August frugalistas

[HomeAgain]

Welcome, Ms. Pacman!

I caught wind of a hidden blueberry field - privately owned, but there's a sign that allows you to pick your own if you bring a quart jar and pay by utilizing the small wooden box there.  I calculated it out and it's cheaper than the same amount at the grocery store.  I can freeze them for later.  ? We like blueberry muffins all winter and I have a 'cafe muffin' recipe in an old cookbook.

Total spent this month for groceries so far: $142.03.  That was for a total of almost 7 days' worth of food: the camping stuff and then dinners/lunches at home. My garden is doing well, but the biggest change is in the teen.  He works around meat all day at the deli and started coming home with requests for his nights off like "please no chicken."  "Please no sausage".  So our meat intake became a lot more restricted.  I started cooking more vegetarian-based meals with a bit of meat on the side.  Last night he had baked cheesy jalapeño sweet potato rounds, and corn tortilla shells with avocado, pico, cheese, lime, and a radish/green onion pico.  The youngest and I added a small bit of shredded beef to our tacos.  The rest of it will be reheated today to make tamales: beef for some of us, cheese/poblano pepper for those who don't want meat.  They can sit in the freezer for quick meals.

And small but big - my dip into frugal violin lessons is working.  DS is concentrating on all the basics he has tried to skip over before and his playing is getting so much better, and because I'm watching the videos, too, and learning alongside him, we can help each other.  That wasn't possible when I was only sending him to a teacher once a week.  It's a well used $20/mo that I don't regret in the least.  It'll go up to $40 next year because ds wants to do the live online class instead, and even that's a bargain for what he's getting.

[mommyoffive]

18 hours ago, SKL said:

Oh I have lots of spending coming up, but I am trying not to completely eclipse the little bit of saving I manage to do, LOL.

I haven't said too much about summer camps and sports and the school tuition that was just paid ... I generally don't try to economize in those areas.  I don't want to feel like I regret doing what seems good for my kids.  Plus, as a single mom, I have to put them somewhere in the summer.  Next year I will try to cut the camps by about 50% as they will be 12yo.  More on that come February.

I think I will stop Sylvan at least for the school year.  It was largely a logistical solution last year - the kids had no time to come home and do homework on Wednesdays due to multiple distant activities.  This year's schedule looks better so far, and my kids and I would all rather do homework at home.  (Psst I will try to use additional materials I have as well.)  I may also be able to get the school to do some real tutoring this year - we're supposed to meet on that in August.  I assume the cost would be paid by the public schools.

Yesterday my kid had a horse show, cost $250 (not including the $$$ lease that I pay throughout the year), and my kid won $25, LOL.  OK not the best return, unless you consider the smile and the confidence that a hard-earned blue ribbon generates.

Next week is my kids' black belt test.  There went another $250 (plus the various fees paid over the years to get to this point).  If they pass, they will have to pay something to be able to continue in TKD - I have not yet looked into that yet.  Myself, I have not been attending, but I am still not sure whether I want to complete my black belt or not.  I'm 50/50 on it.

My kids will continue to do horse riding / gymnastics 3 days a week.  Those are the only 2 major extracurricular expenses going into the school year.  They will participate in school sports and scouts and running, but the cost of those is very low.  Next year my kid will age out of The Little Gym and we'll see how far we want to go at the more serious gym.  Team?  We'll discuss that later.

We've gotten the kids' sports physicals, chiropractic adjustments, and immunizations done for the summer.  Pretty cheap since we used the chiropractor for what wasn't 100% covered.  Coming up in August are one eye appointment (included in vision therapy) and 2 dental appointments (theoretically covered).  As for cavities, I am afraid to say it out loud, but so far they haven't had any except for some congenital pits on the sides of one kid's new molars.  My kids are not the most fastidious about their teeth, though they do brush at least once a day.  ?

I need to make a fairly significant annual donation this month, for food baskets to a family in my kids' birth country.

Oh, and we have booked our next vacation.  We are going to Hawaii in December.  No, I've never been there.  I thought it used to be a relatively cheap vacation (considering the distance), but no longer.  The less said about that, the better.  ?

So in short, I spend a lot, but I don't want to get kicked out of the frugal threads....

 

Yeah me too.  I used to be so cheap.  Those days are over. 

Where you able to get a deal on the airfare?  I have seen so many great deals to Hawaii for about $300 -$400 from all over.  Midwest and East coast too. 

[historically accurate]

15 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Right now on swagbucks if you purchase ziploc up til Aug. 16 from Walmart and upload your receipt you can earn 1000 SB (translates to 10 dollars). I'm going to do that when I shop for more freezer bags.

Well, that's what I get for being on the ball - I just bought some little ziploc containers, but my receipt says Aug 1. 

I guess I'll see what we need still.

[mommyoffive]

at walgreens until 8-11

Ticonderoga Pre-Sharpened Pencils 10 Count 
Only 99¢ (regularly $3.99)

 

 

This is still there 

https://moneysavingmom.com/2018/07/spend-20-at-walmart-get-20-cash-back-super-hot.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=moneysavingmom

Edited August 7, 2018 by mommyoffive

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm going to attempt a frugal repair on my entryway bench.

I have a newish (2 years old) pleather bench that is in my entryway. It's used multiple times a day as people sit to put on or take off their shoes.  Someone in my household left a can of bug spray on the bench, which leaked and melted away the pleather into a gooey mess. (Contemplate that, eek!)  My industrious teen cut away the melty pleather ? and now the first view of my home is of this bench....with holes in it.  We don't have the funds to replace it, and I'm somewhat picky as to the aesthetics of it all, so we're going to try to get by by patching the pleather.

My dad builds horse saddles as a hobby so he's sending some bits to see if something will work. I've seen photos of other patch jobs and I think we've got a shot of making it look quirky but decent so we're going to give it a go. He gave me some web shops to look at also in case his scraps don't work. 

We need a functional bench there, so I've got an eye out on CL and elsewhere for a wooden bench in the right dimensions.  If it needs a topper, I'll sew a fabric cushion which will be easier to replace than an integrated one. 

[HomeAgain]

Prairiewindmomma, it might be cool to cut the pieces into a recognizable shape.  You could have a horse galloping across your couch, or a sailboat. ?

I had a frugal fail last night.  I got out all the ingredients for dinner and looked at the container of herbs I bought, wondering why they looked so familiar.  Oh!  Because it's the same plant that I bought six of to make a ground cover out by the trees!  So I spent $2 on the exact same thyme I have growing in my front yard! ? 

