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This recipe for watermelon sherbert comes from the August 2011 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. It has four ingredients and costs just $.27 per serving!
Ingredients
5 c cubed, seeded watermelon
1/2 c sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (not something I have on hand 
)
1/3 c cranberry juice (would other juices work?)
Directions
1. Process watermelon in blender or food processor until smooth. It should end up making about 3 cups of pureed watermelon. Add sugar.
2. Combine gelatin and cranberry juice in a
Wahoo! If you missed this year’s Frugal Fest, watch it on video! Many thanks to Herber Lovato for making this piece. Love the music!
I was invited onto NBC to talk about the Festival the night before (June 24, 2011). Check out my conversation with Ana Garcia on Nonstop LA!
View more videos at: http://www.nbclosangeles.com.
earthlydelights / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Before hitting the sun this summer, find out why you need to stop being frugal with sunscreen and stop wasting money on sunscreen with Vitamin A. (Wisebread)
Learn how to read an electricity meter to avoid paying a higher electricity bill. (Compare Electricity Bills)
The latest trend for smartphones and tablets is mobile shopping. Stay ahead of the curve by finding out the latest on shopping technology trends. (The Digerati Life)
Should parents be responsible for their kid’s college education bill? Jason used to think his kids should pay for college, but has since changed his mind. Find out why. (Frugal Dad)
Are you overspending on sites like Groupon and Living Social? Keep in mind that impulse purchases are not a deal. (Suddenly Frugal)
Bummed you can’t make it in person to Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 at Canoga Park High School in LA? No worries!
Frugal Festival Food! is coming to you…ONLINE!
Details on the Frugal Festival blog!
Corn is already $.20 an ear in my 'hood. Credit: Bitman/Flickr
Coupons for produce is almost unheard of, so one way I keep my grocery bill down is buying in season fruit and vegetables. Look for prices on the below produce to start falling. Produce grown close to home is also a good bargain bet.
This list comes from FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org, which has more info and recipes when you click on the links below. My favorite summer produce includes beets, green beans, corn, peaches, strawberries with mint for dessert, and tomatoes for fresh salsa. What about you?
Apricots
Asian Pear
Beets
Black Currants
Bell Peppers
Abri_Beluga/Flickr
Start saving your coupons! We’re going to have a coupon exchange at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in LA.
Plus, Homestead Hardware is going to demonstrate how a solar oven works.
Other activities include a coupon class, a recipe exchange, free face painting, fresh fruit samples, a canned good drive for the LA Regional Food Bank, a nutrition IQ class, and a free raffle with 136 prizes worth almost $3,000! Plus, lots more to come!
VirtualErn/Flickr
Used your BBQ yet this summer? Look for these four affordable cuts of beef at the grocery store. Plus, the three leanest cuts of beef below. I got these tips from ShopSmart mag, the savvy-shopping magazine published by Consumer Reports.
1. Flatiron, boneless blade, petite steak, top blade, patio steak. This cut may be labeled any one of the five above ways. Runs about $5/lb and has nice marbling, which gives the meat a tasty flavor.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
zoetnet/Flickr
Got vacation time coming your way? Trying to decide what to do? I’ve got 10 steps for a great staycation (a vacation at home, so no hotel and travel costs), plus specific things to do in 80 towns across the country below.
I’m always amazed by people who haven’t been to some of the interesting places in their hometown. Don’t wait for visitors to be a tourist in your own town!
N1NJ4/Flickr
Reader Meital wrote in with a common summer vacation problem:
I would like to go camping this summer with my boyfriend and our friends. I know that on your website you always mention that parks have free admission during certain times of the year. Can you recommend a few parks that are beautiful and cheap/ reasonable in california (probably about a few hours out of the san fernando valley or LA)?
Meital, here are five places you can camp for free or park an RV for $10 a night. There are many places near Los Angeles on the list. Camping is my favorite cheap summer vacation, among others.
Where do you like to camp in California or another state?
Got a question or savings tip? Email me and you could be featured on BargainBabe.com!
There are some things that make you want to be a kid again, and a romp at the COOP in Studio City may well be one. This indoor-outdoor play area has a garden, reading area, and dance floor for kids ages 2-8, plus coffee WiFi for you. A monthly membership is $45, but take advantage of today’s Daily D and get it for just $20.
