How to Plan a Cheap Family Vacation... without being "cheap"

After months of skimping, saving and planning, the annual family vacation is finally here. You head out for your much anticipated time away, but come back not only needing a time of recuperation from the hectic schedule, but also an exhaustive overall on the family budget.

What do your family vacations look like? Do you ever come home and think, "Next year, we're doing something different?" There is a time for that dream vacation, but there is also a time to ponder doing something unique and unexpected.

We began a new family tradition this year with my extended family...a radically different family vacation on a budget. And not just any budget, a "no spend" budget.
With three brothers that are entrepreneurs and an unemployed husband, we decided that if we wanted to make this vacation a reality, it would have to be a "no spend any money at all" vacation.
And by "no spend," I mean that no spending took place on this vacation besides buying a few additional groceries, and an item at Good Will (of course).
Our Pigeon Forge lodging was at a beautiful time share property that had been paid for previously, and the only other out of pocket expense was gas.

We all brought cooler/meals with us, but then made a few runs to Walmart once we arrived.
With five children, we can't afford to eat out often, but we typically splurge on a few meals during vacation. For the first time ever, not one bite of food came from a restaurant . It was pretty funny to see the kids reactions the first two days.
At one time or another, every son, daughter, niece and nephew pestered, "When are we going out to eat?"
"We're not."
"What do you mean, we're not? Not today?"
"Not at all. We are not going out to eat at all this week."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously!"
Once they finally realized that we were not bluffing, everything was just fine.
(I tell you honestly, this was hard for me to stick to as well. :)

So was this a boring week? Hardly. We got to engage a creative side that we wouldn't have typically explored.
Now, I understand that since we have such a large group it might be a bit like comparing apples to tomatoes if there are only four in your family. It may take a few days to unwind and realize that just spending time together is the goal, and that can happen with 4 or 44.
It's easy to forget, especially on vacation, that the very best things in life are free.

Frugal vacations are my specialty, but I will save the "tips" for another post.
This is just an inside look at a few things that we did throughout the week.
Each morning after breakfast, my brother led devotions with the kids.

It was a engaging time of discussion, and sharing of ideas on the topic of the morning.

The teens were all situated on the floor and depending on how late they stayed up the night before, they may or may not have been overly participatory. :) The "kids" ranged in age from 5 - college. My eldest niece is an officially married women, and they had their first baby in tow - she was excused from the devotional time...hee hee.

The first two days we never even left the Wyndham property. Most of the time on vacations, kids think they have to go, go, go, and we fall into the trap of their continual pestering. Setting the advance expectation that this vacation was going to be about family time, and cherishing the family relationship, set the tone for a great week.
The older boys hung out in the parking lot playing b-ball (without a hoop),

while the middle schoolers realized that playing on a playground can be "cool," especially when it involves some aspect of danger while your picture is being taken.

There was lots and lots of "chilling" time, as the teens explained.
Sharing life together, back rubs from cousin to cousin, laughing and giggling till the wee hours of the morn took place in grand proportion with this group.

And you wouldn't believe how much excitement came from these Three Musketeers just from checking out the "hot ride." They examined, dreamed and role played for 30 minutes. :)
That 30 minutes occurred minutes before heading to the hotel lobby where someone was giving a Parrot demonstration. Parrot Mountain in Pigeon Forge brought some of their birds to show. It was a delightful hour, one in which I would have skipped had we not been searching for fun things to do on the property.

By the third day, we girls were itching to go shopping! So where else would the relatives of the Frugal Fashionista go? Good Will, of course.
We were on the hunt for a "mother of the bride" dress. We came awfully close, but we were worried that this beauty might show up her daughter. :)
(Yes, I am bragging on my hot nieces, but you can look that good and still love to shop at GW.)

Now I must add that these prices were a bit higher than I am used to. Good thing my "elderly" mother was along for her Senior Citizen discount because we all saved an additional 25%.
(May I look that fabulous when I am that old...70...shh, can you believe it?)
Yes, that is the only shopping we did for the week.
On the third day, my dad had scoped out this unbelievable community park.
The guys went early and it was old guys vs. the young guys for a war to end all wars.
Yes, we tend to get the testosterone going on our family reunions. See the picture on the left? Everyone playing was from our family, except one guy that was begging to get in on the action.


While the big boys played ball, the younger ones had a blast on the huge swing set.

Only my 18 year old niece would challenge some native Mexicans to a soccer game. This is a prime example of thinking outside the box on a "no spend" vacation. It was so much fun to watch them, and this was a highlight of their week.


As dinner approached, we all unpacked the picnic suppers that we had brought. Each family brought their own, and the smorgeousbord included everything from fried chicken and burritoes, to good old fashioned sandwiches.
It was such a beautiful evening, but we had to wrap it up in time to head back for the finales of American Idol. I think we got a few complaints that night from the loud screaming that came from the 4th floor when Kris Allen was declared the winner. ( I was actually alone in my room when the winner was announced...what was I thinking? I had to scream all by my lonesome.)

