Lower Your Entertainment Expenses

The cost of entertaining a family can be a large expense, especially in the summer but with some research and planning it doesn't have to break your bank. Going to the movies can cost a family of 4 with concession purchases upwards to $70. Going to an amusement park is considerably higher, given that most you cannot bring your own food or drinks. These are entertainment expenses that should be sparred as much as possible to lighten the weight of your expenses. We have some practical tips to help you find ways to save:

First, every family should invest in some good old board games...yes! I want you to buy games that aren't electronic. Set aside at least 1 night each week to play a different board game. With good planning you can get 2 board games for the price of 1 at various times throughout the year. This will help establish a variety of games.

Second, during the summer months have at least 1 picnic or barebecue each week. It cuts some of the household chores and gets the family in touch with nature. Bring out the Frisbee, croquet set, badminton rackets.


Third, forget sitting in front of the television. Check your local area for outdoor movie showings and walk with the family. Enjoy the outdoor air and the exercise is good for all of you. Many locales have weekly, biweekly or monthly showings. While most offered are free, there are some outdoor movie venues that are really cheap too. Other municipalities offer free concerts to locals, which is a great way to experience bands and singers you've never heard before or hear some that you already enjoy.

To cool down in the heat and have a lot of fun too, bring out the sprinkler and sprinkler accessories. Go wild, let go and have a ball! Play ball too! Tim Hortons offers free swimming during the summer in select Ontario, Canada swimming pools. Click here for more info.

Another excellent indoor activity is going to the museum(s) in your area on the free admission days. Not every museum offers free entry to residents, but more and more are opening their doors for a couple of hours each week.

Local library branches always have different entertainment happenings, such as: reading clubs, movies, puppet shows, crafting and more. Library cards used to be free, but more libraries are receiving less and less funding and have used the paid library card as a means to keep the library functioning. So for the small expense for the library cards, there lots of ways to entertain a family. From reading books, listening to audio books or music, borrowing movies, and some libraries even have toys and other tactile games for lending.

Bring the family on a volunteer event, they can learn many valuable lessons including altruism. There are so many agencies looking for volunteers and you can often find listings in your local newspaper. Plus, I read that people who volunteer their time are happier individuals and live a longer life.

Take a bike ride at least twice a week. It'll help keep your heart strong, bones healthy and keep your family in shape. If you don't have bicycles, there's no need to rush out and pay hundreds of dollars. Many great bicycles can be found at garage and yard sales. Remember to be frugal. Save your pennies and you maybe you could take a winter holiday....but we'll talk about winter later...it's too nice for snow right now!

You can always visit the Freebies Deals And Rewards Forum to find more free events offered in Canada. Please comment and tell us how you entertain your family on a budget.

Make some money with your opinion

Have you ever delved into the world of surveys? There's literally hundreds of companies looking to get your opinion. Some pay, some don't. Some give meaningful rewards, some only give you contest entries!

Today we're going to explore different survey sites that allow you to get active and give your opinion on new products and services, test new or redesigned products and make money or win prizes for your participation.

Who do we like the best?

1. Pinecone Research - This is a very good survey site which offers $3 to $5 per survey completed, however, you will need to locate a sign up banner to join. Sometimes they open up referrals but only twice that I'm aware of. They also have product testing as well. Learn more about PineCone

2. Web Perspectives - They offer many survey opportunities for points. The points can be cashed in for PayPal, Air Miles, Amazon.ca, Chapters.ca and more. Read more on Web Perspectives

3. Asking Canadians - Offering surveys for Canadians to receive HBC rewards points, Aeroplan Miles or entries into contests. Plus from time to time they also have referral bonuses. More details

4. Harris Poll - You can choose to receive Aeroplan points or HI Points as compensation for completing surveys and they also offer paid focus research opportunities too. Learn more

5. Tell Harlequin Reader Panel - Read Harlequin books and give your opinions - they mail you the books free and are yours to keep with no obligation to purchase anything! Read more

What other companies are out there?

1. BzzAgent - Word Of Mouth Community (WOM) where you get to discover and try ew products and services (mostly for free), you spread sincere word of mouth, report back to BzzAgent and earn points to exchange at mypoints.com for gift cards. Read more about BzzAgent

2. LegerWeb Surveys - Cash paying surveys and contests with a low $20 cashout. More details

3. TNS Canada - Complete surveys and earn points which can be redeemed for Air Miles, gift cards and other prizes. They also offer sweepstakes entry surveys too. More about TNS

4. Global Opinion Panels - Receive points for completing surveys and redeem points for cash payouts. Read more about it

5. Divine Product Review Squad - They are looking for readers who are interested in trying new products (before they are available in stores) and sharing their honest thoughts and opinions about them on their site. More details

6. Opinion Outpost - Earn points on surveys that you qualify to complete and then you can cash out at a low $5 or you can let your points grow to cash out for a bigger amount. Learn more

7. MediInsight - Surveys that are medical related. Panel members will be eligible for regular prize draws for cash and merchandise and occasionally be invited to participate in online surveys for which you will be compensated. More info

There's lots more surveys companies listed at our Survey Sites for Canadians forum. Now, if I could just get them to send me regular surveys that PAY and pay good...then I could give up the day job! Ha, ha, I really enjoy what I do and I seriously doubt that my luck would ever be good enough to have well coordinated surveys hitting by inbox one after another as I finish each one. Bliss...Aww, wake up girl!

