I created a schedule for the day of what we will do when. The schedule includes time for indoor play, outdoor play, snacks and meals, movie or TV time, and excursions. Crafts, cooking, reading and academic review will fill in the gaps.

Then I have been putting together our summer bucket list – those excursions we will take. With four kids, staying in the house all day will not work! I had seen a few resources here and there and put them together in a useable way. One idea that I really liked was having slips of paper that you draw from each week to make a schedule. I think drawing each day one at a time would be difficult, especially since some excursions are more timely than others and have varying costs.

Here is what I came up with:

A fill-in schedule: Summer Bucket List schedule form

Cards with activities for day & afternoon excursions and evening outings:

• All purpose version: Summer Bucket List cards 2013
• For St. Louis readers with a few St. Louis specifics: Summer Bucket List cards 2013 StL version

The instructions to use these are as follows:

1. Modify the attached schedule for your own needs.

2. On the excursions file, add in local excursions that you would like to visit this summer (color coding denotes cost).

3. Take a look at the starred cards, which are timely activities. Decide if you want to research these ahead of time and then take them out of the weekly drawing and manually put them on your schedule as they occur OR just figure it out as they get chosen.

4. Print the schedule and activity cards.

5. Sort the cards based on color-coding. You may want to have envelopes or buckets for each type.

6. Write in any events you already have on your schedule for that week – like summer library activities, family events, camp, etc.

7. Pick the number of cards that work best for your family from each color category. (I plan to leave space for one library and at least one park trip a week. My kids still nap so I might use shorter activities or trips to the park or library in the afternoons. If your kids are older you may spend a whole day at one activity or choose two per day.

8. Lay the cards down on your schedule and create a plan for the week.

9. You may decide to discard the cards you used that week or reuse those that you would like to do again another week.

I hope these directions are not too complicated. Please give me your feedback so I can edit it or change it to be more helpful!

Hope you like them!

Related posts:

• “Free Bowling and Skating – 2013″
• “Summer 2013 Dollar (or Free) Movies”

I am sorry to post this so late, but this summer I have all my kids home, which means less time to blog and do my own things! However, there are so many great things to do in the summer, many of which are cheap. Summer movies are great to avoid the heat and perhaps see some movies on the big screen that you missed the first time around.

I have updated last years’ list of theaters that offer free or cheap movies. These are typically only offered during the summer. But check your local theater’s website, because they may offer other promotions like senior discounts, mom and baby viewings, concession discounts, etc., year-round.

I have culled sources from across the Internet to provide you a comprehensive list. If you find a theater offering a program that I missed, please let me know! Participating theater state locations are provided for each listing so you don’t have to click on all of them one to see if the program is being offered near you!

Carmike – Summer Kids Series. This theater chain offers $4 movie combo, which includes movie, popcorn drink, and snack. Some theaters start June 3 while others start June 10; days vary by theater. Participating locations vary each year. Be sure to look at both sections below the general information to see if there is a participating theater near you. Some locations even have showings more than once a week. They have participating theaters in 33 states: AL, AR, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO (Warrensburg), MT, NC, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WV.

Cinemark Theatres – Summer Movie Clubhouse. $1 per show or $5 for 10 shows if purchased in advance. They have participating theaters in 37 states: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MS, MN, MO (Kansas City), MT, NC, NM, NV, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV and WS. Click on your local theater for details.

Cinemaworld – Summer KidFest. June 7 – Aug. 1, seven days a week. FREE for kids, adults $2 or donation of non-perishable pet-food item. Schedule may vary by location. Locations in FL and RI.

Classic Cinemas – Wednesday Morning Movie Series. $1 per ticket. Runs June 12 – Aug. 7. Multiple theaters in IL.

Clearview Cinemas – Clearview Cinemas Kid’s Club. July 10 and 11 – August 22, 2013. Wednesdays and Thursday, Tickets FREE. Schedule of movies varies by theater. Participating locations in NJ and NY.

Cobb Theatres - Free Summer Kids Shows. Their website does not have details for this program except to check your local theater for a schedule. Locations in AL, CO, FL, GA, and VA.

