MOMania

By ebaby

October 1, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this

What a great question to get ideas from other people. My little girl really enjoys talking a walk in the park and thats practically free. This weekend she took her toy shopping cart with her and strolled the entire park with it. We spent money on parking.

The Social Butterfly blog is about the Festival of Trees, which is a great way to spend an afternoon with the family. It may be on the expensive side, but the cost-to-memroy making ratio is off the charts.

By momtoAlex&Max

October 1, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this

Well, this is a topic of slight contention around my house. I’d rather spend money on DOING things while my husband would rather spend it on BUYING things. (not for himself, but for the house)

For instance, last summer, he wanted to buy a set of living room furniture. My take on it was that with two school-aged kids and two dogs, nice furniture isn’t worth it; I wanted to spend the money to go on vacation. We went on vacation.

Kids will remember fun stuff they did with their families, not the stuff you bought. I couldn’t on a DARE describe what kind of furniture we had in the living room, but I remember every single one of our vacations growing up.

Doing things as a family is important, and while I will look for deals, I am not likely to cut out a whole lot.

By motherjanegoose

October 1, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this

I rarely go to the movies. Although I did go 2 weeks ago ( while in Milwaukee) . It is not something our family has been big on but since my kids have become teens and young adults they do go themselves. A suggestion is to buy the Entertainment Book for your area. They have at least 6 coupons for Regal Cinemas that will get you 2 tickets for $6.00 each but not the first 2 weeks of the showing. Also, you can get these tickets for AMC at your AAA office. We have always tended to go for an annual pass to a theme park as we like to travel ( this was before gas issues). Sea World or Universal Studios. This year it was Dollywood and my daughter and I hope to get back up there in October.
The Entertainment book has dozens of coupons for other activities in your area BOGO plus food coupons. I buy these for family members for Christmas as we all use them.
I am home today and off to the airport again.

New Mom congrats on your baby’s birthday same date as mine…I missed that, due to the mean posts and I then was out of town.
Give her a hug. I am sure she is a doll… The rest of you have a great week

http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml

By Kathy

October 1, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

My daughter is 3 and still pretty easily entertained. One of our favorite things to do is go to Discover Mills. We ride the carousel ($1.75), the train ($2.00) and go look at the fish in the huge aquarium at Bass Pro Shop. We will go to Chick-fil-A afterwards (about $15 for all 3 of us). Total on the whole outing $18.75. It is rare that we buy anything at any of the stores (those trips are made without her). She is just happy riding the rides and talking to the fish. Cheap thrills!

Another favorite thing for us is to go to one of the many parks in Gwinnett County. We live near Tribble Mill, Rhodes Jordan and Bay Creek but sometimes will drive to Playtown Suwanee or Peachtree Ridge Park (both near the grandparents). We will pack a picnic and the stroller. Our daughter LOVES the playground and seeing the ducks and geese at the the lakes inside the parks that have them.

By Theresa

October 1, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this

Oh my gosh New MOm — I skim and scan and I missed that too — when was the baby born — give us details (again) because I totally missed that —- holy cow —

also did everyone see FCM’s update on her father’s stroke — it was at the very end of the day yesterday so go back and look — it’s either the last entry or very near the end —

By Sugar

October 1, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this

We like to go to Publix and get deli sandwiches, run home and get the dogs, and go to Lake Lanier and have a picnic. There is a place just past the dam that allows dogs. It’s so pretty, hiking trails, and several little coves. We can take the dogs off leash, and they love to play in the water. My 3 dogs love to chase the waves as they come ashore.

By Jeff

October 1, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this

So far T and I can entertain ourselves pretty dang cheap, thanks to RedBox, OnDemand free, and McD’s $1 menu.

For example: If there is something on the free OnDemand (Starz, in our case) that we want to see, we might go to McD’s and get supper and watch the movie. Total cost something like $5.

Even if you add in a RedBox DVD, you’re talking $6, MAYBE up to $10 if we get extra drinks/snacks.

By JJ

October 1, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this

I invite my friends over on Friday’s and we watch high school football on tv (only if North Gwinnett games are televised) and order from Athena’s, or everyone brings something and we cook, or nosh on appetizers.

If the North game isn’t on, we watch other stuff or go outside and hang with the neighbors.

I told my neighbor I was going to have to sue him after tripping in his yard and fracturing my shoulder. ha ha ha.

By Becky

October 1, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

We go to the park, read,play games, do arts & crafts..At 6 years old the twins are still on the “cheap” side for amusement…We are going to Elijay in a couple of weeks to pick apples & goof off..I’ll do without things myself, so that I can let the kids do stuff..

By Patiently Waiting

October 1, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this

My family entertainment consist of what me and my husband want to do. I ALWAYS want to go out to eat. He ALWAYS wants to go to the movies. I usually win. Sometimes, we pick up food and come home and eat while watching movies on tv or prime time shows. Othern that that, since we are expecting our first baby in December, we are trying to be cost efficient with our outings. And Gas is HIGH!

Theresa*, when do you leave for your girls trip? Will we hear all about it next week?

