Every day, more and more families lose part of their household income. This means that some of the things families have taken for granted over the years are suddenly out of the question. Take football tickets for instance. When a household income is suddenly cut, it can be impossible for a family to afford season tickets. Thankfully, there are many inexpensive ways for your family to enjoy football night without spending a fortune.

First of all, if your family simply enjoys football, why not go watch local high school football games? Not only are these games more affordable, but it’s fun to support a local team. Plus, many high schools charge less than $10 per ticket. High school students can even get in at a discounted price. Not to mention that the snacks are more affordable.

When times are tough, don’t forget that some of the best games can be watched through satellite and are included in the price you’re already paying. For special games, you may have to pay to see them on pay-per-view, but if the game is really important, everyone can pool their money together to pay for it.

If times are really tough, you can also listen to games on the radio or sometimes watch them online. If you’re looking for a game that isn’t local, satellite radio is a good option. You can even find online radio broadcasts by visiting the team’s website.

As you can see, there are a number of different ways for your family to enjoy their favorite football games for less money. Best of all, you can prepare snacks at home for a fraction of the cost that the stadiums charge. Let’s take a look at what I mean.

Stadium Snacks for a Family of Four”
Hot Dogs $24
Drinks $12
Popcorn $10
Total: $46

Snacks at Home”
Hot Dogs $10
Drinks $2
Popcorn $4
Total: $16

That’s a huge savings. Not to mention, that you’ll never miss a play heading to the snack bar.

Being plus-sized and pregnant doesn’t mean you need to wear miu-miu dresses and tops, hide in oversized tunics and t-shirts, and shy away from flaunting your figure. Plus-size moms-to-be can be just as stylish and trendy as their thinner counterparts because looking great has nothing to do with your weight!

Pregnancy is a great time to become more comfortable with your body and wear clothes that flatter you. In order to wear the latest styles and trends, you’ll need to invest in some quality clothing that accommodate for your growing body. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Stick with Lycra and knit tops. You need clothes that will stretch and conform to your changing body shape, not clothes that will constrict you or hug you too tight. Choose knit tops that are made with Lycra so you can enjoy the benefits of stretch fibers throughout your term.

2. Shop the maternity line, even in the plus-size section. It can be tempting to just go up a few sizes when shopping for maternity clothes, but you won’t fit into these pieces of clothing properly. Shopping for maternity clothes in the plus-size section ensures that your clothes will fit you properly and accommodate your growing belly.

3. Get fitted for your pants and skirts. If you’re unsure about the size you should wear for pants and skirts, get fitted by a tailor so you truly are wearing the right size. Once you know your size, you can purchase pants and skirts from the maternity department, because these are made with elastic waists and will accommodate baby bumps with ease.

4. Wear empire-waist tops and dresses for special occasions. Empire-waist tops and dresses are ideal for the pregnant woman because they emphasize your natural waistline and don’t cinch or pinch around your baby bump. Look for these styles when shopping the special occasion section of the plus size department.

5. Wear larger prints and patterns to complement your figure. Wearing bold and large prints will complement your larger figure better than teeny-tiny flower prints and other delicate patterns. Look for these prints in either your top or your bottoms for a figure-flattering look.

When you’re on a budget, a birthday party can seem extremely expensive. This is especially true if the birthday party is hosted outside the home. Everything from a cake to the meal can cost a fortune when celebrating at a local restaurant. Instead of spending a fortune on birthday parties, why not save some money in the kitchen and make your own birthday cake and party foods?

A restaurant meal is a special way to celebrate a birthday. But, making someone their favorite meal from scratch means so much more. That’s especially true if it’s a meal you don’t make very often because it’s expensive or time consuming. This is the perfect way to celebrate when only a few people will be coming over.

If a lot of people will be attending the party, food platters are a wonderful idea. As always, you will definitely save money by putting platters together yourself. You will also save more money the more you have to do. For example, instead of buying cheese cubes, buy large blocks of cheese and cut them yourself.

