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.

Your Dollar Could Donate a Miracle

Having your child admitted to a children’s hospital is not something you ever imagine will happen when you become a parent. Sure, there are those trips to the pediatrician for routine ailments and maybe even an emergency room visit for stitches at some point, but not a hospital stay. If you have never had this happen in your family, be thankful. I speak from experience when I tell you it changes you forever.

About two and a half years ago, my son got sick. It started with a fever and no other symptoms. The next morning, he had a slight limp and was complaining of some ankle pain. As the day went on, his pain got worse and we noticed it increased as the fever got higher. Eventually, he was in so much pain that he stopped walking completely and started crawling through our house. At the time, he was six-years-old. The very next day, we took him to the pediatrician, who diagnosed him with strep, but also sent us for x-rays of his leg and a sonogram of his heart to rule out other ailments. Within 24 hours, we were sitting in the ER of Children’s Hospital of Dallas, where we were later admitted for what we would learn the next day was a bone infection. We endured five days of test, IVs and other things you never want to witness your child go through.

If I had to do it again - and I hope I never do - I would want my child right back at Children’s Hospital of Dallas, one of the local children’s hospitals supported by the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). The hospitals supported by the CMN turn nobody away. I was very lucky to have health insurance, but even if I didn’t, my son would have been treated. Whether they suffer from common childhood afflictions like asthma and broken bones, or fight bigger challenges like birth defects or cancer, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals provide comfort, treatment and hope to millions of sick kids each year – even when the kids’ families can’t pay. They are local families living in your community. This level of treatment is made possible by people like you, who donate money to help these hospitals keep their doors open.

Neighborhood Credit Union is asking you to join us as we participate in Miracle Jeans Days every Wednesday in September. Each Wednesday, we will be wearing our jeans to help raise funds for local children who need medical help. With the support of our members, we're working to raise funds for our local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Contribute as little as $1 at your local branch anytime in September, and we'll post your name on a Miracle Jeans Day donation form, We hope you'll join us by making a donation to make a difference.

Truth be known, my family fared well compared to many children who end up living in the hospital for years. As I was wheeling my son around the hospital many times for a change of scenery, we saw children who couldn’t sit up, couldn’t eat or didn’t have hair. Please, help these children and their families by making a donation at your Neighborhood Credit Union branch. Together, we can change a child’s life.

Time Flies...Make Sure Your Money Doesn’t Fly Away With It

Time flies as the old saying goes and years can seem like only a few months.  A forgotten check that you neglected to cash, a certificate of deposit that automatically renews each year, or a savings account at your mother’s credit union can all end up being money that flies away as well.  Bank and credit union accounts are considered dormant if there is no activity or contact by the account owner after a certain period of time.  Effective this year, the dormancy period for a checking, savings or certificate of deposit account has been shortened from five (5) years to a fleeting three (3) years. 

In less time than what most people take to pay off an automobile loan, a lack of activity or contact with your financial institution can result in your hard earned money being shipped off to your state government.  How much of this money is actually flying off to state coffers?  The State of Texas reports that it is currently holding more than $2.5 billion in cash and other valuables.  This occurs from a process called escheatment in which property is considered abandoned and forwarded to the State Comptroller’s office.

Of course you can always reclaim money that has been escheated  to the State Comptroller, but wouldn’t it make sense to prevent your money from being sent there in the first place?  States do not pay interest on your money.  While you may be earning a paltry sum now in some financial accounts, compare that to a zero percent interest rate.  Also, it takes more time to reclaim your money.  The State of Texas reports that it may take three or four months to review and process an Original Owner claim once it is received.

Credit unions and other financial institutions are busy this month running reports to determine if you and other members or customers have initiated any activity or contact in the last three years.  If they can’t reach dormant account owners before November 1, the money takes flight to the State Treasury.

Don’t let your money fly away through the escheatment process.  Take these recommended steps by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts today to protect your funds and prevent abandonment.

1. Check on your financial accounts annually. Keep a list of all of your bank and credit union accounts.  Make a transaction, send an email, or call the financial institution to check on these accounts at least once per year.
2. Complete a change of address when you relocate. To ensure any checks or other financial correspondence are forwarded to you upon a move or relocation, change your address with the United States Postal Service or your local post office.
3. Confirm your address for checks that your receive. Ensure that anyone issuing you reimbursement or other checks has your correct address.
4. Review safe deposit box contents annually. If you have a safe deposit box, review the contents at least once per year.  Also list it as a part of your estate and make sure a friend or family member is aware of it.

Being aware of escheatment rules for your state along with conducting a few simple steps to check on your financial accounts will save you future headaches.  Neighborhood Credit Union members can also learn more about protecting accounts from escheatment on our website. Time flies but you can ensure that your money doesn’t take flight along with it.