[SamanthaCarter]

I made a meal for the newly moved in neighbors down the street using all ingredients I had on had plus some stuff from the garden. I made buns, some shredded bbq chicken from a cooked chicken, sliced garden cucumbers, and a potato green bean oregano salad from the last of the bag of potatoes, and green beans and garlic from the garden. 

And dh got a speeding ticket. ?

[HomeAgain]

I wanted to like your post, but oh, no, Samantha!  Is he able to reduce the cost any with a driving class or showing up to court?

[mommyoffive]

Free 21-pack of Sharpies Fine Point Permanent Markers after rebate!

https://moneysavingmom.com/2018/08/free-21-pack-of-sharpies-fine-point-permanent-markers-after-rebate.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=moneysavingmom

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, SamanthaCarter said:

I made a meal for the newly moved in neighbors down the street using all ingredients I had on had plus some stuff from the garden. I made buns, some shredded bbq chicken from a cooked chicken, sliced garden cucumbers, and a potato green bean oregano salad from the last of the bag of potatoes, and green beans and garlic from the garden. 

And dh got a speeding ticket. ?

 

How nice of you to make that family a meal.

Ugh sorry about the ticket.  

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, HomeAgain said:

Prairiewindmomma, it might be cool to cut the pieces into a recognizable shape.  You could have a horse galloping across your couch, or a sailboat. ?

I had a frugal fail last night.  I got out all the ingredients for dinner and looked at the container of herbs I bought, wondering why they looked so familiar.  Oh!  Because it's the same plant that I bought six of to make a ground cover out by the trees!  So I spent $2 on the exact same thyme I have growing in my front yard! ? 

 

I know how mad that would make me, but it is so funny at the same time.  Ugh. 

[frogger]

I did really good at grocery shopping yesterday. I need to sit down and handle receipts. 

I'm actually thinking of avoiding buying school supplies. We have a bunch left over from last year, although we may be one 3 ring binder short. 

 

 

[historically accurate]

46 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Ok frugalistas, have you heard of Kids Skate Free?  Basically, it generates free passes for open times at the roller skating rink.  I don't remember where I had first heard about it, maybe even here.  But when I first heard of it, the was no rink in the area accepting the passes.  In this new area, the rink just up the road does.  Now, to register, the fee was $4 per kid.  I just printed our first set of passes, so I can't report on the actual acceptance yet.  But for this week, it gave me two passes per kid.  Regular admission alone for this particular rink is $7 per person, so assuming the passes are accepted (and I will report back tomorrow what happened.) this is already cheaper.  And if that's really two passes per week............what a great way for some out of the heat exercise!

There's a Kids Bowl Free too. https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

[prairiewindmomma]

On 8/7/2018 at 1:18 PM, happysmileylady said:

If you can get multiple bits, could you maybe give it something like a patchwork look?  Like you are patching the one spot, but if you can sew some different patches in other places, could that work to making look more like what you are looking for?

I'm waiting to see what comes in the mail in the way of scraps.  I have two holes, almost side by side. I'm thinking of doing heart shapes, so it looks like two hearts sitting by each other.  I hope to stitch it something like this: https://www.pinterest.com/offsite/?token=963-427&url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F17%2F9b%2F11%2F179b118ed3d9a92aa3cdf4f8eff9408e.jpg&pin=75857574950578492&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAADDU5OTY5OTQwODU0NQA

[prairiewindmomma]

I bought clothes today. We changed climates in a big way with our last relo, and I arrived in winter with two sweaters and two pairs of jeans.  We spent our budget outfitting the kids and got by by buying a few more pairs of jeans for ourselves. I spent the winter trying to understand the climate and my new social needs (PTL we moved out of a place where women wear high heels to the grocery store!) and I hit the thrift stores over the last three weeks. I totally struck out. I did not find a single thing that I liked and that fit me well.  I went to a discount store today and lucked out. Most of what I purchased was on clearance, and what wasn't was still reasonably priced. The most expensive thing I got was a $25 Ralph Lauren navy sweater that is classic enough that I can probably wear it for the next forty years. ? I need to replace my pair of leather boat shoes this fall....my old ones are falling apart...but then I should be good to go. 

[frogger]

So are boat shoes just shoes you wear on a boat or is there a specific shoe type that is called boat shoes?

 

Today I bought $250 worth of Salmon from a fishing boat for about $2 a lb.   It will last all winter. I want to smoke and can a few batches, do some raw pack canned, and then I will freeze the rest for grilling or pan frying, etc.  So I will be very busy tomorrow. I will have to plug in my second freezer but it's worth it!

 

[gstharr]

On 8/1/2018 at 1:46 PM, soror said:

hey all!

Lots of good deals being found! Ds is starting to need new shoes so I'll have to look out for that. Speaking of which my Mom told me that she wants to take my son back to school shopping. She is afraid he is going to get made fun of... sigh. As I told her just b/c we shop Goodwill doesn't mean he is a hobo, he has name brand clothes in good condition. I told her that is fine if she wants to. Part of me feels some weird guilt, like she doesn't feel he is taken care of well enough so she has to step in, the other parts says I'm not going to let that guilt trip me. He has more than enough clothes and is far from looking like the poor kid. I think my parents, who both grew up very poor, have some residual childhood issues having to wear hand me downs. When I told my Mom that I hated highschool and didn't feel like I fit in, her comment was, "We made sure you always had nice clothes!" Seriously, like that is the only thing that matters. 

I

My son can probably wear a different outfit 60 days in row. I can't pass up nearly perfect  $40-50 clothing items on sale at the thrifts for $2-3. And I only buy high end brands.

Edited August 9, 2018 by gstharr

[mommyoffive]

6 hours ago, frogger said:

So are boat shoes just shoes you wear on a boat or is there a specific shoe type that is called boat shoes?

 

Today I bought $250 worth of Salmon from a fishing boat for about $2 a lb.   It will last all winter. I want to smoke and can a few batches, do some raw pack canned, and then I will freeze the rest for grilling or pan frying, etc.  So I will be very busy tomorrow. I will have to plug in my second freezer but it's worth it!

 

 

Wow!!!  Huge score. 

[prairiewindmomma]

7 hours ago, frogger said:

So are boat shoes just shoes you wear on a boat or is there a specific shoe type that is called boat shoes?