If you have any feedback on these companies, we'd love to hear from you. Just click on comments and share your experiences. Which surveys are best for you? Which ones do you have a hard time completing?

Find Money You Didn't Know About

Many Canadians have opened bank accounts and then have either forgotten about the accounts or left them there to grow interest thus causing the accounts to become dormant from inactivity. It's possible some of the unclaimed balances are from estates where the accounts were unknown. Once an account has been left for a period of time, the money is shipped off The Bank of Canada as an Unclaimed Balance

There's a time limit though of 40 years from the first day of inactivity. The bank where you opened your account will hold the inactive account for 10 years, at which time it is turned over to the Bank of Canada for custody for another 30 years.

It's so easy to see if you have some money that was left unclaimed. Just visit Bank of Canada and type in a full or partial name, choose a province and click the search button and voila!!

Check here to see if you have an unclaimed bank balance in Canada. To learn ore about unclaimed bank balances, visit The Bank of Canada website.

I searched and researched my name but no matter how hard I wished, I couldn't find an unclaimed balance in my name. Dang, I guess I'll have to save my money other ways.

Family Fun on a Budget

Yes! Families can have lots of fun without having to worry about draining all the money from their wallets and bank accounts. Most communities these days offer some types of free activities and events scheduling for families to enjoy and take part in. The first place you should start your search is in your city or town's seasonal calendar and/or city guide. Most are located online today, so you don't have to leave the comfort of your home to find the activities that best suit your family. Bookmark their calendar so you can check regularly for activities and events that you and your family wish to participate in.

Some of the annual and ongoing events/admissions that are free for families include:

• outdoor movie showings
• Busker Festivals
• Family Fun Days
• summer swimming and winter skating courtesy of Tim Hortons
• summer bowling for kids
• museum admission on certain days/times or guided tours
• reading groups and book clubs through your local library
• television studio tapings

Find these and other great FREE family oriented activities to save on your budget.

Aside the free activities offered in yours and surrounding communities. Try thinking of and implementing the free activities right at your home or close by. Play some ball with the kids, go for a bike ride, go inline skating or take up hiking. If you plan to go for a hike, ride your bike there to save the strain on your wallet with the rising cost of fuel these days.

Other ways to enjoy yourself while on a budget is to use coupons for attractions. Most of these types of coupons can be found in travel guides at travel information centres or inside hotels at the community information rack.

Attractions Coupons By Province

Calgary, AB Attractions - Online Coupon Portal for money saving attractions coupons in the Calgary, Alberta area.

Edmonton, AB area attractions coupons are also available online.

Attractions Ontario offers an online portal for coupons but if you can find a guide, they have printed coupons inside too.


Vancouver Attractions also has an online portal for printable coupons, view the coupons in PDF format.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate any of the official attraction sites for online coupon in the Eastern provinces, although I'm sure that has to be some out there. If you know where to find official printable coupons for the Eastern provinces attractions, we love to hear from you. Thanks and have fun doing inexpensive summer activities to save your budget!

Are You Saving for Retirement Canada? Check the Numbers!

As 2011 is the onset of 9 million Canadian Baby Boomers reaching the age of 65, let's look at the numbers more closely!

• By the year 2036, Canada's over 65 population will reach 10.9 million
• By 2051, those age 65 and older will account for 60% of health expenditures in Canada
• In 2010, the average age of retirement in Canada is 62
• Half of today's 66 year old persons are expected to live beyond the age of 82
• Add 3 months to the average life expectancy each year.
• The percentage of working income that is widely regarded to be replaced in retirement is 70%
• There's 38% of Canadians that have no savings
• In the year 2006, 1 in 7 Canadians was a senior citizen. Yet 50 years ago it was 1 in 14
• Only 25% of Canadian private -sector workers are covered by workplace pensions
• Canada Pension Plan pays an average payment of $512 for retirees and a maximum monthly payment of $960
• The average savings rate in Canada is 3.51%
• Canadian families with 2 children average $176,461 in debt
• There's 17% of Canadian retirees who owe more than $100,000
• The expected amount that the Canada Pension Investment Board plans to be managing by 2038 is $700B
• Canada ranks number 2 in adequacy among 14 major retirement income systems in the world

Source: Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Statistics Canada, Centre for Financial Services, Ipsos Reid and National Post

Have you started your retirement savings? Do you have strategies for saving money each time you are paid? Are you living on the edge or do you live frugally?

