What to do with the kids now?

June 29th, 2009

Now that the kids are out of school, and the weather is finally turning warm, trying to come up with new ways to entertain them becomes a challenge! And on top of it, since the “spending money” has shrunk for most of us, it becomes really tricky!

What do you do once you’ve hit all of the playgrounds and all of the parks? Try http://www.free-attractions.com! It is a site that gives you the heads up on free events taking place across the U.S.! So if you are bored this weekend or are going on vacation and need some cheap activities to keep the kids busy, give it a try.

Even if there are no events going on in your area, you may discover another park or museum in your area that might be fun!

Sorry this post is so short–finally it stopped raining so Nicolas and I are going to go play outside before the next thunderstorm rolls in!

Tags: kid-tivities, saving money, travel
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“Summer Brains” Out; Saving Money In

June 23rd, 2009

Today I thought I would talk about some fun ways to get kids to use their heads in the summer by helping the family save money without wasting time!

Throughout my book I have “Kid-tivities” that help get kids involved and making it easy and fun at the same time.

I thought I would share a couple with you:

The “Getting Rid of Debt” Game: If you are one of the many American families with problem debt, don’t try to hide the situation from your children, because they are smart enough to realize that something is wrong. Instead, sit down with them and explain that in the past you have spent more than you made but you are trying to fix it, and if the whole family works together to make it better, everyone will be happy. Then brainstorm with your children what you can do as a family to bring in extra money and pay down that debt. Whether it is through a yard sale or two (or seven!), or having them help you sell items on eBay or whatever, include them in the process and make it a game, rather than a drag!

Playing “House Detective”: This is a game that can work on those rainy days (like the Northeast has been having for the past 2 months!) when your kids are bored and stuck in the house. If your circuit breaker box has never been labeled, you have your kids run around the house every time you shut off a breaker so you know which room(s) corresponds to what fuse. Then you can show your kids how to shut down the breaker box in the event of an emergency. You can also play house detective to find the source of leaky pipes, since kids are particularly good at crawling in places (such as under sinks) that are hard for us adults to reach!

The goal is to get kids learning financial (and homeowner!) responsibility without it being a drag. If you have any suggestions to add, please post them! It looks like it is going to rain the rest of the week so any sort of activities would be greatly appreciated!

Tags: debt, home improvement, kidtivities, saving money
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Date Night on the Cheap

June 17th, 2009

Hi all, Sorry for the delayed posting. I was in a car accident last week (fortunately everyone was okay) and so my schedule was a bit perturbed. Back on track now!

If you married and are like us, you enjoy having a date night maybe once in a while, or maybe more regularly. It is a time when you and your spouse can be adults together and have some time away from everything, at least for a couple of hours. But in this economy, it’s often hard to do. We start to think, dinner at a decent restaurant in our area = $100 and then babysitting = $30 and boom, it is $130 for a couple of hours for dinner around the corner!

Instead, if your kids are younger, perhaps what we do will work for you as well:

Instead of going out and getting a sitter, we simply put our son to bed at his regular bed time and then we “eat out at home” afterwards. We get dressed up, we open a good bottle of wine, and make a easy, but tasty dinner that we wouldn’t usually do unless it was a special occasion and we were having guests.

We buy filet mignon, for example, and do a simple side dish or two and have simple but tasty desserts that we normally wouldn’t purchase. (Sometimes, when we reallydon’t want to cook, we get take out from one of the better restaurants in town, so at least we are saving the upcharge on the wine and the tip!)

We set the table with our “good” silverware, use the “good” glasses, and relax in our own dining room or out on the deck. By making a simple dinner, there is minimal clean-up. And by staying home, there’s not the worry of driving after a glass or two of wine. No worrying about checking the clock, rushing out the door, getting home in time for the sitter…because we are already there. And all at a great savings, which is even more relaxing!

Tags: date night, dining out, saving money
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Life Insurance Savings

June 10th, 2009

Saving money comes in all shapes and sizes; this week, I thought I’d touch upon saving money in the life insurance arena.

Now I hate those TV ads as much as the next mom–all of the fine print and the lines like, “Life insurance for just $10 per month!” The question is, for who? A 70-year old with heart problems? A 21-year old firefighter? I mean, really. Life insurance is such a personalized thing that you can’t make these statements reasonably.

However, term insurance can be pretty inexpensive, compared to the benefits you receive. And whether you shop it through a website or use an agent, you are going to pay the same amount. So if you can find an agent that you trust, I would definitely do it that way. Agents can find out how different life insurance companies treat different health situations, and save you a lot of money in the process.

Here’s a recent example as to why:

A client of mine had been told that due to certain family history, she had no chance of getting a term policy on her own. So she went through her employer, where the cost increases each year. I didn’t believe that she was un-insurable, so I asked around. As a result, she has a new policy, costing her less than the employer’s policy, at a fixed rate. And they gave her the healthiest rating possible! This is going to result in a $6600 savings over the life of the policy!

