Happiness Homemade

We are living in a world gone crazy at the moment.

We are living with the threat of going into a 14 day quarantine in our own homes. Well folks, if I have to go into quarantine, I'm more than happy to do it in my own home.

I'll have my own bed.
My own kitchen with my favoruite tea and coffee.
I'll be able to potter in my own backyard.
I'll have Internet access so I can still stay in touch with family and friends.

What's not to like?

Anyway, here's a list I came up with of a few things you can do if you're on lockdown at home for 14 days. I'll add to it as I think of other things and if you have something to add, leave it in the comments and I'll make sure to include it.

1. Wash the windows
2. Clean the lightfittings
3. Scrub the showers
4. Spot clean the carpet
5. Tidy the linen cupboard
6. Tidy the cutlery drawer
7. Clean the oven
8. Weed the garden
9. Prune the trees
10. Feed the garden
11. Dig compost or fertiliser into garden beds
12. Start seeds for winter veggies
13. Read a book
14. Write a book!
15. Make popcorn
16. Find a favourite e-book and read it, then see if there is a movie of the book and watch it
17. Clean the car
18. Make this year's Christmas cards
19. Write this year's Christmas cards
20. Bake bread
21. Make yoghurt
22. Make mozzarella
23. Paint a picture
24. Build a Lego town
25. Make jam
26. Make scones
27. Use the jam and scones to have high tea
28. Knit a dishcloth
29. Crochet a doyley
30. Crochet a table runner
31. Recycle an old sheet into hankies
32. Plan a spring garden
33. Watch a YouTube video to learn how to cut hair
34. Make greeting cards
35. Wash everything in the china cabinet
36. Have a picnic indoors
37. Work on a school project
38. Write a letter
39. Play cards
40. Learn a new card game - check on You Tube for tutorials
41. Finish those craft UFOs hiding in the cupboard
42. Sort and label your DVDs
43. Sort and file the photos on your phone, then download to a USB and upload to the cloud for safekeeping
44. Scan all your important documents and save to the cloud
45. Clean out your purse
46. Clean out your handbag
47. Wash the summer bedding ready to store for winter
48. Get the winter bedding out and freshen it ready to go on the beds
49. Sort your wardrobe, put away the summer clothes and get the winter clothes ready to wear
50. Refine your spending plan
51. Work on your debt repayment plan
52. Go through your emails and unsubscribe from anything you don't open
53. Create chalk art on the path
54. Make a bird feeder and hang it in a tree
55. Make a cake
56. Go through the kitchen appliances and sell or donate the ones you don't use
57. Tidy the garden shed
58. Play boardgames
59. Have a Monopoly Marathon
60. Learn a language
61. Keep a journal
62. Learn a poem
63. Write a poem
64. Write a play based on your favourite story and have the family act it out

24 Movies for Christmas

We've made it a family tradition to watch a Christmas movie every day (or evening) during December since we had littlies in the house.

This is the list for this year, in no order. The choice is random, the movie that comes out of the box on the night is the movie we watch. Sometimes we all sit down to watch, sometimes it's just Wayne and me.

Over the years the theme of the movies has changed to reflect how the kids have grown up. Now we're all adults, most of the movies are more suited to adults, but some of our favourites will always be suitable for even young children. I guess Christmas brings out the child in all of us, even if it's just for a movie.

Here's a list of the movies in the box for this year (if we don't have the DVD, I've made a card with the movie name on it and where to find it on Netflix). They're not all necessarily actual  Christmas movies, but they are favourites that we enjoy watching at this time of year.

1. Miracle on 34th Street - remake
2. Christmas with the Kranks
3. The Santa Clause
4. The Santa Clause 2
5. The Santa Clause 3
6. Dear Santa
7. Holiday Inn - watched
8. How Sarah got Her Wings
9. Love Actually - watched
10. The Holiday
11. Angels in the Snow - watched
12. Miracle on 34th Street - 1947 version, and a favourite of mine
13. Home Alone
14. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
15. Elf
16. Christmas in Connecticut -1945 version with Barbara Stanwyk, another Christmas favourite of mine
17. A Christmas Prince (the Royal Wedding) - this is a new addition for 2018
18. One Magic Christmas
19. High Society - not srictly a Christmas movie, just a favourite
20. Bridget Jones Diary - watched
21. Little Women - it's not Christmas if we don't watch Little Women
22. 7 Brides for 7 Brothers - this is one of my mother's favourite movies, it's a sentimental inclusion
23. A Holiday Engagement
24. It's a Wonderful Life - this is always reserved for Christmas Eve, before we watch the Carols by Candlelight

Our Frugal Wedding Anniversary has Changed our Marriage

We had a wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago. Wayne and I have known each other for 41 years (I know, I was gob-smacked when I worked that out) and have been happily and contentedly married for 26 of them.

Because our anniversary comes so close after Christmas and until last year was smack at the beginning of back-to-school we haven't really done anything very special to celebrate. Usually a special dinner and dessert at home with the kids and maybe a DVD. Money has always been tight so splurging just wasn't possible.

Until this year.

We don't overspend at Christmas, it is always budgeted and paid for well before December. And this year we don't have school fees or uni fees to pay. We're not forking out for bus passes and text books or uniforms and shoes so I had a little flex in the Spending Plan and we decided to treat ourselves to a movie and dinner.

I used money I had been saving to splurge on Gold Class tickets. If you've ever doubted that saving 50 cent coins is worth it I can tell you that my 50 Box paid for our movie tickets and dinner. Whenever I have a 50 cent coin I drop it in the box. When the box is full I take it to the bank, pour it into the change machine and cash in the receipt. Then I stash the cash in the safe. I don't miss the odd 50 cent out of my purse, I'm actually glad to get rid of the coins.

