Directions: |
Directions:Use the library for video rentals and obviously books, too. We didn't pay a dime for any movie we checked out at the library for about 5 years. Even Netflix adds up over a year's time. I didn't have to see all the latest movies because there's a ton of movies I'd never seen anyways. We didn't go on hardly any trips because we couldn't afford to so we gathered up our snacks, turned off the lights and put in a rented DVD (pretending we were at the movies) of some place we wanted to travel to, like Scotland or England. There was a great VHS/DVD travel section in the Colton library.
We did a lot of walking and the kids rode their bikes or skated in the cul-de-sac, tons in the summer, as well as swimming in Neighbor's pool. We have been really lucky. The way I swung that before we became REALLY GREAT friends was that I tried to help pay for pool service in the summer. It was TONS cheaper than us taking a trip. We also did a lot of camping (in the living room, the back yard and at our campground, but we had a tent instead of a trailer. We couldn't afford a trailer because besides the cost of a trailer, we would have had to get a big truck. We hauled out the stuff from the garage (gathered from Pic n Save), bought some food, froze extra bags of ice or John's favorite.......freezing big soda bottles filled with water (because it doesn't defrost as quickly), I packed and we just took off. We have a campsite that we belong to in Lytle Creek, so could go there any day with no prior notice (except for holidays). So, if the kids wanted a change in venue for swimming, we could drive there. We often went on day trips (anytime, even during the holidays). They have miniature golf, swimming, spas and basketball all there. We allowed the kids to have guests overnight ALL THE TIME. It kept them happy and occupied. I even got many things accomplished when there was company because the kids were busy in their bedrooms. As you know, another thing we did was I packed up the kids and we went to destinations where we'd have a free place to stay because there were family or friends there. Tam and Jeff's house was always a favorite. Gail's cabin in Wrightwood. Demi's house at Silverwood Lake. You get the idea. |
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