Not bad for unlimited visits during the month. The COOP’s hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The voucher expires September 30, 2010.
Caveats: you cannot drop off your child and leave. Not valid with any other offer. New customers only. You can buy vouchers for others as gifts but aren’t supposed to resell them.
This is not paid content, however I earn a commission on every purchase made through Daily D.
adwriter/Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Summer is the time to have fun but you may find yourself sitting at home bored if you’re broke or just trying to stay on budget. Here are some sizzlin’ ideas that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
Beach – If you live near the coast, the beach is one of the best places to head to when the weather gets warm. The best part is it’s free, though you will likely have to pay for parking. Pack a snack, apply some sunblock and grab your swimsuit and in no time you’ll be having fun in the sun.
Museums – Many museums are free or have free days. Some may ask for a suggested donation that you do not have to pay, like the Met in New York City. Many museums also offer free admission later in the day. Check the museums’ website for more information or call and ask if they have free or discounted rates. If you are a student or teacher, you may also qualify for a discount or even free admission! If you are a Bank of America customer, you can get free admission to participating museums, plus zoos, science centers and botanical gardens.
National Parks – Parks in general are great places to escape to when you can’t seem to peel yourself off of the couch. If you’re tired of your local park or just want to explore new scenery, head to a national park. Most national parks are free. For those that usually charge an entrance fee, there are national park fee-free days. Here are this year’s dates:
- June 5-6, 2010
- August 14-15, 2010
- September 25, 2010
- November 11, 2010
Find more free attractions near your area and share with us what you plan to do to combat boredom without breaking the bank during the summer days. Got kids? There are plenty of ways to cheaply entertain kids.
D Sharon Pruitt/Flickr
This is a post by reader Marie.
We may be on a tight budget, but there’s still a bagful of tricks to keep the kids happy all summer! They are only young once, and we want to give them many happy memories of these glorious carefree days. Here are five ideas to entertain children cheaply.
1. In fine weather, it’s important to wean kids away from the television or computer and get them out in the open for some exercise. A trip to the local park – preferably with a friend – is a special no-cost treat your kid will really enjoy.
2. If you need to stay home, make a portable sandbox for your backyard. Fill a large plastic bin or even a large plastic under-bed bin with sand and let toddlers make sandcastles or mud pies to their heart’s content!
3. On summer evenings, hold a freeze-tag party for your kids and some of their friends. They will enjoy waving glow-in-the-dark sticks (12 for $1 each from OrientalTrading.com) in the backyard.
4. Buy a skein or two of knitting yarn (from $1 a skein) and teach your youngster to knit a scarf!
5. For fun learning time at home, check the education section of 5DollarSoftware.com. I saw many items starting at just $5, including Muppet Kids Sound Patterns: Phonics, Muppet Babies: Thinking and Sorting, and Muppet Kids Beginning Sounds: Phonics. In the area of Science, I saw Kid Science Chemistry and Kid Science: Science Fun for $7.95 each. The list goes on and on, and what’s available will vary every day, so just check when you’re ready to buy.
Bonus tip: It’s easy to find super-cheap treats to give a kid a glorious burst of joy. An occasional candy bar or piece of gum is a memorable climax to a grocery shopping trip. So seek the inner child in you to find the simple pleasures that will make your child’s summer a lifelong happy memory!
Related posts on BargainBabe.com:
Free movie tickets for kids and families this summer
How to teach arts and crafts for pennies
Free family activities in every state
A reader named Ellie left a great comment this week that showed how you can turn something simple – a patch of water – into a very cheap, very entertaining afternoon for kids. And you can do it almost anywhere there is a public stream!
There’s wonderful park in Hollywood where I used to take my kids (moons ago!). It’s on the north side of Los Feliz, not too far east of Western Ave. Can’t recall the name of the park. There’s a creek that runs through the park, which sometimes has crawdads and other creatures in it. There are picnic tables and benches, and it’s shady, which is great on really hot days.
We used to give the kids tiny bit of hot dogs attached to strings so they could troll the waters for some kind of “catch.” They never caught anything, but were always ready to try, and loved playing in the park.
I bet my nephews would love to “go fishing” at a stream near their house. And my sister would certainly appreciate a few hours off!
Related:
Frugal activities for kids this summer
Free family movies this summer
Summer camp alternatives to save money