 

Today I bought $250 worth of Salmon from a fishing boat for about $2 a lb.   It will last all winter. I want to smoke and can a few batches, do some raw pack canned, and then I will freeze the rest for grilling or pan frying, etc.  So I will be very busy tomorrow. I will have to plug in my second freezer but it's worth it!

 

Great deal on the salmon!

Re: boat shoes---they are Sperry Top-Siders. The non-slip sole was designed for boat use, and they are great on wet days.  They look like loafers. I wear them because I need the non-slip sole and because the leather conforms nicely to my feet. I have rheumatoid arthritis and these are my go-to shoe....

[SKL]

I'm also on a fridge cleaning kick.  It's so stuffed, I just want to eat everything in there until it's empty, LOL.  Theoretically that is probably saving me money, but it isn't the main reason.  I just can't stand too much stuff.

On a related topic, I needed to find a family project for my kid to help with for a scout badge.  I think we'll do "cleaning out the kitchen cupboards, pantry, and fridge."  That is a serious multi-faceted project.  When can we start???  Possibly the weekend before school starts.  We will also be cleaning out the basement to meet a separate requirement of the badge.  These projects will provide an inventory of stuff we already have and hopefully encourage people to stop adding stuff we don't need - indirectly saving some $$ I'm sure.  ?

[BarbecueMom]

I did end up throwing a couple things out this week:  two cucumbers that I bought last month and didn't get around to eating, and the rest of the baked beans I took to a party on Saturday.  The kids don't care for baked beans, DH couldn't eat them because there was gluten everywhere at the party, and I can't eat pretty much everything stuff like that right now.  And I'm paranoid about food poisoning.  Sometimes my stomach issues make things quite frugal (no restaurants, no social eating, no alcohol, no weird sketchy ingredients), but other times it ends up in waste.

I'm going to try to bake a practice round of gluten free cupcakes this afternoon to make sure they taste good enough to make for the party on Sunday.  Usually I use a box mix, but if I can get the GF flour I bought at Target to work, then I don't have to buy anything but ice cream.

The car needs new tires tomorrow, and we have to buy the paint and supplies for the basement walls.  DH needs to get a new baseball glove, as DS10 literally pitched a hole through his old one, but I think I have enough store credit left at the used sporting goods store to cover a new-to-us one.

I'm considering doing zero decoration for the birthday party on Sunday.  I don't have time to make anything but the cupcakes, and I don't want to spend the money on single-use junk or make a special trip to get supplies.  I don't think the kids will care, they just want sugar and things in wrapping paper.

 

 

[hjffkj]

August has been an interesting month so far since it is the first month without a house payment.  It sure is easy to start spending money when you have it. I haven't been spending too much but it is easier to just say, "oh we need this let me just order it off amazon" rather than really evaluating if we need it.

Frugal fails: ds's math curriculum is not working for him so we are trying something new.  Thankfully, I paid $5 for what we are currently using.  We are going to try Beast Academy for him and his sister (I hadn't picked anything for her yet)  so I just purchased the first books for their levels.  Not too bad to test it out.  Dh has been eating out for lunch almost every day this month.  This is no good and we have to figure out a way for him to bring enough food for his work day.  He burns a lot of calories at work so needs a to bring a lot.  No matter how much he packs it still doesn't seem like enough.

Frugal wins: So far we're quite under for groceries. I spent $130 on yesterdays trip and it was the first one this month.  

Change in savings plan:   I decided I didn't want to focus on sending savings to 2 different places each paycheck so I put $4000 from our house funds into my RothIRA to max it out for the year.  Now that both our retirement funds our funded for the year, I can just focus on the house fund.  This doesn't change anything aside from the fact that I can check something off my list of goals and that money can start earning higher returns sooner.

[BarbecueMom]

A medical test this morning left me sick in bed the rest of the day.  So I didn't end up getting tires or any groceries, but DH was let loose in Home Depot unsupervised.

Going to go back to Netflix binging until the room quits spinning again.  Getting my money's worth out of my subscription today.

[ms. pacman]

11 hours ago, BarbecueMom said:

A medical test this morning left me sick in bed the rest of the day.  So I didn't end up getting tires or any groceries, but DH was let loose in Home Depot unsupervised.

Going to go back to Netflix binging until the room quits spinning again.  Getting my money's worth out of my subscription today.

 

I hope you're feeling better!  That sounds awful.  I also have had stomach issues for the past 6 months, and have been wasting a lot more food because I'm usually the one to eat up leftovers and now I have to be more picky about what I eat.  I made a double batch of a new soup recipe (why do I do that?) on Wednesday that the kids didn't eat much of.  It didn't agree with me and I ended up giving all the rest to the chickens! At least it didn't totally go to waste.  

I am contemplating art classes for 3 of the kids starting in Sept. but it's $15/kid/class.  I think she might give a sibling discount but it's still quite a lot of money added together.  I have purchased most of our school books for this coming year and I'm in the organizing stage.  I still have to buy the next level of Right Start math for my 7th grader and a supplies like binders. 

I made the most money I've made yet with VIPKID which is great, but we have so many things to spend money on that it seems to just disappear as soon as it shows up in our account!

At least birthday season is over in our house.

[Soror]

I'm horribly behind but I have read everyone's updates. We decided to go ahead and put the kids in school, which starts in 5 days. It's been incredibly hectic and stressful getting it all sorted. They will be at 4 different schools with the way grades are separated. I got all the paperwork done and everyone is enrolled, dd1 still has a placement test to do. I got all their school supplies. I also got the girls some more clothes. Dd1 also got shoes which she needed anyway. Poor dd2 really needed clothes, should had already taken her shopping but she is good now. 

Thankfully dh has had some extra hours we hadn't planned for in our budget, I tried to watch for deals but I'm on a timeline-

School supplies for all 4 + backpacks and lunchboxes for 3 girls= $143

Clothes=

$110 at thrift stores for 30+ pieces;

$55 new Filas for dd1 (luckily had a pair of hand me down Filas in great shape for dd2 who had outgrown her shoes)

$11- JcPenney's- 2 pairs jeans, 2 t-shirts for dd2 (Mom had $20 rewards she let me use too);

$8- Marshalls- 2 pairs leggings for dd1

$20 - food while out and about doing 20 million errands this week

Groceries were $110 this week

So, it's been a big spending week. Most has been covered by extra work dh has already done and he should have some more extra hours to cover the rest. He is taking off this Saturday, he needs it, we all do. We are mentally and physically exhausted. I think I've got most everything bought but I'm guessing there might be some little things come up I haven't anticipated yet or don't know about.