So if someone tells you “no”, you can’t get a better policy, seek a second opinion from an experienced insurance agent. It could literally save you thousands of dollars.

Tags: big stuff, life insurance, saving money
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“Redoing” a Kitchen Without Spending Anything

May 31st, 2009

Sorry for the lack of posting the past couple of weeks–being in France visiting with family made it tricky to fit everything in. However, we are now home and I am back to blogging!

Spending almost a month with my in-laws and away from home allowed me to reflect a bit on how we manage our household. When I see a system or product or idea that works for someone else, I am always trying to figure out if it can work for us as well.

In this case, it was a kitchen makeover. Now, our kitchen was cluttered, but not over the top. But the junk drawer started to have problems closing and I often felt like I was searching for things in the middle of a meal.

In contrast, my mother-in-law has the most organized kitchen I have ever seen, but without being OCD about it. Everything has its place, which makes for cleaner countertops and a more relaxed state of being.

So, after we got home and unpacked the suitcases, my husband and I spent our Saturday putting our kitchen in order. It took us the better part of the morning, but it was a free makeover! Here’s what we did:

Putting like with like. We had drinking glasses in 4 different cabinets. Instead, we rearranged the organization so we are down to 2 cabinets on 2 different shelves. And those college-years shot glasses were stored away instead of cluttering up the wine glasses. We also washed a bunch of glasses because being in cabinets and not being used can make them icky.
Tossing stuff previously we couldn’t part with. Like the old pasta pot from my husband’s first apartment with a broken handle and a leak when the water went past the handle level. And the old Brita filter water pot that hadn’t been used in years. Tupperware lids that had no mates. All of these things take space. Of course, whatever we could throw in the recycling bin, we did.
Re-purposing kitchen items.Our fridge/freezer with ice maker also came with a plastic dish for holding extra ice cubes. Instead of continuing as a empty space taker in the cabinet, it is now holding rubber gloves and dishwashing soap under the sink. Ditto for Tupperware bottoms with missing lids; they are now holding sippy cups and lids.
Ditching the dish rack. This was harder for me than my husband. But in the end, we tossed it. Instead, we place hand-washed dishes on a large dish towel, which makes us put them away faster. And when we are finished, the dish towel either hangs out to dry or goes in the washer. No more grody water lingering at the bottom of the dish rack. And a whole lot more counter space!

When I look at our kitchen now, it is almost the kitchen of someone who just moved in. I quite like the “new” feel–without spending anything but a few hours doing it!

Tags: clutter, home decorating, home improvement, organizing, remodeling
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Prescription Sunglasses at a Reasonable Price?

May 12th, 2009

Since summer is theoretically on its way, I thought I would talk about the wallet-draining experience that is purchasing prescription sunglasses.

My husband hated wearing contact lenses. He wore them for all of 2 days. Since he drives a fair distance to get to work, he needed prescription sunglasses so he wasn’t reduced to wearing the stylish “over the glasses” wraparounds favored by certain retirees. But when we went to the optical store, there were two problems:

1. They were horribly expensive, even without his astigmatism correction factored in and

2. No one was willing to try putting his prescription in a wrap around-style frame that he wanted so that he could also play sports/ski with them.

So, as usual, I went online and found an excellent vendor: http://www.heavyglare.com/ Also known as Sun Ray Optical and based out of St. Paul, MN, these folks specialize in prescription sunglasses at a reasonable price. His last pair (after he lost the first pair) cost $170, including lenses and a frame he actually liked. Which, in the world of brand-name prescription sunglasses, is quite a good deal.

We’ve been working with these folks now for several years and I have only had good experiences with them. www.heavyglare.com has around 90 brands to choose from, including names like Ray Ban, Bolle, and Arnette. They also do goggles. And since I am usually the one dealing with customer service when there is a problem in the Delfau household, I can tell you their customer service is excellent. At this time last year, they even offered to send my husband’s new sunglasses to France since we would be here visiting family when they would be ready to ship. I was quite impressed!

And, of course, prescription sunglasses are reimbursable through your FSA and HSA, if you have one of these accounts!

Tags: health insurance, prescriptions, sunglasses
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Long Haul Traveling

May 5th, 2009

Sorr that it took me a bit longer to write than expected since Nicolas and I were preparing to travel to France to visit my in-laws. When getting ready for our trip, I wanted to share some great money and time saving tips that I thought you’d appreciate:

