We would all like to save money or have extra money for family activities.  Saving money on electricity is one way to put aside extra cash.  While there are no coupons for $20 off electricity, there are several easy ways to help those bucks add up, fattening your wallet as well as keeping unnecessary energy use to a minimum.

  • Get The Kids Involved

Talk to the kids about your plans and involve them in coming up with electricity saving ideas.  Show them the electric meter and the electric bill and explain how often you have to pay it.  Set a goal for a lower bill before the next one arrives.  Tell them the money saved can go for something special at the end of six months. 

  • The Obvious

Turn out those lights!  Make sure you and every member of your household understands how a light-switch works.   The concept is simple.  Leave the room and if nobody else is in it, turn out the lights.  Even very young children catch on to this with ease if the example is set for them.
If you have an electric water heater, take shorter showers.  With both water and electricity costs rising, it's a good idea to learn how to quickly clean up and rinse, rather than waste valuable energy and water standing in a shower.  Use a shower timer that allows three minutes and see how long it takes your kids to adjust.  Unless they've literally rolled in the mud and let it dry, three minutes or less is all they really need.

  • Appliances

The refrigerator is a large energy zapping appliance and the warmer the weather, the harder it works to keep things cool.  Make sure the seals are in good shape and train yourself and your family to open and close it quickly.  The less time the door is open, the less energy it takes to maintain the temperature.  After all, standing there staring into an open refrigerator never got anyone fed.  The food won't suddenly jump out and form itself into a sandwich or a meal because you're looking at it.
The dryer also uses a tremendous amount of electricity.  Hang clothes to dry as much as possible and try to use your dryer early in the morning or late at night.  Using the air-fluff feature for as little as two minutes after clothes have air dried removes the stiffness and cuts energy use almost 100%.
For heating up that frozen pizza, use a toaster oven rather than the full sized one.  It may take a couple of minutes longer but will still save a good amount of electricity.  Or use your microwave for reheating.  Newer microwaves have multiple power levels and using a mid range power level reheats better without using maximum energy.

  • Entertainment Electronics

Most households have multiple entertainment centers including TV's, DVR/DVD combos, computers, game stations, etc.  Use a power strip with surge protector for all the cords.  These have a switch you can use to turn everything off at once.  Or call an electrician out to add a surge protection in your switchboard that alone can make a difference on your electricity bill.
Most homes also have cell phones, tablets or other devices needing a charge daily or almost daily. Set up one charging station for devices with the various cords needed and plug into a power strip with a surge protector.  Again, turn off when not in use.  

  • Windows Open / Windows Closed

If the air conditioner or heater is running, your windows should be closed.  Otherwise, open those windows and let in the fresh air.  Wear sweaters in cooler weather and keep the heat off as long as possible.  In summer, use fans instead of a/c unless its unbearably hot.
For west facing windows, consider room-darkening shades in the summertime.  It keeps things cooler when the afternoon sun blazes.  Or in a cold climate, use extra insulation on the north facing windows. 
Overall, there are many ways to save electricity.  The kids will eagerly help once they begin to see a difference in those bills and are able to enjoy a movie night or dinner out that they wouldn't have had otherwise.  


Carla C. Burton is a self-employed Mummy blogger with a BBA in Business Administration from Bond University.  Although a Gold Coast native, Carla moved to Melbourne in 2008 to further her writing career and raise her children.  Carla has become a top contributor to many blogs worldwide and thoroughly enjoys the freedom that self-employment has provided her.  To find out more about Carla or to follow her other posts, follow her on Twitter @CarlaCBurton.
Many parents face the same challenge – how to create a stylish space with the focus on the comfort and safety of the kids? With a little planning and a lot of creativity, it is possible to create kid’s spaces that focus on functionality without sacrificing style. The secret to achieve this goal is to pay attention to the right questions.

Where would your son or daughter sleep? - The bed is the most important purchase for your child’s room. You may pick a specific bed and create the room’s theme around it or decide a theme and find a bed that suits the décor.