We had a lovely evening. It has been over a year since we've been out by ourselves for pleasure. Don't get me wrong, we are often out with friends or we are surrounded by the kids and family and we love it, but we don't seem to get time to be just us, together. And that disappointed me.

I love my husband but more importantly I actually like him and I really enjoy his company. Our children aren't children any more, they are young adults and they are moving forward and building their own lives, as they should. Wayne and I aren't old, well we don't think we are, and we have a lot of marriage and life still ahead of us. I don't want us to become the couple who don't have anything in common or to talk about, who only communicate when they are with other people.

I don't want to sit across the dinner table and not have anything to share with my husband.

So we've decided to make more time for us.

We won't always be enjoying a Gold Class movie. Sometimes it will just be a drive into the hills and a look at the cute shops. Other times it might be dinner at the local bistro on a two-for-one coupon. Or maybe just a new DVD to watch together with a bowl of caramel corn to share.

Most of the things we'll do won't cost anything and if there is a cost it will be minimal or something we've specially saved for because that's just how we are.

But we'll be together, sharing the experiences and talking to each other. Hopefully for at least another 41 years!

Mix up some Cloud Dough for Playtime Fun

I know my children are well and truly grown up, but this cloud dough is so much fun we've all been having a little play with the batch I made to see if it works. Cloud dough is mouldable, just like playdough, but it feels like flour and you can run your fingers through it and it will be soft and silky.

The kids (big and little) that played with this batch had a ball drizzling it through their fingers then making shapes with it. The boys even had a cloud dough castle competition!

Best of all, unlike play dough, if you forget to put the lid on the container it doesn't dry out!

Cloud Dough

You will need:
1kg plain flour
1 cup of baby oil

Directions:
Put the flour and baby oil in a large container. I used a four litre ice cream container to mix in so that it could also be the storage container.  Mix the flour and baby oil together with your hands until the dough will hold a shape when you squeeze or pack it together. This will take a long time - about 5 minutes so don't give up. Just keep on mixing and squeezing.

This dough uses baby oil so make sure your littlies aren't tempted to eat it. Baby oil is used in this recipe because food grade oils tend to go rancid - eww! If you want to use a food grade oil go ahead, just remember that you'll need to store your cloud dough in the fridge and it will only keep for about a week before you'll need to make a new batch.

You can colour your cloud dough. The easiest way to do this is to either add liquid food colour to the baby oil before you mix it into the flour or if you have them, add powdered food colouring to the flour before you add the baby oil.

I found the easiest (for clean-up anyway) way to play with cloud dough was to put it into a 7 litre tub so it didn't spill over the sides. Or just take it outside. Or put down a plastic tablecloth. I had dozens when my kids were little - they saved the furniture and the floors and made cleaning up messy play a breeze. You can find plastic tablecloths at $2 shops and every home with littlies should have at least one for messy play.

Morning Tea at Miss Marple's Tearooms

Are you an Agatha Christie fan? I am. My favourite Agatha Christie character is Miss Marple. So I'm sure you can imagine just how much I love going to Miss Marple's Tearooms in Sassafras for morning or afternoon tea. I can't remember when we first started to going for a drive up into the hills to Sassafras, stopping at Miss Marple's for morning or afternoon tea before wandering along the street looking in the shop windows, oohing and ahhing at all the pretties for sale, but it's been a long, long time.

Wednesday was my birthday so Mum and Hannah took me to my favourite tearoom for a Devonshire morning tea.

It was lip smackingly delicous. I know it was lip smackingly delicious because the little fellow sitting at the table next to us would take a bite of his scone then we'd hear "mmmhhmmm schmack". Somehow that doesn't seem very cute in text, but he was very cute and really enjoying his scones.

We ordered our tea and scones and sat back to watch the other patrons as they enjoyed the tearooms too.  Smiled with the proud parents of a very cute little baby who'd just learnt to wink and was merrily winking away at anyone who so much as glanced at him.

My Mum, loading up a three story scone with jam and cream

Watched the shock on the face of an overseas visitor when he saw the size of the scones (we call them "three story scones") and then giggled to ourselves as we watched him try to get one in his mouth (we cut them into at least three slices - hence the "three story scones").

Laughed and chatted to our friendly waitress, dressed all in black with a beautifully starched white apron. Who takes the time to really starch laundry anymore? Do these lovely waitresses have to starch their own aprons?

Admired the collection of teapots around the room. Some are very old, some are very plain and some are so beautifully ornate they could be nothing more than an ornament.

And we stuffed ourselves full in a very unladylike manner with three story scones smothered in lashings of jam and cream and pots of steaming hot tea.

It was a lovely birthday treat and one I'll remember.

Loads of Fun With a Giant Game Board

The excitement of Christmas and New Year are over and by now kids are starting to get bored. Being high summer, the weather isn't always conducive to outdoor play so keeping them amused and active, without spending a fortune can be a challenge. Cheapskater Glenys has a really fun way to create life-size board games that everyone will enjoy.

Loads of Fun With a Giant Game Board   

A hint since it is the school holidays, Board Games are not cheap $10 - $30 approximately each. Instead buy some black and white squared vinyl floor covering. Most el cheapo/discount/reject shops stock squared pattern vinyl, and you have an instant large board for a variety of games, which is great to use in the rumpus room, carport, garden. Kids can use their imagination and then create a car racing game by using cars as tokens, and Blu Tacking a series of small cards (business card size) to some of the squares e.g., go to the pits, miss a turn, tyre blowout back three spaces, overtake a slow car move forward 5 spaces etc. You could also use animals and have a farm or zoo themed game, small horses and have a racing theme, the ideas are limitless. You could easily turn this into a theme day when they have friends over to play and expand the theme to cover dress ups, and themed food. Using 2 litre milk/juice caps the vinyl becomes a draught board.
Contributed by Glenys

There's nothing to do - What to do when holiday boredom sets in

With three very normal children in the house,  there's nothing to do  became a catchphrase during the holidays.  Coming up with ways to keep them amused that were constructive, educational, fun and cheap kept me busy for weeks before school ends.