I had to go back one day early to speak at a home school conference. I missed the best part of the week, but was able to share in it through my sons photography. The family hike solidifies the essense of what a "no spend" vacation is all about.

Reveling in the glory of the Creator.

Living dangerously by dipping in some ice cold waterwalls.

Pondering the silence and solitutude of nature...

Ha - I can't believe you fell for that one.
There was definitely no silence on this walk.
In fact, the irony of this picture is that the sign says,
"DANGER - falling deaths have occurred. Closely control children.
High Vertical Drop off."

Good thing we begin our child training early.

Did I forget to mention that from the four siblings in my family (me, and my three brothers) there are 29 children? I'll let you ponder that math for a minute before I close. :)

The American "microwave society" screams that we must have everything quick. Patience is no longer a virtue. We must spend money to have fun, and if we don't schedule, schedule, schedule, it's just plain BORING!
I encourage you to throw out that lie, and replace it with the truth. If there's ever a time where a picture speaks truth, it's this one.
This is what it is all about. Quality relationships.
Teenage sister, brother and little cousin enjoying life together.
No Game Boys, no X box, no cell phone, no Facebook...just LIFE!
Guess what? We've already scheduled next years "no spend" vacation...and I can't wait!

But maybe we'll splurge on just one meal out.... ;)
******************************************************************************
Be inspired by my friend IRL, Emily (Chatting at the Sky),with more unwrapped moments.

*I came across an amazing resource called, "Kids Love...North Carolina" (put in your state).
Michelle and her husband "vacation" for a living and write family travel guides to explore "Kid Tested" places...year round. This is the best $15 you'll spend if you desire creative things to do on vacation or even to enjoy a "staycations" by doing a day trip.. Go check it out. I get nothing for this recommendation, but couldn't believe the gems I found.
KidsLoveTravel.com

Posted at: Bible Money Matters
Homemaker Barbi

Scrumptious Strawberry Pie

Every single day this week we have been enjoying the fruit of our labor...literally.
I love strawberry picking season, but this year, I didn't pick enough - only three pathetic gallons. We just finished the last of our fresh berries today, and I am already mourning their loss.

Last night, we gathered as an extended family and enjoyed feasting on this beauty. My sis-in-love was searching for a fresh strawberry pie recipe that didn't call for gel, and this was a perfect find. It's quick, easy and delicious...so easy that I don't have an exact recipe for you. Yes, it's one of those. :)

1. Make a pie crust from scratch or use a good ole' store bought variety...bake accordingly, and then let the crust cool.
2. Soften an 8 ounce package of Cream cheese, and spread across bottom of the crust.
(It doesn't call for any sweetener. but we think adding a dash of vanilla and powdered sugar to sweeten it makes a gourmet difference.)
3. You will need 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups...I checked ;) of fresh berries (but we used a bit more).
4. Slice three cups of fresh berries and cover the cream cheese (see above pic)
5. Take the remaining three cups of strawberries and mash.
Mix the strawberries with 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 4 TBS flour till thick. Heat over the stove and bring mixture to a soft boil, stirring constantly for ten minutes so it doesn't burn.
Let mixture cool. This is what is will look like - yum! I could have just eaten this all day.
6. Taste test the homemade whipped cream, but maybe not with your finger since this is for company (that was my naughty mom. :)

7. Pour mixture into pie crust and it's ready to be devoured.
My precious nieces were trying to help me make this more "presentational". They added the "flower" - Southern Living at its finest.
Can you tell we were eating by our ambiance lighting?
We were celebrating my sweet niece's graduation from high school. She was home schooled all the way through and will now be entering nursing school in the fall. She is a true sweetheart and total servant. I can guarantee that there will be a few people who will not want to check out of the hospital when she is their nurse.
And when you have an extended family this large, there are always birthdays going on at the harried homestead. We threw in a special happy birthday dirt cake as well.

(My sweet daughter and nephew).

So what special things do you have to share for Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods?

As always, please follow the simple guidelines or post will be deleted.
1. Include your post showing us your Tasty Tuesday recipe or ideas.
2. Link up below to the permalink of your post. To find out what yours is, simply click on the title of your post and grab the permalink from the address bar.
3. Link your post back to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam as a courtesy to me so everyone will know where to find more recipe inspiration.

$25 Target Gift card is here - get yours now!

95% of the time when I share a "deals and steals" post, I check out all the things I offer. I want to know I can recommend them whole heartedly.
When I first posted about this free Target gift card, I mentioned that this was one deal in which I had not done, but was willing to give it a try.

