Thursday, June 18, 2009

Vowing to spend less means doing so much more

For the first time since the weekend, I am sitting on the couch with the lap top, TV on and a Shiner in my hand. The kids are outside playing in the hose.

And I am relaxed......

Really. 

It's ironic. This summer I vowed to spend the lowest amount possible on summer activities. I did--seriously, I have spent about 1/4 what I usually spend. Yet, the insanely cheap activities the kids are doing seem to have about triple the time commitment. Really.

A very cheap small town track club is three days a week--2 hours each time.

Community theater ranges from 3 to 6 days a week--anywhere from 2 to 5 hours each time.

Vacation Bible School for the whole week, always cheap.

Swim lessons from an awesome friend for about 1/2 what everyone else charges--four times a week, four weeks.

And this leaves me amazingly pleased and tired all at the same time. I am thrilled to have found such great alternative activities for the kids I don't feel like I should complain at all. So I won't.

I'll just lift up this Shiner and wish you all a very fun-filled summer and a bit of advice--check out the cheap and free stuff your hometown offers, if you haven't. I promise--you will be shocked and thrilled all at once.

7 comments:

Clare said...

need to do this!! you are one busy mama this summer!

Unknown said...

So it pays off to not pay, huh? ; ) Glad you are enjoying the Summer so far...

KC said...

busy busy.. but it all sounds fun.

Laural Out Loud said...

You found some awesome stuff to do! We're on a serious budget right now, so I'm looking for free/cheap summer activities, and when a friend told me to just take my daughter to the beach I was like, DUH! I live at the beach, and there's nothing my daughter likes more than to swim and play in sand, so I can't believe I didn't think of it. I'm still on the lookout for other fun stuff as well, though!

Brian and Staci said...

This Summer I enrolled the boys in two days a week through July at this really great little (well...BIG) church camp called Super Summer. They get to do lots of really great things...things I wouldn't do with them I'm sure. I was feeling a little guilty about it...we usually do zoo camps and some other things...but this year I only did this (and Connor has golf camp for only 1 hr for a week at the end of July) and I am really liking it so far. It's turning out to be a really great Summer...not too busy and crazy :) I cracking up to your "raising the Shiner" comment!! Hee heeee heee...I don't care for beer so much...but I"ll raise my Smirnoff Ice up to you though!!!!!!! So wish you lived closer :)

dani said...

that sounds great... AND busy, lisa!!! hope you are having a great father's day:)
love,
dani

Amanda said...

I hope you all have a great Summer. Our Schools don't finish for another couple of weeks.
My parents are in Texas at the moment on their holidays visiting family. They phoned tonight and said it's very HOT!!!
Take Care Lisa!
l,
Amanda x