Summer, Summer, Summertime! Part Two

-by Adaya

Don’t let these outrageous gas prices take the fun out of your summer. Following up from Part One of this article, here are some ideas to help you plan a fun and exciting summer while saving some money for the gas tank.

Take a “staycation”, a trip taken closer to home (250-400 miles away) that’s usually a long 3 or 4 day weekend. You still get the benefit of going away, but it won’t cost that much in gas. Another “staycation” idea is to take advantage of the nice hotels where you live. Many of them offer shopping, spa and golf packages. So you are still “getting away” without the gas prices hitting you in the pocket.




Choose to stay home, but don’t be drab about it. There might be a treasure chest of things to do right in your own neck of the woods. You’ll be surprised. Here are some ideas:

-Local museums are treasure chests all by themselves. There all kinds of fun and exciting things to see and some new things to learn. Look them up on the web or call because most museums have a day of free admission.

Speaking of museums, if you are a Bank of America account holder, check out Museums On Us. In select states, they are offering free admission to museums and other sites the first weekend of every month for the rest of the year.

-Aquariums, botanical gardens, and zoos are great places to spend some time during the day. Why not take the summer to explore these kinds of places that are near you? Also, in the summertime, many of these places offer some kind of children’s programs. Again, check out their website or give them a call and see what’s happening.




-Local music festivals really kick off in the spring and go until a little after Labor Day. In most cases, they are free and depending on where you live, you will find a diverse range of music to choose from. So get out your lawn chairs, coolers, and sunscreen and get your jam on!

-Indoor and outdoor movie festivals usually take place in the summer and they are a fun way to catch up on some older films. Some of these events are at local theaters or on the lawn of a large, local park.

-Children’s theater really takes off in the summer because school is out. Check out your local theaters to see what shows are playing. Take some time to get away from the television and experience drama, fun, and fiction on the stage.

-The movie theater is a great option in the summer especially when it’s really hot outside. AMC offers a Summer Movie camp with $1 movies and $3 KidsPacks on Wednesdays. Also, Regal offers the Free Family Film Festival. They offer select movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on a first-come-first-served basis throughout the summer. Check out each of their websites to see when these programs begin and what movies they are showing. Give your smaller, local movie houses a try too.

-Other ways to add in some summer fun: have a picnic in your own yard, explore state parks, go bike riding or rollerblading at the local park (some larger parks have bike and rollerblade rentals), plan a scavenger hunt in your home or even your neighborhood, get in the kitchen and try new recipes. Use your imagination as the possibilities are limitless.

If you have more suggestions or more tips for summer fun, please share them in the comments section. Here’s to you and your family having a happy, fun and money-saving summer!

Adaya is a college professor who enjoys reading, cooking and most of all, traveling. You can check out her travel blog at http://professorjetsetter.blogspot.com/.

Summer, Summer, Summertime! Part One

-Adaya
What are your summer plans? Though gas prices are out of control, recent AAA Travel Club statistics show that summer travel plans for Americans will only be down 1%. Yes, people will still travel, but their plans will be altered in some ways.



In a survey conducted by AAA, they say some Americans are staying closer to home, and others will cut their vacations shorter by a few nights. Overall, people are planning to spend less on hotels, restaurants, and shopping. The bottom line is the gas prices are not really affecting summer travel plans. But in talking to friends and family, that is not the case for them. They are staying put.



What are your plans for the summer? Are you still traveling? Have you changed plans because of high gas prices? Share your ideas in the comments section about how to beat the heat, have fun, and save money. Stay tuned for Part Two of this article where I will give you some helpful and fun ideas to help you plan for the summer. Stay Tuned!

Adaya is a college professor who enjoys reading, cooking and most of all, traveling. You can check out her travel blog at http://professorjetsetter.blogspot.com/.

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt…Your Kids

-by Pocahontas

I’m a teacher by trade…so let’s take it back to school for a second, ladies, shall we? Raise your hand if you were ever told any of these things growing up:

“Get a good education and a college degree.”
“Work hard and move up the ladder.”
“Save your money in the bank because investing is too risky.”
“Get a good job with benefits and a pension.”

Now do any of you whose hands are up know people have done all these things but are still struggling financially? Here’s a better question…do you think this is what the Rockerfellers or the Rothschilds are teaching their children? Since my sistahs are without question some of the most astute women in the world, obviously you can surmise the answer to that is a resounding, “No”. Granted we all believe in the value of a first-rate education, but just because you have X many degrees and/or letters after your name does that really guarantee your financial success?

As I said, my sistahs today are savvy enough to recognize that the wealthy are giving their kids something most people are not...and that is the “REAL” keys to financial freedom (after all, aren’t “they” the ones able to play golf at 9 am on weekdays while the rest of us grit our teeth through rush hour to go to a J-O-B? Clearly, they know something many of us do not.) So what IS it that they teach their kids? They tell them to own their own business so they can be in total control of their time and their income. Easier said than done, you think? Well, ask yourself this, “Can you honestly say you’d want your little one to grown up and do the job you’re currently doing?” Actually, do you own your job to be able to pass it down to your kids even if you wanted to after your retire from it like you could a business?

Truth be told, most people would rather be the boss than answer to one, but they just have no clue how to make that happen. So allow me to share a few books with you that might give your “entrepreneurial spirit” a prick. First, you may want to invest in “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and “Cashflow Quadrant” both by Robert Kiyosaki. The former will certainly change your life and the latter will definitely shed some light on the common mistake novice entrepreneurs make in distinguishing between self-employed and business owner.

One book I will highly recommend for your children if they are in middle or high school and you want to start them off right with the rules of money is “The ABCs of Making Money 4 Teens” by Alan Lysaght & Denis Cauvier. It features many inspirational stories from teens who found success yet gives your child practical advice like how to escape credit card traps, how to reduce debt, and how to invest wisely.

Arm your children with the knowledge you may not have had at their age. After all, isn’t your goal for them to have more than you were able to? Share this quote with them and then maybe you, too, should hang it on your mirror and live by it every time that fear of failure comes creeping up to keep your from taking that step of faith, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, famous or successful?’ Actually, who are you NOT to be?” ~ Nelson Mandela

Pocahontas is a licensed Financial Coach and has been in the industry since 2005. She can be reached at pfslynette@gmail.com.