The most important part of any birthday party is of course the cake. Just because you’ll be making the cake at home doesn’t mean you have to go with a mix. In fact, making a cake from scratch is much more affordable. Not to mention that they taste a lot better. There are literally hundreds of recipes online.

Speaking of recipes, the following recipe is great for entertaining.

Buffalo Chicken and Onion Rollups
Serves 20

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shredded
10 burrito sized tortillas
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
½ package of ranch dressing mix
Buffalo wing sauce
1 cup of chopped green onions

1. Toss the shredded chicken with enough buffalo wing sauce to make it moist.
2. Mix the softened cream cheese with the ranch dressing mix and spread onto the tortillas.
3. Top with green onions and roll.
4. Cut each roll into five pieces and serve on a large platter.

The kids have gone back to school and the parents finally have a bit of time for themselves. Unfortunately, the economy has made it hard to go out for an expensive night on the town. That’s not a problem though. This weekend, send the kids to grandma’s house and enjoy a romantic dinner at home while saving money in the kitchen.

Why spend close to $100 at an expensive restaurant when you could create a romantic dinner at home? The truth is that not only will you save money, but you can also create a romantic atmosphere at home. In fact, a dinner at home allows for much more romance than any restaurant ever could.

First of all, decorate the dining space for the special occasion. If you don’t have a fancy tablecloth, use a white sheet tied at the corners with ribbon. Place candles on the table and break out the good china. You could also add fresh flowers.

Now that the mood of the room is set, it’s time to think about the menu. You can’t go wrong with steak, but another romantic option is Cornish game hens. They are perfect served with wild rice and roasted asparagus. Of course, what would dinner be without a romantic dessert?

Cheesecake Hearts
1 frozen plain cheesecake, thawed
6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
Whipped cream
Strawberries

1. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut the cheesecake into hearts.
2. Freeze the cheesecake.
3. Mix the chocolate chips and shortening together and melt in a double boiler.
4. Dip the frozen hearts into the melted chocolate.
5. Place the hearts in the refrigerator until firm or ready to serve.
6. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

A romantic dinner doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, this menu could be prepared for less than $40. And it truly is a great way to ring in the back to school season.

It’s that time of year again. Parents are smiling, while children are whining. School is almost back in session and that means school lunches. Parents have many choices. Parents can fix a bagged lunch, pay for a school lunch program, or drop off their children’s lunch from a local fast food restaurant. Obviously, the healthiest and most affordable option is to create bagged lunches for your children. This week, let’s discuss how you can save money in the kitchen by making bagged school lunches.

The most popular bagged lunch item is the classic sandwich. But, let’s face it. The plain old PB&J can get a bit boring after a while. For a little something different, why not try topping raisin bread with slices of green apple, all natural peanut butter, and honey? It’s not only a delicious treat, but healthy as well.

What about those children that love those expensive lunch kits? How can parents save money on those? First of all, buy some crackers, cheese, and luncheon meat to create the classic. For something a little special add mini bagels, pizza sauce, cheese, and turkey pepperoni to the lunch box so kids can make mini pizzas.

On those cold winter days, make use of the classic thermos by sending soups, chili, and even stews to school with your kids. If you really want to create a special lunch, surprise your kids with a thermos filled with hot chocolate for dessert.

Speaking of desserts, this week’s recipe not only saves you money, but it’s much healthier than most lunchbox desserts.

Personal Pudding Parfait
1 snack sized pack of sugar-free chocolate pudding
4 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
4 tablespoons fat-free whipped cream
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. Layer half the pudding, half the cookies, half the whipped cream, and half the chocolate chips in a small sealable plastic container.
2. Repeat the layers.

Bagged school lunches don’t have to be expensive or even boring. With a bit of creativity, parents can prepare meals that are delicious, healthy, fun and affordable.

Do you love appetizers and find yourself bringing home frozen varieties each week? Why?!? These have to be one of the most expensive items in the store. Seriously, we all buy them and love their convenience. But, what if you could make delicious appetizers at home? Would you still buy frozen ones at your local grocery store? This week, let’s discuss how you can save money in the kitchen by making appetizers at home.

