus, once you know what’s available you won’t have to keep researching or being scared that you have missed something free or cheap. For families that are into saving, cost-cutting, and managing their time wisely, knowing this type of information is very valuable.

Have fun being a helper! Don’t just donate your money to a cause, give it your time and honest day’s effort. You and your children can have a wonderful time helping out at a social service organization, nursing home, or even your local library. Many of these organizations are losing valuable funding and need all of the help that they can get. So, instead of “spending” money on trying to have fun, save your cash, and spend your time making a difference.

When planning your summer volunteering adventure consider the distance of the facility from your home. It may be possible for your family to get a double dose of fun by including bike riding or using a scooter into your transportation plans for getting to the facility if it’s not too far away. This will help to save on gas expenses. During this economy crisis, your family could be a great comfort to an organization and to your inner-selves. Knowing that you took the time to be a help and that you may have saved some money along the way will make it all worth it. It will be a summer adventure that your family may not soon forget!

Got a sweet tooth, but don’t want to pay “sweet” money to satisfy it? Well, during this economy crisis, by just following a few simple tips, you could have your goodies without breaking the bank:

Make baking a family thing. Processed cookies, cakes, and other goodies can cost a lot of money. So, while an economy crisis is engulfing much of the world, you could enjoy a world of tasty treats by baking at home with your family. Start by researching or creating some frugal recipes. These frugal recipes will most likely call for basic ingredients that you can buy for cheap in bulk. If you buy right, you could end up saving, cost cutting, and still make out better than purchasing the processed stuff for lots of dough in the stores. Plus, your family will have a ball making their frugal recipes come to life!

Snag a sale! Everything goes on sale and baked goods are no exception. Not only will you be able to find in-store mark downs on baked items that are near the “sell by” date or that the store has terribly overstocked, but you will also find “buy one, get one” specials and “crushed box” deals if you take the time to look on the shelves. When you do snag a good deal, keep in mind that some of the items can be frozen for your enjoyment at another time. Bakeries do it and so do stores. It’s one way that they always make sure to have cakes for decorating on hand. Why not do it at home too?!

Use coupons. Many companies offer coupons for their baking mixes or pre-packaged baked goods. With these coupons, you may get items free! Often, a company will offer a coupon worth up to 50c and your local grocer will double the coupon. But, the big savings comes in when you are able to catch a “buy one, get one free” special in addition to using your doubled coupon. With cake mix costing, on average, about $1.50 per box, you can only imagine how quickly the savings will mount when you are able to get the mix or icing absolutely free. To be quite honest, this is exactly what manufacturers want you to do with their coupons. They want you to use them and they want you to fall in love with their products. While the falling in love part is optional, for your family’s sake, you should definitely make an effort to take full advantage of these deals when they present themselves.

Research and find bakery thrift outlets. There is a market for people that buy near “sell by” bakery items along with product overstocks. The bakery companies make these great deals available through their own bakery thrift outlets. At the bakery thrift store, consumers can expect to save as much as 70% off of the retail price tag. If you are planning for a big affair, you could potentially save a mint by picking up your items from a bakery thrift outlet. But remember that the key is saving, so don’t spend a lot of cash on gas trying to get to the thrift shop. Be wise in all of your saving endeavors!

The good news is that you can have your cake and eat it too without costing your family too much

Summer holds the promise of lots of fun times with friends and family with those warm summer days and nights. Some people have been a little concerned about their financial ability to enjoy this summer because of the economy crisis that many are experiencing. Well, the truth is that you can have plenty of fantastic summer gatherings without gathering too many bills in the process.

If you still want to have a fantastic time, try these 3 fabulously frugal ways to have a fun event without breaking your budget:

First, shop for decorations that you can buy for cheap. Cheap candles can be the highlight of a great summer gathering if they are arranged and decorated nicely. Whether you decide on pedestal candles or those pretty long candlesticks, the candles that you can buy for cheap from the dollar store can be made to look great with a few little embellishments like ribbon or glitter.

Canvass the thrift store for a very pretty, mix and match set of plates and server ware that you can buy for cheap. Coordinate the colors with your decor, which will help to add flair and panache to your overall look. Complimentary colors will allow for you to change the color scheme up by switching some things around without having to go out and buy all new pieces. This will be much cheaper than using paper products at every event.

