Valentine’s Day is supposed to be the most romantic night of the year, right? You get to spend an evening enjoying your sweetheart and reveling in your love for each other. But who can relax and enjoy this special occasion if you’re spending the entire time worrying about its cost? I certainly can’t!

The perfect Valentine’s Day date for me combines romance and frugality. Then, I don’t have to worry about the backlash of guilt that is sure to come with an extravagant night on the town. Does the idea of a frugal Valentine’s Day sound like a drag to you? If it does, then you haven’t checked out these ideas to have a Valentine’s Day on the frugal side.

Date with the Redbox: If you haven’t checked out these ultra-convenient and super-cheap vending machines, you should. For $1 you can rent a new release DVD for one day. How’s that for affordable? Plan on renting a movie you’ll both love, turning the lights down low, and pretend you’re dating all over again. As an added bonus, Redbox machines are available all over the place: in grocery stores, in McDonald’s restaurants, and even Wal-mart.

Dress to the Nines: Just because you can’t afford an evening at your locally-acclaimed restaurant doesn’t mean you can’t pretend like you can. Instead, go to your favorite, but budget-friendly restaurant, dressed up like you’re going somewhere special. Just the simple act of getting all decked out puts you in the mood to have a special evening. Sip water from sparkling glasses (instead of expensive wine), and dine on a heaping plate of pasta (rather than filet mignon). You won’t care; the only thing you’ll see is your well-appointed date across the table.

Window Shop ‘til You Drop: Just because you can’t afford the finer things in life doesn’t mean you can’t dream about them for a little while. Take an evening stroll in your city’s luxury shopping area. (Don’t try this at the mall; the effect isn’t quite the same. You’ll just end up frustrated that you can’t buy the things you want.) The decadent items gracing the store’s windows are so extravagant that average people can’t buy them, anyway. You’re just spending the evening on your sweetheart’s arm and dreaming together.

Explore Each Other’s Interests: Remember when you first started dating your sweetheart and you thought he was the most brilliant person alive? If he’s into cars, you thought he could work magic with them. If she’s a crafty gal, you were convinced that she was an artist who just happened to work with fabric instead of paint. Unfortunately, life’s many requirements can make you forget the things that you admired in your significant other quickly. You can relive those moments, however, by spending an afternoon together revisiting each other’s hobbies. Take your art-lover to a museum and really listen to him as he points out what he likes about the different displays. Your car guy will love to spend a few hours at the car show as he shows you his favorite cars. In no time at all you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to those first days of love.

Originating post: Valentine’s Dates on the Cheap

Valentine’s Dates on the Cheap is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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Article courtesy of ARA content

(ARA) – Home technology just keeps getting faster, better and more amazing. It’s also getting more expensive, too.

While prices for certain high-demand high-tech toys – like plasma TVs – are edging down, it’s still probably safe to say the average American family is spending more on technology as more “toys” emerge. From upgrading to the latest, leading-edge PC to high prices for Internet connections that can quickly move video and audio files, families face escalating technology costs – at a time when prices for everything else are also climbing.

Most modern families probably can’t imagine living without technology, so completely eliminating the cost is likely out of the question. It is possible, however, to curtail costs when it comes to how much of your family’s budget goes towards technology. Here are some simple tips:

To PC or Not PC

More than half of all American households have computers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And most of those actually have more than one. But are multiple PCs — each one costing around $1,000 — really necessary for your home?

College students may reasonably need a laptop for their schoolwork, but elementary and high school students should be able to make do with the main family PC. Keep in mind that many parenting experts advocate close supervision of children while they use PCs and the Internet. It’s easier to supervise a single computer centrally located in the house than multiple ones in kids’ rooms. And, it’s cheaper to buy and maintain a single PC that spends its days sheltered in your house rather than multiple ones exposed to the rigors of kids’ daily lives.

Dial-up is Not Dead

High speed Internet connections like cable and T1 lines have made it possible to move massive amounts of information quickly and easily – but at a hefty price. Cable Internet service can cost up to $100 per month.

If your daily computer use is limited to accessing your e-mail or simple surfing, you may not need all that power. If you do not regularly download or upload video or audio files, you can access the Internet cheaply with a dial-up connection. Services like Netzero and Juno offer accelerated dial-up for as little as $9.95 per month.