I asked friends what they did with their kids, read everything I could on the subject, searched the Internet, watched current affairs shows to get inspiration.  And most of the time I succeeded.  It wasn't often that we had a really boring day; we could always find something to do from "The List".

"The List" is just that:  a great, big list of things that just about anyone can do.  There is always something to be found on The List .  As most of the country is either in or about to start third term holidays, I thought it would be helpful to share The List  with Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing readers.

There are over 200 different things to do on The List.  I had it printed and stuck on the corkboard in the family room ready for the holidays.  You may like to do the same thing.  Then the kids can look at The List  and choose an activity, or you may like to make it a family decision.  Either way, it really does spell the end of the  "I can't think of anything to dos"!

Here is The List:

• ride bikes 
• roller blade 
• basketball 
• play board games 
• make a tent out of blankets 
• squirt with hoses  - but don t waste water
• run through the sprinkler 
• have a skip-a-thon
• start researching your family tree
• start documenting your family tree
• organise and plan a family reunion
• hold a family reunion
• read books  - visit your local library and try some you haven t read before
• blow bubbles 
• color
• play with play dough 
• press flowers 
• do crafts with pressed flowers  - make a start on your Christmas cards
• write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal 
• clean bedroom  (one of my favourites)
• vacuum living room 
• clean bathroom 
• make a craft  - try something new
• draw 
• make homemade play dough
• paint 
• pull weeds 
• give your favourite person a surprise party
• watch a movie 
• write stories 
• use binoculars - look for as many different things as you can
• use magnifying glass 
• use microscope 
• bird watching  - how many different breeds can you find in your backyard?
• write a play 
• act out a play 
• invent circus acts 
• perform a circus 
• play card games  (snap, old maid, go fish)
• make art on the footpath with chalk 
• play catch 
• play baseball 
• collect rocks 
• collect leaves 
• collect feathers 
• play Frisbee 
• make Frisbee's out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers 
• dust the house 
• brush the pet 
• write letters  to the editor of your local newspaper about articles you are interested in
• read a magazine 
• play dress-up 
• play Cowboys 
• pick vegetables  and then help Mum cook dinner
• play outside with the pet 
• build a fort in your rooms 
• build a fort in the backyard 
• do a jigsaw puzzle 
• play on the computer 
• surprise Mum and Dad with breakfast in bed
• listen to a story or book on tape 
• do extra schoolwork to get ahead 
• do brain teasers (i.e.: crosswords, word searches, hidden pictures, mazes, etc.) 
• cook 
• prepare lunch 
• surprise a neighbour with a good deed 
• play shops
• prepare a "restaurant" lunch with menus 
• hold a tea party 
• have a Teddy bear picnic 
• play with toy cars 
• play dolls 
• play house 
• chase butterflies 
• collect caterpillars and bugs
• plant a garden or a pot 
• collect seeds 
• hunt for four-leaf clovers 
• learn magic tricks 
• put on a magic show 
• plant a container garden 
• sprout seeds or beans 
• make sock puppets 
• put on a puppet show 
• make Christmas presents 
• make homemade wrapping paper 
• make homemade gift cards 
• make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard 
• crochet or knit 
• make doll clothes 
• sew buttons in designs on old shirts 
• run relay races 
• make bookmarks 
• take a quiet rest time 
• take a shower or bath 
• bath a pet 
• feed the birds
• watch the clouds 
• organise a dresser drawer 
• clean under the bed 
• empty dishwasher 
• vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found 
• write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do 
• whittle 
• whittle bars of soap 
• practice musical instruments
• perform a family concert
• teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar) 
• fold clean washing
• sweep kitchen or bathroom floors 
• sweep front paths
• sweep back verandah
• sweep driveway 
• wash car  - on the grass, of course!
• vacuum car 
• vacuum or dust window blinds
• clean bathroom mirrors 
• clean sliding glass doors 
• clean inside of car windows 
• wash bicycles 
• clean garage 
• play in the sandpit
• build a sandcastle 
• work with clay 
• copy your favorite book illustration
• design your own game 
• build with blocks or Legos 
• create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.) 
• plan a neighbourhood or family Olympics 
• have a marble tournament
• find a model train club and see if they have visitors at their running days
• take your bikes to the local BMX park and have a picnic and a day of riding
• spend an hour or two at the local skateboard park learning some new tricks  
• paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days 
• finger paint with instant pudding 
• make dessert 
• make dinner 
• have a sleepover
• make popcorn and watch an old movie
• make toffee with Mum
• give your pet a party 
• start a nature diary 
• have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling 
• have a neighbourhood bike wash 
• play Kick the Can 
• check out a science book and try some experiments 
• make up a story 
• catch butterflies and then let them go
• arrange photo albums 
• find bugs and start a collection 
• do some stargazing 
• decorate bikes or scooters and have a neighbourhood parade 
• play hide-and-seek
• create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands 
• listen to the birds sing 
• try to imitate bird calls 
• read a story to a younger child 
• find shapes in the clouds 
• string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace 
• put together a family newsletter 
• write reviews of movies, plays, TV shows or concerts you see during the summer 
• bake a cake 
• bake a batch of biscuits
• decorate a shoe box to hold your treasures 
• create family scrapbooks with old photos
• glue noodles into a design on paper
• play hopscotch
• play jacks
• make up a song
• make a teepee out of blankets
• write in your diary
• find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
• play charades
• make up a story by drawing pictures
• draw a cartoon strip
• make a map of your bedroom, house or neighbourhood
• call a friend
• cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
• make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
• do a secret service for a neighbour
• plan a treasure hunt
• make a treasure map
• make up a "Bored List" of things to do
• plan a special activity for your family
• search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopaedia or online
• plan an imaginary trip to the moon
• plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
• write a science-fiction story
• find a new pen pal
• make up a play using old clothes as costumes
• make up a game for practicing math facts
• have a Spelling Bee
• make up a game for practicing spelling
• surprise an elderly neighbour or relative by weeding his/her garden
• Finger paint with shaving cream
• collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest
• write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
• make a hideout or clubhouse
• make paper airplanes
• have paper airplane races
• learn origami
• make an obstacle course in your backyard

With a list of things to do this long, one of the things that kept my children amused for a good half hour each day was choosing what to do! They loved reading The List and debating the benefits of each and every activity before deciding on one big one, or three smaller activities for the day.