By Jesse's Girl

October 1, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

We really have no need to cut back on activities, as we are already pretty choosey about what we spend our money on. We rarely go to movies..the need for numerous potty breaks makes NetFlicks or Direct Tv a neccessity. We usually hang out at the house on weekends. We have wrestle fights with the kids…well, I don’t. And the kids love to have daddy-dance-parties. Which is basically making Jesse dance and then making fun of him. This weekend we taught them how to do the moon walk and the running man….HILLARIOUS!!!! But when we go out this time of year, its a festival or something similar. Right now, we are scoping out costumes for Halloween. We are attempting to make them this year. So I have a few weeks before I totally give up on it and buy from the store:)

By Mr. Nice Guy

October 1, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this

These are tought times for us; we rent movies at Blockbuster and a special treat is going out for pizza once a month.

If the economy implodes our entertainment will be using electricity.

By new mom

October 1, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

Hi y’all!

Thanks motherjanegoose & theresa, I can’t believe a year has gone by already. She is a doll (of course, right?) and is growing up to be such a sweet girl. She’s almost walking, she can cross a room walking unassisted, but still prefers crawling for sheer speed.

I haven’t thought much about entertainment lately. Our one-year old is our entertainment! Now we understand when people say ‘what did we do before we had kids???’ We still try to go out just the two of us some, but it’s just so hard to take little one to a restaurant. We aren’t those people who just sit and ignore their kids, we do everything we can to make sure she doesn’t disturb anyone. The result is, neither of us can eat our dinner when it’s hot, we take turns walking outside with her, and it’s just really not fun. So for now, our eating out involves my parents babysitting. And us going somewhere really fancy…like zaxbys. I sure wish I was kidding, but we can’t see spending a lot on eating out!

Patiently waiting, I encourage you to go out as much as you can before the baby comes. Not to discourage you, but just enjoy the ease, sponteneity, and hot food while you can. :) I never like the movies when I was pregnant…I had to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes, and couldn’t sit comfortably in any seat that long!!

By Numbers Guy

October 1, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

Crap, newmom, I missed it too. Congratulations!

We get a lot of mileage out of our computers. V2.0 is now into gaming, and I’ve been introducing him to age appropriate PC games under supervision. He’s also playing in a baseball league, and we spend a good bit of time at the park.

By new mom

October 1, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

OK, after scanning over what has been posted—y’all do know I did NOT just have a baby, right? I just survived the first year! :) You guys are all so sweet…

I wish I could show you guys a picture, she’s such a cutie, but there’s no way I would put it up for the public, ya know?

By Stacey

October 1, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

We used to go to the movies about once a month but that went away over a year ago because that was easily $50 (for mantinee), not including lunch. My son is a homebody so he really doesn’t seem to miss it anyway. Friday nights used to mean pizza and wings from Papa John’s (about $30 including tip) but now I get the “take & bake” pizza & 5lb bag of wings from the grocery store for about $15. Like Jeff, we watch movies on OnDemand or use Blockbuster’s online service (their version of Netflix).

My son is now in Cub Scouts and they have a lot of inexpensive activities coming up. Siblings are allowed to participate in a lot of the activities (along as there is a parent there) so they are fun for the whole family.

By Theresa

October 1, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

I posted two things that didn’t show up — what’s up wiht that — this is a test

By Stacey

October 1, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

Theresa…I was starting to get a complex! I thought I killed the blog. LOL

By 8==D

October 1, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this

I don’t wait in line to spend money.

By Lou

October 1, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

What happened to game night?

You know, Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Clue, Sorry!, Trivial Pursuit.

That’s all my family could ever afford, and it was countless hours.

By new mom

October 1, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this

Lou, you are so right about game night! I’m a game nut, I am always wanting to play anything, trivial pursuit, catchphrase, balderdash, cranium, apples to apples, you name it. There are so many games out there for any age!

I recently saw some classic games in the toys r us ad for $4, like candy land, chutes & ladders, etc. and thought about stocking up for our one year old! Ya know, I probably should get a few…Poor thing has no toys or games… :D

Plus, game night is so much more interactive then movie night. You actually talk with your kids, laugh, be silly, all those things that you don’t do when you sit on your fanny watching a movie. Plus, remember those lessons we learned from monoply? like how to buy property? How important location is to your property value? and stay out of jail? Good lessons for life…

By FCM

October 1, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this

Theresa actually the way finance discusses this type of thing is:

Wallet Share

How much wallet share does any given client give to a particular company.

The other term you were looking for is called value add. How much value is added to the client based on what they are willing to spend.

So the ratio look something like:

wallet share:value add

Now, aren’t you glad you asked. (This lecture/explanation is of course meant humorously…It’s been an interesting time for me, I needed some humor)

To everyone else….again THANK YOU.

By FCM

October 1, 2008 6:27 PM | Link to this

oh, about Movie Night…couple of things…French Bread pizza was on sale last week BOGO….look for things like that…Check for good coupons in the mail for regular pizza….Also Trader Joes and Publix have good dough…In a pinch the old BOGO English Muffin thing works too.

As to movie, ask your friends if you can ‘swap vids’…plus there are tons of ‘shows’ online (Fancast.com)

By motherjanegoose

October 1, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this

Game night…GREAT idea Lou . I forgot that we do play games when everyone comes over to our house. Since our kids are older, we love CATCH PHRASE. Also, the value of playing real board games is priceless for children.

When teachers meet a child who can make it through an entire game of Candyland, Chutes and Ladders or Hi Ho Cherrio…we know this child will have superior group interaction skills over those who play video games and turn them off when things are not going their way!

FCM…I have NO idea what you are talking about…am I clueless?

I may need to know this as I do have clients who spend money on my products…I am a teacher who has has a business for over 10 years and I have never had a business class but have managed my business and continued to grow…