When packing, use those Space Bags (www.spacebag.com) to arrange your clothes. It compresses them so that you can fit a lot more in your suitcase–this is particularly helpful if you are traveling in winter with a bunch of bulky, space-taking sweaters. But just be careful that you don’t go over your airline’s weight limitations if you are flying!
If you are flying with a child that requires a car seat on the plane, check out Go-Go Kidz’s Car Seat Travel carrier. It is basically a wheeled cart that you attach any car seat to and then pull your child through the airport with and check the stroller at the gate. It takes the misery of dragging a car seat around the airport–which I’ve done and can attest that it is not fun at all. This accessory doesn’t come cheap, (the best price I found was at www.happymothers.com for about $75 including shipping) but is worth every penny if you end up in this situation.
Bring new toys your child has never seen on the plane with you. The days of “getting your wings” and special treatment on airlines is long gone–heck, even the free drinks on many international flights are finished too! Save as much space in your carry-on bag for said toys, because you will need them! I started to panic when our flight was delayed for 1 1/2 hours–half of it after we were already on the plane! We went through 2 books, crayons and a coloring book, a Thomas Color-Forms set and Aquadoodle before take-off. Thankfully Nicolas fell asleep before we ran through all of his snacks as well. (My discerning child did not like the airplane food and I’ve learned that kids’ meals aren’t an option.)
If traveling overseas, use your credit or debit cards as infrequently as possible. Yes, I know carrying cash for some folks is painful and makes them nervous about getting pickpocketed. However, the lousy exchange rates coupled with the hefty transaction fees levied by your credit card company are nothing short of breathtaking–particularly if you make a bunch of small purchases.
And if you are going to be in another country for an extended period of time (or have children doing a foreign exchange), find out if your bank or a bank in your area has branches or agreements with local banks in the host country. Then open an account there while still in the U.S. and save yourself both fees and hassles.

If anyone has any other tips to add, please do share!

Tags: credit cards, travel
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When AAA is more than just towing your car

April 28th, 2009

Hello from a toasty day in Connecticut! Since we had visitors last week (or was it the week before? I am losing track), I thought I would share with you some AAA savings that we’ve used while they were visiting…

Our friends came to visit us from overseas and they have a particular affection for Six Flags New England. So instead of paying face value for the tickets, we go to our local AAA office and buy them there–for almost 40% off! Usually, the day pass is $41, but at AAA, they are $26. And they have a discount on parking as well. All told, our group of 6 (Nicolas is free because he is under 2) saved $97 on park entrance and parking fees!

Again, I am not a big membership person (note my lack of Costco member status), but even though AAA can seem expensive, I have found them to be worthwhile. There have been times that my car battery died in our driveway after my husband left for work (thanks to me leaving the interior light on overnight) and AAA had someone out to jump the car within 15 minutes.

Also, I believe I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating: if you have lost your prescription coverage at work, lost your health insurance all together, have a medication that isn’t on Walmart’s generic list, etc., get your AAA prescription discount card. It’s free with membership and it just might save you a few bucks. And the prescription card works for pet meds as well–as long as the medication can also be taken by humans. So things like insulin, heart meds, etc. all qualify!

Tags: aaa, discounts, health insurance, prescriptions, saving money
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What the heck is Open Source?

April 20th, 2009

A few years ago, I was introduced to the concept of Open Source software, that is software that is non-proprietary and in other words, free. In the world of Open Source, you have simplified, user-friendly versions of the Microsoft Office suite (i.e. Open Office) as well as pretty much anything else you can imagine. Mozilla Firefox is a great example of Open Source software that works very well.

If you like this concept, are a tiny bit computer savvy and are tired of paying through the nose for various types of software, Open Source might be the way to go. To get you started, here are two great Open Source sites:

Open Source As Alternative: www.osalt.com This site will help you find Open Source alternative to your favorite proprietary programs.

For Windows users, there is also: www.opensourcewindows.org.

Finally, definitely check out www.cnet.com. They have a giant proprietary and non-proprietary download database plus user reviews that are extremely helpful–which is where I learned about my favorite encryption software, TrueCrypt.

Because of the nature of my work, I need to have my data and backup sources encrypted at all times. And encryption software and support can be expensive, time consuming, and not to mention scary if you don’t install it correctly.

After carefully reading through the TrueCrypt instructions, and following them step-by-step, I found it quite easy to use. If you have a need for this type of software, check it out on www.truecrypt.org. It works with Windows, Mac & Linux.

Have a great week!

Tags: downloads, free stuff, open source, software, top 10
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Traveling on the cheap

April 14th, 2009

hello all! Now that tax season is winding down, my brain will start to function more normally shortly! And with springtime technically in full swing, a lot of folks start thinking about planning summer vacations…so I thought I would talk about 2 of my favorite websites for saving money and headaches!

First off is www.travelzoo.com. Sign up for their Top 20 deals and get an email once a week of excellent deals for domestic hotels, domestic & international flights as well as shows & events all over the country. If you are the kind of family who ends up last minute planning your vacations because of work, school/sports commitments, this is the site for you.

Once you find a deal, but before you book, I encourage you to check out www.tripadvisor.com. This site has saved us from many a headache and disappointment from booking what we thought would be “good” hotels. TripAdvisor is a website where regular people write review about their vacations, hotels, etc. and some even post photos so you can see what places really look like, not what their brochures have to say!

Have to be short since we are having visitors from overseas this week and the house needs a major clean-up. If anyone else can chime in with favorite travel websites, please do so!

Tags: hotels, saving money, travel
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