Do not choose a very small bed, as your child would soon outgrow it. Do not choose a very large bed either, as your kid may feel uncomfortable in the expanse. Choose something that would be suitable through his/her teen years. You can upgrade the bed once he/she is not a teenager anymore. 
 



Here is a style that looks good in a boy’s as well as a girl’s room with the right accessories!

Opt for a style that would be appropriate even after your child grows from a toddler into a teenager. An ornate bed frame with a pink canopy may feel great for your little princess; however, she will grow weary of the theme within a year or two.

A solution to the design dilemma – opt for an ornate bed frame in a simple white or black. Find changeable accessories to create the look you want. Dress it up with frilly pillows and lace bedspreads when your princess is two years old; replace them with pastel shades or vibrant prints when she grows up.

Where would your son or daughter play and read? - It is important to leave as much floor as possible to give your child enough space to play. This makes a bunk bed a good idea for a child’s room. 
 


The next thing you need is a study desk (a good example of how to incorporate this in the décor is shown here). This is where your kid will do his/her homework, work on arts and crafts and play with board games and puzzles. If there is no built-in desk, you just need to pair a table with a comfortable chair to create the right space to study.

To make the study area a little more interesting, you may use a number of simple tricks. Here it is done with a punch of bright red! Another great idea is to pair a simple desk with a classic Knoll chair. Seems too expensive? Opt for an inspired piece instead.

Another area that is sure to be a favourite with your child is a reading nook. 
 


A cosy, little built-in daybed or bench next to the window is the best place where your kid can curl up with his/her favourite book, take a nap or just sit and daydream. Drawers under the bench, as in the picture, can provide extra storage.

Where would your son or daughter brush and wash? - If you have more than one child and adequate space in your home, you may design a separate bathroom only for them. A space designed especially for them is sure to make your kids feel more inclined to wash and brush regularly. A space like this is sure to be nice!

If you and your kids share a bathroom, make sure there are steps that help them reach the basin or tub. While your child may not like a neutral colour palette, you need not saturate the space with colours to make things attractive. All you need are dashes of brightness.

Where would your son or daughter keep his/her things? Clutter – the thing every parent dreads! Always keep in mind that your children cannot be as well-organised as you want them to be. However, there is a solution for your troubles; just incorporate the right storage spaces in the room and help your kids de-clutter. 
 



Smart design classics, like the one in the picture, can store his/her clothes and playthings. If you want a little more extra storage, add baskets under the dresser or trays above it to make it easier for your children to stay organized.

Eva Green is a professional writer. In this article she has given idea on kids life, in particular design classics. The author is solely responsible for the views and images provided in the article.
Is your family fond of going out during weekends? Do you ever wish you could spend good quality bonding time together and still be able to save a few bucks for the rainy day? Despite the reality that money is usually of the essence when it comes to having great weekends, you can actually plan and have exciting and stimulating weekend family activities without breaking your bank. You just need to be creative, resourceful, and inventive so you can pull this off. Do you have any idea how?

The Family That Spends Quality Time Together, Stays Together

You don’t really need to spend a lot of money just to be able to have a fun, weekend with your family. All you need is each other and a burst of imagination to keep things exciting. Here are some suggestions you might want to consider the next time your family gathers together for some weekend bonding time:

1.       Have a weekend cooking spree.
Why go out and eat at restaurants when you can just stay at home and cook your own special weekend food? Divide your family members into teams and hold a mini cooking contest to make it more fun for everyone. Make sure to prepare a prize so everyone would be motivated to do their best. After everyone’s done cooking, arrange the table, serve all the dishes, and have a great weekend food fest!
2.       Engage in indoor creative activities.             
There are so many fun family things to do inside the house during weekends. You can try having art contests, hold gardening activities, or stage talent shows for everyone to participate on. This will boost everyone’s creative and artistic skills and promote more bonding moments as well.
3.       Form a new family tradition.
Do you have your own family rituals and traditions? Maybe it is time to create a new family ritual or practice and start doing it from that weekend forward. It could be anything that the family would enjoy doing or something that you don’t normally do but would be willing to try out. Make sure to get everyone’s input so all family members would be given the opportunity to contribute to its creation.
4.       Sign up on a local community charity work.
Weekends can also be the ideal time for families to contribute to the welfare of the society by volunteering as a group in different local charitable institutions. Find a non-profit group that you can help and pledge your family’s support. This is a really good way to make everyone aware of their social responsibility and be given the chance to actually be of help to the community.