I'm sure it will keep your children busy for a while too or at the very least give you and them some ideas for fun school holiday activities.

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9 No Cost Winter Activities to Enjoy with Your Partner

Sometimes it's tough to come up with new and creative ideas to get you through the winter. Your best bet is to get together with your partner and make lists of things that you both enjoy. Then compare lists and see where you two meet up.

If you'd like to keep expenses to a minimum, the good news is that there are plenty of ways to have an excellent time without spending a dime.

Consider the following ideas as you build your list:

1. Cuddle. Sometimes when you're both busy, you may forget how good it feels to cuddle up to each other and relax. It's a great activity to enjoy when things have been stressful and you just need a calm break.

2. Go to the shops. You don't have to spend money when you go to the shops, although it may be tempting. Walking the shopping centre can be a great way to get out of the house without having to worry about the cold weather. Window shopping and dreaming cost nothing.

3. Listen to music. If you and your partner happen to share some musical tastes, you can always enjoy listening to music together. Chances are you can even find some live music at public winter festivals with no entry fee.

4. Play video games. Video games are a popular choice for people of all tastes and ages. The variety is astounding! You can play a slow paced puzzle game against each other or get involved in more active games. Some of them can really draw you into the action. Plus, there are several free video game sites online.

5. Go to a friend's house. Gathering with friends is always a good indoor activity you can enjoy together. Invite your friends over to your house for a mini winter party. Have a potluck dinner for a change of pace. This way, you share the cost of entertaining and everyone has fun.

6. Watch a movie. Agree on a genre and then find a good movie to watch together. You may be able to find one on TV or you can rent one for a day for a dollar or two. Afterward, compare your opinions on the movie or watch the DVD bonuses.

7. Make a meal together. You can still have a romantic dinner even if you aren't going out. Choose a nice meal that you can cook together. You're probably used to either you or your partner cooking. It'll be a nice change to have the two of you in the kitchen together.

8. Share memories. Spend some time reflecting on your past. It's always fun to recall the beginnings of your relationship. It doesn't matter if it was months or decades ago. It's a great way to pass the time with your partner.

9. Play an indoor sport. Find a sport to play with your partner. Your local community center may provide access to courts as long as you're a member of the community. Enjoying a sport together can bring you closer together in other areas as well.
   
Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean that you need to sit around and be bored. Try some of these activities together and take advantage of the winter to create some new memories!

Throw a Christmas Party on a Shoestring

Everyone wants to make merry during the holidays. But, you don’t have to break the bank to have a good time. Want to save on money? Start planning your party now (if you haven't already) and try these frugal party ideas for a fabulous party.

Whether you are hosting the party in your home or at an outside venue, the name of the game is “fabulous.” And you don’t have to spend a lot of money to give your guests that feeling. You’d be surprised how a little can go a long way.

Send email invitations.  Want to invite people to your Christmas party? Create a catchy invitation online to let everyone know when and where. There are free programs such as Evite to invite your guests. If you are brave enough create an event on Facebook!

Decorate your place.  It doesn’t have to cost a lot to decorate your home. And with these party ideas, you can keep the decorations in place to enjoy yourself for the rest of the holiday season. Here are some tips: Fill clear plastic bowls with large Christmas ornaments ($5 a pack from discount stores). Add a string of battery powered lights ($2 at discount stores) to jars of potpourri for a bright aromatic decoration. Use gold spray paint to add a bit of bling to gumnuts and pine cones and pile them in the centre of your table. 

Have an afternoon affair.  Somewhere between lunch and dinner, say 2.30 pm to 4 pm, invite friends to come over and celebrate the holidays with a beautiful afternoon tea. Set your table with appetizers. Because they've already had lunch and dinner is coming up, people will eat less. Also, mingling means that they will graze a little but not get too full.

Visit the party supply store.  Plastic drink cups that look great for your party don’t cost a lot when bought in bulk and they can be washed and put away for future parties, you don't need to throw them out. Plastic "glassware" means breakages don't matter and you and your guests can relax. One bag of seasonal confetti can cover your entire food and drink table and costs around $2.50!

Create your own mini meal creations.  Everything doesn’t have to be made from scratch. Take some crackers and top with pepperoni and a sliced olive. Buy a slab chocolate cake and decorate with festive coloured icing and sprinkles. Buy a bulk bag of nuts and spice them yourself.

Make party favours for your guests.  This doesn’t have to be hard or expensive either. Give everyone a souvenir from your party by decorating plastic wine glasses or water goblets with glass safe acrylic paints. Fill each with a simple ornament and ribbon streamers. Decorate glass votive holders and add an aromatic candle to each.

Bring out the CDs.  No need for an expensive DJ. Spin a few Christmas CDs. Get a karaoke game going.

Fun doesn’t have to be expensive? Use any one or more of these ideas for a Christmas Party your guests will remember.

How to Have More Fun This Weekend, the Cheapskates Way

It's spring. The weather is slowly improving and spring weekends are meant for fun. However, it’s easy to fall into a weekend rut. This is especially the case if you work all week and use the weekends to catch up on household chores and errands. And if your budget is tight then weekend fun may seem impossible. Here are a few tips, ideas, and strategies to have more fun this weekend without having to spend a fortune.

