Don’t Pay Full Price Admission to the Texas State Fair

The Texas State Fair opens this weekend. Get your wallets ready. This year, admission is $16. Senior citizens and children age three up to 48 inches are $12 each. Children 2 and under are free.

I used to cringe when my son would ask what day we were going to the fair. I didn’t even want to think about the money I would have to spend just to get in, not to mention rides and food. The good news is there are lots of ways to save money at the Texas State Fair.

Free Admission

Children who attend public school in Texas usually receive a free ticket to the fair. Ours come home a day or two before our scheduled fair day holiday from school. Be sure to look at the date on those tickets. Often, they are only good for your school district’s scheduled fair day.

Every Thursday during the state fair, you get free admission with a Cinemark movie ticket stub.

Get in free on Thursday, Oct. 11 by wearing any item of clothing with a Dickies logo. (This is the Dickies clothing line and not the barbecue franchise.)

Senior citizens age 60 years and up get free admission every Thursday.

Canned Food Discount Admission

Any Wednesday, pay only $2 for admission when you bring three canned goods. They will be donated to area food banks.

More Admission Discounts

Opening day and Thursdays – bring a 20 oz. bottle of water (full and unopened) or any other 20 oz. Coca Cola product and get in for $6.

Tuesdays – get in for $5 when you bring an empty Dr. Pepper can.

Any day – pay $8 for admission after 5 p.m. when you bring an empty Dr. Pepper can.

Buy tickets online and save $1.05 each.

Buy tickets at Kroger at save $1.50 per ticket or save $10 on season passes. Kroger also sells a DART combo ticket, which includes general admission to the fair and round trip transportation on DART. Combo tickets are only available at Kroger.

Discounts on Midway Rides

Every Tuesday, most rides are half price. That makes most of them five tickets or $2.50 each. It’s still expensive, but it beats $5 a ride. Before you even head out to the fair, set a ride spending limit. Once it’s reached, the rides are over for the day. This will save you a lot of grief and will help the kids make wise decisions on which rides they really want to experience.

How much can you really save? Last year, I saved $29 just on admission with my son’s free ticket and an empty Dr. Pepper can. You can do it.

Remember, Texas State Fair Coupons NEVER expire. If you still have some from last year, use them. If you can’t use all the ones you buy this year, hold on to them for next year. And don’t forget to eat something fried in honor of the money you saved.

Affordable Ways to Update Your Kids’ Wardrobe

It seems like a regular weekday morning. You wake your kids, lay out their clothes and get their breakfast started. Everything is going along as planned when you hear those dreaded words. “Mom, these pants don’t fit me,” or “My shoes are pinching my feet.” You find yourself asking how the clothes that fit two days ago just won’t give another inch today.

Most moms on a budget get as much wear as they can out of their kids clothes. If the pants start getting shorter or tighter, you look at the calendar to see how long your kid may be able to get by until the season changes. Here are some ideas for updating the wardrobe when your kid is ready but your budget may not be.

Consignment

There are two major benefits to consignment shops for kids clothes. You can find high quality, brand named clothing at extremely cheap prices, and you can sell the clothes your children have grown out of at the same time. At many consignment shops, you’ll actually get more for the clothes you are selling if you opt for store credit instead of cash. These places sell like-new clothing. Chances are your kids (or anybody else) won’t know the difference. Here are some links for consignment shops and sales in the Dallas area:

  

Kid to Kid (multiple cities in Dallas area)

Sister’s Closet (Lake Highlands)

Cutie Patootie Resale for Kids (Frisco)

Once Upon a Child (multiple cities in the Dallas area)

Kids Consignment Sales (lists multiple seasonal sales in various cities)

Ebay and garage sales are two other options that can yield fabulous savings on new and gently used kids clothes.

E-mail Savings

Signing up to receive e-mails from your favorite kids clothing stores is an ideal way to get secret sale codes and special coupons for VIP customers only. Stack those savings onto already reduced prices whenever possible. Old Navy, Kohls, Crazy8.com and Children’s Place are just a few of the many places where you can use coupons on sale merchandise. Stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls sell brand new, brand named clothing at discount prices.

There’s also a special website called shopittome.com. Sign up on this sight by plugging in the exact criteria you’re looking for (i.e. boys clothes, size 7). Sometimes you can even choose specific stores. When there’s a sale that matches your criteria, you’ll receive an e-mail with pictures of specific items that specific stores have on sale.

