Following Instagram posts can make you feel like other moms are either made of money or have sugar daddies funding their lifestyles. I can assure you. I have neither. There is nobody funneling money into my household except for me. And because I was an economics major and my dad was a banker, I am keenly aware of cash flow, assets and liabilities, and expenditures.
Still, sometimes, I forget how expensive life can be. It's not because I lied about having a sugar daddy or have a trust fund. It is because I am frugal. Indeed, being conscious of expenditures is integrated into my lifestyle.
I know that it is gauche to discuss money and yet, I feel compelled to share some thoughts.
I am that mom who pays attention to when they have free days at the zoo, happy hour specials, and BOGO deals at the grocery store. I also have been known to refurbish items that I have found in a neighbor's trash. And, I haven't met a leftover that I haven't liked!
Indeed, I am obsessed with minimizing my regular expenses so that I can splurge occasionally on fun. In the summer, that means exercising outside, watching free movies in the park and inviting friends over to share a glass of wine. I also spent most of my weekends at my parents' pool. I am fortunate that my parents don't charge me to use it. My kids love to swim, and we enjoy the pool expense free. Often, our expenses for doing so are generally lunch, dessert and time with my parents--a real treat. I rinse and repeat that pastime all summer long and we have a great time!
Last summer though, it hit me that entertaining my kids in the summer can cost a lot! There were two weekends, for a variety of reasons, I wound up paying for my kids to go to the local amusement park two weekends in a row. I spent over $500 for these two weekends of activity. $500, is the money in my opinion even in light of inflation period and while my kids had a thoroughly wonderful time period I recognize, that paying for that kind of entertainment on a consistent basis, exceeds my tolerance. Indeed, paying for that kind of entertainment, would exceed the cost of private school for them. That would make, summer, far more expensive, than the school year.
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| Kids at Kennywood Park |
A Season Pass May Be Your Ticket to Saving at an Amusement Park
Accordingly, I am all in the business of finding free and low-cost ways to entertain my children this summer. Because, we do have a couple of trips planned, and I just recognize that if I paid the going rate for this entertainment, it would be an exorbitant expense.
Below you will so in my quest to find such things, I came across the entertainment options listed below. Please enjoy and partake of them as you see fit, and you can thank me later.
Participating in Focus Groups Can Increase Your Cash Flow
There are two ways to maximize your cash flow. You can either minimize expenses or make extra money. Here's a way that you might be able to make extra cash by spending one hour offering your opinion in the comfort of your home.
Virtual Paid Focus
Group about news and information in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County -
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