Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

Living Large on a Limited Budget

I Heart the Library

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It’s been a while since I have sung the praises of the library, so I just wanted to take a second to give a big SHOUT OUT for the wonders of this place.  I spent an hour there with the boys this morning and just feel very grateful for all that my local library does to instill a love of reading and learning in children.

Have you checked out what your local library is offering this summer?  My library has weekly art activities, book clubs, read-aloud programs and more.  The fact that it was brimming with other children also made my extremely social four year old very happy.

Why not take a minute to look up your library online and discover what events they are offering?

Are you taking advantage of your local library this summer?

Target: FREE Arts & Wonder Event (July 16-18)

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Target is inviting your family to see more of the arts while spending less by sponsoring free or reduced admission to arts and cultural events nationwide.

As part of this initiative, museums nationwide are participating in the Target Arts & Wonder Free Family Event from  July 16- 18th.  Click here to enter your zip code and find out what events are taking place near you.

I thought my local readers may also be interested to know that the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is participating and has reduced prices on the first Wednesday of the month, which is tomorrow, July 7!  Find out more here.

Thanks, Elizabeth and Saving with Amy!

Ask the Readers: How Do Keep your Kids Busy over the Summer?

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This is the first summer that I have a child who is on ‘summer break’.  Granted, it’s just a break from his 3 day pre-school, and yet for the first time I feel that I need to have PLANS to keep him occupied and active during the summer.  (His daily morning question “Where are we going today, Mommy?” motivates me as well.)

Here are a few FREE ways that I plan to keep my very active four year old busy this summer:

  • We sat down and created a ‘Summer Fun List’.  It’s got lots of ideas and we may or may not get to all of them.  However, I think just knowing that we have activities to look forward to over the summer months has helped to ease his worries about not having anything to do.  (And yes–‘Wrestle with Daddy’ was at the top of list.  I love boys!)
  • We printed out two different  Reading Club Rewards program sheets from our FREE Summer Fun guide.  I like the idea of rewarding him for an activity that he loves to do anyway.  I also discovered that we have a Regal Cinema nearby that is showing FREE family movies two days a week.  We put that on the calendar as well!
  • In two weeks, he will be attending our church’s Vacation Bible School.  This is a great activity to check out in your area.  I know Griffin will love spending time making crafts, learning Bible stories, and singing songs.  (And I’ll enjoy the break too!)
  • We created his first chore chart.  So far he is very enthusiastic about this.  (How long does that usually last, would you say?)  There are many resources available for printing free chore charts.  I just googled free printable chore charts to find mine.

I definitely feel like a rookie at this, so I’d love to have some reader input as well!  What are your plans for making summer fun and rewarding  for your kids?

FREE Museum Admission for Bank of America Cardholders on June 5 and 6

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If you are a Bank of America cardholder, you can score FREE admission at over 100 museums nationwide this Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6.

This offer is valid the first full weekend of every month.  One free admission per cardholder at participating location.

Click here to find a participating museum near you.

Thanks, Krysten and Chrissee!

Don’t forget to check out the guide for FREE summer fun that I put together for you!  It’s full of all sorts of free activities for all that extra free time this summer.

Your Guide to FREE Summer Fun!

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Today I am honored to be guest posting over at Money Saving Mom.  I’ve compiled a hot list of 17 FREE (or really cheap!) activities to fill up that extra FREE time your kids will have this summer.  Here are a few activities for starters, and then head on over to Money Saving Mom for the rest of the list.  (You’ll thank me for it in a couple months!)

Reading Rewards Programs:

Free or Cheap Movie Admission:

  • Regal Free Family Film Festival: Beginning in June, select Regal Theaters will offer free family friendly movies starting at 10 am each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets are only available the day of the show and first-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. Go here to see if there is a participating theater near you.

Free Activities:

  • Kids Bowl Free Program: Kids can  bowl free this summer! By participating in the “Kids Bowl Free” program, children can bowl two free games per day. Go here for more details and to find a participating location near you.

Check out the rest of the guide over at Money Saving Mom…

April 17-25: FREE Admission to National Parks

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Been wanting to take your family to a nearby National Park?  Looks like next week is the week to do so!

From April 17 through April 25, 2010, you can get FREE admission to all 392 National Parks! Go here to find a national park near you.

Thanks, Hey it’s Free!

Borders: Grinch-Fest on December 5

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Grinch-fest

Oh how I love this movie.  In fact, we just watched it last night.  With milk and cookies, of course.

Stop by your local Borders on Saturday, December 5 at 11 a.m. for a fun kids’ event to celebrate the Dr. Seuss classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

* Storytime with the book
* Crafts & Coloring
* Grinch Bingo Game
* Cat in the Hat & Grinch Giveaway & Raffle

Click here to find a Borders store near you.  More details here.

Note:  Event details vary by store.  Contact your local store for details.

Free Rental at Blockbuster Express through 11/30/09

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blockbuster express

Looking for a way to kick back and relax this weekend?  If you have a Blockbuster Express nearby, enter code 9PM to get 1 FREE DVD rental.  Expires Nov 30, 2009.

You can use this code once per credit or debit card, so use more than one card to get additional movies for free!

Click here to find a Blockbuster Express near you.

Thanks, Couponers United!