First of all, remember that the internet is full of free recipes. You can even find copycat recipes that mimic your favorite restaurants and brand name products. Thanks to website like, CopyKat Recipes, you can find free recipes to make your favorite appetizers.

If you’re a cookbook collector like me though, you may want to try some of the popular copycat cookbooks that are available, such as the Top Secret Recipes series. Some restaurants even sell cookbooks that feature their popular recipes.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Saving money is all well and good, but what about the convenience of frozen appetizers? Thankfully, you can have that in your kitchen as well. Many appetizers can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, either before or after cooking, depending on the recipe. This means that all you have to do is pop them in the oven or deep fryer and you’ll have fresh appetizers in a matter of minutes. Want an example? Try out these mozzarella sticks.

3 Ingredient Mozzarella Sticks
Serves 4

1 (16 ounce) block of mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, beaten
3 to 4 cups Italian bread crumbs

*1*. Cut the mozzarella into sticks, about ½ inch thick.
*2*. Coat the sticks in egg and then toss in bread crumbs.
*3*. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet, spray the tops of the sticks, and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, or until golden brown, turning after five minutes.

Tip: If you like, you can freeze the mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet before baking and then transfer them to a zip top bag for easier storage. Simply increase the bake time to 20 minutes.

Remember playing video games when you were younger? Chances are your children enjoy video games just as much as you did. But, did you ever consider getting the entire family involved in playing video games together? Why not? Thanks to the Nintendo Wii, everyone can enjoy video games. Even the Xbox 360 allows up to four players. This week, let’s discuss how you turn those expensive gaming consoles you purchased at the holidays into family fun.

There are a variety of different video games for families to enjoy. If your family enjoys board games, there’s always Monopoly . If you’d like to get the family into an exercise program, EA Sports for the Nintendo Wii is a wonderful option. You can even enjoy classic games that you played as a child. If you’re worried about investing in a game your family won’t like, don’t be. There are ways to try the games before you buy them and score really good deals.

First of all, never purchase a video game without trying it out first. Many department stores have the latest games setup so that you can try before you buy. This is especially true for gaming bundles, such as EA Sports and Wii Fit. You can also rent games from companies like GameFly. Both of these options allow the family to try out the game and determine if it’s a good choice for them.

If you’re still worried about price, which can reach over $100 for some bundles, don’t be. You must think about how much money you’ll save over the long run. Think of how many nights you and your family can spend at home playing the new game. Of course, you may also consider pawn shops and yard sales, which are a wonderful place to score great deals on gaming systems and games.

Thanks to the new video games that are available, everyone can enjoy this activity. Whether it’s board games, sports, or even taking the lead in a rock band, you’re bound to find a game you and your family will love.

Most kids love to build things. They also like to participate in contests. This summer outdoor activity combines both and is simple and fun. Building their own sailboat and then watching their creation in action can make a child feel good about him or herself. It also is fun, provides fitness, and exercises creativity and thinking skills.

Toy sailboats can be designed by the child and parent. Another choice is to search the internet for free toy boat building instructions. Many hobby and toy stores also sell ready-made kits that simply need to be assembled. Judging by the child’s age and experience, parents can decide which is best.

For more fun, the project can be made into an event with family and friends. Set up a building area in the local park or your own backyard. Each child should have the necessary supplies to complete his or her boat building project. Parents can decide whether all the kids will do the same project or whether they will each choose their own way to build their boats. Be sure to have snacks and refreshments, as the kids will be working hard.

Once the boats are built, they can be taken to a local pond, creek, or stream where the kids are allowed to race the boats. Determine a starting and finishing point. Be sure to watch which way the water current is flowing. That is the direction the boats will need to go. Determine a signal to start. When the kids see or hear that signal, they must drop their boats into the water at the starting point.

The kids will enjoy running alongside the water bank to keep up with their boats. Don’t forget that kids should have appropriate footwear when running. You may see them cheering on their on boat, hoping it will beat the rest to the finish line. This provides great exercise and healthy competition. One or more kids may get disappointed if they don’t win. It’s all part of learning and growing. Prizes or award ribbons can be given to the winners for first, second, and third place.