Article by Carolyn Jordan, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at Neighborhood Credit Union

Don’t Let Your College Kids Break the Bank

If your child is getting ready to leave for college or has already flown the coop, you know how expensive it can be. Tuition is only part of the cost. There’s also housing, meal plans, books, lab fees and spending money. If you don’t set spending boundaries in the beginning, your college student could become your biggest source of financial stress.

Here are some tips to help you set boundaries and avoid unexpected additional financial stress.

Be sensible about textbooks. When I was in college, there was only one way to buy books – at the campus bookstore. Now kids can rent textbooks, buy them online and even get some in an e-book format. If you buy them in person, look for used books in good condition. At the end of the semester re-sell the books your student no longer needs, either online or where you bought them, and use that money for books the following semester. I actually re-sold one of my college books online, 15 years after I used it, for $32.

Buy a meal plan. These can be expensive, but at least you know your young adult is eating something. My nephew was a college student who didn’t want the meal plan but was too proud to ask his mom for money. Some days he didn’t eat at all. A meal plan gives them access to food and keeps them from spending so much on fast food.

Set spending limits. My parents paid my car insurance when I was in college. I had to buy my own gas and come up with my own spending money. If you don’t want to be that parent, set spending limits. Have a specific amount deposited to the student’s account every pay day. If they run out, they have to wait until the next pay day like a grown up does. You might give them a credit card for emergencies, but put a limit on the card in case their definition of emergency is different than yours.

Remember Neighborhood Credit Union is here to help. Neighborhood Credit Union offers you a variety of tools to help manage your finances and teach your college student about money management. FinanceWorks is an easy to use budgeting tool and a complimentary service of Neighborhood Credit Union. Simply log-in to online banking and click the 'FinanceWorks' tab to get started today!

Following these guidelines won’t just save you money. It will teach your student responsible money management, as well.

Saving is Important, Even During Tough Times

We’ve had an exciting week here at Neighborhood Credit Union. One lucky member won $10,000 just for having and using our prize savings account. As a member, you get one entry for every $25 you deposit to your prize savings account. The more money you save, the better your chances of winning the grand prize.

That, alone, is a great reason to save money. Not only do you earn interest on the money you save, but you increase your chances of winning a lot of money. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know I could certainly use $10,000. Can you?

One of the reasons we offer this promotion is that we know how important it is for our members to save money, even when times are tough. I know this first hand. If you have followed these blogs, you may know that my husband lost his job at the end of February. Life has not been easy since that happened. I think we have eaten out maybe three times since February and my refrigerator is not nearly as full as I used to keep it. Even with very little debt and have very few bills to pay, we have still had to dip into savings on occasion.

Like many people, we didn’t expect to be cut to one income. When it happened, we didn’t think he’d still be looking for a job six months later. Of course, this couldn’t happen when it was cooler outside, so we have had some large electric bills to contend with, not to mention expensive prescriptions, for which we pay full price because we don’t have health insurance. If you have never been the recipient of unemployment before, I have some bad news for you. It pays very little. One two-week payment doesn’t even cover all of our prescriptions and the electric bill.

This is why it is so important to save, even during tough economic times. Six months ago, we were living very comfortably, probably eating out once or twice a week, buying whatever we wanted at the grocery store and even giving money to our church. Most importantly, we were stashing away money in savings, just because we could. I am so thankful we did it when we could, so we have it when we need it most.

Even if you don’t make much, try saving $25 a paycheck. Think of it as one entry into our grand prize drawing every pay day. If that’s too much, try $20 or $15. Do as much as you can and if possible, have it deposited directly to your prize savings account on pay day. After a while, you don’t even miss it. If a time comes when you actually need it, you’ll be glad you took my advice.

The economy is still tough, and the unemployment rate is still high. Save money now so you can be prepared for anything.

Getting the Most Savings From Texas Tax-Free Weekend

It’s the weekend many parents eagerly await. This year, Texas Tax-free Weekend will be August 17-19. Texas shoppers will not have to pay sales tax on most clothing, footwear, school supplies and back packs priced under $100 – in person or online. Generally, you save $8 on every $100 you spend for those items. Lay-away plans can be used to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.

I have not always been a big fan of the tax holiday, because I don’t think it offers that much savings on its own, and people often overlook back-to-school sales held earlier in the summer so they can save on sales tax in August. I have already purchased all of my son’s back-to-school items by taking advantage of great online deals and promotional codes, where I didn’t have to pay tax or shipping.

If you are waiting for the tax holiday to do the bulk of your shopping, here are some tips to help you get the best deals.

Shop Ahead of Time

If you will be shopping online, look for advanced sale ads online the week before the tax holiday. Many stores will post them like they do for black Friday. Put the stuff you want in your online shopping cart and save it so you just have to check out when the clock strikes midnight on August 17. If you wait much longer, many of your items could be out of stock.

