SCFD free days

Planning your summer?  Check out this link.  Thanks to the Science & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) (and our tax dollars) many organizations in the Denver area offer free days.  It's a great way to experience Denver's attractions without paying for them! 

**Note:  Because of their popularity, these days can sometimes be quite crowded.  I once went to the zoo on a free day...and it WAS a zoo!  We actually turned around and went home.  The zoo is one place for me that it's worth paying.

Blinding Summer

Now that it is almost summer, here is a tip to beat the summer heat.  Keep blinds/curtains closed for windows that get direct sunlight.  The blinds will reflect the heat away from the window, keeping the interior of your house cooler.

In winter, do just the opposite, using the sun's warmth to help heat your house.

Switch to Bi-Yearly Insurance Payments

I'm not sure why, but for years we've paid our car insurance in monthly installments.  I guess it broke the cost down into easier payments.  However, the insurance company charges a $1 monthly service fee for it.  I finally got around to changing to bi-yearly payments, saving me $12 a year.  Want to do the same?  Make a call today to your agent.  Every little bit helps!

Scrap Paper

This is my scrap paper drawer.  It's filled with paper that's been printed on one side.  The paper comes from all places-- flyers, school handouts, non-needed homework, etc.--- all FREE.  We then use the unused side to print items that don't need to look very nice (like my Grocery Game shopping list).  My kids use it to draw pictures, practice writing, paint, etc.  I use it to jot down lists, map my garden, write down directions--- you get the idea.  It's a great way to save money and to recycle what you already have!

Frugality is the Latest Fashion!

On Yahoo! today there is an article about how more people are choosing to be frugal.  So now, being thrifty isn't just saving you money, it's the trendy thing to do!

Feel Great--- Donate!

This might seem counterintuitive for a thrifty blog, but I believe it is so important to donate to charitable causes.  There are so many benefits from donating:

• Most importantly, you get to help someone else.
• Helping others helps you feel good.
• It teaches you gratitude for what you have.
• It takes your mind off of yourself and your money...helping to realize that money isn't everything.
• It helps you spend less because you realize how good you have it.
• Surprisingly, there are financial benefits as well, and I'm not talking about tax deductibility.  Arthur Brooks, a noted economist, shared a study he did about how giving makes you more profitable.  And you don't need to be rich to enjoy the benefits of giving.  To learn more, read his speech here.

So donate today (your money, your items, your time) and help brighten someone else's day!!