Since the faith of my readers means a lot, I was beginning to get a bit nervous. It took 6 1/2 weeks, but my Free Target card JUST CAME!! I am so thrilled! This was well worth it for me, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

In order to get your free Target card, when you first sign up, you will need to give your credit card number. I only gave mine since I trusted the referral. There is a $2.95 trial membership charge. It is up to you to enjoy this trial membership and use the privileges, but your credit card will be charged additionally if you do not cancel within 30 days. That is your responsibility as outlined when you sign up, so make note of that. (****Please read the fine print. I think to get the two gift cards, you must now stay for one additional month, which is still a fabulous deal.)

It did take me weeks before I received my membership packet. I emailed them and let them know that when I only have a 30 day trial period, that wait was way too long. Their customer service replied very quickly, and it had been mailed.

In order to receive your gift card, there is one additional 30 second hoop to jump through. To claim it, you will receive a separate piece of paper that needs to be filled out and sent in.
The gift card is sent from a different distribution center. If you fill it out and send it back, you WILL get your gift card. If you've done this already, it should be coming. I would have been the first person to sign up. :)

Save your confirmation email. Keep that handy so you can contact customer service with any questions. They were very responsive to my emails and confirmed my cancellation immediately with no charge to my credit card...for anything.
I was very pleased with how they handled everything.
I did receive one email from a reader who waited 3 weeks for her membership packet and then had her credit card charged right at that 30 day mark. She called them and they were going to get back to her, hopefully with a good resolution, so make sure that doesn't happen to you.
I guess, even if by chance you forget, you're still going to receive a $25 Target gift card. That is still a great deal for minimal effort while enjoying some additional savings.

I just wanted to give you an update.
Enjoy this fun Target splurge. :)
Click the picture below to hear interviews from the founder and get your Target card now.

A Sunday Moment

It's interesting to me that so many people view this road as narrow.
This narrow path saved our children from danger.
My daughter held her daddy's hand as she hiked this trail in Pigeon Forge.
She was safe, secure, and satisfied that he had her best interest at heart.
He would not bring her harm, even though she was scared.
And guess what? At the end of that narrow road...she experienced LIFE!

(photos taken by my son)

Glorious Life! Life to its Fullest!

The same is true of our Heavenly Father.
He has come to give us abundant Life!
Through my saving relationship with Him,
I am safe, secure and satisfied.

There is a way to experience that Life,
and it's quite simple...his name is Jesus Christ.

'I came that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'

John 10:10

Do you know my Jesus?

How to find the perfect bedding...

...why you buy it from someone else, of course!

You truly didn't think I would be giving out decorating tips on bedding, did you?
I stop at the fashion and decorating with spray paint tips, but I do have a few gems to share with you about what I have learned this past year.
1. Did you know that people spend 1/3 of their lifetime in bed?
2. Did you know that many people change out their bedding each season?
3. Did you know that people paint their room based on a comforter set?
4. Did you know that I had no clue how expensive some of these sets are selling for?

Well, I have come a long way since I poured my heart out over my bedroom bedlam,
and in keeping with the theme of making my home a haven, I am actually swapping out my bedding today.
Yes, today I am changing out my cozy, winter down comforter from this...

To this....soft, light and ready for the summer months.
I am one who is very content to have the same comforter for years. I never even thought about the fact that people might change their styles based on the seasons until I started reading blogs this past year.
So when I hit the jackpot at this amazing yard sale last fall, I started practically hugging the woman. Yes, I did!
She was completely redoing their guest room and she had everything up for sale. She told me that only one person had ever used this set! WHAT? And she was redoing it?
Well, as much as I wanted to talk her out of this wasteful spending, who was I to step on toes? I gladly took them off her hands.
The quality in this set is unbelievable and the original price...you don't even want to know. This is the same woman who sold me the $449 Pottery Barn living room carpet for $5, if you want to guess.
She sold me the 4 throw pillows, down comforter, and 3 different dust ruffles for $7.
Now, here's the neat things that happens when you shop thrift with eagle eyes. Do you notice the cozy flannel "matching" sheets in the right picture? Those were NOT included.
I found those at Good Will two weeks later. I know...it was a God thing.
I love when that happens.


So now, we're on to my summer theme. I just love this coverlet that I found at Goodwill for $5. It makes me so happy when I gaze at it, and depending on the lightening, it takes on different looks. The details are beautiful. I don't see them made like that any more (or at least not for $5). ;)


The large yellow throw pillows also came from the Guest Room lady, and I am trying to determine if I want to stay with the dainty, white accent pillows, or put a little bold in black.
And if I going to continue on the transparent theme, I would love to show you the bed all made up, but the sheets are in the wash and I completely staged these pillows for this post. :)

I confessed that I have come a very long way since sharing my bedroom bedlam, but to make my bed twice in five minutes, just for a blog post? Love you all anyway. :)


So what did I learn about finding the perfect bedding?
Realistically, many of us dream of having that cozy haven. We would love the chic designer look, but practically, it's just not a priority in our household budget.
Well, once again, if you search with eagle eyes, you just never know the treasures that lurk when someone is redecorating their guest room.

Posted at: Rhoda's,
BeingFrugal,Metaphormasis Monday