1. Get Outside

Getting out into the fresh air almost automatically puts a smile on everyone’s face. And guess what - nature is free. Walk to the park and play a game of Frisbee, football, or cricket. Head to the beach or pool and splash around. Take a nature hike or explore a new outdoor area in your community. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

2. Make a List

Make a list of the things that you want to do and can do on the weekends. This way, when you’re stumped for ideas you can simply turn to your list and make a choice.

3. Put It on the Calendar

Many museums, zoos, and other community facilities offer discount days, free days, and special events. Make a list of these and put them on your calendar. Then when you’re trying to decide what to do this weekend you can see all of the possibilities and take advantage of local events.

4. Fairs, Fetes and Festivals

Most fairs, fetes and festivals are free to attend and they can be a lot of fun. Add them to your calendar and choose one or two to attend. Set a budget in advance and pack your lunch so you stay on budget. It’s easy to spend a fortune on food and snacks. Find the best of the fairs, fetes and festivals by asking the people you know. They will be able to recommend the best school fete and the best retirement village or church fair and the very best music and historic festivals for you to enjoy.

5. Take Advantage of Short-Term Travel Packages

One of the best ways to see the world on a budget is to have an open schedule and open-minded approach to where you go. If you want to get away for a long weekend, visit the discount travel broker websites and review the last-minute packages or tune in to the TV travel shows. You can often save more than 50% on a trip and the spontaneity is fun. You don't even have to leave town. Be a tourist in your own town and see the sights like a visitor, going to the tourist information office and finding out all the free sights and places to visit, then go and enjoy them.

6. Imaginative Projects

What do your children love to do? Do they enjoy building things? Do they like putting on shows? Let their imaginations run free and spend a weekend with a creative project. Put on a play in the back yard and film it. Build a playhouse and paint it. If your children love volcanoes then have a science fair. If they love to cook then stage your very own Cupcake Wars in your kitchen.

7. Try Something New

Have each family member make a list of something they want to learn or do this summer. Give them a few examples so they don’t write down things like “Go to Paris” or “Ride a camel.” Children can get carried away. Take a look at their list and then create a plan to address one item on each person’s list. You may find that you’re rock climbing one weekend and shopping for vintage clothing the next.  Check your local paper.

Cheapskater Lee found a "help wanted" ad in her local paper that was fun, educational and helping the local wildlife. She took her partner and children and they put together and painted little houses for an endangered possum native to their area. Then they went to the park and helped put them into the trees.

All work and no play makes weekends dull and the work week even harder. Teach your children to take time away from the television and computer, and the shopping centre, to have relax and just have fun. And enjoy your family time together – it’s precious.

Family Fun Doesn't Have to be Expensive

Spending time together as a family is important, especially as your children get older. As they grow-up family time gets harder to find (and often afford), but it also becomes even more important.

A fun way to spend time together, without spending a fortune is to celebrate a holiday even if it’s not a holiday.  Check the calendar and online and you'll find so many unusual holidays on which to peg your celebration.  For instance, there’s a National Watermelon Day.  Celebrate by gathering the family in the backyard or a park and eating watermelon (OK, you may need to wait until January or February for this one). But it's still July, so why not celebrate Christmas in July this weekend and turn your Sunday roast into Christmas Dinner?  Or how about Wattle Day or Women's History Day or Mother's Day in September and Father's Day in October?

It doesn't really matter what you're celebrating, as long as you are celebrating together. Make up a celebration just for your family and keep it as an annual family celebration, and build a tradition that will stretch into the future.

Put Away Something New and Introduce Something Old

These school holidays keep the kids entertained and eliminate cabin fever by going retro - let them play with the things from childhood past.  After all there is only so much time a young child can tolerate playing video games, especially in inclement winter weather and only so much time that we parents want them to play video games. Old standby favorites such as play dough, flubber and good old-fashioned coloring books will keep the children entertained for hours.

Playdough

Mix two cups plain flour, one cup salt and two tablespoons of cream of tartar. Add two tablespoons oil, two cups water and a few drops of food colouring. Stir together then dump into a large fry pan and cook like scrambled eggs. Keep stirring until its no longer "wet". It only takes a few minutes.  When it looks like playdough, dump it onto the bench and knead for a few minutes. That's it!

I keep it in recycled takeaway food containers (the ones with the lids, like Chinese takeaway) plastic bags.

Flubber

This is great fun to make and even more fun to play with. In a container, put some PVA glue and add a small amount of cold water. Mix it well to thin down the PVA. Add some food colouring. Now, carefully add boiling water, mixing well, a little at a time, until it is thick and resembles playdough. Turn it out and knead it well. Then go have some fun with your flubber!

And when they are tired of sitting still, an old-fashioned tent made out of blankets and chairs will delight them. Whip up some hot chocolate and a batch of caramel popcorn and put on a movie and peace will be yours.

Spending Too Much Money on Weekends?

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the bank of this river on one of our drives

Oh the weekend…it’s two days we seem to almost live for. I start praying for Friday evening on Sunday night. I love the weekend, we don’t have to work and Saturday and Sunday become a celebration for five days of hard work.

They can also become the two days we break our diet, forget our exercise routine and forget all about your Spending Plan. While the diet and exercise part can be easily recovered from (well in theory anyway), forgetting your Spending Plan can have lasting effects.

It is very tempting to splurge on the weekend. You've worked hard all week and deserve a treat or two (or three or four or five….) and not worry about the Spending Plan.  If you find money flows like water on the weekends and you’re going a bit crazy with the spending, take a look at your Spending Plan and adjust it so you have a weekend allowance. Take out the amount of cash you’re allowed to spend on the weekend and spend only the money you have in your purse or wallet. This will help you stay on track and will help you control your money on the weekends.