What’s more, if you travel and want to be able to access your account remotely, Netzero allows you to dial in from your laptop (or any Netzero-equipped PC) for the cost of a local phone call in most areas of the country. Accessing the Internet at some hotels can cost as much as $20 per day. Plus, rather than paying for your college-aged child to have a separate service provider at school, he or she can use your account to access his e-mail.

Dishing it Out

Thanks to satellite TV it’s possible to watch a live cricket match taking place in Shri Lanka, flip between a classic movie on one channel and the latest blockbuster on another, or listen to hundreds of music channels. The sheer volume of viewing material may seem impressive, but the reality is few people really watch all those channels on a regular basis.

Do you find yourself sticking with the network channels and only watching the occasional movie on the satellite stations? It may be cheaper per month to subscribe to basic cable and an online movie rental service that charges a flat monthly fee.

Really Smart Phones

Finally, if you have access to e-mail from your home and/or work PC, do you really need to have it through your cell phone too? Smart phones are in vogue for a number of reasons, not the least of which is their ability to get you online wherever you are. But before shelling out hundreds of dollars to buy smart phones for everyone in your family, carefully evaluate your cell phone habits and objectives.

If you and your family really only need cell phones for having phone conversations, then chances are you’ll all do just fine with basic cell phones. Basic mobiles will be far cheaper and many service providers offer package deals and incentives for family plans, including discounts on the phones themselves.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Originating post: How to Save Money on Home Technology Costs

How to Save Money on Home Technology Costs is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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Few summer pastimes create as many fun memories as a family camping trip. You can go on nature hikes, build a roaring campfire, and even tell ghost stories. There is no end to the fun things you can do when you’re camping out with your family. And, spending a few nights sleeping under the stars is the perfect way to vacation on a budget.

What isn’t fun about camping trips, however, is the expense of the equipment and accessories that you may buy to make your trip more enjoyable. By the time you’ve purchased a tent, hiking boots for the entire family, fishing poles, sleeping bags, and the cool survival gadgets that you see at the sporting goods store, you may find that your simple camping vacation has become as expensive as a hotel stay. What happened to your old-fashioned, low-budget vacation plan?

Planning an inexpensive camping trip really is possible if you’re willing to put forth a little extra effort in gathering your supplies. Forget buying your camping gear at that high-end retailer and check out these tips for camping on a dime:

Borrow your gear from a friend or neighbor. Unless your family camps out frequently, the cost of buying your tent and sleeping bags can hardly be justified. Instead, why not borrow camping gear from a friend? You may even find that you have something you can loan them for their next camping trip, too.

Check out secondhand sporting goods stores for bargain prices on your camping gear. If you really must have your own camping gear, buying used equipment is a wonderful way to save money. Often, you can find equipment that was barely used by its original owner.

Bargains on used equipment can also be found in classified ads and on Craig’s List. You may invest a little more time evaluating the gear you find through private sales, but you can also be rewarded by finding great buys.

Don’t be tempted to buy gear you don’t need. Sure, the sleeping bag that protects you in weather down to twenty degrees below freezing sounds cool while you’re shopping. But how often are you going to camp in frigid weather? Likewise, you probably don’t need a Swiss Army knife that has twenty different tools.

Originating post: Camping on a Dime

Camping on a Dime is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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The long days of summer leave plenty of time to enjoy your hobbies. You’ll finally have time to enjoy activities like hiking, gardening, woodworking, and any other summer activity you like. It’s an exciting time of year.

The only problem with having extra time to devote to your favorite hobbies is the incremental spending that often comes with those summer hobbies. If you garden, perhaps you’re tempted to buy the latest models of power tool to keep your garden trimmed. Hikers will find it easy to justify the expense of some unnecessary sporting goods. You may simply be hard-pressed to keep your hobby expenses from creeping up during the summer.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to save on your summertime hobby expenses. By planning ahead for the things you need and withstanding the temptation to buy things you don’t need, you can enjoy your hobby without having to deal with any unpleasant budget overruns.

Shop off-season for necessary purchases. Hikers really do need boots that are in good condition. Gardeners really do need a good set of hand tools; and goodness knows, woodworkers are always finding new tools that they want. However, you don’t have to pay the highest value for these products. During the winter months, when you’re missing your favorite hobby, you can shop for the things you need, take advantage of clearance sales, and satisfy your hobby cravings.