You should also consider recycling some stuff that you have around the house to make decorative items like placemats. If you are not that “crafty”, you could also buy for cheap plenty of pretty placemats at your local dollar store. Just by using a pretty placemat, some cool candles, and nice plates, you can make a real fabulous impression on your guests without spending beyond your means.

Another way to have fun and yet save is to put those frugal recipes to good use. Don’t spend a ton of money on expensive foods. Find some frugal recipes either online or through your network of friends, and focus on the appearance of your food versus the cost of it. Plus, always use your coupons and shop for sale items that you can buy for cheap to even further reduce your costs.

Embellish the food with cheap accents such as nut slivers, fruit or vegetable slices, pretty green and black olive slices, and chocolate bar shavings for dessert. All of these items, you can buy for cheap, and yet they will make very huge impact on the appearance of your food. Do some research online to learn how to make them work.

Finally, pull out those old board games and a few decks of cards for some light and simple fun. You could even consider karaoke or using your iPod for the musical entertainment. The key to making things fun is to keep the atmosphere as comfortable as possible, and as cheap as possible for you.

Being a frugal fashionista hostess takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to pull off all types of gorgeous summer fun gatherings without going broke, during an economy crisis or anytime.

When that little voice in your head tells you that it’s time to take a munchie break, with the price of things these days, you probably are scared that your little munchie break will break your bank! Well, you don’t have to be. In fact, during this economy crisis, you can find plenty of sweet treats for you and the kids at even sweeter prices. Here’s how:

Make them yourself. The ingredients to make a huge batch of sensational cookies will most likely cost a lot less than the $5 price tag that you will find on similar snacks at your local market. Just plan by making sure to have the basics on hand and by buying the little add-ins when they are go on sale. It pays to buy in larger quantities also. For example, eggs and sugar you can buy for cheap when you purchase them in larger quantities. You will pay just $4 for a 10-pound bag of sugar instead of $3 for a 5-pound bag or you can buy a dozen and half of eggs for $2 instead of a dozen for $1.89! In addition to the saving, cost conscious families may also enjoy the together time that comes along with making baking an interactive family activity.

Catch the sales. If you absolutely must have the store bought goodies, then, try to buy them when they are on sale. Often, stores will mark cakes, cookies, and other baked goods down when they are quickly approaching the “sale by” date. The items are still fresh, but they must sell them or else they will have to discard them. So, to ensure that they make a little profit off of them, they may offer incredible savings for their customers if they will take these almost “due” items off their shelves. Most stores do this on a daily basis, and buying large quantities when they are on sale can be very good on your overall budget. Some of the items that you purchase may be able to be frozen and used at a later date, such as pies and certain cakes. Actually, most of the long decorative cakes that the stores make on-site are actually stored frozen until they are ready to present them to the public. You could do the same thing at home and save at the same time!

Make friends with coupons! It may take a little coordinating and a little effort, but the savings will be anything but little. For many coupons are equivalent to cash when it comes to buying snack foods for their families. With some retailers offering double coupons, which will take your 70c coupon up to $1.40 off of a product, how can people not afford to try these little paper wonders? There are almost always coupons available for baked items in the local Sunday newspaper and on packages of snacks. When you combine these coupons with in-store specials like “buy one, get one”, you could end up with loads of FREE baked good! Yummy!!

Research and find bakery thrift outlets. There is a market for people that buy near “sell by” bakery items along with product overstocks. The bakery companies make these great deals available through their own bakery thrift outlets. At the bakery thrift store, consumers can expect to save as much as 70% off of the retail price tag. If you are planning for a big affair, you could potentially save a mint by picking up your items from a bakery thrift outlet. But remember that the key is saving, so don’t spend a lot of cash on gas trying to get to the thrift shop. Be wise in all of your saving endeavors!