In fact, when you head out, don’t even take your debit and credit cards with you; leave them at home. If you don’t like carrying cash, then get yourself a Visa gift card from the Post Office with $50, $75 or $100 on it. Then you can use this to take care of your weekend spending instead of carrying cash.  And once it's gone, it's time to head home for some free fun.

Which leads me to this: substitute expensive activities for inexpensive or free ones. You don’t need unplanned spending to enjoy your weekend. For example, instead of going window shopping, which is never cost-free, you always buy something, or heading to the movies, go to the park or take advantage of festivals and free days at local attractions. Get outside whenever possible, even in winter. Going on a hike, taking a bike ride or even getting in the car and heading to explore a new area are all inexpensive and fun ways to spend a day.

Wayne often suggests we go for a drive on a Sunday afternoon. It only takes a few minutes to boil the jug and fill the thermos, while that's happening I pack some fruit and perhaps some muffins or cake or even sandwiches, put them all in the picnic basket and we're off.  We usually don't have a destination in mind, just wherever the road takes us is good enough.

Our spontaneous road trips have led us to some beautiful spots, right on our doorstep. We've found some lovely camping spots and marked them on our map for future summer weekends, met some lovely people, and just enjoyed being together in the bush. After a couple of hours we head on home, refreshed and relaxed and just plain happy.

We are not big on eating out, saving it for a special treat (like Mother's Day, we are going to our local Chinese restaurant tomorrow night) but If you like to eat out then plan on going out to eat only once each weekend. Eating out can eat up money incredibly fast, destroying a Spending Plan in just one or two meals if you are not very careful. A Sunday morning brunch, with the newspapers, watching the people go by, will fill in a couple of hours and is a less expensive way of enjoying eating out. Or be super savvy and look for coupons in your local paper, online or even in the junk mail.

Instead of eating out all weekend, why not use the time to make food in? This can be both an inexpensive activity and a great way to save money. With so many cooking shows on TV and recipes online it is very easy to replicate restaurant meals in your own kitchen, for a fraction of the price.  I heartily recommend Rilka's Feasts by Rilka Warbanoff and Sally Wise's From My Kitchen to Yours for some delicious, easy and very budget friendly recipes - just be aware that although they are budget friendly, they could blow your diet.

For many of us, avoiding the shops over the weekend is almost impossible. When you work full-time shopping at the weekend is often the only time available. So I recommend you shop with a list. I know I must sound like a broken record on this, but it really does save you a lot of money. The weekend is often when we take care of the grocery, household and clothing shopping that needs to be done, and it’s so very easy to shop impulsively when you’re in a beautifully lit and decorated shopping centre. Don’t let this happen. Make a list before you head out and only buy what’s on your list. Remember, if it's not on the list, you can't buy it!

I found over the years that the easiest way to not spend money over the weekend was to simply spend time with my family. Family time at home making crafts, playing games and just getting together and hanging out is free. And you don’t need to be doing something frivolous - working together in the garden and around the home can be just as much fun as watching a DVD or playing a board game. It's not only a lovely way to enjoy your children but you are teaching them that you don't need to be out and about, spending money to have fun.

As your children grow, your family time together changes. Spending time with them will become more social, perhaps more family dinners and barbecues. Then they start bringing home friends, who become girlfriends and boyfriends. If you have an established pattern of family time, be it in the kitchen, around the table or in the garden, they will still want to spend time with you.  You have taught them from an early age that being together, enjoying each other's company, is more fun than spending money. Psychologists may call it bonding, I call it being a family.

Yes, the weekends are a time to take care of errands, to celebrate a productive workweek and to enjoy yourself. However, that doesn’t mean you have to bust your Spending Plan. Stay on track and have fun and really enjoy your weekend.

7 Simple ideas to plan children’s birthday parties on a budget

We are moving into birthday season in our family. 

And, shock horror, I'm about to become the mother of a 21 year old!  He can't possibly be turning 21 already. It doesn't feel as though he's been my baby for 21 years but that's what the calendar says.  Goodness I'm getting teary just thinking about it, he was such a tiny baby, relying totally on me for everything, not that long ago. Now he towers over me and is completely and utterly independent. Yikes!

Before the end of the year we have nine family birthdays, including AJ's 21st!  Thankfully most of them are adults, so the parties and celebrations are a little easier. But there are four children in that birthday bunch and they all love their birthday parties.

To a child there’s nothing better than a birthday party. They have high expectations for the day and to be fair many parents do too. However, those high expectations can cost a bundle. With a little planning and a smart strategy you can throw memorable birthday parties on a budget.

When AJ, Tom and Hannah were younger we had a set birthday party routine. It kept costs down, but it also kept my stress levels down.  It involved what we still call "the birthday box".  In this box I kept all our party supplies: dishes, banners, balloons, loot bags, invitations, party hats, streamers, blowers, candles - if it was used for one of our birthday parties it was kept in the box.  This made getting organized really easy.

We also had and still have, a set menu:

• Dip with carrot sticks
• Sausage rolls
• Party pies
• Mini quiches
• Mini pizzas
• Meatballs
• Fairy bread
• Fruit plate - watermelon, rock melon, apple, orange, strawberries, kiwi fruit
• Chocolate crackles
• Birthday cake - acts as dessert
• Party punch

It's pretty basic and all homemade and it's easy to adapt for special diet needs i.e. Gluten free, vegetarian etc.  It's also very cheap, doesn't require any special ingredients or extra things on the shopping list either.

Here are my top 7 tips for a beautiful budget birthday party:

1. Establish your budget first. Decide how much you have to spend before you even mention the word “Birthday Party” to your child. If you’re unsure how much you have to spend look at how much you’ve spent in the past. What were the financial results? Also take a look at your expenses and income for the upcoming month or two. You don’t want a birthday party to set you back.  It is really easy to spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday part. It is just as easy to spend under $100 and have a party that will be remembered (for good things) for years to come.

