While quarantine may make it more difficult to spend time with friends these days, there's no doubting the importance of friendships in your day-to-day life. Did you know that there's even a national holiday that's designed to celebrate these special relationships? The first Sunday of every August is considered National Friendship Day This year it is August 2nd.
August is Back to School Month: Is Your Family Ready?
This has been one of the strangest summers on record for many people. And while uncertainty abounds at the moment, at least one thing is for sure: A return to school is coming — even though it may look very different this year. If you’re wondering how to prepare for back-to-school season when you don’t even know what school will look like yet, you’re far from alone. In honor of August’s Back to School Month, here’s a closer look at what to expect this fall, along with tips for helping your family cope with the many challenges of this unprecedented time.
Happy National Parents' Day: Celebrating in Uncertain Times
Even if you’ve never heard of this holiday before now, it’s an important one: July 26th is National Parents’ Day! Celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July every year, this annual observation honors the important role parents play in the lives of their children. Certainly, the last few months have found many parents in uniquely stressful and unanticipated times. However, this is all the more reason to appreciate their dedication to their kids through the good and the bad. Here’s a closer look at this special holiday, why it matters, and inexpensive ideas for celebrating.
Scavenger Hunt Fun For All Ages
Running out of ideas when it comes to keeping your family entertained while in quarantine? With National Scavenger Hunt Day quickly approaching on May 24, now is a great time to start brainstorming ideas for a family-friendly scavenger hunt. From toddlers and kids to teens and adults, these unique scavenger hunt ideas are as exciting as they are budget-friendly!
National Pet Day
If you’ve always wanted a pet but thought you couldn’t afford to care for one, you might be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a pet, even on a small budget. Vet care is often expensive, as is feeding your pet. However, you can often reduce or eliminate some higher costs of pet ownership. Celebrate your pets or get a dog or cat on National Pet Day if you can fit its care into your budget. Not only will you enjoy caring for your pet, but you’ll notice that your stress and anxiety levels will decrease.
The Library... An Affordable and Fun Family Excursion
Your library is an important resource in your community, giving you access to a wide range of media for both entertainment and educational purposes, but it’s also a great resource for more than just books and magazines. February 1st is National Take Your Child to the Library holiday, and this is an excellent time to dig into the resources that the library offers.
Indoor Family Fun
When the temperature is too low for snow fun in the winter, keep your kids busy with indoor fun – and away from the screen for a while. Create activities that are pure fun and activities that encourage learning. Depending on the age of your kids, learning activities might involve colors, numbers or even the alphabet. Older children might enjoy science projects that you can do with ingredients you have around the house, or they might even enjoy learning how to make cookies.
Enjoy the Holidays Without Spending Money
No matter how many sayings there are about the true reason for the season, it's hard not to feel pressured to spend money over the holidays. But if you look hard enough (and ignore the constant drone of marketers), there are plenty of activities that won't cost you a dime.
Celebrating Halloween without Scaring Away Your Savings
Halloween is the first holiday of the upcoming holiday season. Finding ways to manage money and ways to save so that you can enjoy all of the holidays might seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you think ahead for next year. For the current year, start looking for deals now and remember, it’s never too early to start preparing for the holidays.
Living Large on a Small Budget
Living on a small budget can be depressing sometimes — but you can rectify that by learning to live large while on a small budget and still get out of debt. Whether you like to travel or want to go out on romantic dates, you could find ways to do this without spending a ton of money.