Visit Freebies Deals And Rewards for tips on saving money, living frugally, getting free stuff and so much more.

Each year we rack up over $2000 in coupon savings alone that can be compounded in an Retirement Savings Plan, or invested on the stock market.  The money we save from gathering freebies and samples allows us to put another few hundred dollars away each year too. Because we don't have to buy the free items that we gather, we put the savings away. For example if we get a disposable razor that's worth $8 for free, we put the savings into "our place" when we use the item; just as we would have, if we spent the money in store by having to purchase the product.

"Your place" (meaning your savings venue) could be a interest bearing savings or chequing account with varying ranges of interest, under your mattress, on the stock market, Canadian Savings Bongs, Provincial Savings Bongs, Guaranteed Investment Certificates, in a safe, or wherever you feel safest keeping your money.

Here's a few places to visit to gather information to help you save money:

Tips for Living Frugally
Coupons for Canadians
Finding Freebies Online and Offline

Earn Extra Goodies When You Groupon!!

I'm sure that most people have not only heard of Groupon but may have gotten their feet wet too by buying a Groupon.

What is Groupon?

Groupon features unbeatable deals on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in your city each and every day. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, they secure bigger discounts, which they call "collective buying power"!

Getting Extra Goodies When You Groupon


Swagbucks has daily offers for free swag bucks when you make purchases at select retailers. Groupon is one of the offers that you can earn Swagbucks from! Buy a deal + get free swag = a FANTASTIC deal!

Not a Swagbucks member yet? Join Swagbucks today and start earning cash for your internet searches. We've earned over $250 in rewards to date!

Thanks to Kimber for sharing this at our forum!

Reduce household expenses by making your own cleaners!

There's more than just an environmental benefit from making your own household cleaners....you can also save tons of money and keep your family and pets healthier too!

Commercially manufactured cleaning products are a harsh mix of chemicals which cannot be good for us. They contain harmful ingredients that can trigger asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems. However, there are simple solutions to making your own, people and pet safe cleaning products that are easy on your wallet too!

Some items that you can use to make homemade cleaners include:

baking soda
hot water
hydrogen peroxide
lemons
vinegar

Plus, you can use these simple to find items to cut grease, whiten teeth, brighten toilets, whiten laundry, take food smells off skin, clean windows and mirrors, freshen carpets, clean floors and many more uses. Only your imagination limits the possibilities.


Get (DIY) Do-it-Yourself Recipes and tips for making your own natural household cleaning products, natural disinfectants and a natural mold killer remedy.

Save Money By Price Matching Your Purchases

 
One of the hottest ways to save money these days, aside using coupons and group buys, is to price match. BUT don't forget to bring your coupons with you and save even more money by using coupons in conjunction with your price matches. Now that's smart shopping!

Price matching is available at many different retailers, including grocery, hardware and housewares, electronics, general merchandise and so much more.

Read more about Price Matching. You'll find price matching tips, a list of Canadian stores and extra insider tips to make price matching go smoother.

Ways to Reduce your Postage Costs

Today we're going to talk about the ways that you can save money on postage costs! Postage costs include stamps, envelopes, tape, labels, and anything else required to ship your item. Let's try to beat the rising costs of postage while still getting our message across.

Tips for reducing the cost of mailing items:

1. Instead of sending a letter by snail mail, send an email instead.
2. Stock up on stamps when they go on sale at stores like Rexall and Shoppers Drug Mart. They've both offered sales of up to 10% off.
3. Buy permanent postage in bulk, the price never changes for Canada. So, the sooner you stock up, the more you save overall.
4. Combine communications into one envelope to avoid additional postage and mailing supply costs.
5. Send an electronic gift card instead of a physical gift card. Not only will it get there faster, it saves you postage and helps the environment too!
6. Use a fax machine to send your message rather than ship it through the mail.
7. Lighten up your mail by using a light grade of paper or eliminating card stock advertising. This will reduce your expense of the card stock and postage expense too!
8. Send a postcard instead of a letter. No envelope to throw out, you get a nice scrapbook keepsake and it's only 1 stamp to ship it!
9. Renew magazine and newspaper subscriptions online rather than mailing out your renewal.
10. Use flat rate mailers and prepaid packaging.
11. Look for free shipping supplies online, for example many Freecyclers will freecycle packaging materials.
12. Do you owe someone money? Instead of sending a cheque...see if they accept PayPal or another online payment. Send electronic funds online instead of paper funds by mail.
13. If you donate to charity, try making your donations online rather than mailing in a cheque. Not only do you save the postage and shipping supply expense, but you save the cost of clearing the cheque too!
14. Stop mailing out your monthly bills. Sign onto your banking site and pay your bills electronically!
15. Send an electronic greeting card instead of a physical greeting card.

Be creative with the way you save money! We'd love to hear the ways that you reduce your postage costs too. Leave us a comment below! :)