The good news is that you can have your cake and eat it too without costing your family too much

Children don’t care about economics, except when it means that their lifestyle has to change. This is usually a matter of wanting things to stay busy. During an economy crisis, it may seem nearly impossible to keep your child entertained with the high prices of toys and with all of the marketing that companies do to make your kids want to beg for the latest and greatest stuff. But, it is possible. Despite going through an economy crisis, here are 3 easy ways to satisfy your children without stretching out your budget:

Turn trash into fun “towns”! Something as basic as a cereal box or juice box can become a wild and crazy project for your kids. It’s very easy to do. Just have the kids decorate the boxes to look like buildings using old newspapers, markers or crayons, and any other stuff that you have that can make the “town” look more “livable” Then, go out and buy for cheap lots of dollar store cars, plastic men, trucks, and animals. Before you know it, your little engineer may want to expand their little town into a major metropolis!

Teach them a craft! A fabulous way to not only have a good time with your child, but also to use the time in a constructive way is to teach your child a craft or learn one together. During this economy crisis, people are looking for more ways to save on little things and by doing craft projects, your family could do just that. From sewing potholders to crocheting scarves for the cold weather and knitting slippers, you and your child could make lots of stuff that your family could use. Frugal fashionistas should make an effort to buy for cheap the materials or use stuff that you have around the house. You will all be proud of your finished products and the saving that your family will experience because of them!

Use frugal recipes to make some fun foods together! Frugal fashionistas can have a ball with their little ones with some real hands-on food activities. Using frugal recipes that can be found online like edible “play dough”, which is made from peanut butter or chocolate creme and powdered sugar. Kids will love getting their hands full of goo while making all sorts of shapes and figures. Parents will love the chance to buy for cheap these simple ingredients and the time that they get to spend being “creative” with their kids.

There is so much that families can do to keep their little ones entertained during this economy crisis without spending a lot of cash. Just look for different ways to use your existing “stuff” and let your kids try their hand at being creative. You’ll be glad that you tried these money saving, cost-conscious strategies and so will your little ones!

Kids outgrow shoes at an incredibly fast pace. From day to day those little feet are quickly turning into much bigger feet. Regardless of the name brand, most parents know that their child may not get a real “wear” out of the shoes because you just never know when those little toes will stretch out. Even more so in an economy crisis when things are much more expensive. What can a parent do to keep up with the seemingly ever-growing peds of their children? Try these tips for saving. Cost cutting parents will find these extremely helpful during this economy crisis:

Before you spend a dime, ask around. Parents always have shoes that their kids have outgrown. Most of the time, those fancy shoes are usually the first to get outgrown, as they don’t normally get a lot of wear. Wherever there is a large contingency of families with children, you can be assured a cornucopia of kids shoes.

Have a big shoe party! Invite some close family friends over that also have kids or open it up to parents within your community. Set standards for the shoes, such as that they need to be clean, still in good condition, and without holes. Then, let the kids and families come together and swap shoes. This is even better than being able to buy for cheap these same shoes.

Let the frugal fashionista in your come alive at a thrift or consignment shop. Find loads of shoes that you can buy for cheap at your local thrift or consignment shop. With these deals, you can expect to spend as little as $1 per pair! If you go the consignment route, then, you could actually get the shoes for FREE just by bringing some of your other stuff and selling them to the store for store credit.

Buy shoes after the holidays. Often, stores will have loads and loads of shoes available after Christmas and Easter. Always buy shoes off season. For instance, buy the sandals in the Fall and the boots in the late Winter or early Spring. That’s when the shoes are usually discounted up to 75% off.

If you absolutely must have the shoes, try to buy them when the store offers a Buy One, Get One deal. Then, you can at least get 2 pairs of shoes for the price of 1! Also, look for coupons in your Sunday paper. Many large department stores will offer coupons in their weekly sale circular. These can often be combined with other specials that they may have going on.

Every year people stress out about holiday gifts, dinner, and merriment. For some, it’s a basic factor of the season. For others, it’s something that they wish would go as quickly as it comes. During an economy crisis, the holidays can take on a whole new feeling when people have very limited funds and jobs situations are uncertain. Having less money can take a lot of the fun out of the holidays. But, the holidays don’t have to be a major source of costly headaches. In fact, follow these tips to have a holiday that costs tons less and that you may actually enjoy!

Volunteer or give a financial donation to your gift recipients favorite non-profit. You would be surprised at how valuable a little gift of time is to a struggling non-profit organization. If you decide to give a financial donation to the charity of their choice, remember that you don’t have to tell exactly how much you gave. Whether you gave $5 or $5000, consider keeping it to yourself but just let your loved one know that you supported their interest.