Dickinson Theatres – Summer Vacation Movie Series. Prices vary between FREE and $2 per ticket. Select the theatre near you and then click on the box with SVMS. This will then lead you to the flier for that theater. Locations in AR, AZ, KS, MO (Lee’s Summit and Kansas City), NE, OK, and TX.

Georgia Theatre Company – Summer Movie Series. This series is offered for $1 on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June and July. Participating locations are in FL, GA, SC, and VA.They are showing the entire Harry Potter series of movies, as well as other favorite animated kids’ selections.

Goodrich Quality Theaters – Kids Summer Movies. Begins June 10, Monday through Friday. Tickets $1. Participating locations in IN, IL, MI, and MO (Jefferson City and Columbia).

Harkins Theatres – Summer Movie Fun. Less than $1 per ticket. Locations in AZ, CA, CO, OK, and TX. Click on your preferred theater for their schedule and movies listings. Shows start as early as May 27.

Malco Theatres – Kids Summer Film Fest. Runs June 4 – July 31, 2013, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. $2 per ticket. Locations in AR, KY, MS, and TN.

Marcus Theatres – Kids Dream Summer Film Series. Runs June 18 – Aug. 15, 2013, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. $2 per ticket. Locations in IA, IL, MN, ND, NE, OH, and WI.

Marquee Cinemas – Kid’s Summer Movie Program – June through August, start dates vary by location; Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tickets FREE. Participating locations in CT, FL, KY, NC, NJ, NY, PA, VA,and  WV.

Muvico Theaters – FREE Summer Film Fest. June 11 – Aug. 15, 2013, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Locations are in CA, FL, and IL.

Regal Cinemas – Summer Movie Express. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, $1 per ticket. Start dates vary by location. Participating locations are in AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MO (Fenton, Hazelwood, and Springfield), MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, and WV. Great Escape Theaters are now owned by Regal Cinemas.

Wehrenberg Theatres – Family Summer Series. June 5 – Aug. 15, 2013, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tickets FREE. Locations in IL, IA, MO (Chesterfield, St. Charles, O’Fallon, South County, Des Peres, Arnold, and St. Peters), and MN.

* For more summer family activities, click on the links here or on the “Family ideas” category on the right menu and/or click on the “Family Fun Outside the Home” page on the top menu bar.

Related posts:

• “Get Rewarded for Shopping – updated!”
• “Get Rewarded for Shopping – Part 2″

Below are FREE bowling and roller skating opportunities to take advantage of this summer.

Kids Bowl Free:

Kids can receive two free bowling games a day for the entire summer thanks to generous bowling alleys across the nation (they also have locations in Canada). Shoe rental cost is not included. Check out their website for information on getting your school involved, locations, and frequently asked questions. The age limit is determined by each bowling alley. Dates also vary by alley, but some go from April until October!

There is also an option to sign up for a family pass (for the adults), but it is not necessary to receive your child’s free games. This may be a good deal if you go multiple times over the summer with your kids. You will have to figure it out based on how many times you think you will go, and the cost per game and for shoe rental at your participating bowling alley.

AMF Summer Unplugged:

AMF offers their own summer bowling program for kids. Kids 15 and under get two free games every day of the summer (from May 13 – Sept. 2). Again shoe rental is not included and a family pass is available for purchase. AMF has locations in ALL BUT 14 states in the United States. This year there is no need to print coupons or vouchers; they will give you a membership card on your first visit. And if you forget your card, they can look you up!

Brunswick Bowling:

Brunswick also has a summer bowling program for kids. Students 18 and younger can receive one free game of bowling in June, July, and August. For children 12 and younger, you just add them to your Bonus Zone profile (a rewards program and email newsletter). Children 13 -18 should create their own Bonus Zone account. Brunswick has locations in 18 states and Ontario – Canada.

Kids Skate Free:

According to their website, skating is:

The website features a tool for finding a location near you, frequently asked questions, and other information. Times and days vary by location.

For more ideas of fun things to do with your children, check out the:

• “Family ideas” category on the right menu
• “Family Fun Outside the Home” page on the top menu bar

Last week, several areas of Missouri, including the area of the school where I teach, were hit badly by a tornado. There were many families whose homes were severely damaged and many who were displaced. I can’t imagine the stress and hardship these families are going through. It is during times like these that we count our blessings and are grateful for small and big things.