I tried to do my VIPKID interview again. Another long story short- tech issues on my end and on their end they had my paperwork messed up so the Mentor wouldn't do it anyway.The phone guy was back again yesterday, still trying to figure out what is going on, they've replaced so much and keep thinking they have it but then there are more and more problems. Right now my brain is so fried it is just as well, phone guy says he'll be back out Monday w/ the Engineer. I'm going to try and postpone it. At this point it will be what it is, I'm over stressing about that, too many other things on my list. If it doesn't work out I'll sign up for subbing, pay is crap but the schedule is the same as the kids, so it is a good thing to do until I figure out what I want to do.

[BarbecueMom]

1 hour ago, ms. pacman said:

 

I hope you're feeling better!  That sounds awful.  I also have had stomach issues for the past 6 months, and have been wasting a lot more food because I'm usually the one to eat up leftovers and now I have to be more picky about what I eat.  I made a double batch of a new soup recipe (why do I do that?) on Wednesday that the kids didn't eat much of.  It didn't agree with me and I ended up giving all the rest to the chickens! At least it didn't totally go to waste.  

How ironic!  Right now for breakfast, I'm eating a bowl of the double batch of soup (baked potato soup) I made on Thursday night but couldn't eat until now.  Fortunately DH and DS10 put a big dent in it when I was out of commission.  I am feeling better this morning.  Part of the problem with having to fast in the morning is that I cannot eat in the evening without getting sick, so a 9-10 hour fast turns into ~24 hours.  It wasn't pretty.

DH and DS10 will share "leftovers vacuum" duties with me, but I still end up cooking a lot of meals that I never end up eating.

1 hour ago, soror said:

I'm horribly behind but I have read everyone's updates. We decided to go ahead and put the kids in school, which starts in 5 days. It's been incredibly hectic and stressful getting it all sorted. They will be at 4 different schools with the way grades are separated. I got all the paperwork done and everyone is enrolled, dd1 still has a placement test to do. I got all their school supplies. I also got the girls some more clothes. Dd1 also got shoes which she needed anyway. Poor dd2 really needed clothes, should had already taken her shopping but she is good now. 

Thankfully dh has had some extra hours we hadn't planned for in our budget, I tried to watch for deals but I'm on a timeline-

School supplies for all 4 + backpacks and lunchboxes for 3 girls= $143

Clothes=

$110 at thrift stores for 30+ pieces;

$55 new Filas for dd1 (luckily had a pair of hand me down Filas in great shape for dd2 who had outgrown her shoes)

$11- JcPenney's- 2 pairs jeans, 2 t-shirts for dd2 (Mom had $20 rewards she let me use too);

$8- Marshalls- 2 pairs leggings for dd1

$20 - food while out and about doing 20 million errands this week

Groceries were $110 this week

So, it's been a big spending week. Most has been covered by extra work dh has already done and he should have some more extra hours to cover the rest. He is taking off this Saturday, he needs it, we all do. We are mentally and physically exhausted. I think I've got most everything bought but I'm guessing there might be some little things come up I haven't anticipated yet or don't know about.

I tried to do my VIPKID interview again. Another long story short- tech issues on my end and on their end they had my paperwork messed up so the Mentor wouldn't do it anyway.The phone guy was back again yesterday, still trying to figure out what is going on, they've replaced so much and keep thinking they have it but then there are more and more problems. Right now my brain is so fried it is just as well, phone guy says he'll be back out Monday w/ the Engineer. I'm going to try and postpone it. At this point it will be what it is, I'm over stressing about that, too many other things on my list. If it doesn't work out I'll sign up for subbing, pay is crap but the schedule is the same as the kids, so it is a good thing to do until I figure out what I want to do.

Good luck to your kiddos at school this year!  Four different schools sounds stressful.  Are they close by and have similar start times?  This is my nightmare, that DS10 will end up going to high school, and then DS8 and DS5 will want to go too, and we'll have different schools and start times and buses and even different days off!  Where's that running around flailing emoji we used to have?

Yay for extra $$$ from work but boooo to mental and physical exhaustion.  DH has been kind of going through that this week, and I'm sure my being ill yesterday did not help at all.  One of those, "Is there a light at the end of the tunnel, or is that an oncoming train?"

Hope your internet issues get sorted out.  We spent a good hour at a party last weekend with everyone complaining about technical issues with their various internet providers.  Apparently they are all terrible.

1 hour ago, happysmileylady said:

I only rolled one roll of each coin, and I have another roll of dimes in there already leftover from our garage sale before the move.  So I am going to take those this morning.  Next week, I am going to have the kids help me sort and count the rest.  Money Lesson! lol

I find coin rolling sort of therapeutic, but one of our banks has a machine where you dump in the coins and it counts them for you.  Then you take the slip to the counter to get your cash or deposit them.  We do that about once a year, and I have the kids think of different ways they can estimate how much there is.  Whoever is closest gets a prize (and whoever isn't closest has a meltdown in the bank and ultimately mom loses ?).

[mommyoffive]

5 hours ago, soror said:

I'm horribly behind but I have read everyone's updates. We decided to go ahead and put the kids in school, which starts in 5 days. It's been incredibly hectic and stressful getting it all sorted. They will be at 4 different schools with the way grades are separated. I got all the paperwork done and everyone is enrolled, dd1 still has a placement test to do. I got all their school supplies. I also got the girls some more clothes. Dd1 also got shoes which she needed anyway. Poor dd2 really needed clothes, should had already taken her shopping but she is good now. 

Thankfully dh has had some extra hours we hadn't planned for in our budget, I tried to watch for deals but I'm on a timeline-

School supplies for all 4 + backpacks and lunchboxes for 3 girls= $143

Clothes=

$110 at thrift stores for 30+ pieces;

$55 new Filas for dd1 (luckily had a pair of hand me down Filas in great shape for dd2 who had outgrown her shoes)

$11- JcPenney's- 2 pairs jeans, 2 t-shirts for dd2 (Mom had $20 rewards she let me use too);

$8- Marshalls- 2 pairs leggings for dd1

$20 - food while out and about doing 20 million errands this week

Groceries were $110 this week

So, it's been a big spending week. Most has been covered by extra work dh has already done and he should have some more extra hours to cover the rest. He is taking off this Saturday, he needs it, we all do. We are mentally and physically exhausted. I think I've got most everything bought but I'm guessing there might be some little things come up I haven't anticipated yet or don't know about.

