This is one of Jody's great ideas. One of the things that we did as part of our pre-vacation food purchases is bought a couple of gallons of water and got the girls water bottles for the trip. This did a couple of things, it saved us money on drinks plus it didn't allow them to continually sip on juice and pop the entire trip, thus saving long-term on dentist bills.
There were times when they would get tired of water and so we would splurge and purchase a soda or juice but if you keep it cold with ice it seems to work better. Usually when you fill up on gas you can fill up on ice to refreshen your H2O.
Send us your vacation tips that helped you or your family. We look forward to hearing from you,
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Greg and Jody's Vacation Tip 2 - Mommy, Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom
You're on vacation and you've just stopped and filled up with gasoline, maybe got a few snacks, "got the wiggles out" and you're back on the road getting closer to your destination with every turn of the tires. You've been traveling a while and you're in a hurry to see your family and relax for a while. Then from the back of the car you hear, "Mommy, Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom." In your mind you're thinking and might even blurt it out, "Why didn't you go when we were at the gas station?" "I didn't have to go then." comes the hesitant answer. What should you do now?
In a time like this and other times, instead of having to stop at a gas station or mini-mart and buying snacks you can stop at a rest area for a break. This will take away the temptation of having to spend a fair amount on snacks. In a mini-mart, especially one right off the freeway some products will cost you double what they do in a grocery store. I've attached a link to a study and money traps that compares the difference between shopping at mini-marts and grocery stores.
This thought came to mind after we had just spent $10-15 at a mini-mart. We drove by a rest area and I realized that the rest area is not just a place to take a break but it's a place to save you money on vacation. If you have more vacation tips please send us a comment to our blog.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal live wealthy
In a time like this and other times, instead of having to stop at a gas station or mini-mart and buying snacks you can stop at a rest area for a break. This will take away the temptation of having to spend a fair amount on snacks. In a mini-mart, especially one right off the freeway some products will cost you double what they do in a grocery store. I've attached a link to a study and money traps that compares the difference between shopping at mini-marts and grocery stores.
This thought came to mind after we had just spent $10-15 at a mini-mart. We drove by a rest area and I realized that the rest area is not just a place to take a break but it's a place to save you money on vacation. If you have more vacation tips please send us a comment to our blog.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal live wealthy
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Greg and Jody's Vacation tip 1
Here's our first Vacation Tip
Before we left Jody had a great idea. She gave the girls some money so they'd have some money to spend however they chose. This was so we didn't have to continue entertain their questions like, "Mom and dad, can you buy me this?" or "Can I get that?" This gave us the option to answer, "Sure, you have money, you can buy it." One of the requirements to have this money was to track it in their check register which Jody had given them. This encouraged them to write in their register and track their expenses.
Another twist to encourage them to keep track of their expenses, I gave them a couple of reminders and then if they had purchases that weren't entered in their register I started to take some money back from them. This lead to them not just letting money go through their hand but actually managing their money.
This worked great because it helped them to see a big picture of their expenses and helped them to manage their money more effectively. Stay tuned for vacation tips coming in the next couple of days. Have a great day and enjoy planning for your summer vacation.
Greg and Jody
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Before we left Jody had a great idea. She gave the girls some money so they'd have some money to spend however they chose. This was so we didn't have to continue entertain their questions like, "Mom and dad, can you buy me this?" or "Can I get that?" This gave us the option to answer, "Sure, you have money, you can buy it." One of the requirements to have this money was to track it in their check register which Jody had given them. This encouraged them to write in their register and track their expenses.
This worked great because it helped them to see a big picture of their expenses and helped them to manage their money more effectively. Stay tuned for vacation tips coming in the next couple of days. Have a great day and enjoy planning for your summer vacation.
Greg and Jody
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Cheap things to do for Spring Break
I spent 2 years serving a church mission in Japan. One of the things I can remember is how beautiful the cherry blossoms were in springtime. The colors were so full and rich and real pleasing to the eyes. I notice we're seeing those beautiful cherry blossoms which is a sign that spring is around the corner. And with spring around the corner that means Spring Break for the kids and college students. What are you and your children going to do for Spring Break? What is the financial situation like? Have you spent all of your tax refund? Some of you may be looking for some fun things to do for Spring break.