Thankfully there has been a tremendous outpouring of support from our school district staff and the community to help these families. It is amazing all the efforts that have been launched, from collecting donations of items and money, to providing meals and shelter, to helping clear the debris, to providing information on resources and aid.

With our technological age, it is much easier to distribute information regarding volunteer opportunities and assistance available.And for those families in the area who didn’t have access, volunteers canvassed to get them that information. For those of you who want to help, it isn’t always easy to know what website or place to go to for ways to help. Here is a short guide to lending a hand in natural disaster relief.

∞ Check the local school district’s website and Facebook page. They will often have information on how to help or how to get help.

∞ Check the local newspaper’s website for current news, links to organizations, and more.

∞ Check out Patch.com, a new community-oriented news source. On this main page, you can search for the website for your local area. They had great coverage of the local tornado and links to many local organizations providing aid and resources.

∞ American Red Cross – Although most known for its blood drive efforts, the American Red Cross helps with disaster response, too. To find out more, click here.

∞ Salvation Army – Search the Volunteer Match website to be linked with Salvation Army volunteer opportunities. You can also donate money, household items, or clothing to help those in need. To learn more about Salvation Army’s variety of disaster services and efforts, click here.

∞ United Way – Volunteer to help the many efforts of the United Way. You can learn more about general opportunities, take the pledge to join, and see local opportunities. You can also go to your local United Way website and view a volunteer calendar with specific events in your area.

* Please note: All of these organizations also gladly accept monetary donations, if you are not able to give time or resources.

Related posts:

• Don’t throw out your expired coupons!
• Finding a home for used stuffed animals
• Spring cleaning for a good cause
• Gratitude is always cheap!
• Scheduling visits and meals for others made easier!

Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Passover

I like to print these out in color for my kids and post them on the door of their room. They love adding stickers for each mitzvah they complete and then we go for a family reward after the holiday. Thanks again to Chinuch.org for the great clip art!

If you are still in the middle of your holiday preparations and need some tips, here are my past related posts on Passover (Pesach):

• “Traveling for the holidays?”
• “Pesach is coming!”
• “Setting up your Pesach Control Journal”
• “Chometz cookbooks for Pesach”
• “What do you do with all that bread?”
• “Spring cleaning for a good cause”
• “Tax time tip: Values of donations”
• “Ways we save money on Pesach needs”
• “The advantage of buying paper goods online”
• “There has to be more to eat before Pesach than potatoes!”
• “What’s for breakfast?”
• “Where do you find kosher recipes online?”
• “More kosher recipe sites”
• “The Top Ten Tips for Easier Passover Cleaning” – from Jewishmom.com

For other related posts, check out:

• “Saving money and energy on Shabbos”
• “Decoding kashrut”
• “To cover or not to cover?”
• “Here a recipe, there a recipe”
• “Color-coded kashrut”
• “Finding a home for used stuffed animals”
• “Shabbos shortcuts”

Have a wonderful and meaningful Passover!

The charts helped my kids get excited about each mitzvah that’s part of the holiday and it helped them learn all the ways they could help and participate.

Here is one for this holiday. You can print one out for each of your kids. Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Purim

Religious school and day school teachers may even want to send it home with their students as a family activity. Again, thank you to Chinuch.org for the great clipart.

Related posts:

• “Thanks and Happy Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)!”
• “Kids’ Rosh Hashanah Mitzvah Checklist”
• “Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Sukkos”

Purim Hamentashen (Photo credit: slgckgc)

I apologize to my non-St. Louis readers that this post will not apply to you. However, it is time for my annual post sharing the Orthodox Megillah readings here in St. Louis. This is particularly helpful for moms with young children who are not old enough to stay up (or be quiet) during Megillah readings. It is also helpful for those having to work around their “work” schedules.

Here is my current list as of 10:30 a.m. on Friday. I could not get in touch with anyone at the Central West End minyan or St. Louis Hillel.

