Save big holiday bucks on your Thanksgiving turkey with money-saving tips

Thanksgiving dinner isn't cheap to prepare. We feed 10-15 people every year and it costs us about $6-$8 per person. The turkey gobbles up the biggest portion of our grocery dollar. So I save by seeking cheapest prices on Thanksgiving turkeys.  Save big holiday bucks on your Thanksgiving turkey with money-saving tips - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014, Make Some Easy and Cheap

 Are you a trend-follower or trailblazer when it comes to Halloween costumes? If you answered "trendy!" here's the list of top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014. Party City, a one-stop purveyor of all things holiday, lists what's hot and flying off their shelves this year. We'll take it in backwards order, just to keep the suspense.Top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014 - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Free Printable Manga and Anime Coloring Pages

 Manga, a variation of Japanese anime is a crazy popular story and art style among kids. Sakura, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Bakugan, Fairly Odd Parents, Powerpuff Girls and even Hello Kitty! and A Dog Named Spot are Japanese manga cartoons. Kazuki Takahashi created many of the manga characters that are so well loved now. Do your  kids love anime characters?  Here are free printable manga drawing and coloring pages. Free Printable Manga and Anime Coloring Pages 

Free Printable Postman Pat Coloring Pages for Children

Are you a fan of the cartoon Postman Pat? Perhaps you enjoyed the UK's 3D Postman Pat: the Movie that aired in June, 2014?   Postman Pat is charming story of a friendly neighborhood Royal Mail carrier and his sidekick cat Jess. It's similar to Wallace and Gromit in animation.With all the "adult" cartoons posing as kiddie shows on TV, it's refreshing to see that Postman Pat is genuinely for kids, about child-friendly themes. If you like the show, here areFree Printable Postman Pat Coloring Pages

Free Online Kids' Games Arcade Random, Action and Educational

In technology and online gaming, it's difficult for parents to know which websites have safer options for children. Here is a game website that offers fun, free entertaining games for kids in upper elementary and middle school.

  Agame, at www.agame.com. A favorite descriptor word kids love to use now, is "random"--they'll say their sense of humor and entertainment tastes are random, meaning silly and pointless. Agame certainly fits. From traditional puzzle, action, racing, skill, arcade, board/ card games, shooter and role play games, you can find uber goofy off-the-wall games like Receptionists Revenge and Ghosts Stole My Puppy (?)


  Agame games has fashion and style games SuperSecret and Girls Go Catwalk. Role-play games include Farm Mania and Burger Restaurant and Cake of Fun. Racing games include Uphill Rush 2, Urban Truck, Robotic Emergence and Street Sesh. Action Adventure games include Warfare 1917 and Bomb It 2. Skill/puzzle games include Bejeweled, Mahjong, Bubble Shooter and Zuma.


  I especially like Agame (kids will too) because there are fewer pop-up ads to slow the gaming, Addicting Games is free, but has three major ad slots on the peripheral of the game board. Agame has one short video commecial ad that players must wait through. After that, the ad is covered by the game and there is only one other ad slot. Kids can create a user profile and log in to play or they can play without creating a profile. Agame also has a chat/comment section parents can allow or disallow. For more family-friendly online gaming visit me at www.freesafekidsgames.blogspot.com.

Free Printable 4th of July American Paper Craft Activities

Need  cheap American-themed crafts for 4th of July? How about free? Better, right? Celebrate US Independence Day with these free printable paper crafts and activities. Printable flag coloring pages, crafts, red white and blue crafts, Americana coloring pages and more. Use them to decorate the house for 4th of July. Here are websites with loads of free printable activities for cut and paste, coloring fun. Free Printable 4th of July Cut and Paste Paper Crafts and Activities

100 Plus Free and Dirt Cheap Educational Summer Enrichment Activities for Families

My husband and I homeschooled four children in a single-wide mobile home, living on one income. We are the proverbial minimalists and penny pinchers. Here's our budget list of 100+ free or dirt cheap educational summer field trips  100+ Free (or Dirt Cheap) Educational Summer Field Trips for Families

Play Free at Webkinz Pets Online, No Secret Code or Toy Purchase Required

Remember the Webkinz craze a few years back? Webkinz are stuffed animals, like Ty Beanie Babies, with secret code tags that allow children to play online at the Webkinz website. The child played with an animated version of her pet. The Webkinz fad is mostly over. But that means good news for fans. Now kids can play online at Webkinz free--no need to buy a toy or have a code. Here's how.  Play Free at Webkinz Pets Online, No Code or Toy Purchase Required

Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man 2 Coloring Pages, Crafts, Games

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is here! Marvel's long-awaited superhero sequel is thrilling young and old alike. I'm #TeamDCComics myself but also partial to Marvel's spider mutant man. What's not to love about a hero who needs no fancy gadgets and shoots webs from his hands? If you love Spiderman, how about free printable activities featuring your hero? Are your Spidey senses tingling? Read on for links to Spider-Man coloring pages, clipart, games, puzzles, crafts and lesson plans. Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man 2 Coloring Pages, Crafts, Games

Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man Coloring Pages

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened May 2, 2014. It's been long-anticipated by kids and adults. Are you Spider-Man fanboy or girl? I'm more of an Aquaman girl, but I appreciate the Marvel superheroes' contributions. And my Spidey senses alerted me that you'd like free printable Spider-Man coloring pages? Here's a link with 73 black and white images to print and color. Make an entire coloring book!  Free Printable Spider-Man Coloring Pages