Many children will be trick-or-treating tonight and tomorrow night.  Here are a few reminders of safety for us all.

1)  Stay in groups.  Never go trick-or-treating alone. 
2)  Teach children to never enter a home without prior permission from their parents.
3)  Teach your children to never approach a vehicle unless they have their parent or guardian.
4)  Carry a flashlight or glow stick and wear reflective clothing.
5)  Never go up to a home that is not well lit.
6)  If possible, go with your children.  If not, go in groups or see if your child can tag along with another parent.
7)  Consider attending fall …read more

It’s been estimated that it can take $284,000 to raise a baby to adult hood. That’s a pretty flipping high number. I’m betting you can lower it with some planning. Here are some general tips…

Never tell anyone your baby’s gender-to-be.
Start an emergency fund asap, I mean the second you find out your expecting, if you haven’t already.
Borrow most of your baby items. Regardless of what you may hear, it’s safe to do so.
Talk with an expert about the big issues. A good tax accountant should be able to help you plan for college, get the most tax returns on that …read more

With me working part-time from home and having three little kids, my husband and I are looking for ways to save money on dates.  We need some time alone!

Here are few ways to save on babysitting.
1)  Go on a lunch date. This is our newest way to save.  Our three oldest children are in school and our youngest is in preschool part-time.  We finally have a consistent time that we can get out together.
2)  Trade babysitting with others.  If you know of other parents that have kids, offer to trade with them.  Everyone needs some time alone and they would …read more

Sometimes more than we’d care to, we have to tell our kids “no”.  They want a new dress, a new toy, to go out to eat, and to buy whatever they decide that can’t live without.  Raising kids can be very expensive and it’s important to realize that you can’t give in to their every request.  Not only will you put yourself into a financial mess, but you’ll also be depriving your child of important life lessons.
Telling our kids “no” is inevitable.  Here are some tips to make it a little easier.

1)  Use emphathetic and understanding statements. “I understand that …read more

Halloween is right around the corner! This year, be sure to capture your little ghost or goblin’s memories in a unique way. An expert in children’s photography, Linda Russell offers 5 tips for parents to take perfect Halloween pictures.  

 1)  Utilize available light: Turn off your flash and use a tripod or even the back of a chair to stabilize your camera and use a slow shutter speed to photograph your child by jack- o- lantern or candle light.
2)  Light your child from below: For a really “haunting” photo, have them hold a flashlight below their face pointed up. Under-lighting is sinister …read more

Guest post by Stephanie Appleton.
Entertaining a family on a budget can be a challenge. It isn’t impossible though. Investing a little time and following a few simple tips, can save you a lot of money. 

Research.
This doesn’t have to be a lot of work. I regularly check the event calendars on our state, state parks, and library websites. These are full of free and low cost events for all ages. We also get a free paper that lists quite a few events.
If there is someplace you want to go, check their website first. You can find coupons or times that are …read more

Right now you can download Charity Kahn’s album Peanut Butter & Jam for free.  This is for the first 100 downloads only.

Charity is giving this away in support of Joel Tenenbaum’s defense against the RIAA music-sharing lawsuit.  Enter the code SILLYRIAA to get your free music.  Hurry, I’m sure this will go quickly!
In case you miss this freebie, you can download Charity’s Song of the Month for free. Currently, there are eight free songs available.

Michael’s is hosting a free family back to school Knack event.  At the event, your kids will be able to use stickers and paint to decorate a metal pencil box.

The event is on August 15, 2009 from 10 am until 1 pm and is available while supplies last.  For more information, visit The Knack website.

Fisher Price is giving away another free DVD with four animated GeoTrax episodes.  This one is Steamer & Samuel Save the Day.  Order now and receive your free dvd in 12-14 weeks.

I have received several free Fisher Price dvds and have found them to be a great addition to our dvd collection. 
Thanks to iMommies for the tip.  Image from Fisher Price.

It’s time for the free song of the month from Charity & the JAMband.  This month’s song is “Beach”.

“Beach” is an upbeat and fun tune that tells of magical treasure maps, dolphins playing in the surf, and dancing in the sand.  As always, Charity has included the lyrics and chords for the song.
It’s ok if you’ve missed out on the other free downloads.  Check out Charity’s free song of the month archive and you can still have them for free.  There are currently seven songs in the archive.
I hope that you’ll drop in and listen to a few other tunes and …read more