I tried to do my VIPKID interview again. Another long story short- tech issues on my end and on their end they had my paperwork messed up so the Mentor wouldn't do it anyway.The phone guy was back again yesterday, still trying to figure out what is going on, they've replaced so much and keep thinking they have it but then there are more and more problems. Right now my brain is so fried it is just as well, phone guy says he'll be back out Monday w/ the Engineer. I'm going to try and postpone it. At this point it will be what it is, I'm over stressing about that, too many other things on my list. If it doesn't work out I'll sign up for subbing, pay is crap but the schedule is the same as the kids, so it is a good thing to do until I figure out what I want to do.

 

Oh my 4 schools. That is going to keep you busy. Hopefully they are close together and have times that work for you getting them there. 

Ugh about VIPKID.  That just stinks.  I hope it gets sorted out.  Or that you can sub.  I can't believe that pay stinks around you.  I have no idea how much it pays here. Where I used to live it was about $100 a day. 

[Soror]

21 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

 

Oh my 4 schools. That is going to keep you busy. Hopefully they are close together and have times that work for you getting them there. 

Ugh about VIPKID.  That just stinks.  I hope it gets sorted out.  Or that you can sub.  I can't believe that pay stinks around you.  I have no idea how much it pays here. Where I used to live it was about $100 a day. 

On 8/11/2018 at 8:42 AM, BarbecueMom said:

Good luck to your kiddos at school this year!  Four different schools sounds stressful.  Are they close by and have similar start times?  This is my nightmare, that DS10 will end up going to high school, and then DS8 and DS5 will want to go too, and we'll have different schools and start times and buses and even different days off!  Where's that running around flailing emoji we used to have?

Yay for extra $$$ from work but boooo to mental and physical exhaustion.  DH has been kind of going through that this week, and I'm sure my being ill yesterday did not help at all.  One of those, "Is there a light at the end of the tunnel, or is that an oncoming train?"

Hope your internet issues get sorted out.  We spent a good hour at a party last weekend with everyone complaining about technical issues with their various internet providers.  Apparently they are all terrible.

3

4

The kid's schools stagger start and end times so it works out if I ever have to pick them up and drop them off, although they will be riding the bus most of the time. 

I got our budget sorted again, I think it will all work out since dh is making more than we had expected. I remembered I still have to buy ds a lunch box. I also think I want to get smaller water bottles to fit in their lunch box and some divider containers for packing their lunch, which will save in the long run b/c then I don't' have to worry about buying individual packed items. I still think my grocery budget might not be enough this month, not with having an extra week to buy for and now having school lunches to pack. I will try to economize where I can for lunches but I still think it will be a bit more than eating at home since the kids won't have microwave access. We'll see, it will take a bit to get it all sorted out and figure out works the best.

I'm doing what I can trying to save money but am not going to stress myself out, I've got enough on my mind.

[Soror]

53 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Yep, dh didn't want to stop at Kroger. But that's okay, ds can take water or a thermos with lemonade or something for drinks (I had wanted to buy the capri suns on sale). He was worried about the milk and other items already in the car.

@sororMy son doesn't have access to a microwave at his cafeteria and I don't think it's that big of a deal. I hope you find something that works for you. I usually send the thermos on the side, but if I needed to I could fit it in the lunch box. It's a 12 oz and his lunch bag is not that large. I have a little mini food thing (https://cdni.llbean.com/is/image/wim/284974_34572_41) that I send sometimes with fresh fruit or pasta salad etc. It says you can store warm food in it up to 6 hours but I haven't used it for warm food so far. I got it a couple years ago when I had a gift card for the site so I didn't pay full price. I sprung for this model because I thought that the handle looked easier for ds to open than some of the other food containers I've seen.

We didn't stop at WM for the few items that WM did have ready for pick up (they totally screwed me over with delays on most of my order) so I didn't get to do the ziploc thing. I don't know if I'll have a chance now because offer has to be done by the 16th. I'm not sure I'm cleared to drive yet.

No, it's not a big deal and really normal, it just changes things up a bit. At home we eat a lot of simple things and leftovers that wouldn't necessarily translate well to a lunch box, even if insulated and going to school they are going to want some snacks like everyone else and snack food is just more expensive. 

[BarbecueMom]

31 minutes ago, soror said:

No, it's not a big deal and really normal, it just changes things up a bit. At home we eat a lot of simple things and leftovers that wouldn't necessarily translate well to a lunch box, even if insulated and going to school they are going to want some snacks like everyone else and snack food is just more expensive. 

I think this would be the trickiest part about sending the kids to school, getting away from the relying on leftovers for lunches.   And talking my 10yo out of carrying a selection of hot sauces in his backpack to spice up his food.

Aldi may still have those bento-ish divided containers with the snap-on lids that could fit in a lunch box. 

These are big changes!  Even if you blow the budget getting the first couple weeks of lunches together, it will certainly get easier and cheaper and healthier as everyone settles in.

 

[mommyoffive]

Some good deals on backpacks and boots

https://hip2save.com/2018/08/12/up-to-75-off-kids-womens-and-mens-original-muck-boots/

 

https://hip2save.com/2018/08/12/50-off-lands-end-backpacks-lunch-boxes-including-sale-items-backpacks-start-at-just-7/

 

 

 

 

This week has been a wash

$200 vet visit. Have to go back in a month for more stuff. 

Grocery store was $100 less than budget

The kids spent the weekend at auditions which were both no cost. 

Calculated how much we spent on dance this summer    Ouch

Decided not to do an intensive this week saved $800

 

[Baseball mom]

Y'all this year is zooming by.  I can't believe we are 1/2 way thru August already.  And I am NOT doing good, at all, on my money goals this year ?. I just keep trying.

Major screw up this month.  I forgot to pay the water bill.  I don't remember getting a late notice. (ds2 doesn't remember either and it is usually me or him that gets the mail in). Anyway we came home other day to no water.  I had to pay the reconnect fee to get it back on.  Doubled my bill. I feel so stupid.