Who says you need to spend a lot just to have exciting family weekend getaways? Money is not really of the essence during family bonding moments as long as you are open to try innovative, recreational, and frugal options. Do you have any frugal family weekend tricks up your sleeve? If you do, better try them out with your beloved family members now!

Niña Angeli Pilapil, a bookworm by heart, is an expert in promotional products used for both marketing and personal reasons. She is employed by Promopeddler.com as their official writer and blogger. This dark chocolate fanatic enjoys her spare time either reading books, watching movies, or just being with her family. If you want to connect with her, follow her at http://twitter.com/ninsbonita.
Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As summer approaches get those kids outside and have some fun! Plus, you can’t beat the extra family time.
Here are some ideas for the summer that are sure to have your kids begging to play outside.


1. Have a picnic: You can have one in your own backyard, at a local park or for a big time go to the local zoo. Grab a big bag, a vinyl tablecloth and lots of paper goods. Pack a sandwich or make your own lunchables also, you may want to grab some sand toys for the kids. Your kids are sure to love getting out for a relaxed family meal.

2. Play FAMILY sports: (Yes parents this means you play too!) Grab a soccer ball, baseball and glove or football. One of my husband’s fondness memories of his Grandmother is when she would play football with all the kids at family gatherings. Be “that” kind of parent or grandparent.

3. Bubbles, Bubbles and more Bubbles: Every kid loves bubbles. If you don’t want to go buy bubbles or if you would like to make a bubble project you can have your kids make their own bubbles using dish soap, water, a paper plate and coat hangers. You can shape the coat hangers into many different shapes making a range of bubbles.

4. Games: Play a good ol’ game of Freeze Tag, Freeze Dance or I Spy. You can also paint a big Twister Board on your yard if you a brave enough. How many of you spent hours playing these games when you were a child? With I Spy you may want to put together a scavenger hunt type of list and have your child spy and collect things from around your yard.

5. Ride Bikes: Our daughter now loves to ride her bike. We go on a family rides around the block. She loves it and asks for it often. If you think bike safety is important then please have your kids wear an appropriate helmet and guards. What happened to the 80′s when we never wore helmets and we all had awesome gravel scars?

6. Go for a walk: I love going on family walks. We like to walk up to the 7-11 that’s about a half mile away to get slushes. It is a good reward and is cool on a hot day. We also have some land behind our house which will be fun for exploring this summer. My daughter loves collecting rocks.

 7. Paint rocks (Outside): Most parents hate letting their kids paint because it’s messy so why not strip them down to their skivvies and let them paint rocks in the backyard. Afterwards you can hose down your painted up kiddo and the work area too.

8. Sidewalk Chalk: Whoever invented this stuff is brilliant! Park your cards at the end of the drive to block it off for a sidewalk art event. Invite the neighbor kids to come help make a masterpiece in your driveway. Good news it washes off! Your kids will have a blast.

9. Get to know your neighbors: Have a cookout on your front porch and invite your neighbors over. Your kids will meet new friends and so will you. It is a great thing to have great neighbors. (Sometimes kids like to play with other kids, go figure!)

10. Let your kids get dirty: Kids love to be creative and play mostly in stuff that they are not supposed to. Why not allow them to play in the mud? Have a special set of  toys and clothes just for messy play. Do you remember making mud pies? It’s time to teach your child to make them too. I would advise you to tell your child not to eat the Mud Pies as mine got a nice mouth full of dirt. Guess she will know better next time.

I hope you have a wonderful summer full of fun activities.

Emily is the current Mrs. Oklahoma City and a blogger over at itsthestringers.com. Go check her out!