How to save money on Halloween.

I found this great article about Halloween and saving money!

POSTED BY: KATE HORRELL SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

I know it is only mid-September, but Halloween will be here before you know it.

Depending on your family situation, how you feel about the holiday, and where you live, Halloween can be awfully expensive.  I’m not a big fan of Halloween, but I do have four kids, and we live in a kid-filled neighborhood.  I’ve got to plan ahead if I’m not going to drop $50 on candy on the 30th of October.

Costumes

Costumes for Halloween can run the gamut from an old sheet with eyes cut out, to elaborate outfits with specialty items from head to toe.  Planning ahead is key to spending less.  First, make everyone, kids and grown-ups, decide on their costume early.  In my house, we have a rule:  if you want parental assistance with your costume, you must submit your needs by 1 October.  This gives you time to implement the three best ways to save:  borrow, thrift, and DIY.

First, ask around to see if friends have the costume item you need.   Put out a Facebook request or activate your phone tree.  Free is awesome, and people are typically thrilled to have their things put to good use.

Second, check with thrift stores and consignment shops.  Shop early – all the best stuff will fly out of the stores.  You can find everything from entire costumes to bits and pieces to give your costume that extra bit of goodness.  Think outside of the box about how you can repurpose items to fit your plan.

Lastly, see what you can make yourself.  Pinterest is a great place to find directions and ideas.  I’ve made a ton of my kids costumes – everything from a flower to Hermione Granger to medieval princesses – but I’m a pretty proficient seamstress.  But you don’t need to sew to put together a great costume.  Many ideas require no more than a hot glue gun or a bunch of safety pins.

Decorations

I’m a Halloween Scrooge, but I understand that some folks enjoy decorating for Halloween.  (Is that an understatement?)

Once again, the thrift store and DIY are your friend.  If you have children, enlist them to decorate pumpkins cut out of construction paper; anything made by your babies is automatically better than anything from the store.  Spray paint can turn even dollar store items into swanky decor.

Candy

Your strategy for saving money on candy is going to depend on a few things about you.  If you, or someone in your house, as a sweet tooth, then you probably don’t want to buy ahead.  Buying twice does not save money!

Check your newspapers for coupons, then keep an eye on sales.  In my experience, the commissary has the lowest prices consistently, but you can find deals if you match a sale with a coupon at places like Walgreens or Target.

Another idea is to give out non-food treats.  A bunch of bouncy balls, temporary tattoos or mini-bubbles can be cheap if you plan online and order ahead.

Whether you’re all into Halloween, or just don’t want to be labelled the neighborhood witch, there are ways to decrease your expenses on Halloween without turning off the lights and hiding in your house.  Starting early is the best way to keep those costs down, so start thinking about your Halloween strategy now.

National Crayon Collection Month

Preparing for the return to school, National Crayon Collection Month in August makes a point of ensuring every child has this essential school supply.

Those gently used, but discarded restaurant crayons are the focus of Crayon Collection, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to redirecting mountains of much-needed crayons from landfills to schools. National Crayon Collection Month draws awareness to the environmental and social impact of throwing crayons away while students across the country go without crucial classroom supplies.

Throughout the month, families and teachers are encouraged to ask managers of kid-friendly restaurants to save their discarded crayons.  At the end of the campaign, they can return to the restaurant, collect the restaurant’s saved crayons and donate them to their local schools. Bringing all those simple but brightly colored art tools to classrooms will free up teacher resources and place them into the hands of children who might have gone without.

Our goal is for every child in America to have the crayons they need in time for the start of school. With the help of kid-friendly restaurants we can reallocate resources so that instead of trashing this like-new art supply, we can collect them for children to learn and expand their imaginations with. ~Sheila Michail Morovati – Founder Crayon Collection