Clothing Swap

Organize a clothing swap at your house. Invite other moms of all age kids to your home, ask them to bring seasonal clothing in a variety of sizes and let the swapping begin. It’s similar to a cookie exchange or book swap. You’re just adapting the idea for your own needs.

Kids grow out of their clothing so fast that it almost seems like a crime to spend a lot of money on new ones. With these tips, you shouldn’t have to.

Prize Savings Account Grand Prize Winner!

Esau Flores was the Neighborhood Credit Union Prize Savings Account Grand Prize winner for 2009. We appreciate your long relationship with Neighborhood Credit Union and we hope your excellent savings habits will inspire others to follow your example. Congratulations Esau!

        
 

8 Ways to Save $50 Per Month Now (Part Two)

Note: This is part two. Please see post below for part one.

When your budget is tight, it can seem impossible to save $50. Here are eight ways to help you do it quickly and relatively easily. Give it a try. You might be surprised at how easy it can be.

 5. Groceries

Coupons can save you a fortune when matched with weekly sales, but it does take time that some people are not willing to spend. What if you could do it electronically? Several stores in the area, including Kroger, Tom Thumb and CVS give you the ability to upload manufacturer coupons directly to your store cards. That saves you both time and money. Check out http://shortcuts.com/stores or Proctor&Gamble Everyday Solutions. You can also sign up for free daily e-mails from Never Pay Retail Again, which tells you what coupons match sales at various grocery stores nationally. It also provides information on deals at other retailers.

 6. Entertainment

Movies and eating out add up quickly – especially if you have a family. Brown bagging your lunch just one or two days a week is all it takes to save $50. Or, instead of take-out, buy from the deli at your local super market. Often, you can get the same thing for half the price. Also, look for restaurant coupons in your local sale papers or at restaurant websites.

Movies are another big budget buster. You can rent three of four movies for the cost of seeing one movie at a movie theater. If you’re not willing to sacrifice the big screen, consider the matinee, which is significantly less expensive than regular price.

7. Jobs and Hobbies

If you have a job that offers overtime, working just one extra hour a day can really add up. If you do not work outside the home, consider which of your hobbies may earn you some extra money. Are you an excellent cook? Try selling your cooking services to busy families for a small fee once a week. Do you make jewelry? Sell your wares at a local boutique or on Ebay or Craigslist. Do you have children? Offer babysitting services in your home one day a week. Do you sew? People are always looking for a reliable seamstress. Which of your hobbies can you turn into a money maker?

8. Debt

Credit card or other revolving debt can take a serious bite out of your budget. If your credit is good, look for offers to transfer your balances to credit cards with lower interest rates. Just be sure to make your payments on time or that low rate will quickly rise to double digits. Refinancing a car or a mortgage could also save a bundle on monthly payments.

8 Ways To Save $50 Per Month Now (Part One)

When your budget is tight, it can seem impossible to save $50. Here are eight ways to help you do it quickly and relatively easily. Give it a try. You might be surprised at how easy it can be.

1. Pay Yourself First

Some people have the $50 but spend it before it gets saved. The best rule of thumb is to pay yourself first. If your household receives regular paychecks, have a specific amount automatically deposited to your savings account. You’ll be surprised how fast it adds up.

2. Do It Yourself

Are you paying people for services you can do yourself like yard maintenance or house cleaning? If these services are taking a significant bite out of your budget, you might try doing them yourself or cutting back on how often they are performed by someone else.

3. Utilities

Review your monthly bills for cable, internet, cell phone and similar providers to see if you are being billed for services you don’t use. You could easily save $50 a month by cutting out internet access on your cell phone or reducing the number of channels you subscribe to on cable, FIOS or Satellite television. Pay for what you use and drop all the extras you can do without. Switching providers could also save you a bunch. That includes electricity.

4. Transportation

Gasoline expenses and auto loan payments can really impact your ability to save more money. If you are paying on an auto loan from another financial institution, see if you can refinance it at Neighborhood for a lower interest rate and lower monthly payment.

The easiest way to save on gasoline is to drive less, but that’s not always practical in the Dallas area. Other options include the DART rail. Many companies in the area purchase monthly rail passes for their employees and some will even purchase them for spouses. Toll Tag expenses can also add up. See how much you spend a month on the Tollway and figure out if it’s more cost efficient to take another route.

The Kroger chain of supermarkets gives fuel discounts to customers who shop with their Kroger card, which has helped some people cut their gasoline expenses in half. Tom Thumb and Wal-Mart offer so many cents off per gallon when you use their card.

 

Note: Stay tuned for part two as we will reveal four additional tips to start saving money now.