2. Start planning early. The more time you have to plan the easier it will be to stick to your budget. It’ll provide you plenty of time for a little strategy and bargain hunting. How early should you start planning? It's not as though you don't know the birthday is coming up, it happens at the same time every year. Two to three months is a nice amount of time. Plenty of time to research, save money, and pull everything together.

If you are stuck for ideas login to the Member's Centre and go to Birthday Parties.  There are loads of great party themes, tips and recipes in the Journals for you to use too.  Over the years we've had our run of fairy and princess parties, pirate and treasure hunt parties, pool parties, sleepovers,  13th birthdays, 18th birthdays and in a few weeks we'll be having our very first of the 21st birthday celebrations and I've used and will continue to use the ideas in these articles. They work, they save me money, time and energy - my type of birthday party.

3. Timing matters. The shorter your party, the less entertainment and food you’ll have to provide.
If you are on a very tight budget consider setting the party time for between meals. Then all you have to provide is a beverage and cake.

Of course you don’t want your party to be too short. Also consider keeping the party under three hours.  For young children, up to about 12 years of age, two hours is plenty of time for a party.  Over 12 two and a half to three hours is ample as long as you have plenty of activities for them or a good movie or game to keep them busy and entertained.  Two hours may be the perfect amount of time for both party goers and hosts.

Once your children reach 16 or so parties become more casual (don't think this means less work or expense, it doesn't) and they tend to also be a little louder and longer.  It's all part of growing up , I remember the excitement of parties that went to midnight.  These days of course my ideal party finishes around 9pm!

On that note:  always, always issue real invitations.  I understand the kids love to put the details out on Facebook or use the bush telegraph to send their invitations but you have no control over who is invited.  Take the time to make invitations, keep a list of who they've been given to and get an RSVP. It may be old fashioned, but it's good manners and good sense to know just who will be coming through your front door.

My kids have all been told the first hint on any social network of their parties and the consequences will be swift and severe.....

4. Utilize general themes. Skip the brand name parties and choose a more general theme. For example, Pirates are a cheaper theme to work with than Disney Cars and a princess theme is easier to work with than a Cinderella themed party.

5. DIY. Obviously time is money. However, if you can make a cake and create your own invitations you’re going to save a bundle. Consider buying some party decorations at a bulk or discount party store and making the rest. Get creative with the decorations too.

6. Make the craft the prize. Children expect to receive goody bags when they attend a party. Combine the craft (which keeps the children busy) with the goodie bag. For example, children could make pirate hats, tiaras or microphones to take home with them.  If you are very brave let them decorate the party food. Make some large cookies and then provide the icings, sprinkles, jelly beans, smarties etc and let each child make his or her own snack.

7. Plan simple games and activities. Games are inexpensive and they keep children occupied and laughing. For example, a great game of kick the can or swimming in a pool keeps everyone happy and is inexpensive too.  Pass the parcel, musical chairs, egg and spoon races, three legged races and balloon races are all good fun, cheap to run and keep everyone very busy.

I have found that it is important to plan your party out in detail and carefully itemize the cost of each item. Make sure you also leave a bit of room in the budget and timeline for surprises – they always happen. Make what you can at home and keep the party short and simple. It’s the best way for everyone to have fun and to stay on budget.       

Now I've just shared my tips, I'm about to sit down and start working on the shopping list and final invitation list for that 21st. It's only a month away - time to get a wriggle on.

It's almost barbecue season

The fine, warm weather over the last week or so reminded me that one of the greatest pleasures of a long Aussie summer is standing over a scalding barbecue in the backyard blackening a row of sausages and cremating sliced onions.

When daylight saving starts, barbecues across the country will be wakened from their winter hibernation and prepared for the summer cooking season. No matter what your barbecue is - an iron plate over smouldering coals, a single burner hibachi or a full on outdoor kitchen - now is the time to do a little routine cleaning and maintenance to keep your barbecue operating safely for the summer cooking season.

Pull it all apart, clean each part thoroughly and put them all back again. You can buy replacement parts for those burnt-out burners and grill plates from most hardware shops or go straight to the manufacturer and ask if they sell spare parts.

Check the gas bottle and connections (if it's a gas barbecue) to make sure they are working properly and everything is safe to use.  Gather your cooking tools and make sure they are ready to go.

Then, after all that work, give the barbie a trial run. Slice some onions, throw on some snags, butter some bread and enjoy your first sausage sandwich of the season.

Write a letter

While phone calls and e-mails might be quicker, there are few things that make people feel as good as getting a real letter in the mail. If you’re feeling extra creative you can make your own cards or writing paper and personalize it for each person you write to. Letters let the recipient know you are thinking of them, and gives them a tangible reminder of your relationship. It doesn't have to be long; a simple, one page letter is just as nice to receive as a 10 page epic.

Having fun for less

There are lots of things to do at home during the school holidays, but it's nice to go out and have fun too.  You don't have to spend a fortune to keep the kids entertained during the holidays.   Look for:

• attractions such as museums that have free entry for children
• kids' movies have adults view free offers
• two-for-one on ten pin bowling, mini golf etc. 
• special school holiday rates to zoos and theme parks
• special offers and discounts on websites and in newspapers
• discounts connected to your automobile club membership
• use coupons - check the back of your shopping dockets
• if you have an Entertainment Book go through it to see what's available

Keep Kids Content in the Car with Games

Taking off on a road trip is an Aussie long weekend ritual. Keeping the kids amused is one of the challenges of this ritual.  Here are three fun car games kids and adults can play. Playing games in the car keep the kids amused and calm and if anyone tends towards car sickness, it take their mind off the journey and eases the nausea.

Car Colours
Perfect for little kids. Everyone chooses a colour, then has to count the number of cars they see in their colour in a given time frame. When the time is up the person with the most cars wins.