If you will be shopping in person, go to those stores several days in advance, find your items and hide them behind other things. Get to the store as early as you can on the 17^th to locate your “stash” before others do.

Use Promotional Discounts on Already Discounted Merchandise

I spent less than $300 on a pair of Nikes, a pair of Asics and 15 clothing items for my son, because of an online promotional code that applied to all merchandise, including sale items. We’re talking polo shirts and nice quality shorts as low as $3 each. Take advantage of those promotions.

Do Your Homework

Don’t buy something you don’t need just because it’s a tax-free item – especially if it’s not on sale. If you buy something for $50, you’re only saving about $4. If that item goes on sale the week after, you could save even more. Do as much comparison shopping as possible and only buy those items that are bargains.

Know Which Items Qualify for the Tax Break

Just because it’s a school supply item sold in a store, doesn’t mean it qualifies as tax-free. Know what qualifies before you get to the check-out. Here are some links to help you.
Qualifying School Supplies    
Qualifying Clothing

Also, be sensible. If you see an unbelievable sale somewhere before Texas Tax-Free Weekend, don’t wait just to save $8. You may be saving a whole lot more by shopping early.

 

Ideas for Making Some Extra Cash

A friend of mine made me a proposition. Knowing that we are short on money these days, she offered to let me take her child home after school and keep him for an hour every day, instead of sending him to day care. She’ll pay me $50 a week. At this point, turning down $200 a month is not an option, especially for doing next to nothing. I have to take my own child home from the same school every day. I’m just bringing a friend with us now.

With school getting ready to start in just a few weeks (sigh), there will be many opportunities for moms or dads to bring in a little extra cash. Here are some other ideas.

School Shuttle Service

Offer to take kids back and forth to school for a weekly fee. I see at least 10 “mom” shuttles at my son’s school every day during the school year. They work before school and after school and make anywhere from $500 to $1,000 a week on a full schedule.

Personal Shopper/Assistant/Delivery

A friend of mine is moving out of her home and is absolutely overwhelmed with everything she has to get done. She has hired me for $12 an hour to help her purge stuff and organize her stuff. It’s not always easy work, but she pays me cash, and she pays me immediately. If you have good organizing skills or are a bargain shopper, offer those services for a fee to people or even small businesses which could use a few hours of help.

After School Extra Curricular Activities/Tutoring

Are you an artist or musician? Can you sew or cook? Perhaps you have a real talent for helping kids understand their school work. Offer after-school classes for kids in your home or a local recreation center. My son takes art classes and drama classes after school on different days of the week. I pay $50 a month for each. If you have as few as 10 students, that’s an extra $500 a month.

Substitute Teacher

The average pay for substitutes at a public school is about $75 a day, and you generally have to have a college degree or relative certification. Check with your local school district for more information.

Child Care

If you are home during the day and are good with kids, you might consider babysitting services, either for the whole day or just as needed. This can be for working parents with pre-school aged children or for parents who are home during the day but have doctor appointments where they can’t bring their kids.

Pet Sitting

People actually pay money for doggy daycares so their pets don’t have to be alone during the day. If you like pets and you’re home during the day, why not open your home to one or two non-destructive pets? They entertain each other and you earn some extra money.

With today’s busy lifestyles, people need and are willing to pay for help to get things accomplished. What are some ways you earn extra money?

Tollway Drivers Beware: Fees Add Up Faster Than You May Realize

If you drive the Dallas toll roads on a regular basis, you may already know how much you are spending on tolls in a given week or month. If you have a toll tag, have you looked at your online statement lately?

I am guilty of not paying attention to how much I spend on the toll roads. I am fortunate that I don’t have to drive often or long distances. Could it really cost that much during those few times when I need to use the tollway?

I actually left my toll tag at home one day and recently received an invoice for the driving I did. It was a huge wake-up call for me. Just going five miles to dinner on my birthday (10 miles round trip) cost nearly $6. If I would have had my toll tag, it would have been closer to $3, but that still seems pretty high to me for the distance we were going. Without a toll tag, it costs $2.28 just to take the closest exit to my house. That’s almost $5 just to start and end my trip, and that doesn’t count all the in-between tolls.

According to the North Texas Tollway Association website, the cost to drive the tollway is 15.3 cents per mile with a toll tag and about 23 cents per mile without a toll tag. If you drive 41 miles, which is the distance from my house to DFW airport, it costs about $6 ($12 round trip) with a toll tag and nearly $10 ($20 round trip) without a toll tag.

Keep in mind you still have to pay for your gas, too. My 14-year-old car gets nearly 30 miles to the gallon. A trip to the airport is 82 miles from my house. That’s about 2.5 gallons of gas. At $3.50 a gallon, that’s $8.75 one way or $17.50 round trip. Add that to my $12 round trip cost on the tollway and that’s about how much it costs for my family of three to eat at one of our local restaurants.

