Fun Without Funds!

So.... As many of you know, my husband has been working on starting a business for the last 18 months.
I have been working part time (or on most days, full time for part time pay!)
So, needless to say, we have relied heavily on our savings for the last 18 months. Lucky for me, I have a husband that is very good with money. We determined a monthly amount that would be allowed to come from savings. My husband is adamant that this is all that comes out of savings (this is good).
My plan would be to pull additional from savings if there is an "emergency". This is not good. There is at least one un-expected expense or emergency every month! For example, this month our ice maker stopped working, and the main sprinkler box needs to be replaced. See what I mean! Neither of these are in the budget this month, so we will just suffer through!
To sum it up - it is good we follow his plan and not mine, or we might not still have a savings account.

Now, don't get me wrong; I am not always "Miss Positive Attitude" about our budget. This budget kind of sucks..... and the longer it goes, the more it sucks. I try to be positive for the most part, but every once in a while, I crash. Oh my goodness! Did I just admit I was human?! I am trying so hard to be a Wonder Woman Mom and Wife, but alas, I am reminded I am a mere mortal.....

Alright, on to the point of this post: Fun without funds! We have found there are many free, or very inexpensive things to do in the community - and they are fun!!!
So, here is the list of our regular inexpensive fun:

• The summer reading program at the library is fun! It also provided us with a regular activity. We signed up at the first of the library and came home with a reading card to fill out. Each child had to commit to how many minutes they would read for each session. For each session they filled in a box. Every month (June, July, and August) we returned to the library with our reading cards and received a prize. On the last month, they got a prize, a free book, a bookmark, a coupon for free fries as Carl's JR. and a free kids meal at Del Taco! They are in heaven!
• Movies in the Park. On most summer fridays there was a movie in the park. You take your blankets, treats and friends and lay/sit in the park watching a movie on the big screen - they loved it!
• Incidentally, you can borrow movies from family and friends - and let them borrow yours! The library is also a great place to rent movies.
• Ok, so we really like movies..... Did you know that for the cost of one ticket at the nice theater ($8.00) we can take our whole family to the dollar theater (now the $2.00 theater) and see a movie? Yep, the whole family for $8.00! What a deal!
• Art shows at the musuems are often free. Our family had a great time at the Walter Wick art show this summer at BYU - granted, we needed gas money to get there, but aside from that, it was free and fun!
• Bike rides, walks, and playing at the park.... these are all fun and free - the added bonus is they are also exercise!
  

So, as you can see, we had plenty of fun on our summer vacation! Hooray for the free stuff!