Alphabet Game
Taking turns, each person has 5 kilometres to find the letters of the alphabet. Starting with A, they must find them in order.  A for instance could be on a number plate, B on a road sign, C on the side of a truck etc. When the 5 kilometres is up it's the next person's turn. The person who finds the most letters wins.

The Sightseeing Game
The first person names a letter of the alphabet. Each player must name a tourist attraction or point of interest that begins with that letter in each of these categories: city, state, country, river, mountain, park. Whoever completes the most categories wins.

Have fun with personalised stationery

Have some fun with free, personalised stationery from Vistaprint. You can choose from business cards (which are so handy to use as address cards, use them when you need to give your contact details to someone), pens, address labels, magnets, sticky notes, even bumper stickers. The choice of designs is great and you get to customise the details on each item. You will need to pay postage and handling and there are options to make it cheaper. These also make fun gifts. Imagine the reaction when you give someone their very own, themed stationery.  Go to www.vistaprint.com.au and click on "Free products" to see what's available.

What to do when there's nothing to do

There's nothing to do becomes a catchphrase during the holidays.

I asked friends what they do with their kids, read everything I can on the subject, searched the Internet, watched current affairs shows to get inspiration and came up with The List.

The List is just that a great, big list of things that just about anyone can do. There is always something to be found on The List.  It's not just for school holidays and it's not just for kids. There are over 200 different things to do on The List . We have it printed and stuck on the corkboard in the family room ready for the holidays. You may like to do the same thing. Then the kids can look at The List and choose an activity, or you may like to make it a family decision. Either way, it really does spell the end of the "I can't think of anything to dos"!

• ride bikes
• roller blade
• basketball
• play board games
• make a tent out of blankets
• squirt with hoses - but don't waste water
• run through the sprinkler
• have a skip-a-thon
• start researching your family tree
• start documenting your family tree
• organise and plan a family reunion
• hold a family reunion
• read books - visit your local library and try some you haven't read before
• blow bubbles
• colour
• play with play dough
• try our great play dough recipe
• press flowers
• do crafts with pressed flowers - make a start on your Christmas cards
• write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
• clean bedroom (one of my favourites)
• vacuum living room
• clean bathroom
• make a craft - try something new
• draw
• make homemade play dough
• paint
• pull weeds
• give your favourite person a surprise party
• watch a movie
• write stories
• use binoculars - look for as many different things as you can
• use magnifying glass
• use microscope
• bird watching - how many different breeds can you find in your backyard?
• write a play
• act out a play
• invent circus acts
• perform a circus
• play card games (snap, old maid, go fish)
• make art on the footpath with chalk
• play catch
• play baseball
• collect rocks
• collect leaves
• collect feathers
• play Frisbee
• make Frisbee's out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
• dust the house
• brush the pet
• write letters to the editor of your local newspaper about articles you are interested in
• plant a garden or a pot
• collect seeds
• hunt for four-leaf clovers
• learn magic tricks
• put on a magic show
• plant a container garden
• sprout seeds or beans
• make sock puppets
• put on a puppet show
• make Christmas presents
• make homemade wrapping paper
• make homemade gift cards
• make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
• crochet or knit
• make doll clothes
• sew buttons in designs on old shirts
• run relay races
• make bookmarks
• take a quiet rest time
• take a shower or bath
• bath a pet
• feed the birds
• watch the clouds
• organise a dresser drawer
• clean under the bed
• empty dishwasher
• vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
• write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do
• whittle
• whittle bars of soap
• practice musical instruments
• perform a family concert
• teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar)
• fold clean washing
• sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
• sweep front paths
• sweep back verandah
• sweep driveway
• wash car - on the grass, of course!
• vacuum car
• vacuum or dust window blinds
• clean bathroom mirrors
• clean sliding glass doors
• clean inside of car windows
• wash bicycles
• clean garage
• play in the sandpit
• build a sandcastle
• work with clay
• copy your favorite book illustration
• design your own game
• build with blocks or Legos
• create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.)
• plan a neighbourhood or family Olympics
• have a marble tournament
• paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
• finger paint with instant pudding
• make dessert
• make dinner
• have a sleepover
• make popcorn and watch an old movie
• make toffee with Mum
• give your pet a party
• start a nature diary
• have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
• have a neighbourhood bike wash
• play Kick the Can
• check out a science book and try some experiments
• make up a story
• catch butterflies and then let them go
• arrange photo albums
• find bugs and start a collection
• do some stargazing
• decorate bikes or scooters and have a neighbourhood parade
• play hide-and-seek
• create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
• listen to the birds sing
• try to imitate bird calls
• read a story to a younger child
• find shapes in the clouds
• string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
• put together a family newsletter
• write reviews of movies, plays, TV shows or concerts you see during the summer
• bake a cake
• bake a batch of biscuits
• decorate a shoe box to hold your treasures
• create family scrapbooks with old photos
• glue noodles into a design on paper
• play hopscotch
• play jacks
• make up a song
• make a teepee out of blankets
• write in your diary
• find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
• play charades
• make up a story by drawing pictures
• draw a cartoon strip
• make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
• call a friend
• cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
• make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
• do a secret service for a neighbour
• plan a treasure hunt
• make a treasure map
• make up a "Bored List" of things to do
• plan a special activity for your family
• search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or online
• plan an imaginary trip to the moon
• plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
• write a science-fiction story
• find a new pen pal
• make up a play using old clothes as costumes
• make up a game for practicing math facts
• have a Spelling Bee
• make up a game for practicing spelling
• surprise an elderly neighbour or relative by weeding his/her garden
• fingerpaint with shaving cream
• collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest
• write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
• make a hideout or clubhouse
• make paper airplanes
• have paper airplane races
• learn origami
• make an obstacle course in your backyard