Family birthday party other night.  They grilled to many burgers and bought to many buns.  They didn't want the excess and gave it to us.  Free lunch the next day and buns for a few more meals. (as sandwich or garlic bread)

The library has been my friend (always is).  Besides books I have been using getting on ancestry for free.  

[mommyoffive]

Some deals I thought I would pass on

https://moneysavingmom.com/2018/08/the-childrens-place-kids-denim-for-6-99-shipped.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=moneysavingmom

https://moneysavingmom.com/2018/08/free-crayola-school-supplies-after-rebate.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=moneysavingmom

[BarbecueMom]

I'm at $330 for the month on food.  Includes items needed for a team party and a birthday party, bagged ice, and a couple bulk things we ran out of (basmati rice).

We're going to Red Robin with my mom for lunch this week - she has a free burger coupon for her birthday, and apparently the kids can eat for $1.99 on Wednesdays right now (up to 3 kids per 1 adult entree).

Test results are back, and it's official.  Gallbladder is an utterly useless waste of abdominal space.  I guess I need to start planning ahead for surgery recovery.

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm still working on stocking my pantry and freezer.  I bought 25# of organic rolled oats today.  I still need to get 25# of wheat berries....I have a lead on where I can get some (finally!).   Our grocery store had great sales on lunch meat, bottom round steak, and chicken breasts so I bought extra for the freezer. I underspent last week and went over this week, but it all balanced out. I'm hoping to get a bunch of zucchini in the freezer soon. I slice, blanche, chill, and flash freeze it.

[SKL]

Welp ... for better or worse, I signed up for the next big TKD family deal.  It's actually a good deal if you don't drop out.  For less than I pay per year for one kid's horse riding, I got unlimited TKD classes for all 3 of us until we are "masters."  That is a minimum of 6 years for the kids, 7 for me.  If we go through the program as fast as allowed, that's roughly $375 per year per person.  Plus they promised to throw in free uniforms and gear for the kids, which we would have needed to buy, as they are still using some of the things we got 5 years ago.  ?

[Soror]

On 8/13/2018 at 6:20 PM, BarbecueMom said:

I'm at $330 for the month on food.  Includes items needed for a team party and a birthday party, bagged ice, and a couple bulk things we ran out of (basmati rice).

We're going to Red Robin with my mom for lunch this week - she has a free burger coupon for her birthday, and apparently the kids can eat for $1.99 on Wednesdays right now (up to 3 kids per 1 adult entree).

Test results are back, and it's official.  Gallbladder is an utterly useless waste of abdominal space.  I guess I need to start planning ahead for surgery recovery.

2

I'm sorry ? Ya for Red Robin my kids LOVE that place! 

On 8/13/2018 at 8:52 AM, Baseball mom said:

Y'all this year is zooming by.  I can't believe we are 1/2 way thru August already.  And I am NOT doing good, at all, on my money goals this year ?. I just keep trying.

Major screw up this month.  I forgot to pay the water bill.  I don't remember getting a late notice. (ds2 doesn't remember either and it is usually me or him that gets the mail in). Anyway we came home other day to no water.  I had to pay the reconnect fee to get it back on.  Doubled my bill. I feel so stupid.

Family birthday party other night.  They grilled to many burgers and bought to many buns.  They didn't want the excess and gave it to us.  Free lunch the next day and buns for a few more meals. (as sandwich or garlic bread)

The library has been my friend (always is).  Besides books I have been using getting on ancestry for free.  

6

(hugs) us Moms have lots on our brains, hope this month gets better for you.

On 8/13/2018 at 7:56 AM, mommyoffive said:

Some good deals on backpacks and bootshthttpThis week has been a wash

$200 vet visit. Have to go back in a month for more stuff. 

Grocery store was $100 less than budget

The kids spent the weekend at auditions which were both no cost. 

Calculated how much we spent on dance this summer    Ouch

Decided not to do an intensive this week saved $800

 

1

Ya for the good, boo for the bad! 

On 8/13/2018 at 8:14 AM, happysmileylady said:

Morning frugal ladies!

Kids are still in bed.  This is because I woke them up at 4am to see the meteor shower.  DD9 and DS5 loved it, though I think DS5 was more into looking for "baby dinosaurs" in the stars lol.  DD7 saw like two, thought they were cool, and then started falling asleep.   We still stayed out until it started to get light, then the kids went back to bed.  I need to wake them up soon.

In addition to the meteor shower, we took the kids fishing yesterday, and then then ran through the sprinkler at home.  Totally free kids entertainment.  (well, the water bill might disagree, but I am going to call if free since I probably won't see the water bill till October lol. )

Frugal on tap for today......not sure.  I still haven't ordered school books yet.  I also need to take something to a fed ex drop off location.  I kind of want to do the ziploc deal on swagbucks, and the fed ex drop off location is right next door to the walmart.  Thing is, I spent all the grocery money this week, which means using next week's grocery money for the ziploc deal.  Not sure that is all that frugal.  Anyway, I also need to mail the school notification letter, and since I want to make sure that has tracking etc, I need to go INTO the post office.  That however is in the opposite direction.  

Oh, on the frugal/not frugal food front....Yesterday DH made chicken noodle soup.  This was planned for.  What I FORGOT to plan for was the fact that DH uses TWO FULL BOXES of noodles to make this soup.  Every time.  *sigh*  We did have the noodles so that's not that big of a deal I guess.  It's just that the stockpile of pasta is carefully calculated to last a specific period of time and he messed that up lol.  I DID put it all up in the fridge (soup with noodles in it doesn't freeze well) and there were like NINE containers of leftover soup!  I am not a super huge fan of DH's soup, but DD9 loves it so she will probably have some for lunch today.  And DH took one to work today, he will probably have more when he gets home and not eat the dinner I have planned.   But the kids will so I am still making that.

 And then, I forgot that we had pitched the stockpot we had before the move, so I had to go buy one.  We have money set aside for those types of purchases, but I had a specific one I planned to buy and didn't get it in time so I had to quickly spend money on the first one available at the store.  

 

Oh well.  I have stuff to do and kids are starting to wake up.

 

15

Sounds like you guys get soup all week ?

________________________________________

Gah, I keep having this thread freeze up, I couldn't get it to work yesterday at all.

Saturday we went to the city, on the way home we stopped for ice cream, our potluck meal was pretty sparse and we were all a bit hungry still. 