Check out thrift stores and consignment shops to save while giving. There are plenty of brand new items that you can find at the thrift store. You can usually buy for cheap anything that you can imagine! The reality is that the money that you spend should not be what defines the gift. It’s supposed to be the thought that you put into it. Consider the consignment shop which will pay you for your own stuff that is in good condition. Just think you could get paid to buy something for the one you love!

Garage sales, yard sales, and holiday festivals have plenty to offer! All sorts of organizations such as churches, non-profit organizations, and schools have holiday sales where you can find arts and crafts, homemade baked goods, and tons of special deals. Since people are usually discarding their old stuff to get ready for their own holiday celebration and gifts, they are very likely to advertise rock bottom prices to ensure that they get rid of everything.

Bundle baskets with dollar store items! With a little creativity, you could create fabulous gift baskets for a portion of the regular store price for a pre-made basket by simply using all items from a dollar store. From gourmet favorites, teas and coffees, to pet items, there is something for everyone. They even sell the huge basket wrap and…tons of different baskets. If you don’t want to do the “basket” thing, then just group items and secure them with pretty ribbons. Then, place the paired up items in gift bags. Make very small bags with one or two items for unexpected visitors. You will save tons of money over the normal retail cost.

Finally, take advantage of every sale and comparison shop. Some stores match published prices and some double coupons. Do it all this season and you’ll be shouting “Merry, Merry” all the way to the bank!!

Your family could partake of nature’s own savory flavors for pennies on the dollar just by starting an herb garden. Herbs are the key ingredients to many recipes, and are valued by cooks whether they are making an overpriced entree or using one of their most frugal recipes. For those that want all of the flavor without all of the expense, keep reading!

Have you ever bought herbs at a grocery or health food store? If so, then you know that the price of fresh herbs can really break a family’s budget. If you are a frugal fashionista then you probably know that the cost of fresh herbs can exceed the cost of growing your own herbs by 10 or 20 times! That’s a lot of money that your family could be saving for other things like the meat to put the herbs on. So, to curtail those expenses, here’s the best way to get started with a money saving herb garden:

Purchase cheap packets of seeds. For about 10cents per packet, you can get enough seeds to grow a plenteous herb garden. Since you are able to buy for cheap all the seeds you could possibly need, you can plan your herb garden with a variety of herbs. People that cook with herbs can attest to the wonderful flavor combinations that you can get when you mix a variety of herbs, and the way that they enhance foods.

Buy dirt. Soil will cost you, roughly, $1 per 5-lb bag. You will have more than enough right soil to get your herb garden started right. To save even more, check out your local “free paper” or online classifieds. People, quite often, will give away free soil at certain times of the year. You may be able to get more than you could ever imagine for the cost of hauling it away. It’s worth looking into. Also, if you know someone who is an avid gardener, they may have large quantities of soil on hand that they would love to share with a budding novice.

Mix the seeds in the dirt, water, and enjoy. Gardening is not very complicated, if you don’t overdo things. Don’t go crazy buying the latest gardening gadgets or the most elaborate pots. Keep your herb garden experience simple and cheap. You and your family could be spending your money on other things! Buy for cheap pots and earth-friendly gardening stuff right at your local dollar store for $1! As your herbs grow, you may consider getting larger pots or moving the seedlings to a more spacious area…but, this is not a necessity. Your garden can be as small or as grand as you want it. But, remember the purpose of the garden is to harvest herbs for your family to eat and for saving money.

In addition to the great savings that you enjoy by having your own herb garden, you will also experience some other health benefits such as getting fresh air more often, exercising as you work those tools, and eating better. All of these could cut down on another expense…doctor’s bills!! A little work, planning some frugal recipes, and making sure to buy for cheap could result in a bumper crop full of delicious herbs for you and your family.

Congratulations! A baby is on the way. Most parents experience a flurry of emotions during this time with sheer joy and anticipation being a constant, especially when it’s time to plan the space for the new addition. Any frugal fashionista can follow this basic guide for ways to buy for cheap to create a beautiful baby room:

Pick your theme, but keep color options open. Before you can start the money saving, you have to know what it is you want or need. Buy for cheap the items that you just can’t live without featuring your chosen theme, but leave the paint color open so that you can get the cheapest possible paint. Instead of spending as much as $30 on specialty paint, you can buy for cheap “oops” paint from your local home improvement store for as little as $4.

