by Princess Spanky Pants ~ The Real, Original, Heather T
Member since:
October 13, 2006

Frugal Question Series: $20: Activity

May 06, 2009 09:46 AM EDT
views: 132 | comments: 30

I run a Yahoo group on being a tightwad- getting the most bang for your buck, cutting corners, lowering costs, etc. Every now and then, I do a question of the day, or week, or month. The questions are ways to get people talking about how they save money on something, or how they do something for less, or how to get the furthest on what they have.

I was doing some looking back on my past posts, and came across a question I asked almost a year ago, on May 14th, 2008. Here it is:

You have kids sitting at home, bored to tears, and $20 extra in your wallet. What do you do?


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Comments: 30

Bridget ♥ May 6, 2009, 9:48am EDT
Go to Chuck E Cheese's where a kid can be a kid!
Qpon Lady May 6, 2009, 9:51am EDT
If the weather is nice...go to the park and take the tennis rackets. Bring water and snacks if need be, and save that 20 bucks.
Chris E. May 6, 2009, 9:52am EDT
Go to the zoo. Its free admission and I save my $20
Chris E. May 6, 2009, 9:53am EDT
LOL Qpon lady we think alike.
Leave them at home with Dad & goshopping with your $20 bucks!
Netty B. May 6, 2009, 9:53am EDT
I would take that $20 and go buy a brand new board game that we could play together and then that $20 would give us hours of enjoyment as a family together.
Here in Minnesota I would go to the Como Zoo, it is a nice, free zoo.
Cynthia J. May 6, 2009, 9:56am EDT
Go to the bank and start a savings account for them so they can watch it grow. Then go to the park, lake, zoo, whatever is free to enjoy the rest of the day.
kathleen w. May 6, 2009, 9:56am EDT
I would take them to mcdonalds, order off the dollar menu and walk over to dollar store and give them each a few bucks..
Renee S. May 6, 2009, 10:00am EDT
I'd keep the 20 bucks and take them for a walk or bike ride.
I think, if the weather is nice, I'd take the kids to the beach, and splurge on ice cream on the way home. One of the women, Joy (she's here on Gather now, too!) suggested a long time ago carrying a cleaned out ice cream bucket in the car with some plasti-wear, paper plates, and napkins. Then, instead of spending $15 on ice cream at Dairy Queen, stop at a grocery store for a box of ice cream treats to enjoy in the park.

I could probably find a lot to do for free just in our community, and agree that saving at least some of the money is a great idea. Set aside the money "saved", and at the end of summer, maybe do something bigger, like one last trip camping.
Stacey *Mamasaid* D. May 6, 2009, 10:03am EDT
Go to the library for free. Give each of my two kids $2 for the dollar store and shop for awhile. Spend $6 on a dollar menu at McD's or Wendy's. Go to the park for free to play and possibly use new toys from the dollar store. Save $10 for a second day out. Shop for clothes on clearance (print a coupon for Children's Place and hit discount racks is a top destination) then hit the library then take a hike on the trails and pack PBJ's and water for a picnic. Two days out, toys and clothes for 20 bucks - yay!
Another idea- the kids enjoy puzzles. I'd stop by the dollar store and grab 5 or 6 new puzzles, and we could spend time as a family putting them together. With the left over money, stash it away for another day.
.* Sandi * May 6, 2009, 10:27am EDT
can you invite me to your group please?
Sandi- it's on Yahoo, not here on Gather. It's a Michigan-centric group, though there are other people from around the US in it. The web addy is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigantightwads
C.L. R. May 6, 2009, 11:36am EDT
Go to the dollar store, get each one an outdoor toy, go to the ice cream shop and get a cone for each, go to the park and walk while we ate the icecream and go play with the toys together and on the park equipment.
Jennifer N. May 6, 2009, 12:01pm EDT
Go to a state park - FREE with our membership.

Go to many zoos in WI (most are FREE)

Go to the Crane Foundation FREE with our membership.

Go to the Children's Museum. We get reduced admission - 25 cents a person or on family day where it's Free for all to attend.

Go to the botanical garden - Inexpensive admission off season for the indoor displays and FREE during the gardening seasons.

Go to Thunder Valley and see the animals and play - FREE

Go miniature golfing (one of Gideon's and our favorites)
timi A. May 6, 2009, 12:43pm EDT
Take them to chucky Cheeses where they can have fun and tire themselves out.
Matthew M. May 6, 2009, 12:53pm EDT
I would go on a bike ride and save the $20.
Jennifer, you guys seem to have a lot of WONDERFUL places to go for very little! That's awesome!
Leah Christensen May 6, 2009, 2:46pm EDT
My Mom would get us a big roll of newsprint from the newspaper downtown (free I think) lay it out on the kitchen floor, hand us paints and brushes, and tell us o make sure we keep he paint on the paper, not on us, and save the $20, or give sis and I each $10 to save for whatever/
Carla B. May 6, 2009, 5:53pm EDT
There's nothing to do in our town, so we just go outside and play, or go for walks. The park is all the way on the other end of town, and it's still just over a mile away. ;) The only thing we might spend the money on would be going out to eat at the cafe in town. It's only open until like 2 pm, though.

If we felt like driving to base, we would go to one of the big parks, or the indoor play area.
Elizabeth B. May 6, 2009, 7:38pm EDT
save the 20 bux and go outside and play....with 36 acres there is always something to do and somewhere to play :>}
Edward B. May 7, 2009, 3:35am EDT
just save it you tightwad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edward B. May 7, 2009, 3:36am EDT
hahah
Cecilia Lyne May 7, 2009, 8:20am EDT
Spilt up the money and let them take it a garage sale to let them go shopping...
Heather ~of the Whippets~ M. May 7, 2009, 10:12am EDT
Why would I spend any more money on them just because they are claiming boredom? There are more than enough books, board games and movies in the house. If that isn't good enough, I'm certain I can find some work for them to do.
Kimberli T. May 25, 2009, 8:12pm EDT

If the 20 dollars is 'extra' that I can spare for them... I'd take them to the dollar tree, they can each pick out one toy, then I would pick out some more cheap craft supplies for them. We would then go home and 'make stuff' together.
I would take them to the Drive-In. There is one left in my area.
20.00 for a family of four.
Or maybe to the beach. (free, but I could buy some treats or snacks to take)
The batting cages are fun, or even miniature golfing.

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