Crayons don’t decompose, but in the hands of young, supple minds, they foster visual learning, creativity, and academic achievement. Annually, over 150 million restaurant crayons given to young diners eventually end up in landfills. End to end, those crayons could span the contiguous United States 3 times or scale the Empire State Building 30,175 times. Wouldn’t those barely used crayons better serve the nearly 16 million children who live in poverty and are unable to afford even this simple tool of expression?  By collecting and redistributing crayons, our teachers can put some of the almost $900 of their own money they spend preparing their classrooms each fall, back into their pockets. Districts across the country continue to cut art funding despite the research supporting the positive impacts it has on scholastic performance. Putting art back in the classroom and giving students an environment for creativity cultivates curiosity and promotes learning.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Ask the question of your local restaurants. “Will you save crayons?” Be sure to make a commitment, too.  Collect the crayons from the restaurant at the end of the month and donate them to your schools. Teachers can participate in the Crayon Collection Curriculum to bring more art into your classroom. Share photos of your collections and art by using #GotCrayons on social media to encourage others to participate and to show how simply you can gain access to thousands of crayons. Want to learn more? Visit Crayon Collection and find out more about how to participate in National Crayon Collection Month.
Follow Crayon Collection on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, too!

Kid Friendly Restaurants
IHOP                                          Denny’s
Applebees                                  BJ’s
Cracker Barrel                           Olive Garden
California Pizza Kitchen          Outback
Island’s Restaurants                Buffalo Wild Wings
Bubba Gump

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Happy Easter

On this Easter Sunday,

forgive someone,

tell someone you love them

and let your light shine.

March Fun Facts

Ah, March is finally here! The beginning of March also conjures thoughts of spring and warmer days, with the spring equinox just three weeks away. To celebrate the impending return of spring, some fun facts about the third month in the Gregorian calendar year have been listed below, courtesy of Fun Trivia, Express.co.uk and Ducksters.

1. The word March does not have to do from the homonym, which means to walk deliberately. Instead, the name of the month dates back the Roman calendar. March was named for Mars, the Roman god of war.

2. March was the first month of the year until the Gregorian calendar began to be used in 1752.

3. March was called Hlyda or Lide in Old English, which is a reference to the loud winds.

4. An old proverb says, “March comes in a like a lion, and goes out like a lamb,” which is reference to winter ending and spring beginning. Another popular saying is “March is mad as a hare,” which is a reference to the animals fighting each other.

5. Not only is March Women’s History Month, but it’s also American Red Cross Month and Fire Prevention Month. Other popular holidays are Read Across America (March 2, which is Dr. Seuss’ birthday), St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), Pi Day (March 14), Daylights Saving Day, Purim, and sometimes Easter even happens during the month.

6. People born in the beginning and middle of March are Pisces. Those born from March 21 on are Aries. Pisces are ruled by Neptune, which makes them dreamy, creative and intuitive. Aries are ruled by Mars, which makes them energetic, daring and spontaneous.

7. Aquamarine and the bloodstone are the birthstones for March. Both stones stand for courage.

8. There are different reports about the true “birth flower.” Some says it’s the daffodil and others say it’s violet.

9. Some famous people born in March are “James Bond” actor Daniel Craig, celebrated children’s author Dr. Seuss, actress Jessica Biel, teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber, actress Eva Mendes, basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, “Orange is the New Black” actress Lauren Prepon, tattoo artist Kat Von D, theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, reality star Rob Kardashian, “Maroon 5” front man Adam Levine, “Die Hard” star Bruce Willis, Oscar-nominee Reese Witherspoon, Lady Gaga and Grammy winner Elton John.

I color for stress and here is one I just completed.

Easy to do – Frosted Glass Hurricanes

Recycled Christmas Card Trees

What to do with old Christmas Cards……Make a tree for next year. You then have the memories for many years to come.

Recycled Christmas Card Trees

 

I found this Christmas Card Tree by Jane Lake

Here’s how to reuse old Christmas cards to make a decorative Christmas tree.

Snowman Wobbler – Easy and Fun

Snowman Wobbler – Easy and Fun

 

Snowman Wobbler

Snowman Wobbler – wobbles but he won’t fall down.

Who can resist giving this adorable snowman a little prod in the belly button – just to see him wobble. There’s a free pattern to download, and all the instructions you need to make a snowman wobbler for yourself or as unique homemade Christmas present.

Craft supplies you will need:

STYROFOAM® Brand Foam:

• 12″ x 4″ cone, one
• 4″ ball, one
• Download Snowman Wobbler Pattern