Saturday night, February 23, 2013:

6:32 p.m.         Ma’ariv at Agudas Israel, megillah reading to follow

6:55 p.m.         Sha’arei Chesed (U City Shul), followed by melave malka with entertainment, babysitting free

7:00 p.m.         Beit Shira, at The Cedars Synagogue (Meadowview Building), 13190 South Outer 40 Road
x                      Havdalah followed by 7:05 p.m. reading by Rabbi Gertzulin, songs & refreshments.

x                     Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar

7:15 p.m.         Nusach Hari by Rabbi Mintz (following 7 p.m. Ma’ariv). Bring non-perishables, pers. care items.

Young Israel Ma’ariv/Megillah by Rabbi Rovinsky and Max Gornish

Levites Chabad House at 7018 Forsyth at Big Bend

Bais Abraham

7:30 p.m.        Young Israel, Purim play for children – Grades 2 and under

x                     Tpheris Israel Chevra Kadisha (TICK) (second reading TBA)

8:15 p.m.         Young Israel Costume parade

8:30 p.m.         Torah Prep boys’ school – additional reading for women

9:15 p.m.         Young Israel 2^nd Megillah reading in the Beit Midrash by Rabbi Shulman

10:00 p.m.       Young Israel Purim Murder Mystery, $5/person. Themed costumes welcome

x                      Agudas Israel Purim party

Sunday day, February 24, 2013:

7:10 a.m.         Young Israel in the Beit Midrash (following 6:30 a.m. minyan)

7:30 a.m.         Shacharis at Agudas Israel, megillah reading to follow

8:30 a.m.         Nusach Hari by Rabbi Rovinsky (following 8:00 a.m. Shacharis)

8:35 a.m.         Young Israel by Rabbi Shulman (following 8:00 a.m. Shacharis)

x                     Sha’arei Chesed (U City Shul), free babysitting, donations appreciated

8:40 a.m.         TICK (second reading TBA)

9:00 a.m.         Bais Abraham

x                      Beit Shira, at The Cedars Synagogue (Meadowview Building), 13190 South Outer 40 Road
x                      Reading by Rabbi Gertzulin with the Block Yeshiva boys (following 8:30 a.m. Shacharis)

x                     Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar (following 8:30 a.m. Shacharis)

9:30 a.m.         Women’s Megillah Reading at Bonnie Goldmeier’s home in Clayton

10:00 a.m.       Aish HaTorah, with Powerpoint presentation and rabbis’ skit

x                     Agudas Israel

10:30 a.m.       Epstein/NCSY/B’nei Akiva Purim Carnival at Epstein

11:00 a.m.       Young Israel Beit Midrash

2:00 p.m.         Purim Re-enactment Parade at Gay & Cornell

4:00 p.m.         Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar

4:15 p.m.         Levites Chabad House at 7018 Forsyth at Big Bend

Fliers from some of the shuls:

• Young Israel Purim 2013 – flyer
• PDF Purim Winefest 2013
• 2013 Kollel Purim Wine Order Form

* For more information on any of the shuls, please contact them individually. Here is a link to all of the congregations here in St. Louis.

1) Print in draft mode as much as possible. This will limit the amount of ink used on each printout. Print your coupons in black ink instead of color to limit your color usage, too.

2) Buy ink online whenever you can and be sure to compare prices with your local stores so you know when you have found a good deal. I often can find my ink for $5 – $10 cheaper than in stores. I mostly purchase through Amazon, so that if I need to return the ink, I have a reputable company to make sure the return goes well.

3) Buy remanufactured ink when you can, but be sure to check the reviews for that company and product. Some remanufactured inks are not as good as others. I have read many reviews of products that did not last long or didn’t even work when they were first opened.

4) Check reviews online for your printer ink. I almost bought a set of three colors and black ink together. By reading the reviews I found out that the four-packs for that ink number are only available as the setup packs that the printer comes with.

5) Buy XL inks when you can. These have more ink for the cost. However, be sure to read the specifications for these. You printer may take that number model of ink, but not the XL version, as mine does not.

6) Get your ink refilled at an office supply store when possible. Many inks can be refilled for a minimal cost instead of being replaced. See what your local store provides.