Jazz up cheapy decals and wall borders. Your local dollar store will have a whole section of wall decals and borders, in a variety of colors and styles. See if you can incorporate one or a few into your baby’s room theme. Buy for cheap the ones that you like and really get creative with them. Cut them into shapes, designs, or make a saying with words from them. For under $5 you could have a room full of gorgeous wall art.

Another way to save on wall art is to buy cheap frames from the dollar store and find high resolution pictures online that go along with your theme. Print the pictures out and put them in the cheap frames for a classy look without the expense. Any cost conscious person can work these pictures to make the walls look great. The only cost, besides the dollar store or discount store frame, is the cost to print out the pictures from online.

Plan the space layout so that you can determine which types of furnishings you will need or want. That way you will be able to buy for cheap without overbuying. Babies don’t know how “keep up with the Jones”. They don’t know whether something is new or older. Be wise with your spending like any good frugal fashionista and you could end up with more than you think!

Don’t miss opportunities to get stuff for free, to borrow, or to buy for cheap those final pieces to complete the look and feel that you want for the baby’s room. From free classifieds to parent support groups, there are plenty of places to canvass for free, or close to free stuff for baby. You won’t need to pay an arm and a leg. You may only need to pay for some gas and an extra hand to get your “new” stuff home!

Finally, buy for cheap the rest of the stuff by checking out your local thrift and consignment stores for items that you may be able to mix or match into your theme. But be creative. If it’s not the “exact” color that you would like, you could always spray paint the piece exactly as you want it for about $3, or buy or make a basic slipcover, and enjoy.

Follow these simple tips for finding deals, steals, and ways to buy for cheap to create the room that you want for your baby without breaking the bank!

Life is too short not too look and feel good about yourself. You don’t have to let yourself “go” during this economy crisis. You can look great and feel great, even if you have to change how you get your beauty services a bit so as not to lose control of your budget. Any frugal fashionista can try these three simple ways to get the beauty services that they want and can buy for cheap or get for free:

Search out beauty shop discounts and deals! Most businesses are trying to stay afloat during this economy crisis. Beauty shops are no exception. In fact, many well-known and chic beauty “boutiques” are starting to pass tremendous savings to their clientele in the form of deals and discounts. Most know that it’s best for their clients to have an opportunity to buy for cheap so that they will keep coming and filling those salon chairs!

Frugal fashionistas should search out those popular “two-for-one” discounts that many salons are offering. It’s a great chance for you and a friend to get the beauty treatment that you want for up to 50% or half off of the normal prices. Who wouldn’t love a manicure that would normally be $15 costing only $7.50? Look good and still have money left over….that’s a dream for most of us!

Get to know your local beauty supply stores. These “hair havens” and beauty product suppliers are popping up all over most cities and large towns. Any frugal fashionista could buy for cheap most of those great supplies that their stylist uses just by getting them from a beauty supply store. You won’t have to sacrifice quality for price when you can get the professional products for a lot less than a full service styling.

Often these beauty supply stores will allow customers to use coupons for products. You can get coupons that will allow you to buy for cheap by looking through your Sunday newspaper, sifting through your local circulars, contacting manufacturers for coupons, and checking for in-store coupon deals. Also, always ask friends if they have or know where you can get coupons. Maybe they are hoarding coupons of products that they don’t or can’t use, but you can!

Host a beauty bash! You and your buddies can get together and make light of the work of becoming the goddesses that you are by fixing each other up. At a beauty bash, everyone brings their own beauty supplies, and the group shares the work of making everyone look their best. From hair to nails, this frugal fashionista event is a testament to the human spirit and a great way to try out new looks for cheap. Not only will everyone experience a saving, cost conscious women will appreciate the chance to experiment and bond without having to pay any huge salon prices or tip someone for a look that they don’t even like!

Look great and still keep your budget in tact with these three money-saving strategies for chic and style-conscious frugal fashionistas! With just a little searching, sharing, and bargain shopping, this economy crisis won’t beat you out of being beautiful!