I dont' remember when I last posted. This week has been a small pinch calmer but still very busy. Monday I mostly waited around the house all day for a call from the MS counselor, in the evening we went in for dd1 and dd3's Open House, stopped by 10 Box on the way home for to pick up a very nutritious GF Corndog supper, however on the plus side our cost per person was just $1 or so, so that is on par for normal meals, we also got $2.50ish in taffy for a treat for everyone ?

Tuesday I had 3!!! trips to town. In the AM for dd's Ortho appt- that was just back and home, lunch time for dd1's testing- I stayed in and visited with a friend. We went to Goodwill and Starbucks. I spent some of my $20 spending money and $20 on some more clothes for the kids. I found dd1 a pair of shorts and leggings, I think I'll be returning the shorts though. I found dd2 another pair of jeans that fit perfect, a pack of 2 new belts (she needs them with her skinny waist) and a pair of Converse in the next size up in great shape, I found a pair of shorts and jeans for dd3, and a Nike DriFit top for ds. I went to Aldi's and bought 4 lunch divider containers for the kids, they were $4 each, they had some nicer ones but they were $8 each and I think these will work. On the way home we stopped by Krogers to pick up some sale items. I spent $35- bought various sale items- most of it snack stuff for lunches plus a mark down GF waffle for $1.34 and a GF pizza for emergencies and a stash of sale chocolate for my mental health. I had dh stop at Aldi's b/c they had a 12 pack of housebrand pizza pockets for $6.5, he takes those for lunch if we don't have enough leftovers. On the way home I stopped by the house where I'm dogsitting. Came back home roasted some chicken and potatoes for dinner and went back in for ds' Open House.

Today I've just got 2 trips to town- 1 to take dd1 back to see where her teacher was- they are supposed to finally assign her today so I told her I'd take her so she could see her exact room instead of having to ask someone, it's a pretty good size school with 400 kids in her grade and several classes so she is a bit nervous about that. I'm hoping to grocery shop when I go in for that, I don't need a ton but I'll have to inventory the basics. I might do a Wal-Mart pick-up, it is free and they have $10 off your first order. They have GF bread just a bit cheaper and jasmine rice the cheapest (if you buy in 20# bag). In the evening we've got open house for dd3 and then that's it, they start school tomorrow!

Also, some leads on a few jobs, we'll see if I can muster the guts to go by the K Center and try to speak to the Principal!

 

[SKL]

8 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

So you pay roughly $375/person/year or is that what it would cost before their promotion? Do you have a payment plan or have to pay up front? Eek I dunno about committing to 6 years of an extracurricular, but if your family is already invested, I can understand. 

I choose to pay up-front when I can, because for me, it is better than worrying about remembering to pay the bills on time and avoid late fees / nastygrams etc.

I agree 6 years is a long time, but it would have worked out similar had I paid yearly for the next 2 years.  So essentially 4 years is free if you look at it that way.  I do think we will get the value one way or another.  It includes not just martial arts but also fitness classes, which are popular with old ladies like me.  If I never reach Master, I will still be free to go attend the classes indefinitely.

When I signed up for the black belt level plan, which was approximately half the price, I worried that we wouldn't use it all and it would be a waste.  But in fact we used it for 5 years (will be 6 for me, maybe more) instead of the standard 3.  It is nice to be able to just show up when it works without renewing etc.

[Amber in SJ]

August has been a mixed bag so far. 

August 4th is our anniversary.  Dh planned a get-away for us in Pacific Grove.  Normally it is prohibitively expensive but he got about 65% off because he paid back in May for a Sunday-Tuesday (not prime vacation days) deal.  We kept things inexpensive by packing foods from home when possible and sharing entrees when we ate out.  Monday night just happened to be a farmer's market/ street fair, so we ate some fantastic food pretty cheaply.  We borrowed guest passes to the Monterey Bay.  One thing I like to do when we visit very expensive areas is to check out the thrift stores.  I found a fancy designer scarf that was exactly what my outfit needed for $1, I found a Bible from 1814 in Dutch (dh's ancestors are from Holland and we have the old wooden shoes to prove it :)) and I found a cool graphic novel that ds has been looking for for $.25.

On the not so frugal side it is time to start up regular dance classes which means new togs.  Tights, leos, leggings, shorts and on Saturday, pointe shoes.  

Amber in SJ

 

[BarbecueMom]

Total at Red Robin today for 2 adults and 3 kids, including tip, was $24.17 - less than $5 a person!  $1.99 bottomless meals for the kids, free burger for my mom, the cheapest burger for me (less for money reasons and more for "I can't eat flavor" reasons), and water to drink.  I did splurge on Starbucks this morning - free drink for my mom (she's got this birthday freebie business down pat), juice for the kids, and a small drink for me.

I bought most of the food and supplies for the birthday "girls retreat"... ~$100 so far.  I'm bringing lunch for the winery trip (meat and cheese sandwich tray, cheese/sausage/cracker tray, fruit and veggies), dinner at a friend's cabin (burgers and brats, baked beans, potato salad), snacks/dessert, and breakfast for the next morning (Costco bakery stuff).  A couple of the others are bringing the booze.  There will be six of us, but some of that will end up back at home as leftovers for next week, I'm sure.

I had a frugal fail turn into an unexpected win this morning.  I tried to make more homemade coffee creamer.  Put the sugar and water on the stove to make the vanilla syrup... and walked away.  And forgot about it, until DH said, "Uh, were you making something in here?"  Oops.  I poured the rest of an open container of heavy cream in it, stirred it up, and ended up with a very nice jar of homemade caramel sauce.  There's still some ice cream left from this weekend, so maybe they can use the caramel sauce on that.  Or I can make some bread pudding or oatmeal.

I didn't end up buying any decorations for the party, but my two youngest kids came through for me.  Made a "Happy Birthday" banner and several Minecraft-related decorations to tape around the living room.  Good enough for me!

[SamanthaCarter]

I forgot my lunch when I went to work on Monday, and got a really decent lunch for cheap at Eartfare’s hot bar! I got a mini italian meatloaf and loads of roasted veggies. Then I went to McDs for thier $1 large sweet tea. About $6.75 total. ?

[mommyoffive]

Went to Walmart for a few things of course forgot 3 things that I was there for, because I was with all the kids and they were nuts. Spent 100 some bucks.  Scored some free with coupon dog treats.  I will go back for more. 