It seems like we've always had to find things to do on a smaller budget and here are some of the things we've done with the kids:
We are in the middle of a vacation, we took our kids on a road trip to Idaho and Utah this Spring break. Stay tuned for my daily entry on how to save money while on a road trip.
Greg and Jody
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
It seems like we've always had to find things to do on a smaller budget and here are some of the things we've done with the kids:
- Go on a hike - Going on a hike is a great way to be in the out of doors, get exercise, and enjoy spending time together. Leave the electronic devices at home and I think you'll find this a great way to reconnect.
- Contact your local library - Your local library is a great resource and they may have added extra activities in their schedule that kids will enjoy.
- Eating out - When you're out the family will get hungry and you'll need to have lunch. A couple of ways to negotiate this is to put a spending limit on the meals according to your budget. If you're able to go on a hike you can bring a picnic lunch
I did some research and I found some more websites giving you ideas for all members of the family to do to keep them engaged on a smaller budget. - Here is a site mainly for college students or young adults
- This is for staying in town:
- This is great for families:
We are in the middle of a vacation, we took our kids on a road trip to Idaho and Utah this Spring break. Stay tuned for my daily entry on how to save money while on a road trip.
Greg and Jody
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Sunday, March 27, 2011
How can I save money on a wedding!!
"Mom, we're getting married!" one of your children comes home and says with great excitement!! You knew this day would come but you weren't expecting it so soon. You have a little bit saved up but what are you going to do about the rest? You want to make it memorable but don't want to break the bank. According to http://www.costofwedding.com/ on average, US couples spend $24,066 for their wedding. However, the majority of couples spend between $18,050 and $30,083. I checked other sites and they estimate about $20,000 on the low side and about $40,000 on the high side. Also, on http://www.costofwedding.com/ I took a wedding survey. Let me tell you what I found. In my hometown, if I were to plan a wedding it would cost me between 28,000 and 47,000.
Do not fret!! There are several ways to pay for yours or your children's nuptuals without breaking the bank.
Do you have to be extravagant to make your wedding day memorable or are there some things you can do to cut the costs of getting married?
We spent between 3000 and $5,000 on our wedding and here are some of the things we did it.
This is an important day, one which you should enjoy and be proud of, but don't get caught up in the line of thinking, "This is a once in a lifetime event and you need the best". If you do you may be paying for a long time with a lot of interest.
You can either spend a lot on your wedding or scale back significantly and use some of the money and put a down payment on a house. This will pay you in the long run as you begin to build equity. May you have a wonderful day filled with love, friends, and family.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
PS. Next week we'll discuss Inexpensive Activities you can do for Spring Break
Do not fret!! There are several ways to pay for yours or your children's nuptuals without breaking the bank.
Do you have to be extravagant to make your wedding day memorable or are there some things you can do to cut the costs of getting married?
We spent between 3000 and $5,000 on our wedding and here are some of the things we did it.
- Jody worked at a print shop and she made our wedding announcements. Not everybody has the luxury of working in a print shop but you can buy announcements and make your own. $25
- Jody's mom made the wedding cake and did a great job! $30
- We reserved our church and decorated it with some decorations we purchased. $50
- We had a friend who was studying photography who took our pictures $200
- We asked a friend of ours who worked in horticulture to arrange our flowers $200
- Knowing you looked for and found ways to scale back on the price of your wedding Priceless
This is an important day, one which you should enjoy and be proud of, but don't get caught up in the line of thinking, "This is a once in a lifetime event and you need the best". If you do you may be paying for a long time with a lot of interest.
You can either spend a lot on your wedding or scale back significantly and use some of the money and put a down payment on a house. This will pay you in the long run as you begin to build equity. May you have a wonderful day filled with love, friends, and family.
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
PS. Next week we'll discuss Inexpensive Activities you can do for Spring Break
Monday, March 14, 2011
A note of caution when donating money to important causes
Japan has experienced one of the most challenging natural disasters in the last century. Most of you have seen footage of the powerful 23-foot waves come in from the western shore of Japan mowing down whatever was in its wake including homes, large buildings, businesses etc. Our heart goes out to the many thousands of people who have lost their lives and the families and friends that were left behind.