Now, I’m not telling you to stop driving on the tollway. I will definitely be curbing my tollway habit slightly, but even I will have to drive on a toll road from time to time. Just pay close attention to the tolls you are paying – especially if you have a toll tag. Most toll tag users do not pay attention to exactly how much they are spending to drive on those roads.

Be sensible and do the math. Can you take a different route or an earlier/cheaper exit? It may pay to find out. I just paid $72 in toll bills for my husband who does not have a toll tag and only uses the tollway for job interviews. Trust me. It adds up fast.

Great Deals on Staycation Hotspots

Are you one of those families that can’t afford a vacation this year? You’re in good company. My family has always managed to go somewhere during the summer, even if it was just for a few days. This year, it just isn’t going to happen. If you’re in the same boat, consider a staycation instead. That’s where you stay at home and take day trips to local destinations. Here are some good deals and special offers for you to take advantage off.

Ticketmaster Special Offers
I took my son to see the Peter Pan musical at Fair Park last week. He had been asking to see it since March. Ticket Master had a two-for-one offer which got us to orchestra seats for $50 total. Ticketmaster actually has offers like this all the time. You can get two-for-one, family four packs and tickets under $25 each to all kinds of shows. With the circus coming to town next week, you may want to check it out.

Hawaiian Falls
Sunday - Buy one Big Kahuna ticket, get one free – coupon
Friday Slide Night - Buy One Big Kahuna ticket after 2 p.m., get one free – coupon (expires Aug. 17)
Mondays – Buy a Big Kahuna ticket and get a free Little Kahuna ticket - coupon

Credit Union discount (click this link)
Then, click on Enter Coconut Club Code on the left.
Code: Neighborhood CU
Pay only $ 17.99 per ticket.

Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor
Credit Union discount (click this link) – username: NCUDALOT, password: SixFlags9
Pay $31 per ticket at Six Flags
Pay $21.99 per ticket a Hurricane Harbor

Museum of Science and Nature
Free child admission when you purchase an adult general admission ticket. Print coupon or purchase online using the code on the coupon.

Mesquite Rodeo
Pick up your $5 discount voucher to the Mesquite ProRodeo Series at any O’Reilly Auto Parts store in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine
Save $9 person with combo ticket that gives you admission to both places. They do not have to be used on the same day.

What staycation deals have you found this summer? Please share them here so everyone can benefit.

 

Feeding Your Family When the Money Just Isn’t There

Have you ever looked at your checking account balance and wondered whether you should buy groceries or pay the electric bill?  I was in a similar position earlier this week. There was not enough money to do everything I needed to do, so I had to get creative. It took some planning, but I spent (and bought) only what I needed at the grocery store to get my family through to the next check. Here are some tips to help you do the same thing.

Plan your meals ahead of time. When I realized I couldn’t afford many groceries this week, I looked in my refrigerator and pantry for anything I could make a meal of. Then, I spent an hour on Sunday planning our meals for the week. If you need help making meals from the ingredients on hand, use a website like Taste of Home or Kraft Foods. Both of these websites will search for recipes based on the ingredients already in your kitchen.

Use less meat. Last night, I made stir fry with chicken breast, fresh vegetables and orzo pasta, which is a lot like rice but tastes better to me. The only thing I had to buy was the orzo, which costs about a dollar. I packed the meal with vegetables and orzo and just used the chicken as an accent. It fed three people, and we still had leftovers.

Cook with more beans and grains. Beans, both fresh and canned, are one of the cheapest foods you can buy at the grocery store, along with pasta and rice. Choose beans that provide protein and pair them with the grain of your choice. Add a salad to get in your veggies.

Eliminate (even if it’s just temporary) soft drinks or drinks made from powder mixes. If you or your family members just have to have something with flavor instead of drinking water, make iced tea with tea bags, or buy lemons to make lemonade. Lemons are extremely cheap, and fresh lemons are much stronger than powder mixes or bottled lemon juice. You can also add lemon to your water.

Bake instead of buy. The cost of snacks adds up fast. Bake cookies with ingredients already in your pantry. This week, we’ll be making Rice Krispie treats from cereal already in the pantry and Peeps marshmallows leftover from Easter.

Opt for eggs instead of cereal if necessary. If cereal is not on sale, buy eggs. They are affordable and go a long way. They also are a great source of protein and keep your family full for a longer period of time.

Keep lunch simple. Peanut butter and jelly, pasta, tuna, rice and beans are all cheap lunches packed with protein. Use those instead of fancy lunch meats to get you through to the next pay check.

How else do you stretch your groceries? Leave a comment so everyone can benefit from your insight.