Don’t be persuaded to buy unnecessary extras. Hikers should carry a water bottle. They don’t, however, have to have a water container built into a backpack. Learning to use the tools or accessories you have to fill your needs will allow you to enjoy your hobby without spending more than you need to.

Buy used supplies whenever possible. People try out new hobbies all the time and then find out that they don’t enjoy them. Unfortunately for those folks, they’ve often already bought all of the gear that goes with those hobbies. Let their frivolity work in your favor by buying their slightly used gear. Check out garage sales, consignment shops, and eBay for bargains on your hobby gear. Then, when you splurge on that new router, you’ll at least be able to rest assured that you got a good deal.

Originating post: Three Ways to Save on Summertime Hobbies

Three Ways to Save on Summertime Hobbies is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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Having family and friends over during the summer is a wonderful way to spend the days.  With more hours of daylight in each day, you’ll find you have plenty of time to share a meal and a few hours of enjoyment with your loved ones. You must be careful, however, to see that your summer entertaining doesn’t lead to an enlarged summer budget.

Entertaining can be costly when you take into account all of the things you may be providing to your guests. There’s food, of course, but you also need tableware and diversions to entertain your guests. It’s easy to see how these costs can get out of hand.

To keep the costs of food low, you have a couple of different options. Of course, you can make the most of your entertaining budget by shopping sales at your favorite grocery store. Alternatively, however, you may choose to use the time-honored tradition of having potluck get-togethers. This method of entertaining will allow you and your loved ones to share the expense of entertaining.

Tableware for summer parties can be as simple as you like. Plastic plates available at discount stores like Wal-mart will be durable enough to last the entire summer. These plates are offered in many different designs, colors, and shapes. The real beauty of these plates, however, is their ability to take abuse. There’s no need to worry if these care-free dishes get dropped outside; almost nothing will harm them. But they’re inexpensive enough to not cause any concern if you do have to get rid of one.

Finally, diversions for your guests during summer parties don’t have to be expensive, either. Something as simple as hanging out in your backyard, with music playing, can be very relaxing. Add a few strands of those cheap twinkle lights and your yard will become a summer wonderland.

If you want to add a little more activity to your summer gatherings, you do have inexpensive options there, as well. An inexpensive volleyball net can provide hours of fun. You can play volleyball, of course, but badminton is another fun option. Or you may want to create a simple horseshoe pit. Simply drive a metal stake into the ground, surround it with sand, and you’re all set.

Summer entertaining isn’t necessarily all about fancy dinners and expensive toys. During this laid-back time of year, take time to enjoy your friends and family. You’ll find that their company is all you really need to make the party something special.

Originating post: Fun and Frugal Summer Entertaining

Fun and Frugal Summer Entertaining is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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With summer upon you, you may be planning a summer vacation for your family. But, as oil prices drive up the cost of gas and airline fares, a vacation can represent a fairly large part of your summer “fun” budget. For some of you, a vacation may even feel out of reach in your current financial situation. Although you can’t control some parts of your vacation costs, there are a few ways that you can cut costs as you travel with your family.

Make your vacation a series of day trips rather than visiting a far-flung destination. You’ll save on the cost of hotels and eating out every night, and your little ones will sleep much better in their own beds.

If you’re driving to your vacation destination, fill a cooler with ice and pack snacks for your family. By carrying your own food with you, you’ll be able to avoid expensive stops at fast-food restaurants and feed your family in a much healthier manner.

As long as we’re discussing saving money on food, be sure to pack lunches for your family as you visit different attractions throughout your vacation. Most zoos and theme parks will allow you to bring food into the park. If that isn’t an option, you can often leave the park for lunch (which you’ve carefully packed in a cooler and left in your car) and then return for another round of fun.

Plan your trip ahead of time so that you can take advantage of any discounts that may be available to you. Early planning leaves you time to look for discounts that may be offered through companies like AAA, Entertainment Books, or even the destination itself. Some zoos feature free or discounted admission days; be sure to try to work those days into your vacation plan. Requesting travel information from your destination’s department of tourism is also a good way to find discount information.

Choose a hotel with amenities that you can really use, but don’t pay for extras that don’t add value to your family’s vacation. For instance, your kids will probably be thrilled with a hotel with a pool. However, they couldn’t care less if your hotel stay includes access to a fitness room or a business center.

Originating post: Five Tips to Saving While Traveling with Kids

Five Tips to Saving While Traveling with Kids is a post from: The Family Wallet.

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