With the thousands of deaths and damages that accompanied the disaster many causes will pop up on the internet, grocery store counters, email requests, etc. with opportunities to donate to the cause of the people in Japan. Just a note of caution, be careful to choose reputable causes to which to donate your hard-earned money. Make sure and read their prospectus and financial statements, and do other research which may be required.
With many telemarketers calling requesting donations to one charity or another I have found that donating to my church gives me comfort. I've seen the causes that they donate to and I trust the administrator of the money, and these are some good criteria to use when choosing a charity.
I found a great site that helps us determine to whom to donate our money. Here are some of the tips which they give:
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
With the thousands of deaths and damages that accompanied the disaster many causes will pop up on the internet, grocery store counters, email requests, etc. with opportunities to donate to the cause of the people in Japan. Just a note of caution, be careful to choose reputable causes to which to donate your hard-earned money. Make sure and read their prospectus and financial statements, and do other research which may be required.
With many telemarketers calling requesting donations to one charity or another I have found that donating to my church gives me comfort. I've seen the causes that they donate to and I trust the administrator of the money, and these are some good criteria to use when choosing a charity.
I found a great site that helps us determine to whom to donate our money. Here are some of the tips which they give:
- Wait and See how the charities will donate
- Designate your investment-You can designate your donation to go to this particular crisis
- Be careful of email solicitations-Be Leery Of People That Contact You Online Claiming To Be A Victim
- Consider The Nature Of The Charity’s Work-Not every charity responds in the same way
Thank you,
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
How to save money on your vacation
As we've been planning our summer vacation this year, we're looking forward to visiting and reconnecting with family. This year we are focusing on something we haven't done in the past-we're working on a cash only policy. In years past we've put everything on a credit card and deal with the costs when we return home. As we've learned from previous posts you spend 20-30% more money when you use a credit card. So with this year we have to be more frugal in our choices. Here are some things that we have found to help us out:
Start with a $ goal amount in mind-Are we going to spend $1000, $2,000, or $5,000, or $10,000 on this vacation? This will help you keep your unnecessary costs down. Be realistic when setting this goal because if you don't, it may cause stress, and you'll come home more stressed than when you left.
Plan ahead-Plan ahead including your routes, restaurant and motel or hotel stops. Mapquest is a great way to help you determine your routes; are you looking for the quickest route or the scenic route?
Allow some time and money flexibility - Even though this is a personal finance blog aimed at helping you save money on all facets of your life you want to make sure you are not so planned that you are adding stress to your life and the lives of your family members. Sometimes the best experiences are those that are done on the spur of the moment.
If you're taking a vacation to include flight, hotels and rental cars take a look at this video, it may give you some tips to help you save money.
Here are some more tips to help you plan a successful vacation: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/01/15/ten-money-saving-vacation-and-travel-tips/
http://consumerboomer.com/20-ways-to-save-money-on-your-vacation/
As we get on vacation we'll keep you posted on some of the things that we've done to help save money. Share with us some of your tips for fun, economic vacationing and have a great Summer!!
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Start with a $ goal amount in mind-Are we going to spend $1000, $2,000, or $5,000, or $10,000 on this vacation? This will help you keep your unnecessary costs down. Be realistic when setting this goal because if you don't, it may cause stress, and you'll come home more stressed than when you left.
Plan ahead-Plan ahead including your routes, restaurant and motel or hotel stops. Mapquest is a great way to help you determine your routes; are you looking for the quickest route or the scenic route?
Allow some time and money flexibility - Even though this is a personal finance blog aimed at helping you save money on all facets of your life you want to make sure you are not so planned that you are adding stress to your life and the lives of your family members. Sometimes the best experiences are those that are done on the spur of the moment.
If you're taking a vacation to include flight, hotels and rental cars take a look at this video, it may give you some tips to help you save money.
Here are some more tips to help you plan a successful vacation: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/01/15/ten-money-saving-vacation-and-travel-tips/
http://consumerboomer.com/20-ways-to-save-money-on-your-vacation/
As we get on vacation we'll keep you posted on some of the things that we've done to help save money. Share with us some of your tips for fun, economic vacationing and have a great Summer!!
Greg and Jody Roche
Be Frugal Live Wealthy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)