Related posts:

• “Buying printer paper by the case”
• “Recycle your ink – earn money”
• “School Supply Shopping Strategy”

Other related articles:

• Budget-saving Ideas for 2013 (cartridgeworldcampcreek.wordpress.com)
• The Secret To Profitable Printing With Your Inkjet In Three Easy Steps (makeuseof.com)
• Refill Your Ink Cartridges…save Money!!! (cartridgeworldcampcreek.wordpress.com)

Thankfully all of my past research and checklists will help me get through it all. Here is my Purim checklist that you can adapt for your needs: Purim prep.

We did our shopping today for our shaloch manos supplies (thank you Costco) and spent the afternoon making shaloch manos as part of a charity project we have done for the past 16 years. Now my goal is to get supplies for my kids’ costumes. I always have luck finding ideas at Family Fun or Parenting magazines’ websites, so I will check there again. Here are a few links to check out:

• Parents’ Magazine Costume Gallery – a variety of articles on making and buying costumes
• Parenting Magazine Costumes search results
  
• Spoonful (a new Disney website) – Halloween Costume Ideas
• Kaboose (another Disney website) - has an easy to use section with many categories of homemade costumes
• Pinterest – another great way to search for ideas, either general or specific (great if your child knows what he/she wants to be and you need the how-to)

Here are my kids from last year — my oldest as a knight and my little ones as superheroes.

If you are like me and are behind in your Purim preparations, here are a few of my older posts to help you:

• “Purim costume ideas”
• “Purim costumes and preparation” – includes costumes we have done over the years
• “Purim wrap-up” – thoughts and lessons learned after the holiday
• “Shaloch Manos Gallery 2012″ – our favorite shaloch manos gifts from last year
• “Where do you find kosher recipes online?“ and “More kosher recipe sites” - kosher recipe sites
• Also check out the many Purim posts by my favorite blogger and friend Mara, at “Kosher on a Budget”

With New Year’s approaching, though, I realized it might not be a bad idea to come up with some New Year’s resolutions related to our finances. My husband’s job has not turned out to be what he expected and finances have been really tough. He is looking for new work and I am hoping the new year will provide that. But in the meantime, new job or not, we need a plan to get us in better financial shape.

Here are my goals for the new year. I hope they will inspire you on your own quest to get your family set.

1) Get back to menu planning on a regular basis.

With money being so tight, my husband has become a master at creating meal plans based on whatever is in the house. We haven’t had the money to make full shopping trips and therefore have let our menu planning slide. However, it makes extra stress for him every morning to have to also figure out what to make. I want us to get back to menu planning each week regardless if we can buy two things or a loadful! See my posts on “Menu planning” and “Monthly menu planning.”

2) Keep up with our receipts.

Bill paying and entering receipts into our Quicken program are my least favorite tasks. So of course, I procrastinate. But then we are more likely to bounce or to encounter fees for paying things late. I am going to work harder at entering them every few days instead of waiting until I have several weeks worth! See my post on “Make your checkbook digital!”

3) Get our oil changed on a regular basis.

I always think of car maintenance last. When we don’t have much money, I think we can’t possibly afford to spend money on the car. Well, that thinking got us into big trouble this past year. We have neglected to change the oil on our van, for probably years. As a result, the engine died completely. After several hundred dollars of repairs the auto repair shop thought could fix the problem, we had to get a whole new engine. The repairs were then several thousand. It was the most expensive and embarrassing mistake we have ever made. I guess I should take my own advice. See my post on “Pay now to save later” and “What does an oil change cost?”

4) Really watching our budget.

During my husband’s trial period at his new job (when they were paying him a base), we were doing a bit better financially. I started a new routine that really helped us budget better. I virtually set aside a certain amount for our monthly and irregular expenses each half of the month. Then whenever we spent money in those categories, I would debit it from that amount/transaction. I knew how much we had left to spend in those categories by what amount was left in that transaction. It really helped us stay under our budget for the month on categories that we have more control of.

What are your financial New Year’s resolutions? Please share in the Comments section.

Related articles:

• 3 Financial New Year’s Resolutions to Make for 2013 (askthemoneycoach.com)
• Money Matters – The Big Question – Is it worth making a New Year’s resolution to start saving? (sainsburysbank.co.uk)
• Savings Angel: How to succeed with your money-related New Year’s Resolutions (mlive.com)
• “Review: Kosher on a Budget”