Spent $46 on socks and tights for the girls.  Sounds nuts but they had the color tights that they need for dance.  They were on mark down so I got tons.  I hope that is a enough for them all year.  I know that a few weeks back they were on mark down and I probably should have just gotten a lot more at that time.  Oh well. They were on sale for 3 for 3.50.  If I buy tights at the studio they are $9-14 bucks a pair and if I order them online they are usually $4.  So it was  a good deal.  

Took all the kids to the dentist.  $1400 all covered.  I like to make use of the dental insurance.  

[ksr5377]

Two kids need a sports physical this week so that's going to be about $80.  I listed a few books and pieces of curriculum on FB and was able to sell enough to cover it.  At some we'll run out of things to sell, but it's a nice way to offset some of the random costs lately.  We looked through everything and realized we'll have enough to pay off DD1's braces at the beginning of September!  It's not a huge amount and it's 0 interest BUT its one of a couple little payments that are adding up to make our budget a little too tight for comfort.

[hjffkj]

Well we got a surprise $1800 check from our old mortgage company.  It is what was in our escrow account,  I swear that amount was listed in the paperwork as being part of the total check they wrote us at closing but I guess I was wrong.  It is going straight into savings. 

I went to purchase two tickets to hear Neil Gaiman talk in May. This was going to be dh's bday gift for next year.  Sadly, they were basically sold out before they even went on sale because of a presale that was held.  So, that is $100 not spent.  I'm disappointed but I'll try to be positive and mark it a win in the frugal column.

No fails so far this week. 

[mommyoffive]

38 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

Well we got a surprise $1800 check from our old mortgage company.  It is what was in our escrow account,  I swear that amount was listed in the paperwork as being part of the total check they wrote us at closing but I guess I was wrong.  It is going straight into savings. 

I went to purchase two tickets to hear Neil Gaiman talk in May. This was going to be dh's bday gift for next year.  Sadly, they were basically sold out before they even went on sale because of a presale that was held.  So, that is $100 not spent.  I'm disappointed but I'll try to be positive and mark it a win in the frugal column.

No fails so far this week. 

 

So nice!!!  Surprise money is the best. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I spent my amazon rewards points this week---a new Cuisinart food processor with a 6 mm slicing blade (the perfect width for cucumbers) and a couple of pans for my instant pot.  I borrowed a very similar Cuisinart from the library (it offers a library of things) to make sure I liked how it worked and I really loved it.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and while using a plain knife has worked up until now, a food processor is becoming more of a need than a want. I had owned one previously until it broke, and then had gone without for several years. 

I'm working on a new menu plan for the fall.  We're packing lunches for four people and snacks for six people, so I suspect that I will be using both of my instant pots in the morning---one for oatmeal or egg casserole and the other for soup so that I can pack hot thermoses a few days a week.  The food has to be piping hot and going into a pre-heated thermos so I should probably replace my kettle also. It is 20 years old, and has started to leak.  It will be nice to get back into the habit of drinking my red raspberry leaf tea in the morning anyway.  I can use the extra minerals. ? I'll just pre-heat the thermoses and pour myself a cup.

I'm not looking forward to getting up at 5 am again. I've gotten lazy this summer.

[hjffkj]

Ok frugal friends, how do we do Universal studios in Orlando on the cheap?  If we go, we will be driving and it will be at Christmastime. But that is the extents of our plans so far. we know we are going away for Christmas and that it will be by car, so dh suggested Universal. I'm not completely sold on the idea, I'd rather do some nature themed things but I also can squeeze that in on the drive up if we stay somewhere halfway there.  But I told him I'd research how to do it on the cheap.

So, anyone have any suggestions. Maybe for a good rewards card I could sign up for that would help pay for hotel stay. or just tips in general.  I've heard tickets aren't really something that you can save on, is this true? thanks all.   

[prairiewindmomma]

25 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

Ok frugal friends, how do we do Universal studios in Orlando on the cheap?  If we go, we will be driving and it will be at Christmastime. But that is the extents of our plans so far. we know we are going away for Christmas and that it will be by car, so dh suggested Universal. I'm not completely sold on the idea, I'd rather do some nature themed things but I also can squeeze that in on the drive up if we stay somewhere halfway there.  But I told him I'd research how to do it on the cheap.

So, anyone have any suggestions. Maybe for a good rewards card I could sign up for that would help pay for hotel stay. or just tips in general.  I've heard tickets aren't really something that you can save on, is this true? thanks all.   

A few thoughts:

1. Check to see if there are any booking deals left.  Sometimes staying on site offers discounts.  It looks like they have a number of them on the Universal website right now.

2. Check various vacation rentals.  Sometimes there are good deals to be found.

3. Check the Hampton Inn that is nearby. We actually stayed there last time we went.  They offer a free shuttle to Universal. We ended up not using it, and just paying for parking because we needed the freedom to come and go as we pleased (ie--go to the grocery store).  But, by staying at the Hampton, we got a free huge breakfast each morning. The suite style rooms can hold up to six. They also come with a sink and a mini fridge (and I think a microwave too, but we don't use those.)  We packed a kitchen crate with our instant pot, and used the local grocery store to shop for ingredients. I brought a cutting board, knife, wooden spoon, and a few things.  We ate breakfast on site, packed snacks with us during the day, and ate dinner at the hotel.  We *did* eat lunch at Universal.....in both Harry Potter restaurants. This was a huge thing for us in terms of enjoyability.  There is a Papa John's pizza close to Universal as well.....if you check their deals, sometimes that can be a good cheap dinner as well. We stayed 10 days in FL last time (we also did Disney World). I think our per night rate at the Hampton worked out to be about $100/night.  

We saved the most money by 1. not flying everyone, 2. not having a vehicle rental, and 3. eating only lunch in the parks.  The Three Broomsticks has a family meal deal which also had a pretty good value. 

(Expect that someone is going to want to buy an interactive wand and budget for it....I think we spent $50ish.)

[prairiewindmomma]

FWIW, Universal Studios is still something my kids talk about. Disney World is not. ?  We are huge Harry Potter fans. 

[hjffkj]

45 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

FWIW, Universal Studios is still something my kids talk about. Disney World is not. ?  We are huge Harry Potter fans. 

 

Oh, I have zero interest in Disney World.  That will not be a place I spend our money on. But we are huge Harry Potter fans and theme park fans, so I can completely get behind Universal.  I just also really want to go somewhere with beautiful nature. I think if we can do Universal for a good price I'll pick it. We may have lodging for free so that'll be a huge savings if we do.